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Bruce could remember that day like it was yesterday. His father had come home drunk off his ass again. Bruce and his mom were just making cookies. All Bruce had done was worn an apron to keep his clothes from getting dirty, even the chefs on TV wore them. He didn’t know why it upset his father so much. He was hiding behind his mother, covering his ears and trying to block out the screaming. He gasped when he heard a slap and looked up to see his mother crying and holding her cheek.
“Don’t hurt my mommy!” He yelled and started hitting and kicking his father’s leg. He didn’t know what had come over him, but he was just so mad at his father! How could he do such a thing? Bruce had tears of his own streaming down his face as he kept hitting his father’s leg.
“Get off me boy!” His father growled and tried to kick Bruce away. Bruce stumbled backwards, clutching his stomach. He saw his father grab a knife, intent on charging at Bruce’s mother and his eyes widened. He shoved his father away, only to feel a sharp pain on the back of his head and something trickle down the back of his neck. Bruce’s knees went weak.
The next thing he knew he was in a hospital bed. His mother was holding his hand and telling him that everything was going to be okay. Bruce believed her and asked her when he’d be able to open his eyes, he stopped though, hearing his mother’s voice waver.
“B-baby your eyes are open…”
For a while there Bruce was in shock. He wouldn’t eat, he couldn’t sleep, he just sat in the hospital bed while his mother held him close, telling him they’d get through this. Bruce wanted to belive her. He really did, but it was hard to when the last thing he saw was his father getting ready to kill his mom. It was terrifying and the four year old didn’t really know what to do. Whenever his mother wasn’t at the hospital with him he either had some therapist trying to get him to talk or no one there at all. He never let go of his teddy bear. He kept it close to his chest and ran his fingers through the soft fur. He was trying to pay more attention to the different textures of objects, and as time went on he began to get better at listening as well.
It took about a month for Bruce to finally get out of the hospital. The doctors had wanted to be sure that Bruce would be going home to a safe environment, and that nothing like this would ever happen again to the boy. They said that his blindness was permanent, but they all kept telling him that he could still do whatever he wanted to. Bruce would just shrug sadly and hold onto his mother’s hand or his teddy bear. The car ride home had been sad. He could tell his mother was still sad. He could tell that she felt like it was her fault that he was hurt, he knew she felt guilty because she got him ice cream. He said his thank you politely, holding the cone very very carefully. He had to eat slowly so that he made sure he didn’t miss his mouth. He smiled a little for the first time since the accident. It just tasted so yummy.
As time went on Bruce learned how to use a cane to help him walk and not trip. He learned to listen carefully so he could tell who was walking in, or if he was home alone. He picked up brail some what easily and soon began to read as much as they could afford. He was sad that his mother wasn’t home as much anymore, but he knew that she was working two jobs now so that he could stay with her and so that he could be home schooled. Bruce pretty much taught himself everything from the school books his mother would bring home. He remembered all the information and was very proud that he could.
When High school came around his mother decided to send him to a public school to try and get him to socialize. Bruce didn’t like the idea, but he wouldn’t complain. He loved his mother and she only wanted the best for him. High school was probably the worst four years of his life. It was constant jokes about the no sun glasses rule in school, or jokes on how many fingers someone was holding up. Bruce ignored them and some people began to think that he was deaf too. That only started up more jokes. Home was a lot better though. He’d come home and get his home work done as quickly as possible before waiting in the kitchen for his mom to come home. He’d read to pass the time, and sometimes he fell asleep while he was waiting.
College was a lot better for Bruce. He had gotten plenty of scholarships to get into the college of his dreams, and to pursue what ever he wanted to do. Bruce assumed it was because he couldn’t see and still managed to get top marks in all of his classes (except maybe gym but that didn’t matter). His mother had been so proud when he got his admissions letter. The day Bruce had went to go off to his college his mother had surprised him with a seeing eye dog to help him around his new surroundings and to keep him company. She had said that she didn’t want her little boy to be lost, she also told him to call her every day and that if anyone messed with him she’d whoop their asses. Bruce laughed and kissed her cheek, thanking her and hugging her close, wondering how long she had been planning this whole dog thing. Bruce became a professor of physics because he didn’t think he could ever be an actual scientist since he was blind. He had only been a few months in the dorms when he went back to live with his mom. He couldn’t handle how loud everyone was being. It made him feel like a failure…
When Bruce got his doctorate he was proud, but only slightly. It wasn’t like he could do anything useful with it. He’d just be teaching kids who thought they knew everything on the subject. Bruce didn’t date or go out with friends because… well he didn’t really have friends.
“Brucey, you know I love you sweetie but you need to get more often.” His mother said gently.
Bruce sighed to himself, nervously running his hand along the leg of his jeans, focussing on how it felt, on how it got warmer the faster he moved his hand. “I-I know mom… but I do get out. I have to walk Bud and I have to walk to my job everyday so that’s getting out right?” He added a laugh at the end to make it seem like he had been telling a joke of some sort.
Rebecca Banner sighed and kissed her son’s cheek. “Technically it is but you know that’s not what I meant. Everyone needs friends, even you, and don’t you dare say you’ve got me and Buddy. It doesn’t count.” She said with a small, proud smirk on her face when she saw Bruce’s mouth open and then close. He knew she was right. “Now, you’ve got two choices. A: you make friends on your own and have fun, or B: I’m going to drop you off somewhere and make you make friends.”
Bruce sighed nervously, “Alright… I’ll make some friends.” He mumbled, patting his leg so Bud would come over to him. He pet the dog gently, smiling a little when he felt the dog nuzzle him gently. Bud was a german shepherd. Bruce had no clue as to what the dog looked like. He just knew his dog was big and very fluffy. Bud not only served as his guide dog, but as something to calm Bruce down when he got nervous like this. He had been terrified of new people and big crowds even as a kid. The accident only heightened his fear since he could no longer see if a person was intent on harming him.
Rebecca sighed as she looked over at her son, “So, is it a Charlie Chaplin night or horror movie where I get scared and you laugh because it doesn’t sound scary?” She asked, trying to cheer him up. Every friday night was a movie night for the two of them. She didn’t really understand how Bruce could enjoy a movie if he couldn't’ see it, but Bruce swore he still loved seeing movies. He said it was more fun this way since he could make up what the characters looked like in his head.
Bruce thought about it for a moment before smiling, “Horror tonight and we’ll have blankets ready for you. I’ll hold the popcorn this time so it doesn’t go everywhere.” He said with a small laugh. Bud’s ears seemed to perk up at the word popcorn. The dog could usually sneak some popcorn without Bruce knowing about it.
She chuckled. “Alright but if I have nightmares I am waking you up mister.” She said as she set their dinner down on the table. It was spaghetti and meatballs, Bruce’s favorite meal.
Bruce ate happily, listening to his mom tell him about her day. He said he had a good day even though he really didn’t. He didn’t see the worried look on his mother’s face. He just kept eating, oblivious to the fact that his mother really was worried about him. She had been ever since the accident. Bruce actually used to have friends and he had played with the other kids in town. Then this happened and Bruce suddenly wanted nothing to do with other kids. It had always worried Rebecca, but she thought it was something Bruce would grow out of, like his old teddy bear, but she supposed Bud was the replacement for that. She never said anything about it though. She just wanted Bruce to have the best life that a kid could live. She hoped that she had given that to him.
When Bruce finished his food he carefully took the dish over to the sink and set it in there, considering he really wouldn’t know if it was cleaned right or not. Bruce did have his own small apartment, but it was always so lonely. It just didn’t feel like a home to him. He used it more as an office space than an apartment really. He just slept there every night but Friday night.
Movie night was fun. His mother kept yelping whenever the monster would jump out of no where, Bruce of course would just chuckle and ask her if she wanted to hold Bud. Bud on the other hand was stealing popcorn whenever Rebecca wasn’t watching him. When all of the movies were done, Bruce set up shop on the couch he had his blanket already and Bud brought his bag over. Bruce pulled out his laptop and put a headphone in. It was personalized so that the computer would tell him where his mouse was and what he was ‘looking’ at. All of the keys had braille on them so Bruce would know what he was typing.
Bruce spent the rest of the night grading thesis papers he had had his students write as their midterm. He made them submit it as a file. He was either disappointed or impressed with each new paper. He hadn’t realized how much time had passed until he heard his mother start to wake up. Had he really just spent the whole night grading papers? Yes… he had. It wasn’t an uncommon thing for Bruce to do. He had nightmares and would rather be awake and be bone tired than be asleep and be haunted by his father’s face in his dreams.
Bruce stayed for breakfast and insisted on helping clean up. He gave his mother a hug and a peck on the cheek before beginning his walk back to his apartment. He held onto Bud’s harness and walked with a yawn. He could hear the bustling streets and people talking on their phones, ordering coffees, and things like that. What he didn’t hear was one man walking straight towards him, not paying attention to the warning bark Bud gave.
Bruce froze when he literally walked face first into someone. He quickly knelt down and began to pat the ground to find his sunglasses, trying to remember his breathing exercises and not have a panic attack.
“Hey man you okay?” The other guy asked and handed Bruce the sunglasses.
“I-I’m fine…” Bruce mumbled as he quickly put his sunglasses on, gripping the harness handle tightly.
“What? Sorry you’ll have to speak up…” The other man sounded a little shy.
Bruce frowned. “I-I said I’m fine.” He said louder, hoping the other man heard him properly this time.
“Oh, that’s good… I really wouldn’t have wanted to hurt you cause I wasn’t paying attention… Oh hey! Cool dog… oh… Oh geez.” Clint was blushing when he saw the seeing eye dog harness on the german shepherd. “I feel even worse now, I just never expected that the person walking the other way would be blind…” He rambled and rubbed the back of his head nervously.
Bruce sighed to himself. Here came the guilt trip that everyone got just because Bruce couldn’t see. “I’m fine. You’re fine. Yeah it’s your fault but don’t beat yourself up about it. I’m no different than any other guy on the street so please don’t treat me different either.” Bruce knew he sounded a little bit harsh, but he was tired of being babied because of it.
“Oh… well if it makes you feel any better I won’t treat you different… I’m just nervous because you’re a really hot guy and man am I glad that you can’t see me right now…” Clint was blushing even more than before. He would have tried to be the smooth and suave Clint that his friends knew, but Clint hadn’t had his morning coffee, he was technically still in his pajamas, and he had really really bad bed head. He was running late with his training meeting with the S.H.I.E.L.D service dog people. He was finally getting a hearing dog so that things like this wouldn’t happen as much anymore.
It was Bruce’s turn to blush. Him hot? Was this guy actually okay? Did he get more hurt than he was leading on… no one had ever said he was hot before… “Uh… I’m uh… are you sure you’re not going blind sir?” Bruce was being completely serious as he shifted his stance nervously. Bud caught this and nudged Bruce’s hand with his head. Bruce began to pet the dog softly to calm himself down.
Clint actually laughed a little bit, “Very sure. Hey I uh… I have to go… but can I get your number Mr.?”
“Banner… a-and a-alright…” Bruce didn’t know if this was a joke or if the man was being serious. He told the other his phone number and heard something being scribbled onto paper. Clint gave Bruce a quick good bye and Bruce heard the other run off. He sighed to himself and finished the walk to his apartment. He unlocked the door and went to his room, changing into his pajamas and carefully curling up on the bed. He had nothing to do. He didn’t feel like reading…
Bruce hadn’t known he fell asleep until his phone rang in his ear. He answered it quickly, not really fully awake. “Mom?” Normally no one else called him.
There was a small chuckle from the other line. “No… this is that guy that asked for your number? I’m Clint Barton by the way… and uh… I was wondering if you’d like to hang out? I just got my dog Lucky so I shouldn’t bump into anyone anymore cause I didn’t hear em.”
“Huh? Oh… o-oh sure… wh-when would you like to… hang out?” Bruce was still worried that this was some sort of prank.
“Wanna hang out tomorrow at the park?” Clint asked.
“A-alright… are you sure this isn’t a prank? No one’s putting you up to this right?” Bruce asked nervously.
“No one’s putting me up to it. I promise I wouldn’t prank you… it’s just… you are very cute and… well I thought I’d take a chance and ask you out…”
“So you really think I’m hot then?” Bruce asked nervously.
“Hell yeah freckles. Seriously you’re like a ten out of ten besides you rock that whole smart look.”
“Well… I am a professor…”
“That’s cool. Whaddya teach?”
Their conversation went on for a long time. Bruce couldn’t help but let some of his walls down. Clint seemed like a very nice guy. He was a cop so that brought some interesting stories with it. When Clint had to hang up the first thing Bruce did was call his mother and tell her that he had a date with a very nice man. His mother was very proud and told him that she would come over tomorrow and get him all gussied up for the date.
The date went very well and before Bruce knew it Clint was joining him every friday night for movie night. He didn’t realize how much Clint had affected his life until he wasn’t there one night. Bruce had gotten used to Clint being in his bed, comforting him when his nightmares were bad. Bruce was worried and his stomach was churning.
When he had gotten the call that Clint was in the hospital Bruce ran over their quickly. Bud kept him on track. It took him a little longer to get there but once he was there a nurse took him to Clint’s room. He frowned and carefully searched for Clint’s hand, frowning even more when he felt a cast.
Lucky was at the foot of the bed, asleep. Clint smiled tiredly, “Babe you made it…Sorry I wasn’t home. I woulda called but I can’t really use my phone…”
Bruce just gently ran his hands over Clint’s face, checking for anymore injuries. “Tell me who did this and I’ll whoop their ass.” He said. He was angry that someone would even try to harm his boyfriend. He frowned when he heard Clint laugh.
“Babe, I’m a cop. That guy is in jail. I’m gonna be fine. Besides I get two months of paid leave and I’m gonna be by your side.”
Bruce smiled a little and carefully kissed Clint, kissing the other’s nose instead of his lips. Clint just tilted his head up so that they were kissing properly.
Rebecca walked in on the two kissing and sighed in relief. “I’m so glad you boys are okay. Now the doctors say that I can take you home now, but you have to use the wheelchair okay mister.”
Clint smiled a little, “Yes miss Banner.” He chuckled.
“Good. I have cookies at home… I stress baked.” She said before hugging Bruce and Clint.