A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone! So glad you're enjoying this! It's based on a prompt I'm creating so ultimately the decisions are from the asker. :) I'm just taking creative liberties to fill in the gaps and *flourish*. If you've got a prompt, feel free to DM or message me via Tumblr at GammaCousin. Thanks so much!
The last thing- the very last thing- Bruce wants to do is take up Natasha's invitation for a walk. She doesn't take no for an answer, standing outside his door with a head tilt and an urging to make him hurry up.
With his contacts already in, he briefly hides behind the door to grab one more jacket and meets her in the hall.
Keeping her out of his room is first priority after a chaotic evening of smashing. His room is a bit in disarray, could use a heavy duty cleanup when he gets back.
It might not be the smartest move to be around people this morning but he wants time with her. The redhead might be sharp, to the point and lack some basic politeness but he likes that about her;
She's not one to walk on eggshells, someone who always treats him with respect.
When she flings a folder into his chest he catches her drift: they'll be talking about work…
"Code green for the next mission. This is everything I have on our guy."
Bruce lifts the page and focuses on the script, unaware of the fact that she's held every door to lead them outside of the tower. He realizes this simple fact all too late and wishes he were more aware to take on a more chivalrous role...or maybe she wouldn't have liked that…
Natasha points to the right, "Are we walking toward the park or the shops?"
"Park," he mumbles, briefly looking up from his papers.
"I like the contacts. Were you unhappy with your previous eye color? theyre a little less cocoa than I'm used to," He tenses and twitches. She laughs; "I'm kidding. But that was quite the reaction."
He lifts the folder, "I'm reading about your plan to set the hulk off, I'm tensing. I think that's a justifiable response."
"That's fair," Natasha nods, slowing her pace so that he will do so as well, "He's not a monster; for the record."
Bruce forces a closed mouth grin, finally loosening up a bit. He'd argue with anyone but her. Especially not after seeing such a genuine glimmer in her eyes.
She treats him so differently and for the first time all week his soul is calm.
Her banter, jabs, and jokes border on insulting but he can give it all right back to her.
She takes the folder once he's finished reading and leaves it over the open flame of a fire pit.
He glares, "That's such a waste of paper."
"I'm not carrying it around."
"Wow."
"I'd like to keep walking but you can do as you please."
He bites his cheek. She's such an odd duck. Inviting him along just to dismiss him an hour later. He snickers a bit;
"Are you sending me home?"
Natasha shrugs, "You can stick around if you want but I'm not the best company."
He swallows, "That's not true."
"I prefer introspective contemplation when I'm with nature. Think you can stay quiet?"
"Can you?" He remarks in amusement.
She steps backward, tilts her head and urges him to follow along the path. Bruce complies eagerly, trying hard not to appear too desperately excited for time with the redhead he would never admit to having a bit of a crush on. Admiration for her kind, old soul. For her intuition and intelligence.
. . . . . . . . . . .
They're mid mission and Clint is looking real tired, lagging behind the group with his bow and arrow in hand.
Steve is panting when Hawkeye catches up to the Captain, sparing a nod and just watching.
Tony is muttering some film quote over the com that Thor believes to be utter nonsense. So the demigod pulls the com from his ear to crush it and silence the constant noise.
Steve laughs, "Had enough of Stark?"
Thor sighs, "I have grown tired of his voice for one day."
Clint bends over the pant, "I'll block his frequency on your communicator next time."
"You can do that?" Rogers questions.
Barton looks up as if the people around him are complete idiots, "Why do you think I fiddle with mine so much pre-battle?"
"Boys? Who's getting the hulk?" Natasha steps over to join them, still focused on the mission.
Steve taps his com, "Stark? Think you can calm the hulk for us?"
Romanoff shrugs, her hands falling at her sides while she replaces her weapon to her holster, "I would've done it, Steve, I was just asking if anyone of you wanted to try it."
"Nope," Clint mutters immediately.
Natasha glares.
Thor looks away to avoid responding. Rogers nods, "I'll leave that to you and Stark."
She scoffs, "It would really help in building some trust. I think Bruce would feel a little more accepted if you didn't always treat him like a monster. What happens if I can't make it to a battle?"
Clint laughs, "We'd still have Stark to feed to the lion."
"What did I just say," Natasha clenches a fist and thrusts a firm punch into Clint's shoulder.
"Heyyy team? Could I get some backup here?" Tony calls timidly over his com.
Natasha responds first, "What's wrong?"
"Hulk uh, he's got no chill right now. Are you seeing this?! He just punched me."
"I wonder why," Clint mumbles.
Natasha rolls her eyes, "Did you trigger him-. You called him 'Bruce' didn't you?"
Tony yells, "No! I didn't! He just came at me! Holy- mother of earth- he just tried to throw a tree at my head."
Romanoff shakes her head, "This is what you get for trying to wrestle him all the time-."
"ROMANOFF! I'm serious! He's coming after me! And there are civilians on this side-great now he's going for them."
She drops her hand and starts to run.
"Hulk doesn't charge at civilians…I'll be right there."
"Well he is right now! He's charging! A little help, guys?!"
Thor swings his hammer and prepares to charge while Steve and Clint lag behind.
. . . . . . . .
Natasha gawks momentarily over the shade of her teammate. His green is tinted but even more worrisome is how he is acting. Thrashing, crushing, smashing.
She leaves a hand in her pistol and makes a call, "I'm going to try to engage with him. Fall back Tony."
The Iron Man wheezes from the ground, his helmet smashed and his face a mess, "Yeah- okay. I vote Thor wrestles him so that us mortals don't get punched but what do I know?! He just wrecked me and my suit- that's all I'm saying! Ow! And I can't move my shoulder."
Romanoff ignores and moves closer to her target, signaling for Captain America to make whatever move he needs in order to get the bystanders off of the street.
Steve points with two fingers and directs Thor and Clint to clear the civilians from the road and to clear the hulk's current path.
Natasha tries her best to be calm despite his rampage, unsure how to approach or even get his attention.
"Come on."
She dodges, barely moving out of the way when a car goes flying overhead.
She moves to aid the. Bystanders, yelling for them to move and crawls down an alleyway. She takes the fire escape and heads up toward the top of an abandoned building for a bit of height. Maybe being eye level will reach her friend.
Natasha taps her gun and rethinks her next move, whistling until her lip splits and her voice breaks;
"Hey!"
The hulk turns with red in his eyes, blood on his hands. She swallows hard. He's lost, beyond angry. He's hurt and he's hurting a lot of other people in return.
She tries to find his eyes behind the roars, immovable;
"Look at me, big guy. It's me, it's just your teammate. You're gonna be okay. I need you to look at me, okay? Easy…"
He groans a bit and fidgets less, calming a bit over her presence.
"Easy," she tugs her glove off, looking down at him from the second floor.