Author's Note:
Hallo, and welcome to the fifth installment in the LLF series. This fic has yet to be completed, so I don't know how many chapters it will be. Updates will be slightly sporadic, but I hope you enjoy all the same. Comments are appreciated.
The rumble of thunder woke Bruce from his tentative sleep. His eyes blinked open, revealing the flashing of lightning on the wall just before thunder sounded again. The shadows of raindrops on the window were cast on the wall. The sound of thunder came again.
Bruce turned over in bed to face Tony, who was looking back at Bruce blearily. They didn't say anything, just pulled the other closer and tried to go back to sleep. Bruce's head was tucked under Tony's chin, Tony's arms wrapped around Bruce. Bruce's arms were curled between their bodies, one hand cupped protectively over the arc reactor through the thin cotton of the shirt Tony had worn to bed. Tony pressed a kiss to the top of Bruce's hair, and Bruce let out a little contented hum, closing his eyes.
Another clap of thunder filled the air, this one more powerful than the others, loud enough that the other guy sat up and took notice, giving a warning growl within Bruce, who focused on his breathing and tried to reassure the other guy that it was only thunder, not guns, that they were safe. Tony's arms tightened around Bruce.
"Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. said quietly. When Tony grunted in acknowledgment, J.A.R.V.I.S continued, "My readings suggest that this storm is not one of natural creation."
Tony sighed, the exhale stirring Bruce's curls. "Looks like the resident thunder god is back," he murmured before sitting up, making Bruce give a disgruntled humph at being moved and the sudden absence of Tony's warmth. Tony chuckled.
Bruce sat up as well and rubbed eyes before glaring at the wall. He yawned and stretched slightly. "J.A.R.V.I.S., what time is it?"
"It is 3:57 A.M., Dr. Banner."
Bruce groaned and put his face in his hands. It was much too early for this.
Tony was up and moving around the room, changing into jeans and a different T-shirt and sliding on shoes. "Come on, Brucie. Someone's gotta welcome Point Break home." He lay out some clothes for Bruce on the bed before slipping from the room, presumably to the roof.
Bruce allowed himself another few moments of sullenness before getting dressed and following Tony. He ran into Clint in the elevator and was a little satisfied to see someone less pleased to be up than himself. They rode up to the roof in silence, still not quite awake just yet. When they were released onto the roof, they both realized that bringing an umbrella would have been wise. They stumbled into the downpour and made their way to the others, who were already standing in the middle of the roof, staring expectantly at the sky. They all looked wide awake, the assholes. And none of them had brought umbrellas either. Great.
Bruce wormed his way between Tony and Natasha, and Clint took Natasha's left side. Natasha gave them both a quick glance before her expression turned amused. Bruce glared at her, and Tony wrapped his left arm around Bruce, tugging him into Tony's side. Bruce tilted his head onto Tony's shoulder.
"This is not how I wanted to start my day," Clint groused.
Steve looked at them all from Tony's right and just shook his head, his lips twitching into a smile that he turned his head to hide.
Before anything else could be said, lightning struck once more, the roll of thunder on its heels, and Thor fell from the sky and landed in a crouch. "Friends!" he exclaimed jovially as he rose to his feet.
"Hey, Point Break," Tony greeted, stepping away from Bruce for a hug. He was swept a few inches off the ground by Thor before he was set down again.
"Nice to see you again, Thor," Steve welcomed, stepping up for his own hug as Tony moved back to Bruce's side.
"Thor," Natasha said politely when Steve backed away, but she didn't approach, and Clint and Bruce were still far too tired to face one of Thor's bone-breaking hugs.
"Ignore the two grouches over here," Tony told Thor. "Their social skills don't operate properly until after eight A.M. and several cups of coffee. Come on inside, out of the rain, and they'll cheer up a bit."
Thor's face fell slightly in apology as the six of them headed inside. "Does my return disrupt your sleep, Friends Clint and Bruce? I am sorry; I didn't take this into account before my departure from Asgard." He held up the bags that had gone unnoticed in his hands. "Perhaps these gifts will be sufficient appeasement."
The elevator let them out in the penthouse. "Ooh, presents? Gimme!" Tony said, eyes lighting up. Bruce gave Tony a little nudge, prompting the billionaire to roll his eyes and tack on, "Please."
Thor looked at Tony in surprise at the word, but in an uncharacteristic show of tact, he didn't comment on it. He sat the bags on the coffee table and reached inside one. He glanced at what he pulled out before handing it to Steve with a bright smile. "For you, Captain."
"Oh, Thor, you didn't have to get me anything," Steve said, accepting the gift hesitantly.
"Nonsense," Thor answered.
Everyone watched closely as Steve carefully unwrapped his gift. When he slid the wrapping paper away, Steve blinked a little in surprise. "This... Is this an Asgardian cookbook?"
"It is, indeed, Captain Rogers. My mother translated it from our language and made adjustments for the different ingredients."
Steve's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Thor, and tell your mother the same when you see her again." He approached for another hug, which Thor gave happily.
The next gift was handed to Tony, who was not nearly so neat with the wrapping paper as Steve had been. "Okay, this... I don't know what this is," he admitted.
Thor laughed, "It is Asgardian technology. I thought you'd like the chance to take it apart and see how it works."
Tony's face brightened, and he began studying the thing. It was silver in color and shaped like a cube. Runes covered its sides, and it glowed faintly. Bruce nudged Tony again. "Thanks, Point Break," Tony said.
"You are welcome, Friend Tony." Thor dug through the bag again. He handed this present to Clint.
"Asgardian booze? I knew you loved me," Clint said with a pleased smirk, making Natasha roll her eyes.
Thor moved onto the next bag, and the present he retrieved was handed to Bruce.
"Thank you, Thor," Bruce said before he opened the wrapping paper. "The Political History of Asgard," he read from the cover of the book. Bruce knew he was grinning goofily, but he couldn't seem to control his facial muscles. Maybe it wasn't so bad to be up this early. Maybe.
A gift was handed to Natasha next. She undid the wrapping efficiently and smiled slightly at the cover of the book. "It's a murder mystery novel," she explained to the others. "Thank you, Thor."
"I also brought a present for the Son of Coul. Is he here presently?"
"No," Clint said, not bothering to hide his pout. "He's on assignment with a baby agent."
Thor seemed to deflate slightly, but he quickly perked up. "I shall gift his trinket to him at the next available opportunity, then!" he boomed. "When shall that be?"
"Tomorrow," Clint said. "Or, I guess, today." Clint rubbed a hand across his face tiredly, and seeing the motion brought a yawn from Bruce.
With the reminder that a third of the team was tired, Thor declared, "I will retire to my rooms to allow my comrades to continue their slumber. I hope to see you all in a few hours to break our fasts together!" Thor swept from the room with this, his cape swinging behind him.
The others dispersed from the room, Steve deciding to keep Thor company, Natasha eager to start on her book, and Clint saying, "Sleep," in such a way that it didn't seem entirely appropriate for an audience.
That left Tony and Bruce, Tony still damnably awake for such a ridiculous hour, Bruce wanting to go back to bed. Tony gave Bruce a look that Bruce had long since begun to link to Tony having a bad idea. "Bruce," Tony said, his tone excited. "Science."
"Tony," Bruce replied, "Sleep."
"Bruce, coffee and science," Tony negotiated.
"Tony, cuddles and sleep," Bruce demanded petulantly.
"But Brucie, science!" Tony whined, pulling Bruce into a hug.
"Tony, if we don't go back to bed right now, I swear to Thor that I will go down to the lab, Hulk out, and tell him to smash every project you have going on."
There was a moment of disbelieving silence, and then Tony said, "Sleep. Cuddles and sleep," and began dragging Bruce back to the bedroom.
Bruce smiled.