[ Said slightly in jest, but still. Tony's his best -- more like only friend -- and he's not exactly going to let him suffer. Well, the thing about money might get some suffering. ]
Preferably? I mean, it's not like it takes a genius to figure it out. But I'm fine. We're fine. We're fantastic, don't get your blood pressure going over little old me.
[He sounds like he's writing it off but he's not. He's not fine, he's not great, and he's certainly not fantastic.]
[Bruce is literally the only person on this whole entire station that Tony will not forever bullshit. He already knows what's going on, so why bother? Still, there's a brief pause on his end.]
Few months. Give or take.
[Not entirely true. He always knows precisely how long he has, and his math is never wrong.]
[ It's back to Bruce's usual brand of selflessness, where he'd rather focus on helping others instead of dealing with his own issues. Which means this is kind of a comfort for him, helping out Tony (who albeit doesn't really need his help), not that he'd concede that.
The two of them don't always share the finer details. ]
Take care of what, exactly? I've done this before, I can do it again. Besides, it's only for like... Plan Z type stuff. Palladium is a pain to work with.
[Literally. Like ow dying a little here pain. But a particle accelerator isn't exactly within his realm of creation at the moment.]
[Tony... doesn't really know how to respond to that. He's used to just... doing it on his own. Not letting others in in the first place, but Bruce has been a special pony in Tony's book. He likes him. Still, old habits and all that.]
Don't have to do that. I got it. But hey, you doing okay? I can find you a bag of weed around here if it'll help. There has to be weed in space.
[ It's ironic how they're both the same in that regard, refusing to talk about their own personal needs, and Bruce just kinda shrugs off Tony's comment about the weed (he's done it a few times, admitting it is a different story). ]
I'm giving you two weeks, Tony. [ Casually deflecting that comment on doing okay, because he's managing. ] And then I'll find the palladium.
Do that and I'll start calling you Momma Hulk, Banner. You don't want that, do you? Because I'll do it.
[The smile is heard in his voice even if he's not entirely joking. At least he knows he has someone that's there for him, not that he'll let him help if he has anything to say about it.]
But hey, if you're going to brave the station for palladium might as well get yourself a sandwich while you're out.
[ The smile is felt anyway, even if they're past that stage of being serious. Part of him still expects Tony to call him that, or even see a bag of weed end up in his vicinity. Maybe some bongo drums, but if Tony can't muster up scrap metal, he does kind of wonder if he can get his hands on drums. ]
[He'll only make you think he won't, then he'll jump out with it at the most opportune moment. He's crafty like that. Just don't be surprised if you're like, allergic to whatever he brings you. It's the thought that counts.]
Never had it - always wanted to, though. There was a joint in New York I'd been thinking about trying.
[There's no joke in his voice - not this time. He sounds sincere, if a little baffled about the randomness of the offer.]
[ He knows his allergies, carefully controlled for in the case that something as simple as hives would make him bring out the other guy. Not that he'd ever allow Tony to put it to the test.
But the thought still counts, especially from a guy like Tony. ]
I think you might like it. Seems like your brand of spice. [ That might be him teasing. ]
You'll definitely want to give these a try. [ And that's him falling into a weird comfort zone with Tony, where his guard is considerably relaxed now that Bruce knows Tony isn't being all that reckless this time around. ]
But the real question is if anything here is edible.
[It's nice. It's so, so nice having that comfort zone. Steve and Tony have been at each other's throats the entire time, it's nice to have someone he can fall back to who doesn't have a stick up his ass.]
There's probably a futuristic Burger King around here somewhere. Could really use a cheeseburger or five.
Palladium poisoning and you want to introduce some clogged arteries.
[ There's mild amusement in there, but again, as Tony was inclined to tease, he really was starting to turn into a mother hen of sorts. It wasn't really his fault either; Bruce handled stress best in that way, by turning the attention onto someone else, where he didn't have to deal with the anger and resentment that someone like Tony Stark could be so reckless with his body like that. ]
Could use a whiskey to help it go down. Maybe a frap chaser with a shot of expresso.
[Now he's just messing with him, and his grin is heard in the words. Don't need video to see it. And what's sad of all is that he's mixed coffee and alcohol. Good times.]
[ Those are the things Bruce has yet to find out, but he wouldn't put it past Tony. When the man's personality echoes across each and every newspaper and tabloid, it wouldn't be hard to put two and two together. ]
Though that does remind me, I wonder how the alcohol here tastes. [ No Tony, that's not Bruce saying he relaxes like that. ]
It'd take years to do that, maybe decades. I didn't build SI from the ground up. Not like dad. Besides, I don't want to be stuck here on an asteroid for the rest of my life, do you? I'm out of here and heading back to Earth as soon as I find a way out.
[ The optimism is appreciated, even if Bruce chooses not to comment to it. He's the kind of person who knows what it's like to just settle for what he can get, which is why he doesn't really argue with it this time. ]
It'd get you out and about at least, give you some of that money you're asking for.
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[Sound innocent, sound innocent. Nothing to see here, nothing at all. Maybe Bruce didn't read the files, maybe he doesn't know.]
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[ Said slightly in jest, but still. Tony's his best -- more like only friend -- and he's not exactly going to let him suffer. Well, the thing about money might get some suffering. ]
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[He sounds like he's writing it off but he's not. He's not fine, he's not great, and he's certainly not fantastic.]
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How long do you have?
[ He'll brave getting out of his own mancave too. JUST FOR YOU. ]
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Few months. Give or take.
[Not entirely true. He always knows precisely how long he has, and his math is never wrong.]
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[ It's back to Bruce's usual brand of selflessness, where he'd rather focus on helping others instead of dealing with his own issues. Which means this is kind of a comfort for him, helping out Tony (who albeit doesn't really need his help), not that he'd concede that.
The two of them don't always share the finer details. ]
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[Literally. Like ow dying a little here pain. But a particle accelerator isn't exactly within his realm of creation at the moment.]
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Just because you did it once doesn't mean you need to do it again.
[ Trust goes a long way, he thinks. Tony put an excessive amount of trust in him, the least he could do was return it. ]
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Don't have to do that. I got it. But hey, you doing okay? I can find you a bag of weed around here if it'll help. There has to be weed in space.
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I'm giving you two weeks, Tony. [ Casually deflecting that comment on doing okay, because he's managing. ] And then I'll find the palladium.
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[The smile is heard in his voice even if he's not entirely joking. At least he knows he has someone that's there for him, not that he'll let him help if he has anything to say about it.]
But hey, if you're going to brave the station for palladium might as well get yourself a sandwich while you're out.
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[ The smile is felt anyway, even if they're past that stage of being serious. Part of him still expects Tony to call him that, or even see a bag of weed end up in his vicinity. Maybe some bongo drums, but if Tony can't muster up scrap metal, he does kind of wonder if he can get his hands on drums. ]
How about shawarma?
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[He'll only make you think he won't, then he'll jump out with it at the most opportune moment. He's crafty like that. Just don't be surprised if you're like, allergic to whatever he brings you. It's the thought that counts.]
Never had it - always wanted to, though. There was a joint in New York I'd been thinking about trying.
[There's no joke in his voice - not this time. He sounds sincere, if a little baffled about the randomness of the offer.]
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But the thought still counts, especially from a guy like Tony. ]
I think you might like it. Seems like your brand of spice. [ That might be him teasing. ]
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I do like spice.
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But the real question is if anything here is edible.
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There's probably a futuristic Burger King around here somewhere. Could really use a cheeseburger or five.
[So deluded, Tony.]
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[ There's mild amusement in there, but again, as Tony was inclined to tease, he really was starting to turn into a mother hen of sorts. It wasn't really his fault either; Bruce handled stress best in that way, by turning the attention onto someone else, where he didn't have to deal with the anger and resentment that someone like Tony Stark could be so reckless with his body like that. ]
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[Now he's just messing with him, and his grin is heard in the words. Don't need video to see it. And what's sad of all is that he's mixed coffee and alcohol. Good times.]
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Though that does remind me, I wonder how the alcohol here tastes. [ No Tony, that's not Bruce saying he relaxes like that. ]
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[It's awful, terrible, horrible. Feel bad for his suffering.]
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You could always rebuild Stark Industries here. Maybe go universal.
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It'd take years to do that, maybe decades. I didn't build SI from the ground up. Not like dad. Besides, I don't want to be stuck here on an asteroid for the rest of my life, do you? I'm out of here and heading back to Earth as soon as I find a way out.
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It'd get you out and about at least, give you some of that money you're asking for.
[ Don't think he hasn't figured that part out. ]
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Yeah.
[He sighs.]
Yeah. Reactor first, then the Mark II Stark Industries.
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