Ready, Fire, Aim!

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

Bruce couldn't help bit smile in amusement of that particular mental picture: Tony with a startled expression, holding a whisk and bowl, sans eyebrows. "Um, just about everybody, I think," he teased, finally settling down to eat.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Rolling his eyes, Tony licked his fork deliberately to remove it of syrup and huffed, "Yeah well, they don't teach cooking to fifteen year olds at MIT. Its a wonder I'm not fat from take out," he mused, poking his stomach.

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

"Well I'm pretty sure they don't teach Home Ec at Harvard either, but I still know how to make pancakes," Bruce countered with a lopsided grin, "I just got my acceptance letter a couple weeks ago." He was still rather proud of that accomplishment. That is, until he remembered that he had already done all of this before. His features fell a bit, but he focused his attention onto his breakfast rather than dwell on it. "Guess I've already been to college though, huh?"

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony realized what that implied a second after Bruce did. "Hey, don't talk like that. You want to get in? I'll make sure you get in. They can't say no to Tony Stark," he said instantly, rubbing his shoulders.

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

Bruce glanced up with a grateful tilt of his lips, but he shook his head. "No...if I was going to get into college, any college, I want to have earned it. But thanks anyway," he replied, tone sober. "'Sides, who needs college when you live with a billionaire? I have all the lab equipment I need right here, and someone who knows how all of it works."

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony bit his lip, wanting to argue and not knowing how to go about it. "I.. Okay. If you're sure that's what you want. But, you change your mind, and I'll be on the next flight. I mean it," he promised, leaving an arm draped around him.

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

Bruce nodded, slightly comforted by the weight on his shoulders, ironically enough. He cut away at his pancakes, eating in relative silence for a few moments, pleased with his work, but after a moment, he turned his head and glanced up to Tony with a smile. "Really, though, thank you. I doubt this will be permanent, but having the option to go...it's incredibly generous of you."

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony offered a soft smile in return, shifting so that it was his hand only on Bruce's shoulders. "You earned it fair and square, it's not your fault that was years ago. So, if you ever want to.. I'll persuade them. And you're welcome," he replied. One thing the Bruce's had in common? It felt incredibly good to make either of them happy.

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

Bruce smiled down at his plate, gratitude in his posture. "So, um, what should we do today? Nothing too stressful...did you, uh, did you want to watch a movie or something? Or we could get to the lab...see if we can try and analyze that vial of whatever it was that was shot into me?" he suggested, needing something to take his mind off things.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

(Hm, possible idea: we jump several months into the future. Bruce isn't aging any faster than normal, and now its Tony who's going off the deep end. All of the crap that happened to him in IM3 could be happening now (i.e. anxiety attacks, nightmares again, insomnia, obsession with building suits) and sooner or later Bruce would just sprout back up to normal? Or we can keep going with this)

 

"Well, normally I'd be all for a movie, but I don't think I can keep my hands or mind still today. Lets head down to the lab, maybe you can continue work on that robot while I patch some stuff with my suits," Tony suggested, setting his plate and fork in the sink. He then refilled his coffee mug and added, "Or y'know, Lima beans, that too."

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

(I like the idea, but rather than Bruce stop aging, or slow to a normal rate, it's just progressively slower. So in a few months, he might be in his thirties? So almost back to normal? When Tony is going through this, I sort of want Bruce to be 100%, but I like the idea of him just sprouting up overnight in the middle of all of it. Very sporadic aging. Did you want to do the time skip?)

[Sweet_Wyvern]

(I like that. Also, I feel like my Tony is getting too OC, so I'm trying to nudge him back. If he sounds way more sarcastic than usual, it's just me trying to get his personality straight. Or adjust it at least)

 

Tony shifted into a crouch and pulled the soldering iron with him, brow furrowed in concentration as he sealed two wires together. "C'mon DUM-E, hold it steady. Steady.. I said-! You know what? Never mind. I've got it," he snapped irritably, pushing the arm away to take over completely. He swore in many bright colors as he burned himself. Ah well, at least he was now done with... "What number is this J?" He asked, sucking on the burn. Mark 42 and counting, sir. May I advise that you have been awake for-

"Nope, mute," Tony cut in, tossing a rag on the lab table as he strolled around to begin unhooking the suit from the computers. Then it could go into storage.. Bruce still didn't know about that. He didn't want him to know.

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

A bed ranged Bruce wandered down to the workshop at some point, rubbing his eyes groggily he entered the passcode to get inside. "Tony, you down here? It's like 3 AM," he mumbled. He was still dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, intent on heading up back to bed with his husband in tow. They had grown closer during the past few.months, so that even though Bruce might not yet be the right age quite yet, he still held the same feelings for the engineer that he did before. Or at least he was very close to doing so.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony looked up as Bruce emerged, then checked the time. "Huh, so it is. Say, Sleeping Beauty, hand me that wrench?" He asked, downing the contents of a coffee mug (coffee and hard liquor, worked like a charm) as he turned back towards his next project. He had about five going at once and tended to switch a lot, mostly compensating for all of the crap he felt at the moment. Bruce might've been nearly back to normal, but it had been months! The engineer was losing his sanity quickly and even though they were close again, he was still having trouble accepting all of it.

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

"Yeah, 'course," the scientist mumbled, sleepily walking over to hand him the wrench. The pungent and familiar scent of coffee wasn't enough to overcome the stench of liquor, and Bruce couldn't help but wrinkle his nose at it. "Have you been drinking? And I swear if you say 'it's five o'clock somewhere' I spike your drink with something a lot less enjoyable than whiskey," he asked with a note of irritation and concern. He'd noticed the fraying edges, how Tony seemed to be slowly deteriorating as months past, and he couldn't help but feel guilty, knowing that this was his own doing.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony took the wrench with a muttered thanks and continued what he was doing, working on a black box with two straps on the currently removed plate. "Calm down mom," he replied with a snort, "it's not much. Just needed something else, y'know?" His hand slipped as he turned back to his project, causing the wrench to clatter to the ground loudly. "Son of a * ," he muttered, putting a hand over his eyes for a moment. "I dropped the wrench." He could certainly use one, seeing that he had a few screws loose at the moment.

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

Bruce watched Tony work with a hint of curiosity, studying the black box intently whilst simultaneously listening to the engineer's explanation. It was the sound of the wrench clamoring to the floor that shocked him out of his assessment of both Tony and his project, and he jumped a little, before bending over to pick it up and place it in Tony's hand. "Hey, it's okay. Here," he soothed, seeing how Tony seemed to be upset. "It's just a tool, Tone."

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony wrapped his fingers around the cool piece of metal, lowering his hand to stare at it a moment as though it held all the answers. If only it did. "I know. I'm fine," he insisted stiffly, going back to what he was doing with slightly more erratic movements. He just had to keep working, occupy his time, drive the haunting thoughts from his head. Bruce's concern wasn't helping either, he was fine, just had too many ideas to sleep. "You should go back to bed, it's pretty late and I won't be up for a while," he said not unkindly, but without looking at him.

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

Bruce swallowed, his stomach in a tight knot upon seeing Tony so distraught. He clearly wasn't fine, but he obviously didn't want his help... He sat down on the workbench beside him, keeping his distance so Tony wouldn't feel crowded or cornered, but maintaining a light hand on the engineer's thigh, hoping that Tony would understand that he was there for him. "I'd...prefer for you to come up with me? You haven't slept in days, Tony. You're starting to worry me," he said honestly, but gently. No more beating around the bush.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony set down the wrench with a sigh and looked over at Bruce, eyes bloodshot and with bags residing beneath them. "Yeah, well, I can't sleep. You go up to bed at night, and I come down here and do what I know. I tinker," he replied, gesturing vaguely around the workshop.

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

Bruce's brows furrowed slightly, but he mulled this over rather than speak the words that instantly popped into his head. There was no sense in berating him for something that wasn't his fault. "Well...you know that I know how you're feeling. I've been there before, after the accident," he said quietly, choosing his words carefully as he rubbed a thumb absently over Tony's hand, "I can try and help with the sleep thing? And if you really need to just work after...well, I could always stay up and help you."

[Sweet_Wyvern]

At that point Tony looked him in the eye, still for a split second before shaking his head. "No, Bruce- you're not staying up with me. I'll.. I'll just come up and try I guess. Can't hurt, right?" He dug his knuckle into eye and rubbed persistently. He couldn't sleep, but he was definitely tired.

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

Bruce smiled softly and nodded, offering a hand to help Tony up to his feet, though he doubted he would take it. "I can make you some tea? Passionflower helps with insomnia and nightmares. Or at least it used to help with mine," he suggested, mind already in the kitchen where he felt he might actually be able to do some good.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony pulled a face as he stood up, wiping his hands on a rag. "Tea? You know I hate that stuff," he mumbled. He'd rather drink acid. "No, just.. Stay with me okay? That should be enough. I don't think tea would help anyway," he said, dejectedly hitting the button for the penthouse.

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

Bruce's features fell, but he pulled his lips into a hard line, and nodded. If Tony didn't want it, then he wouldn't force him to drink any. He really did think it might help, though. "Alright...no problem," he sighed. He did squeeze the engineer's hand, though; even if Tony didn't seem to like any of his other ideas, he figured he wouldn't mind this one.