Tl;dr Mega Meme Bonanza

[angermanaging]

THE TL;DR MEGA MEME BONANZA

Comment with a list of your characters, receive questions, or just tl;dr on your own unprompted! Here's some suggestions. ◘ What does your character think of mine? ◘ What goes on during our handwaved CR? How much handwaved CR do we have? ◘ Canon information, for those unfamiliar with your canon. ◘ All sorts of headcanon questions-- sleeping positions, childhoods, past sexual or romantic history, etc. ◘ Would your character date mine? ◘ If they were put under a truth spell, what would come out? ◘ Where do you want to go with your character, story arc wise? ◘ Give an example of their daily routine in Keeliai. ◘ Who do they miss most from home? Would they go back if they could? ◘ What kind of music do you listen to while tagging? What does your character listen to ICly? ◘ Elaborate on what you've been working on improving in your writing style lately. ◘ What would their daemon spirit animal be, as from His Dark Materials? ◘ What have been your favorite threads with me? ◘ What do their dragons look like in Flight Rising? And much, much more! Go wild! I recommend making a plain top level comment with just your list of characters, and replying to yourself to fill out things on your own.

Comments

[definingfuture]

It's kind of weird, but he thinks of Bruce as similar to the earlier days of the Bruce he knows. Weird for him, anyway, because Tony tends to think of those early years as them being young. This Bruce is less hardened and kind of less biting than the one he's used to. Not that he isn't biting, but they've all gotten a little harder from experience, and that's Tony's view point. The way Bruce seems willing to go along with Tony's requests, even if he is apprehensive about it, reminds him of the past Avengers who were still feeling things out but generally meant well toward each other. At the very least they just wanted to do what they were doing and life wasn't as complicated. Yes, this is viewed through rose colored glasses. Tony realizes that too on some level--probably more than he'd admit to--but that's part of what makes him recall it more strongly too. The ideal, real or imagined, is something he thinks that maybe they needed. Along the way things got harder, and while he doesn't want to go back, maybe he can move forward with better results. Theoretically.

He also tends to get pushy with MCU Bruce more than his Bruce. Not really because he's underestimating him--a Hulk is a Hulk is a Hulk--but because he feels like Bruce is shutting down on a person that he knows. He doesn't fully know how the MCU version of the Hulk works, but he's kind of become friends with his Hulk, so it bothers him to see Bruce demean the Hulk of his world. And, by extension, himself. None of his business, not his world, yes, yes, but Tony pushes into everyone's business regardless and takes offense anyway. Even knowing it's not his place to do so. There is, of course, as aspect of guilt on his end too, but it's muted since he doesn't actually remember being that person. It's more about this other Bruce Banner who comes from before things came apart quite as horribly who has a chance at avoiding some of the crap they went through. He pings the Tony Stark "fix it" mode. Because Tony has that habit of trying to anticipate what he could improve and sometimes gets very dumb about pushing his opinions on others.

And kind of as a minor aside, it's weird for him to recognize Bruce as Bruce, but not share the understanding he has with his. It's the kind of connection built on experience rather than just friendship. They've fought together and against each other, and there's a certain mutual understanding there, even if they aren't really close buddies. When they fight, they still share that level of respect. A coworker bond. He misses that, but at the same time he's kind of glad the pressure is off. Because missing it is mostly the familiarity anyway. Not warm fuzzies or anything like that. Still. MCU has some similar sad perspectives as 616 Bruce. The irreparable moments that Tony does remember in his Bruce, so it does make him sad. Bruce is (was... is?) his friend.

We need to do Hulk stuff sometime, yes. And then I will cry.

[angermanaging]

... this is so much delicious tl;dr.

I know exactly what you're talking about re: the sort of mutual respect coworker bond they have in 616. I see it there, too! Even when they're fighting, you can really see it. And he's pretty much right that MCU Bruce is far less jaded and hardened (that's what happens when you aren't subjected to 616 for several decades, lol). He has some interestingly different problems.

Oh no, why would you cry at Hulk stuff? XD HE'S WORKING ON WORDS, OKAY. HE MIGHT SAY LIKE TWO IN A ROW TO TONY.

[definingfuture]

Yes, they can fight and mean it, but it's that fighter-to-fighter respect you get from people that are used to fall outs. "I believe in this, you believe in that, we don't always agree but I'd hate to see you get seriously hurt." It can feel like a weird contrast at times because they don't keep from butting heads and Tony does tend to harass Bruce in things, but he likes him. Complicated relationships all around. Thanks, comics. 616 Tony likes MCU Bruce too, but in a different way and with more apprehension.

NO WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT ;A; HULK SAYING A FEW WORDS AND THEN I CRY. It's just the contrast makes it really poignant if he does talk at all to Tony. ;; He was bad and he can't even tell Hulk because different Hulk and augh.