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Between Thor, Valkyrie, and the impending “Devil’s Anus”, to say Bruce is overwhelmed would be an understatement. His heart is beating so fast, he’s surprised Hulk doesn’t just immediately bust the roof off of this ship. Somehow he manages to level out his adrenaline just enough to let Valkyrie take over the ship’s steering.
“You’re a goddess. You’re amazi-”
The affirmations tumble out of Bruce with no filter, and he wonders, for not the first time in his life, if he could just get his shit together and not be such a bumbling fool. The adrenaline is still pumping through him though and now Thor is the focus of his awe. Sure, Bruce has witnessed some epic heroicness, New York, Sokovia, et cetera, but these two aliens are nothing like Bruce has ever seen before.
“You guys were incredible! The way you were jumping from ship to ship! You’re amazing!”
The “I’m like so in love with you” is too close to being blurted out by Bruce. He feels like he’s fifteen years old again with a massive crush on the varsity football team’s quarterback. Doing anything to garner his attention, constantly complimenting him, laughing at all his cheesy jokes. If Thor had trigonometry homework, Bruce sure as hell would be doing it for him right now.
“You're amazing! The way you were flying this thing? ‘Ahh, I’ve got no guns!’ You did it! Where did you learn to fly like that?!”
“I don’t know, it’s like an instinct!”
“Trust those instincts more! They’re working.”
Well, Bruce’s instincts are telling him to grab Thor by the neck and kiss him until neither of them can breathe but he feels like maybe that’s not what Thor is talking about. For God’s sake, they’re escaping a crazy dictator who has a ship just for origies and all Bruce can think about is Thor’s very large biceps. And his new dashing haircut. And his electrifying blue eyes-.
“I should…” Bruce replies. Should he? He should. He should do it now. All it would take would be one movement…
“Cute. You might want to buckle up.”
Valkyrie’s interruption reminds Bruce the gravity of their situation. The spaceship, the wormhole, the Other Guy. Shit.
Bruce grabs Thor by the shoulder and turns them away from Valkyrie’s earshot.
“Hey.. can I ask you a question?”
Thor enthusiastically replies with a “yeah, yeah!”
“Remember when I said it would take something really big to turn me into the Other Guy?”
Thor nods.
“Think a wormhole would do it?”
“I don’t know, it’s your theory.”
Thor sends Bruce a glittering smile to make up for the fact that he doesn’t really know what a Einstein–Rosen bridge is.
“A theory’s just a guess.”
Bruce is trying to concentrate, he really is, but Thor hasn’t taken his hand off of Bruce’s shoulder.
They continue debating the possibility of Bruce permanently turning Hulk but all Bruce can really think about is his hands on Thor’s neck. He is stressing about the pension effect but Thor is the only thing keeping him anchored in the moment. The wormhole is pressing down on them and this could be the last thing Bruce ever remembers but at least it will be Thor. Thor, who would always approach Bruce at Stark’s parties when he could tell Bruce was anxious. Thor, who understood what it meant to be scared of one’s own strength. Thor, who literally could not stop touching Bruce in this moment. Bruce is scared and panicking, but Thor has his head in his hands and it calms Bruce for a brief moment just before the ship swerves and sends the pair flying into the wall.
Three things on the ship crash; Valkyrie’s spare bottle, the Grandmaster’s loose junk, and Thor’s lips on Bruce’s.
At first, they’re both shocked. This was unexpected, to say the least. Bruce looks at Thor with a mix of fear, elation, and apprehension. Thor looks at Bruce like his life has just begun. As Valkyrie spins the spaceship towards the wormhole’s breach, Thor grabs Bruce’s face and urgently kisses him again. Bruce has never felt his heartbeat faster but Hulk is nowhere in sight for the ten seconds Thor’s lips are on his.
“Told ya to buckle up.”
Valkyrie's taunt brings the boys back to reality. They stumble back and gain their bearings, for the most part.
“Am I okay? Am I alright?” Bruce asks Thor, though really the question is mostly rhetorical and aimed at himself.
Thor can only answer in nonverbal grunts, seemingly still stuck in the previous shared moment. The crash must’ve triggered the smallest bit of Hulk because Thor wipes a smudge off of Bruce’s forehead and it instantly goes away. They’re are all over each other; fingers touching cheeks, forearm touching forearms, palms touching biceps. Then Bruce remembers the wormhole, god how come he keeps forgetting the wormhole, and requests that Thor strap him into a chair. Bruce keeps himself calm with a firm grasp on Thor’s arm while Thor carefully wraps Bruce in seat belts.
“No matter what I do or say, don’t unstrap me.”
Thor takes one glance at the wormhole and Valkyrie's fearless piloting and looks back at Bruce. He puts his arms on Bruce’s shoulders and for what could be Bruce’s last time, Thor kisses him. Thor straps himself in his own seat and Valkyrie gives out a snort.
Bruce closes his eyes with the feeling of Thor on his lips and wonders if he was the only one who felt the lightning.