Big, Blonde Dreamcatcher
Bruce Banner is a man who takes pride in being intelligent, observant, retaining a modicum of self-control, and possibly being the only sane member of the Avengers. Looking back in his life, he wished he had used his skills more during some times and less during others. He was the top specialist of gamma rays in the world, had a little mishap with an experiment once, so what? Turning into a giant green monster when he gets angry and developing multiple-personality disorder? Big deal! But being alone... Familiarity with that was something he found himself too comfortable with.
One morning in the Stark Tower, Bruce found himself sitting in his lab staring down the scope of a microscope zoning out. He thought about the wonderful night of sleep he could have had the night before if not for his fear of what that would bring. Pulling back and rubbing his tired eyes, he looked at the clock hanging above the glass doors and sighed forlornly.
5:00 A.M.
He had been awake for over thirty-six hours. Without coffee.
Shaking himself roughly in hopes to keep his blood pumping, Bruce stood up creakily. He felt and heard his back popping and cracking as he straightened it. Groaning loudly, the scientist limped slowly to the window to stare out at the rising sun. Skyscrapers shot up in the view, like towering kings of the concrete jungle below, reflecting the orange glow on their glass exteriors. Bruce sighed lightly and sat down on the windowsill, wishing for all the world he could dream of sunrises during the night, beautiful promises of new days that they were. As his mind fluttered off to the clouds, the doors of the lab slid open to allow his Asgardian companion entrance.
"Good morning, friend Bruce! A glorious morning, is it not?" the blonde man bellowed jollily. Bruce flinched and turned to face Thor, fatigue pulling heavily at his eyes and left purple rings beneath them.
"Oh, good morning Thor. You're up early." Bruce greeted, smiling wearily. Thor frowned at his friend, not missing his obvious weariness.
"Aye, I wake with the sun. Did you sleep well?" Thor asked, knowing very well his friend would lie as not to become a burden to others. Bruce looked away and worried his lip slightly.
"...Yes."
"Do not lie to me friend Bruce." Thor deadpanned, leveling the scientist with a stern expression. Bruce paled slightly, swallowing as the Norse god stepped closer to him.
"Well... no... Not really." he admitted tiredly, looking back out the window. Thor frowned sadly.
"Did you not go to your bed to rest?" the blonde asked, receiving a shake of the head. "Why not? Surely not just for your work."
"No, sleep is important and I would never voluntarily choose work over it."
"So why did thou not rest?"
Bruce sighed and stood up. He really didn't want to have this conversation and would much rather be sipping a cup of Tony's ultra-strong-wake-you-from-a-coma brew to get his motor running.
"It's nothing. I'm just going to go grab a cup of coffee so I don't fall asleep and possibly blow something up. I'll be fine." he dismissed, waving a hand with a weak smile. Thor stared at him for a moment, the wheels in his head turning so loudly Bruce thought he was going to hurt himself. Then he did something Bruce certainly did not expect.
He scooped him up into his arms, princess style.
First he froze. They went out of the lab.
Then he sputtered. The others caught a glance of them from the living room as they rushed by.
Finally protesting and squirming in the demigod's arms. His bedroom door sliding open.
"Thor! Let me go! I have work to do!" he complained, a squeak of fear slipping into his voice. The Asgardian walked over to the bed and instead of dropping him on the bed, Thor sat down with Bruce still in his arms.
"Aye, but sleep is more important. Would it not be dangerous if you were to fall asleep in your lab?" Thor asked, his blue eyes boring into Bruce's brown pair. Bruce looked down at his hands, wringing them nervously.
"Well, yes, but I would've had some coffee. I'll be fine, Thor." His eyes didn't leave his hands. Thor sighed heavily and laid a large callused hand over Bruce's, stilling them. The scientist finally looked back up to the blazing blue eyes, swallowing thickly.
"I do not think so, Bruce." Thor whispered, sending a shiver down Bruce's spine. "You are in need of much rest and you are avoiding it. Does something bother you? Are you having bad dreams?"
Bruce looked away again, trying very hard not to think of his nightmares. Dark vines whipped and clawed at the edges of his mind, green fire licking up where they landed. His eyes flicked green, brown irises fading to hazel to green from the pupil out, alerting his couterpart of his distress. Thor grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around Bruce, attempting to calm him down. Green receding from his eyesight, Bruce shivered and looked up to Thor with fear in his eyes.
"Don't make me sleep. Please..." he pleaded, tears blotting his vision. Thor frowned sadly.
"Tell me what ails you and perhaps I can help you?"
Bruce was quiet for a moment, collecting himself so he wouldn't break out into hysterics. Breathing deeply, he ran through his meditation steps in his head. No need to throw the helpful demigod through the wall.
"I've been having nightmares for months. Each time they're the same." Bruce whispered, lying his head on Thor's chest. "There were always vines, everywhere. Grabbing me, burning me with their touch. The team was there... All tangled up too, like a web, connected together. You were all asleep, like you were dead but I could hear your breathing. It was echoing... And..." Tears formed in the corners of his eyes as he choked up. Thor wrapped an arm around his shoulders and the other went to rub his back.
"What else? What worries you so?" Thor whispers into the smaller man's hair, rubbing small circles into his back.
"Hulk. He wasn't helping. He wasn't in me!" he cried. "I felt so alone... I act like he's a burden all the time, but he protects me and talks to me when I'm sad."
"Do you know where he was?"
"Tangled up too, next to me. Looking smaller than a normal man, like a child almost." Bruce shuddered, choking on a small sob. Thor nodded and held him tighter. "I wanted to save him. To save all of you, but I was too weak, too helpless." Thor heard him finally quiet down, wracking sobs dissipate into soft hiccups. He sighed in relief and pulls back to look into Bruce's red, blotchy eyed face.
"You need not fear anymore, I am here. But you must not fear your dreams." Thor told him strongly, holding his gaze unblinkingly. "I will not leave you in the night. I will save you from your fears and wake you when you stir I shall wake you. Fear not, my science friend."
Bruce held his gaze for a moment, allowing Thor's utter truthful and protective aura wash over him. He felt his tensed muscles relax and his spine loosen up, allowing him to fall deeper into the large chest he was nestled against. Bruce felt safe, nervous, but safe in his friend's arms. A flutter blossomed in his stomach at that thought, but he pushed it away for later, he was tired.
"All right... I trust you." Bruce smiled weakly, burrowing deeper into Thor's embrace. The demigod shifted them into a horizontal position, Bruce lying on top of him. As the sun rose, Bruce sank deeper into sleep. Through the night he only dreamed of blue eyes and blonde hair. And prancing green giants.