A Lost Side

Part 1

Bruce:

I always hated Tony's formal parties. They were better than his informal , crazier ones, but not by much. I always felt trapped in pleasantries and civility and most of the time, I didn't know half of the people who usually attended. They were all Hollywood stars, business moguls, or high-fashion models, none of which I was. Even when it was just the Avengers and a few friends, they never ended up as planned. Hell, the last one ended with a psychotic robot trying to "cleanse" the world.

I frowned as I tried to straighten my bow tie. Another thing I hated about the parties was dressing up. The suit, or on especially unlucky evenings, tuxedo, was always stuffy and itchy, and I always found that the shoes were always stiff and tight. I was just nervous being in the suit, thinking about the expenses I would rack up if I Hulked out in them. I always felt like I could never be myself behind this mask of high society and luxury. It just wasn't me. I missed the loud, overcrowded streets of India and even the muddy and muggy makeshift paths in the jungles at times like these.

I sighed and shook my head. Only a few hours, I promised Tony and Sapphire. That's all, I can do this.

I closed the door to my room softly behind me, trying to be quiet even though there was no need. Everyone had already headed up to the party by now and I could hear soft music playing. I stopped in front of the elevator doors, hesitating. I could still turn back now and go back to my room. I didn't have to press the button and deal with people tonight. If Tony asked, I could just say I fell asleep.

I pressed the button and the elevator opened in front of me, the ding ringing through the empty hall. I clenched my jaw and stepped into the elevator before it closed and started rising up the one level to the tower's party deck. The door slid open without a sound as it slowed to a stop and I swallowed thickly. Many colors clashed and swirled by and there was chattering over soft violin music that I knew would eventually change to something more of Tony's taste. Yeah, just a few hours.

I took a deep breath and stepped out of the elevator. A few scientists I recognized nodded and smiled at me as I walked past their table. I nodded and gave a tight smile back but made it clear I was heading towards the bar. The last time I had been roped into sitting with them, I hadn't been able to escape the entire party and had to repeated listen to their research about a stabilizing process for a certain molecule that Tony and I had already patented.

I made my way over to the bar, the light glinting off of the many bottles Tony kept stocked on the wall behind it, very expensive bottles. I leaned up against the counter top, already exhausted, as Nat rose an eyebrow and smiled. She was behind the counter again, insisting that she was the best bartender Tony would ever be able to find. She wasn't wrong and she knew it.  She could mix and drink just about anything and could deal with the intoxicated guests easier than anyone I knew. "So, you finally came up, I was starting to think you would hold out on us."

She smiled and relaxed slightly as I blocked the majority of the guests in the room from seeing her. Her perfectly placed smile dissolved and the look around her eyes made her look exhausted and slightly sad. I knew she hated these high society parties almost as much as I did; they reminded her to much of her past for her comfort. We both came to them to respect and support Tony as well as to keep him grounded. Even though he has very much grown out of his crazy party days and heavy drinking, I wouldn't put it past him to do something childish even though I had no doubt Pepper would be able to put him in his place.

Natasha's bright red lips, which matched her shorter hair perfectly, lifted back up into a genuine smile as her dark eyes flicked up to see someone over my shoulder. My sight was thrown into darkness as I felt cool hands slip over my eyes and was surrounded by soft lilac and driftwood. A soft breath tickled my ear as I pulled the hands from my face and smiled. "Hello handsome."