So do I call this Super Fluff or Super Shameless Fluff?
This one demanded to be written.
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"Hold still." Tony whispered to Michael. Michael couldn't contain his excitement. He was bouncing on his toes as Tony fastened the gauntlet to his wrist.
"Daddy, I'm gonna get Uncle Bruce!" He laughed.
"Sshhh. Buddy, he'll hear you. ...Ok. Got it."
Tony had to grab his son by the arm as the boy tried to bound away.
"Mikey, let me show you how to use it."
Michael kept bouncing, trying to pay attention to his dad.
"When you get close enough, just point your hand like this and press button." Tony showed him by holding up his hand, spreading his palm and pressing the little button on the back of his wrist. A short blast of warm air sent the boy's hair blowing back. He giggled uncontrollably.
"Now show me." Tony said.
Michael held up his hand to his dad's face and showed him. He couldn't stop laughing about it.
"Good job. You got it."
Michael was bursting.
"Ok, go ahead."
Like a race horse released from the gate, Michael bolted out of Bruce's living room and down the hall to his room.
Tony sat down on the couch and waited.
Michael opened up his uncle's Bedroom door and peered in. Uncle Bruce was still asleep. The boy crept up to the side of the bed and lifted his hand up to Bruce's face.
Tony started laughing in the living room when he heard Bruce's shout. Seconds later Michael came running back down the hall squealing with delight.
"Get him?"
"Yeah!" Michael cheered.
"Go get him again!"
Michael needed no persuading and turned on his heel. He ran back to Bruce's room. Tony heard Bruce shout again, Michael's laughter, and then more of Michaels' laughter.
When Michael still hadn't come back, Tony got up and went to investigate. When he rounded the corner into Bruce's bedroom he nearly fell over laughing. Michael was kneeling on the edge of the bed beside Bruce and holding out his arm. Bruce was still laying there with his eyes closed trying to ignore Michael who repeatedly pressed the button on his arm. Over and over again Bruce's hair blew back as he was hit in the face with a pulse of warm air. Finally Bruce's eyes opened, he grabbed Michael's arm and turned the repulsor on him. The boy fell back laughing hysterically as his hair wooshed back with each press of the button. Banner let go pulled the covers up, tucking them under his head and arms to keep all invaders out.
Tony took that for what it meant. Bruce didn't find this funny anymore, but he wasn't going to say anything to Michael. Tony however got the message loud and clear.
"Ok! Say bye bye Uncle Bruce!"
"Oooh maaan!" Michael whined, but came obediently.
Bruce didn't stay in bed much longer after that though. The Stark men had ruined his plan to sleep in. For once he considered lock codes for his elevator door. No. It was no use. Tony would hack Jarvis for them anyway. Besides, outside of this one random instance of morning ambush Bruce liked the comings and goings of the towers inhabitants. Nobody hesitated to visit because the door was literally always open. Steve's floor, which was shared with Thor when he was around required a code. Though they were disabled when Thor was in house. He disliked it. Steve was still a private person, and he liked the formality of knowing when people were coming or going. Tony could bypass this obstacle of course, but he respected Steve's preference. At least, Pepper kept him in check. Clint and Natasha's floor also had to be accessed with codes. They had one too many weapons in their possession and a small child wandering in at any time was not preferred.
That day, Steve, Clint and Natasha all became victims of the warm air repulser. Bruce fell victim to sneak attacks probably another 10 times and Pepper got "blasted" a few times too. Only Tony was spared the short attacks of warm wind. The "toy" eventually had to be taken away. In the later afternoon Pepper made Tony be the bad guy. After all, he'd built the thing and let his 4 year old loose on the tower's population with it.
Michael cried for 30 minutes after Tony told him it was time to give the gauntlet a rest. He was adept at throwing prolonged fits. Nobody had any question as to who he got trait that from. He even went all the way down to Uncle Bruce's floor to beg him to get his mom and dad to give it back.
"Buddy what's wrong?" Bruce asked as the door of his lab slid open. He was genuinely concerned by the sudden appearance of his nephew by himself with a tear stained face.
"Daddy took the blaster!" Michael wailed.
Bruce bit his lip to keep back a laugh.
"Did you shoot people too many times?"
"No" He inhaled sharply. "Yes."
"Come here, man." Bruce put out his arms and Michael stepped forward. He picked up the four year old made sure the lab was locked behind him. The two of them headed to Bruce's kitchen where Michael was placed on the counter top.
"I was going to have some ice cream. Want some?"
Bruce Banner was not above shameless spoilery. It wasn't his kid, and anything to get a beaming grin out of his godson was totally worth it.
Michael's face immediately lit up and any thought of the revoked blaster instantly forgotten.
"Good." Bruce smiled. "I'm so glad you showed up to keep me company."
This fact made Michael kick his legs happily. "Really?"
"Really."
The brown eyed boy laughed loudly and exclaimed with the more gleeful sincerity "Then it's good Daddy took my blaster!" His arms were out in an expression of astonishment. "Or I wouldn't be in your house!"
"See! Aren't Mommy and Daddy so smart?" Bruce affirmed as he opened the freezer.
Banner had a bit of a sweet tooth so he had more than one flavor option. Once during an evening of poker in his kitchen, Natasha opened the freezer to a plethora of ice cream boxes. She made a comment about it to which Bruce simply responded that the other guy loved ice cream. This made her burst out laughing. Natasha and Bruce had come a long way since her days of terror, and his shame over The Hulk.
"Mint chocolate chip? Or regular chocolate chip?" Bruce asked.
"Regular!"
Bruce prepared two bowls of ice cream, Michael's being a larger portion than Pepper would ever allow.
They sat across from one another at the kitchen table, eating silently, just looking out the huge window. It was winter, so by now the sun had sunken low, almost overtaken by the tops of skyscrapers. Unable to reach the floor, Michael's legs swung contently back and forth.
Eventually Jarvis' voice cut in on their respective reveries.
"Dr. Banner, Mrs. Stark requests young Michael's presence for dinner. Shall she send Mr. Stark to collect him.
"No thanks, Jarvis. He's on his way up." Bruce said, giving a nod to Michael.
"Yeah! I can use the elevator all by myself!"
"Consider her informed, sir."
Michael was hopping off his chair when Bruce got up to run a paper towel under the faucet.
"Come here." Bruce said, wiping the ice cream off Michael's face with the wet towel. Michael squinted his eyes and, for once, took it like a champ. He hated getting his face wiped off.
"You better eat all your dinner, or I'll be in trouble." Bruce warned him.
"I will!" he said as he punched the elevator button.
"What do you say?"
Michael disappeared as the doors closed. "Thank you, Uncle Bruce!" Came his muffled voice from behind the doors.
Bruce smiled to himself and went back to his lab.
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I hope you enjoyed this.
