The Distance
Tony 7:34 p.m.
Japan is great. Wish you were here.
Bruce 7:40 p.m.
I wish I was there too. I can't read another term paper and the kids have barely made a dent in their packing.
Tony 7:42 p.m.
My kids have probably set Happy on fire. Pretty sure he texted Pepper begging her to come home a day earlier than she planned. Probably should have left them with a nanny for a few days instead.
Bruce 7:45 p.m.
Hmm. Yeah, I do think Steve mentioned Sam saying something about setting him on fire when he texted last. Or was it that they'd decided to re-enact Survivor…
Tony 7:49 p.m.
Ha well we know now that our kids combined would be scarily good at re-enacting Survivor. They're ruthless.
At the moment Bruce had to admit that having a Starkphone was nice simply for the video call feature.
His last phone had the ability of course, budget phones had come a long way over the years, but it just wasn't reliable enough and the way the holographic screen option worked in tandem with the Starkphone put other phones to shame. Beyond the convenience and luxury of the Starkphone was also the fact that every time he used it, Bruce couldn't help but think of how it was a testament of just how brilliant Tony was.
Thanks to the video call feature, he could smile at the sight of Tony settled on his hotel bed in Japan even while he was still in the middle of his morning break between classes at Culver.
"Your kids called me last night," Bruce said.
Tony startled a little at that. "What? Is everything okay?"
"I think so. Except apparently Happy has hijacked the theater room for a Downton Abbey marathon?" He gave Tony a broad shouldered shrug and Tony eased into a laugh. "They were so desperate they asked if they could come here to our place. You might want to send Pepper back early. They might actually set him on fire."
Tony chuckled again, but Bruce could see that he was tired since it was after one in the morning where he was and he knew from Tony's texts that the meetings had been long and rigorous so far.
"I love that my kids are calling you on their own," Tony said with a lazy smile. "No matter the reason."
Bruce hummed. "Me too. It's nice. I also love being able to talk to you like this," he started, "but you look exhausted. You should sleep."
Tony nodded. "I can now," he said with another smile.
Bruce 9:16 p.m.
I have it on good authority from Jane that your kids are happy that Aunt Pepper has come to save them.
Tony 9:28 p.m.
I'll bet. And I'm glad Aunt Pepper isn't here to nag me through the last two days of this business trip. She catches me playing Crossy Road on my phone during a meeting one time and suddenly I'm her least favorite person in the world.
Bruce 9:32 p.m.
Crossy Road????
Tony 9:35 p.m.
You don't know what Crossy Road is?! Install it. Install it now. Do it.
Bruce 11:48 p.m.
I hate you.
Tony 11:51 p.m.
I think you misspelled love.
Bruce 11:53 p.m.
Autocorrect?
Tony 11:55 p.m.
Sure...
Bruce 7:07 a.m.
What's a four letter word that means to regret absence?
Tony 7:10 a.m.
Tony?
Bruce 7:12 a.m.
That actually fits…
Tony 7:13 a.m.
I miss you too.
From: Public Relations, Stark Industries
To: Tony Stark, CEO Stark Industries
CC: Dr. R. Bruce Banner, R&D Stark Industries
Subject: Questions Pertaining to Relationship with Dr. Banner
Mr. Stark
Appropriate questions regarding Dr. Banner have been narrowed to the following for your perusal and approval.
- What is the nature of your relationship with Dr. Banner?
- How long have you known Dr. Banner?
- Is there any truth to the rumors that Dr. Banner is in your employment?
- What do your kids think of Dr. Banner?
- Does Dr. Banner really have seven kids? Is his situation like yours?
- How are you handling that? How are your kids handling that?
- Dr. Banner is a very intelligent scientist and rumor is you met him at a science conference not unlike your late wife Dr. Hansen. Is there any implication there?
From: Dr. R. Bruce Banner, R&D Stark Industries
To: Public Relations, Stark Industries
CC: Tony Stark, CEO Stark Industries
Subject: RE:Questions Pertaining to Relationship with Dr. Banner
- What is the nature of your relationship with Dr. Banner?
If Tony is ready to announce it or it seems like the right time for PR purposes then I'm okay with an official statement.
- How long have you known Dr. Banner?
Giving a definitive answer will confirm the conference rumor that has already been circling so that is entirely up to Tony's comfort with that subject.
- Is there any truth to the rumors that Dr. Banner is in your employment?
I think this should be off the table for now. It will be clear enough in time and my employment has nothing to do with the relationship outside of mine and Tony's shared interests in science and our support of one another's careers/fields. But if it helps to take the bull by the horn and address it, I will concede. It doesn't/shouldn't matter.
- What do your kids think of Dr. Banner?
That's not really for Tony to say anything beyond something vague. They could secretly hate me for all we know.
- Does Dr. Banner really have seven kids? Is his situation like yours?
If Tony does answer this I would like a pro-adoption slant. But no details. Just something simple like: "Yes, no, adoption." No need to get into the fact that two are surrogates at this point.
- How are you handling that? How are your kids handling that?
Not really my place to say how Tony is handling it. Similarly it is his call on how to answer for his kids, but he can add vague response for my kids if it would be appropriate (e.g. the feeling is mutual, it's an adjustment, etc.)
- Dr. Banner is a very intelligent scientist and rumor is you met him at a science conference not unlike your late wife Dr. Hansen. Is there any implication there?
This reads like an attempt to fish out whether or not the science conference rumor is true so it would depend on Tony's previous answer to that question. It is Tony's call on how he answers the entire question; I cannot speak for him on this one. For the record, I don't mind the implications (e.g. Tony has a type) unless those implications are that his feelings for me are a facsimile based solely on an idea that Dr. Banner = Dr. Hansen.
Tony 3:19 p.m.
I throw my hands up they're playing my song
Bruce 3:21 p.m.
For a man who swears by the classics you certainly know a lot of modern pop lyrics.
Tony 3:23 p.m.
oh well oh well I feel so good today we touched ground on an international runway
Bruce 3:24 p.m.
I take it you're back in the USA?
Tony 3:25 p.m.
Hence the party.
Tony 3:28 p.m.
Yeah scratch that. Just got my updated itinerary. Not a party. Definitely not a party. Three factory visits got moved to before my press engagements. I was counting on a few days' rest.
Bruce 3:30 p.m.
:( Where are you off to first?
Tony 3:32 p.m.
West Virgina. ... Almost heaven.
"It's days like this that make me wish I could trust myself with a hard drink," Tony finished his rant with a long sigh. The man on the other side of the screen was looking at him with a neutral expression, clearly listening to his first world CEO problems with supportive patience. Tony's previous scowl softened at the sight and he felt his lips quirk to one side in a crooked sort of half smile. "So how was your day, gorgeous?"
Bruce smiled thinly. "Well, nothing as dramatic as your day, but close. I went ahead and applied the kids to S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. Figured it couldn't hurt just in case. And most of the kids actually seem pretty enthusiastic about it so I'm not going to waste that chance," he explained. "Your kids' influence no doubt."
Tony smiled at the implications. "That's great. Hopefully that's a good sign."
"I think it is." Bruce nodded. "I didn't realize how intense the application process would be though," he then said with a thoughtful tilt of his head. "I mean the social and emotional development questions? That's a new one for me."
Tony gave a small laugh. "Yeah, the infamous placement test," he said knowingly. "But I guess that's what makes them one of the best. They really get that it's not a one size fits all formula. Wish I had that as a kid. Instead I was skipped up grades, sent to boarding school… more like boredom school… and then plopped in college at 15."
"No kidding," Bruce said with a shake of his head. "You can imagine the schools I went to didn't quite know how to handle me either."
"Yeah, I can imagine," Tony said ruefully. "But at least our kids don't have to suffer and that's what matters."
"Yeah, that's what matters." Bruce paused briefly. "Honestly though, I'm just glad to be a little closer to having the school situation figured out. Now there's just finding a place to live." He sighed. "Where's House Hunters when you need it?" Bruce chuckled tiredly.
Tony clicked his teeth together as he considered Bruce's struggle. "You know there's always a suite at Stark Tower if you need a temporary place," he thought aloud as it occurred to him.
"Maybe," Bruce hitched a shoulder, "but we have a lot of furniture… Okay, well, not a lot, but enough. I'd have to Pod it or something."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Tony reassured him. "And I'll help you when I'm finished with this massive headache," he offered genuinely.
Bruce smiled softly and gave a sigh. "I wish I could kiss you right now."
Tony looked longingly at him in return. "You don't know how much I'd like that."
Bruce and his kids gathered around the television for the early morning talk show that Tony was set to appear on. He had a few others that Bruce would miss live because of work, but he was glad Tony's first one fell early enough on the day he had later classes. He briefly mused about all of the times Tony had been on shows like this in the past, shows that he'd maybe even casually watched but never really paid attention one way or another to, aside from the fact he was Tony Stark and even in the past he had general academic respect for him.
"Our next guest is engineering and tech genius and owner of Stark Industries. He's made headlines countless times in his life and now he's doing it again. Ladies and gentlemen, Tony Stark."
Tony walked out on the stage, smiling and waving as the audience applauded, and moved to sit down in the designated interviewee seat.
"Dad, you're practically drooling," Loki said and Bruce blinked several times before realizing he had been staring rather intently.
"Sorry," he said, though not truly apologetic. His lips then quirked upward and he added, "He just looks really good in that outfit."
"It's too early for this," Natasha mumbled and a few of his other kids nodded in agreement.
They watched and listened as Tony discussed the business mogul side of his persona. He talked about recent successes in the company and future plans for Stark Industries. He made plugs about the subsidiary company he had just visited in Japan as well as a wider roll out on the company's Smart House designs for the more general public.
"Alright, after the break, we'll be talking with Tony about recent headlines regarding his surprise romance with Dr. Banner."
Tony smiled as the camera zoomed in on him and he winked before it then panned out again and cut to commercial.
"Did he just…?" Steve looked around incredulously and then at him.
Before Bruce could answer, several phones went off with text alerts including his own. He looked down to see a text from Skye that read:
That wink was totally for you!
"Apparently," Steve said then as he read a text, "Tony tugs on his ear as a secret shout out to his kids."
"He did that at the beginning of the interview," Peter said and Bruce was inclined to believe him as he suspected Peter had eidetic memory.
"And he used to scratch at his jaw with his left hand as a gesture to Dr. Hansen when she wasn't with him," Thor added as he also read a text.
"So they think the wink was for you, dad," Natasha finished.
Bruce couldn't help the small smile that touched his lips. He knew Tony would confirm it later, but until then the sentiment made his heart stutter in the best kind of way.
"We're back with Tony Stark who has recently been making waves with the press. Now, Tony, it's been seven years since you lost your wife, the very lovely and brilliant Dr. Hansen."
"It has," Tony said with a sober nod and a passing shadow fell across his face.
"We know from past interviews that you said you were open to trying to meet someone again, but nobody expected your out of the blue relationship with Dr. Banner. And you've been seen with him multiple times over the past couple of months. We have to wonder what the nature of your relationship with Dr. Banner is and where you've been keeping him. Have you just been keeping your relationship under the radar, which we can't blame you if you have," the host interjected with a laugh, "or is this a recent fling?"
"Well, first things, it's definitely not a fling. So that hopefully clears up the question of the nature of our relationship," he said with a laugh. "I'm very serious about Dr. Banner." Bruce smiled at Tony's conviction. "But it hasn't been a long romance. I met Dr. Banner at the beginning of May."
"So the rumors of your having met him at the science conference in Germany are in fact true?"
"They are," Tony answered to the point.
"Not that I'm sure our audience here has any doubts," the interviewer hedged, "but there have been nasty rumors regarding the similarities between your late wife and Dr. Banner."
"Similarities?" Tony asked and Bruce wondered at his coyness. "I mean there's the dark hair and dark eyes so maybe I have a type," he said breezily, finishing it with a laugh.
The host and audience laughed as well. "Yes, well there's also the uncanny coincidence that Dr. Banner is regarded as a very intelligent scientist and you met him at a science conference, not unlike Dr. Hansen. Some are wondering if there's any implication there."
Bruce felt his kids' eyes on him, but he kept his own fixed on the television. He could see the way Tony's own eyes had become sharper, clearly bristling over the accusation.
"I think the implication is clear," Tony said evenly. "A lot of people can perhaps capture my attention, but it takes something truly special to hold it. Maya had that and so does Dr. Banner. My feelings for Dr. Banner are genuine and while my late wife may be the, uh, the sort of example I guess you could call it for gauging those feelings and figuring them out, not once did it cross my mind that Dr. Banner was a Dr. Hansen 2.0. I believe that kind of implication is a discredit to both Dr. Banner and my wife's memory. They're not the same person in spite of some perceived similarities."
"Well, that answers that," the host said, seeming put in place. "Now what about your kids? It's no secret that you have six kids and are a single parent, even if a very rich one." The audience laughed at the dry humor. "But do you find that makes this relationship a challenge, or any attempt at finding someone for that matter? What do your kids think of Dr. Banner?"
Tony visibly relaxed. "I guess you would have to interview my kids individually to get the real answer, but as far as they've indicated they seem to be getting along well so far with Dr. Banner. It was obviously an adjustment since they certainly didn't expect their dad to come home from the conference having met somebody." He paused before continuing again. "And I wouldn't say challenge because my kids aren't baggage, which is probably why past attempts haven't gone anywhere. It just adds an interesting layer to the relationship development. What makes Dr. Banner different is that before we even started seeing each other his hesitance wasn't for his sake like some of my past attempts, but rather because of his concern for my kids. If you're wondering about what makes Dr. Banner special, what really attracts me to him, that's definitely on the list." Bruce smiled wide at that reminder and braced himself for what was likely coming next.
"And his concerns for his own kids?" The interviewer asked.
"Yes, Dr. Banner is a father," Tony answered vaguely.
"But not just any father as he's reported to have seven kids of his own."
"Which adds another interesting layer to our relationship development," Tony said in a clipped tone before deflecting with humor. "We may even be able to write a book about it someday. Cheaper By The Baker's Dozen." The audience laughed.
"So have the kids met? How are your kids handling that? How are you and Dr. Banner handling that layer you mentioned?"
Tony smiled. "I would say the same way anyone in a single parent – single parent relationship does. The mechanics may be a little different since I'm, well, you know who I am. But the basics are the same. There's the apprehension, the 'oh god what if his kids hate me' and the 'what do you do if the kids don't get along' aspects. It's a little chaotic and unconventional given the sheer amount of kids between us, but we're making it work so far and there's really not much more that needs to be said at the moment."
There had been knots in his stomach caused by his initial uncertainty regarding this new element of their relationship, being talked about publicly, but Bruce felt them ease as the host wrapped up the interview. Tony had promised he knew how to handle the press and he had proven it and hadn't said anything that had made him feel uncomfortable. However, he still had to make sure the same was true for his kids.
"Were you okay with his answers?" Bruce asked. "The ones pertaining to you, I mean."
Nobody answered right away, but he waited patiently.
Finally Thor said, "I believe he answered nobly."
"Nobly?" Steve asked with a raise eyebrow.
"Yes, nobly," Thor defended his word choice. "It's clear he goes to great lengths to shield his own children from rude questions and insinuations and now he's extended that to us as well. I may be better at sports than most things, but my English is nearly as good as Loki's," he then pointed out, sounding even more defensive as Steve raised his hands in surrender.
"As much as it pains me to admit," Loki muttered.
"None of that please," Bruce admonished as he stood to his feet. "Just wanted to make certain everyone is okay with how the interview went. You can watch the others without me to get a better handle on it though if you'd like. But dad has to get ready for—"
The doorbell rang, cutting off that statement. He furrowed his brow and went to answer it. Upon opening it, he saw that it was a delivery man.
"Special delivery for Bruce Banner," the man said and held out a clipboard. "I need you to sign here." Bruce did and wondered at the large box marked fragile. "Have a wonderful day, Dr. Banner," the man then said with a conspiratorial smile and Bruce blinked a few times before realizing the only person who could be behind the package was Tony.
He brought it into the house and took it over to the empty table. He carefully opened it, unprepared for the sight that awaited him. His breath caught in surprise as his kids clamored around to see what was in the box.
"What is it?" Jemma quizzed as he pulled out the envelope he saw tucked between two boxes of Japanese teas.
"It's an authentic Japanese tea set from the looks of it," Bruce answered as neutrally as he could while quickly unfolding the letter that was in the envelope.
Bruce,
I hope my timing is right and this arrives some time after or during my first round of interviews. I wanted to give this to you in person on our next date, but after being blindsided by that question about Maya, I couldn't wait. Yes, some of your similarities have now been brought to my attention so I can't deny there might be something to it, but I need you to know that I care about you for you and not because of any basic similarities you might share with Maya. When I get on that talk show and say you're special, I mean it. There are hundreds of little nuances about you that I've learned so far. Things that set you apart. Like your affinity for crossword puzzles or your obsession with tea. I saw a tea set similar to this during one of the meetings and you are who I thought of. Nobody else. I really just wanted to clear matters up in case you had any doubts.
Tony
"It's so pretty," Jane said, gently holding one of the cups.
"It is," Bruce said. His voice sounded odd given his bombardment of one very strong and definite emotion, but none of them commented on it.
He quickly pulled up his messages and texted Tony what he should have realized sooner wasn't so scary a thing after all. Because now, no matter how crazy it seemed and how quickly it had all swept him away, it seemed only natural.
What's a three word phrase with an I, L and Y?
By time he was finished getting ready for work, he had a response from Tony.
01001001 00100000 01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01110100 01101111 01101111
Bruce smiled at the message, a proficiency in binary being one of the many little nuances about Tony that he had learned and found endearing. Bruce had brushed up on his own binary when Tony had started texting him at random with it so he knew it well enough by now to know it said:
I love you too.
"Final grades are posted and I'm officially moved out of my office," Bruce said with a sigh before taking a sip of his tea.
"Relieved?" Tony asked, watching him with a soft smile. He knew Bruce was sitting on his porch based on his surroundings.
"In a bittersweet sort of way," Bruce answered. "I can't complain when it comes to my new prospects," he said with a knowing smile. "But this was really one of the only places that had come to feel like home. I've liked my work well enough. Jemma, Peter and Natasha came into my life here. I'll miss Betty and Leonard. It was always going to be bittersweet, but I never really let it sink in until today."
"I understand. I mean, in theory," Tony recanted when he realized he didn't have an abundance of firsthand knowledge. "Then again, maybe this is why I've never been nostalgic. Sentimental, sure, but nostalgia has never been my fallback because there wasn't much in my childhood to be nostalgic about. And my working life has been fairly steady. Most of my nostalgia now is in terms of my kids and when they were younger. Stuff like that."
"Don't get me wrong," Bruce interjected, "I'm okay it's over because now I can focus on other things that I care about more than my job here."
Tony smiled wide at that, but then it fell. "Yeah, about your visit… That's kind of why I called."
"Something wrong?" Bruce immediately became alert and furrowed his brow.
"No… Well, yes and no," Tony said with a sigh. "I’m going to be a few days longer than I had wanted to be. There's a strike at this plant and I'm trying to diffuse it."
"That's awful," Bruce said, mouth turning down. "I thought Stark Industries strives for quality work conditions," he said in confusion.
"We do," Tony insisted. "That's why I'm not sure what's going on here. Possibly a higher up not upholding that standard. I don't know. But uh…" Tony started, but hesitated.
"What?" Bruce urged.
"So, here's the thing. Pepper's flying out in a couple days along with the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and someone from legal for negotiations. And Happy's flying out to head up the investigation and because he gets it into his head that we need his protection in these kinds of hostile situations. Not really, but I humor him." Tony knew he was rambling rather than reaching a point.
"Okay, what about your kids?" Bruce asked before he could get to his final point.
"Your powers of observation are breathtaking," he deflected with humor for a moment. "Yeah, so that's what I was attempting to get to. You were going to come to New York this weekend anyway. Do you think… Do you think you could maybe come earlier? Tomorrow or the day after before Pep and Happy leave?" Tony paused and took a deep breath. "I'm essentially asking if you can watch my kids for me. I know it's a lot to ask and I can get one of the nannies I have on call for these kinds of emergencies if it's a problem. But I just thought maybe—"
"It's not a problem, Tony," Bruce interrupted him. "I'm sure I can handle taking care of your kids for a few days by myself."
"No, I know you can, I just didn't know if you'd want to," Tony tried to explain.
"It should be fine."
There was a slight lull in the conversation before Tony said, "Okay, great. Thank you. You can always drag them with you to go house hunting until I get back," Tony suggested. "And I'll instruct the drivers to accommodate you with that or any other errands. The older kids can stay by themselves at times obviously. It's just Pietro still has a week of summer school left and I'd like them not to be unsupervised for more than two days, you know?"
"What a horrible parent you are," Bruce deadpanned and Tony gave a soft bark of laughter. "How long do you think you'll be? Do I need to be concerned about Harley's birthday?"
Tony smiled at Bruce's mental processes when it came to his kids. "Uh, no. Don't think so. I don't expect it to go that much further over schedule. I should be back in time for his party and for our anniversary," he added. The following Thursday would be the three month mark from the day they met at the conference. They had decided to count that as their anniversary instead of their first official date.
"Well then I better let the kids know and finish packing. Are your kids going to be okay with that?" Bruce asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Bruce, they begged you to save them from Happy. They like Happy," Tony pointed out. "I'm pretty certain they would prefer you to a nanny." He shook his head a little at Bruce's uncertainty.
Bruce huffed out a small laugh. "Fair enough. Any other house rules I need to be aware of? Curfews? Bed times? Dinner?"
Tony bit his lip and considered it. "Summer curfew for Clint and Sam is 10:30, but they're rarely out that late. Skye's was just upped to 10. Uh, bed times… I struggled a lot with insomnia as a kid… Still do actually, so I'm a little flexible in the summer or when I see the signs of it. The general rule of thumb during summer is the kids who are under thirteen have to be in their rooms no later than 11 unless it's a special reason, like something happens or their insomnia is a problem. You can exercise judgment there and they'll probably tell you since that's the rule of the house. Um, the three older ones typically crash around 1 in the summer, but the rule for all the kids is no tech after midnight. JARVIS should alert you if it's a problem. This includes movies and television. The older kids can hit the gym or the court or things like that, but no tech. Dinner you can do what you like. You already know my preference for table time." Tony let out a deep breath as he finished his dithyramb of details. "JARVIS can help you with most questions and if he doesn't know you can always contact me. I'll tell the kids to let you know their schedules for their activities so you can plan around those. And, god, I'm so sorry for pushing all of this on you by yourself."
Bruce actually laughed and shook his head. "I'm pretty good at scheduling," he said. "You might be surprised how much it pays to be efficient when you have one main bathroom shared between seven kids and bus stop times that have to be met."
"Have I told you I'm in awe of you lately, because I am in awe," Tony replied with a smile. "Oh and… In case you were wondering about sleeping arrangements, don't bother with a guest room. You can take mine if you want."
Bruce smiled. "Hmm," he gave a soft sigh, "yeah. I think I can handle that."
"What do you mean?" Bruce spoke heatedly into his phone in the other room of the house they were looking at. "This is ridiculous. You know perfectly well that the lease I signed had a clause for unexpected termination at my job. You've known for six months that I would be moving."
Thor frowned as he listened near the door. They had come for a showing of a home only for their real estate broker to bring up to their father a problem regarding their current home. Thor wasn't sure of the details, but whatever it was his father was on the verge of showing his closely guarded temper.
"Who wants to bet this landlord is trying to take advantage of Dr. Banner because of the press and being associated with a billionaire now," Clint said to those of them that had come and were now gathered around awkwardly.
Wanda groaned. "Probably."
Thor looked at the other boy in slight disbelief. "You think he would do that?" Sometimes people told him he was naïve, but he couldn't see how someone would take that chance if it was illegal.
"Yeah," Clint said with a nod.
"What about the legalities?" Natasha voiced Thor's own question.
"Doesn't matter," Wanda said with a shrug. "They probably assume your father will just fold. People like our father can just throw money at the problem and not think twice about it because it doesn't make a dent. Dad calls it picking battles."
Jemma tugged on Thor's shirt and he looked down at her. "Is daddy going to lose his temper like that one time he yelled at Uncle Leonard for getting drunk and trying to—"
"Jemma!" Jane shrieked. Jemma startled and Clint, Wanda and Darcy looked at them questioningly.
"Is everything okay?" Bruce was suddenly peeking into the room, hand covering the mouth of the phone and looking at them in concern.
"I'm sorry, dad," Jane said, head down as she did. "Jemma started to say something and I… Sorry."
"As long as you're okay," Bruce said with obvious relief and then left again, his tone softer now.
Thor shook his head. On the bright side it was clear Jane's outburst had distracted their father long enough for him to regain his sense of calm, but the Starks that had tagged along were still looking at them curiously.
He sighed and said, "Our father used to struggle with anger issues when he was our age. Sometimes if he gets good and angry, he is not quite himself. He's never been a danger to us, but he hates that about himself and he is always very remorseful whenever he loses his temper in the slightest."
"Jeez," Clint hissed. "Everybody gets angry sometimes. Especially if someone else is instigating the problem."
Natasha shrugged. "His past was bad enough that it's kind of a trigger for him now."
"I just didn't want Jemma to say something that might make you think less of him," Jane explained her outburst.
"Our dad isn't perfect," Wanda responded to that.
"Not at all," Darcy chimed in.
"I'm so sorry you had to overhear that," Bruce returned, interrupting their conversation. "I'm especially sorry to you three," he looked at the Stark children.
"It's okay, Dr. Banner," Clint replied. "Sounds like the guy's a real jerk."
"That's never an excuse for me to lose my temper." Bruce sighed and Thor thought he suddenly looked the weariest he'd seen him in months, since before Tony had come into their lives. "I don't know why it's suddenly an issue. He was never difficult like this before."
"You were never dating my dad before," Clint remarked briskly and Bruce furrowed his brow. "Trust me, Dr. Banner. That's exactly the issue here. It's just a hustle for an easy buck from my dad."
"I don't like the sound of that," Bruce said with a shake of his head. He then looked at his watch. "Okay, well this was a bust. We need to go pick up Pietro and then pick up Harley's cake. By the way, you guys really can call me Bruce if you want. Or anything else within reason. Dr. B is fine, but it doesn't have to be that."
"Can I call you Doc?" Clint asked with a wide smile. "I've always wanted to call somebody Doc."
His father laughed and Thor saw some of the previous weariness fade away.
"Sure, Marty," Bruce said.
Harley jostled the control a few times on the remote of his new remote control helicopter, courtesy of the Banners, and then sent it to hover over Clint's head, snickering as he looked around at the noise and then up. The older boy shook his head and made to grab it, but Harley moved it away before he could. He then looked around the outdoor party for his next victim.
"Imagine if you could reconfigure it to take pictures or video or something," Peter said as he came to stand beside him.
"Whoa, that would be cool!" Harley exclaimed in agreement. "I could probably do that. Think your dad would be mad?" He asked looking over at the younger boy.
Peter scrunched his face for a moment and then said, "Probably. Think your dad would be mad?"
Harley grinned wide. "Absolutely! We should do it."
"You should go for Steve and Sam next," Peter said with a small snicker.
He pointed to where the two boys were sitting along the edge of the pool, legs dangling inside and laughing about something. Probably something boring that should be interrupted, Harley decided.
The helicopter swooped in stealthily from a further distance and then hovered behind them. Harley nearly choked on his laughter, as did Peter, when the two boys practically looked around in confusion in sync and then Sam actually startled at the unexpected object just enough to slip into the pool.
"Not funny, Harley!" Sam shouted when he reemerged from the pool, but Harley kept laughing.
"That goes for you too, Peter!" Steve shouted next as he grabbed a nearby towel and handed it to Sam when he pulled himself back up out of the pull.
"Harley. Peter." Bruce said their names in a warning tone from where he was grilling shish kabobs and Harley winced slightly. Dr. Banner was weirdly authoritative without even raising his voice.
He moved the helicopter away from the pool and over to a clearing before going to get it, Peter following him. He picked it up and looked it over.
"Sorry your dad's not here yet," Peter said at length.
Harley shrugged. "He said he'll be here so he will be. He hasn't missed the rest of the gifts or cake yet. He's got time." He was sure his dad would do anything to get there or would have at least not promised.
"Food's done," Bruce called.
Harley rushed over, but first depositing his helicopter and the remote in the small pile of gifts from Sam, his older siblings Clint and Skye, Pepper and Happy who had left them there before leaving to meet with his dad, and some from the board that he never really cared about and his dad insisted weren't necessary but that they felt obligated to give.
"This is so good," Harley said once they were all gathered in the various seats on the deck and eating. "You're a way better cook than dad is."
"Oh, he's not that bad," Bruce countered.
"Maybe not, but you are better, Doc," Clint insisted.
"Your dad says you can cook," Bruce replied to that, but Clint only shrugged.
"What's with the modesty?" Sam looked at him dubiously and Harley followed suit. "Chicks dig that," he said. "Dudes too obviously. We all know guys dig that."
"Show of hands," Skye chirped, "who else here can cook so Clint doesn't feel like he's the lone wolf."
"I can a little," Steve said, raising his hand meekly.
"A little?" Natasha snorted. "You're the only one dad trusts to help you in the kitchen."
"Now that is an exaggeration," Bruce countered.
"Have you ever noticed she does that a lot?" Steve said with playfully narrowed eyes at his sister.
Harley chuckled through a bite of food. He was starting to like having the Banners around. He liked having more people to hang out with. It was fun and energetic.
"So you cook?" Sam asked Steve and for some reason Skye rolled her eyes, but Harley didn't have time to contemplate it before there was an unexpected interruption of what sounded like a guitar strumming softly.
They all turned to see Tony standing there with an electric guitar in hand, Pepper and Happy standing off nearby. Harley's eyes widened and he smiled as he recognized the familiar refrain of the song that had somehow become the family's birthday song over the years.
"If I had words to make a day for you, I'd sing you a morning golden and new."
"Dad," Harley protested, cringing in slight amusement even if he liked the attention. Of course that only made his dad come closer to serenade him further.
"I would make this day last for all time. Give you a night deep in moonshine." He stopped playing then and said, "Hit it, JARVIS."
The outdoor speakers began blasting the original song.
"Happy birthday, little man," his dad said after a moment, holding out the guitar.
"Cool, a Green Gibson!" Harley exclaimed and hopped out of his seat to grab it. "Thanks, dad!"
Bruce wasn't sure his heart rate would ever come back down again, like his insides were being retched away from his body in torturous pleasure as he gasped for breath in shallow pants.
"No more," he practically groaned the words, his voice as spent as he was. "Mercy," he said with a huff of a laugh amidst his attempts to steady his breathing. "I think… I think we've more than made up for the time apart," he managed to say when Tony collapsed on top of him, also letting out a breathless laugh in agreement.
Bruce closed his eyes and ran his hands through Tony's hair as they lay there in silence, for however long he wasn't sure because he was so sated.
"Come on," Tony finally said and carefully propped himself back up to hover over him. Bruce wondered where he found the muscle power. "We're going to hate ourselves in the morning if we don't get clean after all that."
Bruce's eyes widened. "Tony," he said in disbelief, cupping the other man's face with both hands, "after all that, there's no way I can stand to take a shower."
Tony moved his face just slightly in his hands to kiss one of his palms. "Who said anything about a shower? After all that we're going to need a soak in the Jacuzzi tub."
Bruce was pretty tired, but he had to admit that sounded nice and his muscles would probably thank him for the extra effort in the morning. "Okay," he replied with a nod and followed Tony into the en suite. As soon as they were settled into the water, he was glad for Tony's genius. He could probably fall asleep right there if the small part left of his logical brain wasn't still smart enough to know that would be a bad idea.
"I'm so glad you're moving to New York soon," Tony said after some time spent in just silence. "And that you'll be working in the same building. This long distance crap is overrated."
"I know," Bruce said softly, voice still tired and now overcome by emotion. "But I can't… I don't want to talk about that right now."
"Hey, what's wrong?" Tony asked with real concern that pierced right through his avoidance of the topic.
"I went to look at a house yesterday," Bruce started very slowly, deliberating over every word. "Nice house. Good district if S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't work out. But the broker I've been working with alerted me that she got a notice that I had been reported as a bad tenant to the credit bureau and some bad tenant listing."
"What the hell?" Tony asked in disbelief.
"I know. I know. My landlord is accusing me of willfully and maliciously attempting to break my lease early without notice. Which is ridiculous because the lease has a clause for the extenuating circumstances I've found myself in and he's known about it since February," Bruce explained carefully, ending with a sigh.
"It's me," Tony said with conviction.
Bruce pursed his lips and looked around, not wanting to accept that but knowing it was likely. "That's what Clint said," he finally admitted.
"And he's right. This landlord is just trying to give you the squeeze to see if he can get something out of me. I'm sorry."
"You're sorry? It's not your fault, Tony. But… I'm stressed. I don't know what to do. Now that's going to be on my record and I can't move into another place until I clear it up and the guy is being a real dick about it, demanding rent he says I'm trying to cheat him out of. My broker said to report him and I will, but who knows how long that will take. And if he gets angry, he might try to just evict me to get out of it and if I haven't found a place before then…"
Bruce wasn’t sure when he'd started crying, but he had and Tony had him in a warm embrace in response. He knew it was because he was just a mess of emotions. There was the relief of being with Tony again after a month, there was the stress of moving and the landlord situation, and there was even the juxtaposition of his stress with the feelings of absolute bliss he was still lingering in causing his brain to short circuit probably.
"Hey, we'll figure it out. That guy's not going to get away with it. I can promise you that," Tony whispered into the still damp curls at his temple. "But you were right. No need to talk about it right now. Sorry I pushed."
Bruce didn't know how to respond to that, so he just let Tony continue to soothe him. He simply relished in the contact and the lack of distance between them, and in that moment he wasn't sure if he meant physical distance or emotional. He only knew it had been a long time since someone cared for him in this way and he hoped it wouldn't fall apart on him.