Marvelous Smalls

Shots of Trust

“Don’t step on me!” Bruce yelled, cowering underneath the giant metal boot.

Bruce was stuck, his foot having fell through a hole in the decrepit building. He tried to pull it out, but it was stuck fast.

There was a fight, (there was always some sort of fight going on in New York) and Iron man himself had gone around afterwards checking the crumbling beaten buildings for any signs of life. He found one.

Under his foot.

He stopped at the voice, and looked down to see to his surprise a tiny man.

“Holy….” He moved his foot away and crouched down. Bruce flinched at the half swear, and trembled as the armoured giant lowered himself.

The glowing eyes of the suit seemed to stare at him in cold indifference. “P-please don’t….” Bruce stuttered. Suddenly the metal hand reached for him, Bruce ducked and threw his arms over his head.

Stark halted. This guy was impossibly tiny! He could see the pips squeaks foot caught in the floor. His mask slipped up silently.

“Hey, hey little buddy..” he poked him eith his finger trying to get his attention. The only reaction he got was a terrified squeak.

With a sigh, tony dug at the wood around the tiny man, and pulled him out.

Bruce felt the cold fingers grab him, yanking him from the floor, he was freed— but trapped. Despite his ankle throbbing painfully, he squirmed and tried to break away from the metal grasp.

Tony’s face plate was still off. “Hey,…hey you—tiny Tim..come on.” He huffed and retracted his hand, the metal slid away, and he moved the man to the ungloved hand. “Come on I’m not that scary.” He chuckled.

Banner lifted his head to look at the human. When his eyes met he jerked his head away. “You,..you kinda are..” banner muttered.

Stark pursed his lips. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be.” The building creaked and a support pillar collasped. Bruce yelled, as Tony brought the tiny to his chest to cover him. “We got to get out of here.” Stark stated firmly. “Trust me.” He stood and jumped out the hole in the wall he had come in from.

“Friday are scanners up?”

“Yes boss. Scanning…. Imediate collaspe in 1:17, no signs of life.” A female voice said.

Tony held his uncovered fist slightly. “What about life like this?”

Banner lifted his head. “I was the only one in there..” he said somewhat stunned. But it didn’t matter, as the women’s voice replied negative.

“Thanks buddy.” Stark nods to banner. He looked around and saw shield agents getting to the scene, his work here was done. In the next moment, he pushed off accelerating back to the tower.

“WAIT!!” But stark didn’t hear him over the wind.

He touched down on the landing pad, and walked casually letting the machine take his suit off as he went. Bruce flinched every time the robotic arm would come near him. Whistling to himself, tony walked to the bar and set the little guy down.

“Scotch? Beer? I think I might have some red wine.” He looked to Bruce as he grabbed a bottle of whiskey.

Shaking from the flight, it took a minute for Bruce to respond. “W-what?”

“Oh sorry, guess I should ask your name first.” He moved his finger to Bruce, who wilted back. “Hi I’m tony stark, genius, billionaire, Playboy, philanthropist.”

Bruce took the finger slowly. “Um, H-Hi…”

Stark poured himself a drink. “So? You got a name? Or can I just call you little guy?” He smirked.

“oh, umm, Bruce, Bruce Banner.” He fidgeted.

Stark nodded and hummed. “So, Bruce banner, what’s your poison?” He gestured to the bottles lined up along the counter.

“Umm,” he tried to stand but crumpled to his knees, his ankle sharp with pain.

“Easy buddy, don’t worry I’ll get it.” Stark pushed over a stack of napkins and let Bruce climb on it. “Do you want some ice?”

When Bruce didn’t respond tony gave a small smile. “Hey, it’s ok. I won’t hurt you, trust me. I dont want to hurt you nor do I plan on hurting you ok?”

Bruce eyed tony anxiously and shook his head in answer. “Um….no thanks, to both. I-I’ve never drank before—”

“What!?” Tony gasped, pretending to be astonished. “I’m shocked! I can’t believe it! You could drink so much without running out, ah well” he waved pulling out a shot glass. “There’s a first for everything I guess.”

“Umm, you don’t have to—”

Stark scoffs. “Yes, I really do.” He prepared a drink, and scooted it to Bruce. “Bottoms up buddy.” He winked.

Banner didn’t know what in the world was going on. This was the strangest encounter he had ever heard of a borrower having with a human. First he saved him, then he offered him a drink?

“Ummm,..I..”

“You say ‘um’ a lot, did you know that?” Tony butted in. “Hey no need to be nervous, this is a judgement free zone.”

Bruce laughed nervously, and rubbed his eyes. He was so tired. “I really shouldn’t..” he looked at the drink. He knew what a shot was supposed to look like, but this cup was filled almost to the brim. “You gave me a lot.”

Stark took a tiny black straw from somewhere, and snipped it in half. “Yup, but that’s all you get—unless you finish that, then shoot you know? Go for more I guess.” He held the straw out for banner. “Just try it. Go on, trust me.”

Banner sighed and took it. For some reason, he didn’t feel as terrified as he knew he probably should be of stark. Maybe it was his strange personality. “Fine.”

It didn’t take long for Bruce to start sputtering and hacking. “Oh my god,” he coughed. “You drink that?”

“It’s an aquired taste.” Tony snorted. He reached over and tapped his back. “Easy buddy, here,” he cracked open a water bottle and passed him a lid full of Water.

He took it gratefully and washed the taste out.  “You humans are insane!”

Tony laughed. “Maybe.”