Everything Has Changed
A/N: Natasha and Bruce reminisce on the moment that they knew that they had fallen for one another. loosely based on the song of the same name by Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran. It's a very cheesy story but I decided to publish it anyway cause we could all use a bit of joy in our lives as Natasha realises in the story. Enjoy :-)
Natasha and Bruce were sat on the couch in the new Avengers living quarters, the other Avengers were in other parts of the above building training. It was the first time in months that they had been left alone.
"Now that we are finally alone, I have a question for you," Bruce said as he played with Natasha's hair, her head on his lap.
"Shoot," Natasha said.
Bruce chuckled at her eagerness, "when did you know?"
"Know what?" Natasha asked curiously, although she had an idea of what he was referring to.
"Know that you were….. into me?" Bruce asked uncertainly.
Natasha smiled as she remembered the night from two years ago.
"Well….." Natasha began.
It had been a stormy night when Natasha Romanoff realised that she had fallen for Bruce Banner.
Natasha had never been able to have a peaceful night during a storm. The thunder always sounded like bombs going off, to her. The lightning was like the flashes from a gun. The rain and hail made for loud gun fire. A storm to Natasha was like being in a violent battle.
Natasha was reluctant to leave her room, not wanting to wake anyone, but she was desperate for something to drink, hopefully something to help her sleep. Natasha sighed knowing that she would eventually get up anyway, why wait?
Natasha walked into the kitchen trying to keep her footsteps as quiet as possible as she went so as not to wake anyone.
Natasha walked straight over to the pantry hoping to find something that would help her sleep, although she had a feeling that she would have better luck looking in the bar.
"Nat?" A voice asked.
Natasha unwillingly jumped at the sound, not expecting it. She hadn't heard his footsteps, didn't know that there was someone else in the room with her.
Natasha turned around to face him as he quickly apologised for startling her.
"No, no, don't apologise, I just wasn't expecting anyone else to be up at this hour," Natasha explained as she looked over at the clock on the oven.
Bruce followed her gaze and understood her surprise.
The clock read 2:35.
"It is late or early," Bruce agreed.
Natasha offered a small smile as silence overtook them.
The clock read 2:50 by the time either of them spoke again.
"Having trouble sleeping?" Natasha asked curiously.
"You too?" Bruce asked as way of answer.
Natasha nodded.
"I don't suppose you know of something to help me sleep?" Natasha asked, "preferably something non-alcoholic, I don't feel like sharing my life story."
Bruce gave her a small smile, "I've found that tea helps."
Natasha just nodded and motioned for Bruce to take over.
Bruce filled the kettle and switched it on while Natasha watched.
"Green, herbal or earl grey?" Bruce asked.
Natasha looked at him in slight confusion.
Bruce grinned, "what tea would you like?"
"Oh, right, I guess I'm more tired than I thought. Um just uh whatever you are having," Natasha responded.
Bruce smiled and made the tea, herbal.
The pair sat at the breakfast bar and drank their tea, in silence at first.
3:10
"Is it like a battle for you?" Natasha asked uncertainly.
"More like a possible trigger for the other guy," Bruce explained.
Natasha nodded in understanding.
"Have you always had trouble with storms?" Bruce asked.
Natasha nodded, "since I was five. The tried to shake it out of me where I grew up but no matter what I couldn't get rid of the feeling."
"Do you know what started it?" Bruce questioned gently.
Natasha looked hesitant about answering.
"Sorry, it's not my business, I shouldn't have asked," Bruce retracted.
Natasha offered him a soft smile, "it's okay. I…... when I was five the place where I lived was like a battlefield, I was taken in my sleep from my bed."
"It brings up a bad memory," Bruce understood.
Natasha nodded her agreement.
"I'm sorry that you had to go through that," Bruce whispered.
Natasha looked at him in surprise, "no one, not even Clint, has ever apologised for the actions of those people that night."
Bruce looked at her in shock, he thought that at least Clint would have sympathised in such a way.
"It was that moment that I knew," Natasha explained, "you were the first person who cared and didn't blame me for that night. Those in the Red Room told me that it was my fault because I didn't know how to protect myself. People said that they cared and that they would avenge that night for me, it never happened, it was just empty words. I knew that my feelings were real that night because you showed me that you truly cared about me, not about what happened to me or why it happened or what had caused it. You only cared about me and what it did to me. I can never thank you enough for that Bruce."
Bruce planted a kiss on Natasha's forehead.
"There's no need to thank me Nat. I would have done anything for you. That morning I would have done anything to see you smile and to ease your pain," Bruce explained.
Natasha smiled at him, "how about you? When did you know?"
Bruce grinned sheepishly as he recalled the day, "funny story…."
It had been a boring day spent in the lab that Bruce Banner realised that he had fallen for Natasha Romanoff.
Bruce had been doing paperwork in the lab for the better part of the day and was in a desperate need for a massage. He wished that he had taken Tony's offer to call in a masseuse two hours ago. His muscles were tight and causing him more pain than he cared to admit.
Bruce rolled his neck one way and then the other to try to relieve the tension.
As if knowing exactly what he wanted and needed in that moment, Natasha Romanoff walked past his office and looked in on him.
Bruce sighed when she walked past without entering his office, another part of making his day boring was the lack of company with Tony being anywhere but where he should be.
As if she had heard his disappointment Natasha turned back around and knocked on his door, "hey, are you okay on your own in this big office?" she teased.
Bruce chuckled, "I could use more space don't you think? I mean it's not that big an office, it could be bigger. It already has a mini living room why not make room for a big kitchen?"
Natasha laughed, "well you do have a kitchenette, you can't get too greedy Bruce people might think that you're not as noble as you claim to be."
Bruce grinned and then frowned as he went back to rubbing his painful neck.
Natasha raised an eyebrow, "looks like you could use a massage my friend."
Bruce sighed, "you have no idea. I should have taken Tony up on his offer of bringing in a masseuse when he asked two hours ago. I'm absolutely regretting it now."
Natasha smiled, "I can help you out if you like."
Bruce nodded and then groaned from the pain.
Natasha tried not to laugh at how cute he looked when he was in pain, it wouldn't be the 'good' friend thing to do.
Without hesitation Natasha moved to stand behind Bruce's desk chair and began massaging his shoulders and neck. It was clear where the pain and tension were when Bruce let out a strangled noise from the pain. Natasha tried to be gentle but she also knew that if she was too gentle she wouldn't be relieving the tension at all and possibly only make the pain worse for Bruce.
It took about twenty minutes of Natasha massaging the tension before Bruce started to relax, not feeling the pain as much anymore.
"That was when I knew. I mean if you could get rid of the pain and tension so easily and quicker than anyone else I know then of course you had to be the one," Bruce said sincerely.
"Really? That's the moment that you're going with? Of all of the moments we've had together that is the one that made you fall for me?" Natasha asked in both annoyance and confusion.
Bruce chuckled, "I know it's not traditional but yeah that was the moment I knew. I needed someone who could help me relax from stressful moments in life, I mean we have plenty of stressful times in our lives with our line of work."
Natasha smiled softly, "I suppose that that makes it better. Still couldn't you have chosen a more romantic moment?"
Bruce laughed and hugged Natasha close, "you wanted to know the truth and I give it to you but it's not what you wanted to hear."
Natasha blushed and shrugged.
They spent the rest of the evening relaxing in each other's arms and sharing more stories as they laughed at their ridiculous antics.