Natasha glanced at the screen beside her apartment entrance that showed who was standing in front of the door. She sighed, slightly wishing that she'd grabbed a robe first before approaching her door to see who'd rung the bell. She swallowed before she opened her door to find a dozen roses and a sheepish Bruce standing there holding a wooden box about the size of a toddler's shoe box. If his hands hadn't been full, she was sure he would've been wringing them.
He gave her a timid smile, "May I come in?"
She took a deep breath as she pressed her lips together, stepping back out of the way so he could enter. He walked into her apartment. He set the roses on the bar separating the kitchen and the living room. She had just gotten out of the shower. Her hair was tucked in one towel and another was wrapped around her body.
He smiled one of his self-deprecating smiles, "I'll wait here while you go get dressed." As much as he was enjoying the view, he knew they needed to have this conversation, and it was definitely going to be better if she were dressed... especially on his end. Sometimes, he almostforgot how beautiful she was while he was gone. He'd give anything just to make her smile, for her to forgive him, but he wasn't naive enough to believe it was going to be easy.
She nodded and gave him a slight smile before escaping to her room, taking her cell phone with her. She texted Clint while she looked for clothes to wear.
Nat: Bruce just showed up! What am I supposed 2 do?
Clint: What do u want 2 do?
Nat: Idk. I…
Clint: U what?
Nat: I'm terrified.
Clint: Of what?
Nat: He left last time, Y wouldn't he this time?
Clint: I think he's trying to make amends. Give him a chance. least have closure. If he's an asshole, there'll be a line to kick his ass. Laura says she gets 1st whack.
Nat: Thanks :)
Nat smiled and took a breath. She wiped away the tears that had been threatening to fall since she'd discovered Bruce had walked into the Facility. She got dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. She towel dried her hair before putting some product in it to keep her hair from frizzing and combing her long red locks out. She put some deodorant on and picked her dirty clothes up and put them in the hamper. She suddenly realized she was procrastinating. She exhaled, 'Better get this over with.'
She walked out of the bedroom and into the open living room and kitchen area. Bruce was making them tea. She felt like her heart was going ninety miles an hour. She forced herself to calm down as she sat down at the bar.
Bruce turned around and smiled bashfully at her. "I brought this tea back with me. I smelled it and all I could think of was you. I thought... Well, I hoped you might like it."
Nat attempted a smile and nodded. She swallowed and realized she was beginning to breathe too fast. She closed her eyes to try and get a grip on her feelings. She didn't use to have this problem.
Bruce walked over to her and lightly laid his hand on top of hers. She immediately snatched her hand away from him. He was disappointed. He really wanted to hold her. He dreamed of holding her. She always smelled so good. She'd always tried to get close to him, and, now, the shoe was on the other foot and he felt like a fish out of water. He wondered if he'd been this difficult for her.
"Natasha, I'm sorry about leaving. I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have left all that on you. You didn't deserve that. The 'Other Guy' and I just had some things to figure out, and we were upset about you forcing us to change, but, after a little while, we understood it. We just had to make sure we weren't going to be a danger to you. We…" He paused, "Idon't ever want to hurt you."
She stared into his chocolate eyes and waited for the lie, the 'I'm kidding,' the deception, anything but the truth, but it never came. He helplessly watched as a single tear fell from her eye. She closed her eyes, blinking back the rest.
"Please, say something. You haven't said anything," Bruce begged. "Yell at me if you want to. I don't mind. I deserve it. I shouldn't have left." He was beginning to really worry. He looked into her eyes, and he could see tears begin to brim in her emerald orbs.
She picked up her tea and walked out on her balcony. She set it on the table, before she sat on her chaise with her knees tucked up to her chin, her hair falling into her face. He followed her outside and stood a few feet away from her.
"I just thought my monster scared you," she said so quietly he almost missed it. His head snapped around so quickly he spilled his tea a little, burning him slightly. "You got to see me. The realme." She paused and couldn't stop the tears from falling anymore, "Who could everpossibly want the real me?"
Bruce felt his heart shatter. He thought his heart had been broken before, but this was worse. Much worse. His heart dropped from his chest while at the same time still beating five hundred beats per minute. His stomach was in his throat. This was why she hadn't made an effort to see him, why she didn't want to talk to him, why she shied away from the simplest touch when before it was her doing all the touching, being a very tactile person. It hurt her to see him and not know that he wanted her, too.
He hadn't completely made up his mind that this could work. When he'd first arrived, he'd said that they'd have to see how everything went, so she gave him a wide berth. So wide he never saw her. The less he saw her, the more he realized he was being an ass, the more it hurt. He felt so stupid. She made excuses not to be in the Facility when he was. She'd go on SHIELD missions, work with Pepper, anything to make her not around him. No wonder Steve of all people, had threatened him like he had.
He sat on the chaise in front of her and brushed her auburn hair out of her face, "Oh Nat, that's not it at all. You did what you thought was right. You did what wasright, what I didn't have the strength to do. You're amazing. And I happen to love the realyou."
"You don't mean that," she sniffled, not looking up at him.
He slid up beside her on the chaise and wrapped his arms around her, "Wanna bet?" He kissed her forehead then handed her a handkerchief from his pocket for her to blow her nose.
They finished their now tepid teas while they watched the sunset. The longer they sat there, the more comfortable they got with each other. Natasha settled comfortably into Bruce's arms, her head lying on his chest listening to his heartbeat. She was just simply enjoying the smell and the feel of him. Bruce got his wish to hold her and, now that he had her in his arms, he wasn't letting her go anytime soon.
"Sun's getting real low," Nat said smiling up at Bruce. She caressed his cheek as he leaned down to kiss her, squeezing her tighter and more closely to his body. For the first time since he'd been back, he heard the 'Other Guy' purring softly in the background.