Domestic Meme

[superfluousaccount]

RULES! ❧ Leave a comment with your character's name, fandom, and any preferences you have. ❧ When replying, RNG for a number between 1 and 15. The number corresponds to the scenario that you will play out in whatever way you want to. ❧ Go from there!

THE LIST! 01] baby Suddenly, there's a new addition to your family! Are you expecting? Adopting? Struggling to find the perfect name for your child? Or maybe you're up at a ridiculous hour in the morning because they're crying like crazy. 02] just married Congratulations! You and your loved (?) one are about to start a whole new life together! It's time for the honeymoon... 03] house hunting Are you seeking out an apartment? A dream house? Or just any old place, as long as you're with your other? Make sure to weigh your options very carefully... 04] household chores It's time to clean/cook/garden/take care of something! Do you work together, or does one of you hide until everything is done? 05] shopping Whether it's for furniture, groceries, or something in between, shopping is something that everybody must do at some point in time! What varies is if they like it or not. 06] family vacation WE'RE OFF TO DIDNEY WOOOOOOOOORL or wherever ... well, as long as the kids are happy, right...? You may not be happy (or maybe you are), but it's mainly about ~family bonding~. 07] romantic retreat It's you and your loved one's anniversary, and you decide it's time to take some time off and take them somewhere nice, where you only have each other. 08] comfort Is somebody sick in bed? Or perhaps they just had a bad day? Sometimes, a good breakfast in bed or a home-cooked meal can really lift the spirits! Or perhaps you want to try medicine, or laughter, or something else? 09] pet Suddenly, you have another addition to the family! Is it a puppy? A kitty? A fierce dragon? Whatever it is, make sure to give it a name and to take good care of it! 10] holiday Happy birthday/New Years/Christmas/Valentine's Day/whatever! It's a very special day that only comes once a year, so make it count! 11] argument Oh, no, who left the stove on... Or maybe it's about why they were out late last night? Either way, there is a lot of tension today, and one of you may or may not be sleeping on the couch tonight. 12] making up It's time to make amends for that fight/divorce/whatever you had before! After all, you love each other... right? 13] surprise, surprise You are feeling rather loving tonight, so you want to remind the other person how much you cherish and appreciate them... if it's by something cute and adorable or hot and sexy is completely up to you. 14] proposal SHUT UP THIS TOTALLY FITS You've been with your other for what feels like forever, and finally you want to tie the knot with them. Will you go down on one knee before them, or get a little creative? 15] other I know I'm forgetting like a bajillion and one different things here, so this is the option for that!

Comments

[zen_en_vert]

I'm really sorry to hear that.

[He admits, because he doesn't really know what else to say about the fact that she wants him to be where he is right now.]

Do you need me to go?

[ferreum]

No? [ She pulls another face, rubbing the heel of her hand into her eye. ]

No. [ A beat. ] I'm fucking shit at this, Bruce, can you help me out here?

[zen_en_vert]

I want to. I was trying. But I'm kind of pretty close to the end of my own rope.

[Sipping the ginger ale is helping, though. And having him here.]

I don't know what you need.

[ferreum]

[ She twists her fingers in her lap, fidgetting a little. ]

It's possible that I don't know either. [ Quietly, she adds: ] Just. Don't go? Or do, if that's what you want. Just. Tell me first.

[zen_en_vert]

Lately, it just feels like you kind of hate me.

[Which is maybe an overreaction, but.]

I know the proximity is daunting, so you're reacting to that, but I'm not the kind of person who can just-

[ferreum]

Yeah. [ She interrupts him, because yeah, she can finish that sentence on her own. ]

I don't hate you. [ Tony's dangerously close to admitting something kind of self-aware about herself, so she's quick to amend it. ] I take it out on people I shouldn't be.

[zen_en_vert]

Okay. Yeah. I can live with that.

[He decides, breathing again. It's her. She hasn't come to agree with his opinion of himself, she doesn't want him to go. That's enough to start with.]

[ferreum]

[ God, Tony hates conversations like this. It's just- she knows what to say, but not how to phrase it, and hell if she knows if that'll be enough, right? Not that all the misdirected anger is helping. Her hand twitches in her lap, like she was going for his hand and decided against it. ]

I was feeling helpless. I still feel like that. And I thought if I didn't have to think about it and I just made you go away so would the problem, like I'd feel like I knew what I was doing.

[zen_en_vert]

[Bruce topples unceremoniously over, resting his head against her leg, breathing out quietly, and just hanging on.]

I never know what I'm doing.

[ferreum]

[ Tony's not the kind to be hesitant about a lot. Part of her's missed this though, so she's happy to gently rest her hand on the side of his head, smoothing a thumb over his temple. It feels foreign and familiar at the same time, which is kind of unnerving. ]

I can't be helping, huh.

[zen_en_vert]

You mostly do. It's just been a bit rocky, that's all.

[Quick to protect her, even from her own self-criticism.]

[ferreum]

[ She makes a face, briefly closing her eyes. ]

Ever feel like you're completely fucking losing it?

[zen_en_vert]

Ever seen the footage of the minute right before one of my transformations?

[He wants to know, quietly.

Yes.]

[ferreum]

I build stuff. It's what I do. [ She's not exactly so sure what she's trying to rationalize here; her behavior or something else. Or, more importantly, to who. ]

And I know you're supposed to lean on the people you love or whatever but I'm pretty bad at that. And I don't sleep and I fucking miss you even though I keep treating you like shit and not in the fun way, so.

[zen_en_vert]

[It's good to hear. Well, it's not fun exactly, but it gives him the incentive he needs to fight for this. His eyes open.]

What do you do when one of your machines gets a glitch, Tony?

[ferreum]

Run a diagnostic. Fix it or disassemble it. [ She pulls a face. ]

Are you going to use an analogy on me?

[full_of_wrath]

I think it's more of a mental mapping tool.

Run a diagnostic. Start with the sleeping problems, and circle out. You can't sleep- what happens when you try?

[ferreum]

[ Impatiently, though at least it's not anger: ]

You know what happens.

[zen_en_vert]

Not really. I usually just look up and find you gone.

[ferreum]

[ Her expression twists. Another thing to pat herself on the back about, huh. ]

Nightmares. It's not what happens in them, you know, it's. You ever have that feeling something bad is going to happen and you just can't fucking shake it?

[zen_en_vert]

Yeah. And with us, something usually is. It's been a long time since the world was okay, or normal, Tony. The fact that you're still braced for the other shoe to drop is normal.

The fact that it's impacting you in ways that make you less able to cope rather than more is what we need to work on.

[ferreum]

[ For a second there she looks like she's ready to bolt again, her brows drawing together in kneejerk anger, but instead she just exhales loudly. ]

There shouldn't have to be a 'we'. It's not your job, Bruce.

[zen_en_vert]

What's good for the goose is good for the gander. You're here, aren't you? I told you you could go.

[ferreum]

[ Her hand shifts to lightly tug on his ear, making a face. ]

Ugh, shut up. [ Though, yeah. She is still here. And so is he. Baby steps. ]

So, what. Suggestions?

[zen_en_vert]

Google PTSD. Start on wikipedia.

[Not helpful, Banner.]

No, seriously. I feel like talk therapy is probably out of the question for you...