He doesn't know why he's still caught off guard by how he constantly lives between two extremes, but he is. Even while he's thrumming with how much he wants to cave in, pull Tony to him, and let the both of them just explore, his mind's crashing his body's part with a chorus of can't. And Bruce -- okay, so Bruce maybe has tried some therapeutic sessions on his own where he tries to keep his breathing and heart rate and everything balanced while he find some relief, but throwing another person into the mix complicates things all over again.

He wants to relax into the kiss, but he just can't. If anyone could make him, though, it's Tony, and the hand on his chest is calming, soothing. God, he's so confused, and he breaks away, but doesn't push Tony away.

"You said 'if.' If I could. The other guy is still a problem." He draws in a breath and makes a mistake -- he looks at Tony, and whatever ability he'd found to say no cracks, just a little.

"I wish he wasn't," he admits in a rush, the confession tumbling out of him almost unbidden. "I mean -- obviously, but right now -- with you, I wish..."