insurgents | OPEN POST.

Trish isn't good at keeping people at a distance. Not when she cares about them. Once someone has become important to her then that's that, unless they do something absolutely unforgivable she will stick by them through just about anything. She is also not the kind of person who refuses people second chances. Sometimes even when she really should do exactly that.

"Say that you love me. Again."

Her voice is quiet, brittle. For so long she was sure that he didn't love her, or at least she was trying to convince herself that he didn't because that was the only way she could ever move on. She had to believe that he didn't care because otherwise she'd never let go.

But now she wants to hear him say it again. She wants to see it in his face.

That, he can do. His feelings are true, after all, and just like he voiced them before, he does so again now, not needing to try or pretend. The feeling itself is clear in his face too, in the sad but almost hopeful gleam in his eyes, the way his lips press tightly before the words spill out.

"I do. I love you, Patricia. I love you very much."

His voice comes with a small lilt, wavering, lips parted as if he's standing by the edge of something, waiting for whatever comes next.

"Okay."

What comes next is Trish wrapping her arms around him because she can't stand not touching him anymore. It would be stupid to try to pretend like she doesn't believe him, she can see how much he loves her at a glance. He had his reasons, just like Jessica had hers, and they'll have a ton of shit to work through but... she can't turn him away.

She loves him too damn much.

The approach is a little surprising, and Bruce lets out a soft huff when suddenly most of Trish's weight is resting against him, her arms wrapped tight around his shoulders. It only takes him a couple of seconds for the shock to wear off, and he reciprocates, his own arms curling around her sides and settling around her just as strongly, his eyebrows knitting together and his eyes closing as he tips his head and buries his face into her neck.

He realizes then he could barely remember her warmth, her scent-- how it felt like to hold her like this. He has no idea how he made it this long without going out of his mind.

"I've missed you... so much."

One hand cradles the back of his head, holding him in place as she relishes in the feeling of his warm breath against her skin, his arms around her.

She can live without these things, sure, but she doesn't ever want to do it again.

"Me too."

There aren't really words to describe how much.

He sighs when her hand cups the back of his head, inhaling again and taking in her scent. Eventually he tries to draw his head away a little, though, just enough to press a soft, lingering kiss to the line of her jaw.

"I never thought I'd see you again."

He definitely never thought they'd be this near again, at least.

She cups his face in her hands, crying again but smiling through the tears.

"Well that's because you're an idiot."

He lets out a sound somewhere between a chuckle and a soft sob, lifting one hand up to her face too, just to wipe those tears away.

"Evidence does seem to support that."

But her smile might just be the most beautiful thing he's seen in months, so he can live with being an idiot.

She leans in to kiss his lips, just a quick peck even if it is tempting to just more or less devour him.

"Can we agree to not break up ever again?"

She knows that's not really an agreement anyone can make, but she's pretty sure he knows what she means.

Yes, he knows what she means, and he smiles a little at it, nodding all too promptly in agreement.

"Works for me."

"God, I love you so much."

She always did, but now she feels as if her heart is swelling until it's too big for her chest. It's almost making it a little hard to breathe, this fresh reminder of just how completely in love she is with this idiot physicist.

"I know you do."

He smiles, sifting his fingers through her hair, tucking the strands behind her ear.

"And I love you."

Leaning in, he presses his lips to hers in a more lingering kiss, his hand on her back lightly fisting the fabric of her clothes. God, it's driving him crazy how much he's missed her, this, and how intensely he feels it now that she's here, with him again.

She kisses him back with all her long-repressed love and longing, the intensity of the moment pulling a throaty whimper from her.

"You can't kiss me like that in public when I haven't been able to touch you for months."

He pulls back, sucking in a breath when she whimpers, then lets out a chuckle at her words.

"So, I should stop kissing you?"

"Depends on how you feel about possible public indecency charges."

Because she just might ravish him on the spot.

"I'm not sure if they have the same laws here as in the US."

Said jokingly, because no, he really doesn't want them to do anything like that out in public.

"Should we go back to my place? It's not much, but unless we're leaving today, we can stay there."

"Oh good, then I can check out of the crappy motel I'm at."

That would be a yes, let's go back to your place Bruce. And maybe they can take some time to just... be with each other somewhere no one will bother them.

"I have some things to check out here so I'm not in a hurry to leave."

"I can't promise my place is any better. The bed isn't too big, either."

Not that he minds snuggling up a little more, really. As he remembers, they never took up much of the bed, whenever they spent the night together.

"We can go get your things, then?"

No they did tend to prefer the "obnoxiously wrapped around each other" mode of sleeping.

"I don't have much."

She reaches for one of his hands, lacing her fingers through his as she starts to pull him along. It is a gesture of affection, but perhaps also a little bit a way for her to reassure herself that he won't just be gone when she turns around.

He threads his fingers through hers, curling them a little, a small smile on his face as he starts down the street next to her. It's barely anything compared to how they were hugging and kissing just moments ago, but it's a different kind of intimacy and even a display of affection that he actually likes a lot.

"How long were you planning on staying?"

A pause, then he asks, realizing that she might not be here for him.

"Why are you here, even? I mean, I'm assuming you had some other reason."

She lowers her voice a little, leaning closer to him as she speaks.

"I'm looking into an organisation called IGH. It's for Jessica."

Not that Jessica has asked her to, but Trish has a tendency to do things for people whether they want her to or not. Sometimes it makes her a blessing, sometimes it makes her a real pain in the ass.

He leans in too to listen to her, nodding a little and answering in a low voice of his own.

"Is it related to her..."

He trails off, making a vague gesture with his free hand. Not that there are a lot of people around them right now, but he knows what it's like when it comes to these things: there's always the risk of someone listening in somehow.

"Possibly. They were the ones who made the combat drugs that messed Simpson up."

And nearly killed Trish, for that matter.

"There is some sort of connection between them and Jess but I haven't been able to figure out what it is."

He nods, though there isn't much he can offer in terms of information. He's mostly kept to himself over the past few months, and if that organization really is anywhere around here, he hasn't caught so much as a glimpse of it so far.

"It's not worth much, but I can help you look into it, if you want."

"Shut up, it's worth a lot."

She raises his hand to her lips to kiss the back of it.

"Us being a team again means everything."

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