Title: Bitter Spite
Canon: Avengers- movieverse
Characters: Bruce, Tony, Steve
Summary: Just a little drabble of Bruce's thoughts when Tony pokes him in the movie.
The shock of that little prod made him jump, startled him, and the associated physical responses were as expected. A brief, small elevation of heart rate, a gasp, and the immediate "Ow!" Even though it hadn't really hurt, not enough for the reaction it got. The word was barely out of his mouth before he was smiling though, fighting back a laugh as he immediately shot a glare over his shoulder at Tony. The other man had intrigued him up till that point but suddenly, in that one moment, he felt more free than he had in almost a decade.
When was the last time someone was confident enough, comfortable enough, brave enough to tease him. It was a friendly, playful curiosity, a small challenge, the kind of thing that happened on a daily basis in his graduate lab, back when he was young, playful..... safe. For that moment, even with Tony giving him that intense, curious stare... he felt surprisingly human.
Then Steve was storming over, being the voice of reason, reminding Tony of what he was playing with. Tony wasn't the one that needed reminding though, was he. No, Tony was playing with fire and that was why he did it, he enjoyed the thrill but it was no different from the way he'd test anyone else with his mannerisms. He poked and prodded and tried to draw people out of their shells, it was just how he was, so overflowing with life that he felt the need to pull everyone up to his level, to wheedle and get under their skin.
It was the reason he challenged Steve for interrupting even, accusing him.
No, Tony didn't need the reminder... He did. He was the one playing along, the one enjoying that little moment of normalcy, the one letting himself react like anyone else instead of immediatly telling Tony what Steve was telling him now. To stop.
He wondered what Steve would say if he knew. Knew that the waver in his control was not because of Tony's antics but because of Steve's response. No offense he says and Bruce flashes a weak awkward smile, a pained look that he can't understand why he's not called on it, waving a hand, dismissing the words.
That didn't change the fact that they stung, that they made that bitter, angry part of himself flare hot through his mind. "The only word that matters" Bullshit. Good ol Steve, always pleasant and polite and trusting but he was the practical one, the soldier. He thought first of his crew and that meant that whatever he wanted his personal opinion to be Bruce would always be a threat, a danger, one more thing to watch out for. If he was going to be damned for the beast within no matter what he did then why did he always try so damned hard.
He knew why, of course he did, and every time he lost control the regret was a little bit keener, made the ache in his chest a little bit sharper. But even so... It hurt, though he should be used to it after this many years, it hurt and it made him spitefully want to prove them right, show them the thing they feared.
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