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Thor has known Bruce for seven years, been his lover for two, and gladly called himself his husband for one. He's seen Bruce at his most brilliant and darkest moments, while Bruce has seen the same of him. They've been through so much together - especially in the last two years. Sakaar, despite its troubles, brought them together for survival's sake. Defeating Hela and saving Asgard only made them closer. He supposes that Bruce's decision to stay on Asgard instead of returning to Midguard helped.
(Sometimes, Thor imagines what might have happened had Bruce actually gone through the Bridge the morning after Hela's defeat, leaving Thor to rebuild his realm and himself all alone. Usually, his misery ends there. He still has been randomly hit with visions of Bruce going back to his world and into Natasha's arms, finding just as much comfort there as he has in Thor's.
Those hurt more, somehow. Thor keeps them at bay by twisting his wedding ring until he knows that it's there.)
So, with all their time together, Thor likes to think that he knows Bruce rather well by now. Bruce hopefully feels the same about him. They've shared so much about themselves during Bruce's stay on Asgard. They've spoken about their childhoods, though Thor knows his is easier to share. The worst parts of it were his rather frequent injuries due to rowdiness or his father's emotional distance. Bruce's was... not nearly as innocent. Thor's heart ached as he remembered Bruce, when he told him - once and only once - about his mother's violent death at the hands of his father. He didn't call Brian his father, though; he was only ever the man my mom married.
Thor wished he could have met Rebecca. She seemed like a wonderful person and, from the stories Bruce told of her, was where he got the best parts of himself.
Practically every part of Bruce was logged to memory in Thor's mind, now. He knew what made him laugh and what his different smiles said. He knew his likes, his dislikes, his favorite foods, his routines. The look of Bruce, totally at peace - either deep in meditation or asleep in bed - was a familiar sight, as was the way he lit up when the young children in town would come up to hear stories of Midguard from the king's strange consort. Thor knew just where his worry lines were, how many scars he had, and just what kind of touches would make him either laugh or moan. He knew not to drink heavily anymore, even with his Asgardian resistance to alcohol, lest Bruce go cold with him and make him sleep on the love seat at the foot of their bed. He knew when Bruce needed a hug, or a kiss, or distance. He just knew his husband.
Which was what made Bruce's current expression so scary - Thor couldn't recognize it at all.
They had only been on Earth for two days. On the morning they left, Heimdall called them to the observatory and informed them that their former teammates were in need of assistance fighting some extraterrestrial threat. Bruce hadn't hesitated as he told Heimdall to send them back, only glancing at Thor to make sure he was in agreement. When had Bruce become so brave these past two years? When did he stop fearing himself? Thor wasn't sure. He could only be proud of his husband and hope that he had some part in his recovery.
So they went back to Midguard, landing in the field beside the new Avengers' headquarters, to which Bruce was somewhat surprised by. They didn't have much time to collect themselves. Just as they got their bearings, practically the entire team and a few people Thor had definitely never seen before came running out of the building. "What the fuck," were the first words anyone uttered; of course, they were by Tony. When Bruce nearly fell over in the unfamiliar armor that Brunnhilde insisted he put on, Thor caught him and said, "Careful, my love."
"What the fuck?" yelled Tony again; Steve joined in that time.
Bruce, hiding his face in Thor's chest, mumbled, "I changed my mind. Call Heimdall."
Introductions were quickly given and explanations were received. Later, when they were left alone in their new room, Bruce complained that their relationship was more of a shock than half of the team becoming fugitives or the fact that the Chitauri's ruler himself had threatened the planet. Thor could only nod, still in shock himself, before helping a struggling Bruce out of his armor. When Thor said he looked quite good in it with a heat in his eye, Bruce made plain that it wouldn't work because I'm tired and I'm not having sex in our friends' guest room.
Thor pouted. Bruce just rolled his eyes before kissing him, chaste at first, yet quickly growing heated. In the end, they did make love. Bruce's look of pure joy and pleasure mid-passion made up for the awkwardness the next morning. They didn't have much time to stew in it, anyway. There was a higher-up official who the team was working closely with to come up with a game plan against Thanos and needed to meet with them immediately. Bruce mostly just nodded along, too distracted by being back in his old clothes to really process the run-down. From what Thor could gather, the man they were to meet was the same one who helped create the strange schism between the Avengers in the first place, but he said nothing as they boarded the jet to the capitol.
In hindsight, Thor should have asked for the man's name. He could have saved them all from the meltdown Bruce was having right now.
"You made a deal with him?" said Bruce, barely not yelling at Tony. He was pointing at the screen at the front of the conference room, where General Thaddeus Ross was speaking live with a reporter at the steps of the very building they were meeting him in. "Out of all people, you made a deal with Ross?"
Tony had his hands up, staring at Bruce with wide eyes. "Hey, I thought you were on my side!"
"Maybe he changed his mind," muttered Steve beside the metal-armed man and Wilson. Tony opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by Bruce's hands slamming on the table with a bang!.
"This isn't about fucking sides!" screamed Bruce. Everyone jumped, except for Thor himself. He knew now that Bruce only ever became dangerous if he was scared. Right now, he was just angry.
Thor hoped he was only angry.
"Bruce," he said, voice soft despite his own rage at the situation and the man at the center of it all. He placed his hand on his husband's shoulder. Bruce tensed and, for a moment, Thor worried he misread the situation. Luckily, some of the tension in Bruce's shoulders lessened.
Tony found the courage to speak up again. "Listen, Bruce - you can be mad about whatever you want, okay? But we just need to work together on this and then we can re-work the Accords, alright?" He spoke as if reasoning with a child, only a very dangerous one with a destructive alter-ego. "We've already agreed on some changes-"
Bruce laughed. It was cold and distant and sent chills through Thor's spine. The room fell silent. "Oh my god," he breathed, tonelessly. He laughed again and buried his face in trembling hands. "Oh my god, you don't get it. Do you just not care? Did you even know?" Then, more to himself than anything: "No, you have to know. It had to be in the S.H.I.E.L.D. leak, right? Or did you just not give enough of a shit to check?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Thor swore Natasha's face bled of guilt before she put her usual blank stare on.
He was at a loss. He knew what Ross had done to Bruce all too well; nine months into their relationship, Bruce finally dropped the man's name, telling Thor of the pain that he'd gone through during his transformation and the run from the man's goons. He'd alluded to a few instances where Ross caught up to him, only to torture Bruce for either research or pleasure - neither he nor Thor could tell which - before Bruce inevitably transformed into the Hulk and escaped again. There were few people who Thor would be willing to murder on the spot if they were to ever meet, and he had lived for a very long time. Ross was one of those people.
Violence wasn't what Bruce needed now, though. He just looked so... defeated. His voice was only a centimeter from breaking. He looked so alone. Thor refused to let that continue.
With practiced intimacy, he moved closer to him, wrapping his arms around the other man's shoulders and resting his forehead against his hair. "Bruce," he murmured, so softly only he could hear. "Elskan mín. Breathe."
Bruce did. It was shaky at first, like even his lungs were against him. Then he started to focus on his breathing exercises, the same that he would do on the balcony of their room each morning, at peace and at home as Thor waited in bed with their breakfast. This was not nearly as peaceful, but... It was enough.
Thor wasn't sure when Bruce's breathing evened out and his hands stopped shaking. He only knew that Bruce was a wreck when he hugged him. Then, when Thor was brought to attention by Ross entering the room, he was calm.
"Dr. Banner, it's been a long time," said Ross with a sharp grin - or he tried saying something like that. Thor only let him get so far as the title before he raised a hand in the devil's direction, vision tinted blue while sparks flew from his hand. Everyone wheeled their chairs away while Ross stood rooted to the spot.
"Ohmygod he has lightning powers thisisamazingandterrifying," said one of the new Avengers. Scott Alan or something. Thor didn't care; he was too busy enjoying the look of pure terror on Ross's face.
Bruce suddenly clutched at the arm still around his shoulders, but when Thor glanced at him, he didn't look like he wanted him to stop. He just looked intrigued.
Thor hummed. "What shall I do with him, my heart?"
Apparently, Ross couldn't handle not hearing his own voice for a few moments. "Listen, Odinson, I don't care what you are or how much you love Banner, I'm in charge here, so-"
"Shut up," said Bruce, quiet, fingers trembling again in righteous anger as he held Thor's arm. "For once in your life, just shut up."
Ross' face went an angry red. "How dare you, you-"
Thor sent a warning shot at the glass wall behind him. It shattered rather magnificently and crashed to the ground. The television above Ross's head broke off its mount, sparks flying as it dangled from the ceiling by a few cords. Ross gaped at it in silence. Bruce tapped at Thor's arm urgently; he figured it was an alright that's enough sort of tap. His vision returned to normal and he lowered his hand, gently resting it on Bruce's waist as he kissed his cheek.
Ross stared at them. Bruce took a deep breath. "You made nearly seven years of my life hell. I'm happy now. I don't care what you have to say. So unless you want to make my husband or me angry again - and trust me, you won't like it when we're angry - then sit down." His voice didn't break at all. Thor was so proud, especially when Ross collapsed on the nearest chair. The only sign of Bruce's anxiety was the violently shaking hand at his side, which Thor took in his own, soothing the tremors away without taking his eye off of Ross'.
The room was silent like this for a good thirty seconds until Wilson cleared his throat. "So. Aliens! Let's discuss that, maybe."
Everyone mumbled in agreement, slowly wheeling back to the table. Tony sent Bruce a look that Thor guessed was a mix of an apology and a promise to talk more later. Thor let Bruce go, albeit reluctantly, so that they could sit back down in their own chairs.
Bruce did take his hand back, though. As Thor looked at him, Bruce shifted his posture a bit, straightening his back and raising his chin just slightly. Just like he did on his throne back home. Technically, Midguard did fall under their dominion. Maybe Ross, who was now trembling under their gaze, simply needed a reminder. Maybe Bruce did, too. Thor was all too happy to provide it for him.
He leaned toward Thor all of a sudden. "Thank you," he whispered. Thor just raised Bruce's hand to his lips and kissed it, sharing a look that said everything they needed to say, before turning back to the matter at hand.
And there Thor sat with his king at his side.