A/N: I am sorry this has taken so long to update. I was in a play this past weekend, which took up a lot of time, so I could not edit this chapter. Also, there will be three more chapters after this one.
"Trouble in Paradise"
Chapter 12
Tony had wanted to talk with Bruce right after the battle had ended. However, once he had ingested the appropriate amount of liquid courage and entered their room, Bruce had passed out, seeming to have no inclination of rejoining he waking world. Tony knew the Hulk really took it out of his doctor.
When Tony woke the next day, later than he had planned, Bruce had already left the room. He sighed and dressed himself slowly and began meandering around the hotel grounds.
He finally saw Bruce leaning on the small section of unbroken railing that had surrounded the fountain. The fountain itself no longer sprayed water in calculated patterns, but in awkward, evenly spaced spurts.
Slowly, Tony approached Bruce. The remaining railing was so small, that he could not rest both hands on it, without dislocating Bruce, so he settled for leaning on it with one hand, body turned towards Bruce. He looked at the scientist, saw the dark circles under his eyes but no other physical injuries. Fortunately, the Hulk was tough. Bruce glanced at Tony and then looked out.
"The force of the fountain is greater than the force of gravity…" Tony mumbled.
"I'm sorry?" Bruce quirked an eyebrow.
"The water recently fired from the jet is slamming into the former jet, before gravity has a chance to pull the first one down."
Bruce nodded, "But then gravity pulls both jets down. The water falls together."
"Yeah…" Tony had stopped looking at the water several seconds ago. "Bruce, I–"
"Oh hell with it–" Bruce turned quickly and pulled Tony into a hard kiss.
Tony inhaled sharply in shock, before he melted against Bruce, angling his head to deepen the kiss. Bruce clutched Tony's shoulder and twisted his hands into Tony's hair, and Tony pressed one hand against the small of Bruce's back and cupped the back of his neck. Tony's brain kept chanting Closerclosercloser…please.
When Bruce gasped for breath, he rested his forehead against Tony's chest.
"I'm so sorry, Bruce," Tony whispered.
"No, I am. I am–"
"Why are you sorry?"
"What I said…I'm not…you have never disappointed me. I said that because I knew it would hurt you, and I was just so sad and angry and trying to control things so I wouldn't transform, and I know it was wrong, and am so so sorry–"
"Hey, hey…" Tony gently cut him off Bruce's sob and forced Bruce to look in his eyes, "You don't need to apologize. I ignored you and didn't give you half the attention you deserved. I was the dick in this situation not y–"
"Tony, I think we were both dicks…" In spite of himself, Bruce grinned.
Tony paused for a moment, "Acceptable." he conceded before pulling a smiling Bruce into another kiss. Seriously, he added, "I am sorry though."
They stayed wrapped in each other's arms. Tony rested his chin on Bruce's shoulder. "If it makes it any better, I only acted like that because I was mentally yelling at myself for treating you like a drunken, one-night stand, when you really mean so much more." He whispered.
Tony pulled back and looked into Bruce's eyes, bright and rich brown. "Come live with me," he said suddenly, startling both of them. Tony's eyes were as wide as Bruce's. He hadn't quite meant to have said that, but if he acknowledged it, it was what he really wanted.
When Bruce pulled away and looked at the ground, Tony felt his heart plummet. "Tony…"
He kept a firm grip on Bruce's wrist, so the man couldn't go far and held Bruce's gaze, "Please."
Bruce lifted his hand to Tony's cheek. "I just–I can't…it's still, I'm still dangerous. Stark Tower? In a big city? God, half the city's already wrecked from the Chitauri. It doesn't need me there destroying the other half."
"But, you have a control over the Hulk!"
"Not enough, Tony. I know if I stay with you, I'm going to lose control."
"Bruce, that doesn't matter!"
"It does!" Bruce lost the grip on the calm he had maintained. "Can't you see this is dangerous? Tony, use your billion-dollar brain. I'm not like anyone else here. I'm this creature that's completely reckless! I'm not saying he isn't useful sometimes, but I just can't stay in society!"
"So you're just going to keep running?"
"I–I guess so–"
"Why?" Tony cried in frustration.
"Because someday, I'm going to hurt you, Tony!"
They both froze for a moment, before Bruce sighed and went on, "One day, something's going to happen, and I'm going to Hulk out and destroy your home, your company, and…I might even kill you." Bruce pressed his eyes closed. "Over the years, I've maintained a very specific level of anger, which helps me control the incidents. When I'm with you, hell even with the rest of the Avengers, I forget about keeping that control. We've been lucky. My losses of control have been very well timed: the battle with the Chitauri, this thing with Fafnir, but someday that luck's going to run out, and I don't want you to be what the Hulk decides to crush when it does."
"If something happens–"
"When som–"
"If something happens, I can rebuild the tower. In fact, I'd probably win some award for employing a ton of green businesses to do it. With you there, the company's going to make a ton of leaps that will negate any minor thing you wreck as the Hulk, and…" Tony leaned forward and pressed a sweet kiss on Bruce's lips, "I doubt you'll kill me, but I'd rather that than all the science we'll leave undiscovered if you go."
Bruce opened and closed his mouth, and Tony pecked his lips softly and continued, smirking, "Also, the sex is a plus."
Bruce ducked his head and laughed, "Tony–"
"You deserve to be happy. Let me try, okay?"
At Tony's sincere expression, Bruce ran a hand over his eyes, "You'll get bored with me–"
"Ugh," Tony groaned, "Even if I get tired of you romantically, which I doubt because, oh god, you're a fast learner and your ass is incredible," Bruce snorted, but Tony barreled on, "I am never going to stop being fascinated by that brain of yours." Tony lightly tapped his finger against Bruce's forehead, "And, I promise you, that however this ends, sex or no sex, there is no option where we are not in a lab sciencing together, okay?"
"I–" I could get used to that…I could love that, "Maybe for a little while…"
"How long?" Tony leaned very close into Bruce's personal space.
"I don't know. Don't worry, you'll be tired with me long before I go."
Tony grinned and wrapped his arms around Bruce's lower back, "Well, then you'd better plan to stay for a very–" Tony quickly kissed Bruce, "long–" this kiss lingered slightly, "time."
For the final kiss, which lasted quite a while, Bruce smiled and met Tony halfway.
Steve looked at Natasha from the doorway of the hospital room. She sat in a plastic chair next to Clint's bed.
They had been lucky that this particular resort had a very impressive hospital nearby, where they transferred Clint immediately after the battle.
Natasha hadn't left the room, since the hospital staff let her in two days ago. She just waited, leaning forward, resting her elbows on her knees and keeping a steady gaze on the soft rise and fall of Clint's chest, occasionally looking up at the beeping monitors connected to his heart.
"Natasha, do you want anything?" Steve asked.
She didn't answer.
Steve frowned, but wasn't surprised, "Okay, well, I'm headed back to the hotel…call me if you need something…or if, you know, anything change–" He stopped himself. "Well, I'll go."
He gently shut the door behind him, as he left. He glanced through the room's glass walls, as he went down the hall. Natasha, as expected, had not moved, even in response to the door.
Thor and Loki enjoyed the hotel breakfast alone. Once the battle ended, Coulson had constant meetings to talk through business with Fury. Natasha had stayed in the hospital with Clint, with Steve usually looking after her, and Tony and Bruce had hardly been seen out of their room since twenty-four hours after the fight had ended.
Loki chewed slowly.
"You look pensive, brother." Thor chided gently.
Loki let out a huff of laughter. "I suppose I am."
"What troubles you?"
"I am not…troubled exactly. Concerned, perhaps…"
"What concerns you, then?" Thor asked patiently.
"I am not sure what to do now."
"Do about what?"
"Everything."
"I do not understand…"
Loki felt himself warm at Thor's serious face. "I have spent the last several years resenting you, hating those who loved you, questioning those who loved me, and lamenting a past I enjoyed that I believed a lie. Now, I discover I miss you; the past I loved wasn't entirely false, and I am perhaps not as undeserving as I had believed."
Thor looked confused, "Is this not a good thing?"
"It is, but I have no idea how to proceed. I cannot remember the last time I functioned without bitterness, and therefore, I do not remember how I am supposed to function now."
"We proceed as I always intended." Thor intoned soberly, "We go home. You marry your beloved, and we rule Asgard together as kings."
Loki grinned, "Perhaps we are moving too quickly. I have been a war criminal for sometime and a somewhat despised figure for even longer, I do not think we should plan to give me any sort of power, or even plan my wedding yet."
"You are a hero, who helped save earth from invaders, and who fought beside Midgardian warriors who are very respected in our realm, Asgard will accept you, especially as I intend not to rule unless it is beside you."
Loki froze for a moment, swallowing a sip of tea roughly.
"And, Sigyn will say, 'yes,' as soon as she deems you worthy, which will not be nearly as long as you believe."
Loki smiled, "We shall see."
"I'm worried about Natasha." Steve strode to the table and sat down, plate of eggs in hand.
"Does Agent Romanoff still keep by the Man of Arrows' bed?" Thor asked.
"Yeah…she hasn't moved. I don't think she's eaten in two days."
"And, how is Barton?" Loki wondered quietly.
"I don't know…the doctors haven't said much. The injuries don't look terrible, but they aren't quite sure what weapons were fired at him."
"I have not done battle with Fafnir in many ages. I do not know what sort of weapons he has now employed." Thor said.
"Nor I. I am sorry." Loki agreed.
"This is most worrisome." Thor nodded.
"For both of them." Steve nodded, "I'd hate to lose Clint, of course, but I think Natasha would be devastated."
Loki made a sound of agreement. "If I can do anything, tell me, please."
Steve snapped his head to look at Loki. He looked surprised for a moment before a warm smile came over his face. "Thanks."
"Of course." Loki turned back to his meal.
"You know, when you're not trying to kill us, you're not bad." Steve remarked.
Thor gently pounded his brother's back, as Loki nearly choked laughing through his food.