Affairs of the Arc Reactor (DarkledMind and Eli)

[DarkledMind]

Tony laughed, shifting the car into park before stepping out, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I have actually been here before. That's just how I found out about it." He passed by the scientists and tilted his sun glasses down,staring at him with a grin on his face and a raised brow. "Do you have no faith in me, friend? We have saved the world together." There was a small, almost non-existent snap at Bruce, but it was there and subtle, except the slight twitch in Tony' smile.


Extravagantly, Stark opened up the glass door to the tiny little bar, packed full of people. The air was warm and filled with the smells of Asia inspired dishes, and not too loud, unlike the Lamborghini Veneo that started to drive away to a parking space. He bowed, and gestured for the (surprisingly not under dressed) Banner to enter the establishment.


"Bar or table? I can get either." He snorted at himself, cynical and darker than he was not moments ago.

 

[Eli]

Banner clambered out of the cabin and stepped onto the sidewalk. The car door automatically closed behind him. As Tony strode round the car the scientist fiddled with his shirt sleeve. It was hanging open, the button having fallen off earlier that day. He'd need to sew it back on later. His eyes lifted to meet Stark's, which were no longer obstructed by the sunglasses.


"Do you have no faith in me, friend? We have saved the world together." His friend had a grin on his face, but the scientist detected a faint, nearly imperceptible undercurrent of something else under that smile.


Bruce's restless hands moved from his shirtsleeve to the hem of his shirt. "Well, the Other Guy smashed stuff. Doesn't quite equate with my definition of 'saving the world'." He broke away from his friend's gaze, and as they paced towards the restaurant entrance he offered, "But I did leave my newly-established hideout to come here." Purposefully lightening his tone, he added, "You should be honored."


They stepped into the busy bar; the atmosphere was warm, and the patrons chattered at a respectable volume. The scent of food, of spices and rice and sauces, reminded the scientist of the hollowness of his stomach.


"Bar or table? I can get either," Tony said, adopting a sardonic tone.


Bruce instinctively surveyed the entrances and exits, the windows, the empty seats and where they were situated, and considered possible routes of efficient escape. He nodded towards an empty table that seemed to have a good vantage point of the diners and the doors. "That table, maybe? Seems cozy." He tried to avoid sitting at bars when he could help it -- they made him feel exposed.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony let Bruce go before him and bit his thick bottom lip hard, bruising it very slightly and keeping it red for the rest of the night. He really was perturbed by all of the little nit pickings of his friend. No matter what he did to try and levy the conversation into a comfortable situation, but at every turn he was being asked questions and judged. He made a disappointed click and walked into the bar behind Bruce.


So when a table was pointed out, he pat his friend on the back and began leading him over to the small wooden table with black, square stools for them to sit on. And instead of letting Bruce sit where he wanted, the reactive billionaire pulled him over and made him sit right next to Tony. He felt jealous almost, but of what he didn't know. Normality? Was that even a thing even more?

 

[Eli]

Bruce stiffened as Tony pat his back, but forced the tension out of his shoulders. The other man was more touchy than Bruce ever was; it didn't help that over the course of several years the scientist hadn't met many people aware of his condition who were actually willing to come within a few feet of him. The warm hand resting on his back felt odd, out of place, but not unpleasant. Still, he had to rein himself in to not shrug the hand off. Tony was paying for his food, after all.


His friend directed him to the table he pointed out; it was neatly set and clean, not a single crumb to be seen on its surface. Banner moved to settle into the stool he'd been eyeing, but was suddenly tugged away to sit beside Stark. He resisted feebly, and ultimately complied, although his gaze flitted back to the other stool briefly. He pulled at the collar of his shirt before folding his hands in his lap. He stared at his fingers as they ran listlessly over his knuckles. The Other Guy was tapping at his skull incessantly; tiredness combined with hunger tended to make him more easily distracted by the ceaseless disturbance in his mind.


A prim waiter strode to their table in quick, clipped steps. "Hello, and welcome to Momofuku Ssam." He handed them their menus; there were separate ones for the dinner menu and the alcoholic beverages. "We are delighted to host you this evening," his eyes sparked with excitement as they brushed over Tony Stark. "Is there anything I can get you to start you off?" He proceeded to explain their specials, what they were offering tonight, and asked what they would like to drink.


Banner's head snapped back up when the waiter approached. His eyes skimmed over the menu as it was handed to him; flowery words, but it all looked enticing. He placed it on the table and asked for water when prompted before glancing at Tony. He might drink something more interesting later; right now he just wanted to get food in his stomach.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony nodded and smiled graciously at the waiter, giving a quick eye over the two menus. He noted a few of the seasonal dishes, but decided to first go with the classics. Even though he felt hurt and even angered, Stark still wanted to show his friend a good time, and maybe a reason besides the nanotech to stay for a while. It is now Avenger's Tower, rather than just Stark Tower.


The billionaire then started pointing to the menu that was while small, packed with options galore. "Let's see. Why don't we start off with the oysters as well as the Santa Barbara uni, then the mason jar, steamed buns and... country ham." Tony realized that yes, it was a lot of food which was generally frowned upon in higher end restaurants, but he was hungry and could tell 'Brucie' was as well. Plus the country ham would help with the hangover he was planning on procuring for tomorrow morning. And how else are you going to get the flavor of a restaurant with out such a wide variety of food?


Tony then turned to the drinks menu, which was larger than the food menu. It was a bar, more than a restaurant. "We'll both have water and the oolong tea," he paused to tap Banner's hand "you'll love the tea, trust me, and I'll have the penicillin as well." He paused and placed the menu down, then added, "Do you want to try anything first?" He rotated on the seat, leaning on his elbow slightly away from Bruce to give him some air to breathe. Behind the glasses was a slight glare that quickly turned to a look of genuine interest. He knew that the doctor did philanthropic work in Kenya and other parts of Africa, but what about Asia? Did he know any of the food and would he want it?

 

[Eli]

Tony pointed and prattled off several items from the menu. It was a lot of food, but Bruce certainly had no qualms with that; they went through the trouble to get here, he was hungry, and he was going to eat. Bruce squinted at the options under "seafood" as Tony scrutinized the beverage menu.


"We'll both have water and the oolong tea." Banner raised his head as Tony pat his hand and continued, "You'll love the tea, trust me, and I'll have the penicillin as well." Bruce groped for his glasses and slipped them on, and tried to read the menu once more while nodding along to Tony's suggestion of tea. He glanced at the description of 'penicillin' -- a typical Tony drink. His friend's voice, no longer directed at the attentive waiter, prompted, "Do you want to try anything first?"


"Uhh--" He held the menu at eye level and immediately something caught his attention."I'll try the seafood hot pot." He looked up at the waiter, who was jotting their order down rapidly. Tony had ordered enough food for now -- he was looking forward to the mason jar, as he'd heard of kimchi before but had never tasted it, and the steamed buns sounded good -- and he nodded at the waiter to signify that that was sufficient for him.


The waiter glanced at them both, in case they wanted to add anything, collected their dinner menus then offered them a smile."Wonderful choices. We'll get your drinks to you right away." He whisked off to submit the orders.


Banner shifted in his seat, acknowledging how Tony had given him a little more space. He loosened up slightly, and thought aloud, "I had a lot of kohlrabi in India. It looks funny, but it's not half bad. And sambal -- tried that in Indonesia, when I stopped there for a few weeks." It was nostalgic -- his travels had brought him to many different cultures, where he'd tasted strange foods, attempted new tongues, and had been forced to interact with unfamiliar people.


He had begun to describe an interesting family he had met in India, in an attempt to appease Tony, who seemed to be expecting something, but halted in his speech. With those memories resurfacing in his mind he recalled several events that were less than pleasant, and he looked away from Tony and returned to tugging at the cuff of his shirt. He'd held the hand of that family's dying child; there was an accident, an ensuing infection and they couldn't afford or reach a half-decent doctor in time... It was something he'd seen so, so often, but frustration bubbled up in his gut; he was too tired to feel hollow about his failures like he normally did. Banner barricaded all thoughts of India from the forefront of his mind.


Soon the waiter returned, delivering their drinks. To occupy his hands he tenderly held the steaming oolong tea and blew on it, knowing he would burn himself otherwise.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony was an observant man, and far from stupid as well. He noticed how often the man next to him would fidget with the cuff of his shirt and the ragged and torn hem. Of course his friend would be nervous in such a situation, but he had rapidly dismissed it in the midst of his oncoming depression and anxiety. He was nearly tempted to send Bruce to whatever 'home' he desired next. But the gnawing in his gut that wasn't hunger spoke up again, making that reality a false one.


He had never actually seen whole kolrabi before, only having tried it in dishes, fine ones at that. And while he was fascinated with the man's tale, it suddenly and awkwardly ended. Tony puckered his mouth in disappointment, then leaned onto the table almost exasperatedly. He picked up his cocktail and sipped from it, the warm flavors of honey and ginger reaching every corner of his mouth and coating his palette pleasantly.


An idea popped into his head and he quickly sat up, turning towards the nuclear engineer on the stool, and placing a hand on his knee to support his slouch. He pointed at Bruce's hand as to make a point. "We should get you one of those spinner rings to save the hems of your shirts." A smile leaped onto his face. Nearly giggling, he added, "They have this ring available that is made out of dinosaur fossils and meteorite. I almost got one just to say I did."

 

[Eli]

Tony pointed at Bruce's hand, which was currently pulling a string on the hem of his shirt. "We should get you one of those spinner rings to save the hems of your shirts."


His eyes slid down to his lap. The scientist consciously stilled his hand at Tony's recognition of his constant fidgeting, and clasped his knee instead. Bruce chuckled. "I had a spinner ring, once." With a crooked, humorless smile he added, "It... broke." He rocked back on his stool and took a sip of the tea. Good flavor. It made his stomach feel a little less empty.


He normally took good care of his clothes -- he had one other shirt besides the one he was wearing -- but the hems and cuffs often frayed and the buttons had a tendency to fall off. He had to make his few resources last, and over the years he'd become quite adept at tending to his tattered clothing. This one had lasted him through months of work and travel, which for him, was a considerable feat.


Stark's voice brightened, "They have this ring available that is made of dinosaur fossils and meteorite. I almost got one just to say I did."


"I don't know if I'd sport a dinosaur fossil and meteorite one," he scratched at the nape of his neck, "but they do work." Actually, the idea of a ring crafted from such ancient bones stirred the distant, dinosaur-loving child within him, but he couldn't deny how spectacularly wasteful it seemed. "We'll get a set for the Avengers -- Rogers can get the dinosaur one."

 

[DarkledMind]

"I had a spinner ring once... it broke." Immediately Tony began thinking if he could create a super metal that would stretch, form, and shrink when Bruce went Hulked out. He then began thinking that would be a great idea if he could spin it into a fabric that Bruce could wear that could also double as an armor. Bruce did go into a lot of high stress, war-torn countries, so having a simple armor that could protect him from wounds would be highly beneficial.


The genius' head was whirring with thoughts and equations as he sipped from his cocktail again. He almost wish he had a pen and paper right now and might even change to conversation to the idea. Except then Bruce spoke up once more, "We'll get a set for the Avengers--Rogers can get the dinosaur one."


The usually dignified celebrity snorted heavily in amusement and held the back of his hand up to his face, hoping that the thick alcohol wouldn't spit out of his nose. It didn't quite, but soon his eyes were watering and he was laughing so hard at the whole situation that he could barely breathe. He set his cocktail down and then picked up his water, waving his hand back and forth, fanning himself, as his now raspy laugh continued.


He downed the water quickly, then turned to Bruce with a huge grin on his face. Playfully he turned serious and pointed at the scientist next to him. "Don't do that ever again."

 

[Eli]

At Bruce's comment Tony flew off into a fit of laughter, his shoulders wracking as he tried not to sputter his drink. Seeing Tony struggling to compose himself elicited a rare, true smile from Bruce, and a light chuckle fluttered from his throat. He startled himself with such a reaction and his grin faltered, although there was still an airiness in his chest. That didn't happen often.


Tony's expression, stretched from his grin, slackened into mock seriousness. "Don't do that ever again."


Banner sipped his tea. "I can make no guarantees." He plucked his glasses off his nose and folded them up once more. They rested in his still palms. The scientist's head shot up as two waiters strode to their tiny table, adorned with a variety of delicious-smelling food. Bruce unconsciously licked his lips and his stomach rumbled grouchily. He could never keep up with his metabolism, but tonight he was aiming for a full stomach.


Plate upon plate was set before them. The colorful array of foods were all prepared with an artist's deft hand; not a single splatter or splotch marred the immaculate plates. Banner tucked his glasses away and resisted the intrinsic urge to automatically dig in.


The waiters refilled their drinks and asked if they could serve them anything else; the second one was struggling to remain stationary and was fingering his notepad anxiously. The waiter, who was younger than the one who had taken their orders, repeatedly glanced at Tony. The kid obviously wanted an autograph from Stark, and Banner vaguely wondered what it was like for the other man. Bruce always felt as if people were watching him; for Tony, that was a constant reality.


His train of thought was interrupted as the waiter fumbled with his notepad, holding it out to Tony. "I-- I'm sorry, sir, but can I...?" The waiter beside him tsked, but lingered in case he could snag an autograph too.

 

[DarkledMind]

The growl from Bruce's stomach was loud enough for Tony to hear. So when the first plate of food was sat before the two, he reached over and patted his companion's stomach in play affection. A smirk grew on his face as he glanced to Bruce, gauging his reaction. But quickly the smell of the food hit him and he began salivating.


Unlike the other guy, he didn't wait before diving into the pork belly buns, spooning the hand made hoisin sauce onto the crispy outer bread. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the kid fiddling with a pen and notepad. He tried not to roll his eyes. Autographs were something he never quite understood, unless on something meaningful. A base ball you caught signed by the pitcher? Yes. A piece of paper? Why?


To make the kid feel even more awkward, he moved his nose a little bit, letting the sunglasses fall slightly so his eyes could be seen. He stared, mouth agape and ready to bite down onto his pork bun, eyes turned towards the waiter in a small glare. He couldn't keep up the what-the-fuck-do-you-want look for very long as the warm bun began to melt the sauce, and it ran down onto his finger. The man sighed and placed his food down, giving it a very longing look before licking the sauce off. He popped his finger out of his mouth audibly then grabbed the younger waiter's notepad.


This counts as your tip, kid. Hope it's worth it.

Anthony Stark



There was a devilish look in his eye as he handed the notepad back. If the kid actually wanted the autograph, then he wouldn't mind he signed as Anthony Stark rather than Tony. Since he never signed as Anthony Stark, the younger waiter would be unable to get any money from the autograph, due to authenticity problems. He handed back the note pad and picked up the bun again, sinking his teeth into it.


The billionaire was in heaven. The sweet and acidic taste of the plum sauce contrasted and complimented the yeasty-sweetness of the bread as well as the heavy and pungent flavor of the pork belly. He crunched on the cucumbers and scallion inside the bun and then he melted a little, leaning backwards and closing his eyes as he thoughtfully chewed.

 

[Eli]

Banner resisted the instinct to curl away when Stark pat his belly. The Other Guy huffed inside his brain, but the scientist tuned him out.


His friend didn't wait to start devouring the food, but was eventually distracted by the waiter foolishly asking for an autograph. The scientist shifted in his seat, eyes flitting to Tony, and decided he held an inkling of pity for the young waiter. But not too much. It was, admittedly, a tacky thing to ask for, especially when the waiter was stalling his customer's meal.


Said waiter stared apprehensively at the disbelieving, fuck-you features upon the celebrity's face. When Tony finally snatched the notepad and started scribbling, the kid's shoulders relaxed and he sighed in relief. He rocked on the balls of his feet and broke out into a humongous grin; he was getting the autograph of Tony Stark! He shakily grasped the notepad as it was returned to him. His grin faltered as he read it, he glanced guiltily at Tony Stark, then hurriedly shuffled off, simultaneously ashamed and maddened. The second waiter apologized for the intrusion, wished them a pleasant meal, and returned to his duties.


Banner was passive throughout the whole exchange, but as the kid ran off with his tail tucked between his legs, he grunted, "He seemed pleased," and offered Tony a small, lopsided smile. But the temptation of the food was too great, and he diverted his gaze from his friend's face to the mouthwatering meal before him.


He tugged the plate of country ham closer, inhaling its delectable scent. Banner floundered for the utensils, snatched himself a slice, and swallowed the slab in a mere few bites. He then moved on to the buns, smothered one in sauce, and leaned over his plate when he bit into it. He gulped it down and dabbed his lips with a napkin. Finally his attention wandered to the seafood hot pot, and he lunged for it.


He ate with the air of a man who hadn't found sustenance in far too long -- which was true -- and briefly forgot his manners. He had adapted to countless different cultures' etiquette over the years, but that didn't make him polite.


"Oh, uh -- thanks for the meal." He raised his head from his plate to offer his companion a stilted, but genuine, thanks, before diving back in. His movements were quiet, but quick, and he curled over his plate as he shoveled food into his empty stomach.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony put more hoisin sauce on his second bite and devoured it with a smile. The gentle char of the pork prickled the roof of his mouth and the acidity of the plum sauce made the hair on his neck bristle pleasantly. He rolled the food around his mouth, mulling it and letting each individual flavor pop and sizzle on his tongue and along his gums. Instead of finishing the bun off with a sip from his cocktail, he instead turned to his untouched tea and sipped from it. The slightly bitter tea washed the prickling sensation from his mouth and replaced it with a dull ache that made him want more.


There was a small snort of laughter from the man as Bruce mentioned the state of the waiter boy, but he was too busy as well, devouring the Asian inspired gourmet food. He tucked in, and after finishing his pork bun, shiftily glared at Bruce. He took the thick fork that was provided for them as a utensil, and stabbed a piece of the country ham with red-eye gray. Using the meat as leverage, he pulled the plate back towards him. Tony then, disregarding the fact that they were in a public place, simply picked up the slab of meat (with his fork at least) and chomped down on the aged ham. He at this point was holding his fork like a shovel and looked like a disgruntled cave man. All of this was to make a point though, as he spoke around a half full mouth, "Mine."


The usually talkative Tony was quiet from then on as he devoured his food as well. But when he finally felt satisfied enough not to try and devour everything in sight, he leaned back a a bit and took a long drink from his cocktail. Smacking his lips and making a satisfied 'ahh' he turned back to Bruce, who was downing the seafood hot pot, and the billionaire was curious.


He grabbed the Santa Barbara uni, which no one had touched, and slid it to sit in between them. "I know you have had a lot of weird stuff," he joked, and prepared his spoon to attack the food before him, "but have you ever had uni?" Tony inspected the plate curiously. Uni was a delicacy, one of the creatures that lived in a symbiotic relationship within the spines of a sea urchin. But he had never tried it with sweet rice dough, strawberries, and caviar. It sounded good, which is why he ordered it, but it also sounded like one of those dishes that you can't eat very much of because the flavors clash enough to be unpleasant in large mouthfuls.

 

[Eli]

A comfortable quiet enveloped their table, broken only by the clang of utensils and Tony's sloppy "mine", at which Bruce snorted. Even as Tony diminished his rapid consumption of the food, Banner was still eagerly gobbling down the remnants of the seafood hot pot. He only paused in his chewing when his companion spoke up once more.


"I know you have had a lot of weird stuff, but have you ever had uni?" Stark's spoon was poised to strike, and Banner's eyes followed his friend's gaze down to the plate of uni.


He finished his mouthful of food and swallowed it. The lump sluggishly crawled down his throat and he gulped down some ice water to help it along. After wiping his lips once more with his crumpled cloth napkin, he responded, "Lots of weird stuff indeed, but never uni. It's a little over my budget." He picked up his spoon and twisted it in his palm. "Mind if I give it a try?" He already knew the answer to that -- Stark wouldn't have placed the dish between the two of them if he was not willing to share. The whole arrangement seemed a little rich for his taste, but just about anything looked good to him. He had never been a picky eater, and this was no exception.

 

[DarkledMind]

Stark smiled. He was honestly a little surprised that Bruce had never eaten uni. Apparently this man never spoiled himself at all. He thought about it for a moment. He didn't see any luggage when he entered, (maybe a back pack?) and JARVIS doesn't take luggage unless asked to, by Tony. Bruce was borderline homeless as well, nestling in secluded places for a few months.


Tony realized Bruce had no home to go to. Nothing.


Any resentment from earlier about being 'judged' was now gone. Being a very earthly man (by which meaning tied by possessions,) Tony couldn't imagine living like that with no place to anchor to, and nothing to hold. Considering the Hulk aspect, this was to be expected at some points. But all of them? Was his friend so singular as he was thinking him to be?


A small twinge of sadness came over his face, as well as pity. His smile twitched downwards momentarily while he gazed at his friend. But he tried to hide it. No one wants pity. They want empathy, sympathy, both things Tony had problems with. But at that point he decided (probably to be dashed or forgotten later, he thought bitterly) that he was going to treat his friend while he was here, and maybe provide some place he could come to and call home. (A little outlandish, but Tony aimed for the impossible.)


Stark held out his spoon. "Cheers?" To him, if not on a conscious level, Tony decided if Bruce touched his spoon with his, then perhaps, maybe, everything would be all right. Maybe they both didn't have to be so alone any more.

 

[Eli]

Tony paused, as if in thought, and gazed at Bruce. The scientist searched his friend's expression and shrunk slightly under the scrutiny. He wondered, not for the first time, what was running through the man's head. He stopped twisting his spoon, gripping it tighter, and felt himself retreating back into his shell until Tony held out his utensil.


"Cheers?"


Banner raised his eyebrow dubiously, "For what? Me trying sea urchin gonads?" Despite this he matched his spoon with Tony's; a sharp clang reverberated from the impact. "Cheers." Then he dipped his spoon into the uni and took a modest amount compared to how he had previously wolfed down his meal. Taking his bite, he slowly considered the new dish. The uni itself was firm, with a subtle sweetness. It mixed well with the mochi, masago and strawberry. "It's... different." He nodded, "Good."


His eyes wandered back up to Tony's partially obscured face. The atmosphere seemed more muted than moments before, but he couldn't place why. Banner resigned to taking another bite of the uni. This was the most he'd eaten in one sitting in months. He felt energy creeping back into his bones, and though he was still hungry, he felt less edgy now that he'd consumed something solid. The tension in his shoulders began to wane ever so slightly.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony burst out laughing again. "Are they really that?" He clacked his spoon with Bruce's, a settling in his bones kicked in and he smiled, content now more than he had been in a long while. He began to feel the room, everything again, no more a numbness that was swept through his body. He felt warm, and the smells of the food were intoxicating. Maybe it was just the alcohol, but Tony felt good.


He sighed happily, an actual smile stayed on his face for more than mere moments. Taking the spoon, he cut into the smooth and silky ingredients. And as he placed it into his mouth, he realized it was styled a lot like... well seafood ice cream. He giggled (actually giggled) and let the sweetness mull over in his mouth followed by pops of salt from the smelt eggs. His body relaxed and he felt happy. Happy! No more thoughts of abandonment, of Pepper, or of a gun in his mouth. Inwardly he shivered. Was that a thought in the back of his head this whole time? Whatever, it didn't matter. The sad, angry, hazy fog in his head was gone.


"Hey, if they are," he cleared his throat and deepened his voice," the reproductive parts, then they are better than rocky mountain oysters." Stark turned to Bruce, leaning his elbow on the wooden table and gesturing with his spoon. "You know what those are, right?" He looked at the oysters that they had also ordered. "Speaking of which," he grabbed the shell and downed the little pool of raw oyster. It tasted like the sea and he felt refreshed, but still took a sip of his cocktail.


Wait, there was no more. Dammit, time for something new. He waved down a waiter and ordered a beer. "Want one, Doctor Banner?" He teased lightly.

 

[Eli]

Bruce's lips quirked when Tony giggled, giggled, as he tried the uni. "Hey, if they are," his friend's voice dropped an octave, "the reproductive parts, then they are better than rocky mountain oysters. You know what those are, right?"


The scientist chuckled, "Oh yes, I am familiar with rocky mountain oysters. Although where I tried them they were referred to as criadillas." He watched as Tony dropped an oyster down his gullet. "As far as animal gonads go, these aren't half bad," he lifted up another spoonful of the uni before dipping it into his mouth.


The waiter -- the one who wasn't incompetent -- approached them at Stark's wave. After ordering a beer, his friend inquired, "Want one, Doctor Banner?"


He considered it -- he'd topped off the oolong tea, but his water was half full. He'd learned to appreciate clean, drinkable water over the course of his travels, and it never sat well with him to waste it. Despite this, he hadn't had a beer in a long time. And, well, he sort of got a kick out of surprising Stark. "I, uh..." He scratched at his upper lip, "Sure, Mister Stark." He nodded to the waiter and ordered the same beer as Tony.


The waiter rapidly returned -- probably to make up for autograph boy. He set their drinks on the table and removed the emptied plates and glasses. He also refilled Bruce's water, before the scientist could object, and departed once again. Banner lifted the frothy liquid to his lips and took a tentative sip.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony punched his companion lightly on the arm with a large smile. "Hey, I have two doctorates as well, mister." He laughed and took a large gulp of the brand new beverage. It was a warm lager that Tony thought sounded good with the country ham, which he had another piece of. Although he did find the uni delicious, ham just sounded good right now.


"Criadillas." He let the word run off of his tongue like honey off of a silver spoon. He looked up thoughtfully at the lamp far above their table as he chewed slowly on the piece of meat. Half heartedly, he shrugged, diving back into the ham full force. "Sounds like crocodile tortillas to me." Another bite and another thoughtful look was had before he continued with his thought process. "Would croc-tillas be made with the skin, like chicken? Wouldn't that be just leather." He shrugged again and began eating in near silence.


In the back of his mind the gnawing began again. He was getting drunk, like actually drunk it seemed like. He liked to sport a heady buzz quite often, more often than he should, but getting drunk proved problematic. With genius and creativity comes insanity. That's it, no matter how you look at it. And while he already had problems in the first place, being uncontrollably drunk, like he was starting to become, proved that the ups and downs that frequented his personality became more frequent and more dramatic.


But whatever! He was officially drinking with someone, not alone in the lab. That was just more reason to drink and be merry. Plus this food was so good.

 

[Eli]

Banner's eyes followed Tony's fist as it gently connected with his arm. His friend beamed, "Hey, I have two doctorates as well, mister." Banner speared a slab of the rapidly diminishing ham and took another swig of the lager. He'd never been picky with beers; whether it was fruity or smoky or just plain piss-like, it didn't much matter. Beer wasn't his favorite, though; he had a penchant for the hard liquor, like his father had. That was probably why he didn't drink it much.


"Well, excuse me for my grievous mistake, Doctor Stark," he said, and set his drink down on the table.


"Criadillas," Tony tested the word. "Sounds like crocodile tortillas to me." Bruce snorted. "Would croc-tillas be made with the skin, like chicken? Wouldn't that be just leather."


"Yeah, uh, I don't think that would work." He folded his napkin into a sloppy square before wiping his lips once more. He considered methods by which one might create crocodile tortillas. "But who knows, could be the invention of the century. The new 'sliced bread'." He offered Tony a sarcastic eyebrow raise. He polished off his plate and considered diving into another slice of ham. Instead he straightened his back for a moment, leaning away from the food.


His eyes scanned their surroundings; the bar was still busy, but not quite to the extent as before. The people who came to wine and dine were filing out while those who came to drink the night away hunkered down. He glanced at Tony; the man was inching towards the territory of being officially drunk. That much was obvious. Banner's fatigue infringed upon his mood, which had lightened considerably in these few hours compared to the void of the last few months. Resisting the urge to put his elbow on the table and rest his chin in his palm, he tenderly picked up the last steamed bun.


"So." He swallowed a mouthful of the bun and laid his napkin in his lap. "Care to inform me why I'm here?" It was something he always asked eventually, despite the bluntness. He kept up with world news quite easily, depending on where he was, but he'd spent the last so many months in a desolate, disconnected place. Still, there was no obvious, earth-shattering crisis. He'd seen the nanotech, but Stark was making commendable progress with it. "I can help with the nanotech, but..." He tugged on the hem of his shirt, "Can't stay too long." For Bruce, no pleasant buzz ever lingered. He took a deeper gulp from his drink.

 

[DarkledMind]

"So. Care to inform me why I am here?"


Tony didn't hesitate to glare at Bruce. He thought a truce had developed among them for the short amount of time they were here, eating and drinking together. And then he asked. He had the fucking balls to ask. His jaw snapped together and he pushed his sunglasses snugly onto his nose, so the glare wasn't as harsh and could only be seen by the furrow in his brow.


The man's previous jovial mood seemed to disappear suddenly, replaced by a smouldering darkness that was held by the tenseness in his shoulders. But his tut muscles didn't hold long. Tony, who had been half turned to Bruce the whole time, faced forward coldly and let his shoulders slump. Halfheartedly, he gained the attention of the waiter and held up two grease stained fingers, obviously indicating two more beers.


"I can help with the nanotech but can't stay too long."


There was a few more seconds of silence as he took another oyster and drizzled it with the plum mignonette and downed it. He then slumped down on the table and even placed his forehead against the forgiving cold wood. There was a heavy sigh and he went completely limp. "Bruce." He turned his head, still laying on the table, and peered through the dishes and glasses to look at his expectant friend. "I am a man of many secrets."


Begrudgingly, he sat up and leaned heavily on his knee. "And I am not drunk enough to share them with you. Besides, if I do I am sure as Hell not doing it here." He grabbed for his half full beer then slurped at it needily, finishing off the amber liquid. He held back a burp with his hand and had to take a deep breath to get the tightness of the bubble out of his chest. With a swallow, he began again. "Also, I doubt you are full enough to be satisfied. And I don't wanna ruin your appetite." There was a very obvious snarky tone in his voice.

 

[Eli]

The breezy atmosphere floating above them rapidly devolved into a storm cloud hanging over their heads. Despite Stark's sunglasses, Banner could feel the glare directed at him, and the clenching of his friend's jaw, the stiffening of his shoulders, told the scientist what he had suspected but wanted confirmation of. He wasn't here for nanotech; he was here for something else, too. His friend raised his fingers for two more beers, downed an oyster, and slumped against the table.


"Bruce." Tony, whose cheekbone was smushed against the wooden surface, looked up at the scientist. "I am a man of many secrets." Banner's eyes followed his friend as he sat up, but he quickly diverted his gaze to look just to the side of Tony's sunglasses. "And I am not drunk enough to share them with you. Besides, if I do I am sure as Hell not doing it here. Also, I doubt you are full enough to be satisfied. And I don't wanna ruin your appetite."


Banner considered his words. He only sometimes stepped on people's toes; he would gauge their possible reactions beforehand, consider if it was worth it. He was a pushover when he needed to be, withdrawn and observant always, but an asshole when he wanted to be. He spent so much time boxing himself in, dancing around anything that might lash out at him, that when he could prod at someone a little he got a sick sense of enjoyment out of it. His impatience for answers from Tony, and his method of going about it, didn't give him a kick, unfortunately.


"Fair enough," he popped the last shred of the steamed bun into his mouth. He chewed leisurely. "The food is very good." Banner wasn't fond of sharing and could respect Tony's need to up the alcohol before doing so. He sometimes thought he had a face that prompted people to think he was a therapist, or someone that could be vented to. It was yet another cross he had to bear, he supposed. He took a last swig of his beer, finishing it off, and brushed the crumbs off his fingers.


The waiter dropped off their drinks with the customary smile and questions of if they were enjoying their meal and what else could he get for them before pacing away to the next table. Bruce nursed the beer in his hands, rubbing a thumb along the cool condensation on the glass.


"If you wanna talk about ruining someone's appetite, though," he took a shallow sip of the beer, "I once ate at a place that served dog." Bruce set his glass down and rocked back on his seat bones, "That was fine, though. It was good. They asked me if I wanted female dog or male dog. But you could hear all of them, under the floorboards, barking and whimpering. The cook insisted dog meat improves one's health and sex life, though, so I thought it might be worth the... awkward dining experience." It didn't actually ruin his appetite, nor did it improve his suppressed sex life, but he was attempting reparations, which was something he didn't do often. He tried one of the oysters, slurping the juice and contemplatively chewing it a few times. When it finished slithering down his throat he added with a tentative smile, "That sounded like a better story in my head."

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony's foul mood dissipated as quickly as it had arrived, but the essence of it lingered. He paused to stare at his beer, the froth at the top of the glass bubbling quietly and emitting a friendly odor. He frowned dramatically at the story and had to sip at the beer to get the flavor of it out. "Bruce, you do have a gamma irradiated stomach of iron." He took another sip, and added in an almost sad tone, "And a much colder will than expected."


There was an urge to turn back towards Bruce, but Tony resisted it and instead opened up the last bit of food on their table: the kimchi. The spice and the punch of the lightly fermented and then pickled cabbage went well with the fruity undertones of the lager they drank together. Tony thought that if it were anything else, he wouldn't be able to eat with the thoughts going through his head. SHIELD had more secrets than the deepest ocean. And despite the fact that he, like everyone else, had read everything that Romanoff had published, he knew there was more. Being the new director of the former gave you perspectives, and access. With the help of Agent Hill he had found the rest of what was hidden behind deep layers. Things that explained Fury's sometimes odd behavior.


He could barely swallow the food.

 

[Eli]

The scientist surveyed Tony's reaction to his 'amusing' anecdote, and it wasn't quite what he had anticipated. "Bruce, you do have a gamma irradiated stomach of iron." His friend took a sip of his lager and his voice was dampened, "And a much colder will than expected."


Banner couldn't decipher whether Tony was kidding or not. He decided he wasn't. He shifted uneasily in his seat and took a gulp of his lager. The silence was stuffy, drawn out, and Stark's thoughts seemed to have wandered to some distant land. Bruce feebly mentioned something that might possibly incite his friend's scientific mind, "Ah, well, the stomach of iron thing is true." He slurped at another oyster as Tony worked on the kimchi. "Don't ask me why, but I once ingested a lot of bitter cassava that wasn't prepared properly. It releases cyanogenic glycosides, y'know, and enough of it can have some nasty effects. Didn't do a thing to me. The gamma apparently prevents me from getting any killer hangovers either." He knocked back more beer for emphasis. It'd take a lot of alcohol to even give him a buzz, let alone a hangover.


He returned to fiddling with the cuff of his shirt and briefly considered rolling his sleeves up. That was how he usually kept himself from destroying them. Instead he laid another slab of ham on his plate, and stuffed an unnecessarily large chunk in his mouth. If he chewed slowly enough, he might not have to speak up again for a while.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony started blinking rapidly, trying to bring himself back to reality and away from vivisected alien bodies and simulations of how to kill so many people... A shudder ran through his body. Still without turning towards his friend, he began to think out loud about him. "I wonder if you would let me poke you and the big guy so we could get some equipment up and running. Like clothes that don't fall off or beer that gets you drunk." He laughed to himself as he nursed his beer with a touch of remorse.


Then his thoughts turned dark again. He was in New York when the Hulk first appeared and remembered the event quite well. Of course, in his spare time he had hacked into the government's files on Bruce Banner, who was a scientist he had respected. He still did. Nonetheless with that information as well as all of the info he received being the new Director, he knew what happened last time Bruce got poked and prodded at with various instruments. And while they were friends, he thought, there was always the possibility that the edgy Banner still did not trust Stark.


He put his drink down and rapidly took out his phone. "Before you say anything on the matter..." He started plugging in numbers and figures at a rapid pace, and despite his inebriated state, did not slip up once. In seconds there were vast files open on the small transparent device. He slid the phone to sit next to the other man's drink with a small, satisfied smile.


"Since you will be working with me for at least a while," Tony choked back a tenseness in his throat with a swallow of beer, "You now have access to all of JARVIS' files, as well as any files that," he held up air quotes for emphasis, " the new 'SHIELD' has on you." This time, he turned back to Banner, leaning an elbow on the table. "Can't give you absolutely everything on the SHIELD database. A Director has to have his secrets." A small chuckle escaped his throat and he took a big swig of beer.