The Quantum Theory of Fluids and Light
The next day while everybody except Bucky went off to school, Phil returned home with Clint, who was still asleep in the older man’s arms. His eyelids looked blue and pale but Bucky tried not to think about that. If Phil was to keep Clint, then that would make the little boy his foster-brother. And that meant he’d have to protect Clint. Which in turn meant he’d have to worry about him. Then again, it’s not like Bucky hadn’t been doing that already anyway.
Clint was laid down on the couch to rest while Phil went upstairs to do work and Maria followed, ordering him to bed instead.
With the adults upstairs the room was quiet and still so bucky packed up his homework and sat down in the living room by Clint.
The boy in question seemed half awake as he stared at the cartoon show Phil had turned on.
“Loony Toons. I really liked this show when I was younger,” Bucky said, half wondering if the boy could even hear him.
“Yeah. they’re alright I suppose,” he murmured in response, heavy eyes tracing the screen.
“You more of a WildKrats kid?”
Clint looked mildly confused, sitting up a bit. “What’s that?” he asked, eyes focused on Bucky. Even though they were dark and tired, they had an eerie amount of intensity and focus.
“Here, I’d bet you’d love it,” the older boy smiled, flipping the channel and setting it up.
The younger boy seemed to enjoy it but still looked strained by it.
“What’s the matter?” Bucky bit.
He shrugged, looking away a bit. “I dunno. I guess cartoons are really cool because of the colors and shapes… but they’re hard to read lips to. Since the TV causes static stuff I can’t hear it well.” he murmured.
Immediately Bucky picked up the remote again, cursing himself for being so stupid. Duh, the boy was deaf and tired; he was barely comprehending what they were saying. Quickly, Bucky clicked the buttons for closed captions and then discreetly muted the TV so he could watch it with Clint.
The boy smiled at that, blinking as he watched the words roll by. “Whoa.”
“Never seen subtitles before?”
He shook his head. “Nuh-uh. Like magic. Wish they did that in real life too.”
“It would be pretty useful,” Bucky agreed, smiling as he settled back into the show for the next few hours.
When Bruce got home he saw the two kids on the couch and immediately climbed up to join them, sitting down near Clint’s head where he seemed to be sleeping.
“Wild wild wild krats,” he whispered to the theme before it revealed the location and the story began to unfold.
“Just in time, I see,” Tony grinned, jumping over the couch and plopping down next to Bucky.
“And what did they say?” Maria asked, sitting down next to Phil on the loft sofa.
“Yeah, he has it. Had 3 more overnight and then another in the morning. They have him on medications to try to control it better but… I don’t know,” he sighed, running a hand over his face.
The woman nodded in agreement, resting her hand on Phil’s wrist. “Phil. it’s hard on both of you. On all of us. But it’s not gonna help if you’re sleep deprived.”
“I know, I know. I just… the doc said the seizures are harmless. The problem is that he might hit something or fall or drown,” Phil frowned, worrying creasing his forehead as he looked at his hands which were fidgeting. “The medication is supposed to be helping with the amount of seizures, but it might make him sleepy. I just don’t know how to be able to keep watch of him all the time without ruining privacy and space. You know the kid’s independent. I doubt he’ll like having to keep the door open incase he seizes.”
Maria nodded, having already predicted this dilemma but she hadn’t found a solution. “I’m sure a lot of people deal with this. Find some support groups or something, get some ideas,” she suggested.
“I suppose that would make sense.” he agreed. “For now though, I want at least 1 adult or high schooler with him at all times. At least in the vicinity. Maybe he can move in with Thor or Bucky and swap places until we figure this out.”
“Right, but nothings going to work if you pass out. Get some sleep.”
“Yes ma’am,” he joked, pulling himself up and back to his bedroom.
Bruce had been adjusting quite well by now. In 3 months the small boy had accepted that the place was safe for him, albeit he still liked to stay near Phil when he got stressed. And he carried around his comfort item, a small potted plant. Tony had thought it was the most ridiculous thing since Thor’s appetite. However, Tony was talked to and as always, he gave a half apology.
That’s how things had been with Tony and Bruce. For all three months, it had been Tony who would tease Bruce. Bruce would be hurt by it, and Tony would give him a half apology. Again and again and again. But Maria knew the two boys could get along great if they put some effort into it. So on Saturday morning, she announced that they would be doing some family stuff.
She set up Tony and Bruce in the same room, telling them they needed to find three things they had in common before they were allowed to leave.
Tony tapped his pencil on the counter, annoyed by how trivial this was. “So. favorite colour?” he tried.
“Green,” the younger boy answered mildly, his eyes downcast.
One of the many strange things about Bruce was his lack of eye contact. He rarely ever made it–as in Tony was almost certain the boy had never looked him in the eye. Hell he probably didn’t even know what colour eyes Tony had at this rate.
“Well mine's red so that’s a bust,” Tony determined.
“I don’t like Maria’s cooking. Do you?”
Tony shook his head in disgust, writing that on a piece of paper. “Bingo kiddo, one down, two to go.”
It seemed like great progress except for the fact they didn’t get anywhere further for the next thirty minutes. Which was horrible because Tony had so many better things he could be doing at this time.
“I like science.”
“Yeah Bruce, but I don’t just like science. It’s like my life. I love it.”
Bruce frowned. “Well same here.”
“Oh yeah? What kinda science? Biological? Medical? Earth?” Tony rolled his eyes.
The little kid shook his head, his curly hair shaking loose. “No. I like medical. But physics is my favorite.”
Tony blinked at that. “Kid you’re not even 10. You probably haven’t even touched Newton's laws let alone the theories of quantum fluids of lights.”
Bruce pouted more, arms over his chest. “Yes I do! And you’re just 14. So you probably just touched Newton's laws,” he protested.
Maria smiled when she started hearing a change in pace of their conversation. Instead of the boring and annoying small talk, the boys were speaking a whole other language with a ton of words that she’d never heard of.
“Smart idea,” Bucky said from across the room where he and Thor were watching the football game.
She shrugged. “I didn’t think it’d work this fast.” she admitted.