Work Text:
Bruce tore through his pack, trying to find that damn guidebook he’d been offered by some smiling working at a store been helping a few days before. He didn’t know enough of the language yet to get by; he needed the book to hopefully at least have something to translate from. The nice man he was trying to ask shelter from noticed something fall, an article of clothing, and smiled and picked it up. “Thank you,” was automatically said, smiling and nodding as he took it back to show he was appreciative. The moment he looked at the shirt he smirked at the lettering on it, rolling his eyes softly at the teasing he knew he’d get if Tony was here. Remembering the astonished look when Bruce had admitted to not understanding the language he was reading. “I don’t know them all Tony, I just pick them up as I go, if I’m there long enough,” he blinked and realized that some of the languages in the area bled through. French for instance was common, he knew more of it than the major native tongue. “Je peux offrir de l'aide pour le logement à travers la nuit.”
The man’s eyes lit up as he smiled and nodded. “Oui. Si vous pouvez aider avec les tâches que vous pouvez y rester.” Bruce nodded and meekly followed, still clutching the shirt close.
It’d been nearly three weeks since he’d left. He’d lost two sets of clothes to raiders, a pad of paper to a child without for school and he’d already had to scrounge up two pairs of shoes (and is currently in woven sandals) due to terrain and wildlife. How he’s yet to lose this shirt is beyond his comprehension.
-
Month six left him sitting up in the middle a trench, his pants shredded beyond repair and blinking at the shirt clenched in his hand. A moment of panic had him scrambling to cover himself and look around at the empty forest, expecting someone to be there, someone trying to capture/kill him. The moment he recognized the shirt his fear vanished with a sigh, he glanced around. This time not fearing whoever might be there, if they even there. Bruce shook his head and pulled the shirt over his head before trying to bundle the remains of his pants around his waist in hopes of at least retaining some dignity as he searched for the nearest, if it existed, road.
He smiled as he sat by the fired, smiling as he unfolded the shirt he’d washed in the nearby stream, setting it over hot rocks to dry. It made him smile, all the things Tony would be griping about. He’d be up in arms about how the doctor was getting along without technology. He’d probably be working furiously trying to invent SOMETHING out of branches and vines. Anything that would show some form of technological possibility just to keep from remembering he was in the middle of nowhere. Bruce smiled and poked at his meal, judging it done and eating before pulling the dry shirt away from the fire and bundling it up to tuck it under his head. It had lost the scent long ago but he still remembered. If anything, that helped keep the other guy calm, him feeling grounded, safe, even in the middle of nowhere without any shelter, tools, labs, machines, help. It took him three days to actually find a town and Bruce had never felt more peaceful.
-
At the year mark Bruce tracked down a phone, having saved up enough change to get a call out to him. “JARVIS?” Bruce cleared his throat. He hadn’t been talking much in the last few weeks, no need with being so far from humans. “Tony’s out? Okay, could you tell him I called? I just, didn’t want him to worry. He told me he would send a search party if I didn’t contact him every year.” Bruce smiled at the AI’s response before chuckling ever so softly at JARVIS telling him he’d relay the message the moment Tony got back from the Avenger’s meeting. “Well, thank you JARVIS.”
“You’re welcome Dr. Banner. I do hope you’ll visit sometime soon.”
Bruce just smiled and hung up when the machine stated the time was almost up, not even offering JARVIS a goodbye. He smiled down at the shirt possessively clutched in his hand before stuffing it back into his satchel. Time to move on again. Knowing Tony, SHIELD and Ross, someone had to have grabbed the location of that call.
He ended up getting a ride from a load of workers, asking if they needed more help for the days harvest or possible medical care since injuries were common place when dealing with machetes in the forest. He lucked out and got a bit of money and a small grouping of bananas out of it. Seems it was a good day…
-
The next few weeks Bruce didn’t remember much. He wasn’t even sure how much time he’d lost between the group of soldiers finding him and suddenly stumbling around in the lower US. He didn’t stay him long, couldn’t. The damn hounds were on him, them, no matter how he tried to evade them or how the other guy fought they would not back down for long. The only thing that seemed a constant was the fact that whether he went away willingly or un he always woke up hanging on to the shirt. Tony. Tony would have some type of flashy battle plan. He’d have some snide remark about sending a cannon to shoot a mosquito then blink and rephrase, giant green rage mosquito but still.
And here he was, hiding in some cave like an animal hugging a shirt to him like some sort of security blanket and listening to his teeth chatter because he’d forgotten how cold the dessert got at night and didn’t want to risk a fire. He smiled at the memory of Tony strutting around the lab when they’d first lived together, trying his damndest to get Bruce to try it. He’d just laughed and shook his head, giving Tony a soft ‘you’re insane’ smile until he finally gave up and went back to attempt poking him with sharp electrified objects.
“Hey, Hulk… I’m cold,” Bruce smiled at the stirring beneath his skin. “What do you say we shake these dogs and go see Tony?”
“Tony,” was echoed as his eyes flared green.
-
Bruce was actually surprised by how close to his destination he’d gotten, a few miles from the tower actually before it was his turn to walk. Never once letting go of the shirt still trailing from his hand, he trudged to the tower. He looked up, suddenly worried. Worried about whether or not Hulk had actually evaded their pursers, whether Tony would even want him around if he knew what could be at his heels. He bit his lip and looked down at the shirt that had somehow made it through the year, year plus, with him and Hulk and started worrying.
Bruce didn’t get the chance to possibly skip out. Tony came flying out the doors and instantly slung an arm around him. “Oh my god, there you are! Finally another intelligent brain to have a REAL conversation with! Do you realize how long I’ve had to put up with Capcicle and Hammerhead?! They’re horrible! They still can’t even text properly! Save me?”
Bruce couldn’t stop the smile, nor the laughter bubbling up. Tony just smiled at him then blinked at the shirt in his hand. “Is that my Black Sabbath shirt? I’ve been looking for this thing forever!!!”
“Sorry, I didn’t think you’d miss it,” Bruce apologized.
Tony hugged him, completely throwing him off guard before throwing an arm over his shoulder and dragging him inside. “What have I told you? Mi casa es su casa!”
Bruce just smirked and followed beside, getting updated on all the newest info whether he wanted to or not.