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The Infinity Gauntlet is destroyed. The stones are gone, as well. They've all been turned to dust, along with Thanos body, which had just towered before them minutes ago. Gamora and her blue friend - they may be sisters, though Thor isn't sure - now stand proudly where his body once was. Their friends rush over, pulling them into a group hug as their laughter carries over the ruins of New York City.
"Well," says Stark, somewhere behind Thor, "That happened." The boy beside him continues to balk. Thor would be concerned, if he wasn't so preoccupied with running to a shrinking Hulk down what remains of the street.
Romanoff looks surprised that her lullaby still works. Thor feels the same and a little hurt, perhaps, that it didn't work with him back on Sakaar. He'll work through that later. Now? He's focused on the small man - Banner, Bruce, the man he's been separated from for a week that felt like ages - about to fall face-first in the dirt.
Thor shoves past the small crowd that's gathered. "Pardon me!" he says, drawing some floundering from the Captain and a confused glance from Romanoff. Thor doesn't care. He sprints forward, grabbing Bruce by the waist, saving him from a collision with the ground below. Bruce whimpers, leaning against Thor with his eyes all bleary and unseeing, weakly clutching Thor's arms. Thor hushes him.
"I'm here, Banner," he murmurs. He lowers them both to the ground, adjusting his hold so that Bruce is curled in his lap. "I'm here. I'm finally here, my love." He's not sure who he's trying to reassure. He doesn't even realize he's used the endearment till it stumbles off his tongue, loud in his ears, and prays that Bruce is still too out of it to hear it.
The man stirs, finally drawing Thor from his thoughts. When he turns his head up, they both stare, before Bruce squints. "Thor?" he chokes out.
Thor lets out a breath. "Yes, it's me," he says. His smile feels as if it will split his face in two. "How have you been?"
Bruce stares up at him, not saying a word. Thor notices the deep brown of his eyes, the streaks of grey in his hair, the way his pink lips are slightly parted. Thor's noticed them a lot, ever since Bruce came back to himself on Sakaar and Thor found it hard to look away from him. It only worsened when Bruce came back again on the refugee ship. All that Thor could register was the curve of his neck, the color of his lips, the warmth of his body slumped against his- just like it is, now.
Thor isn't an idiot; he knew what the warmth in his chest meant. That wouldn't stop him from ignoring it, as there was no way Bruce's heart beat the same for him. But when Bruce was lucid, the first thing he asked was weather or not the people of Asgard were okay. Was Valkyrie okay? Was Thor okay? He'd asked the last question with a hand on Thor's chest, right over his racing heart.
Shit, Thor had thought. There went pushing his feelings down. He'd just have to deal with them like an adult, which meant pining for Bruce and never acting on his urges because he couldn't dare to lose his friendship. That lasted for a good three days before Thanos came.
Now, though, he feels it more than ever. He hasn't seen Bruce in a week; he wasn't even sure if he was alive or dead until a few hours ago. With the man safe and secure in his arms, their eyes meeting, Thor is... well. He's nearly overwhelmed with how much he cares for this man. How much he loves him.
It only gets stronger when Bruce pushes himself up, throwing his arms around Thor's neck to pull him close. "Thor," he says again. He says it so softly.
Thor hugs him back without hesitating. The warmth of his bare back seeps into Thor's palms, flowing up his veins, into his heart and, finally, spreading out through his whole body. Bruce smiles against his neck.
Thor is so happy that he can't help it - he laughs. "I've missed you." He's hit with a sudden pang of emotion. It's painful, whatever it is, though he can't name it. He shuts his eye tight. "I've missed you so much. I almost thought-"
He chokes on the words.
Bruce hushes him this time, one of his hands moving to stroke Thor's hair. "I know, honey," he says, and Thor's heart trips over itself at the word because Bruce... Bruce doesn't just- "God, I missed you, too."
It's physically painful when Bruce pulls away. Thor refrains from keeping him close, though it turns out he doesn't have to. Bruce only moves back enough so that their faces come into focus. Thor rather likes the view, what with how the sunlight makes the brown in his irises turn almost golden. He gets lost in the thought of how beautiful they are.
Then Bruce's hands move to cup his face and Thor can't think much of anything. "Banner?" His own voice sounds soft, foreign to him, like he's in some kind of dream-state.
Bruce looks serious. He also looks nervous, a hint of fear running beneath his expression, his brows furrowed and lips pursed. "Thor, I..." He starts stroking his thumb across Thor's cheek, eyes flickering between his eye and mouth. Thor knows it's just the man's nervousness. He can't help tightening his arms tighten around him, though.
"Thor... I need... I wanted to say..." He looks more and more frustrated by the moment, like he can't figure out how to word it, but he has to.
Thor swallows. "Take your time." He gives a small smile, encouraging. His heartbeat races in his ears.
Bruce laughs at that. "I've taken enough time already," he mutters. Thor doesn't understand. It seems to click for Bruce though, hearing his own words aloud. He stills with his eyes on Thor's mouth.
"...Banner?" Thor doesn't dare speak louder than a whisper.
Bruce nods. "Thor," he whispers back. Then, "You can call me Bruce, y'know."
His face is closer now, eyes half-lidded. Thor nods before he fully registers the request. He hesitates before nodding again. "Bruce," he breathes.
Bruce sighs, a happy little sound that hits Thor right in the chest, before pausing with his mouth a breath away from Thor's. Thor can't breathe.
Right there, against his lips, Bruce asks, "Can I-?" and Thor doesn't let him finish because he finally closes the distance between them with a searing kiss. Bruce kisses back without hesitation, one hand still on Thor's cheek, the other molding to the back of his neck.
Thor runs his right hand through Bruce's hair as his other arm stays wrapped around his middle, keeping them close. He feels weightless as this all-encompassing warmth flows through his veins. He's so lightheaded. He never wants to stop kissing this man. He understands what Midguardians mean, now, when they say they're in Heaven.
He has no idea how long they kiss. Eventually, Bruce does pull back. He doesn't stop kissing Thor, though; they share more kisses, smaller ones, chaste and brief. Each one is better than the last.
It's not until someone behind them coughs that they stop.
Rogers' mask is off and he looks between them with an apologetic expression. "Sorry to interrupt, but, uh-" He rubs the back of his neck, looking over his shoulder, as if for some kind of support. Romanoff is gone, but Wilson and the metal-armed man remain. They both raise their hands in a not-our-problem sort of gesture.
Rogers turns back to them, sighing. "Right. Well. There's clean-up and medical crews coming in, so we need to clear the area. We're all heading back to the quinjet."
Thor finds his way out of the Bruce-induced haze to smile at his friend. "We'll be there in a moment."
Bruce doesn't say anything, his face currently hidden in Thor's chest. He does give a tiny nod and a thumbs-up.
"Great, that's- yeah." Rogers stands there for another moment, looking very awkward, and begins walking backwards. Then, he grins. "I'm happy for you two!" he says, before turning to walk off with his friends.
Bruce makes a pained noise. "They're gonna make this weird."
"I'm sure our friends will be perfectly mature about it," says Thor, voice very serious. "Just as they are in all things." He doesn't laugh until Bruce swats at his shoulder, giggling. It's a lovely sound.
"Seriously, though," says Bruce, moving back so that they're looking at each other again. "Are you alright with... this? With us?"
Thor almost wants to laugh again. Instead, he leans forward to kiss Bruce's forehead, taking his hand and lacing their fingers together. "After the week I've had, Bruce Banner, you are the only thing I'm sure of."
Bruce searches his face like he's looking for a lie. He finds none, of course, so he just kisses Thor again.
Thor gets up first. He asks Bruce if he can stand on his own, almost hoping that he'll say no so that Thor can keep him in his arms a little longer, but Bruce is adamant that he doesn't need to be carried like a bride. He still accepts Thor's hand, though. He doesn't let go once he's up.
They start walking toward the others, staying close as their fingers interlace. Bruce's arm is warm against his. After a moment, Thor says, "Is it too soon to say that I'm falling in love with you?"
Bruce's grin could brighten all the realms. "I hope not. I'm pretty sure I already have."
When Thor kisses his blushing cheek, he can clearly hear Brunnhilde whistling as Korg congratulates them on how sweet they look. Bruce's laughter is music to Thor's ears.
Their hands never stray from each other's. For the life of him, Thor can't stop smiling. Neither can Bruce.