Ready, Fire, Aim!

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

The loud thud was enough to wake Bruce from his light sleep, and he started. He shot up, his head and muscles screaming in protest, and he winced, before looking down at Tony's form sprawled across the wood floor. He managed to get out of bed and make his way across the room, using the wall for support. He knelt shakily beside Tony. "You okay?" he asked worriedly.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony looked up to see Bruce kneeling over him, mentally kicking himself for worrying the doctor. "I'm fine. Bad dream- rolled off the couch," he said, sitting up and giving Bruce a once over. "You should sit back down before you collapse. You look exhausted," he suggested.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Bruce gave a slight shrug. "I'm actually not as tired as I usually am after a transformation. Did anything happen while the Other Guy was...?" he let the question linger in the air, helping Tony off the floor before collapsing onto the couch himself. He looked at Tony, and although he looked slightly shaken from his dream, he seemed relatively fine. He actually seemed quite a bit more rested than before, considering that he'd looked dead on his feet the past few days.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

"He did just fine," Tony said, sitting on the couch beside him and mopping sweat from his brow. "In fact, I got him to understand how to be gentle around people. I had him pick me up and put me on the roof. Then I fell off the roof and he caught me all on his own. He's learning Bruce, I really think he is. He didnt just toss me off this time, anyway. I did let him smash a little though, as a reward," he explained.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Bruce looked surprised, but he nodded at Tony's little assessment. It was incredible to think that the Other Guy was actually capable of learning and being gentle, so much that Bruce had a hard time processing it. But he took Tony's word for it, and he promised himself that he would continue with these little training sessions, if for nothing else, because it might end up saving a few lives. He sat there quietly, listening to a few flies buzzing around the shack, thinking.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony sighed and got up, groaning slightly and stretching. Sleeping on a couch didn't do great things for you. "Want some tea? I was gonna make a pot of coffee," he said finally, wandering into the little kitchen area thing. Honestly, this shack was so small.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Bruce peered behind the couch at Tony. "Coffee's fine," he said lamely. When Tony brought the mugs over, he gratefully took his and sipped the hot, bitter liquid. It definitely wasn't the gourmet stuff at Stark Tower, but it was fine with him, and he finished it in a few minutes, feeling the buzz the coffee gave him a bit later.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony shrugged and leaned against the wall with his own mug, practically chugging. It made him antsy not to have liquor, but he didn't dare get drunk around the Hulk. That could be a disaster, plus he was ashamed to depend on it and didn't want the doctor to know. Needless to say, it made him a little twitchy.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Bruce watched Tony chug his coffee, noticing his twitchiness after word. He figured it was just the caffeine causing it, and didn't give it a second thought, considering the starling amount of coffee the billionaire used to consume at the tower. Not much else happened the rest of the evening, and Bruce decided after a nap he'd go for a walk, get out of the house for a bit while he wasn't mean and green. He asked Tony if he wanted to come along.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony agreed to come along, wearing a hoody and jeans. He was used to the heat anyway, and didn't mind wearing those kinds of clothes when it was already hot out. "Is it getting easier? Afterwards, I mean," he asked idly.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Bruce nodded, fidgeting slightly in his shorts and t-shirt. "Yeah, it's getting easier to come out of it. And the transformation's not as painful each time, so I guess that's a plus. He's... surprisingly calmer now. I don't feel him shuffling around back there as much," he admitted. They set out at a leisurely pace, passing by a few houses along the way.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

"I think this is what you two needed. You share time out with him, and as a result he doesn't bug you as much. Things are actually going pretty well, considering. I think we can start campaigning in a few weeks," Tony said optimistically, enjoying the company of the other scientist.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Bruce nodded in agreement, but chose not to talk about it any further. It seemed too good to be true that he could let the Other Guy out with no consequences, and he figured it was just a matter of time before it all blew up in there face.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony just patted his shoulder, not saying anything. He knew Bruce was anxious, but there was nothing for it. "I'm surprised Ross hasn't caught up to us yet. Guess he's stupider than I thought," he said with a smirk, watching a couple birds fly off.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

"I sincerely doubt that," Bruce blurted before he could stop himself. "Ur, what I mean is, Ross is probably just biding his time, waiting to attack us when we're most vulnerable, or when we let our guard down. He always seems to be there either when you're at your best, and he knocks you down, or when you're at your worst, in which he tries to squash you out completely." He'd had enough experience running from the general and his Hulkbusters to know how he thought, and like he said, it was only a matter of time before they ran into him again. Probably when the Other Guy was in the middle of a crowded city so the media made Ross out to be some hero.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Then a dart flew out of no where and hit Tony, who crumpled to the ground.

 

"Well, we'll be ready for him when he shows his ugly head. Just trust me. Once we start campaigning, we'll get the upper hand," Tony said, full of confidence just like always. He knew how to work people, how to manipulate the media. They would eat this up.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

((so I should make a dart hit Tony? I'll just edit this if that's the case...))

[Sweet_Wyvern]

((Lol I was kidding, I mean, you can have Ross attack if you want. That's up to you. I just don't want this becoming too vanilla))

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

((That's the only reason I asked, was b/c it was getting a bit bland. Hm, how to spice things up a bit...? Bring in another character maybe? Pepper calling or something?))

 

 

[Sweet_Wyvern]

((Oh, what if Pepper calling clues Ross in on their location and they don't realize it? Should you be her or should I?))

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

((You can if you want, that way we can get in more solid dialogue between Tony and Pep.))

[Sweet_Wyvern]

((Okie!))

 

They were on their way back when Tony's pocket began to buzz. Frowning, he opened up his cellphone.

"Hel-"

"TONY! Oh my god, where the hell have you been? Why didn't you call me?"

"Easy Pep, I-"

"Don't you 'Easy Pep' me, I've been worried that you were dead for weeks! There is a warrant out for Bruce's arrest and you're missing!"

"Please, Pepper, let me talk!"

"NOW YOU WANT TO TALK?!"

Tony held the phone away from his ear, wincing as shouting could be heard on the other end. Turning to Bruce, he smiled weakly and said, "So Pepper says hi.."

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Bruce was slightly startled at the screaming coming from the other side of the cell, and he only offered a weak smile at Tony's remark. How were they even getting a signal out here? Oh, right, Stark tech uses it's own private satellites..., he reasoned. He stood awkwardly off to the side as he heard Pepper berate Tony on the phone, not quite knowing what he should do.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

When his fiery redhead had finally stopped yelling, Tony started to explain himself. "Look Pepper, I would've called you. I wanted you to know I was alright, believe me. But they're after us, and one wrong move could have us surrounded. I can't come home yet, but I promise I'll come back to you in one piece. I love you Pep, and once I've helped Bruce, I'll come right home."

There was a pause, followed by a sigh. "Okay Tony. Just.. be safe," she said softly before hanging up; Tony purposefully didn't say he'd been shot. That wouldn't bode well. "Guess it could've been worse. Could've had an anxiety attack," he managed, scrubbing his forehead.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Bruce didn't say anything for a moment, allowing Tony to collect his bearing after his little scolding, before asking about Pepper, if she was alright. After all, the only way Ross would've been able to find out about Tony's summer home was through her.