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"So anyway, it's not that I don't appreciate the thought," Bruce concluded. "I'm glad everyone wants to celebrate my birthday, that I have friends and people around me who aren't afraid of me. But Tony's parties are...busy, and I just...I'm uncomfortable with all the attention."
Thor nodded, face drawn in a contemplative frown. "Understandable," he said at last. "But you let him throw you a lavish party anyway? Surely he would understand had you told him beforehand how you feel?"
"I don't know, I mean...probably, but I...I don't want to seem ungrateful. And like I said I appreciate the sentiments but...it's like part of me wants to go back out there and enjoy it and part of me just wants to run the other direction."
"So instead, you hide at your own party."
"...Yeah."
Nothing about Bruce in that moment looked happy in the slightest, and Thor decided there was nothing to be lost by trying.
He drew himself up. "Would you prefer that I leave you in solitude, or might I offer another option?"
Bruce blinked. "What's this other option?"
"Let me take you somewhere, anywhere you'd like to go. We can hide from your party on the other side of the world and come back whenever you like." He flashed a subdued-but-hopeful smile.
"I...really?" Bruce seemed genuinely surprised at the offer. "I mean a walk downtown would do just fine but...you don't mind skipping out with me?"
Thor beamed. "It would be my pleasure."
They ran into no one as they left, dressed appropriately for a December evening in the city; a couple stops on public transit later they were strolling downtown with no particular destination in mind.
"I really appreciate this," Bruce said after a bit. "It helps to get some air, to be among people who aren't paying me any attention. I'll be fine once we go back."
"I'm in no hurry," Thor assured, hands tucked in his pockets. "We can stay away as long as you like."
They wandered the bustling streets for at least an hour, chatting about whatever came to mind among the bright lights and busy people, Thor more focused on watching how Bruce slowly unwound and opened up than on anything around them.
It truly was a beautiful sight.
"I think this is the most I've enjoyed a birthday in a really long time," Bruce said as they left a Starbucks, warm drinks in hand. "Thanks, again."
"It's my pleasure," Thor replied, sipping his peppermint mocha, and he meant it. Spending time with Bruce was always a delight, and seeing him happy and relaxed like this filled Thor with an unnameable contentment. He would gladly help mitigate the stressors in Bruce's life again and again, if he was allowed.
Perhaps it was time to let his feelings be known.
"I have a confession, Bruce."
"Oh?"
"Stark asked me to rescue you from your own party."
"...Oh. Well...thanks?" Bruce took a swig of his cocoa, relatively unoffended by the revelation.
"He understands you very well, it seems. He said he would ‘keep everyone entertained' while I gave you the chance to breathe." Thor cleared his throat, remembering the rest of that conversation. "I also believe he was trying to set us up on an unofficial date."
"He what?" Bruce burst out laughing. "Oh, man, I'm sorry he gets these outlandish ideas sometimes but thanks for just rolling with it?" He glanced up as they walked, clearly expecting Thor to commiserate on the joke. "Can you even imagine? You and me, going out?"
Thor met his gaze, utterly serious. "I would gladly take you out any time you like."
Bruce stopped, blinked, owlish and flummoxed, mirth vanished. "...You...you would?"
Thor stopped in turn. "Of course." He took another sip of his drink.
"Like...a date date?"
"Yes."
Bruce's face crumpled into sympathetic apology. "Oh, no, Thor, you don't—you don't wanna date me."
Thor arched an eyebrow, mildly offended. "You are a brilliant man indeed, to be able to tell me my own mind."
"I didn't mean—I'm not a, I'm...I'm boring."
"I disagree."
Bruce gestured widely with his cup, looking utterly miserable. "I'm too old for you, Thor."
Thor valiantly suppressed a snort. "You have reached your...fiftieth year today, is that right?"
"Forty-nine."
"Ah, yes—not even a full half-century. Much too old for the likes of me, who has seen thirty times that."
"And you're still in your prime, with centuries ahead of you. What do I possibly have to offer, honestly?"
"Your heart, your courage and valor, your sharp wit, your intellect, your compassion, your capacity to love, your enchanting personality—" Thor broke off, frowning. "You keep giving reasons why I should not date you, but not once have you expressed your own wishes."
Bruce stared up at him helplessly, mouth half open but no words coming out.
Thor affected a mournful expression, changing his approach. "Am I not good enough for you?"
"Good enough for—I'm not good enough for you! You're so far out of my league it's not even funny!"
Thor knew of course that Bruce did not hold himself in high value but he hadn't realized how large an obstacle that would pose in this conversation. "Does my opinion on this, my opinion of you—does it matter at all?"
"I mean of course it does but—what do you even see in me?"
Thor sighed, defeated, for had he not just answered that same question only a moment ago? "If you aren't interested, then I'll let the matter drop, with apologies."
"Oh, Thor, it's—it's not that I'm not interested—I think I'd really, really like that actually but there's no way—you can't be serious?"
"You put such effort into denying yourself—what must I do to convince you of my sincerity?!" Frustration was getting the better of his patience.
"You could kiss me?"
It was a flippantly-mumbled aside more than a serious answer, but Thor leapt at it all the same. "Gladly!"
Bruce gawked at him. "But...there's people everywhere, and lots of them probably recognize you already, and...you really would? Here?"
Thor hated that Bruce felt this way, hated whoever and whatever had taught him to view himself with such disdain; his irritation faded. "Yes. Bruce—" He stepped closer, held Bruce's gaze. "I care nothing for the opinion of strangers about how I spend my time, with whom, or where my affections lie. I would kiss you here, now, regardless of who might see, if you'll allow it."
"You—I'm, I...o-okay, um, sure. Yeah. Okay."
Delight surged up in Thor's chest; he stepped closer still, placed his free hand on Bruce's shoulder, leaned down.
It wasn't even much so far as kisses went—no sparks and magic and fairy-tale wonder, just a gently-lingering press of lips—but it was...immensely satisfying, all the same.
Bruce blinked up at him when he drew back, his forgotten cocoa clutched in both hands. "O-oh. Oh."
"Is that a good ‘oh'?" Thor's hand was still on Bruce's shoulder, steadying him.
"Definitely. Yes." Bruce drew a deep breath. "Can you maybe—ah. Could you kiss me again? Since it's my birthday a—?"
The rest of his words were cut off as Thor obliged his request, and this time there was definitely a little spark of Something between them. Bruce's mouth was warm, and tasted of hot chocolate, and Thor let himself linger a long moment more than he'd intended, heedless of the people passing on the street around them.
"I meant what I said," he breathed, when they parted at last. "I would gladly take you out, for real, any time and anywhere you like."
"A proper date. Me and you." Bruce gave a little smile that curled the corner of his mouth and crinkled his eyes. "Since when do I get things that I want."
"From this moment onward, if I have my way about it," Thor vowed, because that ember of hopeful happiness in Bruce's face was something he never wanted to see extinguished.
"Soooo...what now?" Bruce took a step back, and Thor followed suit, letting his hand fall from Bruce's shoulder with a softly-affectionate squeeze.
"Let me take you back home, so you can make a final appearance at your party and bid all your guests goodnight. And perhaps tomorrow, we can talk more about a proper date."
"I—yeah. Okay. I'd like that."
Bruce's brilliant smile made Thor's heart sing.