Aching limbs screamed under the strain of the mass amounts of shopping Bruce had done. He knew full well that, in reality, he probably couldn't afford to be spending all of this money on something as simple as a birthday party, especially one of a Norse God who had lived through over 1500 of these celebrations and never seemed at all interested. He had never been ungrateful, per say. Just preoccupied. This year, however, Bruce had a plan. A plan that could either blow up in his face or secure him a life partner. No matter which of the outcomes he was met with, he would appreciate the one that wouldn't cause him utter humiliation though, he knew it was bound to bring some entertainment to the evening. Maybe not to the two parties involved, but someone.
Streamers and various decorative pieces had lined the walls of the shop he had just exited, beckoning him in with the false promise that they were enough to impress. He wished that he could say he wasn't tempted but the sad truth was that he was willing to try anything that he possibly could to avoid this failing terribly. Perhaps if it were to go as awfully as he was anticipating he could attempt a distraction with the sparkling party poppers he had just purchased. That was, after all, the benefit of Thor being like a kid in a candy shop whenever he was surrounded by mortal technology. It was one of Bruce's favourite things to witness and he always ensured he was nearby when his team wanted to introduce the God to something new.
Like last week, for example. Nat had taken Clint's kids on a trip to the local fair and returned with enough popcorn and candy floss to ruin even Captain America's perfect figure. Thor, being Thor, found himself investigating the sweet substances within moments, turning them over in his hands and holding them against his face in pure confusion. "Hey, Point Break, you're supposed to eat it, not interrogate it" Tony had said, a twinge of genuine kindness behind his sarcasm. What followed was the biggest sugar rush, and eventually crash, that any of them had ever seen. That day they each learned the hard way that an Asgardian's, specifically one with long blonde hair and sculpted abs, sugar content needed to be closely monitored.
A sudden shooting pain through his forearm brought Bruce straight back to the present. The heavy bags he had been lugging around, filled to the brim with white and gold decorations, were finally beginning to get their own back. His entire left side had began to cramp up painfully and he was forced to place the bags, unceremoniously, on a nearby bench while he attempted to sooth the searing sensation. Thank God he'd brought his car, per Natasha's request so that he could pick her and Clint's daughter up from the arcades, and not walked as he had originally intended to. It was one of those moments that he was glad he could never say no to her.
As his muscles began to ease once more, he hurriedly packed the supplies into the trunk and peered around the busy parking lot. He had just one more stop before he could pick up his favourite girls and be home free but his stress levels were already beginning to peak due to inconsiderate drivers and the imminent doom he may be facing. Just one more stop. A simple bakery on the edge of town, decorated in a kaleidoscope of pastels. It may not look like much on the outside but it's cupcakes had always managed to calm him in a moment of crisis. So what better place for him to pick up the cake that could make or break his relationship with his favourite Asgardian.
Their time spent escaping the Grandmaster's wrath had awoken something within him that he had never expected to feel again. A shameful tendency of falling for people who would rather see him bleed out in front of them than ever have to touch him. Thor was not cruel in any sense of the word but he had moments where he was entirely oblivious to feelings, especially those of Midgardians, and that in itself had the potential to make Bruce want to crawl into a hole and never leave. The other guy would never allow it of course but the temptation remained. Maybe this entire thing was a bad idea. Actually, no. It definitely was but Bruce had already paid for the cake and had it custom made to be picked up within the next few moments and he couldn't bear the idea that he had wasted someone's time. So, with a heavy heart, he sunk into the drivers seat and pulled out of the lot, driving silently in the direction of the 'Candy Flower Bakery' which sat beneath the midday sky, sunkissed and illuminated in an ethereal glow.
The cake was everything he had hoped for and more. Three layers of indulgent chocolate wrapped in bright white fondant and decorated with an intricate gold pattern. On the very top sat a message in black icing, a pleasing contrast to the rest of the cake's design. It read 'Happy Birthday. My gift to you this year is..." with an arrow beneath that, when everyone was in position, would point to Bruce. He knew it was cheesy but deep down he felt as though that would make any mess that this caused more salvageable. He hoped it would, at least.
With the cake and the rest of the overly expensive items secured in the trunk, he began the quick journey to the meeting place he had agreed upon with Natasha earlier in the day. Upon arrival, he turned on the radio and connected his cell phone to it, knowing the girls would want some form of entertainment on the lengthy journey back to the Avengers HQ. It was a very short wait before he spotted the familiar sight of Lila and Natasha bounding towards his car in a makeshift race. He chuckled to himself before unlocking the door for them to get in, greeting Nat with a quick side hug as she climbed in and reaching his arm back so that Lila could high five him once she was also in the car. "Seatbelts, ladies" he spoke softly, savouring the presence of his best friend and the daughter of another of his close friends. Knowing this routine all too well, he handed his phone to Natasha, allowing her complete control over the stereo. "Will you and your brothers be joining Aunt Nat and I at Thor's party tonight, Lila?" he asked, looking back at her through the wing mirror as he started the car. Excitement sparkled in her eyes as she nodded eagerly "Bucky said he'd show us his metal arm" she beamed, eliciting a gentle laugh from both adults sat up front "That'll be exciting, Li" Nat said before finally making a decision on which song she wanted to play.
The three spent the journey doing impromptu karaoke until the days excitement caught up with Lila and she drifted to sleep in the back. Not wanting to disturb her, the two best friends up front attempted to keep their voices hushed with very few moments where their laughter would raise a little higher in volume than anticipated and Lila would stir slightly. When they arrived back at the compound, Nat carried a sleeping Lila up to Clint before returning to assist Bruce in unpacking the car. He attempted to insist that he didn't need help but she had always been known for her stubbornness.
Once all of the supplies had been unpacked, Bruce tasked her with keeping Thor distracted while he enlisted the help of the rest of the Avengers in decorating the room that the party was set to take place in. They hung streamers and inflated balloons. They set up the bar and buffet area with all the food and similar bits that he had purchased today. They listened to Tony lecturing Bruce for spending so much of his own money when he could have just let him pay for it. And most importantly, they set up the cake in the exact position Bruce wanted it to be in, covered of course so as not to ruin the surprise. Eventually the room had been decorated to the point where they couldn't possibly decorate any more and Bruce felt a dull burn of pride in his heart over how well it was all falling together. "Well Brucie" Tony began "I believe it's time we go collect our guests and our birthday boy" He stated, having noticed the distinct lack of wall space and 'un-birthday-ified' furniture. Steve nodded along too in agreement "I'll fetch Nat and Thor, you guys go hunt down the others. And Bruce don't worry we won't touch the cake" He reassured before doing his whole Captain America strut thing out of the room and down the hall.
Once everyone had arrived, Tony set up the rooms surround system and blasted random songs. It didn't really matter what was playing, most people were too buzzed to not be dancing on the makeshift disco floor that he'd programmed for the occasion. Bucky, as promised, was off in the corner keeping all the kids happy by letting them hang from his metal arm and play fight with him. Steve had collapsed onto a large beanbag near the sofa, Nat sitting on his lap with her arm around his neck and a beer in hand. They truly were a supermodel couple. Bruce hoped. No, he prayed that he could have something similar with Thor. He in no way believed he could ever live up to Natasha's raw beauty but Thor definitely had enough for the two of them. Enough beauty that Bruce knew in his heart that he was about to get rejected. In front of all of their friends. God, this was such a bad idea. Speaking of God, he glanced around the room, searching for those oh so familiar tangled blonde locks.
He finally saw them and nausea hit him like a punch to the gut when he noticed the location of the hands those locks belonged to. Caressing the hip of one of the other party guests. The other guy must have noticed the sudden increase in heart rate as he screamed inside of Bruce's mind, begging to have control relinquished to him. The scientist would be lying if he said he didn't consider it. Consider letting go all together and just letting the Mean Green Killing Machine have his way. But he couldn't. Especially not now. Especially not with kids who trusted him standing right across the room. So he just stared, silently fighting the green that had began to creep across his neck and internally repeating any calming mantra that came to mind until he was left with just regular human hurt. He stared for another minute or so before making a hasty exit to his room, trying as hard as possible to regulate all the different feelings he was experiencing at once. Bitterness, hurt, hatred. Towards himself or Thor? He wasn't sure yet. All he knew was that he was stupid for thinking he ever had a chance. For thinking he deserved one. He also knew exactly what he would be doing right now if he hadn't quit drinking decades ago. He threw himself onto the bed with the exact roughness he had been hoping to avoid and scratched and scraped at his skin, desperate for the green tinge to fade as he begged the Hulk not to get involved just this once. He didn't need to look in the mirror to know that his eyes would already be radiating a green glow and the knock that fell roughly and suddenly on his door did little to lessen the problem. "If you value your life, I'd recommend you go back to the party and leave me be" He choked out.
"Banner? What's going on in there?" Thor's voice echoed through the room. Fucking hell. Of course it had to be him. Clearly phased by the lack of response, the God broke his way through the door with a concerning amount of ease. Bruce hadn't even registered this by the time Thor had a hand flat on his back, his fingers lightly stroking his skin through his purple shirt. It was such a fucking clique and Bruce knew it. "I saw the cake, Bruce" He said with an unusually serious tone that he'd never heard from the blonde man before. Shit. He'd forgotten about the cake. "When we unveiled it, it was pointing at Tony and I'm gonna make the safe assumption that he wasn't supposed to be the one standing there" Bruce had to laugh. A tired and defeated laugh but a laugh nonetheless. "Bet he loved that one" he mumbled, still trying to keep his thoughts in order and fight against the influence of his own emotions. He wished that for once he could just be allowed to feel. To feel the hurt coursing through his veins. To feel the pain pulsating against his temples. To feel how he wanted to feel instead of having to accept any and all mistreatment he faced with indifference for risk of those feelings turning him into a monster regulated only by misplaced anger. But no, curious old Bruce just had to fuck with gamma radiation and leave him stuck with the asshole they oh so affectionately referred to as The Other Guy.
"Hmmm I believe his exact words were 'God no' before he marched off in a huff." Thor recalled, a familiar and comforting smile permanently painted on his perfect face. "You know Banner, you don't give yourself enough credit." He said as he fondly ruffled the green-tinted man's curls. Curiosity peaked in the scientist and he finally looked up to meet Thor's eyes as the larger man cautiously sat down and wrapped an arm around Bruce's trembling frame. "In what way?" the smaller man asked. "You threw a wonderful party, Banner. And I know I'm not great with feelings and shit but one thing I do understand is love. How it is a feeling that can leave you scarred or uplifted for the rest of your days. How it is taken for granted by you Midgardians a lot. How while you may not be able to be able to put it into words, you always know. How utterly and totally infatuated I am with you Banner." Thor spoke softly, holding Banner close. Bruce's confusion grew but any rage he felt had already dissipated and the remaining green was starting to drain from his pale skin. "God you sound like Steve" was all he could respond with as he pressed his weight into the Asgardian's side and allowed himself to inhale the scent of his cologne. "And I am utterly and totally infatuated with you too, Odinson" he whispered after a while. So yes, maybe they were a huge clique but they were happy. And in the end, that's all that matters.