Work Text:
Bruce always seemed to have a sixth sense for when people were watching him, so it only took a few seconds of prickling on the back of his neck before he looked up from his research, pulling off his glasses to look around. When he finally glanced over his shoulder, he saw Tony leaning against the doorjamb in his usual ratty t-shirt and jeans, his tool belt slung low on his slim hips, his welding goggles pushed up in his messy hair, and his leather work gloves on his hands.
“What.” Bruce said, unable to stop a small, idiotic smile from spreading across his lips, as a little pink crept up his cheeks. He pushed his papers aside and turned fully to look at Tony, who grinned broadly at him as he pushed off from the doorjamb and sauntered over to press himself against Bruce.
“Nothing. I just wanted to see you,” he said, kissing the tip of Bruce’s nose. Bruce huffed, pulling off his glasses, now that Tony had gotten them all fogged up.
“C’mon, you’re getting grease all over me,” he complained cheerfully, wrapping his arms around Tony’s waist and kissing him softly. Tony just laughed quietly against his lips.
“Yeah, yeah, the fabricator’s about to finish anyway. Just had to get my Bruce fix,” he murmured, chuckling, and wriggled out of Bruce’s grip, leaving a greasy kiss print on his pink cheek. “Don’t let me forget about dinner, muffin,” he teased, waving over his shoulder as he headed back to his workshop, leaving a bemused Bruce behind him.
*****
Bruce thought the presentation of his research went well, but he could feel the tension starting to creep up his spine at the pedantic questioning he was getting from the board.
“Look, this isn’t a short-term solution, and yes, it’s going to cost the university more money over the next five to ten years, but once the infrastructure is established, the department will be self-sustaining. You need to focus on the long-term benefits; not everything that is good is instant gratification-“ he explained, his polite presentation voice growing tighter, as the lecture hall full of suits began to rustle with whispers.
“Doctor Banner, let me be clear,” interrupted one of the members of the research board. “You’re asking us to pledge several million dollars to an already ailing department, in the hopes that in a decade, well after several of us have retired, that money is going to somehow miraculously turn us into a notable research institute. I just don’t think the risk is as ironclad as you’ve led us all to believe,” he droned, going on to ask a million condescending questions that Bruce had already answered.
Bruce was about to snap their heads off for being elitist, asshole profiteers and stomp out of the room, when he spotted a familiar face in the third from the last row, grinning and flashing him a thumbs up. Bruce was momentarily stunned to see that Tony had flown out, trying to remember if Tony had mentioned plans to come to this or not. Bruce almost laughed though, when Tony pointed at the man who was questioning him, and theatrically drug his finger across his throat, pulling an exaggerated face as he did so. Bruce suddenly felt a lot better. He didn’t have anything to lose. If this university didn’t want to implement his research, it was their loss.
“Actually, let me be clear,” Bruce interrupted right back, ignoring the man’s indignant spluttering. And for once, Bruce said exactly what was on his mind, being sure to mention “elitist profiteers who value money over knowledge and progress” in there somewhere. In the end, the board voted in his favor, and after shaking far too many hands, he smiled at the last person left in the hall, whom he was the most pleased to see. Tony strolled up to him with one hand in the pocket of his bespoke suit, a pair of tinted sunglasses perched on his nose that matched his loosened tie, and of all things, a goddamned lollipop stem hanging out of his mouth.
“Really grabbed ‘em by the balls there, doc,” Tony said mildly, hopping up on the table to sit while Bruce gathered his papers. Bruce just shook his head and smiled, tugging at the stack of papers Tony was sitting on, so that Tony had to lean to the side so Bruce could pull them out from under his butt.
“Tone, what are you doing here? I thought you were still in Malibu,” he said, powering down the projector. Tony shrugged indifferently.
“I had a craving. What, can’t I come cheer for you in the stands?” he teased, pulling the sucker out of his mouth and grinning. “Besides, I just wanted to see you.”
Bruce laughed, letting his bag fall over on the table, just looking at Tony with affectionate exasperation with his hands on his hips.
“You’re a real piece of work, you know that?” he said, pulling Tony close by his tie. Tony smirked.
“What are you talking about? I’m THE piece of work,” he purred.
“Thanks for coming.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, babe.”
“Good,” Bruce whispered, finally kissing Tony’s sugary lips.
*****
Bruce tipped his face up to the early morning sunshine, his eyes closed as the light warmed his skin. He inhaled slowly, then exhaled smoothly as he stretched into the next pose, his muscles loose and warm and relaxed. He wasn’t thinking about much, just vague flashes of thought now and then. But the rooftop garden Tony had made for him had that effect on him, and he relished it. The soothing music floated around him, as he inhaled and lay back on his mat, craning his arms over his head, but he paused mid-stretch when he heard a rustle beside him.
Bruce cracked his eyes open to see Tony rolling out a mat a few feet from him, looking rumpled in a tank and a pair of Bruce’s yoga pants. Bruce finished his pose, eyes closed again as he could hear Tony begin to match his breathing and move through the stretches Bruce had taught him.
“No gym today?” Bruce asked softly.
“Nah,” Tony murmured sleepily. They were quiet for a while, just listening to the music and moving through poses together.
“You don’t look like you’ve had your first gallon of coffee yet,” Bruce teased softly from a resting pose between sets. Tony snorted quietly.
“Not yet,” he answered, moving to the same resting pose, turning his face to see Bruce, smiling at him. “Just wanted to see you, that’s all,” he murmured, closing his eyes again and going back to his deep breathing. Bruce only smiled, reaching over to hold Tony’s hand while they rested.
*****
The battle was going handedly in their favor, with minimal damage and no casualties. It was one of those times that pumped up the team, that let them banter over the comms and return to the tower and celebrate with some music and booze, rather than trudging drearily home to nurse injuries and guilt.
Tony secured his perimeter, then jetted towards where the others were clustered, bolting past them with a wave as he whistled the Andy Griffith Show theme song cheerfully. His goal was the broad green back bent over a crushed car, where Hulk pulled at the crumpled metal with an air of boredom, trying to straighten it back out into a car-shaped form. Tony swooped into Hulk’s line of sight like a hummingbird, causing Hulk to look up suddenly.
“Tinman hurt?” he rumbled, his eyes roaming over Tony’s armor as if looking for damage. Tony laughed and flipped up the faceplate, spreading his arms and doing a graceful little turn in the air so Hulk could see that he was undamaged.
“I’m fine, Greenbean. I just wanted to see you,” he said with a sunny grin, leaning forward and kissing Hulk’s nose. Hulk’s usual frown melted into a half smile, and he sat back and watched Tony turn elegantly to jet back to the others. But with a quick motion, he reached out and caught Tony by the leg, hauling him close, causing Tony to emit an amused yelp. Hulk gave Tony a clumsy kiss on the side of his helmet, then let Tony go.
“Banner say hi,” he rumbled, going back to his project with a smirk, Tony’s laughter filling the air around them.
*****
Bruce stood on the stage with a sheepish grin, having to push his glasses up on his nose again because of the sweat making them slip down. He felt stiff in his resplendent tux that Tony had his tailor make for him, complete with a lovely pair of emerald cufflinks that made Bruce roll his eyes (but secretly loved).
He still wasn’t quite sure how Tony had managed to convince him to participate in an Avengers Auction Gala for the Maria Stark Foundation. Tony had of course sold for well over $1.5 million, and there had nearly been a squabble over Steve, but when Bruce sold for a respectable $650,000, he was floored that anyone would want to spend that much for an evening in his company.
“Ladies,” he greeted awkwardly, as he sat down at the winning table filled with sultry ladies of a certain age, all pulling him in eagerly. Two hours later, he was having an animated conversation with Dr. Rosine, the woman to his left, who happened to be a particle physicist. Drs. Lindt and Luca to his right were experts in String Theory, and across from him, Dr. Kaplan interjected enthusiastically.
“But the implications of the gamma-ray burst GRB 090510 in the field of quantum gravity are fascinating,” she said, and Bruce leaned forward in rapt agreement.
“The Fermi Telescope is opening huge avenues of research in my field, the data just can’t come in fast enough,” Bruce said, his eyes bright. He took a bite of his dessert, and looked up in surprise when he felt a hand on his shoulder, pleased to see Tony dazzling the table with his most winning smile.
“Bruce, you astound me,” he said in a flirtatious tone. “How can you hold a coherent conversation in the presence of such exquisite beauty and humbling genius?” Bruce could practically feel a twittering blush sweeping around the table as Tony winked at them.
“Mind if I borrow your date for a few moments? Avengers business.” The women laughed and shooed Bruce, a couple of them looking positively smitten with Tony as they watched the two of them leave.
Tony lead Bruce out onto the balcony into the chilly night air, and Bruce began to gush immediately.
“Tony! This is amazing, I never would have thought- They’re all physicists, we’ve been talking about- and Dr. Rosine wants to collaborate on a publication about the possibilities of photonic solidification using controlled gamma pulses, I really think it could-“ Bruce babbled, then stopped, looking at Tony, who just gazed at Bruce with open amusement. “What?”
“Nothing. You’re cute when you talk science,” Tony said, grinning widely. Bruce snorted, and Tony pulled him close with an arm around his waist. “Having fun yet, doctor?”
“I am now,” Bruce said with a smirk, but kissed Tony softly. “I really am, Tone. I’m so glad you convinced me to do this. I really thought it was going to be nothing but trophy wives and politicians at this thing, not a table full of geniuses who all happen to work in my field….” Bruce trailed off and narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t orchestrate that, did you?” he asked suspiciously. Tony waved a hand dismissively.
“Of course not. Mere coincidence. But count yourself lucky. I won a table full of gold diggers, and I can genuinely say the excitement wore off after the first three propositions,” Tony said, making a disgusted sound. Bruce snorted.
“Only the first three? I would have thought you’d need at least ten to keep your ego properly inflated for the evening,” he teased, earning a swat on the arm. Bruce laughed again, then kissed Tony’s cheek. “What was this Avengers business, anyway?” Tony just laughed.
“A clever ruse, if I don’t say so myself,” Tony said proudly, then gently tucked a rose from one of the centerpieces into the buttonhole on Bruce’s lapel. “I just wanted to see you. And I might have been getting a little jealous over there, lurking in the shadow of all the brain power at your table.”
Bruce laughed outright, kissing Tony thoroughly. Then he sniffed his rose, smirking at Tony.
“Don’t you go ruining all the centerpieces for me,” he scolded, and Tony chuckled, taking his hand to head back inside.
“I own the centerpieces. I paid for them. They’re mine,” he said, and Bruce just rolled his eyes, squeezing Tony’s hand and not letting go.
*****
Tony curled in the middle of the big, empty bed, not sleeping well in the early morning hours. Bruce had been gone on business nearly a week, and Tony tossed and turned every night since, moping enough that everyone else in the tower cheerfully took the piss out of him all week for acting like a lovesick newlywed. There were still four more days to go, but Tony didn’t harass Bruce about it. The man had his own work, and Tony wasn’t going to guilt him into sticking around to soothe his own neediness. So he buried himself in his own work as best he could, with only moderate success.
The sun had just barely crept over the horizon, the pale pink beams beginning to brighten his room, when Tony was jostled out of his light, fitful doze by gentle movement on the bed.
“Mmpf?” He mumbled, reaching out blindly. A warm, rough hand caught his, pressing it to a pair of lips.
“Shh, it’s just me.”
“Bruce?” Tony slurred, shifting and cracking his sticky eyes open so he could frown in confusion, then smile in sleepy happiness, at his favorite physicist.
“Hey, handsome,” Bruce sighed, settling on his side beside Tony, still wearing a rumpled suit jacket, looking in need of a shave and a good eight hours. He cupped Tony’s cheek, rubbing his thumb over Tony’s two-day stubble.
“You’re home early,” Tony whispered, turning his face to kiss Bruce’s palm.
Bruce laughed softly, leaning into Tony’s hand, as Tony reached up and combed his fingers through Bruce’s unruly curls.
“I got impatient,” Bruce murmured, scooting closer, and Tony folded himself sleepily into Bruce’s open arms, tucking his head under his chin.
“Ever’thing go well?” he slurred, already halfway back to his desperately needed sleep. “You weren’t supposed t’be home ‘til Thursday…”
Bruce just smiled and sighed against Tony’s hair, rubbing his hands soothingly up and down his back, kissing his temple.
“I know. I just wanted to see you…” he whispered, curling around Tony tightly, sighing with deep contentment.