long overdue

[watchesthewatchers]

It's Ricki's little ramshackle apartment, but there Peter is one morning, perched on the loveseat, reading a file, waiting for Bruce Wayne to arrive.

He has a gun, but tucked out of sight, not on his person. Just in case.

Comments

[zen_en_vert]

"Why do you think that is?"

Bruce asks him, curiously.

[profiteering]

"You know him better than I do."

[zen_en_vert]

"Not what I'm asking, Tony."

Why does he think it is?

[profiteering]

Tony looks at him hopelessly.

"It doesn't matter what I think. He's the one who's picking the fights. He's the one keeping Ricki away from us!"

[zen_en_vert]

"Do you think that's true?"

Bruce challenges, gently.

[profiteering]

Tony scowls at him. No, he doesn't.

"He told Peter to stay away from Ricki."

[zen_en_vert]

"Peter said he told Peter not to hurt Ricki again."

Bruce corrects him.

"Is that the same thing?"

[profiteering]

"How do you think Peter's going to take that?"

[zen_en_vert]

"Self-destructive and bitterly, because Bruce is a bit of a plank when it comes to social skills. But, if it were anyone but Peter who had made Ricki cry like he did that day here in the bathroom, what would you have done?"

Bruce asks, stretching out a little.

"I want tea, come, let's put the kettle on."

[profiteering]

"That's different."

He says ,stubbornly, but he gets up and follows him.

"I wanted them here."

[zen_en_vert]

"Bruce saw Ricki being hurt. He reacted badly. Now, you've seen Peter being hurt; you can keep going, or you can cut thee cycle off."

[profiteering]

Tony is petulant in every move me makes.

"Do you have to make sense right now?"

He snaps, but his hand glides over Bruce's back in gratitude. Bruce wins.

[zen_en_vert]

"I'm sorry, daddy."

He really was eavesdropping.

[profiteering]

He laughs, too startled to be angry anymore, and pushes him.

"Are you teasing me?"

[zen_en_vert]

"Me?"

Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. (But his eyes have such a glint.)

"Oh, daddy, never."

[profiteering]

He grabs a wooden spoon and swats Bruce with it.

"Now you're lying?"

[zen_en_vert]

He reaches out and pulls him in closer.

"All right, we're doing that. Soon. But for now, we need to settle down."

[profiteering]

"You're doing that 'making sense' thing again, and I don't like it."

He smirks, all but sticking his tongue out at him.

"Peter wants us both by the way. I told him we could spoil him with a three-way."

[zen_en_vert]

"That's flattering."

He says, smiling widely.

"After that, though, I thought I'd give you both a day or two alone."

[profiteering]

"He'd like that. I think we need to reconnect."

He agrees readily, but as soon as he does there's evident surprise and he steps a little bit closer to Bruce.

"...Huh. When is the last time I didn't see you for more than a day?"

[zen_en_vert]

"The weekend you spent with Pepper after our watershed week."

Remembering perfectly.

[profiteering]

He nods slowly, pulling Bruce unconsciously closer.

"I loved being with her. She needed it. But...it was really hard. Too. For me. I felt like I'd been dropped out of a plane."

[zen_en_vert]

"I'll be a phonecall away, if you need me."

Kissing his jaw, tenderly.

"No planes this time."

[profiteering]

"Okay."

He whispers, eyes closing peacefully.

"You know I'm not usually clingy, right?"

[zen_en_vert]

"You know I will give you whatever you need, no matter what."

Soft and firm.