Bruce Banner! I don't own him. Or the Avengers. Just Anna. Too bad /:
I was listening to You and I by Michael Buble while writing this, hence the title. It's a pretty good song.
Will it stay,
The love you feel for me?
Will you say,
That you will be by my side,
To see me through,
Until my life is through?
This was a really bad idea.
A nervous, finicky twitch wavered Dr. Bruce Banner's right arm, burying his hands into the pockets of a suit jacket.
It'll be fun. It'll do you good," Tony Stark encouraged, rapping him on the shoulders. "She's a friend of Pepper's, and a total babe. Into microbiology and neurology; all that crazy jazz you love. Am I right? Of course I am. Now call her back."
This was a terrible, horrible, bad, bad idea.
He glanced at his watch again. "Good," he muttered, "Maybe she just won't show up-"
"And stand up the famous Dr. Bruce Banner, extraordinaire? So little credit you give me, doctor. Especially for one who knows what happens when you loser your temper," A new, quiet voice instilled. Instantly he turned, catching sight of the voice.
Anna Maria Tyler, age 27, medium height.
Curved body, wrapped in a seductive red dress, already tempting him.
Dark, chestnut hair, falling loose around her ears. Pouty red lips, and big, green eyes.
Bruce Banner abruptly stepped forward, wavered, and tripped.
A soft gasp caught his ears and a second later warm hands were on him, tugging him up.
"You're not very careful for someone so intelligent, hm? Are you okay?" The dark haired woman asked, unable to hide a crooked smile sinking into her lips.
The man was cute. Pepper had not lied. Underneath his blazer was a simple gray shirt, leading down to nice jeans and beaten down oxford boots. Glasses were peaking out of a coat pocket and his face twitched nervously, trying his best not to put any weight into her hands.
"Fine, I'm fine. Sorry. You just surprised me, I guess," Well well, a man of great articulation. "You look, um-I'm Bruce, Bruce Banner," He stumbled along, extending his hand to her. The woman's lips curled in a way that made his stomach twist.
"I know. Though you forgot to mention the doctor part like I did," The genius lowered his head in embarrassment, feeling her cool fingers grasp his. "I'm Anna Tyler. Anna is not short for anything, so don't bother asking about it. So! Where are you taking me?"
Anna. Anna was a pretty name. She was a pretty girl. She was waiting for an answer. Her dress kept catching the street lights, drawing even more attention to it.
This was not going to be easy.
"Er, I didn't really know what you'd like, and I haven't done this in a while, so is dinner fine?" Dr. Banner inquired, gesturing haphazardly at the restaurant to his left. Green eyes widened and Anna bit her bottom lip before looking up at his nervous face once again.
"La Grenouille? I've always wanted to come here," The Dr. smiled for the first time at her excitement, allowing her to tug him towards the wide entrance. A man in a suit whisked the door open, double-taking the gorgeous woman and the hermit: one eloquent, the other seemingly to have just left an underground music show. Banner pretended not to notice the doorman's disdain for him.
The instant Anna saw the crowded room, her boldness shallowed. Those wide eyes and baby lips turned to him, full of worry.
"Will you be okay here? With all these snooty people around?" Anna murmured, touching his arm. On a strange instinct he flexed, stomach twisting at her sudden, slight smirk; she'd caught that.
"I'll be fine, so long as you're not one of those snooty people," he answered easily, for the first time. A grin caught her and Anna turned back again, now linked by the arm to him.
"Reservation?" A rail-thin, grimacing man asked without greeting. Jesus, you could smell the judgmentalism on him.
"Ah, two, for Banner." The man eyed first him and then Anna, stopping abruptly.
"You. You're Anna Tyler, are you not? As in the Victoria's Secret Anna Tyler?" Eyebrows rose on Bruce Banner's face, turning to the supposed "Victoria's Secret" Anna. Her face was now a shade darker than her dress.
"Oui, je le suis. Reservation pour deux sous Banniere, s'il vous plait." Beautiful, soft French erupted from the woman in question, eyes glued to the floor. The man nodded promptly, stalking away with a quick gesture of his hand. Anna took a deep breath, chancing a glance.
Bruce Banner was staring obviously at her.
Anna reddened.
"So, you model underwear and speak fluent French? You put me to shame, Miss Tyler," The doctor teased, relaxed in a cherry red booth, secluded in a corner. Olive eyes darted out the window, lips puckered in a sort-of frown. Banner found himself grinning.
Maybe Stark was right.
…For once.
"I went to school for neurology when I was stopped by a scout. I'm not a genius or anything, and I certainly wasn't rich, so I jumped at the offer. I finished school with a bachelor in my degree but didn't pursue a Master or Doctorate's due to my new…Um…Job." Anna finished lamely. Her fingers fidgeted with the hair about her left ear, reminding the doctor of his own nervous habits. It was cute.
"Do you think you'll ever go back?" Those brobdingnagian eyes looked up at him again, making him shift. "To school, I mean. To get the next degree."
"Oh! I don't know. I feel so old now. What if I couldn't do it? What if I was the slowest in my class? What if everyone found out I was just an underwear model-"
"What if they found out you turned into a crazed green monster when you were angry?" Bruce cut in without thinking. Instantly her ramble silenced, looking upon him in a new way.
Such a horrible, bad idea.
"Is the Mr. and Mrs. Ready to order?" A thickly-accented waiter sliced into the silence.
Anna gazed upon Bruce Banner for a few seconds longer, mouthing falling open just the slightest, as if lost in severe thought.
With a long-lashed blink she beamed at the young waiter, a siren in her peak.
"Please bring us Tournedos de Boeuf "Forrestiere" et Poitrine de Caneton aux dattes, figues, et amandes, s'il vous plait."
"And to drink?"
Anna paused, contemplating Banner once again.
"Condrieu "Les Chaillets" Yves Leflaive, 2010. Half bottle, if you will,"
"The whole bottle is fine," Bruce interrupted for the first time, watching Anna's reaction. A little smile curled her lips before her chin ducked down, returning then to the waiter. A curt nod answered them both before the help stalked off.
The instant he was out of earshot her dark hair whipped back to Bruce, leaning over the table with a glint in her eye. "Even the workers are snooty. I gave him my best model smile and he barely blinked an eye! Can you believe that?"
"No. You had my full attention the entire time," He spoke so honestly. An excited spark enlightened Anna's chest at the thought of him waning to her.
"Thank you for ordering for me. I have no idea what this menu says."
"It was my pleasure! In all honestly, I was torn between two meals, so now I can have my cake and eat it as well. We'll never come here again though; their prices are ridiculous. I can make most of this in my own kitchen."
We. We, she had said.
He liked the way it rolled off her tongue through his mind.
"So now you're going to cook for me?" He asked absently, returning to earth upon her smile.
"Perhaps we'll cook it together. I'm sure we'll have to do it in my home, seeing as you don't seem the well-kept type. Or one who spends much time in the kitchen, rather." The brunette teased him. Banner couldn't help but laugh; a warm, low melody in her ears.
"You've caught me. I'll make it up to you somehow, I promise." Anna tilted her head then, back arching straight.
"So, you do live in New York? And not Calcutta?"
"For the moment, yeah, I guess. How do you know where I lived before?" A blush graced the woman's cheeks, causing the remembrance of earlier to his mind. Underwear model. Red Dress. Cleavage. Concentrate.
…Concentrate.
"After the New York attack, Pepper talked nonstop about the Avengers, and Tony. Seeing as you seemed to be his closest ally, you were the next biggest topic after her playboy Iron Man. She said you were into genetics like I was and shared some other characteristics, and that you were cute, so this is how we ended up here together. Voila," Anna was smiling at him again, noticing the nervous twitch in his left hand. Had he done that before?
"And?"
"…And what?"
"Am I what you envisioned?" Banner asked, half-jokingly. Green eyes widened and the woman nodded quickly, "Oh, yes! You're very attractive! I had no frets that you wouldn't be-"
"I more or less meant the whole Hulk-bearing thing," Bruce broke in quietly. An estranged, gasping laugh coughed out of her lips and he grinned crookedly. First her shoulders rose straight, then hunched.
"Yes! Well, no. Not really," came the sheepish reply. "I guess I imagined someone burly and mean looking, not someone like-"
"Like…what?" He studied her closely; Anna looked down to her lap, lips moving against themselves in careful thought.
"Someone…Well…Someone like me." Her eyes caught his, glancing at the upcoming waiter. "Someone who seems so reserved and shy when they harbor almost another being that they act embarrassed about, when they shouldn't. I know there is a great difference between my other, provocative self, and your genetic alternation, but I meant more in theory. We do what is necessary in order to survive. I was a poor college orphan, and you were trying to better the world with certain consequences. We are not bad people. You saved New York City. Without you, the Avengers would have fallen. You are a hero. I really hope you know that, Bruce."
Plates were being put between them, but their eyes never wavered.
A slow, beautiful smile had enveloped her face. Bruce Banner felt his breath catch, heart racing in his ears.
No one had spoken so rashly, so genuinely to him like that before.
As if he were almost…normal.
A hero.
"Here, try this. Tell me if it's good or not, so I can decide which one I want," Anna spoke, offering him a fork full of something crisp and brown. Unconsciously his mouth opened, closing around the silver.
Anna Tyler watched, expectantly. Bruce Banner continued to gaze right back, finally swallowing.
"It…Is wonderful."
At least in my life
I've found someone
That may not be here forever
To see me through
But I found strength in you.
She lived on Lexington Avenue, in a big ritzy building. She swore it was nothing special, but he could see the pride gleaming in her eyes.
"Do you…want to come in?" She asked, hesitantly. Bruce Banner was hovering at the front door, as if he might take off at any given moment.
With him, there was a great chance with that.
"I-" He began, trying to come up with an excuse. Tonight had been perfect. The food, her smile, her personality. Her name on his lips, her laughter when he found out the price of the wine she only wanted half a bottle of.
He really didn't want to screw it up by doing or saying the wrong thing. Or, worse, getting out of hand and breaking Lexington like he did Harlem. He had no idea what would happen with the Other Guy when a woman was involved.
Anna was enjoying the inner turmoil written on the doctor's cute, weary little face. Fighting for a reason to say no.
And, for some reason, it didn't bother or hurt her like she thought it would.
He just doesn't want to hurt me, I think. Or jump in too deep so early.
"Tony and Pepper are having a barbeque at Stark Tower tomorrow; a little celebration in lieu of the building completion. Would you like to escort me?" Anna Tyler asked gently, slicing his thought process open. Warm brown eyes jumped to her face and red lips gave him a crooked, attractive grin. Bruce Banner swallowed.
"Yeah, yeah, that sounds great. Around six?"
"That's right. Pick me up, or meet me there?"
"I can pick you up," He offered, smiling. A nervous twitch ran through his fingers before they disappeared into his coat pockets, head ducking down with the furrow of his brows.
"As much as I'd love, and I mean really love to go up with you, I shouldn't. I don't want to risk ruining-" Hands had slid through his hair, pulling him down to a lower height. Soft, warm lips enclosed his, bodies pressed together. A burst of energy surged through his chest, escaping in a soft moan against her lips. That signature smile tickled his and the good doctor wrapped one arm around Anna Tyler's waist, the other through her hair, kissing her deeply. Soft curls fell loose around her nearly bare shoulders and after another long, sweet moment she pulled away, beautiful smile shining only at him.
"So I guess I'll just…see you tomorrow?" Anna asked absently. Dr. Banner laughed out loud; a true laugh, for the first time.
"I guess I can't go back on what I just said five minutes ago, can I…Can I?" He bargained, enjoying her laughter at him.
"I don't think so. But who knows; tomorrow we might even make it into the lobby," The green-eyed wonder teased. Again Bruce laughed and small hands caught his face, gazing quietly at him.
He felt her lean up, her body sliding against his as she rose as tall as she could, eyes never leaving his.
The way her lips touched his, the unwavering, pure, innocence of her kiss.
For a moment, Bruce Banner was nothing more than a smitten man in New York, trapped in the arms of a beautiful woman, accepted just the way he was.
It was a magnificent feeling.
I'm debating a part two! I figure why not, no one reads them besides me anyway. Haha.
