Chapter 7; But "Just Friends" Don't Look At Each Other Like That.
But after lunch more training everyone was just kinda in a free for all fight and it was fun. Riley manged not to hulk out again but she did get Clint's good aim while fighting and was quickly able to locate all of Natasha's pressure point and take her down easy. But then she turned to see Vincent staring at her in a challenge. She grinned and felt her hands heat up as she had Jasper star power. Star after star she launched at him before slowing down time thanks to indigo and quickly taking him down as well. But when she went to take on tony she struggled. He can fly after all! She tried her best but her powers were getting too hard to handle so she let tony take her down. And by down I mean slamming her right the ground.
"Fuck! Tony!" She hissed holding her arm. Most of her body ached but her arm from pretty banged up from before slammed onto concrete. Tony was freaking out a little before helping her up. Well trying too. But it hurt for her to move. "Shit!" She hissed sitting up. But she couldn't get farther than that.
"Guess I'm not as tough as I thought" she joked. Tony quickly pulled Bruce over. Bruce got down on one knee to look her arm over.
"I need to get her to a clean area and tony get the first aid kit. Can you walk?" Bruce questioned his eyes looking deep into her soul. Riley shook her head no, without another word Bruce scooped her up in his arms bridal style and stood up. His strength amazed everyone. Not like Riley was heavy but still.
He quickly carried Riley to the locker room where everyone followed as if to help out. Riley had her arms around Bruce's neck afraid she would be dropped. She wasn't fond of heightens, even just a few feet from the ground. He went into the locker room and sat her on the counter by the sinks in the shower area. Tony left the first aid kit and Natasha stayed pushing everyone out so Bruce wasn't distracted.
Riley frowned and looked at the sleeve of Natasha's shirt. "Nat I'm sorry it's ruined.."
Nat just smiled. "Don't worry about it. Really. Tony will pay for it." Nat touched Riley's shoulder, glancing between her and Bruce with a smile before leaving the locker room also.
Bruce cleaned his hands before putting on gloves. "You- You're going to have to remove your shirt.. Do you have another?" He looked up at her before she shook her head no. Bruce glanced to the side before turning and going into his locker and pulling out a grey sweater. "You can wear this by you need to leave your arm out." He headed her the sweater, as their hands touched he quickly turned and waited for her to change.
She tried to pull off the top but the drying blood and her arm being stiff didn't help. She cleared her throat before speaking. "I… I need help. I can't"
Bruce turned with a look of pity and anger in his eyes. Anger probably at tony, or himself. It was hard to say, even for Bruce himself. He walked over and lightly grabbed the hem of her shirt pulling it up slowly and off her hurt arm carefully. He refused to look anywhere but at her eyes and her wound while he carefully helped her put on his sweater. 'That wasn't so bad' or so he told himself but he could feel his pulse rising. He took a few deep breathes before he took a wash rag and wet it.
He walked over putting his hand on her shoulder as the other slowly cleaned the dried blood from the wound so he could get a better look at it. She winced but nothing more, she forced herself to look across the room. She had already cried once today and that was enough. Soon he put the now red wash cloth in the sink.
"This is going to sting a little. Just squeeze my hand if it hurts." He spoke softly but his face blank from emotion. He took her hand and she nodded as she softly used anti-bacterial wipe on her arm. She winced again and squeezed his hand as hard as she could. He quickly finished before bandaging her arm.
"There we go, you aren't hurt anywhere else are you?" Bruce asked softly before cupping her cheek in his hand as he took the rag and wiped some of the blood of her face making sure there wasn't a cut. She smiled looking into his concentrating brown eyes before her hand cupped his.
"I'm fine really. Thank you." She wrapped her good arm around his neck as he backed up slightly surprised before she toppled them over to the ground. They both let out yelps as they fell. She landed on him.
He looked up at her with an awkward chuckle. Before wrapping his arms around her waist. His skin warming a bit as his hands laid on her bare back from the sweater being still not on her one arm. She Nuzzled into his neck before whispering "You are my friend right?"
Bruce just chuckled awkwardly "Of course. Everyone on the team is."
Riley smiled and looked down at him "But I can relate to you."
Just as their eyes locked in a soul splitting way the locker room doors flung open to show the worrying faces of the avengers. "ARE YOU GUYS O-" they shouted before stopping and seeing Riley on top of Bruce. They blush quickly blushed as Bruce got up helping her up before standing in front of her to hide how the sweater wasn't on all the way.
"We just fell is all. Riley lost her balance and I broke the fall." Bruce said shyly before rubbing at the back of his neck. Nat smiled and quickly walked over taking her into one of the stalls to fix the sweater all the way. Bruce cleaned up the make shift station before they all walked out together. Natasha just smiled softly glancing at them. Knowing friends don't look at each other that way.
