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Perfect. Everything seemed too perfect, too soft. They didn’t have the time, the nervous energy to ask. Perhaps this- the sun, the balmy weather, the careless swash of the beach and the salty wind- was real.
“Let’s get lunch,” Tony started. Bruce’s eyes darted to meet his. Reproachful. Time was loud and deafening. Thanos could descend from the sky with his great purple lips and command their deaths. Fighting cosmic gods was exhausting and Bruce’s slouched gait and reprehensible look signalled to Tony all the more that they should be getting lunch. The best that Malibu offered- that’s what they would get. Tony could ask Pepper for help- she knew all the best places, all the great sensations.
“Tony, I don’t- I can’t think about lunch right now.”
“If it’s about Sakaar-”
“I think I killed people,” Bruce said, matter-of-factly.
“And aliens. Technically they’re not people. I doubt that they’d experience the same pain, possess the same neurological receptors, you know the deal.” Tony quickly countered, with a small smile. Bruce’s lips did not shift. Tony kept his brisk pace.
“I missed,” Tony cut himself off as Bruce faced him, “having you on the team.”
“Oh,” Bruce whispered. “Natasha told me what happened when I was gone. Must be difficult,” he added softly. “Indiscriminate killing machines definitely know how to deal with the subtleties of human interaction.”
“It’d be unfair if you joined,” Tony quipped. “Let Rogers have his fanfare. The energy that you- the Hulk- could carry at any particular interval of time is breathtaking. The amount of force that you’d apply to any livng entity could easily amount to- how angry do you feel, Banner?”
Bruce chuckled, running his hands through his hair. Tony edged his body closer. It’s been years since they’ve been properly alone together, with their thoughts and brightly glowing lights scattered on alcohol basted benches.
Bruce’s eyes lit up as he spotted a dark figure on the rocks. A California sea lion was resting against the battered surface. Bruce was dangerously captivated by the mammal, its sandy fur sleekly shimmering from the sun’s reflections. Bruce jogged towards it, taking care to place his next step on denser, wetter sand.
Bruce was now three metres away from the sea lion. Tony’s eyes widened.
The sea lion’s short ears perked before threatening to plunge itself into the churning waters. That’s what Tony thought. There was no conceivable way in which-
The sea lion nuzzled against Bruce’s cheek, projecting a small glob of sea-lion saliva and potential pathogens.
Tony Stark was not jealous. It could’ve been his bacteria.
---
“We’re naming the sea lion ‘Tony Stark’”, Tony announced to Bruce who was wiping his face with an elbow. Bruce took a bite out of a slice of pizza.
“Are you jealous?” Bruce darted, eye contact intense. Tony swore quietly.
“No, Banner, I’m not jealous of a marine mammal that’s not even close to being rich and smart enough to deal with oil spills,” Tony spat.
Tony triumphantly sipped on his reasonably-overpriced coffee milkshake.
“No, no, I don’t see a connection between two strutting souls who could tip and fall at any moment. Not at all,” Bruce deadpanned.
Tony voiced his frustration through a short, barely-audible groan.
He turned to face Bruce, who was now finishing the last of his pizza, laughing lightly. Tony swallowed. He was a billionaire and a philanthropist. His calloused dextrous fingers wanted to reach and sink into Bruce. He was frightened that he’d forget Bruce’s face in his absence. The memories stayed fresh.
Bruce was looking at Tony too, with an unfamiliar sliver of emotion behind them, bursts of energy and emotion with an intensity akin to gamma radiation. Tony closed in. They kissed softly.
“Ah. You were jealous,’ Bruce enunciated slowly, slightly dazed, after Tony broke away.