Posts by Nohrian

Connor could tell that Markus was stressed. Was it because he didn't respond fast enough? He didn't want to put any doubt in the man's head at all. He loved him with all of his heart and he would do just about anything to prove that at this point. He smiled when he seemed to be relieved by his words. He leaned into his touch when he felt him cup his face with his hands. Connor laughed quietly and turned his head slightly in order to kiss the palm of one of his hands, nuzzling into it slightly. "Both Nines and I love you too, Markus...." he said, kissing his palm again before placing kisses up his hand until he got to his fingertips. He pulled his head away and smiled down at him. "You've most certainly become family to us as well." No words could express the feelings that he had for Markus. There was just so much that he could say and not enough words in the English language could describe how he felt. He grinned as Markus kissed his lips again, but he wasn't expecting that his lips would travel lower. That is to say, it wasn't like he didn't enjoy it. That wasn't the case at all. Connor shut his eyes and tilted his head back a bit, indicating that he was okay with what Markus was doing.

Though, he did want to smack him when he called him all those names. He resisted though, since it didn't really bother him. It made him feel special really and he could feel himself blushing, hoping that Markus was too focused on his jaw to notice. He could feel his soft lips humming against his skin, sending a tingling sensation through his neck. That caused him to exhale sharply through his nose. He squirmed a bit, keeping his eyes shut. "How do you know that women weren't interested in me..." he teased back, not wanting to Makus to completely have the upper hand. But, it was true. It was true that women didn't tend to look at him, but he didn't particularly look at them either. So, he didn't feel like he was missing out. But, when a cute boy walked past, then he would want their attention. He supposed he wouldn't have to do that anymore which was nice, since he knew that he would always have a pair of eyes reserved just for him. He sighed when he felt his hands trail down his back, slightly arching into the touch. He placed one hand on the side of Markus' face and the other on his shoulder, rubbing patterns into his skin. "Well, I'm glad that I have those beautiful eyes of yours all to myself..." he breathed. He was enjoying himself tremendously, never feeling so good before. That was all ruined when the loud ringing of Markus' phone interrupted them. Connor pulled back a bit in order to give him room to grab his phone.

On the other line, he could hear a woman furiously shouting. Connor raised an eyebrow and sent Markus an amused look. He was confused, but it was also kind of funny to see his boyfriend look so flustered by a single call. Once the woman stopped shouting, he listened to what Markus said. He didn't recognize either of those names, so he became curious. Once Markus hung up the phone and relaxed a bit, Connor moved back over him and pressed their foreheads together. "Who was that?" he asked curiously, placing a series of soft kisses on his lips. He wondered if they were his friends. He supposed Markus would have friends like that. He just didn't really have any of his own since he had been moving around a lot, so he didn't know why he assumed Makus only had him. It wasn't like he was disappointed in the slightest. In fact, it just made him more eager. He wanted to meet the people who were important to his boyfriend. He wanted him to feel like he could tell him anything. Plus, it would be nice for Connor to make a few friends of his own. He definitely needed to try and meet people at work. Oh well, he would work on that some other time.

Connor smiled a bit and nodded. Though, he was a bit worried at the thought of someone just showing up at the house. Was he ready to meet Markus' friends? He wasn't exactly sure... but he felt that it could be an enlightening situation. He smiled a bit when they kissed once more. But, this time Connor actually whined and pouted slightly when Markus pulled away. He kissed him a few more times, trying to entice him to stay, but it wasn't happening. He sat up as Markus stood up and looked at him curiously. He raised an eyebrow at him. Show him a few things? Well, that wasn't sketchy at all. He was intrigued though, so he stood up, almost wanting to take the blanket with him. He decided against it and just ended up following Markus down the hallway and to a room. When he opened the door, Connor gaped a bit. He stepped inside and looked around. There were a bunch of beautiful paintings around him. He couldn't help but look at all of them with wide eyes, including one that wasn't finished yet. He couldn't really tell what it was, but he could tell that it was going to be beautiful. "Wow... Markus... these are incredible..." he said in a hushed tone. He knew that his boyfriend was talented, but he didn't think that it was to this extent. He didn't even notice the piano in the corner at first; he was too busy looking at his art. He looked over to him and shook his head. "No... never. Music isn't a strong suit of mine," he admitted a bit sheepishly. He liked to sing in the shower, but that was about the full extent of it.

He walked over to where Markus was sitting and sat down next to him, gazing at the keys. The piano was gorgeous. He looked over to him and blushed a bit, though he wasn't exactly sure why. "I mean... if you would like to teach me, I won't complain, but I can promise you it most likely wont be pretty," he said a bit nervously. He had his talents, but music and art were not among the list. He thought for a moment before requesting a song, pleased when Makus started to play. He could only stare at his fingers, captivated at how nimble they were. He found himself lost in the movements. Once the song ended, he looked up into his boyfriend's eyes. "That was incredible..." he breathed, leaning in for a kiss. But, he found himself jumping out of the seat when he heard the door slam open. In an instinctive motion, he reached towards his belt where his gun would normally be holstered, only to find it wasn't there. For a moment, he was thrown into a slight panic, until he saw that Markus recognized these people. They must have been the ones who called earlier. So, Connor let his guard down, relaxing his shoulders a bit. He watched silently as Markus walked over to them, flinching when the female, North was her name, slapped Markus. He wanted to jump in and intervene, but Markus didn't seem all that mad over it. So, he stood there quietly and watched until Markus introduced him. He blushed a bit, glancing away when North spoke loudly, calling him a 'hot boy'. Connor smiled softly and looked at the other two when they were introduced. He nodded in their directions before looking back to North. "It's nice to meet all of you as well," he said politely. Though, when her tone shifted, it sent shivers through his whole body. Damn, this woman was intimidating. He swallowed thickly and just nodded in understanding. For some reason, he didn't doubt that there would be trouble if Markus was hurt on his watch. Connor also couldn't help but laugh at the mention of his ass. "He does, doesn't he..." he said a bit dreamily with a smirk sent in the direction of his boyfriend. He cleared his throat and looked at the others. "So, how do you know Markus?" he asked a bit curiously. Since he hadn't heard their names until today, he assumed that they didn't work at the school with him.

Connor could only laugh when he sow how embarrassed that Markus was. He didn't think that such a simple statement would make him blush like that. After all, he was only speaking the truth. Even as he covered his face, he could still tell that his face was red, which caused him to chuckle. He managed to keep his giggling to himself and watched as North explained how they met. For a moment, his eyes got wide. So, this was the ex girlfriend that Markus was talking about! Everything was starting to make sense to him now. He smiled warmly at the part about her meeting her girlfriend. He would have to suggest to Markus that they go on a double date sometime, since that's something that has always been on Connor's bucket list. "Well, I'm glad that Markus has such good friends," he said, smiling. When North asked her question, Connor opened his mouth to answer but found that he was cut off by Markus. So, he let him fill in all the details, blushing a bit as he described how they met. He figured that it was probably a good thing that he answered. He also figured that he would hold back on his place of work for the moment. Some people gave mixed opinions when he told them he worked in law enforcement. He didn't want Markus' closest friends to think that he was going to put him in any danger.

He watched as the two of them talked for a minute, rocking on his heels slightly. He didn't want to interrupt their conversation, especially since they seemed to be talking about him. When North addressed him again, he smiled and nodded in her direction. "It was great to meet you as well, and I'm sure we will," he said with a smile. His chest felt all warm and fuzzy. He didn't really have friends here in Detroit, nor did he have any friends back where he was from that still talked to him. So, it would be nice to at least have one friend here, even if it was Markus' ex. She seemed cool... in an intense way. He watched as the three of them left before turning to Markus, a smile on his face. "I like them. They seem to really care about you," he said, walking up to him and wrapping his arms around his neck. As much as he loved to meet his friends, he was happy to be alone with him again. He reached up and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. Though, when he asked about his ass, Connor let go and gave him a look of dismay. His eyebrows wee knit together and he looked more confused than anything. "I'm sorry, but do you even own a mirror?" he asked. The entirety of Markus' lower half of his body was toned in the most perfect of ways, including his thighs and butt. Connor wouldn't say it out loud, but they were to die for, and one of the most attractive things about the man. He just rolled his eyes, still not sure how Markus couldn't know such a thing. "Anyways, North seems cool. I didn't know that you were such good friends with your ex. That's amazing," he said smiling. Him and his ex hadn't talked since they broke up, for good reasons too. She was psycho in his opinion.

Connor walked back over to the piano bench and sat down, looking at his boyfriend. "On another note, I'm glad you showed me all of this before your friends broke in here. I think it's rather incredible. You have so much talent," he said, just wanting to compliment him all day. He admired him in so many ways that he wasn't sure how to vocalize all of them at once. He stood up again and walked over to a few of the paintings, taking his time to really take them in. He wasn't an art expert, but he could appreciate them for the time and effort that was put in. He knew some of them must have taken Markus hours. "I wish I was half as talented as you..." he hummed, still smiling. He turned around and looked at him again, a dopey grin on his face.

The scientist couldn't draw his eyes away from his work. In fact, when he was so interested in something, he swore that he couldn't hear anything but his own thoughts at the moment. That was why his gaze was impossible to tear away from the scepter that had been delivered to them not too long ago. In the center of the scepter was a stone, which Dr. Banner had already assumed to be the source of it's power. He walked around it, a clipboard in his arms, trying to examine it from all directions. Due to Tony's technology, he was able to run tests on this thing with just a few words, which he had to say was a nice touch. Even if the guy was an ass, he was useful for some things. His bushy eyebrows were knit together as he took a closer look, then proceeded to write something down on his clipboard. He genuinely didn't even notice at first when Tony had walked into the room, along with someone else. He shifted over, taking a look at one of the computers that was running numbers and calculations. He had determined quite a long time ago that the stone was not made from anything here on Earth. Trying to figure out the exact nature of it was the tricky part, which was what he was currently trying to do.

The only thing that broke him from his concentration was a voice speaking; an unrecognizable female's voice to be exact. He looked up from the computer only to see Tony walking away and a woman standing in front of him. It took him a moment to process what she had said before it hit him. She was the Doctor that was assigned to work with him. He smiled a bit and made his way over to her. "Oh, uh sorry, I didn't see you there. It's nice to meet you, Dr. Adams," he said rather politely, holding his hand out. He took another look at the scepter, then at his clipboard, before he decided to set it down. While the computer was busy running tests, he supposed it wouldn't be a problem to take a quick break for introductions. He wasn't the best at small talk, but he knew it came with the job. After shaking her hand, he went back and tapped a few things on the computer. "You're a fan of my work, you say? I didn't think anyone really knew what I did," he said honestly. The main entirety of his work was writing theses and scientific journals, which he assumed nobody read. But, if this woman really had read his work, he would definitely feel honored. Once he made sure the tests were running properly as they should, he turned back to her. "Uh, feel free to familiarize yourself with any of the equipment in here, since we'll be using it quite frequently," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "Also, if you have any questions, feel free to ask." He offered a slight smile in her direction.

~

"So, Stark has the scepter, correct?" The agent spoke into her phone as she walked. She technically worked for S.H.I.E.L.D, but she worked more closely with the Avengers than anything. Though, she also acted as a liaison between the group of heroes and Nick Fury. He liked to keep his tabs on them after all. Plus, the group seemed to be horrible at communication. Nora's heels clicked on the cement as she made her way up to the building in which the Avenger's used as their base. She said a few more things into her phone before hanging up, sighing heavily. Tony Stark was a bitch to deal with at times, but she knew she would have to get information out of him. She needed to know the updated findings on the scepter and also what they were planning to do with it. She entered the building, the clicking of her heels changing into a more echoing sound. She looked around, before pulling out her badge, showing it to one of the security officers. Once past him, she rolled her eyes. One would think she would be recognized by now. Apparently not.

The female agent made her way up into the elevator, which took her to the floor where Tony had his 'office' space. It wasn't really an office, but it was more where he worked on his personal research and such. She had to scan her card in the elevator in order to even take her to that floor. As she made her way up, she looked at her phone, checking the time. He had better be there, because she didn't want to come back. Once the elevator made the dinging noise to alert her that she had arrived, she stepped out and looked around. It must have been her lucky day, because there he was. She smirked a bit and walked over to him. "Well, Mr. Stark, you sure like to avoid my calls, don't you?" she said, crossing her arms.

((Hope this was okay and I hope it was also alright that I just kinda threw Nora in there XD

Also my apologies, but I will probably be fairly inactive this weekend! I'm driving out of town to visit a friend!))

Connor smiled sincerely when Markus talked about his friends. It was nice to hear him talk about his friends. It gave him a warm and happy feeling. That feeling just increased when he felt his hands on his waist. It was nice to just be held like this. He observed as Markus closed his eyes and Connor leaned on him a bit, pressing their chests together. Part of him just wanted to lay his head down on him and hold each other like that for hours. But, that didn't look like it was going to happen. He rolled his eyes at his comment, wanting to make a stupid one like "don't worry, I'll stare at your ass enough for the both of us", but he was cut off when Markus continued to talk. He blushed when he directed his comments towards him. That blush just got deeper when he felt a hand pinching him. His eyes flared with something dangerous and he raised his hand to smack Markus in order to get him back, but the other must have anticipated that, since he fled the room. "Coward!" Connor shouted after him, forgetting that Nines was still sleeping. He knew the boy was a deep sleeper, so he had a feeling that he wouldn't wake up... hopefully.

Connor spared no time in running after him, gracefully grabbing the doorway so he could efficiently swing himself around and make it easier for him to fly down the stairs. It was just something that he had learned in the police academy. He had become swift and effective during chases, so Markus should know that he can't outrun him. He was fairly good at his job. He ran down the stairs and into the kitchen, seeing that Markus was pressed up against the counter, a smug look on his face. Connor started to approach him slowly, intending on trapping him there. He raised an eyebrow at him. "What am I going to do about it? Why don't you come here and find out," he purred right back at him, obviously getting into their little game of cat and mouse. The thought of Markus opening his wound crossed his mind briefly, but he was enjoying himself too much to really think more of it. He trusted that he wouldn't push his limits too far. He took a few steps closer to him, but right before he was about to pounce, Markus darted away. Connor was dismayed. How could he predict his movements so easily? He reached an arm out, trying to grab him before he could run away, but Markus dodged him. He let out a grunt and a determined look flashed across his face. He turned on his heels and ran after him, back up the stairs. Good thing he was a cop, or else he would have been exhausted. He had pretty high stamina from training, as well as running. He enjoyed running as a hobby.

He sprinted up the stairs and back into the bedroom, only to see that Markus was propped up on his elbows on the bed. He wasn't going to let him get away this time. So, he made his way over to him and crawled on the bed, caging him under him with his arms. He panted a bit, only slightly out of breath. "You'd make a great criminal, you know that?" he said with a slight smile. He sighed when he felt his boyfriend's hands on his head, pulling him down for a kiss. He closed his eyes, easing into it, when he felt those damn wandering hands again, eliciting a squeak from the cop. He opened his eyes and glared a bit, smacking his arm playfully. It didn't really bother him, he just liked to be stubborn. When he felt him tip his head and bite his lip slightly, Connor shivered. He readjusted his position so he was a bit more comfortable and he moved a hand onto Markus' neck, running his fingers lightly up and down. The warmth of his skin felt nice against his cold hands and he wanted more. So, he pressed the palm of his hand flat against his neck before lowering himself more onto the bed, pressing against him for his warmth.

((That's perfectly alright!))

Connor snorted a bit. "You really thought you could outrun me? How foolish..." he teased softly before planting another kiss on his lips. If he had his way, he could stay like this all day long, just kissing him over and over again. His whine made him laugh a bit and he kissed him once again before allowing him to speak. "That's besides the point," he mumbled with a small grin. Though, Connor let out a gasp when he felt Markus' warm hands trail under his shirt. He squirmed slightly, the feeling foreign to him. He hadn't been felt up in... well, ever. Not even his ex was really interested in this sort of stuff and when she was it was him giving her all the attention. So this sensation was like bliss to the man. He tilted his head, allowing him to access his neck without complaint. When he felt his teeth, he gasped a bit, shutting his eyes. He didn't deserve this man at all. He was already thinking of all the ways that he wanted to pay him back. As hands ran over his stomach, he sighed happily.

Connor could feel his boyfriend trembling under his fingers and he smirked a bit, moving his hand down more. He ran his hand down his back and up under his shirt, rubbing it across his lower back. It was so nice to feel those toned muscles under his fingers. He couldn't get enough of how attractive he was. Everything about him was perfect. He shifted a bit as Markus' lips made their way down to the crook of his neck, feeling as they latched on. That made Connor's eyes open and he wanted to stop him, but he didn't have the heart to. It felt too good. He gave him a look when he was done. "You couldn't have left that in a less obvious spot? What is my boss going to say?" He whined. Though, the fact that Markus had marked him made his stomach flutter slightly. It made him feel like he belonged to someone. Connor had every intention in returning the favor as well. He rolled his eyes a bit, not answering his question. Instead, he would just show him through his actions. Connor moved his head down, licking a stripe up his neck, before settling on a spot that he liked. He smirked to himself before biting into his skin, a bit rougher than nibbling. He wanted to leave a mark twice as red than the one that was on himself. So, after biting, he sucked on it a bit before licking it to ease any pain he might have caused. He pulled back a bit to admire his work, a smug look on his face.

Connor felt his hands loop in his pants which made him shiver in excitement. He wasn't nearly done with him though. He trailed his lips down his neck and onto his chest where some was exposed by the shirt he was wearing. In all honesty, he wanted him out of the shirt so that he could have better access. He worked with what he had and planted kisses all over him, giving him another hickey there as well. He wanted to keep going lower in order to play with his stomach, but the sound of footsteps caused him to look up. There was Nines. He pulled himself off of Markus and sat up, a look of concern flashing across his face. Did his wounds hurt? Did he accidentally open them up while sleeping? He was making himself dizzy just thinking of those things. But, when he said he had a nightmare, Connor sighed in relief. He watched as Markus willed him over and got him to lay between the two of them. He smiled and cuddled up next to his brother. "Hey, it's alright, okay? You can stay here with us as long as you need..." he said, giving him a kiss on the forehead. He loved how good Markus was with Nines. It was just one thing that made him love him more and more with each passing second.

Connor tried to keep his eyes open, he really did. But, that didn't seem to want to happen, since Connor could feel himself drifting in and out of sleep. The warmth of the two people he loved was too much. Before he knew it, his eyes were closed and he was asleep, cuddled up with Markus and Nines. He didn't even feel when Markus got up from the bed. All he did was shift closer to his brother in a protective sort of way. The warmth must have let him sleep for a lot longer than he thought, since when he got up it was starting to get dark. He rubbed his eyes and looked around, feeling a bit confused. Where was Markus? He grunted and rolled over on his side before forcing himself up. He sat up, careful not to disturb Nines who was still asleep on the bed, sleeping peacefully. The man looked around, not really sure where he put his phone. He would just call Markus, just to make sure that he was alright. He got up and walked to the other side of the bed, seeing that his phone was sitting on the side table. Grabbing it and turning it on, he noticed he had one text from Markus. It said that he had gotten food and would be home soon. That was an hour ago. Well, no worries, maybe he was already downstairs starting on dinner. Connor walked down the stairs, only to see that all the lights were off. His eyebrows furrowed. Well, maybe he just went to get a few more things. Maybe he was stuck in traffic? He couldn't help but feel the anxiety seep into him. He took a deep breath, trying to control himself. So, while Nines was sleeping, he decided to go into the living room and turn on the TV, trying to control himself. He flipped through the channels, checking his phone every few minutes to see if Markus would text or call him. He decided to take it upon himself to call him first, though the phone just rang and he got no answer. This is when he started to get really worried. He flipped the channel again, landing on the news. The woman reporter was talking about an accident in the city. Connor blinked. That... was the same model of Markus' car. But... it was a common car, so that didn't mean anything, right? That's what he wanted to believe anyways.

As if on cue, his phone started ringing. He got excited, thinking it was Markus, though when he looked at the number, he noticed it was one that he didn't recognize. With his trembling hands, he lifted the phone up to his ear, feeling the blood pumping in his ears as the dial tone rang. "Hello?" he said softly. "Hello, this is the Detroit City Hospital, is this Connor?" That's when the phone fell from Connor's hands. He had to cover his mouth and run to the bathroom in order to avoid vomiting on the floor right then and there. He slammed the door shut as he threw up, feeling tears in his eyes. He didn't even need to know what had happened. He didn't even know how long he sat there on the bathroom floor, just feeling the tears running down his cheeks. He didn't even feel like he was crying, the tears were just flowing. When he finally felt his body stop shaking, he forced himself up. He had to call. He had to know what happened. Maybe it wasn't what he thought. He swallowed thickly before creeping into his room, picking up the phone he dropped. He closed his eyes and called the number again. The same lady said the same greeting. "U-uhm... I.. I just got a call from here... my name is Connor..." he said, feeling his voice crack. He heard the lady typing through the phone. "You're listed as the emergency contact for Markus Manfred, correct?" All he could do was nod, swallowing his nausea once again, before he realized that she couldn't see him through the phone. "Yes... that is correct..." his voice was barely louder than a whisper at this point. More typing. "Yes, we regret to inform you that Markus has been in an accident. He is in critical condition and will need to be going through surgery. The doctor would like to speak to you, if you can come down to the hospital. I'm so sorry," the woman said. Connor stopped listening after he heard the word accident. Without saying a word, he just hung up. No... he couldn't go through this again... was it him? Did he attract these sorts of things? Was he just a magnet for danger? He felt his breath pick up and he had to force himself to not hyperventilate. He swallowed a few more times before getting up, his body feeling heavy. He dragged himself up the stairs, going to Markus' room where Nines was still sleeping. He gently shook him awake and hiccuped a bit from crying. "Hey, uhm... Nines... do you think you can stay here by yourself for a bit? I... I have to go somewhere... just remember to take your pain meds..." he said. He robotically moved to put some clothes and shoes on, not really even waiting for his brother to answer. Part of him didn't even want to go to the hospital. He just wanted to drive and drive and go somewhere, anywhere. He just wanted to run away and never come back... but he knew he couldn't do that. Maybe he would go have some drinks before he went to the hospital... there were plenty of bars that he wanted to go check out... that seemed like a good idea. He would figure things out when he got in his car.

Connor sat at his desk, clicking and unclicking a pen. His eyes weren't really focused on anything. He barely heard Hank speak. For some reason, his mind just wasn't working that day. He had woken up a bit late and had to get ready rather quickly. But the fact that he woke up late meant that he had to wake Hank up late which was just a mess all together. The two of them had to rush around in order to get ready, and since Connor took quite a while to perfect his appearance, it wasn't easy. In the end, due to Hank's rather... reckless driving, they were able to make it on time. So, now, he sat at his desk, fidgeting with anything he could possibly get his hands on. He knew that Hank would end up yelling at him for it at some point, be he really didn't care at the moment. He was too busy being lost in his own thoughts. He heard Hank say his name a bit more forcefully which made him look up. "Ah, sorry..." he apologized, but there wasn't really any sincerity behind it. He watched as Hank rolled his eyes and grumbled before repeating what he had said before. This time, Connor made an effort to listen rather intently, nodding. "I think that could be interesting... it's definitely different and could be worth looking into," he mused. He definitely needed something to hold his interest. He just... wasn't feeling it that day. He wasn't really sure what had him so distracted.

But, as everyone started to look, Connor couldn't help but look as well. He head heard the rumors that they would be hiring an omega, but he assumed that was all they were: rumors. It wasn't like he had a problem with it... no. That wasn't it at all. He was more... curious than anything. "Well, times are changing Hank..." he said, his voice trailing off slightly. He didn't look at the detective when he said that. No, he couldn't tear his gaze away from the man who had walked in. He could tell that the people were staring him down and Connor had to say he knew how he felt. When he had started working at the DPD, he didn't get a lot of respect himself, despite the fact that he was an alpha. He took a lot of shit for a while before he finally cracked a pretty big case with Hank. After that, people started to respect him a bit more. There was always a pecking order in this line of work, and with no omegas in the office at the time, Connor just found himself on the bottom, like fresh meat. So, he was able to empathize with the new man. He couldn't tear his gaze away, finding himself distracted just as he was earlier. "I'll be right back...." he said, still not looking at Hank. He pushed himself up from his seat and made his way over to the new guy. He knew he would need at least one friendly face there. As he got closer, he realized that he was a lot taller than he appeared to be. He definitely didn't look like the typical omega, which piqued his interest even more. Once he reached his desk where he was setting up, he stuck his hand out and smiled softly. "Hello, my name is Connor, it's nice to meet you," he said. He could feel the looks he was getting but he didn't care. This guy wouldn't survive if he didn't have someone on his side.

"I'm a detective here, working with Lieutenant Anderson over there," he continued, motioning to Hank. He then turned his attention back to the man. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." He ran a hand through his hair. He wasn't sure why he was feeling nervous like this... he usually was so confident in his ability to talk to people. Hank often said he talked a little too often. So, he didn't know why his heart was skipping beats or why his mouth was getting so dry. "Anyways... it's nice to have you here. I hope you settle in comfortably." He said, glancing back at Hank. He knew he needed to get back to work soon. It was strange, the tabled had flipped. Usually it was Connor keeping Hank on track but today seemed different.

Bruce knew that the computer would take some time to read the data and do some tests, so he figured that he had some time to relax. That was a first. But, he thought it would be beneficial in the long run to get to know his partner a bit more. He typed in a few more things before stepping away. He leaned against one of the desks, watching her as she looked through all the equipment. He wasn't the most social Avenger, he knew that, but he could be if he wanted to. He was no Tony. He looked up when he heard her compliment, which drew a chuckle from him. He had heard that several times over how many years, and he still was never sure how to respond. He pushed himself off the desk and moved to the other side of the room, checking on a few more things. Every time he said he would give himself a break to talk, he thought of three more things he wanted to get done. That's just how things were. He hummed a bit and watched as she walked towards the scepter. "Yeah, that sounds like Tony. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. And don't worry, take your time. This equipment can be tricky, since it's all part of Stark's personal collection. He basically designed it to be more efficient for himself, not so much for others." He walked over so that he was behind her, peering at the foreign object as well. He took a few steps back and wrote some things down. "So, I've heard that you specialize in medicine, correct?" he asked, just wanting to get to know her better. She was rather beautiful, which could be intimidating to most men, but Bruce found it reassuring. He thought it was inspiring when a powerful woman knew that she was powerful. He also had a heavy interest in medicine, when he wasn't doing shit like this. He wished he had more time to go overseas again and help people, but with all of this Avengers stuff, there really wasn't any time for that. So, he just had to settle with what he got.

~~

Nora wasn't offended that Tony didn't know her name. Honestly, she didn't expect him to. She rolled her eyes and just took a few steps forward when he motioned for her to come in, just glancing behind her when someone else tried to come in. She slightly raised an eyebrow before just continuing to enter the office. She watched as he went over the doors, closing them. Good, she needed the privacy in order to discuss things with him. She opted out of sitting down and looked down, pulling out a tablet. "Sounds perfect to me. The faster we get things over with, the faster I can get back to work," she said. She tapped a few things on her tablet, getting to where she needed to be. "All I need is an update on your progress with the scepter for Fury. He just wants to stay in the know, and since you have failed to communicate with him in the past..." she gave him a look and cocked an eyebrow before continuing. "...that is why I am here." She tapped a few more things before looking at him. "So, please just give me your information and I will be out of your hair in no time." She sent a sickly sweet smile in his direction, the one she used to get people to talk. She found that it worked most of the time. Either that or she would keep bugging her target until they gave he what she wanted to know. In other words, she didn't take no for an answer.

When Connor got into his car, he sighed. He wanted to let Nines know that everything was going to be alright. Part of him felt bad for leaving him so suddenly without any information, but he had a few reasons for that. One, he just needed desperately to get out of that house. The scent of Markus would drive him crazy. Two, he didn't want to leave and have Nines freaking out. Three, he couldn't take Nines with him and he knew the boy would beg him to come. So, it just seemed better to not give him any information. He turned on the car and shakily drove around. He didn't know how long he drove, before he found himself at a bar close to the hospital. He knew it wasn't smart, but he didn't think he could handle seeing Markus on a hospital bed half dead. Not without a few drinks in him. So, he parked on the street and went in, ordering a few glasses before he felt his head started to swim and his vision got blurred. He paid the bartender before walking out, walking to the hospital since he it would be stupid to drive. But, he wasn't drunk, just a bit tipsy. It was enough to calm his nerves even slightly. It was only about a ten minute walk to the hospital. When he got in, he almost threw up again due to the smell. He really hated hospitals, even more now than he did before. They brought him nothing but pain. He walked up to the lady at the desk and gave her his name. She nodded and called for a doctor, who came out to greet him. Solemnly and rather unemotionally, he greeted him back. He was only half listening as the man talked. He didn't want to hear it. It was the same speech the doctor gave when his parents were in an accident. They died. Connor didn't know why he had any hope that Markus would live. Hope just made it hurt worse.

When the doctor mentioned the truck driver, a wave of pure anger washed over him. His eyes were flaring with how much pure rage surged through him. He followed him to Markus's room. His fingernails were buried into the palm of his hand. He didn't even feel the blood trickling down from where he broke the skin. He could barely feel it. Before the doctor left, he turned to him. "What room is the truck driver in." It wasn't much of a question, it was more of a demand. He saw the doctor's hesitation and he pulled out his badge, showing it to him. Oh, he was going to have a talk with him. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, or maybe it was just a darker side that Connor didn't know he had. He wasn't sure and he didn't give a shit at the moment. All he cared about was making sure someone paid for what they did. But, at the same time, Connor felt like it was his fault. Everyone he ever loved got hurt. His parents died. Nines got shot. Now Markus was in an accident. He thought if maybe he stopped loving, then maybe he wouldn't get those around him killed. Maybe it would be better to just let Markus go... not go in the room, not see him. Maybe he would live if he just turned around and walked out of the hospital. No... no he couldn't do that... He just glanced at the doctor, a dangerous look in his eyes. "You'd fucking better..." he mumbled before entering the room. He felt his heart drop when he entered and he could barely look at Markus. He knew he was a coward for doing so, but it hurt too much. He didn't even know if he was awake. So, he just silently sat down on a chair and watched. He closed his eyes, letting his head swim some more. It felt good to close his eyes like that. If he had his way, he would go home and drink more, but something within himself stopped that. His father was a drinker, which is where he must have gained those traits. He sighed and just stared at one of the walls, waiting for something, though he didn't really know what that something was.