Work Text:
I, THE MIGHTY THOR, WILL PROTECT YOU
Thor rolled over in their bed, reaching out to pull his bed companion back to him.
His hands grabbed at nothing but air. “Bruce... come back to bed. Please?” Thor's voice was sleep-loaded and heavy.
There was no answer in return and the Aesir pushed himself to his elbow, blinking at the clock nearby: 2:30am.
Thor was used to Bruce staying in the lab overnight, but usually the Doctor told him in advance. Also, usually he didn't run out of the bed to the lab after they had made love. Far from it! They would hold each other close, cuddling and kissing until they fell asleep, bodies still entwined.
The God shook his head and stroked his fluffy beard, looked at the panoramic window, watching the rain patter against it. The next moment there was a flash lightning followed by a loud clash of thunder. “That is not my doing...” Thor squinted his eyes and saw Mjölnir on his bedside table. He had started to check where his hammer was during thunderstorms over Avengers-Tower, as since Bruce had lifted her in the laboratory, Thor had begun to give him some lessons in how to use her magic. “And it is not my beloved...” Thor was out of bed and in a pair of sweat pants in no time.
Their living room, the community kitchen or Bruce's lab... Either huddled under a cover, perched on a chair with a cooling coffee or in Bruce's lab squeezed in a corner “cleaning” under a lab table.
“Bruce!” Thor called out and shot a short glance in the living room, but as the TV wasn't on the chance of finding his partner there was small.
“Banner!” His next try was the community kitchen, but the light was out and the blinds still up; no cute, genius Doc in sight.
Thor huffed, “must have been raining for a while then...” he continued down to the labs and peeked through the glass door of the medical lab. No Bruce in sight. That wasn't that good of a sign. Thor entered the lab carefully, asking out loud. “Doctor?”
There was a faint growl from the darker part of the lab and Thor actually sighed.
Hulk always had his problems with thunderstorms. Not actually Bruce. Bruce just got edgy. But this was mostly Hulk's doing, as Bruce had to reign him in. The big green was really illogically afraid of thunderstorms as long they weren't created by Thor or Bruce himself.
The Thunder God walked into the lab carefully; he still was barefooted and if Bruce had lost control- shards wouldn't do much damage and it would heal as fast as always, but there was some unhealthy stuff in this lab...
“Bruce?” he asked once more carefully, voice soft and rumbling. Thor got no answer. “Hulk?” the God tried and earned a growl.
Woopsy-daisy... “Hey,” Thor lowered his voice as if talking to a child, “green guy, where you hiding?”
From one of the big industrial fridges came a shuffle and the door was pushed open a fraction with a big green hand.
“Oh Bruce,” Thor thought to himself, “the fridge again?”
Last time he had found Bruce before he hulked out and had pulled the shivering man into his arms and brought him back to their bedroom and had proceeded to heat him up. And with the comforting heat of their joined bodies and all the love the Thunderer had bestowed upon Bruce, Hulk had calmed down too and stayed deep inside Bruce's soul.
This time he was obviously too late.
Thor wished for a moment he'd put on his cape or a sweater. But then there was a loud clash of thunder from outside the building and a way too loud growling whimper came from the fridge.
The God ran into the fridge. There wasn't much space left, most of it was taken up by the bulky, green figure of a shivering Hulk.
“Hulk scared...” the big green stared with wide eyes at the Aesir, “... Thor protect Hulk?”
Thor nodded and reached out and up to stroke the Hulk's cheek, “There's nothing to fear about thunder and lightning, big guy.” Another loud thunder rolled, surprisingly loud, considering they were in a fridge, and Hulk ducked down, eyes big as the ones of a scared puppy and hid his head in his own lap.
Thor couldn't stand to see the Hulk like this. Shivering with fear, knowing his other side – Bruce – would feel so much fear too. The fear the Hulk would snap and wreak havoc.
The thunder God buried one of his hands in the wiry hair of the green and rubbed gently, “Shh big guy, I'm here...” Thor crooned until the green eyes looked up again.
Hulk sniffled, he liked the God. Thor was always nice to him. Thor was strong too. Bruce loved Thor. Thor liked Hulk.
The Asgardian smiled proudly, “That is fine, big guy...” and Thor crawled into the hollow of the Hulk's crossed legs, never stopping to stroking the green’s hair and cheeks, “It is all good. I, the mighty Thor, will protect you.”
Hulk's big arms came up to cradle the far smaller man close like a stuffed animal. Pressing his nose into blond hair the Hulk deeply inhaled the calming scent radiating of off the god, slowly calming down.
Tony found them in the morning, Bruce and Thor, huddled close together and sleeping on the fridge floor, both half naked. “JARVIS, did you turn the fridge off this time?”
The AI answered. “Yes sir, I turned it off since Doctor Banner hid himself in there.”
“Thank you Jarv...” Tony had come back with a spare blanket, laying it out over the two men, already thinking of how he could make the man's quarters soundproof.