IV.

It had been raining all day, but after the sun went down, the rain finally let up and the clouds cleared. Bruce ventured up to the Tower's roof, telescope in tow, hoping to see some stars. The air was pleasantly cool, thick with that beautiful after-the-rain smell. Bruce inhaled deeply and set up his chair. Right after he'd made himself a mug of spicy tea and settled down for a few hours of star-gazing, his cell phone vibrated in his pocket.

Bruce shook his head when he saw the caller: Tony. His friend was currently in Washington on a business trip—one that he had whined about having to take in the first place, as it was apparently to be full of "mindless crap" and "the type of meetings that make you want to stick a spoon in your eye just so you don't have to sit through it any longer." For the past three days, he'd been texting Bruce fairly constantly about how bored he was. The fact that he was calling meant he'd probably reached his threshold.

Before Bruce had the chance to greet the billionaire, Tony spoke first, sounding desperate.

"Tell me there's a mission you urgently need me for."

The physicist leaned back in his chair. "Did anyone contact you about one?"

"No…" Tony answered reluctantly.

"Then, uh, sorry." A cool breeze tickled at Bruce's neck and he pulled the collar of his jacket up a little bit.

Tony sighed. "Can't you lie and say there is one anyways, so I can get out of this hellhole?"

Bruce laughed. "Come on, it can't be that bad—"

"It is, oh God, is it ever."

"And besides, I was there when Pepper told you how important this trip was."

"Don't remind me," Tony grumbled. Bruce imagined he was pinching the bridge of his nose with irritation at the memory—Pepper had been more insistent than usual, especially as she had a trip of her own to make to Hong Kong the same five days. "I have this stack of folders on the table I'm supposed to get through before I get back."

The physicist smirked. Ah. He'd guessed right: Tony was dead bored, surrounded by busywork, and dying for a distraction.

"So you called me?"

"Well, Natasha won't answer. Or Clint. I suppose they're probably busy together…"

Bruce rolled his eyes and took a sip of tea.

"And I tried Steve, but the first thing he did was ask if it was an absolute emergency, and when I said not exactly, he hung up," Tony continued, sounding mildly insulted. "I just wanted to know how the mission to find his buddy the Terminator is going…"

The physicist chuckled as he set his mug back down. "So I was your fourth choice?"

"Well," said Tony. "I figured you would just tell me to get back to work. I wanted to avoid that."

"Unfortunately, that's true," Bruce admitted with an amused smile.

Tony groaned loudly. "But it's so boring."

The physicist shook his head as a plane rumbled by in the sky somewhere overhead. "It's your company, Tony. You have to do some of the work sometimes."

"No, I shouldn't—that's why I hired Pepper! So I wouldn't have to do work anymore. I seriously am going to put my head through a wall if I have to sit through one more goddamn meeting and sign another pointlessly wordy sheet of paper."

"Tony..."

"Bruce. Bruce, don't bring me dooown, Bruce!" Tony began to sing and Bruce covered his eyes with his hand.

"Tony. Tony."

The billionaire kept singing, and Bruce silently cursed Clint for introducing Tony to ELO.

"Tony…I'll call Pepper."

Tony ceased his wailing—"singing"—immediately, and Bruce could hear the frown in his friend's voice over the phone when he said, "You wouldn't do that."

"I would." He fought to keep the smile out of his own voice.

"You're my friend. She'll kill me."

"And that's why I'll call her if you don't finish your paperwork. Because I am your friend."

"You're an accessory to murder." Tony huffed and sighed dramatically. Bruce could picture him pacing with restless energy.

"The sooner you get it done, the sooner you can come home," Bruce reminded him.

The billionaire swore under his breath. "See, this is why I wanted to get a hold of Clint. He would've helped me procrastinate properly. Fine, I'm going. I'm doing it. Are you happy now?"

Bruce chuckled softly. "Goodbye, Tony. See you in a few days."

"Yeah, yeah." Click.