Marvelous Smalls

When Genius's Meet

This is a one-shot of borrower!Tony where he meets Bruce Banner, warning of abuse and fear. A big thanks to @sammie-skele-turtle for coming up with the prompt!

_____________________________________________

Anthony Edward Stark had always been.... More.

More perceptive, more intelligent, and this wouldn't have been a bad thing, but he was also more curious than was allowed of a borrower. All this combined was a bad mix for someone only three inches tall.

Growing up his parents always scolded him for his inginuity, for wanting to create things like the humans did. Whenever they went borrowing, Tony was always always distracted and facinated by the modern technology that they came across. Borrowers had nothing close to what humans had, and had no ways of re-creating it.

It frustrated him to no end.

As he grew older, he began to get in trouble for his interest. A smack on the head for letting his sight linger on a toaster to long, or a rough pinch on the arm for not moving fast enough across the tv stand. Starks parents tried their hardest to beat the curiosity out of him, fearing that one day it would lead him to be caught— but Tony never was caught.

After the last borrowing trip Tony had taken with his Father before his death, Howard Stark had dragged Tony back home and thrown him to the floor for trying to poke around a computer.

"Anthony!" Howard Stark hissed. "Have you any idea what could have happened!? Because of you and your ridiculous obsession with human junk you could have been seen!" He paced in front of Tony angrily. "We did our best to curb this unhealthy obsession, but enough is enough!"

Tony stood to his feet. "I've never been seen! If I can get some of their technology do you know how much it could help us? Is that so wrong? To want to improve our lives?!" Tony asked his voice rising with each question.

His father had slapped his face, sending him reeling into the wall.

"It is not the borrower way." He answered darkly as Tony glared at him. "Your only job in life is to survive. Don't you ever forget that!" He snapped. "It's time to grow up!"

"One day I'll show you." Tony muttered under his breath.

"I'd like to see you try!" Howard barked.

That was the last conversation he ever had with his father. He and Tony's mother had vasished after that. Whether they were snatched up by a bird outside, or killed by a mouse in the walls he never found out. Tony felt a deep guilt about it, and always wondered if it was somehow his fault. And as months turned to years, nightmares of the vilont exhachange between him and his father began to haunt his nights.

Life was mercifully boring until one day a new tenant walked into the apartment. He was followed by a man in a black coat and eye patch. They started talking.

"Were doing the best we can to get the situation under control Banner." Eye patch said.

"I'm fine Fury, I've been in hiding in a lot worse places." Banner looked hesitent, but then asked. "Could I bring some of my work with me?"

"I'll see what I can do. Everything has already been arranged. Stay here Bruce, and don't leave." There was a hint of warning in his tone. "We'll come get you when we're ready, until then sit tight." With that, fury left.

A day later, a small team arrived with Banners things, including his "work". Tony's eyes lit up as he spyed, noticing many of the boxes were filled with strange gadgets, machines. Banner walked among them giving instructions.