A/N: So, I've had a lot of requests for a longer Brutasha/ HulkxWidow story, so I thought I would take a hand at it... Even though I suck at finishing long stories, and life tends to get to me because of full time job and everything. NONE THE LESS! I shall attempt this!

I have most of the first three chapters done- and the middle three done in my head -and I only intend for this to be 9-10 chapters, anyway... Hopefully that means this won't be so hard to finish. Wishful thinking? Probably. Am I still going to attempt it? Most definitely.

So, the first two chapters will span before Avengers Age of Ultron, the third will center around the new movie, and everything after that will be AU.

(Side Note: I don't actually know why I give these run downs of my chapters, I think it just makes me feel more organized as an author... Sorry if they bug you as a reader though!)

Also, thanks to everyone who has been leaving reviews, favoriting, and following my other stories, it is much appreciated! Through this longer story I will attempt to reply to most of the reviews and maybe even have a few contests/ questions for you guys within the story if I get enough response.

Now, enough babbling on from me! Onto what you all really want, the story!

I don't own anything within the Marvel Universe, or the characters, just my plot ideas... Also a very cute and annoying German Shepherd dog who tries to bite my fingers while I'm typing. Enjoy!

Step By Step

Chapter 1: First Impressions

The first time he met her, it was under duress; or under gunpoint in Calcutta. He wasn't dumb- science background aside he was actually rather smart on his own -and even without the Other Guy's heightened senses, he knew an ambush when he was in one. So, their first meeting was unpleasant, at least in the beginning. He had heard of the infamous Black Widow- anyone in their line of work had at least heard of her -but being in confined quarters with her was something else entirely.

"You know for a man avoiding stress," She said," You picked a helluva a place to settle..."

"Avoiding stress isn't the secret," He said rather honestly, given the fact that he was currently being held semi-hostage.

"Then what is? Yoga?" She said in a coy sarcasm that may have annoyed him if it hadn't been so refreshing compared to most people walking on eggshells around him." I assume the whole place is surrounded?"

He glanced around the room, taking a rather casual pose and messing with the hem of his shirt as he wondered how long he would be forced to stay.

"Just you and me," She replied. He may have believed her if her big blue eyes hadn't flicked up and away from his gaze at the last second.

"And your actress buddy?" He gestured at the window where the small girl who had led him here had escaped," Is she a spy too? Do they start that young?"

"I did."

There was an honest note to this statement, but also a bitter edge that caught his attention. It pulled his gaze back up to her very deep blue eyes... A train of thought he wasn't comfortable with, at all. She was pretty, but he didn't ever notice those sort of things.

"And who are you?" He asked. He didn't realize until it was said that he meant this as a deeper question than the obvious; sure he knew who she was but not who she was and why she of all people was here for him.

"Natasha Romanoff," She said smoothly and Bruce he focused on those syllables, as if they would give a deeper answer than just a name.

"Are you here to kill me Ms. Romanoff?" He asked tiredly." Because that's not going to work out for anyone..."

He knew better than anyone how that would end; he had tried.

"No, no, of course not," She said in such an easy tone that he glanced up at her in shock and surprise." I'm here on behalf of S.H.I.E.L.D."

At last, a name he recognized.

" S.H.I.E.L.D.," He spat the name out with just a side of bitter." How did they find me?"

"Oh, we never lost you, Doctor," Natasha said in that coyly sarcastic voice that he was beginning to like- despite his best efforts." we've been..." She paused for a moment," Keeping our distance, even kept a few interested parties off your scent."

A peace treaty; this was supposed to make him feel better about her as well as the organization that had sent her after him.

"Why?" He wasn't buying their olive branch, no matter how appealing it might be.

"Nick Fury seems to trust you..." She said, dipping her head at his annoyance. She glanced up a moment later, and he was surprised at the level gaze he received." But now we need you to come in."

There it was; the other shoe dropped at last.

"What if I said no?"

"I'll persuade you."

He was quite sure she would try, and he was embarrassed to admit the images that floated into his mind at what she might use as tactics. He found even the Other Guy was chuckling a bit at the agent's grit and audacity.

"What if the Other Guy says no?" He lied smoothly, curious as to what she would say.

"You've been a year with no incident," She said with a smile," I don't think you want ot break that streak."

"Well, I don't always get what I want."

"Doctor," She said, suddenly all business," We're facing a global catastrophe."

"Now those I actively avoid," He chuckled, the irony thick in his voice.

"And this is the Tesseract," Natasha went on without missing a beat or replying to his quip," It has the potential to wipe out a planet."

"What does Fury want me to do?" He asked studying the phone and the image on it." Swallow it?"

"He wants you to find it," Natasha corrected him," It's been taken. It emits a Gamma signature that is too weak for us to trace."

There's a first; they didn't need the Other Guy, they needed him.

"There's no one who knows Gamma radiation like you..."

The other shoe dropped once more, and he sighed at the irony of this entire situation.

"If there was, that's where I'd be," She finished quietly. Of course she would; he was nothing but another mission to mark off of her mental checklist.

"So Fury doesn't want the monster?"

"Not that he's told me."

"And he tells you everything?"

"Talk to Fury on this-"

"He's gonna put me in a cage?"

"No he's going to-"

"Stop lying to me!" He cried. He soon found himself at the end of her gun as fast as it had taken him to slam his hands on the crate between them and raise his voice. He smiled, despite himself." Sorry, that was mean. I just wanted to see what you'd do." She still held her stance. Smart girl." Why don't we do this the easy way? Where you don't use that, and the Other Guy doesn't make a mess? Okay, Natasha?"

She didn't move for another moment, and when she did, he couldn't hide his knowing grin.

"Stand down," She said into an ear piece. He had to bite back a bitter laugh at being right about this being an ambush." We're all good here."

"Just you and me," he grinned mimicking her flawless and coy sarcasm. He couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw her give him a small and appreciative smile at that comment.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

The first time she met him, it was terrifying and eye opening. He was different than she had thought he would be; less scared and slightly more sharp witted... He was still scared, but who wouldn't be if they had what he did growling at the back of his brain. She had also found a familiar haunted aspect in his brown eyes that she wasn't expecting; it was a look she saw in the mirror every morning, or after an especially long mission. She hadn't been expecting to find a kindred soul in Doctor Bruce Banner, but she felt oddly comforted by it. She also hadn't been expecting the twinge it sent into her chest, a feeling that urged her to see past the Hulk and try to understand him.

It was during their first meeting that Natasha realized she was not only in trouble, she was utterly screwed.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

A/N: So first chapter, just some tweaks to their first encounter- inspired by a review I got asking to do a more in depth look at what they thought during their first meeting.

I did some tweaking with words and such, watched this scene about ten times, and tried out a new style where I didn't use their names very much; tried to make it a little more personal depending on the POV I was using. It's not terrible, I don't think I'll be using it a lot, though.

Anyway, hope everyone enjoyed, I'm going to try to type the second chapter tonight, and post it tomorrow. Please review!

Ciao!