Maybe he had a habit of pushing people away. But if he did it, it was always for their own good. This is what happens when you drag your friends into this crazy little game of ours! is a refrain that lives in his head. Because it was true. Everyone he'd ever cared about was in danger. Tim, Barbara.
Jason.
Bruce appreciated Steve's humor. It pulled him out of his head for a little at least. He even manages a smile. "Some pressure, Steve? I think you're doing Mr. Barnes a disservice."
Yeah. Try that with Steve and he might just get stubborn about it. Unsurprised, but stubborn. He's just pushes back when pushed.
"Oh yeah?" He hasn't let go of Bruce's hand, yet, but in truth he's temporarily forgotten about it. "We calling him a complication or pressure?" He's not upset, he's actually engaging in some banter.
What was the saying? What happens when an immovable object meeting an unstoppable force. It didn't have to be that way. But Bruce was stubborn - an immovable object. If he ever felt like something about his life would be a detriment, he'd do what he had to to protect those around him. But especially the ones he cared for.
He didn't have many of them left and he wanted to hold on as tightly as he could.
"Seems a little of both to me." He's read the files, publicly available and not so publicly available. Maybe he doesn't have all of the nuances, what makes the relationship exactly what it is. But he has enough of the broad strokes that he can answer Steve easily.
With Natasha releasing SHIELD's files, there's a lot available publicly - and, yeah, most of the recent stuff not so publicly. Steve just works from the assumption that Bruce being Bruce he has all of the information that exists. That if Bruce is missing anything, it's the human elements.
Bruce introducing Bucky's name at this point... leads Steve to believe there's a question being asked, even if it's being asked indirectly and through a statement.
"He's some of both," he admits, after a moment. "But not complicated in a way that's going to complicate this, by more than me suspecting the two of you will get along like oil and water and he's gonna be pissed when he finds out something's up via newspaper. The rest of it's just... him being where he is because of me." And being Steve's. He left Bucky for dead. The results were... bad.
It does answer Bruce's immediate question and in a sense a more long term one. His investment is not particularly deep, though he wouldn't describe it as shallow either. They were friends and Bruce cares, but anything beyond that is really a matter of priority and where it stood in the nebulous space behind his main priority as Batman.
But that could change and Bruce was okay with knowing he wouldn't be (much) of a complication for Steve and Bucky if it did.
"I'm sure Bucky and I will get along just fine." Bruce was great at pretending to get along with people. He didn't care what Dick or Tim had to say about it.
"Either way, It's a bridge to cross when we get to it." He gives Steve's hand a gentle squeeze.
Steve eyes Bruce and snorts, but with amusement. All about that 'sure we'll get along just fine' thing. "I dunno if I'm underestimating your ability to fake polite behavior, or you're underestimating his ability to be obnoxious. If we get to that bridge, I'll grab some popcorn and enjoy the show."
He's not making assumptions. He likes Bruce. He has firmly committed himself to caring about Bruce. Expectations beyond that? Not really. He knows they'll hit papers, he knows Bruce is who and what he is. There's Batman and Captain America and all sorts of other shit that will take priority for both. There's Bruce's deep damage and Steve's ...quieter stuff.
Doesn't matter to him at all, right now. All he wants is this one fucking night and date, even with cameras in his face. If he gets to dance with someone and not wind up in the middle of sheet ice, he's going to take it.
"You ready to do this nightclub thing?"
Now a proper time skip since i kinda botched the first one lmao
Was he ready for the nightclub? As ready as he'd ever be for such a thing. It's nearly second nature now, slipping into Brucie's shoes. This is a place he's been to before sometimes alone, but more often with someone by his side. This time of night, the entrance is as lively as the interior. And he turns to wave whenever he hears someone yell his name. Sometimes, he yells back. Always in German. And sometimes, he laughs. It's an easy, practiced sound. Everyone else mistakes it for genuine. The people who matter don't.
There are a few cameras, fewer than Bruce is expecting. But he'd been careful enough to keep his attendance tonight as secret as possible. Not only for his own comfort, but Steve's as well. Speaking of, Bruce reaches for him before they can get separated by the crowd, pulls him in close so there's no mistaking who his date was tonight.
There's hardly room to breathe inside. People push and stream alongside them. The dance floor is vibrant and vibrating with life and music. All the makings for a good night out. For Bruce, it's altogether too much. Thankfully, he's pretty good at spying out quiet corners, even if they're never quiet for long. When he let's go of Steve's hand, he presses it against his back and offers him a smile for a camera he's sure is snapping a blurry photo somewhere. "I'm going over here for a second. Get yourself a drink."
Steve looking wide-eyed and slightly overwhelmed, and wanting to stick close to Bruce isn't a lie, and it's barely an act. It's more... a controlled and toned down version of reality.
He doesn't flinch away from the cameras or noise level or press of people, at all. Doesn't move like he's any kind of physically uncomfortable. He doesn't grip Bruce's hand too hard -- or honestly hard at all.
He's rigid when Bruce puts a hand on his back though, but his smile is fine - for the photo and because Steve's good at smiling.
This isn't a battlefield, but it is a lot. Enhanced senses and without any particular direction to be focused is uncomfortable. Physically uncomfortable. He's pretty sure his eardrums are vibrating more than the floor.
"Sure," he agrees, because Bruce deserves his quiet corner (such as it is) and second to breathe, and it isn't like Steve would get drunk, even if he could. He takes his time doing it, adds a glass of water to his whiskey order, and then heads back to see if Bruce is where he left him.
Bruce does pick up on Steve's overall discomfort, his closeness as they navigated their way through the crowd is more than enough to alert him. Despite his warning, Bruce thinks he could have done a little more to prepare Steve for what he'd experience here. He could mitigate, but some of it Steve would have to learn on his own.
But, Bruce would do what he could to make it easy. Easier than he would have for anyone else. He waits for Steve's return in the same place he said he'd be in, back pressed against a solid surface, though he's surrounded when Steve comes back. They're all people he's met before, partied with on their obnoxious yachts. Another invitation is extended and under different circumstances, Bruce would have agreed. But he has a guest this time and he's oh so terribly busy showing his new friend all the sights.
In fact he waves to Steve and excuses himself to join up with him. "Perfect timing."
Steve's discomfort is more sensory overload than anything. He was at least pretty prepared for the Brucie act, the cameras, and the general idea of what 'nightclub' meant, at least.
He doesn't so much slide through people as much as he shoulders his way past them to get close enough to put the glass of water in Bruce's hand. He in no way expects Bruce to drink that, but it fits the scenario here well enough and makes for a plausible prop if necessary.
"I should say so - you promised me a dance and I'm getting it." The music is making his ear drums cringe, but if he's gotten Bruce away from... Those People, so be it. "Before my headache makes me drag you back to our hotel."
The water is welcomed and Bruce accepts it with a smile more genuine than the one for the cameras. It gives his hands something to do that isn't shoving them into his pockets or appearing defensive if he crosses his arms. It makes him look like he is here to have a good time.
He drinks from the glass. Then sets it down on a table he's decided is theirs now. Its tucked out of the way as much as you can be in a place like this. The crowd doesn't press in so much and Bruce can see the room around them clearly from there. He can see the entrances and exits and spy out suspicious behavior. It makes things easier, makes the room vibrate a little less because it gives him something to focus on.
This place is overstimulating; a headache isn't entirely unexpected. So Bruce puts a hand on his wrist and nods toward the dance floor. "Alright then. Dance with me, Rogers."
He mostly wants to be clear that Bruce has a good excuse to escape. The headache is real, though, both because it's Steve and because of the sensory overload. The future is a whole lot louder and busier than he's used to, even without accounting for the serum.
His smile at the touch and easy acceptance-slash-'order'? Real, warm, open and unreserved.
He slides his hand to get a grip on Bruce's, and heads toward the dancefloor with him. "Just remember: Strong lead and watch your toes."
Headache or not he wants this, in a way that is deeply simple and just as deeply complex.
Back home, it's always much easier to escape these social situations when they became too much. It's Gotham after all and there's almost always a fire - literal and figurative - that needs to be put out. He doesn't have Gordon in his ear or a signal in the sky to pull him out. Right now, all he's got is a date and the dance floor.
It would do for now.
It's going to be an adjustment though. Because Bruce is used to being the strong lead and it's an expectation that his partner falls in line with that. Guess he'll see if he can set that aside.
"Better follow your own advice," he says back with a wry smile. It'd take some trial and error, but they'd figure it out. And Bruce is curious to see how Steve moves.
"If you want the lead bad enough to step on my feet to get it, you can have it." There's some soft, warm, but still wry humor in that. He can't imagine any scenario where Bruce is stepping on anyone's literal toes that's the result of incompetence.
Metaphorically, is a whole different ball game. Even that one Steve won't grant more than a 'maybe' on.
It takes Steve a second or two to settle his hands on Bruce, somehow still pretty careful of where and how he touches - on some level it still feels a little like overstepping.
But once he has his hands in places, finds the rhythm of the music and takes a second and a breath... how he moves is the same way he always moves: well. Confident, a little too ...powerful in motion to really count as graceful, but not too far off.
And interestingly (or not), headache (or not), his eyes light up.
He wasn't known to be inelegant, no. Most found him quite charming, honestly. Most people his age or maybe a little younger. A lot of people from his father's generation, though, found that playboy act to be quite tiresome. But he had an excuse. What did you expect from a child raised by his butler? Surely, the help didn't give the boy any rules or boundaries. Stepping on toes would have been expected. But, Bruce - the one with Steve right now - worked hard not to be that kind of man.
At least not while dancing.
He smiles as Steve's hands settle in place and his find good spots on Steve. He's sure there's someone around snapping a picture, but the smile is a little more genuine than camera-ready. He smiles because this is a good fit. And because of the way Steve's eyes light up.
He doesn't notice in many people, because often he's not attached enough to do so. But it's the first thing he notices here.
The second is how well Steve moves with the music that Bruce doesn't feel like he has to offer an impromptu dance lesson right here. Sometimes he's had to because his partner's a little too enthusiastic or a little too inebriated. He doesn't feel like he's doing all of the work. It feels like something they are doing together.
"This is nice." Which is probably about as much genuine sentiment Steve will get while they're here and a thousand eyes are on them. The rest can come when they're alone again.
I swore I replied to this. If it's been too long just ignore
Steve's pretty sincerely and openly happy, and gets more so - including a broader, warmer, smile - when Bruce is less practiced. That Bruce is willing to say anything in front of an audience, even something as mild as calling this nice, is the high point for Steve, though.
"It is. I like it."
A lot of those pictures are going to be enough to rouse some speculation, and not just because they're on a date.
There's going to be at least one photographer who gets something else, though, because they're standing just a little too close for the flash to be expected or comfortable. That guy is going to get Steve's smile turning into a faint grimace and Steve ducking to press his forehead against Bruce's temple.
"Ow." He nearly laughs when he says it, but - ow. "I don't know how you're not half blinded by this crap."
It's Steve's earnest kind of sincerity that sticks with Bruce. Maybe it was his paranoia, maybe it was a lot of personal experience, but Bruce never expects any kind of sincerity from anyone. If there's an offer to shake his hand, it's always because they want something - to be seen with him, to do business with him, to party with him. But it's so rare a thing to have someone who wanted to be with him without any of the benefit his company brought.
But there was Steve, smile warm and eyes bright. He didn't doubt Steve's sincerity. He'd be a pretty bad liar, even if Bruce hadn't trained himself to read people.
The flash does creep across his vision for how close it is and he grimaces and turns away from the light. Then he turns to the photographer and he gives him a look that might have been more Batman than Bruce. "Do you mind?"
As Steve brings his head down to rest against Bruce, Bruce stops them just long enough to check in with him. "Are you okay?"
Steve appreciates Bruce for Bruce - and more so when he sees those moments that there's... more than one facet? of him on display. Quiet moments, private settings and in a lot of ways?
What just happened when that near Batman glare for the too close photographer was followed by checking in with Steve. There was a lot of Bruce, as Steve understood him, in there.
"Yeah." There's still some smile in his voice, and more than some warmth. Some strain, too, but less of that. "Thought I was mostly giving you an out with the headache, but I probably actually should get out of here before it becomes a problem, though. I'm out of practice." Out of practice handling this degree of... sensory onslaught, he means.
Probably the best thing he's heard all night. It is very much the out Bruce needs to excuse himself. In the morning, someone will call him a gentleman for whisking his date away from the intrusive photographer. Someone will definitely question if the party boy's finally ready to settle down. And in the end it'll accomplish what he needed it to.
He's not shy about linking his hand with Steve's so he can weave them through the crowd and through the speculation that'll follow. And when they're outside again, he doesn't let it go immediately either.
"Probably a bad choice for a first date. Have to pick somewhere quieter for number two."
He weaves his fingers through Bruce's once the have the slightest bit of contact, and maintains a warm, solid grip. It's maybe a bit tighter than on the way in, but not oppressive.
"I'm glad there's going to be a second date." That's just the absolute truth. He'll care about Bruce, regardless, but the potential for something a little quieter, and the mention of a second are... nice. More than nice. "Maybe getting all the public reaction out of the way now will make for a nice distraction from anything else either of us get up to. My phone's gonna blow up when those pictures get published, though." Just fair warning.
Not like he's been talking to his people about this.
It will make things easier, once the speculation's done. They stop looking so closely then and move on to the next flavor of the week and that suits Bruce fine. It's work to present an image to be scrutinized. Maybe for once there's something legitimate in what had been seen with him and Steve.
Maybe it's why he's not totally dismissed a chance at date number two. Even if it'll be a little while before they get there, because for Bruce there's work to be done and that'd always come first. But they would get there. That's something he wanted to see through if he could.
"You are a nice distraction, Mr. Rogers. One I don't particularly mind."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Jason.
Bruce appreciated Steve's humor. It pulled him out of his head for a little at least. He even manages a smile. "Some pressure, Steve? I think you're doing Mr. Barnes a disservice."
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"Oh yeah?" He hasn't let go of Bruce's hand, yet, but in truth he's temporarily forgotten about it. "We calling him a complication or pressure?" He's not upset, he's actually engaging in some banter.
In truth? Bucky's some of both.
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He didn't have many of them left and he wanted to hold on as tightly as he could.
"Seems a little of both to me." He's read the files, publicly available and not so publicly available. Maybe he doesn't have all of the nuances, what makes the relationship exactly what it is. But he has enough of the broad strokes that he can answer Steve easily.
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Bruce introducing Bucky's name at this point... leads Steve to believe there's a question being asked, even if it's being asked indirectly and through a statement.
"He's some of both," he admits, after a moment. "But not complicated in a way that's going to complicate this, by more than me suspecting the two of you will get along like oil and water and he's gonna be pissed when he finds out something's up via newspaper. The rest of it's just... him being where he is because of me." And being Steve's. He left Bucky for dead. The results were... bad.
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But that could change and Bruce was okay with knowing he wouldn't be (much) of a complication for Steve and Bucky if it did.
"I'm sure Bucky and I will get along just fine." Bruce was great at pretending to get along with people. He didn't care what Dick or Tim had to say about it.
"Either way, It's a bridge to cross when we get to it." He gives Steve's hand a gentle squeeze.
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He's not making assumptions. He likes Bruce. He has firmly committed himself to caring about Bruce. Expectations beyond that? Not really. He knows they'll hit papers, he knows Bruce is who and what he is. There's Batman and Captain America and all sorts of other shit that will take priority for both. There's Bruce's deep damage and Steve's ...quieter stuff.
Doesn't matter to him at all, right now. All he wants is this one fucking night and date, even with cameras in his face. If he gets to dance with someone and not wind up in the middle of sheet ice, he's going to take it.
"You ready to do this nightclub thing?"
Now a proper time skip since i kinda botched the first one lmao
There are a few cameras, fewer than Bruce is expecting. But he'd been careful enough to keep his attendance tonight as secret as possible. Not only for his own comfort, but Steve's as well. Speaking of, Bruce reaches for him before they can get separated by the crowd, pulls him in close so there's no mistaking who his date was tonight.
There's hardly room to breathe inside. People push and stream alongside them. The dance floor is vibrant and vibrating with life and music. All the makings for a good night out. For Bruce, it's altogether too much. Thankfully, he's pretty good at spying out quiet corners, even if they're never quiet for long. When he let's go of Steve's hand, he presses it against his back and offers him a smile for a camera he's sure is snapping a blurry photo somewhere. "I'm going over here for a second. Get yourself a drink."
ahahah, totally not an issue.
He doesn't flinch away from the cameras or noise level or press of people, at all. Doesn't move like he's any kind of physically uncomfortable. He doesn't grip Bruce's hand too hard -- or honestly hard at all.
He's rigid when Bruce puts a hand on his back though, but his smile is fine - for the photo and because Steve's good at smiling.
This isn't a battlefield, but it is a lot. Enhanced senses and without any particular direction to be focused is uncomfortable. Physically uncomfortable. He's pretty sure his eardrums are vibrating more than the floor.
"Sure," he agrees, because Bruce deserves his quiet corner (such as it is) and second to breathe, and it isn't like Steve would get drunk, even if he could. He takes his time doing it, adds a glass of water to his whiskey order, and then heads back to see if Bruce is where he left him.
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But, Bruce would do what he could to make it easy. Easier than he would have for anyone else. He waits for Steve's return in the same place he said he'd be in, back pressed against a solid surface, though he's surrounded when Steve comes back. They're all people he's met before, partied with on their obnoxious yachts. Another invitation is extended and under different circumstances, Bruce would have agreed. But he has a guest this time and he's oh so terribly busy showing his new friend all the sights.
In fact he waves to Steve and excuses himself to join up with him. "Perfect timing."
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He doesn't so much slide through people as much as he shoulders his way past them to get close enough to put the glass of water in Bruce's hand. He in no way expects Bruce to drink that, but it fits the scenario here well enough and makes for a plausible prop if necessary.
"I should say so - you promised me a dance and I'm getting it." The music is making his ear drums cringe, but if he's gotten Bruce away from... Those People, so be it. "Before my headache makes me drag you back to our hotel."
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He drinks from the glass. Then sets it down on a table he's decided is theirs now. Its tucked out of the way as much as you can be in a place like this. The crowd doesn't press in so much and Bruce can see the room around them clearly from there. He can see the entrances and exits and spy out suspicious behavior. It makes things easier, makes the room vibrate a little less because it gives him something to focus on.
This place is overstimulating; a headache isn't entirely unexpected. So Bruce puts a hand on his wrist and nods toward the dance floor. "Alright then. Dance with me, Rogers."
And now back here (sorry about that)
His smile at the touch and easy acceptance-slash-'order'? Real, warm, open and unreserved.
He slides his hand to get a grip on Bruce's, and heads toward the dancefloor with him. "Just remember: Strong lead and watch your toes."
Headache or not he wants this, in a way that is deeply simple and just as deeply complex.
No worries!
It would do for now.
It's going to be an adjustment though. Because Bruce is used to being the strong lead and it's an expectation that his partner falls in line with that. Guess he'll see if he can set that aside.
"Better follow your own advice," he says back with a wry smile. It'd take some trial and error, but they'd figure it out. And Bruce is curious to see how Steve moves.
Re: No worries!
Metaphorically, is a whole different ball game. Even that one Steve won't grant more than a 'maybe' on.
It takes Steve a second or two to settle his hands on Bruce, somehow still pretty careful of where and how he touches - on some level it still feels a little like overstepping.
But once he has his hands in places, finds the rhythm of the music and takes a second and a breath... how he moves is the same way he always moves: well. Confident, a little too ...powerful in motion to really count as graceful, but not too far off.
And interestingly (or not), headache (or not), his eyes light up.
no subject
At least not while dancing.
He smiles as Steve's hands settle in place and his find good spots on Steve. He's sure there's someone around snapping a picture, but the smile is a little more genuine than camera-ready. He smiles because this is a good fit. And because of the way Steve's eyes light up.
He doesn't notice in many people, because often he's not attached enough to do so. But it's the first thing he notices here.
The second is how well Steve moves with the music that Bruce doesn't feel like he has to offer an impromptu dance lesson right here. Sometimes he's had to because his partner's a little too enthusiastic or a little too inebriated. He doesn't feel like he's doing all of the work. It feels like something they are doing together.
"This is nice." Which is probably about as much genuine sentiment Steve will get while they're here and a thousand eyes are on them. The rest can come when they're alone again.
I swore I replied to this. If it's been too long just ignore
"It is. I like it."
A lot of those pictures are going to be enough to rouse some speculation, and not just because they're on a date.
There's going to be at least one photographer who gets something else, though, because they're standing just a little too close for the flash to be expected or comfortable. That guy is going to get Steve's smile turning into a faint grimace and Steve ducking to press his forehead against Bruce's temple.
"Ow." He nearly laughs when he says it, but - ow. "I don't know how you're not half blinded by this crap."
Not at all! I'm always good to backtag
But there was Steve, smile warm and eyes bright. He didn't doubt Steve's sincerity. He'd be a pretty bad liar, even if Bruce hadn't trained himself to read people.
The flash does creep across his vision for how close it is and he grimaces and turns away from the light. Then he turns to the photographer and he gives him a look that might have been more Batman than Bruce. "Do you mind?"
As Steve brings his head down to rest against Bruce, Bruce stops them just long enough to check in with him. "Are you okay?"
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What just happened when that near Batman glare for the too close photographer was followed by checking in with Steve. There was a lot of Bruce, as Steve understood him, in there.
"Yeah." There's still some smile in his voice, and more than some warmth. Some strain, too, but less of that. "Thought I was mostly giving you an out with the headache, but I probably actually should get out of here before it becomes a problem, though. I'm out of practice." Out of practice handling this degree of... sensory onslaught, he means.
no subject
He's not shy about linking his hand with Steve's so he can weave them through the crowd and through the speculation that'll follow. And when they're outside again, he doesn't let it go immediately either.
"Probably a bad choice for a first date. Have to pick somewhere quieter for number two."
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"I'm glad there's going to be a second date." That's just the absolute truth. He'll care about Bruce, regardless, but the potential for something a little quieter, and the mention of a second are... nice. More than nice. "Maybe getting all the public reaction out of the way now will make for a nice distraction from anything else either of us get up to. My phone's gonna blow up when those pictures get published, though." Just fair warning.
Not like he's been talking to his people about this.
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Maybe it's why he's not totally dismissed a chance at date number two. Even if it'll be a little while before they get there, because for Bruce there's work to be done and that'd always come first. But they would get there. That's something he wanted to see through if he could.
"You are a nice distraction, Mr. Rogers. One I don't particularly mind."