Just a self indulgent domestic ficlet involving one of my favorite OT3 ships
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By the time he stirs awake, Bruce realizes that the bed is empty. He sits up with a yawn, idly scratching his fuzzy chest while his brain slowly reboots itself. A quick touch on the empty space beside him shows that it’s cool, whatever warmth having long since dissipated with the absence of his boyfriends.
JARVIS announces the day, date and temperature at his request. It seems that he’s up a little later than usual. Not surprising considering the Code Green they had yesterday. Bruce barely remembers anything between transforming back in the middle of an empty car park to when he settles in the middle of the bed, dead asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow.
Bruce remains seated for awhile longer until he decides a proper hot shower is in order. By the time he steps out of the steamy bathroom, he feels about 60% more awake and smelling like citrus. He’ll need some food and a few mugs of coffee to fully wake up. He puts on one of Thor’s shirts because he wants to feel cozy for the day–it’s either that or one of Tony’s rock band T-shirts but fuzzy comfort wins out–before he heads off to the kitchen.
He’s been wondering about their whereabouts. It’s not a stretch to imagine that Tony’s in his lab while Thor is out for a run with Steve as it’s a thing that their two resident muscled blonds like to do together. So it comes as a surprise when he hears their voices coming out of the communal kitchen. Bruce hides in the shadows and peeks in.
“It says here to beat three eggs,” Tony says with a cook book in hand. With how intensely he’s scrutinizing it, one could assume that he’s reading up prints for his next Iron Man upgrades.
“I believe it is like in hand-to-hand combat,” Thor supplies, peering over Tony’s shoulder to look at the recipe they’re so horribly misinterpreting.
Bruce loves his boyfriends. Really he does but their cooking prowess leaves much to be desired.
“Please, both of you get out of the kitchen,” Bruce says by way of greeting, finally stepping into the kitchen proper. The corners of his lips twitched at their apparent surprise; too busy figuring out the best way to beat those eggs into submission, he imagine.
“Bruce! You’re, uh, awake already,” Tony replies first, somehow managing to place down the cook book without disrupting the chaotic mess on the counter.
“We did not wish to disrupt your slumber. Thus, it is decided that we’ll bring you breakfast to bed.” Thor looks a little sheepish when he adds, “Though, it appears that we find the art of cooking to be more difficult than expected.”
“Don’t lump me in with you. I can cook,” Tony sniffs. He takes one look at the cook book before shrugging. “But whether it’s within the realm of being edible, that’s Russian Roulette for your stomach.”
His sigh is fond before he gives a kiss on Tony’s cheek, then tiptoeing to do the same on Thor’s. These two could be downright insufferable at times but moments like these reminds him as to why his heart opens up for both of them.
“I think I’m capable of handling the stove. How about you two help me instead?”
(Even if the eggs are a little burnt and they lost a few plates in the clean up after, Bruce finds that it’s one of the more pleasant breakfast he’s had in a while).
Bruce doesn’t get sick. He doesn’t. The fact that his head is swimming and he feels like he’s about to burn up like a rocket coming back down to earth.
He’s not sick.
Thor and Tony, however, know that he totally is. He can barely stand up. So Tony is the distraction while Thor slowly picks Bruce up.
“I’ve been betrayed,” Bruce says feebly, lying on the couch. “Let me go back to the lab.”
“Nah,” Thor says. “You’re too sick to do that. Tony’s making his mother’s soup. You know it’ll be special.” Bruce shrugs, and drags a blanket over his body with a shiver.
“After soup. I go back.”
“We’ll see,” Tony says, coming out with two bowls. “Thor, this one’s for you. I added extra pepper. Bruce, I got your favorite spoon. The purple one.” Thor smiles as he passes the bowl to Bruce.
They end up convincing Bruce to not go back to the lab, and lie down on the couch with them, watching old episodes of Jeopardy until Bruce started dozing off.
