Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers

Plot: late one troubled night, Bruce discovers something about Tony that Tony doesn't even know. Will such an odd encounter help Bruce deal with his continued issue with the Hulk?

This is my first published Avengers fanfic. I've had ideas for others and even worked on a few starting chapters, but here's a first completed one, uploaded. I've been in a bit of an Avenger's mood ever since seeing the first movie. Afterwards, I've discovered some awesome fanfics for the genre, including one that inspired this story. If I had more time to spare, this most likely would've been a multi-chaptered fic. Since it didn't, I let the story practically write itself.

Where Green Meets Blue

There were tanks. There were explosions. There were screams and cries of "Monster!" "Destroy him!" "Capture him!" Those were followed by more explosions, and then gunfire. It was closing in; all of it was closing in on Bruce.

The screams were louder now, as was the gunfire. It was surrounding him from every direction and there was no escape. He wasn't himself. He couldn't stop running as the Hulk. What was worse was that he couldn't stop feeling the fear or the rage that was plaguing him.

The gunfire was too close.

The curses were too loud.

His heart was racing too fast.

He heard a scream, his scream, and something exploded in front of him.

Bruce gasped as he jumped up. He felt like he had run miles with the way his heart was pounding. There was no gunfire now. No explosions, or screams of any kind. The reason being was that it had all been a dream. Just a bad dream, but a dream filled with truths.

Bruce panted as he took a moment to gain awareness of where he was. Through the semi-darkness he could see no sign of destruction around him. There were no tanks or guns or people shouting. He was safe, within a room inside Stark tower, now officially known as the Avengers Tower. He sighed as he pushed his legs over the side and just sat for a moment, running his hand over his brow. He hated that he was shaking; hated that such nightmares plagued him because of what he had become.

Bruce glanced over at the clock on the nightstand. It was one in the morning. He shook his head, not believing for a moment that he'd be able to go back to bed peacefully. He got to his feet and sighed. Considering the dream he'd just had, he felt highly compelled to follow the Hulk's lead and just run. Just leave and go away somewhere, where no one would discover the man with another, much more dangerous side to him. But it seemed impossible now being that he was considered an Avenger—a hero. He thought it was easy for others to view him that way. A Goliath seeming to smash down any threat that stood in humanity's way. But Bruce knew the truth. The Hulk was a dangerous being—very dangerous. How could he be trusted to live among them, and work with them in battle? He had tried to tell Tony this, as well as the others, but it didn't seem to make an impact. Well, at least Widow and Clint seemed uncertain of the idea. Steve believed it was best that they did keep up precaution around him. But when it came to Tony, the guy treated him as if he was completely normal. As if all Bruce needed to do was keep up with some yoga practices. Bruce shook his head at the thought. Even if he did sneak away, he knew Tony would pull all his efforts and resources into finding him and bringing him back as he so strongly believed he belonged here. There would be no changing his mind unless perhaps and accident occurred within the tower, and Bruce couldn't wait for such a thing to happen just to prove he was right.

Bruce got to his feet and quietly made his way out of his room and down the hall. He figured since he was up he might as well get himself a glass of water while he debated the idea of departing.

When he reached the area, he was caught off guard to see the lights on, as well as a figure perched at the kitchen's island. Said figure was hunched over, with his back facing the entrance so Bruce couldn't see who it was. From what he could see, the figure was writing something.

Bruce moved a bit closer and saw who it was as he maneuvered around the space.

"Tony? What are you doing up at this hour?"

But Tony didn't turn around. He either had not heard him or was too focused on whatever he was writing. When Bruce moved closer he saw that Tony wasn't exactly writing with a pencil. In fact, he wasn't exactly writing at all. He seemed to be drawing, and with a green crayon.

"Tony?" Bruce asked, confused. When he still didn't respond, Bruce reached out and touched his shoulder.

Tony's head shot up, eyes wide.

"Didn't…didn't mean to scare you Tony," Bruce apologized meekly. "I just, wondered what you were doing up." For a moment, all Tony did was stare back at him, blankly. "Couldn't sleep?"

Tony's eyes shifted as he took Bruce in, then he pulled his arm over whatever he was drawing as if to hide it.

"I'm…I'm not Tony," he said in a soft, and almost shy like way. Bruce quirked a brow.

"Uh…what?"

Tony seemed to consider him curiously before responding.

"You called me Tony." Again he used that same soft voice that was so unlike Tony's more confident driven tone.

Bruce scratched his head and sighed. It was way too late for pranks.

"Alright, whatever kind of game you're playing, I'm not in the mood. I just came for a glass of water."

Bruce turned away from the antics of his lab partner in favor of getting a glass and filling it. He turned back around and started drinking, and found Tony staring at him almost in awe.

"What?"

"You're Tony's friend…that doctor…the Hulk."

Now Bruce was feeling a slight edge of annoyance, which he knew could easily shift into anger.

"Tony I just told you I'm not in the mood for-"

"And I told you I'm not Tony. Tony doesn't know about me."

Bruce slowly lowered the glass in favor of observing him silently. Tony was known to joke around, messing with people's heads on occasion, especially with his. But Tony knew when to back off when it came to him, leastwise he accidentally set off his favorite rage monster.

But it wasn't just that. It was the way he was speaking; the way he sat, slightly hunched; and the exuberant expression he suddenly had on his face, seemingly brought on by the fact that he was the Hulk. Bruce was about to speak, but paused upon dropping his gaze down to Tony's swinging legs. Since when did the billionaire swing his legs, like a child? Although the rational part of his mind was saying Tony was trying to play something, a stronger part of him somehow sensed that there might be some truth to his words, because this man was not acting like Tony Stark. Besides that, pretending to be someone else wasn't any kind of prank he'd ever played before. What would be the point? Perhaps to psyche him out, but he knew Tony wouldn't want to push him so far that he'd declare he was leaving.

"If…if you're not Tony," Bruce decided to try, "then who are you?"

At that, Tony seemed to reel in a bit, somewhat shyly as if he was regretting saying anything at all.

"I'm Blue."

"Blue?" Bruce repeated. Tony, a.k.a Blue, nodded slowly. Bruce's brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of this. "And…you're not…Tony?"

Tony/Blue looked away from him and dropped his gaze back down to his drawing.

"Tony doesn't know about me. Not any of us."

Bruce was flabbergasted. He took a step forward and stared into Tony's down-turned face. If Tony, or rather Blue, was serious about this, completely serious, then it could mean only one thing.

"So there's more of you," Bruce noted. The man raised his eyes to meet Bruce's. There definitely seemed to be a softer look about them, somehow.

"I felt like drawing tonight. I thought it was fine. No one was up…well, I thought no one was."

"Dissociative Identity Disorder," Bruce muttered quietly under his breath as he continued to stare at what he believed was his lab partner a moment ago. Blue took to coloring with his green crayon while Bruce just stood there. "I…I didn't know Tony had…" What was the proper way to say this to a personality that seemed to be a child? The proper way to say Tony had another side, or rather sides, to him much like Bruce had with the Hulk. Bruce slowly took a seat on the stool. He couldn't seem to look away from this man.

"Why, why haven't we met any of you before?"

"Because he didn't want us too," he answered simply.

"Who?"

Blue folded in on himself again and slowly shook his head.

"Can't tell me?" Bruce guessed.

"Not right now. He might get mad."

Bruce couldn't help smirking a bit at the possibility that Tony had an alter who possibly had anger issues like his Hulk.

"Okay...okay then." Bruce paused as he tried to think of where to go with this. The last thing he expected to run into this late was a man with multiple personalities. He had a vague understanding of it, seeing as he felt somewhat connected to the matter with his own green alter ego, but knowing how to deal with another person under similar circumstances was something else altogether. Right now, the scientific side of him wanted to explore Tony's mind and meet his other alters, but feeling it might overstep his boundaries, he turned his attention to what the childlike alter was doing.

"What are you drawing there?" From his angle, Bruce could see he was coloring a large figure. Blue turned the drawing to him, and Bruce could clearly see his obvious attempt at drawing the infamous Hulk. He had already covered most of it in green. All that was left to color was a leg.

For a minute Bruce just stared at it with no expression, and for the briefest of seconds, he heard the gunshots and shouting. It was all because of the Hulk that he was hearing orders for his destruction in his head now.

"It's supposed to be the Hulk…it's bad right."

Bruce looked up to see Blue looking back at him with a worried expression. Bruce forced himself to smile.

"No, it's…it's good," he said, hoping he didn't sound bitter. "Looks just like him. Good job."

Blue grinned and Bruce turned the picture back to him to finish. Bruce just watched him for a moment. This who thing had really thrown off his earlier fears, but now he was visiting them again. "What made you…what made you draw him?"

Blue gave a small shrug. "I think he's cool."

"Cool," Bruce repeated flatly.

"Yeah, he's really strong and can smash anything."

Bruce leaned back a bit and gave a nod. That was usually the reason people liked the Hulk, and it was no surprise that someone as young as Blue appeared to act would state the same thing. Kids liked that about the monster. They didn't see that it could be dangerous as well, like a colorful, fun looking, firecracker.

"Yeah," Bruce agreed darkly as he gazed down at the table. "He can smash anything, including people."

"The rest of the Avengers are there," Blue said quietly, causing Bruce to look up at him. He noticed Blue seemed to be observing him closely.

"They may be there, but that doesn't change the fact that the Hulk can be very dangerous, to innocent people."

Suddenly Blue's curious expression shifted to disappointment. Bruce hated that it had, but he felt compelled to tell him the truth of the matter. In all honesty, he wasn't certain why he was bothering. For all he knew, any second, Blue would fade away and leave a very confused Tony in his place, and that was saying that this truly was for real.

"You know, it doesn't matter," Bruce decided as he leaned back in his seat.

"Why?" Blue asked confused. "I like the Hulk. Lots of people like him."

"I'm not so sure I do most times." Bruce took a long sip from his glass and let his gaze wander across the room.

"Why?" Another "Why?" Bruce thought bitterly. Bruce was about to answer, but Blue beat him to it. "Are you afraid of him?"

"All the time," he answered quietly.

Blue gazed back at him momentarily before dropping his gaze down to his drawing.

"I guess he can be scary," he agreed. "But…that doesn't mean he's bad."

Bruce gave a soft chuckle.

"We might have to disagree on that one Blue. Mr. Green has a potential to be bad." Bruce rolled the glass around on its edge for a bit as he contemplated their conversation so far. He was quickly discovering that he couldn't help liking that he had a fan in a personality called Blue, and that said personality was trying to convince him that the Hulk was not as bad as he believed. He felt much of it had to do with the fact that he was connected to Tony who always made the argument that big green was a hero. He gazed up at the alter curiously and found that he was having trouble seeing Tony there. He supposed it was because it was so late now and his mind wanted to play tricks. He rubbed his tired eyes then smiled up at him.

"Mind if I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Why are you called Blue anyway?"

Blue hunched his shoulders and leaned forward. He had a near serious expression on his face.

"Mind if I ask you something first?" he asked shyly.

"Not at all."

"Why is the Hulk green?"

Bruce's smile widened, and suddenly he found himself genuinely laughing.

"Well, I have a theory," he started, "but, when it comes down to it, I don't really think that matters. It's what he's doing that makes the difference. Not his color."

For a minute Bruce feared he might have upset him by skirting around the question, but then Blue folded his arms across the table, looking at him with pure admiration.

"Do you like the color green?"

"It's fine," Bruce settled on stating. "But what about you? Why Blue?"

At that he dropped his head looking somewhat uncertain. It was the one time where Bruce received a flash of seeing such an expression on Tony. It was only once, and quick as he knew Tony wasn't the type to wear his emotions on his sleeve easily.

"Blue is…isn't it what people feel when they're sad?"

Bruce raised his brows, taken aback.

"Are you sad Blue?"

At that, Blue smiled and shook his head.

"I'm talking to the Hulk, so how can I be sad." He looked so childlike and innocent with that grin that Bruce just had to smile.

"Well technically you aren't, but, I'm glad that makes you happy."

"Me too. I've been happy the whole time we talked."

"Well, then where is this part about being sad coming from?" Bruce felt he knew the answer before Blue went into sharing it. His expression became a mix of uncertainty and seriousness.

"Tony."

Bruce was slowly nodding.

"I figured," he muttered quietly. "Tony can be…well, difficult, for different reasons. Guess he has a right to, feel that way considering some of the things in his past."

"But he's got the Avengers now," Blue said brightly. "He's got you."

Bruce gazed at him in wonder.

"To be honest kid, I wasn't going to stay. I was thinking of leaving." Upon seeing Blue's widened eyes, he elaborated. "Because of the Hulk. And now, strangely enough after talking to you…I…I don't know."

"You don't know…what?" Blue asked cautiously.

"Learning about this other side to Tony. Learning there's a 'blue' side to him. Maybe we have more in common than I thought."

A thoughtful silence followed. Bruce was not looking at Blue, but down at his own hands. For the briefest moment, he could have sworn he'd seen a hint of green surface on his normal fleshy tones.

"So…you'll stay?"

Bruce brought his gaze up to the young alter and smiled.

"For now. I think, maybe I could really use the Avengers. Maybe I could really use Tony's friendship."

"Tony would like that," said Blue happily.

"I have no doubt," Bruce agreed as he ran his fingers over his brow.

"Are you going to tell him? About me?"

Bruce considered him for a moment as he interlocked his fingers. It seemed to be the one thing left now. He closed his eyes for a minute and sighed. He wasn't one to pry his nose into other people's business, unless it somehow resulted in him or another being in danger. In this case, he didn't know if Tony was in danger of not knowing. He wasn't a psychiatrist, and he wasn't experienced in the knowledge of Dissociative Identity Disorder. So what was he to do?

Bruce swallowed hard and got to his feet.

"I don't know." He picked up the glass in favor of looking at it as opposed to meeting Blue's gaze. "I just…"

The small quiet was interrupted by the clear change in tone and response from Blue.

"Bruce? What are you doing?"

Bruce whirled around. It was clear he wasn't Blue anymore. It was now Tony sitting there, with a straight posture and a confused yet suspicious expression on his face.

"So you don't…you don't remember, us talking?" Did Tony really not know? He felt some part of him should.

"Talking? Wha…" he paused and took in the fact that he was seated at the island in the kitchen. "What am I doing in here anyways? Trying practical jokes of your own big guy?"

Bruce shook his head, smiling.

"Oh no Tony. I just came to get myself a drink of water." Tony continued to stare back at him, lost. "You, on the other hand, well, I think what's going on with you is a little deeper than what I have knowledge in."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

To answer the question, Bruce tapped on the drawing Tony as Blue had drawn up. Tony stared down at it, looking even more lost than before. The sight made Bruce's heart ache a bit as he imagined what it would be like had he not learned he had another side to himself. But at the same time, he felt he owed it to Blue to stay silent on the matter.

"Your masterpiece Bruce?" Tony questioned.

"I think you and I both know I wouldn't go around drawing pictures of myself, especially the Hulk side of myself."

"Then where-"

Bruce stopped him by simply dropping his hands on the man's shoulders.

"From a little guy named Blue," he said simply.

"Blue? Bruce, what are you-"

"It's really late Tony. It's already going for three in the morning." Tony glanced over at the clock, then dropped his gaze back down at the drawing. "And I know you don't understand what's happened here, but I think tonight, I've managed to understand a little more about you, and maybe myself."

"Oh? What's that?" But Tony was more distracted by the drawing which he now held up.

"That we have more in common than I thought. And since that's the case, I think we can help each other there."

He patted his shoulders before turning and walking away, before Tony had a chance to question what was happening further. Though Bruce felt conflicted about revealing Tony's personalities, specifically Blue, he believed in the end, the secret would be revealed anyhow. Secrets were always revealed, and often so were the true feelings of a person. So if Tony was feeling blue, it would show, somehow.

Either way, Bruce made his way back to his bed, determined to get a proper night's sleep, so as to have a more honest conversation with Tony on the matter of what it meant to be green, and blue.

The inspiration for this story came from reading a strong fanfic where Bruce has Dissociative Identity Disorder. I enjoyed it so much I wanted to see other fanfics where other Avengers had the disorder, specifically Tony. The story was originally going to be called "I'm Blue" where the story's focus was on this particular personality of Tony's, but I ended up having more focus on Bruce. But since it was going to be called "I'm Blue" I decided to keep that name for the alter. Besides that, that original title, as well as name was inspired by the song "Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65. Said song was an old favorite of mine and to hear it recently in the opening credits of Iron Man 3 just caused me to associate that song with Tony now, lol. Considering how well the story does, perhaps I'll write a sequel where we do get to see the other personalities of Tony, even though I'm not an expert on DID. I find it fascinating. For the time being, I've left it as a prompt on livejournal for writers to write such a multi-chaptered story and I hope someone takes it. I'm always looking for unique ideas in fanfics, and when I can't find the plot I want, I try to write it myself. I hope it inspires others to write plots we haven't seen.

Anyways, review and perhaps there will be more unusual Avengers fics from me. Thanks for enjoying