It was movie night at the tower. Though a fun activity, no one was allowed to miss it no matter what they were watching as it was a 'bonding experience' for the Avengers.
Peter and Clint were choosing a movie while Steve, Natasha, and Tony were in the kitchen helping with snacks (Which Thor had been secretly grabbing since they started.)
Bruce, however, was no where to be seen. He has been couped up in the lab for four days now.
"Bruce is going to be joining us, right?" Natasha questioned, squeezing lime into freshly made guacamole.
"Couldn't tell you. I checked on him this morning and he said he was working on an 'important project.'" Steve answered. He paused.
"Is that my sweatshirt?" He then questioned Natasha. The two began bickering like siblings.
Tony shook his head and made his way to Bruce's lab. After all, who said an 'important project' could stop Bruce from having to watch Spy Kids with the rest of them?
-
Tony entered the lab to find Bruce chewing on the tip of an ink pen and pacing around while staring at a notepad.
"Movie night, Einstein!" Tony called to him from the entrance. Bruce froze and turned to look at him. His hair was a mess and there were dark bags under his eyes. Bruce shook his head while halting his pacing to stack papers that were scattered over his desk.
"Not tonight, I'm working on something really important right now and-" Bruce was cut off by a coughing fit into his fist that left him slightly gripping the desk. Tony rushed to his aid and steadied him, though once the fit subsided, Bruce pushed him away.
Tony glanced down at the papers scattered on the desk. Bruce's typically neat handwriting looked like hieroglyphics. Messy and illegible.
Tony placed the back of his palm on Bruce's cheek. He was warm. Very warm. Tony grabbed Bruce by his shoulders and began guiding him out of the Lab. "Yeah, no. You're running a fever, Bruce."
Bruce tried to fight against Tony, but was too tired to do much of anything. Tony adjusted himself so he'd have an arm slung around Bruce.
Bruce was guided to Tony's bedroom. He had only been in there a few times, but never more than a few hours.
"How long have you been feeling sick?" Tony asked, looking through his drawer. He pulled out a light blue T-shirt and sweatpants.
"Since yesterday." Bruce responded quietly. He had been sitting on the bed staring at his feet like a child who's getting scolded by their parents. "It was just a sore throat and mild cough. I didn' know it would develop into a fever, headache, and chills." Bruce added.
"Some doctor you are. I'm not letting you back in the lab until we get that fever down." Tony placed the clothes down next to Bruce. "You change into those, I'll go tell the others we won't be watching Spy Kids."
Bruce looked up, suddenly alerted. "Wait, no, you don't have to miss movie night 'cause I'm sick!"
"You come first. Plus, I don't have to watch Spy Kids for the umpteenth time this month," and with that, Tony exited the room so Bruce could change and he could tell the team about the ill man.
-
Tony found the team all on the couch waiting to press play on the movie.
"Where have you been? We've been waiting for twenty minutes!" Steve scolded.
"Bruce isn't feeling well, we're gonna sit out for this one. I came down to make his usual tea and let you all know."
They all nodded in understanding and supposed it's a valid reason to miss movie night.
“Hold on, I had a migraine two weeks ago and wasn't allowed to miss out on watching home alone!” Clint complained. Everyone ignored him and started the movie.
Tony retreated into the kitchen and began preparing peppermint tea, the only kind Bruce would drink.
Tony began thinking, why would Bruce isolate himself in the lab for nearly five days? They've tackled bigger projects, and yet they still managed to at least care for themselves.
And if it were so important, why would he be working on it alone?
Tony finished the tea and made his way back to his bedroom.
Bruce was found lying on his side, having successfully changed into Tony's clothes that were slightly oversized on him.
"Think you could sit up to drink some tea? I made sure it's peppermint," Tony spoke softly while helping Bruce sit up. Tony handed Bruce the mug, but still kept his hands under it just in case. He managed a few sips before handing it back to Tony who placed it on the nightstand.
"Talk to me, what made you trap yourself in the lab for days without telling anyone? Don't give me that project bullshit either, if it were that important you would've told someone."
Bruce took Tony's hand. "I love you more than anyone else in the world, but I knew that you wouldn't feel the same about me. You're a genius billionaire inventor and I'm a scientist with anger management issues. I'm nothing special. It's stupid, but I was hiding hoping I'd knock some sense into myself."
His words were tired and began to slur together. Bruce looked away from Tony, humiliated. "I'm sorry, I just never 'lly felt this way, it's all so...new."
"This is what we were all worked up over? Bruce, you had us worried." Tony brushed his thumb over Bruce's hand, and used the other to feel for his temperature. "JARVIS, tell me Bruce's-" Tony didn't even complete his sentence before JARVIS answered.
"Dr. Banner has a fever of 103 and hasn't met the required caloric intake since last week." JARVIS sounded.
Tony helped Bruce manage a few more sips of tea before laying him back down. JARVIS dimmed the lights and played light rain noises to assist Bruce with sleeping.
Bruce looked up at Tony from under the blankets. "What if you get sick?"
"Looks like you'll be returning the favor then." Tony joked. It was obvious Bruce couldn’t tell.
There was a pause.
"I'm not serious, I'm kidding." Tony confirmed. Bruce nodded and, voluntarily or not, fell asleep. Tony removed Bruce's glasses and placed them on the nightstand before lowering himself into bed. Tony then adjusted Bruce so the sick man would be laying on his chest.
-
Tony found himself awake at 2:30 in the morning. The weight on his chest is gone, and he found the bed empty when he reached over. Tony laid on his back and sighed. "JARVIS?" Tony sounded.
"Dr. Banner left at around 1:17am to the lab." JARVIS answered. Tony groaned loudly and sat up. Tiredly, and not very steady on his feet, began walking out of the room.
Like JARVIS said, Tony found Bruce in the lab. He didn't seem to be working on anything. Bruce was sitting back in his chair chewing at the end of his pen.
Tony leaned on the doorway. "Bruce, come to bed. It's late, and you're sick," he chided. "I said you weren't going to be allowed back in here 'till that fever is down, and I meant it."
Bruce opened his mouth to argue, but resorted to standing and leaving the lab instead. Tony had an arm around his waist and guided the half-asleep man back to his bedroom.
Bruce fell asleep almost immediately upon being lied down. It was clear he didn't have much energy to continue whatever 'project' was being worked on.
"JARVIS, alert me if he leaves again."
"Will do, sir."
Tony got back in bed with the sick man and, once again, adjusted him so he'd be on his chest. Something about having him there was comforting.
-
Tony awoke before Bruce, who moved off of his chest and back to his side of the bed. Tony sat up and took a moment to mentally wake up. He then took another moment to properly assess what happened last night.
Bruce Banner is sick and loves Tony Stark.
Tony flipped the covers and got out of bed, still very much so groggy. He had no idea what time what it was, but knew Bruce should probably eat someone when he awakes nonetheless. Before leaving, he took the half-full mug of tea.
-
Tony found himself actually using the cookbook Natasha got for him last Christmas that he tucked away somewhere under his bed, collecting dust.
He carefully stirred a pot of soup with various different seasonings next to him. Sure, the kitchen was left a mess, but that could be cleaned later.
Clint, who usually isn't up this early, came up to Tony stirring the soup and his eyes glanced from the pot to Tony rapidly.
'Hands off' Tony signed to the other. Clint rolled his eyes and retreated as if he didn't have plans to snag some soup later on when Tony isn't looking.
Once the soup was finished, Tony spooned it into a gray ceramic bowl. He had no idea how good it was (Clint, however, did) and had no idea whether Bruce would like it or not.
Tony took the soup back up to his room, where Bruce just starting to wake up. Tony helped the man sit up and handed him his glasses.
"You had to have slept for for good nine hours." Tony said to the tired man. Bruce nodded while putting his glasses on. "I have no idea how you'll like it, but I made soup. Easy to stomach and it'll probably help that sore throat."
Tony taking care of him didn't help Bruce's feelings at all.
Bruce thanked Tony for the soup and began slowly eating it. He didn't immediately spit it out or stop eating it, so it must've at least been decent.
"So what was all that about you not being special and whatnot?" Tony took the bowl from Bruce once he was done.
"It's just . . . true. I mean- you're you. I'm probably just some ‘nother guy to you. ‘M not a Spy, God, archer, leader, 'er anything-"
"Absolutely not, we're gonna stop that right now. Who the hell said you're not special? If anything you're special to me. I love you too, Bear. If you want to be something more, you could've just said that instead of locking yourself in the lab," Tony comforted. Bruce could feel tears well up in his eyes, though he quickly wiped them away.
"A nap sounds amazing right now," Tony suggested. Bruce nodded and placed his glasses on the nightstand. Tony laid down next to him.
For the first time, Bruce laid himself down onto Tony's chest. There was a beat of silence.
"Tony?" Bruce said quietly.
"Hm?" Tony responded
"I love you."
"Love you too.”