Tony & Bruce
"I hope you're ready. We have to leave in ten minutes if we want to make it in time,” Tony informed his son as he entered the room, staring at his phone. Steve kept sending him some questions about their Christmas party today, and Tony was slowly going crazy. Maybe he should have gone to the Avengers headquarters earlier, but he wanted to spend the holidays with Pepper and Peter. They agreed on three days in the comfort of their home, and Tony was able to do so. He wasn't even in the workshop!
"Friday, where's Peter?" He asked, confused, when he finally answered the Captain's about a thousand questions and lifted his head from the phone, but saw his son nowhere.
"Young Stark is in the workshop, sir," she replied in her robotic voice.
With a sigh, Tony headed two floors lower. He wasn't thrilled by her answer. Peter knew very well that he could only enter the workshop with a responsible adult. He took almost two steps down the stairs, as they really should be out soon, and he also wanted Peter in sight as soon as possible to make sure he wasn't playing with something that didn't belong in his hands. Although Tony tried to be careful and tried everything dangerous to clean out of Peter's reach.
But when he finally got to his home lab, there was something completely different than he thought. His son was sitting on a stool at a table that had been abandoned for a few months, reading notes on the research of all kinds. And Tony's heart hurt more at the moment than if Peter rummaged through his belongings.
"You know you can't be here alone," he said heavily after standing motionless in the doorway for a few seconds.
The brown-eyed boy stared at him in a little frightened. "But I'm not touching anything dangerous!" He said in his defense. "I just remembered one uncle's research that would be useful to me in a paper that I have to submit after the holidays. And I found it," he said with a smile, waving the paper he held tightly in his hand.
"Peter, we have to go to a party. Aren't you looking forward to seeing the others? Please put the notes where you took them and go to Mom, she's waiting for us," Tony muttered.
Peter wanted to protest. The papers really suited him, and Bruce wasn't here to work with them now. But when he took a good look at his father, he knew that he was overwhelmed again by the sadness of the absence of a brown-haired scientist in their lives. He quickly put the described papers back on the table and even faster left the workshop.
Tony was left alone, as has been the custom in recent months. He missed Bruce's presence here, even though he often worked quietly on his own project. He missed him. He kept trying to find him, but Fury didn't know anything, and if he didn't, then who else had a chance to find him? He didn't like to admit it, but the guy really knew everything, and you can't lose the Hulk, which led to the only conclusion Tony didn't even want to hear about. He believed Bruce would be back. That he would show up with his nervous smile one day, and when that happened, Tony would hold him tight. And he'll probably lock him up somewhere so he never gets lost again. And precisely because he firmly believed in his return, he was extremely sensitive to his stuff. He knew Bruce well, and he knew how much he liked it when everything remained on his desk the way he left it. That's why Tony didn't touch anything on his desk. Because Bruce will return, and when that happens, his desk will be waiting for him, ready in the same condition in which he last left it.
"Merry Christmas, Bruce, wherever you are," he whispered and turned to leave. And he was slightly taken aback when he looked into the green eyes, which reflected sadness.
"Nat called that if we don't arrive soon, she'll probably hit Steve. She said it's the only way to silence him," she informed him gently. "Maybe you should talk to her. I'm sure she misses him as much as you do,” she whispered, kissing his cheek before taking his hand and pulling him out of the workshop.
They all missed Bruce. No exceptions. But she knew it must be far harder for Tony and Nat than the others. Mainly because of them, she hoped they would find him. She knew very well that Tony's only wish for Christmas was for Bruce to return home. To get his brother back home.