A/N: Stanner fluff for 221b-bagend-street-badwolf because she's awesome. Thanks to her for RPing some of it with me. It helped a lot!
Tony Stark circled the workbench once before leaning across a metal contraption and tinkering with one of the bolts that kept in an unknown fluid. He frowned and tried to twist it with his hands but to no avail.
"Pass me that spanner?" He asked Bruce who was stood in front of a holographic screen and reading information from it. Tony put his hand out behind him without turning his head.
"Please." Bruce said sarcastically as he took the spanner from a nearby desk and hovered it above Tony's palm.
"Please." Answered Tony with a roll of his eyes that was invisible to his partner considering his head was still in the mouth of the contraption. "Somebody needs more coffee."
Bruce chuckled. It was an unknown early hour of the morning and the two had been up together working on various projects. They had started on one thing before discarding it for upgrading Clint's bow. Now Bruce wasn't exactly sure what Tony was working on he was reading up on the use of the different metals and which would make the best bullets for Natasha's gun.
"Was that a subtle hint or merely an observation?" Bruce asked as he returned to the holographic screen. Tony used the spanner he'd been given and started to undo one of the bolts.
"Lets call it both." He said as oil spurted out of the container and into his face. "Nice..."
Bruce looked up from the screen again and laughed. He covered his hand with his mouth to quieten himself and through Tony a rag.
"I'll go make it." He stated. Tony caught the cloth and watched him leave. He checked his watch and saw the digital time of 2:28 flash up on his screen. Rubbing his eyes to wake himself up he forced himself back over the metal objects and tightened up the bolt he had undone and caused the leak from.
Ten minutes later Bruce returned to the workshop with two cups of coffee in his hands.
"Pepper's looking for you by the way." He set the coffee down on the workbench next to Tony. "Said you were needed in a international conference call two hours ago. I told her you were busy."
"Thanks," Tony straightened up and leaned against the edge of the machinery he had been working on as he started to drink his own coffee, "Did you see Clint about? He needs to test that bow out and I know he's sometimes still awake at this hour."
Bruce took a sip of his own coffee before answering.
"I don't think so. Pepper was pacing and Steve was in the kitchen making popcorn," He frowned for a moment. "No idea why." He added, shaking his head and returning to the hologram.
"I'm sure I'll find him," Tony shrugged and sipped his coffee. He squinted his eyes at the ground as he thought. "Shit... Steve wanted that new handle for his shield. I forgot to attach it."
Despite this revelation he continued to drink his coffee. He smiled behind his cup as he watched Bruce work contently. It was quite incredible how his mind worked. It wasn't entirely different from his own brain however Bruce's thoughts seemed to be more systematic. Probably fine-tuned from the amount of time he spent trying to keep calm. He tucked away everything he needed and discarded everything he didn't just like the holographic system he was using.
"What, Tony?" Bruce asked as he caught him watching. He turned with a small smile to confront the man.
"Nothing, nothing. Carry on." Replied Tony with a wave of his hand.
"Tony." Bruce persisted with a raised eyebrow. Tony put his coffee down and walked over to him. He pecked Bruce on the check fondly.
"I said carry on. Do as you're told, Bruce." He said with a grin. Bruce smiled and shook his head as he turned back to the hologram.
"Yes, Boss."
Tony paced around the workshop shop a few minutes, draining the rest of the coffee from his cup and placing it in the corner on to the every growing pile of coffee cups. He fiddled with various objects and items and then finally took out Steve's shield. He started to unscrew the original handle, putting the screw he'd just taken out into his mouth as he started on the second one. Once both screws had been removed he spat the one in his mouth out into a pot and placed the second one in too.
He leaned over and took the newer handle he'd made previously and began to screw it onto the shield. The two men worked in silence for a for a while until Tony finally put the shield down. Bruce was far to engrossed in his screen reading that he didn't notice the man come up behind him and wrap his arms around his waist.
"What have you been reading all night, Bruce?" He asked, resting his chin on Bruce's shoulder. Bruce smiled at the sudden contact and leaned into the man.
"It's about which metals are best used for bullets. I want to create an alloy that's best for weight and speed and direction so I'm doing research." Bruce answered with a sigh.
"And what metals will you use to create this alloy?" Tony asked again as he scanned over the writing.
"I have no idea." Bruce admitted with an even heavier sigh. Tony pecked his cheek.
"Then it's time for bed because you're running off so much caffeine the bags under your eyes green instead of purple. You know it's funny because, well, you get it."
"I get it, Tony." He turned in his lovers arms and kissed his neck. "Alright, it's bed time. But you're coming with me." He insisted as he checked his watch.
"Well, I was going to ju-"
"No, you're going to sleep. It's four in the morning. Which is frankly ridiculous."
"Fine." Tony whined.
The two made their way into the metal lift together. The mirrored walls projected millions of Bruces and Tonys around them as they both stood in an exhausted silence. Tony yawned once and stifled it with the back of his hand while Bruce smiled a little.
They reached the second floor where they crept past Pepper's room quietly in the best bet not to wake the now sleeping assistant. Upon reaching the room Bruce let Tony enter first and he followed him in happily. As soon as the door was shut a red light appeared behind it.
"I assume we're now locked in, right?" Bruce asked quietly as Tony took off his clothes in favour of his sleeping shirt.
"Locked in is a brutal way to put it, Bruce..." Tony replied vaguely as Bruce took removed his shirt over his head.
"What can I say? Brutal's a kinda home-from-home for me." Bruce said with a shrug as he now stood bare-chested in the room. Tony frowned and climbed on to the bed. He knelt in front of the man.
"Bruce..."
The man brushed his fingers through his hair with a weak smile.
"Yes, Tony?"
He was ambushed with a tight hug and multiple kisses up and down his neck.
"God, I feel so bad for you sometimes, Bruce." He murmured as Bruce placed a hand gently on the back of his head.
"You do?" He asked in a little surprise.
"Yeah," Tony stopped, "You know I wouldn't lock the door if it was just us in the building, right?" He questioned quickly. Bruce hooked his hands around Tony's neck as he started to absently play with the man's hair.
"I understand, Tony." Bruce promised with a smile.
"I've always wanted to make sure you're happy and relaxed and have a better life. But I can't because of other people." He sighed as he rested his head on Bruce's chest in defeat.
"Of course you can, Tony. You are doing." Said Bruce as he lifted Tony's chin to meet his eyes. "No one understands the rage thing like you do. I couldn't ask for more than that."
"I do try, Bruce. You haven't had an incident in this environment for about a month. That's pretty good going." Tony remarked and pecked his lips
"I would why that is, hmm?" Bruce replied, kissing him back.
"I have no idea. Why don't you tell me?"
Bruce rolled his eyes.
"You're so vain." He laughed.
"It's one of my best qualities. You have to agree. Now get into bed. You'll freeze to death." Tony grinned and slipped under the covers himself. He was soon joined by his partner who quickly nuzzled into his chest in a quest for warmth. Tony slipped his arm around him and rested head against Bruce's. The silk sheets slipped beneath the two as they moved themselves into a somewhat comfortable sleeping position.
"So, are you saying that you don't trust your own heating system. I'd be offended if I were JARVIS." Bruce laughed.
"Is it my fault that I want you to get into bed so I can be with you?" Tony asked with a grin.
"Yes."
"Ah, no. It is the fault of your cute face. Who would have thought there was a green rage machine underneath this adorable exterior?" Said Tony, poking Bruce in the chest with a grin.
"Who would have known it was possible to control the rage machine at all?" Bruce asked but he got no reply.
Instead Tony leaned over and kissed Bruce repeatedly on the lips, smiling as Bruce kissed back. Moments like these were wonderful and they didn't happen that often. Neither of them would go to bed at the same time usually. Bruce would generally go up first and at the time when Bruce was waking up Tony would finally find the need to sleep and they would pass in the corridor. Not often did they get to spend a night together, intertwined as they were and enjoying each others warmth.
"We should do this more often." Mumbled Bruce quietly and Tony nodded a little.
"I'm all for that," He replied as he pressed a kiss to Bruce's neck. He shifted his arm underneath the man a little as it began to get numb.
"For now though, I'm going to have to sleep."
"I'm all for that as well."
All done! I hope you liked it. I liked writing it so that has to count for something right?