Bruce glanced at the clock. 3am. Not bad. He got up from the seat at his lab desk and stretched, wincing as his joints popped. He’d been sitting at the desk for almost two hours straight after finishing the experiment, and was nowhere near finishing his writeup. He sighed. He’d hoped to avoid drinking coffee at this time, but it was inevitable. It was the only way he was going to finish.
He only noticed the silhouette as he was leaving the kitchen, having been so consumed with the need for coffee that the outside world was lost to him. He squinted in the dark in an attempt to make out who it was. It only took a couple of seconds to realise it was Thor. Not that he’d admit it, but he’d recognise that physique anywhere.
“Thor?” Thor frantically wiped his eyes when he heard Bruce’s tentative voice. He hoped that the low light would hide his reddened eyes, as he turned around and plastered a smile on his face.
“Hey Banner! Bit late for a coffee.” He said, miraculously keeping his voice steady. To no avail though, as Bruce immediately replied.
“Were you crying?” The obviously fake smile dropped from Thor’s face and his eyes went cold.
“Goodnight Bruce.”
Bruce cursed himself for having no tact as every trace of emotion left Thor’s face and he started toward the door. He was halfway to the exit what Bruce blurted out
“Nightmare?” Thor froze in place, and Bruce silently prayed for something to fix this. He really didn’t want to screw up his relationship with Thor. Despite it not being exactly what he wanted, he was comfortable. He really liked Thor, and he wanted to at least remain friends. So when he saw the Thor’s entire frame had started shaking he panicked.
“Thor, hey man are you okay?” the concern in his voice was potent and it made Thor want to trust him, but he couldn’t. Of all people to find him on a night like this, why did it have to be Bruce? He didn’t trust himself to respond, didn’t even trust himself to nod as the silent sobs continued to wrack his body. He wasn’t supposed to be weak.
“Thor… please. You can trust me.” And that was the tipping point.
Thor turned to find Bruce was standing closer than he’d expected, and his self control went out the window as he clutched Bruce to himself and wept. And Bruce let him.
Bruce wasn’t lying when he said he was more than a little shocked when Thor turned around and buried his face in Bruce’s neck. He would’ve thought that Thor would’ve gotten angry, told him to leave maybe. He immediately returned Thor’s embrace, prompting a fresh wave of tears too dampen his shirt. In hindsight, he should’ve expected something like this. Hell, he should’ve anticipated it, asked Thor how he was doing. Thor had lost so much, and instead of being there for him Bruce was holed up in his lab. They stood there for what seemed like hours, clinging to each other in the gentle starlight. Finally, Bruce pulled back.
Thor whimpered at the loss of contact. He knew it was pathetic, but he’d already bared all of his insecurities to Bruce so he saw no need to censor himself. Bruce gave an understanding smile and Thor’s heart dropped. This was it, this was how he lost all he had left.
“Banner wait,” he started with a slightly hoarse voice. “I’m sorry. I know it was too much, I know it is abnormal to expect such levels of comfort from you and I will endeavour to avoid mishaps like this in future. Please don’t send me away.” He trailed off and Bruce barely caught the last part, but Thor felt him tense at the last words.
Bruce felt tears well up in his eyes at those words. Thor was obviously suffering, and under the impression that he was alone, and must remain that way.
“Lets sit down.” was all he said, and he led Thor over to one of the couches across from the window. Thor followed placidly, as if expecting to be told off at any second and sent away. They sat, and Bruce turned his body to look into Thor’s eyes.
“Listen to me Thor, because you need to understand this. I am here for you. Always, and at any time. It doesn’t matter if I’m locked up in the lab, or if I’m sleeping, you can always come to me if you need something. Whether you need to talk, or you need a distraction, or if you just need a hug, I’ll be there. And the other Avengers are here for you too. You don’t need to hide your feelings Thor. There is nothing brave about not feeling scared. There is nothing righteous about not being sorrowful, about not mourning the dead. By hiding your emotions, you hide yourself, and that’s just a step away from losing who you are completely.” Thor looked up with a fresh sheen of unshed tears in his eyes. He looked hopeful, and it prompted Bruce to continue.
“Let me in.”
Thor couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Not only had Bruce not pushed him away, but he offered to listen. No one had done that for him before. At that instant, Thor slipped. The starlight played across Bruce’s face, making him appear ethereal, and the soft and loving expression he wore only added to the moment. It was timeless, and before Thor knew what he was doing, their lips were pressed together and his hand had found it’s way into Bruce’s hair. He almost pulled back. When he realised what he had done, he almost withdrew, but in that split second of realisation he felt Bruce’s lips melt under his and a hand on the back of his neck pulling him in closer deepening the kiss, and then his mind went blank.
When Thor kissed him, Bruce honestly thought he was dreaming. Thor was practically glowing in the low light, and he could feel a pleasant buzz radiating through him from where his hand was still connected with Thor’s. He almost forgot to kiss back, but quickly fixed that, closing his eyes and pulling Thor in greedily. All he could feel was Thor, and he was electric. Thor pulled back, breathlessly whispering Bruce’s name, sending shivers up his spine. He took a shaky breath.
“Thor.”
“Mhm.”
“We still need to talk. Not only about that, but about you as well. I know you’re not okay, and I know nothing can magically fix it.”
“I know, I know.” Thor mumbled, “but how does tomorrow sound?” Bruce made an embarrassing noise as Thor pulled him further up the couch until Thor was lying down, with Bruce half on top of him, half sandwiched between him and the back of the couch. Thor kissed him again, somehow even softer than last time, and Bruce groaned.
“Tomorrow sounds fine.” Bruce replied, pressing a kiss to the underside of Thor’s jaw, then snuggling into his side and pulling a blanket from the couch back over them.
Tony walked out of the elevator that morning to a stack of cheerios almost as tall as Thor himself balanced on the forehead of the sleeping figure as he lay under a very large blanket. He scanned the room to see Clint lying on the floor silently trying (and miserably failing) to compose himself, clutching what must’ve been an almost empty cereal packet to his chest. He put on his best ‘unimpressed adult’ face and whispered “Clint!” in the most serious voice he could muster.
Clint looked up at him, but his expression didn’t falter, and he pointed toward the stack of cheerios triumphantly as if it wasn’t the first thing anyone would notice as they walked into the room. Just as Tony was about to join in, they heard the elevator doors open and Steve’s cheery too-loud voice ask “What are you guys doing?” They looked in utter despair as Thor lifted his head groggily and cheerios covered the floor.
“Thor, why did you sleep on the couch? I gave you a bed for a reason you know.” Tony said, grinning. The grin was replaced with a look of utter shock as Bruce’s head lifted the blanket beside Thor and mumbled “What’s going on Thor?”