Bruce cast his eyes down to check his watch and groaned, it only felt like a few minutes since he had last looked but the hour hand of his watch had leapt a considerably large amount and was now telling him it was nine pm.
He felt his neck bend and his forehead was now pressed into his watch face, dials sticking into soft skin and causing a wave of discomfort; still he didn’t move, just groaned and nestled in further.
He could feel the papers beneath his fingertips- the words he wrote edging against the grooves of his fingerprints, feel the caffeine in his veins mingling with his blood and burning as it raced beneath the surface of his skin, and the feeling of his deadline loomed over his head like a bad thought- twisting and pulling at his gut and throwing him into a constant state of anxiety.
He thought quietly about what it would feel like, to bundle up all his work and just burn it, or toss it from the bridge- anything destructive and violent. And for a moment he thought it would be pleasant, the dull thrum of adrenaline fizzing through him, the eager shake of his limbs as he watched the enforced pressure melt away.
But then he considered the after shock, the complete numbness you were subject to after all the adrenaline left, leaving you hollow and regretful- Bruce decided not to burn his papers.
His eyes burned when he shut them but he kept them closed, eyelids twitching and flickering as he led there, as though trying to force him awake.
And as he felt the soothing hands of sleep against his soul, he felt the strong hands of Brunhilde against his Shoulder, and her brash voice in his ear.
“Bruce! Tony said I could find you here”
She beamed at his groggy face, eyes electric.
She carefully pushed a few papers aside, eyes lingering on the contents for a moment before sitting herself down and leaning over the table to be in Bruce’s space.
“Did Tony tell you he was meant to be here too?” Bruce groaned and ran a hand over his face, lips smiling when he pulled away.
Brunnhilde shrugged, picking his abandoned muffin up and holding it out to him, a silent asking of permission.
“Yeah go ahead” he waved at her, grinning as she began demolishing the treat.
“Why were you looking for me?” He asked when she was finished with his food and had moved on to taking a sip from his mug.
“Wanted to tell you about that guy-“ she spoke as her lips neared the mugs rim, plump lips touching polished porcelain.
“Valk wait-“
Her features, otherwise smooth and effortless in beauty, contorted violently as she spat back into the cup and glared at Bruce.
“It’s cold, and old- I tried to tell you” he smiled sheepishly at her, sinking back in his armchair under the intensity of her gaze.
“Cmon Valk- I’m sorry”
“Don’t try and be cute with the nickname- stop it with the puppy eyes bruce- okay fine! It’s fine! I don’t hate you, you’re the embodiment of sunshine and you’re too pure for us all- happy?”
“Ecstatic” Bruce replied dryly but was grinning from ear to ear.
“Speaking of the human embodiment of sunshine, I think you should meet Odinson, He’s really-“
Bruce sighed, thin fingers raising to his face, moving aside his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose.
“Stop trying to set me up with every cute gay guy you stumble across- and what the hell kind of a name is Odinson?”
Brunnhilde raised an eyebrow, as if in question of her own name before starting “that’s not his first name, his name is-“
“Thor” Bruce greeted shyly, grinning at the tall blonde In front of their table.
“Bruce,” he replied just as gently “ I noticed you hadn’t gotten a refill in a while so I brought you something” he held it out to Bruce like a proud child holding out an art project.
And Bruce took it eagerly, small hands wrapping around the large mug, Thor’s eyes softening as he watched the movement.
“Thank you, I guess time got away from me” he nodded his head towards his messy table and in doing so directed both their gases to Brunnhilde who was sat with wide eyes and parted lips
Bruce just assumed it was because of Thor, after all he was the most attractive man Bruce had ever laid eyes on before.
His light hair fell to his shoulders and was secured in a low pony tail, a few strands falling loose and framing his face, occasionally brushing against the tanned skin in a way which made Bruce’s fingers twitch with envy
He had a tall frame, carved and curved with muscle like the edges of a Greek statue, but skin flushed and tanned instead of a dull stone.
His eyes pierced through his lengthily lashes, wide pupils encased in a pale blue- the colour of fresh lightening and just as startling, eyes surrounded by a gentle spattering of freckles like rain.
So yeah, Thor was attractive, and Bruce like to look at him from time to time- sue him.
Thor seemed startled too for a moment, and then smiled, so wide and honest it made his whole being glow with a deep rooted innocence.
“Hi br-“
“Hi! Thor was it? Listen I really need to talk to Bruce here and also really need a drink, could you make me a coffee whilst I talk to him really quick? Thanks!” Her eyes stretched in a form of warning and it was all Thor could do to stare blankly, nodding before turning away and leaving them; head hung as he walked away.
“That was rude-“ Bruce started, defensive, but Brunnhilde just shook off his attempts at speaking.
“How do you know that guy?” She pushed instead, staring at Bruce intensely, eyes fleeting over his features- pupils a lie detector.
“Who, Thor? I’ve been coming here for a few weeks now.. he uh... he keeps me company” bruce felt his voice fall quiet towards the end, cheeks heated as he looked towards his shoes and studied his laces.
Bruce had first stumbled into Asgardian Brews after working far too long at his schools lab, caught up in finishing a project his classmates couldn’t be bothered with- resulting in him staying til ungodly hours and leaving in such a daze he didn’t even realise how Angry the weather was outside.
Until he was caught in the wind and the rain, skin burning as the elements raged around him.
The coffee shop was the closest building he could see that was still open at such a late hour, and so he clutched his Belongings to his chest and hurried inside, dodging puddles as he ran.
It was a warm place, made of dark wood and gentle lighting, decorated with norse themed paintings, old fashioned books and deep leather armchairs.
Bruce had spotted an armchair in the corner beside a bookcase and behind a small table, And set up home there. Eyes catching the coffee bar at the front of the store by the door, glass dispensers filled with coffee beans and a set of broad shoulders turned away from him preparing a drink.
He quickly turned away and tried to sort out his work, sorting it into piles and checking he didn’t drop anything in his haste.
However he was joined a few moments later by the broad shouldered barista, asking in a low accented voice if he wanted a drink or a towel.
Bruce stared, confused, until a drop of water fell from the tip of his nose and onto his bottom lip.
He hadn’t even noticed he was dripping onto the decor, his curls limp with moisture and drops running over his face.
“I am so sorry! I didn’t realise, oh my-“ he jumped up, nearly falling into the man as he stumbled away from the chair like it scorched him.
The blonde smiled, shaking his head and holding out a towel.
“And a coffee too?” He asked, watched as Bruce dried off his hair and attempted to lessen the heavy ness of his clothes, pulling them away from where they clung to his figure, each fibre wanting to fuse with his skin.
Bruce met his gaze and smiled- “please”
And they had talked every day since, whilst Bruce waited for his order they would discuss the day and how they were doing.
Whilst Thor cleaned tables near by they discussed their classes, Thor impressed by Bruce’s interests and Bruce smitten with Thor’s academic choices.
They even found a way to commune whilst Thor took others orders at the front of the shop, swapping small smiles and the gentle shrugs of shoulders.
It was an easy friendship, full of warm glances and soft smiles..- until it wasn’t.
“You like him” she gasped suddenly, unnecessarily pointing a finger towards Bruce’s chest and yelling loud enough to startle Thor over at the coffee bar.
Bruce rushed to grab her finger and shove it away hissing for her to shut up.
“Sorry”
She wasn’t
“But this is great! You need to go for it Bruce ”
Bruce studied her features, searching for any trace of a joke. But her eyes were honest, her mouth earnest.
“You’re serious?” Bruce asked slowly and incredulously, eyes fleeting over to where Thor was currently making Brunnhilde’s coffee and grinning into the mug as he did so; probably drawing a smiley face in the foam- he loved doing that.
Everyday Bruce had a new masterpiece on top of his beverage, but no matter what, Thor always cam back to the smileys.
“Of course I’m serious, he’s cute!” She pointed out, like Bruce hadn’t realised, like he hadn’t been to art museums and seen statues of his physique, seen flowers the same as his eyes and paintings capturing the shades of his soul-...
he’d noticed.
“Exactly! He looks like a fucking god, there is no way in hell he would see me as anything other than- well other than an acquaintance...”
Bruce wasn’t upset with that, well he was, but he loved Thor being in his life and he loved being able to call him a friend.
Bruce tried not to get too caught up in self doubt, tried not to dwell on the feeling that coils in your stomach every time you catch a glimpse of yourself from the wrong angle, or how you flinch every time your laugh comes out strangled.. or how your hands tremble a little too much in the process of a photograph.
But it was unlikely Thor would drop after a constantly over tired science major.
He shook his head, “Besides he might not even be gay”
There, logic.
If there was one thing that could quieten a hectic heart- it was logic.
“Oh he’s gay trust me”
And so the noise proceeded.
Bruce pondered for a moment about how everything sounded louder after a lapse of silence, as if mocking you for thinking you could get away.
His feeling for Thor worked in a similar manor, he had once attempted avoiding the shop all together, cutting Thor out in a desperate attempt to get over him ... it had only lasted theee days of course, before he was stumbling back into the shop and wheezing at the sight of Thor’s beaming grin. and everything else about Him seemed to be heightened upon return.
Even the smiley in his coffee seemed to be smiling wider.
Before Brunnhilde’s could object any further, Thor returned, coffee in hand and smile on his face.
“Here you go” he held out her drink, eyes wandering from his foam smiley to her own begrudging grin.
Thor could probably make a statue smile.
Silence wrapped around them, Thor’s arm wavering slightly as he still held out the mug, Brunhilde not yet taking it.
Bruce glanced between them before groaning and looking out the window at some derelict house a few block over propped up on a hill Stood like a protruding bone from the skeleton of the town.
“Actually I have to go”
Bruce tore his eyes from the house and refocused his gaze on her.
His eyes catching on her white eyeliner before it fell to her eyes, and the spark in them. Her lips twitched as she met Bruce’s eyes and winked before turning to Thor and frowning in an obviously false manor.
“I’m so sorry- Bruce will still pay for my drink-“
“Will I?” He interjected
“But,” she ignored him “I’ve got this project with Natasha to finish for history class and I’ve gotta meet her like now”
She looked down at her wrist for effect, and Bruce scoffed when he realised she was simply looking at a freckle on her tanned skin, she hadn’t worn a watch since breaking the last one Bruce had given her.
“You could take my place? Talk to Bruce for a while so he doesn’t work himself to death? Anyway gotta go!”
Thor, the ever so trusting person that he is, nodded earnestly and ushered her away, wishing her luck on her history project, and promising to keep Bruce alive.
Bruce buried himself down in the armchair, until only his forehead was visible behind the coffee table, and willed his flush away before Thor could notice.
Thor grinned at Bruce’s shade, but had a blush of his own painted across his neck, the colour of a setting sun that disappeared behind the neckline of his shirt.
Neither spoke, or made any move to initiate conversation- but they didn’t look away from each other either.
Stuck in an emotional shootout, neither drawing first.
Thor studied how Bruce’s hand was still wrapped tightly around a pen, jotting something down every few moments- whether consciously or not. And it made Thor wonder what went on inside the mans head.
He was chaos under a head of curls, mismatched thoughts all rushing past each other faster than his mind could process them, hand twitching in a desperate effort to write them down; so he could come back to them at a later date- when he had the time to think them.
He had an electricity to him, an aura of static charge, that led thor in and kept him at bay all at once.
His smile contained swirls of galaxies, his eyes a sunset, and Thor couldn’t think of anything more beautiful.
The more he got to know Bruce, the more attractive he became.
The tilt of his glasses were an endearing mathematical angle, the mess of his curls an intoxicating style, his cowering form addictive; his whole being ethereal.
Thor listened to loki drawl on about his plays, rehearsing lines of great romance, speaking of an infatuation recorded down so perfectly in a way thor could never achieve but would feel every day; in a way he would previously scoff at but now appreciated for its accuracy.
Bruce had the type of beauty to make you appreciate art, because he was the creator, the muse, and the masterpiece all at once.
If either of them bothered to look away from the other for three seconds, they would see that Brunhilde had only left to go and sit at the coffee bar with Loki- who was currently working behind it in Thor’s absence.
Loki handed her a coffee wordlessly and leant against the counter, watching as Bruce timidly pointed to the seat in front of him and Thor shyly took it, the pair of them redder than fire trucks.
“I’m going to be a thousand before they even kiss” he groaned, burying his head in his arms, growling when Brunhilde patted his head and murmured something about grease.
They continued to watch the pair, talking excitedly and gestaricly amongst themselves, grinning and laughing as often as they did breathe, it was sickening.
“Bet you a muffin Bruce makes the first move” Loki announced, pointing at the fresh batch in the display case.
Thor was all muscles, he could be strategic when it came to the smaller things- but when it came to the heart, he was useless.
Bruce seemed to be a little bit more in tune with his emotions, he just needed to tune in to Thor’s as well.
If either of them would just break down the wall of denial that obstructed their logical thinking- then loki wouldn’t be sat cringing at his brother right now.
“You’re on” they shook hands and returning to watching the not yet couple, only stopping when turning to hush a customer as they attempted to order.
“Do you ever feel like someone is watching you?” Thor asked Bruce lowly, stopping their earlier conversation, sipping at his drink and cleaning his lips with his tongue.
Bruce stated at him, head tilting “like the world?”
“Like my brother and Brunhilde” Thor replies casually, but being careful not to look over at them, so Bruce did the same and kept his gaze on Thor.
“Brunhilde...wait how did you know-“ Bruce started to panic, was this a set up, had she said something ?
Did Thor know??
Bruce never mentioned her name..
“We have English together, and her Loki and I all train on the weekends- we are quite good companions” Thor told him, watching Bruce with a worried glance.
Well she certainly left that out.
“Bruce is everything all right, you look a little pale-“ Thor began, beginning to edge closer and Bruce backed away instantly.
“No, I- I think I should go” he stumbled out of his chair and rushed to get past Thor, who stood up and moved to block his path; fingers winding around Bruce’s wrist- soft enough that Bruce could easily break free but hard enough to know he wanted him to stay.
“What did I do? Bruce however I hurt you-“
Thor’s face was so broken at the idea of hurting or offending Bruce that it wrenched at Bruce’s heart in a way which made him sick.
Seeing Thor’s features washed with such guilt and worry, made Bruce feel like he had taken a knife to a painting, smashing and slicing it to pieces-... like he had ruined soenthing beautiful
“You didn’t do anything Thor, I’m sure you were just doing what she asked, as a friend- but I don’t need charity. I don’t want people to be forced to talk to me-“
Thor made a low noise of confusion in his throat, fingers twitching against Bruce’s pulse.
“Bruce, no one is forcing me to be with you? In fact, if anything it would have to be the opposite.”
Before Bruce could even blush Thor was barrelling on, having found a wave of adrenaline sourced from the fear of Bruce walking from his life and never returning.
Memories of those three days without Bruce lingering in his thoughts.
“Brunhilde has been trying to set me up with a friend of hers for a few weeks, nerdy guy, and at first I thought about it- he sounded nice enough”
Bruce frowned as jealously filled his senses, bitter and blinding.
“But then you came into my life, all wet hair and shy smiles, and without knowing it you’ve stolen every piece of my heart; and I am happy giving it to you as I know the empty space in my chest is reserved for you, that it’s your place” Thor’s eyes had never seemed so bright, or his presence so close, his whole body rigid with intent as he urged Bruce to hear him.
Thor had the face of paintings and the words of a poem. And Bruce was drowning in every aspect of him, every brush stroke and cursive word, so much so he nearly missed half of what Thor said.
“I... I have your heart?” Bruce choked out, hand twitching in the air for a second before coming to rest against Thor’s chest, above the thrum of his heart.
“Every single piece” Thor confirmed with a smile so soft it made Bruce feel like a good person, why else would this boy love him.
“You uh... have mine too...” Bruce hid his flush, biting his lip to stop from screaming.
His fingers jostled as Thor laughed, low and hearty and happy.
“I’m glad to hear” he whispered.
They stood there a few moments longer, enjoying the close proximity and the buzz of confession that made the air feel static around them.
Bruce rose his head to meet Thor’s eyes and felt his heart sputter out an uneven rhythm, stopping all together at one point before starting up again faster than before.
Thor looked at Bruce like he was beautiful, and it was enough to make him believe it.
Bruce slid his hand from Thor’s chest to his cheek, fingers getting lost in the locks of blonde and thumb resting on the highest point of his cheekbone, dragging along its surface making Thor’s eyes fluttering shut.
Bruce wanted to trace every feature of his face as though he were blind, so his senses too would know the appearance of Thor.
Thor’s cheek rose as he grinned, hands resting low on Bruce’s waist.
“I think they have a wager going” Bruce whispered, the pair of them so close it was hard to know who’s words were who’s.
“Hmm, probably on who makes the first move” Thor nodded, hands tightening on his waist.
“Who should?” Bruce all but panted, fingers dragging against Thor’s scalp.
“What if we move in sync? After all we share hearts” Thor suggested lowly.
Bruce didn’t wait for Thor to move in time with him, he threw himself forwards, pulling Thor towards him as he pressed their lips together like he’d dreamed about for months.
Thor responded immediately and pulled Bruce closer, using a hand on his lower back to press him against him, fighting back a smile as he returned Bruce’s kiss with fever.
It was better than all the time Bruce had let his mind wander to it, it was real.
He could feel the gentle scratch of Thor’s stubble against his chin and cheeks as the man crowded closer and parted his lips, he could smell traces of rain and coffee on his skin as he held him, and he could feel the lips that made Thor smile, joint to his own.
Bruce moved to kiss the corner of Thor’s mouth, with just as much intensity, murmuring as he moved up to his cheeks and forehead and eyelids, catching he breath as he went.
“What are you saying?” Thor questioned, kissing Bruce’s lips again briefly before he responded, enjoying the dazed expression it gave him.
“Something I shouldn’t “ Bruce played with the hair on the back of Thor’s neck.. looking at him in a way which told Thor exactly what Bruce had muttered against his skin.
And he moved forward, kissing him in a way which said it back.
- - -
“So,” Loki began, smirking.
“No! Thor had the whole speech! He confessed first. Give me my mufffin” she attempted to open the cabinet but Loki had already placed it on a plate and was handing it to her, sighing.
“Do you think they’ll ever realise you planned to set them up with eachother? ” Loki asked, genuinely interested in how long it would take them to work it out, tasting a bet on his tongue.
“It will probably take them at least a week”
Brunhilde stared at him with a mouthful of muffin, turning to watch as Thor planted himself in one of the arm chairs and pulled Bruce down with him, the pair of them laughing as they fell.
“You’re on Odinson”