"But Bruce ..."
"No, Tony." He repeated for the thousandth time that week, already fearing that he wouldn't give up that idea as easily as he thought at first.
"It's just scientific curiosity, you don't realize ..."
"I can't see any scenario in which sleeping with you can be classified as scientific curiosity."
"It doesn't need to be with me, but you do know how much I like to get involved directly with my experiments. And sleeping is not exactly what I had proposed. "
Bruce rolled his eyes theatrically, he couldn't believe that Tony was still trying to convince him. Oh, wait. It was Tony, of course he could believe it.
"I also don't think sex fits as an experiment, unless we aren't talking about the same kind of science."
"You started it, when you said you didn't know if you would transform during sex."
"Because I wasn't with anyone since the accident."
"Exactly my point, that's why I'm very generously offering to help." Said as if he'd just proven irrefutably that he was right.
"It was a confession, not a challenge."
"Same thing."
"No, Tony! Can we talk about something else? "
"Aren't you curious to know if any acceleration in heart rate causes the transformation? And the aspect of anger is also interesting. Does The Other Guy knows how to differentiate anger like 'wanna-smash-everything' from 'wanna-fuck-you-senseless?'" he asked as if it were the most normal thing in the world, and considering that it was Tony, it probably was.
"No, not a bit." he was lying, of course. And he knew it. He only hoped that Tony didn't.
"It doesn't need to be with me, if you have something against gay sex or something."
"Oh, and who else would you have in mind?"
"I know a fantastic greek call girl that can ..."
"No, definitely not."
"You shouldn't have so much prejudice against prostitutes. Though, if that means that you will choose me, I can live with that. Of course I'm simply talking by scientific curiosity. "
"Of course." he responded as if he didn't believe a word. And he didn't.
"Does that mean you agree?"
"No."
Bruce should probably win an award for his self-control. But, as nobody seemed impressed with his ability to control The Other Guy, he didn't think this would happen. Despite that, spending a month refusing Tony's proposal was even more difficult than preventing the transformation for a year.
"Okay." he replied after thirty-two days.
"But what if I told you ..." he had already begun. "Wait. Did you said yes?" he asked almost incredulously.
"Only for science, of course."
"Of course ... And just out of curiosity, who will be your ... experiment partner? "
"If the offer still stands, it may be you. I know how you enjoy doing experiments with your own hands. "
"And not only with my... I mean, of course it's still standing. The offer, the offer is still standing. For science, of course. "
"Obviously."
Bruce was surprised to see how Tony was disconcerted; maybe playing hard to get has been a good strategy. Not that he did it, of course. After all, nobody played hard to get to be a guinea pig in an experiment.
"And when do you plan to start this experiment?" he tried to speak with the utmost professionalism possible, which, in his case, wasn't much.
"Now. I mean, if you're ready. "
"Absolutely. I'm always ready to f ... Science. Always ready for science. "
"Sure, and we're just doing it for science."
"Exactly."
And if they had to repeat the experiment one or a few thousands times, it was only for science.
Well, maybe not only for science.