Assemble Chapter 31, an avengers fanfic

Bruce Banner stood in a room of his old friends feeling like a tiger in a cage.

He'd come out to this convention in San Francisco because Betty had practically begged him to despite his own wishes to remain separated from his former peers, and now after two hours he was starting to have second thoughts. The swell of familiar faces all whispering as he passed and the feeling of loneliness without Clint that seemed to permeate throughout his system wasn't helping matters either.

Clint had offered to come with him and he'd told the other man to stay behind at the mansion, mostly because he did not want Clint to see just how uninteresting and tedious his previous life had been. Now with his monster hiding just beneath the surface he was beginning to regret his decision.

Bruce heard his name called and came out of his musing, walking up to the stage and shaking Betty's hand before beginning his speech.

The words spewed out of him so quickly and concisely he barely registered what he was saying but once he was done the crowd clapped for him and several people gave him high praise as he left the stage.

Betty was waiting at the bottom of the stairs with a drink and he declined, feeling guilty at the hurt look on her face. He sighed. "Betty…"

She gave his shoulder a squeeze and he tensed, but didn't push her off as much as he wanted to and visibly relaxed when she let him go. "C'mon Bruce, for me?"

Bruce took the drink and winced at the taste. He'd always hated white wine, though Betty had probably forgotten after not seeing him for nearly three years. "Thanks," he said, holding the glass and pretending, fully prepared to set it on a table later unfinished.

She stood next to him silently and his entire body was on alert preparing for her to touch him again. He hadn't realized how accustomed he'd become to being touched by Clint and Clint alone. The isolation of the mansion had helped calm his monster but he suspected it had also helped make the Hulk quite dependent and somewhat needy for his lover's nearness.

Almost as if on cue he felt a vibration in his pocket and he took out his phone.

Miss you.

The simple words made him ache and he smiled at the screen before typing back.

We both miss you too.

"Wow," came a whisper to his left, surprising him.

He looked up and saw Betty staring at him. "What?"

She shook her head. "I just…I've never seen that look on your face before. Someone special?"

Bruce put his phone away and felt a blush heating his cheeks. "Yes."

Another colleague passed them and said, "Great speech, Bruce. Nice to see you back."

Bruce smiled politely and said, "Thank you," but still felt so out of place he wanted to leave as soon as possible without being rude.

"Bruce I…" Betty began, but he cut her off.

"Betty, I'm not feeling well. Excuse me," he said in a rush, walking passed her and speeding through the crowd until he got out to the lobby where he could finally stop before letting out a breath.

He heard the door open behind him and started to walk again but stopped when he heard Betty call out, "Bruce, wait," and grab onto his arm.

Bruce rolled out of her grip and turned. "What? I…I shouldn't have come here, Bet. I don't even know why you…"

Betty shook her head, frowning. "No, Bruce, it's…when I heard that you were doing so well I…"

Bruce frowned. "Heard? From who?"

She had tears in her eyes as she confessed, "I…my father has been in contact with Director Fury for…well since you started up with SHIELD. I've been…"

He backed up, shaking his head. "You've been spying on me."

Betty had tears on her cheeks now. "No, no! I…I've been keeping up with your progress! I…I've missed you so much, Bruce," she tried to touch him again and he backed up further, walking towards the elevator.

"Betty, this isn't…I can't talk about this," he said, trying to walk ahead of her.

They got to the elevator and she grabbed his arm again, gripping so he could not get away. "Bruce…I…I still…"

The elevator door dinged and he turned, pulling his arm away and pushing passed several people to get inside. She did as well and soon they were alone as the door closed.

Silence.

Bruce felt his muscles aching to be let loose and when his phone vibrated again he desperately fished it out. "Hello?"

"Hey," came a soft voice on the other end.

His muscles calmed and he closed his eyes, sighing. "Hi."

"You sound tense. Everything okay?" Clint asked.

He shook his head. "Not really," he whispered, opening his eyes to see Betty was crying openly beside him.

"Anything I can help with?" Clint asked, sounding worried.

Bruce closed his eyes and wished he was home. "I wish."

The elevator dinged and his eyes snapped open, seeing they were coming up on his floor. The doors opened and he jumped out, nearly in a run though he knew she was following.

"Bruce? Talk to me," Clint said quickly, sounding panicked.

About halfway down the first hall Bruce stopped, sniffing the air and closing his eyes.

"You're here," he whispered, nearly moaning.

Clint laughed. "I couldn't stay away. Sorry. I'm in…"

Bruce shoved his phone in his pocket and began running, finally stopping when he saw Clint standing outside his door.

He grabbed the man, shoving his tongue down Clint's throat and moaning as he felt his boyfriend's touch again. When the pulled apart he pressed his forehead against the other man's and whispered, "I missed you."

Clint swallowed. "I see that. I…" Clint looked over his shoulder and frowned. "This must be Betty?"

Bruce turned and saw Betty was standing about two feet from them, her hands over her mouth and tears on her face. He sighed, grabbing Clint's hand and pulling him along towards his ex.

They stopped some distance away. "Betty, this is Clint."

Clint waved somewhat lifelessly.

Betty shook her head, swallowing and moving her hands. "I…I didn't…I…I've never…"

Clint smiled. "We're a little…affectionate."

Bruce looked at him, his muscles now aching to take, claim, protect, feel and completely ignoring the woman in front of him. His eyes turned green and Clint looked at him, feeling the heat through Bruce's hand escalating and knowing the signs. He smiled and Bruce leaned in close, smelling his throat.

Betty cleared her throat. "I…I don't understand. His eyes, they…"

Clint smiled. "Yeah, they do that sometimes. I'm sure you…"

She shook her head. "The…the monster it…"

Clint glared at her, his muscles tensing. He felt Bruce tense against him and lifted his boyfriend's head, kissing him softly. "He's not a monster," Clint whispered.

"I didn't mean Bruce, the…thing."

Clint looked at her, his eyes full of anger. He pushed Bruce back and walked towards Betty, stopping when they were inches apart. "I know what you meant. I'm telling you he's NOT a monster. Neither of them. It's…"

Betty wrinkled her nose at him. "That thing is a monster. I've seen it. It's what tore Bruce away from me, it…"

Clint's hands curled into fists at his sides, his nails digging into the skin till he drew blood. "Like I said. If you'd…let yourself give in it…"

Betty backed up. "You…you're…that thing? You let it touch you? It's NOT Bruce, it's something Bruce fights not to be. You actually LOVE them both, don't you? You're…"

Before she could finish Bruce appeared between them, his hand on Clint's and he whispered, "Betty, you should go," his eyes were bright green and his skin was tinted the same.

Her eyes were wide and she nodded, taking off into a run down the hall.

Bruce took Clint's hands, releasing his fists and kissing them.

Clint sighed. "I'm sorry I got into it with her, I didn't…"

Bruce turned Clint's palm over and frowned at the blood. "You're hurt," he said, looking at Clint's face again.

Clint reddened. "I was so angry I wanted to hit her. I've never wanted to hit a woman before, believe me. I just …"

Bruce cut him off with a kiss, backing them up to the door and expertly inserting his keycard in the lock. When it opened they walked backwards and he kicked the door closed, pulling his mouth away from Clint's down to this throat whispering, "I love that you look after us both," he bit at Clint's ear and the blonde moaned, "I love that you're apologizing for defending me," he kissed Clint again, "And I love that you love both parts of me, even if it's kinda creepy."

Clint laughed and lifted Bruce's face so they were looking into each other's eyes.

"She doesn't know what she's missing," he whispered.

Bruce grinned. "Lucky you."

Clint kissed him softly, leading Bruce back to the bed and pushing the other man down grinning as he pulled his shirt over his head.

Bruce's eyes were still green and Clint had long since gotten over being afraid. He took it as a sign that his lover was just as excited as he was.

"I love you," he said.

Bruce tore his dress shirt off, his eagerness overwhelming his control and he grabbed onto Clint's belt, pulling him close. He tore it in half just as quickly and Clint felt his heart beating wildly, his dick hardening with each passing moment and when Bruce yanked his pants down he practically threw himself into Bruce's hands, groaning when their positions were reversed and Bruce tossed him down, looming over him.

Bruce's mouth drifted up from Clint's belly and when the brunette growled, "Mine," Clint lifted his hips and moaned.

"Yes, Bruce, please."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The scene I wrote as was is against the site's guidelines so I've posted it to my LJ and the editor for the site will not allow me to post a link though there is one in my author profile. My LJ name is kinneytaylor. There will be MANY scenes in this story I will have to do the same to, but I don't want to try and CENSOR them INTO SOMETHING MORE tame so this will have to do. Sorry.

Clint tried to think through his post coital afterglow. "Sorry?"

Bruce kissed his neck and said, "I can't let you go. I'm sorry."

Clint laughed, leaning back one hand and touching Bruce's cheek. "I can sleep like this, Bruce. It wouldn't be the first time."

They curled into each other and did just that, drifting off into sleep. Hours later Clint woke to Bruce nuzzling his throat and he smiled, running his hands through his boyfriend's hair. "Mmm….I think you wore me out."

Bruce kissed his neck and then his chin before softly pressing their lips together.

"I know, I don't need to go again I just…I missed your smell," he whispered, smiling at Clint.

Clint turned to look at the alarm clock on the bedside table and saw it read nearly six thirty. "We've been sleeping for two hours, I can't believe I worn out the great and powerful Hulk."

Bruce kissed his cheek and then his ear, whispering, "Who said anything about wearing me out?"

He closed his eyes, sighing. "Should I call and apologize to whatsherface?"

Clint felt Bruce tense beside him and he turned, frowning. He touched Bruce's arm and whispered, "Bruce?"

Bruce sighed. "I…I shouldn't have come here. I know that now. Betty…she…I think she wanted us to get back together."

Clint felt like an ice bucket had been dropped over his entire body. "Oh yeah?"

Bruce nodded. "She kept telling me how much she missed me, and she's been having her father ask Nick about how I've been doing. I guess he told her father I was doing well and she," he looked at Clint, "hoped we would pick up where we left off."

Clint swallowed and looked down. "Oh."

Bruce stared at him and frowned. "Clint. Hey, look at me."

Clint did, frowning. Bruce put a hand on his face and whispered, "There's no one else. There can't be. Okay? Don't look like that."

Clint smiled, her cheeks reddening. "Okay. I just…I know you wanted to marry her and…"

Bruce kissed him, cutting off the rest of the sentence and when they pulled apart he said, "That was before I met you and there will be no one after. For either of us."

Clint grinned. "So are you telling me you're only with me cuz your big green friend wants me too?"

Bruce grabbed him close then, crushing their lips together and then licking across Clint's, slipping his tongue inside. Their tongues intertwined for several minutes before they pulled apart. "No, I'm with you because you're sexy, you're cocky, you're completely and totally wrong for me in nearly every way but I love you more than I will ever love anyone. The fact that Hulk loves you too is just a bonus," he said, smiling.

Clint had tears in his eyes as he whispered, "I love you, Bruce."

Bruce kissed him softly and said, "I know."

Clint rolled out of bed, looking back at Bruce and heading towards the shower. "Want to go another round or is the great and powerful Hulkie too tired?"

"I'll show you tired," Bruce growled, jumping out of bed and chasing him inside, the both of them laughing as they kicked the door closed behind them.

As he pulled the car up the driveway Steve felt his whole body tensing, remembering the last time he'd been at the house he and Tony shared.

He'd been a bit taken aback when Tony suggested going home, but after everything they'd been through and the temptation of being completely alone with the man he loved was such a lure he couldn't say no. He slowed the car down and shut it off, sighing.

"This was a bad idea wasn't it?" Tony asked cutting in to the silence they'd shared since driving away from Avengers mansion not too long before.

Steve reached across the seat and took Tony's hand, squeezing it. "No, it…it's just…the last time we were here together…it's hard to forget."

Tony kissed the back of Steve's hand, his mouth lingering before he whispered, "I know, I…god, Steve…if I could take it back."

Steve leaned in close and put his other hand under Tony's chin and made him look up as he said, "I know, Tony, but it's made us stronger than ever and I wouldn't take back any of the time we shared in the past," he brought their lips together softly and pressed their foreheads together.

"Except me almost dying, that part was kinda…" Tony started to add, but Steve stopped him, pressing his finger to Tony's lips.

"You're alive, we're home. No more talk of bad things. Let's go."

Both men got out of the car at the same time, their hands still together as Steve hopped over the convertible door and on to the ground. "Ow," he winced, laughing.

Tony laughed, knocking him lightly on the leg with his cane. "Was that completely necessary? I do know the way to the door without daddy holding my hand."

Steve shuddered. "Don't EVER call me that again."

Tony grinned, kissing him and whispering, "Okay, sir."

Steve shivered for an entirely new reason, squeezing his boyfriend's hand before announcing, "Let's go."

Tony led the way, the soft tapping of his cane still an unfamiliar noise to Steve even though he had been using it for several days now. The doctors were ecstatic at the rate his legs were healing and predicted by the end of week two that Tony would have full use again.

Steve smiled as Tony unlocked the door with his voice command. "Jarvis, open up."

"Good morning, sir. Good morning Mister Rogers, it has been quite some time."

The door opened and Steve answered, "Hello Jarvis," letting himself get pulled through the doorway.

Tony walked them through the kitchen which, as Steve was beginning to suspect, had been cleaned shortly before their arrival. "I take it things are…all in order?" Tony asked.

"Yes, Mister Stark. Everything is exactly to your specifications, as requested."

Steve smiled, raising an eyebrow. "Specifications? Tony what did you do?"

The other man grinned at him, leading them down towards their bedroom.

Steve flashed for a moment back to when he'd last taken this walk alone, finding the discarded dress on the floor and feeling so horrible. He quickly pushed the memory away and sighed.

Tony squeezed his hand again. "I know, baby," he kissed Steve's hand before pushing open the door.

Steve gasped at the sight in front of him.

Images of Tony and that woman together kissing on their beautiful wooden bed he remembered so vividly were almost immediately replaced when he took in the wrought iron bed that now stood in its place.

He let go of Tony's hand and walked over to it, running his hands on it. "It's gorgeous."

Tony laughed. "I had the old one taken out about a week ago, I haven't been back here since…" he trailed off, frowning.

Steve turned and smiled at him, reaching out and pulling Tony close. "I love it, it's beautiful."

Tony blushed and swallowed before whispering, "Wanna try it out?"

Steve grinned. "I don't know…are you up for it?"

Tony grinned. "Oh Steve, I'm up for anything you have for me."

Steve pulled him close, their bodies melting together as he whispered, "I love you, Tony."

Tony sighed, dropping his cane on the floor. "God, I don't know what I would have done…"

Steve silenced him with a kiss, pulling at Tony's tie as their tongues twined around each other, loosening it and tearing at the buttons on his shirt. Tony groaned into his mouth and tore at Steve's shirt in return, both men fumbling to get naked as quickly as possible.

Steve cursed, pulling their mouths apart for a minute as he pulled his own shirt over his head, pushing Tony down onto the bed and tearing the other man's shirt wide open exposing Tony's still too thin body. He licked at Tony's chest and the other man writhed beneath him.

"Steve, please…don't tease me…I can't…" Tony begged and Steve grinned, loosening Tony's belt and opening his pants before pushing the other man on to his back again.

Steve smiled pulling Tony's tie off with a flourish and taking the silk in his hands, running his fingers across it before beginning to run the tie across Tony's skin.

"You told me," he explained as Tony arched up off the bed, sighing, "that the next time you said you didn't like to be teased to ignore you."

Tony shook his head, licking his lips as he said, "I did, but this…it's too much. I need you, I…."

Steve suddenly grabbed Tony's wrists and wrapped the tie around them, puling tightly and tying the other end to the iron post behind them.

"Oh god," Tony said, his eyes hooded with desire, "Steve…jesus…"

Steve licked his lips and whispered, "You're mine."

Tony nodded, "Steve, please…"

Steve reached out and pulled Tony's pants completely off until the other man was in just his briefs. He could see the other man's excitement without taking them off and licked his lips. "I missed this," he whispered, leaning in close and licking at Tony's thighs, "Being alone….just us."

Tony shuddered, "Steve, I can't…please untie me, I'm gonna…"

Steve touched him through his briefs and Tony's groaned, his hips rising slightly towards the touch.

"Excited, Tony?"

"Oh baby, please. Fuck me. Please, baby, I love you so much…" Tony begged, biting his lip.

Steve smiled and pulled Tony's briefs down making the other man groan as he took them completely off. "You're gorgeous like this," he whispered, draping himself over Tony suddenly and kissing the other man.

He collapsed on to Tony, who whined, pulling at his restraints. "I want to touch you! Untie me!"

Steve laughed and licked Tony's stomach. "No. I like you this way."

Tony pulled at the tie and cursed, "Stupid Armani!"

Steve pitied him enough that he sat up and untied Tony, who immediately kissed him so roughly their teeth knocked against each other. They pulled apart only to breathe and press their foreheads together. "God, I love you," he whispered, kissing Steve again, "Man,that was hot. I've never…goddamn."

Steve laughed and whispered, "I guess you liked it?"

"Liked?" Tony asked, kissing him again, "If I have any say in it we're gonna do that at the very least once a week. If not three, no six times."

Steve grinned. "Yes, sir."

They lay curled against each other and watched the sun go down outside Tony's window.

Steve was just about to fall asleep when he heard Tony say, "I blackmailed Nick Fury before we left."

"You did WHAT?" Steve asked, his eyes immediately opening. He rolled Tony over and stared him down. "How? Why?"

Tony grinned smugly. "I called him out. Told him to back off of us or I'd spill to T'Challa his dirty little secret. And damn is it a good one," he said, laughing.

Steve frowned as Tony kissed him, still grinning "What secret? How did you…I thought we weren't going to keep secrets anymore," he whispered, his frown deepening.

"It's not….okay I guess it's a secret but…" Tony said, looking sheepish.

Steve sighed and sat up. "Tony we can't…"

Tony put his hand on Steve's shoulder and said, "Look, I'm sorry okay? It was just…he loves to mess up our lives and I wanted for once to push the powerful Fury off his goddamn pedestal."

Steve frowned at him. "What do you know?"

He smiled. "Nick used his DNA on T'Challa's wife."

Steve stared at him with wide eyes. "WHAT? How did…how do you know this?"

Tony shrugged. "While you were gone I went through all of Nick's files. I found it just before you got back but I was so fucking depressed I didn't care," he grabbed Steve's hand and kissed it, not letting go, "Now I do."

Steve frowned. "Tony, you have to tell T'Challa."

"It's not my place to tell, Steve," Tony said, frowning.

"He has a right to know. It's his son."

Tony sighed. "See, this is why people keep secrets from you," he mumbled, frowning, "Now I have to leave a perfectly good bed, when we could be having sex again."

Steve brought their hands up and kissed Tony's, smiling, "You promised no more secrets, remember? I didn't ask you to. And this is a big deal, T'Challa needs to know."

He sighed, laying his head on Steve's shoulder. "I don't want to. He's gonna be upset."

"Obviously."

"Come with me."

Steve leaned over and kissed him softly before whispering, "Of course. When T'Challa decides to punch you I'll be there to protect you. And when we're done, we can always have sex again."

Tony sighed. "Remind me again why I tell you things."

Steve kissed him and whispered, "Because you love me."

Tony smiled. "Oh yeah, that."

After they had gone T'Challa stared down at his boy, touching his only son's face with one hand and replaying the day that Ororo had told him they were going to have a child.

She had been so happy, so excited. He had seen no trace of apprehension or worry on his wife's face and now he tried to catalogue every movement she'd made, any hint that she had been sent to him by Nicholas as some sort of consolation prize.

He had never been so angry. His son was all but manufactured for him and he could not see a reason why Nicholas would even conceive the idea except to take control as Nicholas always seemed to feel had had the right to.

T'Challa called for an agent to watch over his son and headed for Nicholas's office, knocking lightly.

"Come in."

He opened the door and when Nicholas looked up at him the other man froze.

"I can explain," he said thickly, swallowing.

T'Challa walked to the chair in front of his desk and sat down silently, looking up and waiting.

Nicholas said, "I didn't force her to go, you called her."

T'Challa said, "Yes, that is true."

"And Ororo came to me, because she knew we were….involved. She didn't want…" Nicholas started to say but T'Challa finished.

"To stand in the way of love," he whispered, tears in his eyes, "She said the same to me when she arrived."

Nicholas ran a hand over his head and sighed, "I told her that I…couldn't be with you…she…offered to help me to be."

T'Challa frowned, "You couldn't, or wouldn't ashiki? Those are two different things. And you could have raised many children with me, Nicholas. I begged you to stay."

Nicholas looked away. "I had obligations, commitments. I…"

T'Challa stood and banged his fist on the table, making it crack. "YOU HAD OBLIGATIONS TO ME! You told me you LOVED ME. I….I trusted it was the truth. When you told me you couldn't, it broke me. Now I find that you had my wife willingly injected with your DNA to make a child with me but could not remain with me for fear of…what, LOSING YOUR JOB? YOUR STATUS? WHAT IS IT, NICHOLAS!"

Nicholas looked at him and said, "Your LIFE. You would not be here now if I had stayed and that's the honest truth of it. Your father FORBADE me to stay, told me he would have you PUT DOWN before he let us run a kingdom together and when you were attacked…"

T'Challa backed up, shaking his head. "No, that is…"

Nicholas stood, "It's the truth, 'challa. Every second I spent apart from you was AGONY but knowing you were alive and happy, I was able to keep going. I…god, even now that I know the old bastard is dead I can't…."

Tears ran down T'Challa's face and he whispered, "Nicholas, do…you are being truthful?"

Nicholas put his hands on his desk and his head hung down as he whispered, "Yes."

T'Challa whispered, "You do love me?"

Nicholas smiled, nearly laughing, "I never stopped, ashiki. Good lord, how can you even ask me that?"

T'Challa nearly leapt onto the desk, grabbing Nicholas and crushing their mouths together not caring about hurting the other man. He growled, the vibration rumbling between them and making Nicholas laugh when they pulled apart.

"Mine," he purred, biting Nicholas's bottom lip.

Nicholas let out a breath and said, "I can't…I…"

The other man grabbed Nicholas's face tightly and said, "You are mine. If I have to give up the throne we will no longer be apart. Tell me you agree."

"T'Challa…" Nicholas whispered, kissing him again, "Your people they…"

T'Challa rested his head against Nicholas's forehead and said, "We will avenge Ororo's death and then I will give up my position to my sister, Shuri."

Nicholas sighed, grabbing him again and shaking his head, "I don't…I can't make you do this."

T'Challa kissed down his neck, making Nicholas sigh, "I will no longer be apart from you, Nicholas. You no longer have the power to keep me away."

Nicholas smiled as he bit into his neck, "Were you always this…shit, that's good….territorial?"

T'Challa looked up with a grin. "Oh yes, ashiki. You have not seen anything yet."

Nicholas kissed him. "I missed you."

T'Challa purred, pushing him down into his chair and crawling into Nicholas's lap.

"I missed you more."