"You kids and your slang these days," Bruce teases. Tony is only a little younger than him, but Bruce often feels like his brain's age is eighty and his body is only slowly starting to make its way to the mind. He's pleased though. The only thing he ever lets himself be proud about is his intelligence, when it's not actively hurting others. "Our brains have now officially met and become partners, so it worked out."
Bruce gives him a what look back. "We don't count, we already lived together in the Tower and practically slept in our labs some days." The comfort they have with one another is unprecedented for Bruce. "You're an exception." In so many ways. He and Betty did things properly. They dated, fell in love, moved in together, and got engaged, all in patient and thorough steps. But that was a very different woman and a very different relationship.
It's great advice that Tony gives, and he smiles warmly at him. Normally he'd bring attention to it, but he's trying to walk a tight rope, since he doesn't want to remind Tony of Pepper, and bringing attention to how mature he is about relationship advice would do that. "Communication we were terrible at, which is why I told her up front instead of walking around it. I don't know that she ever fully knew it was both ways." Bruce doesn't hide his thoughts or feelings well, but he also doesn't communicate them well. He was too focused on the cant's and not the cans.
He sighs and crosses his arms. Over the ridiculous cloak and the ridiculous costume. "I don't know. Because she might say no. Because she might say yes. It's been over a decade, and she's ... Natasha." Out of his league, in his mind, except it's her choice to put him in her league, and he can't argue with that. "What if she gets to know me and finds out I'm not as interesting as she thought and doesn't like me?" He's not sue if he's more afraid of rejection or getting what he wants. His insecurities do not help his anxiety.
no subject
Bruce gives him a what look back. "We don't count, we already lived together in the Tower and practically slept in our labs some days." The comfort they have with one another is unprecedented for Bruce. "You're an exception." In so many ways. He and Betty did things properly. They dated, fell in love, moved in together, and got engaged, all in patient and thorough steps. But that was a very different woman and a very different relationship.
It's great advice that Tony gives, and he smiles warmly at him. Normally he'd bring attention to it, but he's trying to walk a tight rope, since he doesn't want to remind Tony of Pepper, and bringing attention to how mature he is about relationship advice would do that. "Communication we were terrible at, which is why I told her up front instead of walking around it. I don't know that she ever fully knew it was both ways." Bruce doesn't hide his thoughts or feelings well, but he also doesn't communicate them well. He was too focused on the cant's and not the cans.
He sighs and crosses his arms. Over the ridiculous cloak and the ridiculous costume. "I don't know. Because she might say no. Because she might say yes. It's been over a decade, and she's ... Natasha." Out of his league, in his mind, except it's her choice to put him in her league, and he can't argue with that. "What if she gets to know me and finds out I'm not as interesting as she thought and doesn't like me?" He's not sue if he's more afraid of rejection or getting what he wants. His insecurities do not help his anxiety.