It was a while before he got time alone on Asgard. Thor had been dragged away by two of his fellow Asgardians, into a room off the main corridor. Bruce was unfamiliar with most of Asgard, but he remembered the path to find the rainbow bridge. It had fascinated him the second he had seen it. He instantly had wondered about how it had been created and what it was created from.
That was where he found himself half an hour later after he had realized that Thor might be in the meeting for a while. He had gotten turned around twice on the way here. Walking into a room where it became very clear he was not permitted to be, having been ushered out of the room by a very annoyed looking Asgardian lady.
The second time he had gotten turned around he had wondered into a room, having expected another corridor, but was met with about twenty Asgardians looking at him like he had just walked into an examination room during an important exam test. Feeling very uncomfortable Bruce started wringing his hands while backing up accidentally into a column and practically bouncing off it, just to stumble out of the room.
Bruce had finally found his way to the glimmering colorful bridge. It took him another ten minutes to get to the dome at the end of the bridge, he had constantly stopped to look at the bridge and even took a minute to kneel down and see what the bridge felt like against his fingers. Bruce walked into the dome and was studying the design and occasional writings on the interior of the dome. He was just taking his glasses off and wiping them against the bottom of his shirt as he was thinking he should go and try to find Thor.
When Bruce turned around to walk back towards the golden spires of the city he felt a sudden shock go through his body at the sight of a large shadow sporting horns silhouetted in the archway of the dome. It took a few seconds for Bruce to get his breathing back under control and his heat rate to lower again. The hulk released a disgruntled snort in the back of his mind, but seemed calm despite the unexpected appearance.
The hulks ability to remain calm was mostly due to a certain redhead's ability and apparent enjoyment at popping up out of nowhere. Whether it be in the lab, stealing half of his sandwich and disappearing again or suddenly throwing herself into the seat beside him at the theatres and plunging her hand into his bucket of popcorn. After the third time of her turning up at the theatre he had learned to order the large popcorn instead of the medium and in her absence, the remaining popcorn always found its way to just to the left of the door that lead to her personal quarters.
Bruce recognized the figure as Heimdall, the first Asgardian that Bruce had seen when he and Thor had arrived here a few hours earlier. This Asgardian was slightly daunting in his size and horn adorned helmet. Slightly daunting due to Bruce's newfound feeling of for once in a very long time of the uncertainty of the outcome of a fight between the hulk and the Asgardians. It also brought a sense of peace, knowing that in the event of a hulk out, there were people capable of teaming up to keep the damage and casualty count low and under control.
"Doctor Banner. How are you finding Asgard?" Heimdall asked
"A little hard to navigate. There was a room I went into that had scarlet curtains and golden globes floating about a meter under the roof. I was…dismissed from this room rather hastily." Bruce said leaning against the opening of the dome and taking his glasses off to clean again, in what he was starting to realize was becoming a nervous habit.
Heimdall let out an amused chuckle.
"That room is the Asgardian version of the earthly Female changing rooms. You were apparently lucky in timing to not walk in during the usual time that female Asgardians prefer to bathe. The lady you would have encountered works to keep the female changing room clean and also takes responsibility for keeping promiscuous young male Asgardians away from the changing room." Heimdall explained to a now very embarrassed and blushing Bruce
"Oh…" Bruce mumbled
"Do not worry Doctor Banner. You made an understandable mistake due to being unfamiliar with the city" Heimdall reassured "Is there something you need Doctor Banner?"
"I was just wondering…Thor said that the rainbow bridge was destroyed in battle, how is it here now." Bruce asked with raised eyebrows
"The bridge was destroyed during a battle, however the importance of the bridge is widely known and it was decided that the bridge would be rebuilt" Heimdall answered "it took many months to rebuild and much effort"
Bruce made a small noise of understanding
Bruce remained standing in the doorway but now looked at his feet. After a few minutes Heimdall slowly turned to face doctor banner who was still standing in the arched door of the dome.
"Your mind is loud Doctor Banner and your heart is heavy. If you wish to ask be something of a personal basis then you are ore then welcome." Heimdall said after observing Bruce with his bright orange eyes.
Bruce looked up in surprise and took a step closer to the Asgardian.
"I was just wondering…Thor said you could…see people…check if they are okay." Bruce said quietly
Heimdall turned back around "You wish to check on a partner, someone you care about?"
"No!...Well sort of…I mean…were not…really" Bruce stuttered until Heimdall turned his head to Bruce with a raised eyebrow. "Yes… I would like to check on a…partner…someone I…care about"
Heimdall turned his head back around to hide a smirk. He had been watching humans for most of his years. He was amused by how flustered they can become when confronted with the feelings they have for the people they love. Heimdall had been watching Bruce Banner for a while now, ever since he started showing interest in super human abilities. He had watched as his experiment have gone wrong and created the hulk. The years after that Heimdall had regularly checked on Banner to see his personality change and become bitter. Watched as his friendships broke and watched as his relationship with Betty feel apart as well.
Heimdall had watched as a another person he had been observing for a much longer time came to stand in the shadows of the run down shack in Calcutta, waiting for the doctor to arrive. Heimdall had observed this redheaded human since see was a child and had seen her parents die and a man come and take her away. He had seen the fear in her eyes the first day she had seen an older human teenager snap the neck of another girl in the red room. Watched as she came to realize that you needed to kill or you would be killed. Watched as silent tears fell down her face after having to kill for the first time. Watched her steady resolve waver slightly before snapping back into place as she was told of her participation in the graduation ceremony.
Heimdall had watched as she was used as a weapon again and again by people who told her she had no place in the world. He watched as she was expecting to be killed by the archer Barton. Watched her surprise as she was recruited by shield instead. Watched as she started to dilute the red on her ledger with the help of her best friend Clint. Watched as she met the Barton's and become 'Aunt Nat'. Watched as she gained a sister in Laura Barton. Watched as she realized she was part of a family. He watched as she lured the Doctor to the shack and started talking to him, drew her gun in fear and relaxed again.
Heimdall watched in interest as he saw Romanoff stop fearing the hulk. Watched as Banner and Romanoff begin to respect each other. Watched as they developed a friendship. Watched as Bruce became worried for Natasha when she was shot and almost killed during the fights with the Winter Soldier and Hydra. Watched as Natasha shared an idea for calming down the hulk after a battle. Watched as they tried this technique for the first time and saw Bruce give the finger to Stark when he made a comment about Bruce needing a lullaby. Watched as they developed feelings a little stronger then friendship.
Heimdall watched as Bruce became worried about Natasha when Ultron snatched her out of the air. Watched as Natasha realized she couldn't escape the cell because of how well it was made and Ultron's addition of the bars was no help either. Watched as she instead used broken equipment to create working morse-code device to alert the avengers of her and Ultron's location. Watched as Bruce, who hate guns, used one to free Natasha. Watched as they talked about making it to safety and saw the fear and remorse in her eyes as Natasha pulled Bruce close and kissed him before shoving him over the edge of a deep pit to force Bruce to change into the hulk.
Heimdall also saw the look on her face when the hulk terminated the transmission of the stark jet. Watched her stare at the wall like she herself could see other realms. He watched as she threw herself into her work almost to the point of serious harm at which point Barton stepped in. Watched as things between the avengers started to dissolve. Watched Bruce as he felt his heart stop while he was watching the building housing the accord meetings be hit by a bomb. Watched as Bruce watched with relief and teary eyes as Natasha stumbled out of the building with others, holding a hand over her mouth.
Heimdall then watched Natasha search for Bruce and saw Bruce's surprised look when she turned up curled up on his old sofa one morning. Watched as they talked and apologized and then watched as he asked her to stay. Watched them share meals, a bed and then their own bodies. Watched them fall into a routine filled with happiness.
Then one day Thor came and asked him to send him to where Bruce Banner was, saying that they would need his help with the situation at hand. Heimdall watched Bruce jump in surprise at the loud crack of thunder and the sudden appearance of Thor on his doorstep. He watched as Bruce and Thor talked and watch Bruce's uncertainty about going with the Norse god until a voice from the bedroom doorway sounded and spoke of it being a good idea and if anyone could take care of the hulk if he hulked out it was a city of Asgardians.
Heimdall also got the pleasure of seeing the shocked look of surprise of Thor's face when she appeared clad in one of Bruce's shirts and a pair of casual sweat pants. He also got to see Thor's look of shock morph into a look of happiness and saw him clap a hand hard onto Bruce's shoulder and loudly declare how proud he is that Bruce has 'capturing the spider' and that he 'wishes them well and many offspring'.
Heimdall watched as Bruce and Natasha looked at each other and then told Thor that that would not be a possibility for the two of them. He then saw Thor laugh and protest that Asgardian science and medicine can do extraordinary things and they will talk about it when he returns 'the scientist'. He then watched as Thor walked outside and ended the conversation. He saw Bruce and Natasha talking then kiss before following Thor outside and watched Natasha wave goodbye to Bruce.
Heimdall was then face to face with an amazed Doctor Bruce Banner. A short introduction later and he was watching the doctor follow Thor to the city.
Searching for Natasha now he found her sitting in Bruce's armchair wearing his reading glasses and a jumper of his and reading a book. She is happy, contend but missing Bruce and eagerly awaiting his return.
"Are you attached to your belongings Doctor Banner" Heimdall asked with a smile that the doctor could not see.
"Not really…Why?" Bruce replied curiously
"It appears that Natasha Romanoff is currently sitting in your chair, wearing your glasses and your woollen jumper and reading one of your scientific textbooks" Heimdall replied
"That's okay…she does that a lot" Bruce smiled
"She is safe doctor Banner and I will continue to keep an eye on her while you are here" Heimdall assured
Bruce nodded and started to walk away when he turned to add "Thank you. It was nice meeting you again Heimdall."
Heimdall smiled, still with his back to banner and replied,
"You too, Doctor Banner"