Chapter 26

Dance With The Devil

When the light flooded the room neither Clint nor Natasha could keep their eyes open against it. It stung like mad as their eyes tried to adjust from the absolute darkness to the sudden burst from the doors. Even blinded though they knew that voice but they also knew something was off about it. "Bruce?" Natasha called out as her eyes tried to adjust.

The footsteps echoed in the room alerting them both that Bruce was moving closer towards them, though his movement was slow and deliberate. He wasn't in a rush to help them or in a panic, he just took his time as he moved. "About time you showed up," Clint teased as to be expected. "Want to get us out of this? Or are you just gonna wait until we break out ourselves?"

"Now, why would I help you get out when I was the one who put you here?" Bruce questioned tilting his head. It was a confusing statement to both Clint and Natasha. Bruce wasn't like this after all, he didn't tie them up and leave them in a dark room.

They were becoming accustomed to the light allowing both to look over at Bruce as he entered further into the room. They didn't mistake the red snake eyes that were staring at them in place of his usual brown eyes. It didn't take a genius to figure out that something was very wrong. There was an echo in the back of Natasha's mind, reminding her of the talks she had shared of Bruce over the time she had known him, the mention that there was something worse than Hulk lurking inside him. He always told her that he could feel it but both he and Hulk kept fighting to keep it down. The chances of such a thing getting out were rather low, but low is not impossible. Whatever was in control right now had to be the creature that lurked deep in Bruce's mind, a sick, twisted evil that felt no guilt, only hate. At least it was only in Bruce's body, not the Hulk, it meant they still had a chance against it. The only problem was neither Clint nor Natasha wanted to hurt Bruce, even if he wasn't in command of it, it was still his body.

"Well you're certainly not Bruce," Clint pointed out, "He has manners. If she stuck us in a room like this he'd at least have given us something to read or watch."

It was in front of Clint, glaring down at him with a rather cruel smile. "Well you are right there. I'm afraid the boy is a little too soft. Me, on the other hand, well, I'm not."

"Great, so what do we call you? Other than intrusive to my personal space?" Clint questioned trying to hide any sense of fear he had. He could tell Natasha was trying to loosen her ropes enough to slip a hand out, he could feel her slight and gentle movements.

"I am the devil that lurks inside this mind, now free to do what I want, I am what Hulk and Banner both fear and yet all that was ever needed."

"Sooo, Devil Hulk, got it," Clint nodded, "Doesn't roll off the tongue very well. What's your big catch phrase? Devil Hulk smash? Devil Hulk sin? Devil Hulk polka? Don't lie we both know polka music is the devil."

"Always good for a joke," Devil Hulk chuckled a bit, "you will certainly be fun to play with, Barton. Games that are played behind closed doors that you and Romanoff there are so familiar with." His face was only a few inches from Clint's now as he continued his wicked grin.

"Sorry, you're not my type," Clint stated.

Devil Hulk took a step back and laughed for a while, it was insane, blood thirsty, the type that would easily haunt the nightmares of those who heard it, "Good thing I don't care. You certainly are the amusing one here, Barton. I may kill you last for that."

"You mind telling me one thing before we start your game?" Clint wanted to stall this thing for as long as he could as he felt Natasha continue to work. "If you've been lurking what brought you out?"

"I think you can figure that out on your own," Devil Hulk moved to Clint's side, "but I will certainly let you hear the story once I attend to one thing." He was suddenly in front of Natasha, shaking his head, "Now, now. You should know better than trying to escape like that. Relying on Barton to distract me so that you could try to get out of those ropes? It's insulting that you think that's all it will take."

It was Clint's turn to start on the ropes with Natasha under the careful watch of this thing.

"You really don't want to make me angry, Romanoff, see right now I like you. You brought me out. What was that you said? It's okay, the others are fine? Took your time, enjoyed being alone with your archer. Dragged my darling boy out here and left him at your first chance. Oh, it was glorious to watch."

The words sunk in. Natasha was becoming painfully aware of what happened. She had calmed Clint down but Bruce had only see part of it, they were manipulated and she had known that before but she didn't know why until now.

"He let me out, gave up and then with my new found freedom I started to wonder what to do. See my boy figured it out soon after and tried to get control back, but it was too late for that. Got him all nice and locked away with his beast. They'll watch what I do but can't stop me. You can guess though, it wasn't enough to get you two into this position. So I met a nice man, he was rather eager to assist me. He told me that the world would end. I rather hope I get to do that, I'd like to burn it all. But this man offered that if I help him, not only will I get to see worlds burn, I get you two. I couldn't turn that down. I can do anything I want to you two and my dear boy gets to watch, completely helpless as I rip you apart slowly. Only when I tire will you die as everything burns."

"Have you seen yourself in a mirror? You're not really world destroying material," Clint commented as he got his first hand free. He worked on the other. His wrists were sore from pulling against the ropes but as he got the other free he ignored the pain and fumbled with the knots that held Natasha behinds his back.

"Oh, this isn't my true face, I assure you but when my little weakling boy looks back on what will become of you, I want him to see this face. I want him to look back and see no monster to blame but himself. When it comes to the world though, well, it can see my true face. I intend to hurt and destroy everything that boy once cared for and when there is nothing left, I'll remind him constantly of what happened. He will wish for death but I won't let him die, I will keep him painfully aware of everything," Devil Hulk chuckled again and there was a brief silence.

Devil Hulk's eyes darted over towards Clint, knowing the archer was working on freeing them. His voice was like venom as he spoke again, "I question what you're hoping to accomplish. I'm of course aware that you both can get out of those chairs, if you couldn't you wouldn't have lasted this long. Yet, once you're out, where will you go? So wouldn't it be easier to give up? Or is that just too hard for you? Face it, you're trapped and are going to be tortured, tormented and eventually killed by the face of a man who you betrayed all those years ago. Finally the score will be settled." He moved his gaze again to lock eyes with Natasha, close enough that she could feel his breath on her skin. "What do you think of that?"

Natasha's mind was working overtime, turning as she felt the ropes around her loosen from Clint's work though they still for the most part held her in place. She could move somewhat though, she just needed her limbs free, but there were a few things she already knew. If she just tried to bolt up right now and run for it, it was likely she wouldn't make it nor would Clint, and that assumed that the ropes would break. If she tried to fight, it was likely this thing would be ready for that and somehow she got the feeling kicking and punching right away would only result in broken arms. No, she had to pick a role carefully. She knew each one so well, she had played them all before. The defiant prisoner who got the attention because someone wanted to break them, a good way to get information and get someone alone. The power hungry companion, seeking to be on the arm of someone powerful, it took time but it would lower anyone's guard. The survivor, someone doing anything to survive, keeping to themselves but doing what they were told. All of the roles that took time, time she didn't have. She was certain she could get this thing to lower its guard eventually but by then it was likely that everyone would have endured more pain than they ever should and that the world itself would likely be gone.

She kept thinking. She thought of Bruce and what he liked, how he acted and his habits. She thought of how he wanted control, each part of him wanted it in some way, they all craved it. Bruce was smart and used that for his way of control. Hulk had unmatched strength that no one could control. This thing, this thing wanted everything it wanted control. It was pure hate, and having control of the fate of Natasha and Clint, a way to make Bruce hate himself more and thus make this thing more powerful, that was what it wanted. Absolute control.

There was one other thought that sat in her mind, one simple thought. That was the thought that finally pushed her forward, using the skills she had acquired through the years. She locked lips with the body of her friend, even if he wasn't the one in control it didn't matter right now. She took control from Devil Hulk and knew he would fight back for it, but she was better at this than he was.

It seemed so simple when she started. Taking control and making him fight on her terms to get it back. She could keep this going for a long time, at least that's what she hoped. She knew that if she started to lose then there was one chance Clint had to escape but it was an outcome she wanted to avoid. That outcome was hate sex, a true distraction but she had been trained in enough ways that evil this thing would have trouble trying to get what he wanted from her.

The reason though, the one that pushed her forward. Devil hulk made it clear that Bruce would be forced to see these memories for the rest of his life and so Natasha used that to her advantage. No matter what happened Bruce would have this image of Natasha kissing him. It was her own personal hate letter to Devil Hulk and yet a simple thank you to Bruce for helping when she asked. He could have said no, could have left her out in the blizzard, could have run away after they got Clint but he stayed and no matter what he thought of them or what happened when they were split up, he deserved something. If she could do nothing else, she would give Bruce one last thing and drive this monster insane.

Devil Hulk's body reacted in ways that felt natural but Natasha could feel him fighting for control, fighting for everything. She didn't break contact and neither did he, he wasn't going to surrender even as he leaned all the way over her giving him a feeling of a little more control but still not enough for him. Natasha only gave what she wanted to and that was driving the beast insane.

Clint shot a look over his shoulder as he kept working on the ropes and he instantly regretted he did. He had no problem with Natasha kissing Bruce, to be honest part of him was surprised she hadn't before when it was so obvious to him, he didn't miss anything after all. He liked Bruce and really his relationship with Natasha was anything but exclusive, she would do what she wanted and he was fine with that because she didn't do anything stupid. The image he was met with though was Bruce kissing Natasha with those red eyes. Clint felt a shiver run down his spine, those eyes would haunt his nightmares. Clint finished with the ropes but didn't get up, letting Natasha take lead. He'd move when she wanted him to and only then.

With the ropes for the most part gone it didn't take long for Natasha to slide a hand down and get them the rest of the way off her legs. With Devil Hulk focused completely over top of her, he didn't seem to notice. He didn't complain when Natasha pressed a hand against his chest, getting up and pushing him to the wall. They each were taking quick breaths before they continued their fight. Natasha rolled her hips against his, fighting the urge to smirk with the way it drove him further.

Natasha's hand was suddenly snatched away from his chest and Devil Hulk broke contact and stared at Natasha with hate and what she could only guess was lust. "You're giving me new ideas on how to hurt you. Ways that Banner would never be able to get rid of." There was that twisted grin again, "Still, they're entertaining."

Natasha gave an almost sweet smile, now that she had Devil Hulk away from Clint and his guard lower than before, "Tell Bruce I'm sorry for this." With that her knee went up into his gut and had his body reacted with him leaning forward and dropping his hands to protect his stomach, Natasha head-butted him. She turned and quickly started to head to the door, Clint quickly beside her. Neither of them wanted to be there for when Devil Hulk got back up. They ended up in a hallway of doors. It didn't take much for them to figure out that they were still in the base that Tyrell had turned into a maze but they had to be deep inside and thus probably closer to the main rooms. They started moving down the hall, mainly wanting to find a safe place away from Devil Hulk until they could come up with a plan.

"I kind of feel sorry for Bruce," Clint commented, "I think the most you've ever given him is maybe a kiss on the cheek but that creep got all of that?"

"I like Bruce," Natasha replied simply.

"So you do that to the guys you don't like and kiss the guys you do like on the cheek?" Clint replied, "Man you must really hate me."

Natasha rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean. We needed a distraction and a way to get him to lower his guard and it worked. Bruce would be terrified of hurting me and thus would never let me get that close, that thing doesn't care though."

"You just wanted Bruce to imagine what it'd be like with you if Devil Hulk won," Clint stated.

Natasha nodded at first, "I didn't want him to have a complete victory against Bruce. I know what Bruce wants but I know he'll deny himself and feel bad for denying it if I even dare offer. I don't want to watch him just hate himself even more than he already does and I know I can't talk sense into him. But at least now he'll know and if this goes south he'll always have that memory even if it was that thing. Besides, I owed him one. He didn't have to come but he did."

"Kind of wish I thought of it first," Clint grinned.

"You could not have dominated that," Natasha replied shooting Clint a look to remind him that she knew his limitations well.

"Well I just wanted to show him who's boss," Clint grumbled.

"Not you." They continued down the hallway taking a few random turns to make sure that they kept some space between themselves and Devil Hulk plus staying out of his line of sight was probably a good idea.

"Can we agree never to speak of this again?" Clint questioned.

"Speak of what again?" The voice startled the two as one of the doors in their new hallway opened.