1.

Bruce wrings his hands, eyes darting around the room, looking anywhere but at Pepper or Tony. He knows they assume this is one of his genius oddities, but really he's spent so many years avoiding people, he's forgotten how to act around them. He tries to smile and listen when Pepper talks, because it's only polite, and he makes noises of interest, when he remembers, if she talks to him about the latest fashions, but it's Tony really who gives him the most trouble.

Tony likes to touch Bruce's arm or hand in the middle of a conversation, he likes to tease Bruce and his words are always accompanied by a wink or a half-grin that makes Bruce's stomach flutter in not entirely uncomfortable ways. Bruce doesn't know if this is normal behavior, and he doesn't know who to ask. He certainly can't ask Tony, and every time he thinks about asking Pepper he blushes, because something just feels wrong about all of this.

"Relax," Pepper says, smiling as she reaches out a hand to touch Bruce's arm and that certainly doesn't help him relax. She's always so warm and friendly, but she's a woman and she's Tony's ex-girlfriend, and Bruce just doesn't know what he's supposed to say around her. "It's just dinner with us. We promise we won't bite."

"I can't promise that," Tony says. "I mean, I get a little wine in me and suddenly biting seems like a pretty good idea. I would say I'll make sure the marks aren't visible, but I can't promise that either. I like claiming things." He grins, a smile that flashes teeth and bad intentions, and Bruce can't help the blush that's rising on his cheeks.

"Stop that." Pepper smacks Tony's arm and gives him a little frown that means she's unhappy with him. "Bruce, it was a figure of speech. Tony's being a jerk. What do you want me to make you for dinner? It can be anything."

Bruce looks at Pepper, because that's safer than looking at Tony. "Uh, can I think about it?"

"Of course."

The next day Pepper comes home and opens the fridge to grab a snack. The fridge is crammed full of food, a casserole, a garden salad, and there are brownies cooling on the counter. There's a sticky note next to the brownies.

'Sorry for the short notice, but they need me in the Congo. I'm sorry I can't be there for dinner, but I hope this makes up for it.' –Bruce

"You ran all the way to the Congo to escape dinner with Pepper?"

Bruce looks up from the report he's filing to see Tony standing in the middle of Bruce's tent that serves as an office, a bedroom, and a place for patients if they're desperate. Tony's in a full suit, and Bruce can't imagine how he hasn't melted yet.

"How'd you find me?" Bruce asks.

Tony waves a hand. "Easy. Come home, Bruce."

Bruce protests because there are people here who need him, but Tony isn't used to being told no so in three days Bruce is on the Stark Jet flying back to Manhattan.

2.

"What are you studying today?" Tony asks. He rests his chin on Bruce's shoulder so he can look at the screen Bruce has been staring at so intently for the past hour.

Bruce manages not to flinch at the touch, but he can't bring himself to relax. Tony's chin is bony, digging into Bruce's shoulder, and Tony's body is close enough to have Bruce on edge but no close enough to feel the hard plane of his chest against Bruce's back, not that Bruce wants Tony to touch him.

"Science stuff," Bruce says.

He can feel Tony's smirk, and it doesn't make him feel any better.

"Science stuff?" Tony laughs. "That's not up to your usual eloquence. Am I making you uncomfortable, Dr. Banner?"

Tony's voice deepens until it's a low rumble in Bruce's ear, and Bruce can't help the slight shiver that runs down his spine. He wonders what Tony would do if Bruce turned his head and kissed him, because they're close enough for it, and he's pretty sure Tony's sending out interested signals, but humans can't be predicted with formulas and calculations so Bruce doesn't move.

The next day he packs up his bags and leaves for Malaysia. He's only going there temporarily, until he can shake off this weird attraction he has to someone who is supposed to be his teammate and his friend. What he needs is to focus on work, and focusing is much easier without Tony's breath tickling his ear or his smile tearing down all Bruce's carefully constructed defenses.

"Oh, that's disgusting," Tony says, gagging a little as Bruce reaches his hands between a screaming woman's legs to pull a baby out. The baby is covered in blood and placenta, and Tony reminds himself that he's a very successful businessman and a superhero so he can't vomit at the sight of a child being born.

"There was a keep out sign," Bruce says, unconcerned that it's only taken Tony two weeks to find him. He hands the baby to a waiting nurse so he can make sure the mother's okay.

"Since when do I listen?" Tony asks.

Bruce can't argue with that. He takes his gloves off and washes his hands and takes the clean and swaddled baby from his nurse. He holds the baby out to Tony. "You want to hold her?"

"No way."

Bruce grins. "What, the great Tony Stark is afraid of a newborn baby?"

"It's tiny."

Bruce frowns. "She. The baby is not an it. She's a beautiful little girl." Bruce smiles down at her and cuddles her against his chest. There's something so humbling about holding human life at such an early stage. She's completely helpless, dependent on him, and she looks up at him with glassy brown eyes full of complete trust. She's not afraid of him, of what he can become. She sees him as someone who will help her, protect her, and it fills him with joy.

"You're a sap," Tony says. "Give the baby back to her mother and come home."

3.

"You're still down here?" Tony asks. "This must be a difficult puzzle."

Bruce pushes his glasses up his face and turns to see Tony standing in the doorway of the labs. Bruce's hair has started to get long, because he hasn't cut it and when he runs his hands through it, it frizzes out like the beginnings of a fro. It's a weird look when combined with the glasses and the tweed jacket, and Tony makes a mental note to get Bruce a hair appointment.

"I'll get it," Bruce says.

"Not if you starve to death," Tony says. "Stop working and come eat with me."

Bruce waves a hand, already back staring at the data in front of him. "I've almost got it."

Tony snorts. "That's your code for I'm still hours away, but I want you to stop bothering me. We're eating." Bruce opens his mouth to protest but Tony speaks first. "I have pad thai."

Bruce pauses, his mouth watering, and his stomach grumbles, reminding him that it has been a long time since he last ate, but he frowns at Tony's easy knowledge of Bruce's code speak and soft spot for take-out thai.

Tony grins. "What? You've been living here for six months, Bruce. I'm allowed to know your mannerisms."

Bruce leaves his research to eat with Tony, because he really can't turn down pad thai or the fact that Tony is concerned about him, Tony who only ever seems to care about himself and his inventions, and he goes to bed that night smiling, because he's not alone anymore. He has friends who know his habits, and he's missed that feeling of closeness, but then he remembers what happens when he gets close to people.

He leaves a note on the fridge where he knows Tony will see it when he goes to get the milk for his oatmeal in the morning.

'Earthquake in Haiti. They need all the help they can get.' –Bruce

"No thank you," Bruce says, waving away the boy who's brought him a cup of coffee. This is the third day in the row this same kid has tried to give Bruce coffee and while he appreciates the gesture, he's already told him twice that he can't drink coffee. He ignores the voice in the back of his head telling him that Tony always has tea ready when Bruce wakes up.

"But Americans like coffee," the boys says, holding the cup out again.

"I'll drink it for him." Tony plucks the cup out of the boy's hand and drains it. "That was disgusting. Be glad you didn't drink it."

Bruce looks over the list of supplies versus the list of what the Haitians need trying to ignore the smile stretching across his face, because Tony has come after him, and what he sees is enough to wipe the smile off his face. It isn't enough. It's never enough. Bruce rubs his temples and wonders how he's going to make what they have stretch.

"They probably don't have your special tea here," Tony says.

"No but they need me. I can give up drinking tea for a couple months." Bruce holds up his charts to emphasize his point.

Tony scans the lists. "Come home and I'll donate $100,000 to the relief effort."

Bruce hesitates only a moment. "What time are we flying out?"

4.

"Relax," Tony says. "We're just two guys going to a movie. You're freaking out like this is a first date or something."

Bruce offers up a weak smile and tugs at the collar of his shirt, again. He doesn't go out much, and he's dressed better than he has in weeks, and Tony's in a suit, and they're going to a movie so yeah, it's really kind of like a date, but obviously it's not because Tony doesn't like him that way.

Bruce doesn't know why he's so upset about that, because he doesn't like Tony that way either, and even if he did it would be completely inappropriate, and romantic relationships never work out very well for him. They're just two guys going to a movie.

Since they're friends, it doesn't mean anything when Tony's leg rests against Bruce's partway through the movie, so there's no reason for Bruce to pull back, and if he enjoys the warm touch of Tony's leg more than he should it's fine, because no one has to know. And since they're friends, it's not weird when Tony reaches his hand into the bag of popcorn on Bruce's lap, and it's certainly not weird that there's only a tiny scrap of paper separating Tony's hand and Bruce's crotch. And it's completely normal for friends to lean over to whisper in each other's ears, and Bruce doesn't remember what Tony said, but he remembers the raspy tone of his voice and Tony's breath hot against his ear.

"We should do that again sometime," Tony says as they leave the theater. "It's good for you to get out of the Tower."

"I do get out of the Tower," Bruce says. "You know, sometimes."

Tony gives him a 'don't try and bullshit me' look. "It can't be healthy you being cooped up all the time. You need to get out more."

Tony doesn't want Bruce in the Tower? Maybe he's overstayed his welcome. Usually Bruce knows when that happens because it involves him turning into a green monster and destroying things, but he hasn't had an incident since moving in. It's weird that Tony doesn't like Bruce, because people usually like Bruce, it's the Hulk they don't like, but Tony isn't like normal people.

Bruce leaves two tickets for the ballet on the counter. 'Sorry for imposing. Take Pepper out. It's on me.' –Bruce

"This isn't what I meant when I told you to get out of the Tower, and you know it," Tony says, crossing his arms over his chest.

Bruce is sitting on his cot in Burma, and this is a record for Tony. It's only taken him four days to come after Bruce. Bruce doesn't understand why Tony keeps sending him mixed signals. They're friends, but he's constantly flirting. Bruce leaves which should be fine if they're friends, but Tony doesn't like living without him which suggests more than friends. Tony says he needs space but apparently that's not what he means, because Bruce thought he'd put a lot of space between them.

"You said I needed to get out more," Bruce says. "So I did."

Tony shakes his head as he realizes that Bruce is being serious. "You're an idiot." He ruffles Bruce's hair to soften the words. "I want you with me. Please come home."

Bruce feels a flutter in his chest at the words. Tony wants to be with him? Tony said please? Bruce smiles and reaches out to grasp the hand Tony's extended.

5.

They go on a work binge, pulling an all-nighter like they're in grad school and working on their thesis, and things start to get a little crazy by the time the sun has started to rise. Tony is stumbling around the room, too tired to pace properly, and it's messing with his ability to think through the engineering problem he has.

Bruce is mumbling to himself, trying to keep the screen in focus, but his eyes keep crossing. He hates going to sleep with an unsolved puzzle, but his head hurts, and his hands have started to shake, and he might have to sleep on this one.

"Ah!" Tony slips on the screws he spilled at around 3am and never bothered to clean up. He falls to the floor and lays there, groaning. "Ow. Brucie, come help me up."

Bruce raises his eyebrows. "Brucie? Really? You thought that would get me to help you?"

Tony grins. "You're snarky when you're tired. Now get that cute little ass over here and help me."

Bruce blushes but he goes over to give Tony a hand up. Tony's dead weight, doing nothing to help himself up, and Bruce is tired so instead of pulling Tony up, he topples over, barely managing to not land on top of Tony.

"That didn't go as planned," Bruce says, throwing an arm over his face because the lights in the lab are really kind of bright.

"Eh, the ground's not so bad," Tony says. He scoots over and lifts up one of Bruce's arms and wraps it around him. Before Bruce can protest, Tony's resting his head on Bruce's chest and has an arm thrown over Bruce's chest. "You're pretty comfortable too."

"We can't sleep like this," Bruce says, but he's tired and Tony's warm, and moving seems like an awful lot of effort right now.

"Maybe you can't," Tony mumbles. He holds Bruce tighter so Bruce closes his eyes and lets sleep overtake him.

The next morning, Bruce gingerly lifts Tony's arm off him, careful not to wake the other man. He's thinking clearer now that he's had some rest and that definitely wasn't a good thing. Friends didn't fall asleep together on the floor of their labs. Did that make Bruce and Tony something other than friends? Maybe?

He had liked the feel of Tony curled around him, liked having someone so close to him, but Tony hadn't been in a good state of mind when he'd decided to sleep with Bruce. No one was safe close to Bruce, and if Tony couldn't be trusted to keep his own safety in mind then Bruce would have to make sure he kept Tony safe, even if that meant going on a brief vacation.

It isn't that Bruce doesn't like Tony, because he does. He likes Tony a lot, but Bruce's feelings mean nothing when the Hulk comes out, and Bruce doesn't want Tony getting hurt. He definitely doesn't want to be the one hurting Tony, so it might hurt Bruce to walk away from this relationship that they have, but he'll do it if that's what it takes to protect Tony.

He leaves the note stuck to the coffee maker. 'The suit is off balance because the screws you used on the right side are a size larger than the ones on the left. It's an easy fix.' -Bruce

Bruce is a good doctor to have in a civil war zone, because he can't be killed, and if anyone tries to kidnap him they're in for a nasty green surprise. He's treating a shrapnel wound in a hastily erected tent, trying to ignore the fact that the boy he's treating can't be more than thirteen and all he wants to for his arm to heal so he can pick up a gun again.

"Was my morning breath that bad?"

Tony's standing in the middle of the tent, and Bruce panics remembering the last time Tony got caught in a war zone. He finishes with the boy's bandage and grabs Tony by the shoulders.

"This place is too dangerous for you."

Tony smiles at the concern and taps his chest, his fingers clinking against the arc reactor. "I've already shown that a little shrapnel can't stop me. I'm getting awfully tired of having to come and fetch you home. Maybe I should get one of those collars that zaps you every time you try to cross the invisible fence."

Bruce doesn't mind Tony coming to get him. He likes the reminder that he's wanted, that Tony might even need him, and that's why he keeps coming after Bruce. Bruce likes the plane rides home where Tony sits right next to him, a hand on Bruce's leg as if that will keep Bruce from running away again. Bruce always resolves that he'll stay, that this trip will have been the last one, but then he gets scared, and he leaves again, but Tony always comes after him.

"I'm not a dog, Tony," Bruce says, but he likes the idea of belonging to Tony.

6.

Bruce hates trying to figure out what he and Tony are. He knows that Tony slips out of the boxes people try to put him and denies definition, but Bruce wants to know where the two of them are at. Are they friends? Are they more? Are they less? Are they something else entirely? Sometimes when they're eating dinner, just the two of them because its 10pm, and they'd been too caught up in their work to notice, Tony will lean in really close like he's about to kiss Bruce but then he'll wipe away some soy sauce at the corner of Bruce's mouth or swipe Bruce's water chestnuts, and it leaves Bruce with a hammering heart and faint blush on his cheeks.

Bruce is waiting for the computer to calculate things when he realizes he's been approaching this the wrong way. It isn't enough to observe their interactions, because there is no control group to compare their relationship to. There are too many variables which means an experiment is in order. Bruce will kiss Tony, and if he kisses him back then Bruce will have learned something. If he doesn't, well, Bruce will still have learned something.

Tony is leaning over his workbench, one hand on the wood for balance, the other holding a drill. Bruce crosses the room and, before he can change his mind, taps Tony on the shoulder. Tony looks up, pushing his safety goggles up so they push his hair flat against his head.

"Is everything all right?" he asks.

Bruce leans in and kisses him. He doesn't know much about kissing besides the fact that mouths need to touch, but he hopes that Tony will respond, and Tony should know enough to make up for Bruce's inexperience.

He's starting to panic, because Tony hasn't responded, when he hears the click of heels coming closer. He pulls back just in time for Pepper to stride through the doors.

"Dinner's ready," she says. She frowns when she sees Tony, eyes wide, mouth open, frozen in shock. "Tony, are you all right?"

Tony shakes himself. "Yeah, fine. Dinner you said?"

Fine, Bruce thinks. What's that supposed to mean? He wants to run another experiment, but Pepper's here, and he's already corrupted the sample so he doesn't think another experiment is possible. Besides, Tony hadn't been responding so there's a conclusion, just one that Bruce doesn't want to admit. Tony doesn't find him to be a viable romantic partner and by kissing him, Bruce has probably ruined any chance they might have had at continuing to work together.

"Laos," Bruce says before running out the door.

Bruce has been in Laos for a month before he finally begins to accept the truth. Tony isn't coming after him. He hadn't wanted him to, Bruce doesn't think he could handle the embarrassment if he did, but that didn't keep him from hoping that Tony would come. Tony always came. No matter where Bruce went, Tony would find him and bring him home.

Bruce has to accept what the evidence suggests. Tony doesn't want him home anymore.

Bruce shoves the thought out of his head and goes back to work. He can't afford distractions. He's needed here and that's enough for him. He ignores the pain in his chest that says otherwise.

It's another week before Bruce gets company. He keeps his ears trained for any sound that isn't normal, for any hint that there's a stranger amongst the sick and those helping them. There's an unfamiliar crunch of boots outside his tent, and he spins around, holding his breath, but it isn't Tony who walks through the door.

"Agent Coulson?" Bruce asks, trying not to deflate too visibly at the sight of him.

"There's a situation. We need you to come in."

"A Hulk situation?"

Coulson shakes his head. "Tony's in the hospital.

Bruce Skypes Pepper from the plane. She's with Tony, and she's happy to turn the computer so Bruce can see him. He's lying in a hospital bed, and Bruce hates hospital beds. He hates the gowns even more. They make everyone look so fragile, more sick than they really are. The gray under Tony's eyes, and the ghost-like paleness in his cheeks isn't the Tony Bruce is used to. This has to be some trick.

"Hey," Bruce says, once he can talk past the lump in his throat. "I'm on my way back."

Tony smiles, but his eyes are glazed, and Bruce wonders how much medication he's on. "Of course. I asked for the best doctor in the world."

Bruce closes his fist and pretends he's holding Tony's hand. "I'm going to be there soon, okay?"

"I'll just sleep 'til you get here. My mind is very cozy. It's like a fire in the middle of winter."

"Poetry, Tony?" Bruce asks, ignoring the tears prickling in his eyes. "Are you serious?"

"I bet you didn't know it," Tony says, a sleepy grin on his face, "but I'm a damn good poet."

Bruce laughs, but it turns into a sob halfway through and he shuts the computer. Coulson pretends that he didn't see or hear anything.

Bruce runs through the hospital hallways, brushing by the nurse who says family only, until he's inside Tony's private room. Pepper is curled up in the arm chair, half-asleep, and Tony is staring up at the ceiling. He looks even worse than he had through the computer, but he's still alive, so Bruce runs to his side and grabs one of his hands.

Bruce can't believe he'd been so selfish. How could he had left Tony? Just because things might have been awkward and Bruce was feeling uncomfortable, and things were different than he was used to was no reason to run away. Their natural state is friends, and they'll always return to that state so abandoning Tony is out of the question. Friends don't abandon each other. No matter what.

Bruce clutches Tony's hand and touches it to his cheek. It's cold, clammy, and he smells like hospital.

"Ow," Tony says, but he turns his head, and he sees Bruce and his face breaks out into a tired smile. "You're here. I didn't think you'd come."

"Of course I did," Bruce says. "I'll always come home."

Tony wiggles his hand until he can lace his fingers through Bruce's. "I'll always want you to."