Chapter 5.

Upon returning home, reluctantly wearing his new jeans, he came home to find only pepper. It had taken him awhile to find even her, the tower is very big and Bruce likes to make sure it's completely empty before he does anything that he might not want people to see. And no, i do not mean that you naughty pineapples, well he sometimes dose but that a whole other story. He finally found the red head in her study, fourth floor.

"Oh hi" she chimed lowering her glasses. She had stopped typing when she heard the door creak and Bruce pop his head round, looking like he had lost something.

"Ah, hello" he went to close the door when he noticed her.

"Where are you going?" she laughed closing her laptop "come in"

Bruce slid into the room. He had never felt completely comfortable about being alone with Pepper. It had always reminded him that she had tony and then he always felt a little bit sad. He sat down on a chair opposite her, awkwardly. It felt like he had just been brought into the headmaster's office at school. Not that had ever happened to him at school but this is what he imagined it would have felt like.

"so, how was shopping? You and.., Natalie was it?, seem quite close." Pepper asked innocently. She was always trying to bond with Bruce; she had no idea why he always made it so difficult. Tony said he was shy and awkward but pepper had an A-level and keen interest in psychology. She knew he just put up walls. She had observed him, he was far from shy and perfectly comfortable in social situation. Just not with her. Why?

No, Bruce was wrong about the feeling. It was more like when his mum would question him about the how school was and why did he always have fresh bruises on him.

"er, Natasha" Bruce corrected.

"right sorry"

There was a silence for a couple of second like Bruce had forgotten the question or just too nervous to reply.

"yeah she nice, like the sister I never had" was his predictable answer he always gave to that question.

"oh lovely, you should bring me sometime she sounds darling" Pepper tried to subtly invite herself.

"Ha-yeah…." Bruce looked to the floor and grimaced inwardly at the thought of having to spend a whole day with Tony's girlfriend.

Pepper could tell that wasn't going to happen anytime soon and was getting really fed up with the way Bruce acted as if she was his step mother and trying to push her way into his life. She signed and dismissed him politely saying she had work she really should be getting on with.

"What have I ever done to him!" pepper ranted at Tony while they were getting undressed for bed.

"nothing honey" Tony mumbled apathetically as he took his shirt off. He always had hated how his robot heart shone through his shirts but loathed how bright it could be at night.

"all I've ever been is nice. I'm polite and I smile and put up with all his fucking crap" Tony always giggles at how wrong it sounds when she swears, pepper didn't notice as she through the duvet back. "he looks at me sometimes like I'm the one whose living his house rent free"

"pepper." Tony objected seriously.

"That's not what I mean. I love having him here. He's quiet, clean and an amazing cook. He just annoys me. ya'know?" She sighed as they both climbed into bed, snuggling into each other like otters.

"no, I don't know" Tony stated matter-of-fact-ly looking Pepper straight in the eyes.

"yeah, well he's nice to you" she grumbled biting her lip.

"he made you pancakes this morning!"

"yeah….he's always nice in front of you but as soon as you leave, I'm dead to him"

"Oh I'm sure that's not true, hmmm?" tony sighed and kissed her firmly on the lips and bade her good night.

Pepper wasn't so sure. She snuggled into her boyfriend's arms and tried to sleep but she couldn't help but get confused by what tony had pointed out. If he did actually hate pepper then why did he always make her pancakes? He never did tony and half the time they were the only ones there.

The next day was somewhat awkward between Natasha and Hawkeye. They were all sitting around the avengers centre. This pretty much composed of a couple of sofas, a kitchen (well a kettle), a massive television screen on the wall and lots of whiteboards with various scribbles on them about past missions.

"so what are you like named after that guy from M*A*S*H or what?" Tony asked Clint and was ignored as he walked over to Natasha who was busy gossiping. It was hard to tell what but for some reason it involved Natasha playing with Bruce's hair while he slaps her hand away and an almost supernatural amount of giggling.

*cough,cough* came Clint's introduction from behind them. They both stopped laughing and looked round at him.

"Can I have a word tash?"

"no." was her only reply. Bruce tried to excuse himself but she made him stay by hanging onto his arm.

"I have enough awkward moments of my own, I don't need yours as well thank you sister." Bruce joked and she let him go. He had just turned round to walk away when he all but pushed over a hobbling Collision.

"oh my god! I am so sorry" he helped pill up and picked up all the files.

"don't worry about it"

"I didn't hear you come in"

"its fine really. You might as well keep one" pill referenced to the identical case files and shone Bruce his innocent smile. An innocent smile yes but was only a mask over his deep sad eyes. A mask he must wear till his death.

"right thanks" stuttered Bruce. "how's the legs…and..stuff" the Doctor giggled awkwardly.

"fine, I'm fine. Everything's…fine" it obviously wasn't.

Bruce seems to have a knack lately and walking from one awkward situation to another.

"so, should be getting on." Collision ended the so-called conversation. A couple of seconds later Pill had called the group together and given out the files.

"Right, Time for your next mission guys" Phil smiled at his motely crew.