Communication Errors
Toni Stark understood code, technical jargon, binary, Spanish, and even Latin. She should have no trouble understanding other people but, well, sometimes even the best computer experiences communication errors.
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Bruce adjusted his glasses, nervous. "What if she says no?" he asked Steve desperately.
"Then, she says no. But you won't know until you ask. You and Toni are close. More than likely, she'll at least give you a chance." Steve sat on the couch, watching Bruce pace. "It's just Toni. You've known her for a long time."
Bruce nodded, but flung out his hands. "I know it's Toni. That's what makes it so hard! I know her so well, can predict how she'll react in almost any situation, but not now! Now, it's like I just met her; I have no clue."
Steve finally had enough of his pacing. He stood, placing a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Just go ask. Quit thinking about it and say it. As an expert on waiting too long, don't."
Bruce stilled, mulling over the soldier's words. Then he took a deep breath and headed to the lab, where Toni was working.
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Toni was hard at work on Mark XXXVII when Bruce walked in. "Hey, wanna check out the search algorithm before I upload it to the suit?"
"I will. But first, I need to ask you something." He seemed to gather his courage, then asked quickly, "Would you like to go to dinner with me?"
Toni barely looked up from her suit. "What's wrong with takeout? I was planning on ordering in tonight." Then, his words sunk in and she looked up to see his sheepish face. "Wait, did you just ask me out? Like, on an actual, real date?"
Bruce muttered, "Just forget it, Toni." He moved to the holographic interface displaying the code for the algorithm.
Toni tucked a piece if hair behind her ear. "That's a shame, because I'd love to."
Bruce turned towards her and blinked. "Really?"
She smiled. "Yeah. Really." She returned to her work, casually asking over her rapid heartbeat, "So how should I dress?"
Bruce was stunned for a moment, then replied, "Casual. Nothing fancy."
Toni nodded, typing at her keyboard. "Time?"
"Eight."
"Kay." She paused for a moment. "Hey, any ideas on this launcher? I'm at a loss."
Bruce moved next to her to see her screen, the momentary tension between them disappearing. It was just them in the lab, as it had been so many times before.
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To NeverSkipNine: I hope you enjoyed this. I actually wrote it a while ago, but never got around to posting it.
Songs for this story
- Let Your Hair Down by MAGIC!
- Nothing Feels Like You by Little Mix
