Bruce planned on growing it back out, because he hadn't chosen to get it cut in the first place. The slightly longer hair felt like him. There was a lot of what was going on in his life that he couldn't control, so he was going to go back to what was comfortable and familiar. He smiled when Tony ruffled his hair. "I don't think the hair suits me. It'll be gone soon." He very rarely considered the way he looked though. It was all about comfort. He was very average compared to his teammates, and that was okay with him. He preferred blending in.
"I'm sorry, I really am. If we hadn't gotten lost in space, I promise I would have reached out and let you know I was alive." Bruce was going to go into hiding no matter what. Perhaps they could have reeled him back in eventually, or found him and reminded him that it was going to be okay. But he'd been so afraid and ashamed. He got fooled into thinking he could be good. Nat and he bonded over that, their shared certainty that they were just playing at being heroes. "We almost killed you, Tony. He would have, he was so out of his mind." And yes, that was Wanda, but he wasn't going to hold her accountable. He almost killed the only person who cared about him. He would have never gotten over that.
"If he said it was the only way, maybe he was right. Maybe that will be the key when we go back." Weirder things had happened. They could still find hope, maybe.
Bruce instantly blushed again, hanging his head and putting his forehead on Tony's shoulder. "Oh, you know, my usual type of any gender, strong, beautiful, powerful, hilarious, incredibly far out of my league." He realized that he never actually mentioned his type. There was Betty. Then there was Nat. He was very casual about it though, like it was common knowledge. He would call it appreciation over real interest, because interest was off the table for him. He wasn't ready to think about how interest could be reality, if he found someone again. "It's not like that though. She was friends with the Hulk, and I think she and Thor have this crackling energy between them. I'm not ... I don't do that. It's admiration, that's all." He really was okay with that. "You would love her, she reminds me of you. Very chatty and personable. I think you'd have a quip off."
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"I'm sorry, I really am. If we hadn't gotten lost in space, I promise I would have reached out and let you know I was alive." Bruce was going to go into hiding no matter what. Perhaps they could have reeled him back in eventually, or found him and reminded him that it was going to be okay. But he'd been so afraid and ashamed. He got fooled into thinking he could be good. Nat and he bonded over that, their shared certainty that they were just playing at being heroes. "We almost killed you, Tony. He would have, he was so out of his mind." And yes, that was Wanda, but he wasn't going to hold her accountable. He almost killed the only person who cared about him. He would have never gotten over that.
"If he said it was the only way, maybe he was right. Maybe that will be the key when we go back." Weirder things had happened. They could still find hope, maybe.
Bruce instantly blushed again, hanging his head and putting his forehead on Tony's shoulder. "Oh, you know, my usual type of any gender, strong, beautiful, powerful, hilarious, incredibly far out of my league." He realized that he never actually mentioned his type. There was Betty. Then there was Nat. He was very casual about it though, like it was common knowledge. He would call it appreciation over real interest, because interest was off the table for him. He wasn't ready to think about how interest could be reality, if he found someone again. "It's not like that though. She was friends with the Hulk, and I think she and Thor have this crackling energy between them. I'm not ... I don't do that. It's admiration, that's all." He really was okay with that. "You would love her, she reminds me of you. Very chatty and personable. I think you'd have a quip off."