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Beauty and the Beast
It had startled her, momentarily threw Natasha off balance when, during the latest attack on New York City, the bad guy she was fighting suddenly was taken down by a huge, roaring green blur. An inkling of irritation pricked her. That had been her bad guy. Clearly not anymore, she thought as the Hulk alternatively flung the villain around and beat him into the ground.
The redhead should have felt the familiar fear at the Hulk's fearsome power, or even anger over his butting in. Later the creature laid the body reverently at her feet, his sharp satisfied smile softening slightly; Natasha was reminded of a cat proudly presenting a dead canary to its new master. And instead of unease or ire washing over her there was a strange wave of warmth. Sweet, the word brushed her mind.
She avoided Doctor Banner after that – or maybe she was the one who was being evaded. Of the various men who'd crossed Natasha's path over years she had never labeled any as "sweet" or "adorable." To think of the Hulk as such, and she a deadly assassin, rattled her. The rest of the group acting like she and the doctor were the Avengers' entertainment did not help matters at all.
Things reached a head when she found herself unfortunately (or conveniently, depending on how one looked at it) stuck between floors in an elevator with Banner. Stark promised the problem was being dealt with. Natasha rolled her eyes; her annoyance lessened when she caught from the corner of her eye Bruce's embarrassed blush. Against her will her lips twitched as he pinched the bridge of his nose, started apologizing for the Hulk if he had offended her, and, please, he prayed she hadn't been hurt by him! Twice her calling him failed to halt his ramble. Well, she didn't have much choice after that. Something in her chest fluttered when, after remaining stiff for several moments, Bruce relaxed and leaned into the kiss.
The moment was interrupted by Tony singing "Beauty and the Beast" over the elevator intercom. The two shared a pointed look.
"I get him first, and then you can kill him," Natasha murmured.
Bruce grinned. "Deal," he agreed before drawing her back into a kiss.
THE END