[Bruce doesn't like the focus on his own issues; it's much easier and more comfortable for other people to take priority. There's also the fact he's been holding a few key things back from Tony. He's gone through enough. He doesn't need mine on top of his. Tony is one of his pressure points, the person who made him believe he could come back into the land of the living and not waste away in misery and loneliness. There's a lot unsaid.
He listens to Tony's summary and raises an eyebrow.] Memories are fuzzy. What do you remember? The meeting? I still have all the notes obviously you can see. [He has his booklet, which has been very helpful to others apparently which satisfies him. Bruce may not have been able to functionally help their situation yet, so any little bit helps.] Do you remember Loki pretending to be Steve? [He gives a faint half-smile to that. Obnoxious, yes, but a little humorous.
It's all a stalling tactic.] More pretzels for me then. [And yes he skipped right over the sleep part, which they both know, and he rubs at his eyes.]
I'm on a new project. On top of the others. I'm ... trying to find a way to tether people here. So no one just disappears. [Thor is an example, but it is really all about Nat. Thor is going back to a life, she is not. He can't handle it.] And I .... [This is complicated and he has complicated feelings about it.] Until some things are worked out, if we have a voluntary choice, I'm staying here. [Yes, on the trapped sex planet, willinglly.]
I do seem to recall that. [Tony returns Bruce's half-smile with one of his own. Despite his complaint, his hand dives back into the pretzel bag to grab another piece and toss it in his mouth.] I'll take those notes, though -- I could think I remember things, but then...
[He trails off at the mention of "a new project" and listens with bated breath for what Bruce may have been cooking up while he was gone (and while Bruce was Bruce, anyway). He makes a quick guess so he can be smug if he's right -- maybe a study on the transference of Chroma through cells, if maybe the thing the Lunatians think (or claim) to be an energy source is actually something biological, maybe even some kind of parasite--
Wait. What?]
Whoa, whoa there, you -- why? [Tony's resentment of this place has increased with each second he's been forced to stay here, an ugly, gradual growth that's metastasized to full-blown hatred. The idea that someone would want to stay here, someone he cares about--]
Listen, man. [He raises an arm to grip his shoulder.] You know it's no safer for you here than it is back home. Sure, they might consider you a threat to national security, but here? You're a prisoner. Like -- an indentured prisoner, you...
I managed to get my little booklet going, and I'm still adding to it. I was adding more to the demichroma section, since it's not talked about as much. [Chroma being the obvious product for much of their behavior and also why they've been kidnapped here in the first place, but there are other ways to make 'money' so to speak. Plus he's interested in cracking open the demichroma and seeing what's inside on a molecular level too. Whatever will potentially give him an angle on this, he wants.
Bruce knows the second he says it out loud that Tony's going to need an answer. And that he wants to give that answer even if it is painful for everyone. He spoke to Steve about it when he took over the gym, but there's no end to the grief and fear that hounds him now. It's Tony. There was a time he would tell him anything, do anything for him, and that hasn't really changed. He just swallows through the immediate strain in his throat, clearing it.]
Tony. [Bruce shakes his head and puts his hand on top of Tony's on his shoulder.] Maybe you ... this might have gotten fuzzy with your other memories. I didn't tell you, but Nat and I were really obvious at the meeting. [He had his reasons not to admit how deliriously happy he was, being with the woman he loved. Like the fact Tony couldn't be with his.] We're together. But the thing is ....
[It's hard to say. It's hard to think and feel, but somehow saying it is more difficult than he expected. He moves away from Tony to shakily take a seat. He has to just spit it out, it's the only way.] We needed all the stones to bring everyone back in the future, and it worked, but Nat had to trade her life for one of them. [The words tumble out as quickly as possible, like he can't wait to get rid of them.] She's gone. [His voice breaks and he looks down at the floor.] This is it for her.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
industries) wrote2019-05-15 09:19 pm
no subject
He listens to Tony's summary and raises an eyebrow.] Memories are fuzzy. What do you remember? The meeting? I still have all the notes obviously you can see. [He has his booklet, which has been very helpful to others apparently which satisfies him. Bruce may not have been able to functionally help their situation yet, so any little bit helps.] Do you remember Loki pretending to be Steve? [He gives a faint half-smile to that. Obnoxious, yes, but a little humorous.
It's all a stalling tactic.] More pretzels for me then. [And yes he skipped right over the sleep part, which they both know, and he rubs at his eyes.]
I'm on a new project. On top of the others. I'm ... trying to find a way to tether people here. So no one just disappears. [Thor is an example, but it is really all about Nat. Thor is going back to a life, she is not. He can't handle it.] And I .... [This is complicated and he has complicated feelings about it.] Until some things are worked out, if we have a voluntary choice, I'm staying here. [Yes, on the trapped sex planet, willinglly.]
no subject
[He trails off at the mention of "a new project" and listens with bated breath for what Bruce may have been cooking up while he was gone (and while Bruce was Bruce, anyway). He makes a quick guess so he can be smug if he's right -- maybe a study on the transference of Chroma through cells, if maybe the thing the Lunatians think (or claim) to be an energy source is actually something biological, maybe even some kind of parasite--
Wait. What?]
Whoa, whoa there, you -- why? [Tony's resentment of this place has increased with each second he's been forced to stay here, an ugly, gradual growth that's metastasized to full-blown hatred. The idea that someone would want to stay here, someone he cares about--]
Listen, man. [He raises an arm to grip his shoulder.] You know it's no safer for you here than it is back home. Sure, they might consider you a threat to national security, but here? You're a prisoner. Like -- an indentured prisoner, you...
[He trails off. Narrows his eyes.]
Who exactly do you want to 'tether'?
no subject
Bruce knows the second he says it out loud that Tony's going to need an answer. And that he wants to give that answer even if it is painful for everyone. He spoke to Steve about it when he took over the gym, but there's no end to the grief and fear that hounds him now. It's Tony. There was a time he would tell him anything, do anything for him, and that hasn't really changed. He just swallows through the immediate strain in his throat, clearing it.]
Tony. [Bruce shakes his head and puts his hand on top of Tony's on his shoulder.] Maybe you ... this might have gotten fuzzy with your other memories. I didn't tell you, but Nat and I were really obvious at the meeting. [He had his reasons not to admit how deliriously happy he was, being with the woman he loved. Like the fact Tony couldn't be with his.] We're together. But the thing is ....
[It's hard to say. It's hard to think and feel, but somehow saying it is more difficult than he expected. He moves away from Tony to shakily take a seat. He has to just spit it out, it's the only way.] We needed all the stones to bring everyone back in the future, and it worked, but Nat had to trade her life for one of them. [The words tumble out as quickly as possible, like he can't wait to get rid of them.] She's gone. [His voice breaks and he looks down at the floor.] This is it for her.