SO this is my first Avengers fic. I'm hoping its good. Let me know.
After the battle in Manhattan the Avengers went their separate ways though I managed to convince Bruce to come back to the tower with me using the temptation of the use of my labs. He had been with me at the tower for a month now and it had been both amazing and horrible. I loved having someone as smart Bruce Banner to bounce ideas off of and work with in the lab but slowly I started to develop feelings for the soft spoken genius.
The days spent working in the confined space of the lab with him made me notice how his eyes would sparkle when he came up with something in the lab or learned something new, something he missed during his years in self imposed exile. It made me notice how his eyebrows would furrow when he concentrated and how his lips would turn up in a small smile when he was amused. Every little thing I noticed made me realize with slight dread that I was falling in love with the quiet man.
I didn't do feelings for much the same reason I didn't do relationships. I had no experience with them and I tended to suck at them. As I watched the man I was coming to love work day after day I couldn't help but think about how I didn't know what to do. I hated that feeling because it was so unfamiliar. I was used to knowing what I was doing and knowing more than anyone else but when it came to my new Science Brother I didn't know what to do so I did the only thing I could think of. I ignored my feelings and tried to drink them away.
It was during one such drinking binge that Pepper found me lying on the couch with a half empty bottle of scotch in my hand. "What are you doing?" She demanded, hands on her hips as she glared down at me.
I stare up at her with bleary eyes and give her a drunken grin. "Hey Pep! How are you? Do you want some?" I try offering her some of the scotch but at the shake of her head I take a large swig of it.
"Tony, what are you doing? Do you want to tell me why you've been acting like this lately?" She looked me straight in the eye before sitting on the arm of the couch. "I'm worried about you and so is Dr. Banner."
I felt myself perk up at the mention of Bruce before taking another long drink of my scotch. "I'm fine Pep. I've never been better. What makes you think anything is wrong?" Well that could have come out better. Pepper just stared at me with a raised eyebrow. I sighed before taking another drink. "Stop with the death stare of honesty. It won't work."
Pepper just stared at me for a moment before standing up. "Fine Tony. Don't tell me. I just don't like seeing you put yourself through this. Dr. Banner doesn't either. Did you know that he came and talked to me? He said you have started avoiding him and haven't spent any time in the lab lately if you can help it. When you finally decide to talk I am here for you."
I sigh as she walks away before sitting up with a frown. I knew she was just worrying about me but I didn't know how to talk about it. I seriously didn't know how to which was strange considering I know everything. Noticing how late it was I stood up, swaying before heading towards my bedroom.
At least I thought it was my bedroom. I crawled into the bed oblivious to my surroundings and fell asleep with no preamble. Unknown to me I had actually crawled into Bruce's bed where he was sleeping soundly. I curled up next to him in my sleep, cuddling up against him. In my dreams I was in bed with Bruce and we were cuddling, his arms were wrapped tightly around me. I didn't know that what I was dreaming was actually happening. Bruce wrapped his arms tightly around me in his sleep as I cuddled close to him.