Jaimie Solace and the Unavoidable Affliction of Love

Chapter Two

"Solace!"

The doctor in question, who had been completely zoned out staring down the lens of her microscope, jerked her head back in surprise at the shout that came no less than a foot from her face.

Her eyes widened in shock, surprised that she hadn't noticed Stark sneaking up beside her.

Across the lab, Bruce looked up from what he was doing and frowned. "Leave her alone, Tony."

"Is there any particular reason you were sneaking up on me, Mr. Stark? Can I help you with anything?" asked Jaimie.

"Sneaking up on you? I absolutely was not. In fact, not that either of you noticed, I was trying to get your attention for at least five minutes," Tony protested. "And I don't know how many times I'm going to have to tell you, call me Tony."

Ignoring the last part of his sentence, Jaimie looked across the room to Bruce with a look that clearly said "is he being serious?"

Bruce pursed his lips, they had been pretty focused on what they were doing. He was pretty sure a bomb could've gone off outside of the room and neither of them would have noticed.

Tony rolled his eyes at the two of them. "See, this is what I'm talking about. You two have been holed up in here for so long you're communicating telepathically. It's creepy. What are you guys even doing anyways?" He snatched something off of Jaimie's desk, and she immediately stood up to snatch it back, looking entirely unimpressed. The sight made Bruce smile, but it dropped quickly when he noticed Tony was looking at him.

"None of your business, Tony," Jaimie narrowed her eyes playfully.

"Fine, be like that. Either way, you two are coming to my party tonight. No excuses."

"Party? Why are you having a party?" Bruce asked him, "Is it someone's birthday?"

Tony looked at him with exasperation. "Since when have I ever needed a reason to have a party?"

Admittedly, Bruce wasn't entirely adverse to the idea. He didn't typically like Tony's parties, but it had been awhile since Bruce had been to one and usually all he did was stay at the bar talking to people, and the only people who ever approached him were his friends. He didn't think he would mind a night of free booze and talking to his friends tonight, but he was starting to understand that Jaimie wasn't really a social butterfly despite her seemingly extroverted nature, since she seemed to avoid the team most of the time. Bruce could understand that, as sometimes they were kind of a lot.

So instead of agreeing, Bruce shook his head. "I don't know Tony, we're kind of swamped in here. I'm not sure about Dr. Solace, but I'm going to be way too tired for a party tonight."

Jaimie, whose father was also the god of truth, had always been good at figuring out when people were lying. And for some reason, Bruce definitely wasn't telling the truth. But even though Bruce was keeping his hands busy tinkering with whatever was in his hands at the moment, he kept sneaking glances at her, trying to gauge her reaction. Oh, Jaimie thought, he was lying so that she would have an excuse not to go.

She almost went with it, too. But Bruce was being so sweet, and if he wanted to go she would feel so bad stopping him. Not that they had to go together, but she knew that Bruce wouldn't like to leave her alone in the lab working when he went to a party. He just wasn't that kind of guy. And, Jaimie supposed, she would be a pretty shitty spy if she kept avoiding everyone she was meant to be spying on. She could prevent herself from getting attached while also getting to know them a little better. Probably. Maybe.