(no subject)

[starkingenuity]

"Yep, actually, I did hear you, Doc.  I'm just ignoring you."  Don't be a buzz kill.  Stark is riding high from that last fight.  "It's just a cut.  I've gotten a lot of cuts.  Some bactine and some bandages and a little kiss over it from Jarvis here and I'll be just fine."  The tall, leggy blond at his side doesn't even bother to roll his pale blue eyes.  He's worked with Stark for years, too long really.  He knows how the man acts.

"Sir."

That always makes Stark laugh and he lightly pats Jarvis on the back of his drivesuit.  "Not your boss anymore, Jarv," he reminds him gentle.  Or maybe he's just trying to drown out the mousy little guy following him.  And that's when it hits him, halfway down the corridor, through the cheering crowds and the crews trying to get his Jaeger back into one piece.  He knows that mousey little man follow him.  "Shit.  You're Doctor Banner!  Well hey, nice to meet you finally!  Man, we studied your tactics against Onibaba for months after that attack in Tokyo!"

Comments

[starkingenuity]

He'll see the marks soon enough but when someone is standing behind you and about to drop water on your head, you keep your eyes closed. Even if that person is being an exemplary human being and not letting it drip in your face. He luxuriates at the feel of fingers at his scalp, though, even if the first wash will just get the grease out. So much grease.

Pardon the happy little noises too. He's a little too much like a cat sometimes and though he has space issues and touch issues and all sorts of other issues, he really does try his best to let people in from time to time. Right now is one of those times. Banner is one of those people.

"Good. Maybe. What were we talking about?" he asks, dropping his chin forward against his chest.

[aggravated]

It's a bit like giving one of the strays around his previous home a really good scratching when they needed it badly. No cat would ever let themselves be bathed this willingly, but Stark is acting like one nevertheless. All he needs to do is start purring to complete the picture; the thought makes Bruce chuckle to himself.

He doesn't know about Stark's touch-issues, but if he did, he would certainly sympathize with them. Maybe not out loud, but internally, all the sympathizing.

"Nothing don't worry about it. Here, keep your head tilted back while I rinse all this out." Bruce cups the back of Stark's head as he rinses out the first shampoo, thumb swiping over the forehead, temples, to keep water from getting into his eyes. While this is a surprisingly new thing to be doing for a patient, it comes second hand to be careful, and gentle.

When he's finished, he starts on a second shampooing. It's that bad.

[starkingenuity]

You be unconscious for a few days, Banner, and see what that messy rat trap curly hair of yours looks like! It doesn't help that Tony exudes Italian. That's just like asking for his hair to be an awful grease ball! After three washes and rinses, the pilot looks fairly content. There's been nothing much going through his mind, just the pleasure of a touch that doesn't want anything in return,

He tilts his head lightly to the side as if to encourage neck scratching and opens his eyes as the conditioner is reached for. Huh.

"I didn't know that Kaiju Blue permanently stains," he says, trying just a little bit of calmness. Will Banner talk to him without questioning? "New tattoo ink...? Because your dance partner wouldn't let you get tribal tats on your back?"

[aggravated]

Bruce nearly drops the bottle of conditioner at those words. He doesn't turn back to Stark immediately, taking a few seconds to school his expression back to something more neutral. It'd been a very long time since anyone had seen the markings on his skin, because he hid them constantly.

His fingers pop open the bottle, and his voice stays level. "It will stain anything it touches, organic or non-organic." However, the part about tattoos and dance partners is just shy of insulting, and he has nothing to say to it. At least he doesn't have to explain what it is. "I'm one of the lucky ones." There was only a spot on the top of his foot and the palm of one hand, one on his neck at the base of his hairline, if one knew where to look, but otherwise it had stayed mostly at his core.

He poured some of the conditioner onto Stark's hair and maybe surprisingly, his hands massaged more than just put it in.

[starkingenuity]

It's not an insult. Stark doesn't fear the Other Guy. Before all this happened, back when he was just a weapon manufacturer for the world's super powers, he'd been contracted by the Army to invent spy drones to find and keep an eye on Banner. He's always liked him. Always thought he was hiding a useful, important side of himself.

It's not his place to say and anything he might say about it is taken over by more scalp massages that lead instead to somewhat disastrously flirty comments instead: "You should charge for this. But not me. Ill be your shampoo pimp."

As if he couldn't afford it! Even with all his money and resources tied up in the war against the Kaiju, he has spending money set aside for somewhat similar activies.

He doesn't have to pay. He just finds paying gets him a better degree of what he wants.

"Uuuuh. I'm going to keep you forever."

[aggravated]

There's always the assumption everyone is terrified of the Other Guy, as they should be in Bruce's opinion. Bruce has no idea what Stark's had to do for the Army, and frankly, might not be as kind as he's being if he did know. His privacy has always been deeply important to him and knowing someone is willing breeching it is more than a bit bothersome. More like infuriating. He'd given his time, his genius, and nearly his life to the Army; he deserves better than to be spied on.

But welcome to the Army.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," Bruce says with amusement in his voice, working on the conditioner until Stark's hair is thick with it, then actually leaving it for a moment to wash his hands and get the supplies he needs to tape up Stark's chest. Oh yes, he lets his conditioner sit. Soft fluffy curls need to be maintained.

"Just don't expect to get this treatment every day."

[starkingenuity]

"Yeah, but every day until I can wash myself properly right?" Tony asks, watching Bruce move around out of the corner of his eye. He wonders if Jarvis would be willing to do it but then imagines that he'll get a frown and an eyeroll for his trouble. Besides, he probably wouldn't do it right or the drifting done will ruin the idea of it in the end anyhow. Oh well.

Redhead might still be on the list, though. Once he's done being a patient of course!

Stark hooks an arm over the back of the chair he's lounging in and tilts his head all the way back as Banner moves behind him. "Besides, what else are you really doing? Reading? Boring. I bet you already know the material back to front any way, am I right?"

[aggravated]

"The faster you get the arc reactor done, the faster you won't need help bathing," Bruce points out with a little quirk of his lips. He starts carefully using cups of water, once he's gotten his supplies, to clear out the conditioner from Stark's hair, one hand cupped to keep water from his eyes. "So I expect you to get it done soon."

Tony, wait until you don't have a battery hooked up to you for sex. Think of the possible terrible consequences.

"Working on projects, mostly," Bruce informs him about what else he's doing. "Working on figuring out why the shielding failed on the Mammoth, how to fix it - getting a whole new engine in all of the Jaegers is going to take time. How to counter the sickness from the radiation already absorbed. Trying to find a way to nullify Kaiju Blue entirely."

[starkingenuity]

"'Washing Tony Stark's hair'," he adds to the list as if it is significant and impossible to ignore or leave off. His smile, upside down, hair darker from the water and slicked back away from his forehead. "All very noble pursuits. The last one in particular. Once I get the prototype done, we can have these babies cranked out." He's over estimating the size that reactor will need to be, how supplies have been diminished, and the logistics of testing it. That's not exactly his fault so much as its his upbringing.

He wants, and after he took over Stark Industries, he gets.

"When I get done with this build and don't have to carry around my boyfriend here, I can help. During free times. I'm not a biologist but I learn fast."

Remarkably fast.

[aggravated]

Bruce's brows lift, looking down at Stark as he leans over him. For a moment, he almost asks why Stark wants to help, but he thinks of cool blue eyes and knows exactly why. It would all be part of trying to save Jarvis' life. So instead, he only gives a little more. "Once you get rid of your boyfriend, you'll lose the spark in your life."

Yes, an attempt at a joke. A terrible, terrible joke. Still, he gives a tiny smile and runs his big palm over Stark's head to wring some water from it. "Ready to try part two of this?" Reaching over for a towel, he works to make sure no drips will slide down until he gets the wound and cables tarped and taped off.

[starkingenuity]

"Guess that just means that I will need to find a new boyfriend," he replies with a laugh, not even skipping a beat. His smile is done in a wink, one eye closed so as to not have to worry about water in his eye.

"I can't wait for the next part. This is going to be so much fun for everyone, huh?"

((Pardon the shortness. Will be back later ))

[aggravated]

Bruce snorts at the smile-wink, shaking his head. "You are endless, Stark, and not always in a good way." Meant to be a little vague to keep the other guessing, Bruce drapes the towel around Stark's neck to catch any further drips from his hair after removing the tarp. He begins taping on the piece he'd cut earlier, making sure to be careful with the wires and the delicate tissue around it.

"Let me know if this hurts," he says, giving a look to Stark that means he means it. If it's hurting him, he wants to check on it while he has the chance and move the tape elsewhere.

(No prob - have fun!)

[starkingenuity]

"I could probably use a shave," the other mutters, glancing down at his chest. The tape is absolutely going to hurt. Especially coming off. But it's a necessary evil. Getting the battery wet won't be the issue, but where the electrodes catch with his skin could be a nightmare. Electrocution is not the way to go.

Of course, after this step, Stark can actually take over from here and finish this himself. Washing won't be a problem but hey, new opportunity for fun, right?

Banner really should just leave him to it before he's drawn in.

[aggravated]

"Sorry," Bruce says honestly, looking up at Stark from where he's kneeling. "If you want, I could get a razor?" He hadn't thought about that like he should have. "I'll do my best to not rip half your chest hair off. Find some oil, it'll loosen up the tape." He finishes off with the tape, then steps back and fills up the bucket again.

He drops the soap into Stark's hands and the sponge into the bucket. "All yours. I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?" A small, easy sort of smile. Stark is an odd one, but for some reason, he enjoys being around the other.

[starkingenuity]

At least he's not too weak to do some decent soaping up. It feels amazing to have the dirt and sweat and days of bed rest washed off of him. Some parts are harder to get than most, but he's just finishing up his feet when Bruce gets back. The rest of the shower-sponge bath is innocuously awkward but Stark keeps up the conversation which reverts back to the reactor time and time again.

He needs to get this done before the next Kaiju attacks. He needs Bruce's help. And most of all, he needs to keep a bit of automony with himself. Stark is use to ruling the roost but this injury has left him on the outs of even his own wellfare.

"We need a team," he says as he lets Bruce help him back to his feet to be dried off. "I can do this on my own with Yinsen but we have to work in parallels. Miniature for me. Massive for the Jaegers. And we'll need funding. And I need to have access to whatever I want."

[aggravated]

'I can do this own my own with Yinsen'. The words make him pause, just for a second, before giving a small nod. "I'll tell Marshall Fury what you need. If he's smart, he'll put the engineers under you so that can be done. I don't know how much access he'll give you, but," he finishes with a little shrug.

He'll speak to the nurse Stark seems infatuated with as well. Maybe it'll be easier on Stark if it's her instead of him doing this work. "Do you think you can get it done in time?" If Stark says he can, seeing what work he's already done, Bruce will shift his focus from the shielding to the sickness instead.

[starkingenuity]

That's where Bruce is suppose to come in. He's not an engineer but he is a doctor. A good one, from what Tony's seen and possibly Google-stalked. "Maybe, if you help me out," Tony says, and since he's standing, that means that they can look eye to eye. And probably just a bit too closely. "I need someone to give me deadline and boundaries and someone that won't just yes-man me."

He could use Fury, but Fury had twelve Shatterdomes to run. That leaves Banner.

"And to make sure I eat and to keep Jarvis from worrying and--" This will sound weird but-- "I kind of need a friend."

[aggravated]

The all too-closeness of their bodies makes Bruce tense unconsciously, and Stark's first words confuse him. Before he's even done, Bruce is already thinking 'why me?' because certainly Fury would do those things. The man is big on boundaries and deadlines, and definitely wouldn't 'yes-man' anyone--

Then Stark drops that last statement, and all of the questions vanish from Bruce's mind. His brows come together, lips parting, but he has nothing to say to that at first. He swallows, hands wringing unconsciously, before saying quietly, "I'm not exactly the right kind of person to have as a friend, Stark. I'll be happy to work with you, but... I don't think I'll be of much use in the friend department." The corner of his lip lifts, the humor aimed squarely at himself. "I'm not exactly someone you go have a drink with in a bar." Referencing the night he pulled Stark out of the bar.

[starkingenuity]

Stark doesn't hardly remember that night. He likes being black out drunk after a Kaiju attack. Of course, that's not something people like to hear and right now, there's not much out of Bruce's mouth he really wants to hear. Stark doesn't do friends, and this is exactly why. He figures Bruce is just letting him down easy.

That's all right. It's all jealousy. People that can't understand him. He's sure of that.

It's Bruce's loss.

"All right, well work with me now and figure out where my pants are."

[aggravated]

Oh Stark.. this has nothing to do with jealousy. It has everything to do with a man who has no self-confidence what so ever. The two friends he's had in his life - one he had lost when everything happened with Ross and he hoped his dog found a life outside of being a stray, and the other.. the other.. he had to push away for her safety.

It makes him think of the disc Fury pushed into his hands. He still needs to watch it.

"Over here." So Bruce brings him his clothing, and believes that's it. It's safer for Stark to not be involved with him. Hadn't that already been proven? Only a few weeks in their lives, and he's destroyed much.

[starkingenuity]

It's easier for him to believe that it's jealousy and not genuine dislike. He feels a little betrayed, as he always does when his feelings aren't returned because he's a damned good catch and that goes for friendship as well as whatever else he's interested in from a person. He went out in a line. He got burned. It happens.

It happens too often.

Oddly enough, Tony isn't good relationship material. God only knows why Jarvis likes him.

He gets dressed and helps Bruce clean up and bobbles back to his room where Jarvis is already blinking owlishly at him. "Sir--"

The look Stark gives to Jarvis is deadening. A 'don't ask' sort of look. He doesn't want to talk about this. He just... Just wants to lay down and rest for a little while.

[aggravated]

Bruce helps Stark to sit down on his bed, giving him a look. "Is there anything else you need?" Honestly offering to still help, but he actually looks over at Jarvis. Badly, he needs to speak to the other about Stark, about a few things he's said, and more importantly, what he thinks Stark needs for his continued care.

[starkingenuity]

Jarvis takes the hint and carefully sees to it that Tony is laying down, the battery is out of reach and his co-pilot is comfortable before he makes an excuse to go with Banner to fetch something to eat for them both.

He joins Banner in the hall and shuts the portcullis door half way.

"Dare I ask what occurred?"

[aggravated]

Bruce gestures with his head for Jarvis to follow him, and he starts, very slowly, towards his own lab. "He didn't want to wake you up, so he asked me to help him with a bath. Not that he didn't need it, but I had the plastic and medical tape to make it happen." A little twitch of his lips at the thought. "I left the supplies down there, by the way, for future use."

His eyes are mostly staying focused on the floor, never looking over at Jarvis. Thinking. "He... mentioned something that surprised me. I didn't think could be right, considering who he is."

His fingers flex at his side, then he says softly, "Stark said he had no friends, other than you."

[starkingenuity]

"He doesn't," Jarvis says without much air of indignance, fondness, or the rest. "He might have considered Colonel Rhodes a friend, but he perished during a Kaiju attack. Ms. Potts, his personal assistant, is no longer in contact, and his driver, Mr. Hogan, was let go from Mr. Stark's service and they have not been in touch."

Two of three names are employees, Bruce. That's about how far Tony gets with friends. He hires them and hangs out with them. The rest are transient, fleeting, at best.

"Is that why he's upset?"