#poly thorbruce

Bruce frowned and looked at the clock again. You’d been working a punishing number of hours. More hours than any one person should be working. It was too much. 80 hour weeks. 20 hour shifts sometimes.  And when you come home, collapsing into bed and curing around the nearest stuffed animal or warm body… It broke both their hearts. Especially when you cried. Never where they could see you, or when you thought they were looking. 

But in your sleep. As tears ran down your cheeks and you whimpered in the dark. So tired and care worn that your heart referred to rest. It aired the grievances in your sleep that you couldn’t voice during your waking hours.

“What was she doing?” Bruce asked. 

“She couldn’t give me very many details,” Thor said, “But she did say that it wasn’t going to be a dangerous situation. And it sounded like she was in a hospital.”

“IN a hospital?” Bruce said, slightly alarmed. 

“No. No- with a patient. Not as a patient,” Thor said soothingly, wrapping an arm around Bruce’s waist and resting his forehead on the other man’s ribs.

Bruce Exhaled slowly and nodded, thankful that you at the very least, weren’t in any dangerous place this time. 

“How long has it been?” Thor asked. 

“I don’t know,” Bruce admitted, “She left around 11am yesterday. And I know at some point she took a nap in her car.”

“Ah yes,” Thor snorted, “Her trusty rolling fortress… At least she was reasonably comfortable for a while.”

“If a little chilly,” Bruce said smiling. 

For a long moment, the two of them were silent. Staring at the clock and considering. Wondering how much longer it was going to take for you to stumble through the door. 

“She’s going to be tired,” Thor said, a little sadly. 

Bruce made a soft sound of agreement and sighed, “Yeah. I think we better make sure there’s clean sheets on the bed and something hot to eat.”

Thor nodded, frowning slightly. The God hated the idea that you were hungry and exhausted somewhere. And he hated it even more when he thought about all the weight you’d lost just from the stress. Bruce knew it by the way his eyes darkened. 

But. 

They didn’t have much time to debate. Or consider what you might like to eat when you got home. The door swung open and the sound of your bag hitting the floor brought them both to their feet quickly. 

“Holy shit,” you murmur, rolling your neck to stretch it out and limping slightly as you walk through the narrow breeze way.

You blink in surprise at seeing them both in the kitchen and your face relaxes into a tired smile, “I hope you haven’t been up all night waiting for me.”

Thor shook his head, a little alarmed when you wavered on your feet, “Of course not, my love. Only until we knew you were safe somewhere for the night.”

You nod and stifle a yawn with difficulty, catching yourself on the back of a chair, everything going black at the edges breifly, giving you the tunnel vision you’d gotten all too used to in the past weeks. “I think-”

But that’s all you manage to get out, before you crumple. Like a wad of paper into the arms of the nearest man.

Bruce would tell you later, he was thankful Thor had the presence of mind to toedge closer to you. Pointing out that, if he had tried to catch you, it probably would have resulted in Bruce spraining something and Thor having to carry both of you to bed. But that in the moment, the heart rending picture of him having to carry your exhausted, overworked body just made him go a little green around the irises. 

It took both men to get you into your pajamas and tucked into bed. When you were awake, you fussed at them. Protesting that you were fine around being told to take drinks of water and Bruce taking vitals while he decided whether or not you needed medical attention or just some rest. 

Ultimately, as you curled in their arms, slipping into fitful sleep, Bruce decided that the stress of waking up in unfamiliar surroundings might be more detrimental. Particularly if you woke up alone. In a bed that was too small and narrow for them to join you in. 

And Thor deferred to Bruce. 

“My brave little Valkyrie,” Thor hummed, tutting softly. “Though she is but little, she is fierce. Let her sleep. For when she wakes, she will move mountains.”

Bruce chuckled, “Shakespeare?”

“Can you think of any other words to describe such a woman?” Thor said grinning. 

“No,” Bruce admitted, Kissing the demi god’s chin and tucking a blanket closer to you. “But-”

“I know,” Thor soothed, “Even steel can break… She needs to rest. Properly.”

“I’m going to talk to Tony again… I know she doesn’t WANT to work for SHEILD. Or Stark. And I know she doesn’t WANT to use her powers for those people… Not in any capacity they want but… She’s one woman. And it’s not like the not for profits are treating her any better.”

Thor sighed, looking apprehensive, “But-”

“I know,” Bruce grumbled, “We should respect her wishes but… Thor. What will she do if HYDRA catches up with her? In a dark Alley. With no way to call us. They could make off with her and we’d never-”

Thor kissed him quiet gently. They had had that argument. Amongst themselves and with you. Many times. You liked to hide in plain sight. And, You had pointed out to them, many times that Bruce eluded Hydra on his own for many years. And that his particular ability was much more likely to be of interest. 

“We’ll try again when she wakes. AFTER,” he said scowling, “We get a decent meal into her. I don’t like those cookie things she keeps in her car.”

“Granola bars,” Bruce corrected automatically.

“Whatever. They’re not food,” Thor groused.