AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This is a one-shot Avengers fanfiction I wrote a long time ago and recently found in my computer. I tweaked a little bit since. By the way, it's based on Spider-Woman's and the Hulk's interactions on Avengers Assemble #9-10 if anyone is interested. Enjoy and please review!

DISCLAMER:

I do not own The Avengers or any of the characters portrayed in this fanfiction. They belong to their respectful owners. However all original characters (OCs) in this story are mine and are not to be used unless given permission.

SUMMARY:

Normally on Earth, a birthday is celebrated. But that is not the case for the Hulk. His birth is stained with bloodshed and fear which makes the Hulk dread this day every year. However, Jessica Drew AKA Spider-Woman who thinks otherwise tries to cheer him up. One-Shot.

The Birth of a Hero

An Avenger Fanfiction

The Avengers. Protectors and saviors. That's what they are, heroes. It's in their job description. There's always someone in the world that needed saving and the Avengers always answer when the justice phone rings. Today however, was a slow day at Avengers Tower. More like a slow week. No calls were coming in.

Tony was in his lab doing what he does best, Steve and Carol were training in the training facility, Thor was back on Asgard, and Clint, Natasha, Logan and Peter Parker were off away on their own doing other things. Only ones remaining doing nothing productive were Jessica Dew, also known as Spider-Woman, and the Hulk.

Jessica sat in the kitchen enjoying a bowl of her favorite ice cream and greeted the green giant as he walked past her.

"Hey there, Hulk," she waved to him. "How's it going? Want some ice cream?"

The Hulk shot her a cold stare and grunted. He then walked outdoors on the patio. Jessica raised an eyebrow in confusion. At the same time, a door opened and Tony Stark walked through.

"Hey Jess," he said.

Jessica didn't reply immediately. She thought she was getting along with the Hulk. Did I do or say something to anger him?

"Hey," Tony's voice knocked her out of her thoughts. She didn't notice he was now sitting next to her. "Are you alright? You were spacing out just there."

The dark haired woman propped her head up with her arm. "Yeah, fine." She said uncertain. "Say, what's up with Big Green over there? He gave me a death stare and walked out."

The genius billionaire shot a quick glance at his fancy wrist watch. "Yep. It's that time again."

Spider-Woman raised an eyebrow. She pushed her bowl of ice cream away and turned to her team leader, showing him he had her undivided attention. "What are you talking about, Tony?"

"Today's the anniversary of when Banner became the Hulk." He took a few breaths before continuing. "He gets like this and trust me, he doesn't like to talk about it. Learned that the hard way when he threw me through a window. Granted I had the suit on but still. It hurt. Best to stay out of the way for a while."

"Doesn't this mean it's Hulk's birthday?"

"Yeah, if you want to look at it that way."

Tony stood and grabbed a water bottle from the chrome platted fridge. He then walked out of the kitchen leaving Spider-Woman alone. Her mind wondered. She thought about using her pheromone powers to calm him down in order to talk to him but scrapped the idea because it wouldn't be right to control him when it wasn't absolutely necessary.

A few minutes later, Jessica stood and walked through the patio doors and towards her green gamma filled friend. He was just standing there, peacefully watching the New York skyline. "Hulk want to be alone." He growled cocking his head to the side.

Jessica stood behind him and let her hands rest on her hips. "Tony told me what today meant."

He turned around to face her. The difference between their bodies was more apparent. He was very tall and his very large green body was covered in muscles. She was slim and short compared to him, despite being average height for a female woman.

"You don't have to be negative about it, you know?"

Hulk's face fell. "Hulk hurt a lot of people."

"You also saved many," Spider-Woman said walking up to him and resting a hand on his muscular arm. "You're a hero. An Avenger. Instead of feeling regret, you should celebrate the day the strongest Avenger was born."

The green giant growled. "Hulk too dangerous."

"No," she shot at him. She then started waving her arms like a witch about to conjure a spell. "Not another word. I'd hate to use my powers on you again."

By the look in Hulk's eyes he wasn't too pleased. She had previously used her pheromone abilities on him a few times. Once to prove the effectiveness of her power and made him make a sandwich for her, which to her surprise was delicious, and that other time when Dr. Banner accidentally consumed Yun Guang Han's virus and she had to calm him down.

He didn't say anything after that. He took a few large steps away from Jessica, crouched and leapt towards the building located a few blocks from Avengers Tower. He continued his jumps to the next building after, and the next until she could no longer see him.

"See you later, I guess." She said to herself as she was now left alone.

Later that evening, when Hulk walked back indoors he saw something unexpected. On the kitchen counter was a tall sandwich, one could say was "Hulk-sized, similar to the one he had previously made for Jessica. In front of it was lain a card that read:

"Happy birthday to the strongest Avenger there is. To whom we'd be lost without."

The green giant felt his lips pull back into a smile. "That Spider-Woman."

The End