December
"Nah it's too late for me"
Bruce gasped as he turned to his radio.
"What?" Sam asked.
"It's him" Bruce said. "I heard this on the am station when I was driving back from Betty's dad's the other night" he explained.
"You were listening to AM talk radio?" Same asked.
"Yeah whatever" Bruce said. "It's a sad story. He's a widower-and started to date again and apparently his son freaked and called in to this show". He said.
"Wow" Sam said.
"The host talked to them-well him for a while. He talked about how they meet and how she died" Bruce said as he walked through his kitchen.
"So how long did you listen to this interview-if you could call it that" Sam asked.
Bruce sighed "the whole thing" he said.
Sam snickered at Bruce. "That's cute" he replied.
"That's not all" Bruce said.
Sam cut his eyes over at Bruce "and" he said prompting the man to continue.
"I sent him a letter" Bruce admitted guiltily.
"You what?" Sam asked confused.
"I couldn't get him out of my head. So they gave out his address for people to write him-they are calling him Sleepless in Scranton-anyway. He talked about his work and he seems like a brilliant man. So I thought if I wrote him and talked about my work I'd I don't know-get him out of my head" Bruce replied.
"Are you crushing on some radio guest you've never met" Sam asked incredulously.
"No-I don't know" Bruce exclaimed as he flopped down in the chair. "I have Betty-we are getting married for god sakes! Why am I thinking about this other man! Someone I've never met" he said. "It's nerves right? It has to be! It's the stress from last minute details and the fact that the General doesn't approve-yeah it's just stress" Bruce said.
Sam sat down across from his friend. "Listen I would tend to agree with you-especially about the general-that guy's an ass" Sam said making Bruce snort.
"But are you having second thoughts? I like Betty-I do-but getting married just to get married isn't good-for either of you" he added.
Bruce sighed when his alarm went off on his phone. Glancing down he realized what time it was. "Shit I have to go or I will be late" he scurried around grabbing his things and headed for the door. "Sam could you" he began when Sam cut him off.
"Yeah I'll lock up" Sam replied waving his friend off.
Bruce smiled and paused at the door. "Sam-thanks" he said.
Sam smiled back at friend "go" he said shooing the man out the door.
Not ten minutes after Bruce left Sam heard the sound of the mailman at the door. He opened it so Clint wouldn't have to push it through the mail slot.
"Hey Clint" Sam said.
"Hey man! Banner gone already?" He asked as he handed Sam the bundle.
"Yep" Sam said.
Clint nodded "I didn't know Doc knew anyone from Scranton" he replied conversationally.
"Huh?" Sam asked.
"Well you know me-doc got a letter from Scranton and he's never gotten a letter from there since I've had this run" the man replied.
Sam would have normally been upset at the other mans invasion of Bruce's privacy. Instead he grabbed the letter ripping it open and speed reading it.
"Huh they want to meet him" Sam said. "He will be In NYC in the middle of February and is willing to meet him anywhere " Sam mumbled.
"Okay what's going on? Ignoring the fact that you just opened someone else's mail in front of me-but we are friends so I'll let that slide. Who wants to meet Bruce?" Clint asked.
Sam looked at the other man "can you keep a secret?" He asked.
"You know I can" Clint replied.
Sam quickly explained about the radio caller to Clint. How Bruce wrote to the man and hasn't been able to stop thinking about him.
"So He wants to meet Bruce? Don't you think that's suspicious?" Clint asked.
Sam paused "normally I would say yes. But there's is something about this guy that Bruce is acting out of character for" he said thoughtfully.
"I know that look what are you thinking?" Clint asked.
"Of sending a response. Something tells me Bruce needs to meet this guy" Sam replied.
Clint blinked then shrugged "How do you plan on convincing Bruce?" He replied.
"What if he doesn't know. What if I convince him to come with me to NYC for a few days-and we continently end up meeting this guy" Sam said.
Clint raised an eyebrow "what they meet on top of the Empire State Building on Valentine's Day And what fall in love? Bruce leaves his loving caring fiancé at the alter to run off with said his what- soul mate? Man you've been watching too many rom coms" he said with a chuckle.
"I am not the one who thought up that Senario" Sam said with a smirk then frowned. "damn you're right" he said and sat down. "I didn't think about Betty. I like her I do-they are great together. But I can't help thinking this won't end well for them" he said.
"They've been together forever right?" Clint asked.
Sam nodded "since college" he murmured.
Clint nodded checking his watch "If it's bugging you that bad send it. Why does it have to be romance? Why can't it just be friendship? Bruce doesn't have that many friends" he replied. "Just have a back up plan if it blows up in your face" Clint added.
"Always have an exit strategy huh" Sam asked.
Clint smirked "it's how I was raised" he said and left to finish his route.
Sam placed the letter in his pocket as he placed the rest of Bruce's mail where he would find it. As he locked up he knew he needed to send a response before he chickened out. His gut had never failed him before, He only hoped Clint was wrong and it didn't blow up in his face.
January
Tony laughed as he walked back to the table with the new bottle in his hand "Pete tell them what you did" he replied as he handed the bottle to Steve.
"DAD" Peter groaned.
"No go ahead tell them" Tony goaded. "He decided to call a radio show and tell them I needed a new wife" he added.
Natasha raised an eyebrow and hid her smirk behind her wine glass. "That's cute" she replied.
"That's not even the best part. I've been getting letters and there's one who wants to meet me that he loves" Tony said.
The three adults turned and stared at the boy. "His name is Bruce and he's into science and I think dad would really like him" Peter replied quietly.
Steve and Natasha both turned and stared at Tony.
"Are you upset of the letter or the fact it's a man?" Steve asked.
Tony snorted "you know that wouldn't upset me" he said. "Who wants to meet at the Empire State Building on Valentine's Day! That's not the way it's done" he exclaimed.
Natasha quietly gasped "its like that movie-an affair to remember" she said.
All three men stared blankly at her making her role her eyes.
"Cary Grant and Debra Kerr. They were supposed to meet on top of the Empire State Building but she doesn't show. She gets hit my a taxi and she's to proud to tell
Him she's crippled" she said quietly sniffing and reaching for her napkin.
"Is she ok?" Peter asked in shock.
"She's fine" Tony said automatically glancing at Steve.
"I learn more about you everyday" Steve said with a smile earning another eye roll and a balled up napkin thrown at him from Natasha.
"How's the movie end?" Peter asked.
"They end up together" Natasha replied smiling at Peter.
"Stop encouraging him" Tony said.
"Like he needs me to encourage him" Natasha shot back winking at Peter.
Peter smiled as a plan began to form. He glanced over at his dad and hoped it worked.
February
Tony busted through the doors onto the observation deck "Peter" he yelled. "Peter" he yelled louder.
"Dad! Dad" Peter yelled running and throwing his arms around his father.
Tony pulled the boy in his arms with a groan "Have a screwed up that bad? Huh? Is it that bad" Tony said.
"No no" Peter sobbed.
"I am trying Pete ok I am" Tony said.
"I know you are! I am sorry" Peter whimpered. "I just I thought he'd come" he said quietly.
Tony sighed as he stroked his sons head. "I know you did bud" he said. "Lets go get a hotel room and talk ok" he said.
"Ok" Peter said.
"Sam what's going on" Bruce said.
"What do you mean man?" Sam replied.
"For a man with your background you are a terrible liar" Bruce said.
Sam sighed "okay don't be mad" he began.
Bruce groaned "oh that's not good"
"You received a letter from Tony-he wanted to meet you. So I replied that you would meet him here on top of the Empire State Building today" Sam replied slowly.
"Yeah not good at all" Bruce replied as he started to pace raking his hand through his hair.
"What do you expect me to do-go up there and what run off with some stranger" he added.
Sam raised an eyebrow "Do you and Clint watch rom coms together?" He teased earning a glare from Bruce. "Bruce we can go now if you want. But I know you--you will always wonder if he was up there. Why don't you go up there and just see--if he's not there then at least you know" Sam said.
"And if he's there?" Bruce asked.
Sam shrugged "That's up to you" he commented.
Bruce looked at the building then at his friend. "Ok I'll do it"
Bruce opened the doors to the observation deck glancing around, noticing it was almost closing time. There were a few families still there looking out over the lit up city. He walked around glancing at everyone-no one paying him any mind. He leaned against a telescope with a sigh, his foot knocking into a backpack. He glanced around and opened it, seeing it belonged to someone named Peter Stark.
The sound of the doors opening and a boy saying I put it over there caught his attention. He looked up to see a man and a boy staring at him.
"Hi" Bruce said. "This must be yours" he said handing the boy his backpack.
"Thanks" the boy said quietly.
"You're welcome " Bruce said.
"Are you Bruce?" The boy asked.
"I am" Bruce replied nodding.
"You're Bruce?" The other man replied.
Bruce nodded "I am" he said again.
"I am Peter and this is my Dad Tony" the boy said.
Bruce smiles "Hello Peter, Hello Tony" he said.
The elevator operator cleared his throat behind them "Sirs we are closing" he said.
Tony glanced back at the operator with a nod "I guess we need to go" he said. "You coming" he asked extending his hand to Bruce.
Bruce stared at the other man's hand then slowly took it in his own. "Yeah" he said squeezing his hand as they walked to the elevator.
Sam smiled as he watched the trio walk down the sidewalk. He pulled out his phone and sent a picture to Clint.