Affairs of the Arc Reactor (DarkledMind and Eli)

[Eli]

Over the years Banner had learned to differentiate the various types of tiredness. He had grown used to the sort where he was covered in blood, sweat, and mud, and he'd been treating patients all day and he hadn't been able to stop to think or stretch his legs or blink his eyes shut. That was an extreme, almost soothing in nature by now, and that tiredness hung over him almost anywhere he went, albeit to different extents. Then there were other kinds -- such as the fatigue unaffected by the outside and completely ruled by his head -- and then there was one he had grown to miss, which was from working in a lab for hours on end and conversing with someone who knew his language and knew his science.


Although his eyes felt sluggish and a headache was blossoming in his temple, and he kind of needed to empty his bladder, Bruce felt just slightly lighter than he had in days.


"Maybe we can take a quick break, eh?"


He glimpsed at Stark, who seemed weighed down by the ceaseless work and the after-taste of Valium. Bruce turned away from the dizzying algorithms and faced his friend. He'd almost forgotten the events of last night.


"It's been..." He glanced at the watch tightly fastened to his wrist. He arrived at the conclusion that the number of hours they had been working was 'a lot'.


"Yeah, I could use a break," and he removed his glasses to pinch the space between his eyes.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony stretched, giving a small, little whimper as his sore muscles were massaged and joints popped into place. "Good." He looked down at himself. He was still in his blue bathrobe and sweatpants. He had no shoes or slippers on, and the robe was open, exposing his muscular chest. The billionaire wiggled and curled his toes a little before laughing at himself.


"I should probably get dressed first before we go and do anything else, huh?" He stood and pointed at his friend. "I have something I want to show you before we get back to work." The flirtatious celebrity gave a 'finger gun,' a wink, and a click of his tongue before heading towards the stair well and jaunting up the stairs excitedly. It crossed his mind briefly that maybe he shouldn't be so flirty with Bruce, especially after last night. A gnawing in his gut agreed with this thought, but Tony tried to brush it away like a fly at his temple.

 

[Eli]

Bruce categorized Tony's flirtatious actions and remarks as 'Tony things', unfounded in any attraction towards him; such a notion would be ridiculous. It didn't prevent his eyebrows from crinkling his forehead, though, and a small smile lifted Bruce's lips as Tony shuffled out of sight. He took the opportunity to head to the restroom, because his leg was starting to jiggle from the insistence of his bladder. When he was washing his hands he glanced into the mirror.


He looked a bit too scruffy, he noted; his stubble was going to turn into a beard, and his peppering curls would soon become a peppering bird's nest. Little pockets of exhaustion lined his eyes, too, and he rubbed at them as if he could scrub the tiredness away. But his shoulders weren't so rigid, and his hands were sufficiently steady, and that was enough for him.


When he returned to the lab he paused and glanced round for Tony, because apparently the man wanted to show him something. That thought made him slightly apprehensive, because with Stark he never quite knew what to expect. He placed his hands in his worn pockets -- one of them had a pretty considerable hole -- and rocked on his heels for a few short seconds before heading to wait by the stairwell for Tony's return.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony returned in a long sleeved shirt, jeans, and a pair of house slippers. He grabbed a hold of the door frame and used it as leverage when he swung around excitedly. "Come on big guy, let me show you your Christmas present." he laughed and, surprisingly, walked over to the elevator and leaned up against the steel doors, crossing his arms.


A small pinch of worry crossed in his gut and he swallowed. "Um... sorry. We have to take the elevator... Unless you feel up to climbing thirteen floors." The enthusiasm was wary in his voice, now, as he gave a small, hopefully reassuring grin. It was likely an uneasy I-shoulda-thought-that-part-through grin, though.


He washed that grin off his face quickly. 'Or this could be your birthday present. Or Hanukkah. Or Kwanzaa. Or whatever floats your angry green boat."

 

[Eli]

Bruce's lips twitched upwards at Tony's grin, but a little puddle of (curious) dread pooled in his gut. This was sounding to be something big, and if that word was applied to Tony Stark's taste, it meant excessive and expensive. He worried his lips, glanced at the stairwell, then stepped over to where the now-dressed Tony leaned against the elevator.


He had never been one for gift-giving, and admittedly, never one for gift-receiving. He always harbored a certain aversion to Christmas, and the consumerism associated with it; it was a distaste ingrained into his nature ever since he was a child. But he had tolerated the dutiful exchange the times he had been forced to participate. A polite, inane thank you and the business was generally over. But there was no way he could repay a Tony Stark level gift, if it was as grandiose as he anticipated -- especially if it was something that couldn't just be packaged and picked up by hand. He didn't think they'd be heading thirteen floors up otherwise.


"Elevator's fine; my knees... aren't what they used to be." His lips twisted a little. "But it's November. Hardly time for gift-giving," and Bruce shot an inquiring look at Tony. The elevator doors slid open; he strode inside and settled against the railing.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony followed Bruce into the elevator, arms still crossed as he shrugged. "Hard to hide this sort of gift. You were going to find it eventually." He leaned on the railing opposite to his companion, crossing his ankles slightly and giving a wide grin. "Besides, you don't have to give gifts at Christmas, just whenever you feel it is appropriate."


JARVIS immediately began heading up towards the 'present' above, the elevator whirring softly as it ascended. As the rig rose, Tony became more and more excited, his foot tapping and his grin growing until he had to bite his bottom lip to keep his excitement even mildly contained. "Remember CandyLand?" he inquired, in reference to what he said on the Helli-carrier about the first twelve floors of Stark Tower.

 

[Eli]

Banner slowly removed his hands from his pockets and wrapped his arms around his chest. He didn't conceal the probing gaze he stuck onto Tony, because the guy looked like a five-year-old with a sugar high. Which, perhaps, was not entirely out of place to think, because Bruce remembered CandyLand and the helicarrier quite clearly.


"CandyLand? I thought I was already acquainted with it." The steady thrum of the elevator faltered as they arrived at their destination. The scientist would be lying if he said his curiosity hadn't increased substantially. He thought maybe Tony Stark had launched a new line of life-size Hulk plushies, or perhaps he'd decided to make a literal CandyLand, but the potential of shiny, previously inaccessible lab equipment?


The scientist who'd made salves out of strange plants in order to cure a freak biological phenomenon, who had re-purposed bottlecaps and toothpaste tubes into lab tools, could not quell the tiny burst of excitement at the possibility of more proper science, which was what he associated with the term 'CandyLand'. His tongue flickered over his lips as the elevator doors began to slide open.

 

[DarkledMind]

The elevator doors slid open to reveal... nothing. Tony smiled and waltzed out of the small space and into the gaping mouth of an entire floor of Avengers' Tower. He opened up his arms wide and laughed. "Yeah, doesn't look like much, but it can be. It can be anything, and that is why it's so cool." He dropped his hands to the side and sighed, content with himself.


The high of giving something away that meant so much to someone (including himself) was waning, and he decided to speak one more time before he turned into a pile of problems again: "Welcome to the top floor of Avengers' Tower: Floor Banner."

 

[Eli]

Tony was clearly ecstatic about the cavernous blank slate before them. Bruce stepped gingerly from the elevator, head twisting to observe each faraway corner. He rolled his lips tightly as his hands dug further into his holey pockets. Floor Banner, as it was apparently titled, was a perplexing burden and opportunity. As predicted, he felt a mere 'thanks' would not suffice, and yet he was not sure what reaction Stark anticipated from him.


Or, frankly, what he was expected to do with all of this space. He'd lived in many places over many years -- most of them cramped and lacking in homey elements -- and he had managed. Was he supposed to ask Stark to fill it with millions of dollars of laboratory equipment? Or a bed so squishy and luxurious he couldn't sleep in it? Admittedly the sacrifice of the top floor of Tony's skyscraper made Bruce uncomfortable, and he wasn't quite sure what to make of it.


It was, at least, on the uppermost floor. If ever there was an... incident, he -- the Other Guy -- wouldn't knock out the foundations, or tear the tower in two. Instead he might take a stroll through the ceiling and into the New York skyline. Bruce realized he was frowning, just slightly, and corrected his expression. His eyes found Tony again, and his voice sounded too loud in the empty, vast space.


"This is..." He shuffled around in a small, considering circle. "Roomy." And despite himself he cracked a brief, lopsided grin at his friend, and shook his head in disbelief, even though he shouldn't have expected anything less from Tony Stark.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony huffed, his heart shaking in his chest. He began stumbling over his words a bit, his hands running through his hair. "It's yours to do with what you wish. You can design what you want where you want." He shrugged and turned his back to Bruce. "Or if you don't want to I can renovate it for you." He could feel the itch growing in his brain and his chest felt heavier and heavier. There was a small warning noise that came from the loudspeakers.

 

[Eli]

Bruce's fists clenched in his pockets when the unexpected alarm invaded his ears, and his eyes instinctively shot to every entrance, the elevator, and to the windows in order decipher what the problem was. Despite scanning his surroundings for any potential threat, he maintained his slackened, unworried posture. There were no explosions, no soldiers or helicopters, no stomping of heavy boots or even a shift in the elevator doors. Those telltale warning signs were conspicuously absent, and yet the noise droned on. His gaze settled on Tony, and his brows knitted together questioningly.


"Tony. Are you okay?" He tread closer to his friend, but kept a few paces of distance between them. "It's not another -- are you feeling sick?" The man didn't appear visibly ill; he might have detected a waver in his voice, but in hindsight he couldn't be certain. The 'Christmas gift' and its necessary renovations forgotten, Bruce frowned uncomprehendingly at Tony.

 

[DarkledMind]

The alarm quietly faded away and Tony gave a sardonic laugh. Thanks for throwing me under the bus, JARVIS. Although this quip was not spoken aloud, the AI system gave a small, indistinct noise that is the human equivalent of a snort. The inventor clenched his hands at his sides. Explaining this away would be difficult to say the least. His mind buzzed away, trying to quantify his emotions into numbers that could be reassigned--his way of twisting the truth.


Meanwhile he turned around and shot a grin at his friend. "Don't worry about it, bud. Just a little on edge, that's all." Over the loudspeakers, another noise bleeped its way into the two's ears. This time it was an oddly disapproving series of clicks and whistles that seemed to voice concern. Tony noted that next system upgrade, he was going to get rid of those odd quirks JARVIS had worked in. So much for passing the Turing test this year. They were so close too. But a worried friend that knew all about him and would rat him out was not what he needed right now.

 

[Eli]

"Don't worry about it, bud. Just a little on edge, that's all."


JARVIS seemed to think more of the situation, if the ensuing beeps were anything to go by, but Bruce was willing to leave it at that. He offered Tony a terse, likely unconvincing nod. His friend was still recovering from sleep deprivation, panic attacks and seizures, and, Bruce recalled, self-experimentation. His eyes flitted to Tony's grin -- the blank walls of Floor Banner weren't all that intriguing, frankly -- and he contemplated just what his friend had done to himself.


Tony had promised a discussion, and Bruce had initially been averse to the prospect. But when a deeper well of problems had been unveiled, even Bruce found himself concerned. He figured Tony being 'on edge' harkened back to all of this, and Bruce turned to peer out of the wide-paned windows as he considered the ordeal.


Instead of speaking up about the issue, he huffed lightly, "Well, this would be a good place for... meditation." His lip twitched in mild amusement, but his expression soon sobered. "But really -- this is..." He glanced at Tony, "A lot. I don't know what to do with it, but--" Bruce paused and shrugged his shoulders slightly, the (obligatory) thank you left unsaid. Tony had displayed excitement over this 'gift', but that energy seemed to have plummeted; he thought that perhaps he could redirect Tony's attention, away from a potential problem subject and onto the blank space.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony gave a small snort. "If it makes you feel any better, each Avenger got their own floor." He looked around, gazing at the shreds of plastic still on the walls after the reconstruction. He had got rid of all the unnecessary walls and pillars, leaving the room open but still supported. The whole floor still smelled of construction and paint and plaster; some debris was littered in some of the corners. To him it felt fresh, full of opportunities and wonder.


He began almost awkwardly clapping his hands together as he gazed. "You're right, though. Good place to meditate. Never quite got the hang of that thing. Clearing my mind..." Another snort and he began wandering around the empty space, wondering if he should start mentioning his ideas of what to do.

 

[Eli]

Bruce chuckled softly; of course Stark would reserve entire floors for each of the Avengers. He didn't know how regularly Tony saw the others, but it had been close to a year since Bruce had seen any Avenger except for Tony. He imagined what renovations, what clever (or teasing) personal touches his friend had sprinkled in for those people who meandered in and out of the Tower. Such a commitment, one that assumed the person would return, was beyond Bruce.


"Yeah, meditation can be difficult, especially with a busy brain." He roamed deeper into the space, his shoes scuffing up a light layer of dust in their quiet wake. He sighed silently through his nose, and glanced back at Tony. "I was in a mud hut before this, and I'm not much of an interior designer. Any suggestions?"

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony started to relax, he was jittery still but doing better. "We could just leave it like this and build mud huts in here if you want." He laughed a little and gestured widely, then letting his arm fall and hit his thigh. "What do you want? I was thinking maybe an indoor garden and a zen area. Some place you could loose yourself in, other than labs." He pointed over by the large windows while he was talking, his finger doing little circles around the southwest corner.


"I know it sounds cheesy, but I thought--" He swallowed a little. "I thought you got so used to working with your hands that having that some place like this might be..." He gave an almost embarrassed laugh, "nice." Dear God what was wrong with him?

 

[Eli]

He barked out a short laugh at the mud huts suggestion, but listened intently to Tony’s genuine proposals. He knew there was no resisting the man’s generosity, and Bruce could not deny that the concept was appealing. Something peaceful and organic in the midst of this metal city would be a welcome retreat.


But there was so much wrong with the idea, too. Tony would need to hire someone – or craft a robot -- to manage the garden when Bruce inevitably left. There was the money involved, the process of construction, all for an occasional respite. He wasn’t deserving of this, and he could think of a thousand and one different ways this effort might be otherwise utilized.


His eyes skirted Tony’s face, and he figured that any contention would be refused. Bruce murmured, scratching at his cheek, “That… does sound nice, actually.”

 

[DarkledMind]

He shrugged one shoulder an gave a lazy smile to his friend. "I know how to relax." Tony's smile widened and he walked further into the empty, white space. "And having a garden up here would be nice. I wouldn't have to pay so much for those damned organic vegetables Pepper got me hooked on." His throat got stuck and he had to cough to clear the lump developing in his chest.


"A-any way. Um. We would of course have a lab. And if you wanted we could fit it so you could work on the nuclear research as well." One hand grabbed to his throat to rub the stubble and to massage the knot away. "My labs aren't currently optimized for the mean green stuff." He gave an overt grimace, and flashed a smile briefly to his friend, nervous. Did he hit a nerve? Again?

 

[Eli]

Bruce chuckled and a tolerant smile played on his lips as he observed Tony's apprehensive expression. The garden, the area designed specifically for relaxation, was something he was willing to acquiesce to. And fresh vegetables, wax-free and untainted by chemicals, were oddly tempting. But a laboratory designed with his field in mind was something he suddenly realized he craved. If there was to be a lab forced upon him, he supposed it wasn't an entirely terrible idea to have it suited to his needs. And, if outfitted properly, it would be less of a hazard, especially if he worked with radiation -- or radioactive materials, such as his blood.


He obliged, "A lab that can handle a little... 'mean green', as you eloquently put it, wouldn't be terrible. Reinforced walls would be good, too. And that's more than sufficient," and he fixed Tony with a look that insisted that the superfluous 'gift' need not be expanded any further.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony opened his mouth and slumped his broad shoulders forward. He melodramatically gave a sigh that screamed of teenage angst, angry at a parent for ending their fun too quickly. He sat like this for a second before tugging on his shirt and clearing his throat a bit. He had so many more ideas whirring around, through his head at the moment: he could add a sauna with a water fall shower in it--similar to what Tony had in his personal room--; a news room where he could get the latest news on anything going on around the world; a training facility designed specifically for handling Hulk; an entertainment room that would make any man-cave look like a hole in the wall; and so much more.


The genius turned to his friend and leaned against one of the pillars that helped hold up the ceiling, his long black shirt becoming covered in a light powder from the plaster. "So? Can you see straight or something? Because I still can't." Every possible thing that could be crossed was. Tony has his arms folded over his chest and his ankles were twisted around one another. He was trying to seem relaxed, but the tensile strength in his shoulders and biceps were a tell-tale sign that something was still wrong. And the worst part was that Tony could hardly remember why he was still like this. He had just thought of Pepper and last night was--erm--stressful. But those were things that should be flitting in the back of his mind, not sitting on his shoulders like an ominous raven.


He sighed and crossed his eyes playfully, but did not open up his arms. Tony writhed a little and readjusted his shoulder against the pillar. He wasn't sure what thought process to go with the conversation: casual, small talk, science, or flirt. Maybe flirt. It would diffuse the situation a bit and flirting with a best friend was always a good way to have fun and start laughing. Especially if it was over the top.


A long whistle escaped his lips and he let his eyes wander around the ceiling for a moment before looking at his friend, not quite in the eye. "So, you busy tonight?" A smirk crossed his lips and he wiggled against the pillar again. Couldn't get comfortable.

 

[Eli]

Bruce observed the way Tony seemed wound up and tense under the usual flippancy. He tread carefully to the nearest pillar, idly running a thumb along its surface. He stopped and swiveled in Tony's direction, eyes inspecting the chalky substance now smeared on his thumb, and snorted lightly. He opted to play along with Tony's adulterated silliness, for the sake of peace and some twisted semblance of sanity.


"I think I scheduled a date with your AFM. What, you have something else in mind?"


He wiped his thumb along his pants, leaving a dusty strip on the fabric, before glimpsing up at Tony with a deadpan expression.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony took a deep breath and sighed. His shoulders relaxed a bit more and he gave a small smile. "Damn science. Always gets the smart ones." His smile seemed more genuine now, and his body more relaxed. "I don't know. Maybe watch a movie." He shrugged and stood up from his lazy pose on the support. "Honestly I'm just bored now."


"Let's play some music, shall we? What do you like, drums? I think I have some--" he reached into his pocket for his phone, only to find it empty. His brow puzzled and he looked down at his thigh incredulously. "Where is my phone?" A few pats into his other pockets and his confusion deepened.

 

[Eli]

Bruce snorted and noted the slight, reassuring shift in Tony's demeanor. This uplifting turn was short-lived, however, and soon replaced by puzzlement.


"Are you saying your phone isn't attached to your hip?" When his friend continued to pat at his pockets, rummaging for the displaced phone, Bruce shrugged, "I haven't seen it. But we don't need music, Tony, it's fine."


When Bruce lost one of his few belongings, it was normally an essential one, because any other sort of item was unnecessary weight. But over the years he had learned to improvise quite craftily and, following a Hulk out (and subsequent relocation), he could start anew as smoothly as could be expected. Bruce suspected Tony had about fifty cell phones, most of them littered throughout the Tower, and hardly thought the loss of a single device was such a concern.

 

[DarkledMind]

Tony huffed silently and shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry... But it's weird not to have it on me." He laughed casually and headed back to the elevator. He pointed towards Bruce lazily as he went over to the oddly clean doors in the white expanse. "Hey, do you want to grab a bite before we get back to work? I have some Bagel Bites in the freezer." He smirked and pressed the only button available, down.


He furrowed his brow and looked up to the ceiling. "Seriously. JARVIS, where did I leave my phone?"


"Momfuku, sir."


The air seemed stale all of a sudden.

 

[Eli]

Bruce trailed after Tony, and barked a small laugh, "Bagel Bites? Now that brings me back to the '80s." He had never watched much television, but the aggravating jingle for those Bagel Bites commercials had always stuck with him. He halted before the elevator doors as Tony asked his AI where the vanished cell phone had wandered off to. Bruce was only half-listening, but JARVIS' reply struck him to attention.


"Oh." He'd been midway through scratching at his cheek, and his palm fell to cup his chin. "That's -- that was me. Sorry."


Tony had bolted for the bathroom so abruptly, and Bruce had left the table, spilled beer and all, without considering the abandoned cell phone. Funny, since at the time that cell phone had represented a rather distressing conundrum.


"We can contact them. See if they held it for you." Bruce swallowed, and the elevator doors opened with a jarring ding. He didn't much like the alternatives to Momofuku keeping the phone safe, but clamped down on the worrying possibilities before they could progress.