I'm glad you're all so excited about this story ^.^ It's been kicking around my head for a while, but after seeing Iron Man 3, I finally decided to write it down.
Bruce quietly padded down the halls of the Tower, the constant whirling of the air system breaking the silence of the night. It was well after two in the morning and all of the Avengers had retired to their respective bedrooms for the night. It had been a week since the battle in New York and whether the Avengers wanted to or not, they were all slowly adjusting to living in Stark Tower. Or Avengers Tower as the media had named it. Each person had their own bedroom, filled with whatever meager personal items they owned; each person was recognized and addressed accordingly by Jarvis; each had adjusted to the routines of the other people. It was the closest thing to a home most of them had had in years. Which was why Bruce was leaving it, his backpack of possessions slung over his shoulder.
Pepper poked her head out of the kitchen as she head the elevator rising through the floor, wondering who could be awake at that hour. She was clad in a pair of shorts and one of Tony's many t-shirts, her red hair tied into a sloppy bun atop her head. After helping Tony get back to sleep after a nightmare, Pepper found herself unable to fall back asleep, deciding to grab a cup of tea to relax. "Hello?" she called, walking into the dimly lit hallway.
"Pepper!" Bruce said in surprise, his body drenched in the light of the open elevator doors. Part of him wanted to duck into the elevator quickly and disappear, but his manners prevented him from doing so; that would just raise the alarm and send the others out looking for him. "I didn't expect anyone to be awake at this hour."
"I couldn't sleep," she answered, her brow furrowing as her eyes landed on his backpack. "Going for a little stroll?"
"I was just-"
"You were just going to leave us all in the middle of the night to find out in the morning that you had left without a note or goodbye as much?" Pepper answered bluntly. Years of working for Tony had taught Pepper that it was best to get straight to the point; it saved everyone's time and you got your answers faster.
Bruce sighed, shaking his head in shame. "Pepper, I don't belong here," he said softly.
"Says who?" she retorted, her hands on her hips. "Come in here for a second, Bruce."
Bruce hesitated for a moment; while he may have wanted to step into the waiting elevator, Pepper's tone, much like a mother's before a scolding, left no room for debate. He set his bag down next to the elevator before following her into the kitchen, wondering what sort of tongue-lashing he was in for.
"Would you like a cup of tea?" Pepper asked, gesturing to the teapot on the stove. "It's chamomile; there's still some left if you'd like."
Bruce nodded his head, walking over to the cupboard and grabbing a cup. With his tea in hand, Bruce leaned against the table, standing across from Pepper. "Pepper, I-"
"Why do you think you have to leave, Bruce?" Pepper asked suddenly, sipping from her own cup of tea. "Why do you think you don't belong here?"
"Because I don't," he sighed, rubbing his hand across his face. "I'm dangerous, Pepper, I can hurt people. What happens if one day I get angry about something and I turn into the Other Guy? I could put all your lives in danger, I could kill one of you! I nearly killed Natasha in the helicarrier; it's a wonder she can even stand being in the same room with me." Bruce paused in his rant, forcing himself to take a deep breath. "You guys, you're good people, you're all really good people. And Tony, he's-"
"Nuts?" Pepper offered with a smile.
"Yes," Bruce chuckled. "But he's a great guy. You and him have been kind enough to welcome me into your home knowing what I am. I couldn't bear it if I ended up hurting either of you-"
"Have you met Tony?" Pepper asked, raising an eyebrow. "Dark hair, dark eyes, grease stains all over his shirts, chronically late to anything that doesn't involve saving the world or tinkering with his inventions. He is more likely to hurt someone in the Tower than you are; I can't tell you how many times I've had to call the fire department when we lived in Malibu."
Bruce smiled slightly, appreciating Pepper's attempt at lightening the situation, but he wouldn't let himself be swayed so easily. There was a reason no one trusted him, why Fury built a containment cell for him; he was dangerous even if Pepper refused to admit it. People like him were better off alone. "Pepper, you don't understand."
"Oh I understand perfectly," she answered easily. "But you aren't understanding me. I don't want you leaving nor does anyone else in the Tower. As a matter of fact, I'd prefer if you stuck to Tony's side like glue." Pepper raised her finger to stop him as he opened his mouth to argue. "Was it not the dangerous monster that you're talking about that saved Tony when he was falling out of the wormhole? That managed to jump into the air, catch him, and latch onto the side of the building without injuring him?" She paused, waiting to see if Bruce would argue with her. "I agree with you, the Hulk is dangerous, but I don't think he is to us."
"Pepper," Bruce groaned, running his hand through his hair. He hated her argument, hated that she made sense, hated that he wanted desperately to accept her reasoning and stay with a group of people that made him feel like less of a freak.
"I have a suggestion," she said lightly, a smile dancing on her lips. She had him on the ropes and she knew it. "Stay here for the rest of the month. If something happens, then you can go, I won't try to stop you. But if nothing happens, if there are no Hulk appearances, you have to consider staying here with us permanently. I know Tony can be a bit of a handful, but he loves having you around. What do you say, Bruce?" she asked, holding her hand out to him.
Bruce looked at her head, chuckling internally. He often wondered how Pepper managed to keep Tony under control, one of the most hyper active people he had ever seen, and now he understood it. He leaned forward, shaking her hand. "Just until the end of the month," he agreed, releasing her hand. He placed his empty cup into the sink, heading for the living room.
"Bruce," Pepper called out softly, causing the man to turn around. "You never really wanted to leave."
"What do you mean?" he asked in confusion.
"You didn't want to leave," she repeated, following him out of the kitchen into the living room. "Did you see which cup you chose to use? At least twenty different mugs were in that cupboard and you chose the same one you've been drinking out of since you got here, the dark blue mug with the green swirl design." Bruce continued staring at Pepper, his mouth agape. "Whether you want to admit it or not, you're setting down roots here, Bruce." Pepper squeezed his arm gently, smiling at him before heading down the hallway to her bedroom. "Sleep well, Bruce."
Bruce shook his head in amazement as he heard her bedroom door shut, picking up his bag from the floor before heading back to his room. "Thanks Pepper," he said softly.
Reviews make me wanna write faster :) Let me know who you think should be next!