I've Gotcha
Tony Stark/Bruce Banner
…
Natasha was sitting with Steve going over some strategies over a glass of wine when Tony came barging in to her quarters, an annoyed look on his face as he came closer.
"What the hell is this?" He asked, holding up a piece of paper to her.
She leaned forward, making out the wording on the paper and smiled to him.
"Well, it looks to me like a confirmation."
"Yeah for dinner, tonight at eight, for two at The Gramercy Tavern."
"You didn't?" Steve grinned.
"I might have done." She smiled.
"Might have done."
"Oh come on Tony, you were never going to do anything about it so I thought I'd give you both a little push in the right direction."
"At one of the most romantic restaurants in the god damn city, could you have made it any more obvious?"
"Well I did think about scattering rose petals and candles in the lab but then I thought about the fire hazard and the chemicals and I…"
"It's not funny Tash."
Natasha set down her wine before she got up and stood in front of Tony, giving him one of her looks.
"I'm doing you a favour here Tony, you like him…that much is obvious…to everyone."
"Not him apparently."
"Yeah well…it's Bruce…I don't think it would ever occur to him that the great Tony Stark would have the hots for him."
"I'm gonna cancel."
"Don't you dare?" She glared, grabbing his arm as he went to move away.
"Tash I…"
"I'm giving you a way in here."
"You don't think he's gonna wonder why I'm asking him to dinner at one of the most romantic places in New York."
"No, because I've already invited him."
"You've already invited him."
"I left a note with the time and directions in his quarters, he'll meet you there."
"And does he know it's me he's meeting there."
"Of course not, it's a surprise."
"This is a bad idea."
"Would you ever have told him?"
"One day."
"Really?"
"Maybe."
"Tony, go to dinner with him. Wine and dine him, and afterwards well…I'll leave that up to you."
"This could be a complete disaster."
"Or, it could be the start of something wonderful, and if so…I call bridesmaid."
"Tash is right you know…you guys have been tip toeing around this for far too long…it's time."
"You're in on this too."
"All me, Tony go and have a good time, do it for me."
"Fine, but if this ends up a complete disaster…you'll face the consequences."
"Fine."
"Right well…I better go and decide what the hell I'm even gonna wear."
Natasha smiled as Tony walked out of her quarters, muttering to himself. Steve coming up beside her.
"You really thought this plan through."
"Oh come on, this secret has gone on long enough…it's time they both faced their feelings."
"We're not even sure Bruce even feels anything for Tony."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, remember a few months back when Tony got badly hurt. Who was the one who stayed by his bedside for 48hrs straight until he woke up and helped him recover for the weeks after?"
"Bruce."
"Exactly."
"You don't do that just for a friend; you do that for someone you love. Trust me; I know what I'm doing."
…
Tony had spent the best part of 4 hours trying to decide what to wear for their date…no, it wasn't a date...just dinner, he kept telling himself, dinner with a friend. He finally settled on his blue Armani suit, before driving to the restaurant where he gave the valet his car keys before making his way inside. The place was fairly busy; the view from the window over looked the sea. Candles were lit, all over the place, soft music playing in the background.
"Yeah, this isn't gonna give the game away at all." He muttered to himself.
"Can I help you sir?"
"Tony Stark, I have a reservation for two."
"Of course, we're expecting you….this way Sir."
Tony followed the waiter, to a table by the window. A rose in the middle of the table and tea lights on either side of the flower.
"You're guest hasn't arrived yet, can I get you a drink while you wait?"
"Scotch on the rock."
"Very well sir."
Tony waited five minutes until the waiter returned with his drink, setting it down in front of him.
"Your drink Sir."
"Thanks, listen when my friend arrives…can you just bring him over…Bruce Banner. He won't know what name the reservation is under."
"Of course Sir."
"Thanks."
Tony took a long sip of his drink, his stomach doing summersaults. He couldn't believe how nervous he felt, like he did on his first date with a girl. He couldn't understand why he felt so nervous, it was Bruce…they'd had countless dinners together before, but deep down he knew this was different. This was never going to turn out to be a normal dinner between friends. Natasha had been right about that, it was high time he told Bruce how he felt about him; how he really felt…he was just so afraid of the reaction. God he was going to kill Natasha for this stunt. Tony looked up 10 minutes later when he heard the door to the restaurant opening and spotted Bruce, dressed in his best black suit. He saw him talking to the waiter and took a deep breath as he saw them walk towards them.
"This is it." He muttered to himself.
"Tony." He smiled.
"Hey Brucie, take a seat."
Bruce took a seat as the waiter asked if he'd like a drink.
"Oh erm, can I just have a beer please."
"Of course Sir, I'll bring the menu's over too shall I."
"That would be great thanks." Tony smiled.
Bruce waited for the waiter to leave before turning to Tony who looked for one, nervous.
"Tony…what the hell's going on. I get a note left on my bed with instructions to be here at eight, wear something smart. What is all this?"
"Can't two friends just have a nice dinner together?"
"Tony?"
"It's just a thank you, you know for taking care of me after I was injured."
"You've done the same for me, countless times."
"Well yeah but…look I just wanted to say thanks, that's all."
"Okay, well great. It's nice…the restaurant."
"Yeah, one of the best."
"Bit of a romantic setting though, don't you think." He joked.
"Ha, yeah…I wasn't really thinking I guess."
"You're drink sir."
"Oh thanks."
"Menus?" He smiled, handing each of them one.
Tony closed his eyes briefly, thinking to himself how much he was going to make Natasha pay for this one.
"Wow, everything looks great."
"It really does, glad I haven't eaten today." Tony smiled.
They remained silent as they looked over the menu, the waiter coming over.
"Have you both decided?"
"Yeah, I'll have the lobster salad for starters and the lamb for my main." Tony smiled.
"Very good…and you Sir?"
"It all looks so good, I'll have the chilled corn soup for starters and chicken breast and sausage for my main please."
"Very good, won't be long."
"Thank you." Bruce smiled.
"So…what have you been up to today…I've barely seen you?" Tony asked.
"I've been down in the lab testing some new drugs."
"New drugs…for what?"
"You know what for."
"Bruce, you can't stop it happening."
"But I can try."
"You need to stop thinking of Hulk as the enemy."
"You've witnessed for yourself the destruction he causes, the hurt he causes others…I hate it."
Tony leaned over, covering Bruce's hand as the younger man looked up.
"He's done some good as well, you know that."
"But it doesn't weight out the bad, does it?"
Tony and Bruce locked eyes for a while, Tony tightening his hold on Bruce's hand, only to remove it when the waiter came over with their meals.
"Your first courses Sir."
"Thanks."
"Wow, this looks wonderful." Bruce smiled.
The one thing Tony loved more than anything was Bruce's smile; mainly because it wasn't very often he got to see it. His face normally conveyed so much sadness…Tony could only hope he'd be able to change that in time.
…
Bruce spent most of their first and second course talking about work, the drugs he was trying out in the lab and Tony telling him off for trying them on himself without someone else there to watch out for him.
"It's such a lovely view of the water isn't it, I miss seeing a view like that." Bruce said.
"Is that where you were before, near the water…when you hid yourself away from the world."
"It's not that I was hiding Tony, I was keeping the rest of the population safe…safe from me."
"Can I get either of you gentlemen dessert." The waiter smiled as he approached them.
"Erm yeah why not…Bruce."
"I'm really stuffed, I don't think I could eat another thing."
"How about we share one."
"Okay sure." He smiled.
"What should we have?"
"You choose."
"Okay, how about the Raspberry, Coconut Milk Cake, Cashew Crisp, Marigolds and Apricot Sorbet."
"That sounds great."
"And two spoons."
"Of course…won't be long."
"You want another drink."
"I've already had three, I better not."
"How about we take a walk along the water after this, it's such a nice night."
"Sure, that sounds great."
After they finished their dessert, Tony paid for the meal and drinks…Bruce insisting on going halves but Tony wasn't having any of it.
"Come on, let's get some fresh air." Tony smiled.
…
They walked along the water in silence for a while, Bruce stopping a few inches behind Tony. Tony turned back when he realized Bruce had stopped and came up to his side as he looked out on to the water.
"Do you miss it…the isolation?"
"Sometimes, it was safe."
"Because you couldn't hurt anyone?"
"Yeah."
"Bruce…look at me."
Bruce breathed in before turning his body to Tony; the older man gave him a soft smile as he lay a hand on his shoulder.
"We'll keep you safe here."
"You can't promise that Tony, you've seen what The Hulk is capable off."
"You can control him; I've seen you do it."
"It's hard; it takes all the energy I have to do that. I'm just so tired the days after, sometimes I just wish I could have ended it that day…when I put the gun in my mouth."
"Stop it."
"Tony…"
"I mean it, stop it. Whatever you're doing in the lab right now…whatever experiments you're carrying out on yourself, I want you to stop. You may just end up killing yourself."
"Well maybe that's for the best Tony I…"
Tony stepped forward, closing the space between them, taking Bruce's face in his hands.
"Are you really that selfish?"
"What are you…"
"What about the rest of us, have you ever even considered for a moment how we'd all feel if you killed yourself."
"You don't…"
"Don't say we don't care…we care. We're a family, you kill yourself, you hurt all of us. They all love and care about you so much, you've no idea."
Bruce turned to look back at the river, only to have Tony's hands on his face again, bringing him back to him.
"And not just them."
Bruce gave him a curious look before Tony moved closer and covered Bruce's lips with his own in a slow kiss. Tony expected him to push him away and smiled in to the kiss when he felt Bruce return the kiss, relaxing in to him. Tony pulled back, almost begrudgingly to see Bruce watching him.
"So this wasn't just a thank you dinner then." Was all he said?
"No…"
"Tony we…"
"It's time I was honest with you, you aren't just my best friend Bruce….I don't know how it happened but over time, I fell in love with you."
"Me?"
"Why do you always find it so hard to believe anyone could love you? I love you, every little bit of you…the big guy included. You want help to try and control him, fine…I'll help you any way I can but don't ever consider trying to end your life because it would kill me. I don't want to be anywhere in this life, without you by my side."
"I had no idea you even felt like this."
"Yeah well you know me…I'm not real good with the feelings."
"Me either."
"Is this just a one sided thing or…"
"It's not just one sided, when you were hurt I…I thought I was gonna lose you. I kept wanting to tell you but I was afraid, I didn't think you could…"
"What…love someone like you? You're a real idiot sometimes."
Tony smiled, before wrapping Bruce in his arms. He placed a kiss to his head, before whispering in his ear.
"I'm Bruce always…I've gotcha."
…
Fin