Chapter Three

Bruce was sat alone in the canteen. At 6.50 the early shift had already started and the later risers had yet to make their way down to find food. Bruce liked the peace. He usually rose about five, five thirty and headed to the lab for an hour or so. Until the shift start at 6.30 the canteen was chaotic and Bruce would much rather eat in solitude, or at least in as close to solitude as you could get on board an airship with over three hundred crew members. He idly chased lumps of granola around his mostly empty bowl with the tip of his spoon, bobbing them under the surface of the milk when he caught them. He continued his for a few minutes before abandoning his spoon in favour of running his hands up his face, the tips of his fingers sliding underneath his glasses to rub his eyes. He was going to feel it today, he could tell. He'd stayed with Tony just as he'd promised. Eventually the sobs had subsided. Tony hadn't offered to pull away so Bruce had stayed exactly as he was until soft little snores had let him know that Tony had drifted back to sleep. It wasn't until then that Bruce had gently lowered him down on to his mattress, tucked the blankets around him and slipped out the door. By that time it had hit 5.30 and was much too late for Bruce to go back to bed so he'd showered dressed and gone to the lab until the canteen cleared out. Not that he held his lack of sleep against Tony. In fact seeing the other scientist in such distress rather worried him because he knew Tony would never willing reach out and ask for help, a stubborn trait Bruce believed related to Tony's relationship with his father. Bruce also knew just which dark road being that depressed could lead; it was one he'd trodden personally. He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice the soft footfalls in the canteen until a shadow fall across his face. He looked up to see Tony standing there holding a tray looking…..uncomfortable? Bruce had never seen Tony look like this. Even if something ever did make him feel awkward it was usually well hidden behind a mask of self-assuredness and his shield of sarcasm but now he looked downright unsure. If he had have been a child Bruce would have bet money that he would have been shuffling from foot to foot by now, he was just looking at Bruce expectantly. When Bruce didn't say anything Tony dipped his head towards the table

"May I…"

"Err, what…oh sure. You don't need to ask if you can sit down!"

"I didn't want to crowd your space." He flashed a quick grin at Bruce as he slid onto the bench at the other side of the table. Tony's breakfast consisted of a bagel and a mug of black coffee. Bruce surveyed the tray in front of Tony.

"Huh."

"What?"

"I took you for more a waffle man myself."

"Apparently I'm not special enough for waffles. They said if I wanted waffles I'd have to come during peak times and ya know….eat with other people!" Tony shuddered theatrically. Bruce smirked and shook his head.

"Hey you can't judge Dr I-sneak-in –when-no-one-else-is-here Banner." Retorted Tony through a mouthful of Bagel.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you table manners?"

"Pepper tried" he said automatically through an equally full mouth. Bruce watched as the now familiar shadow flicked across his face, scrunching his eyebrows together in a small frown. Tony reached out a grabbed his mug of coffee as though trying to distract himself. He took a huge gulp and started choking and spluttering almost instantly.

"My God this coffee is shocking!" Tony glared at the offending mug "I mean seriously, Dummy makes better coffee than this!" Bruce tapped his mug lightly with his finger nail.

"That's why I went with tea."

"Yeah but I NEED caffeine!"

"Actually if you use more leaves and only steep them for a few minutes you get a higher level of caffeine in tea than in most coffee."

"But it doesn't smell like caffeine!" Tony grumbled eyeing his mug trying to weigh up the lesser of two evils between not drinking coffee and drinking that coffee.

"Suit yourself." Bruce smiled and took a drink from his mug. Tony sighed and picked up his own mug wincing as he took a mouthful, swallowing it as quickly as he could.

"Blurgh" Bruce laughed at the face he pulled. "Ok first thing we need to do is invent something can make this" he waved his mug in circles at the side of his head "taste remotely like coffee, although as that would require a machine that could make a non-food substance edible we just may just end world hunger at the same time." Bruce shook his head and chuckled again covering his mouth with his fist as it turned into a yawn.

"How's that tea working for you now buddy?" Tony quipped.

"The tea's working fine, I'm just a bit tired that all." As soon as the words left his mouth Bruce wanted to claw them back. Tony's face fell and he deflated a little in his seat.

"Yeah about that…."

"Look don't mention it, it's nothing."

"Stop taking words out of my mouth Banner."

"Great minds…"

"Sorry, I err, I didn't mean to….disturb you. I actually thought I'd picked a room in an empty corridor."

"You pretty much did. Apparently having the….other guy on the same corridor as you isn't conducive to a good night's sleep." The self-deprecation in the way Bruce said it was lost on Tony, he was too busy staring at the crumbs on his now empty plate. Bruce looked up at Tony. He'd gone from almost his normal self to looking…well, horrid. Bruce sighed and reached across the table to put his hand on Tony's arm.

"Look Tony, if you ever, ever need to talk about anything, I'm here for you ok?" Tony nodded and looked up.

"Thanks Bruce." He said sincerely, then "Do you actually mean that? Ya know the anything part?"

"Sure"

"About last night….." Tony hesitated as though he was searching for the right words, Bruce just waited patiently. Tony looked up then and looked Bruce right in the eye.

"You have the hairiest chest I think I've ever seen, I mean it's downright luxurious! Have you been using Thor's shampoo as body wash or something?" Bruce just looked at him for a moment and burst out laughing. An honest to god full on laugh. It struck Tony for a moment that he didn't think he'd ever heard Bruce laugh before, chuckle yes but not laugh, not like this.

"Hey dude, buddy, no judgement remember? You're not supposed to laugh at me!" Bruce was still laughing as Steve slid in beside Tony. He looked at Bruce laughing and then at Tony, one eyebrow raised.

"Did I miss something?"

"I think the good Doc is suffering from temporary insanity." Tony was still watching Bruce as he finally managed to get his mirth under control. Bruce just shook his head grinning at Tony.

"Good morning Steve." He said still grinning. Of all the things he had been prepared for he had not expected that to come out of Tony's mouth. Steve took a long drink out of his mug.

"You know I've got to admit, these guys sure do know how to make a great cup of coffee." Tony looked at Steve like he was losing his mind.

"Seriously you actually like this crap! Cos if so I think I've just found a new way to dispose of radioactive sludge! Wait is that….how did you manage to get waffles!" Tony pointed at Cap's plate rather indignantly.

"I just asked" Steve responded. Tony levelled a glare at the cafeteria lady. When Steve looked as well the girl behind the counter blushed and waved. Steve blushed and waved back.

"Well I think I'm going to head to the lab…at least there I feel special!" Tony stood up, grabbed his tray and stalked off. Bruce could just hear him muttering "…damn special enough, not spangly enough more like…"

"What's got his goat Doc?" Steve asked Bruce. Bruce chuckled,

"The girls behind the counter denied his waffle request. I don't think he's used to not getting his own way, especially with women. I'm sure he'll be over it by lunch."

Tony was not over it by lunch. In fact by lunch he'd complained about it so much that Bruce never wanted to even see another waffle again let alone eat one!

"I just saying that it's a form of discrimination, and in today's society it's just not acceptable."

"Tony's its waffles!"

"It starts with waffles Bruce but where does it end? Separate seating areas? No vegans on the Helicarrier? You can't discriminate against people because of what they choose to eat!"

"They didn't discriminate against you they just didn't make you waffles."

"No they made special allowances for certain people that they are not willing to make for everyone. I don't care what you say that's discrimination Bruce. Really I would have thought you of all people would have understood. I'm surprised at you big guy."

"It's just waffles Tony." Bruce didn't even need to look up from his microscope to know that Tony was still walking around waving a screwdriver in the air to try and make his point. Really how did he manage to go almost six entire hours and still not be over waffles? Waffles of all things! Bruce wondered if Tony would still have been as sore if it had been anyone else other than Steve. He almost breathed a sigh of relief when Fury strode into the lab.

"Stark I need a word with you."

"Umm actually I need a few words with you myself! What kind of discrimination pirates do you staff this ship with? Although actually pirates don't usually discriminate against people, anyone is technically fair game…. "

"What the hell is he talking about?" Fury look at Bruce in confusion as Tony was still ranting. Bruce really couldn't help himself.

"Discrimination, he's been waffling on about it all morning!" Bruce grinned as he went back to his microscope.

"…..wait, did you? Was that a joke big guy? Because kudos on finally cracking one but discrimination really isn't a joking matter!"

"Look Stark, however you think you've been discriminated against, fill out the appropriate form and submit your complaint to admin, now if you don't mind I need to speak to you." Tony opened his mouth as if to say something and then closed it again. His face taking on a petulant child look.

"Fine, go ahead, speak."

"It's classified"

"Look I'm only going to repeat every word you say to Bruce away, plus he has the same clearance as me and there's the small matter that I'm far too busy right now, I couldn't possibly leave the lab at this crucial moment in time." He waved his hand in the general direction of the thing he was working on. Fury eyed the contraption which was a mass of metal parts and circuit boards vaguely resembling the base of a blender. Bruce was almost certain that it was actually a coffee machine. Fury looked from Tony to Bruce and back to Tony who had gone back to fiddling with whatever is was he was building.

"We need the location of your suit. We need to retrieve it and bring it on board."

"Sorry can't help ya." Tony shrugged.

"Can't or won't?" Fury raised his eyebrow, hands on his hips glaring at Tony with the cutting power of a high end laser.

"Can't."

"Look, Stark this is no time…."

"I don't have one." Tony swivelled the stool he was sitting on so he could look directly at Fury.

"You're Iron Man." Fury drawled slowly putting particular emphasis on the words iron and man "how can Iron Man not have a freakin Iron Man suit!" Bruce could tell he was agitated by the last part. Tony just shrugged.

"Blown up" and twisted back to face the work bench.

"Blown…" Fury took a steadying breath then pressed his lips together. "Look if you don't currently have a functional suit then I'd suggest you better start building one!" Tony turned back around and gave the Director his best innocent face.

"Can't, sorry."

"Wha…Why can't you build a new suit?"

"This ship" Tony said waving his screwdriver round again, "has neither the equipment, tools nor materials required to fabricate a new suit, plus you wouldn't let me bring J.A.R.V.I.S. and he has all my blueprints so… sorry, can't."

"So you won't build a suit because we wouldn't let you bring your toy on board?"

"Umm one, can't not won't you really need to learn to differentiate between the two and two, J.A.R.V.I.S. happens one of, if not the most technologically advanced A.I. systems on the planet so please don't refer to him as a toy!" Tony huffed his chest out in a very defensive manner. Fury just stood there eyeing Tony. Bruce sat up, he was quite interested in who would win this face off.

"Then what do you suggest?" Fury's tone almost seemed to be daring Tony.

"Hmmm, well you can go back to the tower and bring every piece of lab equipment and machinery I have back here, assuming of course that this thing will still be able to fly, oh and install J.A.R.V.I.S. onto your mainframe, or you can send me home!" Tony gave Fury a smart assed grin looking full well like he knew that he'd won.

"How can you expect me to send you home when you're supposed to be team building?"

"Well if you want a suit I don't really see any other options. I'll guess I'll go pack." Tony jumped off his stool and walked to where Bruce was sitting slapping his hand on the table. "Nice sciencing with you big guy." Fury was scowling. Bruce was no fan of the Helicarrier himself. Just as Tony was level with Fury he found himself blurting out.

"Didn't you convert the tower to be the Avengers Tower?" Tony stopped for a moment then pivoted around on his heels.

"What gave you that idea?"

"Well Steve was saying that he went over to help while you were doing it. He was saying that you have everything there now, gym, shooting range, communal areas, a better set up than here really." The look of panic that was setting into Tony's eyes actually amused Bruce. It was about time he had some social interaction that he could run from and the Tower was perfect!

"Yeah, um , maybe but that was then, and this is now." Tony looked at Bruce. "Are you seriously suggesting that I let a pair of ninja spies, a super solider and, should he show up, an Asgardian God have full run of Stark Tower?"

"Yes."

"And I thought you were a genius."

"Come on it has to be better for team building than here."

"No."

"Give me one valid reason, other than you're antisocial."

"I value my ducting."

"Antisocial." Tony stood looking at Bruce, his mouth kept opening and closing as he kept thinking of reasons and then disregarding them. He reminded Bruce of a rather comical looking fish.

"Well that settles it." Fury boomed happily at the opportunity to out manoeuvre Stark, "I'll let the others know." He strode out of the door. Tony sagged a little and clenched his teeth.

"You do know that I'm holding you personally responsible for anything and everything they break, and for god's sake stop looking so amused, this is not funny. We really need to go over the appropriate parameters of a joke with you because that is simply not funny."

"At least you'll get waffles!"

That, thought Tony is probably the only good that will come of this, as he strode back towards his room.