In the corridor the claustrophobic feeling was worse for Bruce. Everywhere he looked there were reminders of things he had done. Repairs were still being made in some areas, and workers' eyes followed him nervously, wondering if he was there to make more work for them. He began to feel different again. He didn't like it, and turned into one of the lesser used corridors. .
On the way out of the main lab he had picked up another of his treasures, a barrette. He turned it in his fingers now as he walked and thought of it holding her hair off her face, exposing her delicate ears. He knew they were sensitive. He had seen the way she constantly tweaked the position of her earpiece. He would fix that for her, it was the least he could do. It would be hard to give that treasure up again though.
He remembered how she had trembled when he spoke into her ear in that alleyway. He'd liked seeing how his breath stirred the fine hair around her face. He was glad she didn't figure it out, their secret. Bruce had revealed far too much. It was good that she ran.
Then, as if called up by his fevered imagination, she was there, and he wasn't glad anymore. He was angry.
Seemingly out of nowhere, he was in the corridor. He blocked her way, then used his body to force her back, up against the corridor wall. Caressing her cheek lightly with one hand, the other roughly pushed her hair back behind her left ear where her communicator should have been.
His finger traced around the shell of her ear. Natasha shivered. "Missing something?' he asked. She didn't really understand, but it was hard to think past his manipulation of her senses. "Come and get it," he taunted, then strode down the corridor and disappeared into an equipment room.
A/N: A little preview:
'His harsh, panting breaths cut off in a surprised grunt when she pushed the door all the way open and stepped in. Bruce, or something like Bruce lifted his head. His expression was one that she understood very well and she finally understood his secret.'
-Neg