[locked] Heart of glass

[notpatsy]

Who: Trish Walker and Bruce Banner
When: After Trish wakes up from cryo
Where: Science department
What: Trish is really upset to wake up and finding that everything is on fire. Figuratively speaking.
Warnings: Will add if necessary



The rational part of Trish is very well aware of the fact that everything being a giant clusterfuck has absolutely nothing to do with her going into cryo, but there are a few other parts that somehow managed to make her feel guilty about the whole thing all the same, as if somehow she could have stopped it all if she had only been around.

And then there is of course just the giant gut punch that is knowing that Bruce was going to leave her. Sure, he might consider it a noble sacrifice but she really isn't in the mood for seeing it that way at the moment. Not after spending hours watching a cryo tank hoping for him to wake up. Not after being torn from sleep by a sudden need to check that he is still breathing because actually he might not be, she could be snuggled up to a corpse because he died and what if coming back is just some sort of cruel cosmic joke and the punch line is that one day the man she loves is going to be cold and dead with absolutely no explanation given.

Her chest is tight with panic and fear and misplaced guilt, and she hates all of it which means it all transforms into anger, and since that anger has to go somewhere she is currently absolutely furious with Bruce.

Talking to Tony was sort of keeping her grounded, but now she is alone with her thoughts and none of them are pretty.

Their room has been turned to glass, of all fucking things, which in all honesty feels like a too damn suitable metaphor for the state of her relationship. This is what you get for loving heroes. You would've thought that she'd learned that by now. Some lessons just can't seem to stick, apparently.

She spots a piece of paper on one of the bedside tables, and she picks it up, even though she is already quite certain that whatever is written there is not going to help her calm down before she goes to see Bruce.

Comments

[notpatsy]

If being weird and creepy makes him laugh, she'll take it. She suspect he hasn't had much reason to smile lately.

"I don't know, I'd probably break an eyelash or something and then I'd feel terrible."

[hyperkinesia]

Well, she is his main reason to smile, so there's that. Though Tony has managed to drag a few chuckles out of him.

He reaches for one of her hands, lifting it up to his face and resting her fingertips on his cheek, just where the glass starts.

"Then don't touch the eyelashes. Simple as that."

[notpatsy]

Another reason to love Tony right there, even if it will probably end up being a massive pain in Bruce's butt that she and his best friend get along so well.

"Can you feel anything at all?"

Said as she carefully explores the glass with her fingertips, staying away from his eyes for now and just touching the area around them.

[hyperkinesia]

He shakes his head a little, not so much as flinching while she slides her fingertips across the glass on his face.

"Not really, no." He falls silent, clearly hesitant, but speaking up eventually. "The heart doesn't hurt, either."

[notpatsy]

"Jesus."

Yup, here come the waterworks. She's glad he can't see her cry, though he can probably hear her sniffle.

She moves her hand from his face to put it above his heart instead, wondering if he can feel it tremble.

"Heartbreak has taken on a whole new meaning, huh?"

[hyperkinesia]

He rests a hand over hers, fingers curled around her own, searching her face blindly with his free hand and cupping her cheek, thumb stroking it soothingly. His heart beats calmly in his chest, even though it's made of glass, even though it shouldn't even be able to move or function at all.

He can hear her cry, yes. But he doesn't want her to— there's no reason anyway. He's fine, really.

"That's up to you, I guess... depends on whether or not you're planning on breaking my heart anytime soon."

[notpatsy]

"Never. You've got me for as long as you want me."

Maybe she should have said something more lighthearted there, but he will have to take her very earnest and somewhat teary statement instead.

She's not sure she would describe what has happened to him as "fine", but he is alive and he is himself so yes, things could definitely be a whole lot worse.

[hyperkinesia]

He smiles even though she's crying, moving his other hand up so he's cupping both sides of her face.

"Best thing I've heard in a very long time."

At least a month, which is roughly how long she's been stuck in cryo. but that's not a thought for now— now, he just leans in close and presses a lingering kiss to her lips.

[notpatsy]

She kisses him back, arms snaking around his waist to hold him tightly.

"Watch it, you might get snot on you."

Truly she is the most romantic girlfriend any man could ever wish for.

[hyperkinesia]

He doesn't pull away, nor does he stop kissing her once and again, arms rounding her shoulders and settling on her back.

"It's fine. I can live with a little snot."

[notpatsy]

She returns each and every kiss, hands stroking up and down his back a little.

"How are you feeling though? Really feeling."

Don't just say you're fine, Bruce, because she won't buy it.

[hyperkinesia]

"I'm really... really happy that you're here with me."

And that's definitely the truth. Even if he's not completely fine, he still kind of is, because she's here now. And that makes everything so much better and easier to handle.

/cries about this ship

[notpatsy]

"I'm really happy that I'm here too."

She will do everything in her power to help him with what he's going through. Knowing her she'll probably do a bit too much, even.

weh

[hyperkinesia]

Considering what he's going through, whatever she does likely won't be anywhere near too much. And Bruce won't complain either, even if she smothers him with her usual urge to control everything.

"Good. I'm glad. I know this isn't the nicest place out there, but..." He shrugs a little, sighing as he rests his forehead against hers.

"I just want to be with you. I don't care where."

[notpatsy]

"Stop being so sweet, you'll make me cry all over you again."

Which basically translates to her feeling exactly the same way, but he knows that.

[hyperkinesia]

His lips twitch into a faint grin, arms wrapping tighter around her and pulling her closer to him again.

"You can cry all over me as much as you want to. You know I don't mind."

[notpatsy]

She bends her head to press her face against the place where his neck meets his shoulder, breathing in his scent before turning her head more to the side so that she can give his neck a kiss.

"Such a patient man."

[hyperkinesia]

"Fruit of habit and practice both."

He smiles at the kiss as he draws away a little, hands dropping down to her sides as he puts some distance between them.

"But we can wash your face, too. That, uh... we'll have to make do here, though. What with our room turned to glass."

[notpatsy]

"Yeah, that sucks big time. Goodbye sex marathons I guess."

Seeing as how things went last time they got a bit hot and heavy in the science department, though her comment is mostly aimed at making him smile.

[hyperkinesia]

"Well, the door to my office can be locked. But... I think my heart might be our biggest problem right now."

As much as he would love and be willing to be intimate with her during their stay at the department, he doesn't think it's worth risking until he's healed or put back to normal. Assuming he is, hopefully.

[notpatsy]

"Just as I was starting to think we could cut back on the worrying a bit."

The universe really seems to have some sort of problem with them enjoying physical intimacy with each other.

[hyperkinesia]

"I'm sorry."

Not sorry like it's his fault— sorry that this is how things are for them. Again.

"We just... need to go back to taking things slow. For a little while. But that's fine, right? We're fine."

[notpatsy]

She pulls away from him and wanders over to the nearest available tap to quickly wash her face before returning to him and gently cupping his face in her hands.

"Bruce. Even if we could never have sex again because boners would kill you, we would still be fine."

[hyperkinesia]

The sound of the water answers the question as to why she moved away, and he stays put, glassed eyes looking into nothing at all, waiting until she comes back.

"Yes, yes, I know, I remember the whole 'we don't have to have sex' thing. Well guess what? I kind of liked being able to have sex again, so you'll have to excuse me if I don't want to have to stop again."

[notpatsy]

That makes her laugh, and she leans in to give him a quick kiss.

"I really, really liked you being able to have sex again so you are very much excused."