Korra ([personal profile] thelegendof) wrote in [community profile] bakerstreet2016-05-09 02:16 am

H/C Smut


hurt/comfort smut;
meme

Bruised. Beaten. Stabbed. Sapped of energy. Tricked. Mentally played and abused. Perhaps you've even seen your home world destroyed, depending on how Homestuck you are. Any way you slice it, characters go through a lot of crap.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to see them get pampered and taken care of when they're ailing. In canon, they may not have someone who can provide them with care when they're injured, support and love when they're sick, and physical intimacy all around. In this post, AU or other scenarios can provide them with a caretaking partner of their very own (or, maybe, someone to take care of, if the reverse is their preference). So, for once, weary traveler, you don't have to carry that weight all by yourself.

to bring you out of the darkness;

The injury may not be a temporary physical or mental one, however. Some characters suffer more deeply, even if they don't know it. Darkness covers their hearts, they're withdrawn, insecure, angry, or lonely. They need someone to reach out to them and show them unconditional love.

This post can provide that, too.

Whether it be the cliche and shameless "changed by your love" trope or something more subtle like getting someone to open up, the characters here can offer that and more. All are welcome, they just have to take that first step.

» Comment with your character, canon, preferences, and info about what your character's role would be, if you'd like.
» Reply to others.
» Thread.
tictacs: <user name="sissybars"> (listen)

scott lang ( mcu ) ota | voicetesting!

[personal profile] tictacs 2016-05-09 04:29 am (UTC)(link)
[ definitely the loving, doting, cheesy one-liner giving comforter. i've also seen cw, so spoilers are fine!

cross-canon/media is awesome! just gimme assumed cr ]
Edited 2016-05-09 04:30 (UTC)
misskringle: (Default)

Re: scott lang ( mcu ) ota | voicetesting!

[personal profile] misskringle 2016-05-09 04:37 am (UTC)(link)
(No big deal if she's not your cup of tea but Kristen Kringle? Can move up the GCPD shooting to fit into the Ant-Man timeline and assumed CR is a-ok)
tictacs: <user name="sissybars"> (great job)

[personal profile] tictacs 2016-05-09 04:51 am (UTC)(link)
[ AAAA YES!

scott would deeeeefinitely be worried after the whole thing, especially with the whole knee issue. might even baby her a bit and be too gentle for the most part, but that's just him being a huge softie. i can see kristen having moved on a little but it still bother her sometimes? and scott just pulls her up in his arms and tries to make her laugh and all of that, even if he's just come back from a mission as ant-man and so on. but nightmares, stray thoughts, and when things get too bad... like, he'll definitely just love her in any way he can to make her feel safe. kristen's totally allowed to be annoyed by how doting he is sometimes though, hahaha ]
misskringle: (Default)

[personal profile] misskringle 2016-05-09 04:57 am (UTC)(link)
(All is perfect! I'm thinking they met during the break between seasons 1 and 2 of Gotham and been making visits along with emails and Skype pre shooting? Otherwise in total agreement and Scott may start with Kristen having a nightmare of the shooting? I also ignore everything post shooting in terms of Kristen but am current on Gotham canon.)
tictacs: <user name="sissybars"> (( ant man ) let's go)

[personal profile] tictacs 2016-05-09 05:10 am (UTC)(link)
[ yeah, that works! i imagine him having met her maybe on one of his recon jobs as ant-man while he was going about his business in the daytime, maybe the job took a few days, but he got her number and kept messaging her and the visits happened and yeah? wow i am a sucker for ldr plots

the nightmare's a good starting point! i'll assume he's staying over at her place for it B)d would it be cool if you started it? ]
misskringle: (Default)

[personal profile] misskringle 2016-05-09 05:20 am (UTC)(link)
(NP! Yell if anything should be changed and Kristen's heading to NYC for a long weekend in this case (also added in her ex from season 1 since my headcanon has her still working through that period). I also like to think she knows about Scott being Ant-Man given Gotham's current brand of crazy and won't say a word.)

This was supposed to be a nice and happy (for once) long weekend with Scott since thanks to work (on both sides) it had been almost 2 months since they had time together beyond computer screens and cell phones. But Kristen was the happiest she has been in ages, having met Scott over the summer when he was in Gotham on business with calls and visits starting within weeks of meeting. He had also been the one to pull her through medical leave post the GCPD shooting (she could remember the late night call with him in a near panic after word somehow got into NYC about what happened) along with plenty of late night phone calls after nightmares.

So cue another one, this time while on his sofa waiting for him to return from his nighttime life as Ant-Man. She woke up in a cold sweat and this time she was trying to not start screaming since her ex had somehow bled into the nightmare of the Manaix.
Edited 2016-05-09 06:56 (UTC)
tictacs: <user name="sissybars"> (eh?)

it's great!! thank you B) lmk if i gotta change anything here!

[personal profile] tictacs 2016-05-09 04:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Scott doesn't like being away from Kristen if he can help it for many reasons. First of all: he loves her, and that just goes without saying. Second: sometimes things get bad, and he can never do anything about it when he's so far away. Third: while he always makes her laugh in the end, those first few moments they call where she sounds broken and ruined shatter his heart into tiny pieces. He doesn't know when he'd started to become so weak to her, only that he did and currently is, and that's mostly why he hates that despite Kristen finally being by his side, Hank decides to give him one little mission.

Which takes a lot more time than he'd like.

By the time Scott's safely destroyed a good amount of terrorist-related tech, it's about four in the morning. He enters the safety of his flat with the Ant-Man suit folded and kept away in his backpack after a job well done--and he would've gone straight to bed, too, had he failed to notice the figure on his sofa.

"Kristen?" he fumbles for the light switch now, just so he knows his eyes aren't lying. It's one thing to know she'd woken up in the middle of the night--it's another thing to know she'd done it on the sofa instead of in his bed.

The moment Scott looks at her, he knows it can't be good, and he wordlessly puts his bag down as he comes forward, kneeling by her side and wasting no time in taking her hand. "Kristen--honey? Hey, you hear me?"
misskringle: (Default)

Re: it's great!! thank you B) lmk if i gotta change anything here!

[personal profile] misskringle 2016-05-09 05:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Kristen was awake in a cold sweat since this nightmare was the worst yet. But Scott's voice along with him grabbing her hand pulled her out even faster,"Loud and clear, sorry for the sweat." she was finally able to speak after what felt like hours (but was maybe 5 minutes). "Train got in later than planned so figured crash on the sofa till you got in." she explained. "But things are bleeding over, its like the Manaix and my ex are in a tag team." she whispered, still shaken up and trying to not slip into weakness.
tictacs: <user name="sissybars"> (eh?)

[personal profile] tictacs 2016-05-10 08:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Scott's about to tell her the couch doesn't matter when she gives him the truth--what her nightmare had been about and who'd been in it. It takes no time at all for his spirit to fall, a note of sadness written in the greens of his eyes, but the hand that doesn't grip Kristen's moves up to cup her face.

There's the tell-tale slick of her sweat there--the nightmare really had been bad--but all Scott does is smile as he tucks some of her hair behind her ear. "Why don't we go get'cha cleaned up and in some fresh pyjamas before we talk about this, huh?"
misskringle: (Default)

[personal profile] misskringle 2016-05-11 12:58 am (UTC)(link)
"Ok." Kristen was still badly shaken up from the nightmare but had basically given in, Scott knew her that well in only a few short months. "Need to talk and somehow you can just tell." she finally couple speak after another couple of minutes but her hand was not leaving Scott's anytime soon. "Beyond the battle in my brain I want stories of your other life!" being among the few in the know about Ant-Man. But in reality the nightmare had wrecked her and she needed to just give in and let Scott take care of her, something she's had to learn over the last few months especially.
Edited 2016-05-11 01:51 (UTC)
tictacs: <user name="sissybars"> (workin)

[personal profile] tictacs 2016-05-11 10:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Scott laughs, bringing Kristen's hand up to his lips to give the knuckles there a kiss. "Y'know being Ant-Man isn't all that exciting," he teases, but it's good to hear some kind of excitement in her voice after knowing what sort of fear she'd had to go through. He gets to his feet, bringing Kristen up with him, and without letting go of her hand once (Scott finds that the contact is important to him, too) he takes her to the door of his bathroom.

"I can go get you clothes." Dipping his head, he gives her a soft kiss to the temple. "My best shirts and pyjama pants, just for you."
misskringle: (Default)

[personal profile] misskringle 2016-05-12 08:00 am (UTC)(link)
"Well compared to once dead mayors coming back from the dead its a picnic." Kristen joked, having shared the last few rounds of crazy via emails and Skype. Once at the bathroom she dropped a kiss onto Scott's cheek,"Time to see if the speed record can be broken and clothes that don't reek of sweat will help."
tictacs: <user name="sissybars"> (heh)

sorry for the delay!

[personal profile] tictacs 2016-05-14 12:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'm sure you'll surprise me," Scott teases, and for as long as they've been together, little cheek kisses still have his heart racing like crazy. "I'll come into the bathroom and leave some clothes for you, so don't get scared or anything if you hear the door open, all right?"

It's difficult to resist touching his lips to hers, but that's only to be expected. Then Scott pulls away and smiles--he always smiles, especially after the things Kristen's had to re-live in dreams--and then finally leaves her to her own devices.

On his end, he's going to make tea and find clothes. It's important to make as comfortable an atmosphere as possible, after all.

Re: sorry for the delay!

[personal profile] misskringle - 2016-05-25 02:00 (UTC) - Expand
punybanner: (Default)

[personal profile] punybanner 2016-05-09 11:33 am (UTC)(link)
[Hey hi hello :D Up for something with Bruce? We could do something set after our TFLN thread, or we could go with Bruce being messed up after a mission/etc. Let me know!]
tictacs: <user name="sissybars"> (( ant man ) onward)

[personal profile] tictacs 2016-05-09 11:51 am (UTC)(link)
[ are you offering me the "x is heartbroken over y but their best friend z has been there all along and x finally realises who the True Best Lover is and z/x become a thing" trope

because i am ALL FOR SCOTT LOVING HIS BEST FRIEND THE WAY HIS BEST FRIEND OUGHT TO BE LOVED

and it could totally be after bruce comes back hurt and scott's realising how much he means to him and he just?? has to show it??? if you want! ]
punybanner: (wat a qt)

[personal profile] punybanner 2016-05-09 01:02 pm (UTC)(link)
[YES that is EXACTLY what I am offering you :D :D :D hnngh I love that trope and it's so perfect for these guys! I wrote up a quick starter, feel free to change anything you need/go in any direction you want with it!]

Bruce was being stupid. It was something that occurred with alarming frequency for someone who was supposed to be a genius - then again, he hung out with the biggest idiot in the world on a daily basis, and he was a genius too, so maybe it shouldn't have been so surprising.

A sigh left him as he lifted a hand to knock at Scott's door wearily. There he went again, thinking about Tony. Why couldn't he have a single train of thought without being interrupted by that stupid face? Had they become so attached that Bruce couldn't lead a life of his own? Not that he minded; in fact, that was the problem. He needed Tony much, much more than Tony needed him. That had become clear when the guy blew him off for approximately the thousandth time.

Tony cared about him, Bruce knew, but Tony simply wasn't very good at taking care of the people he cared about. He was too messed up from his own mistakes and the mistakes of the people who had raised him. Bruce had gotten his hopes up, even though he knew Tony wasn't capable of giving him what he so selfishly wanted.

So now he was here, head hung low, shoulders slumped, hoping that Scott would be able to take his mind off of things and maybe, just maybe, help him get over that idiotic genius-billionaire-philanthropist-playboy.
tictacs: <user name="sissybars"> (listen)

it is AWESOME

[personal profile] tictacs 2016-05-09 03:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Scott likes Bruce.

He's not the type of guy to mull over the details of that too much, among other things. As far as he's concerned liking Bruce is just liking Bruce, and it kills him a lot more than he lets on that Bruce is hurt because he likes him so much. It's a camarederie thing, maybe; Scott's always been the type to make friends (a habit that evidently didn't change much even when he had prison time) no matter what.

But with that whole making friends deal, he's also the type to be deathly protective of them, and Bruce is no exception.

Scott's never really liked Tony Stark. Besides his owh mentor's general dislike for the Stark name, Scott just doesn't do good with fragile egos of magnificent sizes. Lately Stark hasn't been giving him any more reasons to like him--the whole thing with Captain America side, Bruce having to suffer because the guy's an idiot--and the moment Scott opens the door to his flat and sees how down-trodden Bruce is... well.

"Hey, you know you gotta look up when you greet somebody. Common courtesy and all." Scott's just teasing, but his tone is gentle. He's a relatively patient guy, and gentle as he moves his hand (slowly, in case Bruce wants to stop his touch instead of let it happen) and quietly places it on Bruce's shoulder. "Come on in, okay? I set up Jenga. Got some of those nice songs you like on my iPod too in case you wanted background music--did you know I get paid enough by Hank to buy iPods? It's amazing."

Leading Bruce into his humble flat, Scott offers him a smile. "You're also amazing, for the record."
punybanner: (squinty worried)

:D ♥ Scott is so cute I cannot

[personal profile] punybanner 2016-05-09 04:15 pm (UTC)(link)
The sound of Scott's voice is enough to pull Bruce out of his thoughts, a small smile tugging his lips upward just a little bit. He tilts his chin up, but his posture is still decidedly unhappy as he steps into Scott's apartment. He likes it here - it feels warmer, more homey, than his own place, which is relatively bare. He doesn't spend a ton of time at home; he's usually in the lab, working on projects with Tony, or out running around the world on this mission or that research endeavour.

Within these walls, though, Bruce feels his tension melt away bit by bit. There's no pressure here, no need for him to be brilliant - an expectation that he has of himself just as much as others have for him. Here, he can let himself relax a little. He doesn't have a ton of friends, especially ones that are mostly normal and not superpowered or alien in nature, so he genuinely appreciates Scott's company.

The comments draw a laugh from Bruce's chest and make his smile grow a shade brighter. He disagrees, but he's not going to be a dick and say so out loud, especially not when Scott's apparently gone to some effort to make him feel better. "Careful," he replies, his usual dry sarcasm coming out to cover up how tired he sounds, "You're gonna give me a big head saying stuff like that."

As he moves further into the apartment he finds himself fidgeting, a nervous habit that he's had from childhood and has never been able to kick. He figures it's a physical response to the massive amount of thoughts rushing through his brain. To distract himself he slides onto the couch and examines the tower of Jenga pieces. It was a good choice - get an engineer and a physics nerd into a Jenga match and you have one intense game. Perfect for distraction.

"Sorry for bothering you," he blurts out, knowing it's stupid to apologize when Scott already said it was okay. He still feels bad. "I just - " he cuts himself off, an unhappy sound taking the place of the rest of that sentence, and reaches up to run a hand through his already-messy hair.
tictacs: <user name="sissybars"> (um)

let him take care of u bruce bb ♡

[personal profile] tictacs 2016-05-09 05:11 pm (UTC)(link)
That Bruce apologises before they even start the game makes the tinkling little pieces of Scott's heart shatter further. He doesn't know what to say that Bruce will believe; the guy's already in a poor enough mental state, as evident by the ache in his eyes and the hand in his hair.

Jenga'll have to wait a little bit, because there's a more important tower Scott's gotta build up.

His ingenious response is, "Yeah, justing sounds about right."

Scott doesn't hesitate dropping onto the couch by Bruce's side, careful as always to watch for his personal space. Their knees brush together briefly, but Scott doesn't pull him into a hug immediately as much as he wants to. The tips of his fingers skim the side of Bruce's hand instead--it's certainly no giant sign of affection, but maybe it'll be enough as a subtle form of intimacy.

His head dips, gaze making it so that he's trying to catch a glimpse of his heartbroken friend despite the way Bruce crumples into himself. This is something Scott's witnessed before already, but it doesn't make it less awful. He hates when Bruce is like this--when he's so hurt he wants to disappear. As his hand moves and his fingers move to lock with the other man's, he hopes that'll be enough.

"I'd rather have you here with me than running away from what you feel or locking it all up." His shoulders move, gently nudging Bruce's own. Scott's grip on his free hand is easy enough for Bruce to break out of if he wants to, but wrapped around him enough to let him know he has no intention of letting go otherwise. "That kinda stuff ain't healthy, you know?

"I don't like when you're like this any more than you do, that's for sure. But you don't have to be alone any more."

A small smile. "For what it's worth, if you went and disappeared into some other country like you used to, I'd miss you like crazy. So the selfish part of me is glad you came here instead."
punybanner: (not that kind of doctor)

[personal profile] punybanner 2016-05-09 06:57 pm (UTC)(link)
The touches and closeness are welcome, even if Bruce doesn't say anything to that effect. Getting along with Scott was just as easy as getting along with Tony - easier, even, because unlike Tony, Scott didn't have an ego the size of a planet. His tendency to verbalize everything was a little off-putting at first, but Bruce soon grew to enjoy his clever remarks. He liked Scott's attitude, as well: he liked helping people, and he disliked people who were, in layman's terms, jerks.

Still, as much as he likes the friendly intimacy, Bruce is glad that Scott doesn't just launch right into it. Bruce's need to put up boundaries is practically legendary among the Avengers at this point. Having that need respected puts him further at ease, and he relaxes a little further, though the unhappy look on his face remains no matter how hard he tries to smile through it.

Allowing Scott to catch his eyes, Bruce gives a small shrug. He accepts the shoulder nudge and leans into it, keeping the contact. When Scott's fingers intertwine with his own Bruce gives them a small squeeze, a silent plea for them to remain where they are. Though he doesn't vocalize it, it's pretty clear that he wants Scott to keep close to him. The feeling of his body, warm and solid, is grounding, and it helps keep Bruce in the present instead of running off inside his head.

The last comment makes him laugh, his eyes crinkling up a little as his smile finally reaches his eyes. Scott's not being selfish at all - it's Bruce who's only thinking about himself, and he knows it. But he doesn't say that.

"Thanks, Scott," he says, giving the other man's hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm just. It's hard to be around someone all the time when you know they aren't capable of feeling the same way about you that you do about them." He hangs his head again, his expression crumbling as thoughts of Tony reappear in his brain. He hates himself for getting so hung up about this, for not being able to move on like the grown man he is.

"This is so stupid," he mumbles, more to himself than to Scott, as though saying it out loud will somehow make the feelings go away. They don't, but it feels good to say them instead of keeping them in his head. As much as he hates sharing his feelings - especially these feelings - he's grateful that Scott is willing to listen.
tictacs: <user name="sissybars"> (got a point)

[personal profile] tictacs 2016-05-10 12:03 pm (UTC)(link)
"Hey now, don't say that."

Having seen a glimpse of light in Bruce's eyes makes Scott's spirits drop a little at the same time Bruce's head does. He knows what Bruce is talking about, certainly: the day he'd found out his ex-wife didn't love him any more had been a startling one indeed, and the precursor to several awkward meetings where he still had his heart saved only for her. It's a ridiculous thing, heartbreak, but not in any way stupid the way Bruce probably thinks it is. Scott just isn't sure how to say that in a manner that'd make a difference.

So instead, he brushes his thumb over Bruce's knuckles, eyes unwavering as they watch his sad, sad friend.

"It feels stupid, but it really isn't. People go through this kinda stuff all the time and it's not your fault and it's not Mr. Stark's fault and it isn't anybody's fault." The one hand he uses for holding is joined by another, and Scott supposes if he isn't allowed to hold Bruce just yet (while the proximity of their shoulders certainly makes him smile), he'll hug him this way instead. "Your feelings just don't line up right... 's not like anyone can help it."

Scott's expression goes a little sheepish, but he doesn't ever stop smiling at him. "Mr. Stark not feeling the same way doesn't mean you're worth any less, okay? You're smart and you're kind to people who're kind to you, and sometimes you push folks away too much but it only makes it worth so much more when you let someone in." Scott gives another little nudge of his shoulder. "Like when you let me in.

"I mean, part of me kinda wishes I could spend all day tinkering in a lab with you so you'd've fallen for me instead," he admits, implications completely unnoticed in the wake of his honesty, "'cause like, holy shit, man, you're one of the greatest catches the world could ever spit out. Any real genius would never let you go."
punybanner: (wat a qt)

[personal profile] punybanner 2016-05-10 05:20 pm (UTC)(link)
As much as he knows that Scott is right, Bruce can't get rid of the feelings that have built up inside of him. It's not like this is first time going through unreciprocated attention - he and Betty didn't manage to get together until after it was too late, all because of Bruce's own idiocy. Now the one person who really understood him, the one guy who it might have been possible to make something with, didn't want what he wanted.

Bruce's shoulders slump more, and he's close to getting lost in the turmoil of his thoughts. Scott's hands are a lifeline, though, pulling him out of it, bringing him up out of the murky depths and back into the light. He manages to look up again, and though his smile has totally disappeared there's still gratitude visible in his expression.

And then Scott goes and says that and it leaves Bruce blinking in confusion, his eyebrows drawing together as his brain tries to figure out what Scott might have meant. It was probably just an off-the-cuff comment, nothing serious, but Bruce's broken heart reaches out and clings to it, like it's the one thing that could possibly save him from himself.

"You really think that?" he asks, and his voice is quieter and more nervous than it's ever been with Scott because how can that be the truth? How could he, Bruce Banner, a depressed monstrous genius who didn't know much if anything about love, possibly be a 'great catch'? He didn't exactly have the greatest self-worth, so hearing something like that from most people would've made him defensive, would've made him think they were lying to him.

But this was Scott. Scott never lied to him. In fact, Bruce was pretty sure the guy couldn't lie even if he tried to - he was honest to a fault. Swallowing, he gave Scott's hand another squeeze, his eyes falling to where their knees were brushing against one another. It would be nice to spend time working with Scott, he thought. Even though their disciplines weren't very close to one another, they got along well, and Scott's banter always kept the mood light. Maybe they could come up with improvements for the Ant-Man suit, some sort of biological addition to assist in communicating with the ants, maybe through pheromones -

Bruce let out a tiny chuckle. He was getting ahead of himself again. Glancing back up, he tries to smile again. "I don't think I'd have to spend all day in a lab to fall for you. You're a great catch too, Scott." His words are innocent, meant to communicate nothing more than how thankful he is to have a friend like Scott.
tictacs: <user name="sissybars"> (workin)

[personal profile] tictacs 2016-05-11 12:29 pm (UTC)(link)
That one actually makes Scott's cheeks go red. But of course they'd heat up--Bruce says it with this little smile, says it with this quiet sincerity--and even if they're just words meant to politely complement Scott's own earnest words, they still get his heart skipping a beat.

Which isn't necessarily new. Bruce does things like this to him sometimes without Scott paying much attention to the implications: calls him nice things, says he's a good guy, or a good dad, or smart, or that he looks good in a suit that he rented once that didn't fit him at all. That's just the kind of person Bruce Banner happens to be.

"Today isn't about me," comes his stubborn (but not any less half-shy) reply. "We'll have Scott Day some other time, but right now it's Bruce Day and you're gonna let me get you to smile one way or another."

He turns Bruce's palm over where both his hands hold it, gaze shifting down briefly as his thumbs trace the lines written in his skin. "I think more than you not being good for someone, things just happen to you at the wrong times." On the meat of Bruce's palm, Scott draws tiny circles, looking at the other man once more as the corner of his mouth quirks up into a comforting smile.

"Like... if you'd met Mr. Stark before he became what he did--maybe in high school, or college--maybe he wouldn't have his head up his ass and his thoughts all circulating around the demons he doesn't wanna let go." One hand withdraws just so Scott can lock the other's fingers with all five of Bruce's, always gentle, always careful, always making sure he doesn't over-step unwritten boundaries. In his mind, he's holding Bruce as tight as he can to keep all the broken bits of him from spilling out.

"If you'd met me in college, maybe I'd have asked you out on a date."

Pieces of some puzzle fit together in Scott's head, vague but not any less powerful. There's heat prickling in the back of his neck, and he's starting to understand why. "Hell, if you'd met me before you had these feelings for Mr. Stark, I'm sure I'd have asked you out on a date.

"There's just something about you, you know? And like, I know you can fend for yourself and everything--you're real smart and real resourceful--but you get the whole protective instinct in me flaring up like crazy every single time. When you get sad like this all I wanna do is make you happy again, and when you're mad I want to help you calm down." Scott chews the corner of his lip around a sheepish grin. "I know for a fact that I'm the wrong guy to hear this kinda stuff from. I mean, Scott Lang, right? Sheesh." He laughs a bit, his gaze finally drifting as he looks down where their hands are joined together. "But I think you need to know, anyway.

"That you're one of the coolest people I know."
punybanner: (wat a qt)

[personal profile] punybanner 2016-05-17 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
The idea of 'Bruce Day' draws an honest-to-goodness chuckle out of him, and before he knows it he's smiling again. Scott always seems to have that effect on him - no matter how upset or depressed he feels, Scott is his ray of sunshine. Bruce appreciates it more than he really knows how to express. Most of his friends are fairly gloomy, and even on their good days they tend to be a little too serious. It comes part and parcel with the whole protecting the world gig, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with.

But Scott - he always has this happy-go-lucky sort of attitude, even if he tends to be a little self-deprecating sometimes. It's a refreshing change. Now, sitting together, Bruce feels almost content to just listen to Scott speak and to feel their hands holding each other. It feels like he's got a line to shore, like it doesn't matter how far out to sea he's drifted, just as long as Scott's holding onto him like this.

The more he talks, though, the more Bruce's expression changes from sincere gratitude to something a little shyer, a little more confused. He searches Scott's face for answers, but he doesn't say anything until his friend is finished, curious to hear what he's trying to say. It could be that he's just trying to make Bruce feel better, but pity-comfort isn't exactly Scott's style. No, it seems like what he's saying has another layer of meaning, one that even Scott isn't totally aware of.

When Scott speaks about feeling protective Bruce wants to laugh, but not in a cruel way - more in disbelief than anything else. He's the one who turns into a monster; he doesn't need protection. Scott's the one who risks life and limb every mission, the one with a daughter, a family, the one who has people to take care of, people who would miss him if he were gone. Bruce knows that he has some of that, too, but it's not the same.

The comment about being the 'wrong guy' makes Bruce frown and shake his head a little, his fingers squeezing Scott's in an attempt to communicate just how incorrect that statement is. His final words leave Bruce feeling choked up, and it takes him a moment to gather his thoughts before he can respond in an articulate manner.

"You're not the wrong guy at all," he says, voice quiet yet adamant, determined to make that clear. "You don't know how much it means for me to hear all of that. Especially from you." Scott's the most earnest, honest person he knows. If he says it, it has to be true. He gives Scott's hand another squeeze, his expression faltering as he tries to figure out how best to respond.

"You mean so much to me," he says at last. "You always help me feel better. Even if it sometimes doesn't seem like you do." He smiles again, leaning in to brush their shoulders together affectionately. "And, for what it's worth, I definitely would have gone on a second date with you."

When he says it he doesn't mean to sound quite as earnest as it does, but as soon as the words leave his lips something shifts inside his chest, like a large rock falling away to reveal a hidden tunnel through his heart. He blinks a couple of times, studying Scott's face, and realizes that, despite being a literal genius, he's been incredibly stupid for far too long. His cheeks flush with the realization, and he can't pull his eyes away now that everything is finally beginning to make sense.
tictacs: <user name="sissybars"> (kicked)

THIS IS SO LATE I'M SO SORRY

[personal profile] tictacs 2016-06-01 09:42 am (UTC)(link)
"That's nice," Scott says around a laugh, his head ducking in something akin to shyness. "That you'd go on a second date. It's definitely nice." And he can't deny that he's grinning a stupid little grin, his hand rubbing at the stubble on his chin and his head shaking slowly. It doesn't quite hit him until he lifts his head to look at Bruce again--the meaning that'd come packaged with his words. Even then, the only reason it truly makes a mark is because of the way Bruce looks at him, too.

Like he's seeing him for the first time. Like Scott's some kind of incredible person, matched up all the way to the colour that dusts Bruce's cheeks like a fine layer of linen.

Scott is still Scott, though, despite it all. While the gravity of what's just happened is big in its own right, and he can feel that gravity in the way it has his heart rate rising and his throat closing up in unbridled excitement, he knows that he can't possibly stay quiet about it. As awkward as he is about feelings, as terrible as he is about being smooth in terms of flirtation and courtship, Scott's mouth opens as he asks, "Can this be the first one?"

They're sitting together, holding hands and touching shoulders, and Bruce is looking at him with pink cheeks and warm eyes and Scott's sure his own gaze holds the same warmth. His teeth dig into his lip in the smallest version of nerves, but it's not enough for him to really pull away--not unless Bruce wants him to. His eyes flicker, moving from Bruce's face down to the corner of his jaw and back up, and with a little quirk to his lips, he cants his head to the side a little.

"Would that be okay?"

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