"There's the Jolly Green Giant!" Tony sauntered towards Bruce and threw his arms around him with a playful slap on the back.
"Tony!" Pepper huffed.
Bruce chuckled, though the smell of alcohol on his friend's breath left him unsettled. "Good to see you, Tony!"
"Nice to have someone I can finally talk to!" Tony winked as he ended the awkward embrace. "Hey, come with me a sec, I've gotta show you what I've been working on." He lowered his voice. "None of these people understand."
"More robots," Natasha drawled as she crossed her arms. "Not that complicated, Stark."
Tony rolled his eyes with an irritated "tch."
"Play nicely, boys!" she called after the two as Tony dragged Bruce away like a dog on a leash.
"That battle really got me thinking," Tony began as he escorted Bruce back to his workplace. "We're not safe." Despite the alcohol stench, he seemed to be in his right mind.
"I'm aware," Bruce agreed as they re-entered the elevator.
"It got me thinking-If I'm gonna be on the clock avenging, I need a faster way to get into the suit."
"You showed me the model that folds up in a briefcase. Isn't the thirty second deploy on that fast enough?"
"I can't keep towing that thing around, Banner. Not my style," he commented, giving his fellow scientist a knowing look. "So I was thinking …" The elevator opened its doors and Tony led Bruce straight back to his desk of schematics. "Suit summoning via microchips." His finger flicked against a screen and he pulled a digitized microchip hologram for his partner to see.
"Microchips?" Bruce reached for the neon blue chip and enlarged the image before him with his thumb and forefinger. "Implanted under the skin. Smart."
"You're the only one to say that."
"Well," Bruce shrugged, his eyes shifting to a set of statistics on Tony's monitor. "Granted the tests are a success, it should work." He noted the 44% success rate for Tony's most recent attempt. "What went wrong there?"
"Toxicity levels," he drawled, rolling his eyes. "But that's only the third go. Hey!" he exclaimed. "How about you let Jarvis scan you? I've been itching to see what goes on when the Rage Monster shows up." He playfully slapped Bruce on the shoulder.
Bruce took a step back rubbed his palms together. "Doesn't everyone…"
Tony pulled up his most recent test file and lifted it from his screen to create a new hologram.
"Sorry, Tony, but I should really get going." Bruce Banner wasn't feeling as welcomed as the Hulk was.
Tony gave the man a pout. "How about dinner? You, me, the Hawk, the Romanoff," he suggested. "Call up Rogers-I bet he'd join if he knew you were back."
Natasha had mentioned a dispute with Steve. "You're not talking? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of us being a team?"
"He's just ticked he crossed a line," Tony shrugged, pretending to concentrate on a diagram of his heart rate.
"Crossed a line how?" Bruce prodded. Tony chose to keep quiet as he glanced down at one of his drawings. "Natasha's concerned." He watched as Tony kept up his busy façade by rubbing a finger against his lip. "And Pepper's worried that you aren't you." He paused as Tony's brows knitted together. "How about we talk? You and me?"
Tony snatched up the transparent data and threw it against the nearest monitor, his fist smacking the screen as he did so. "I just saved this whole damn city! Give me some credit!"
"I…" Bruce took a few steps back. "Tony, that's not what I'm saying."
"I risked my life doing a hero's job. No one sees that!" he scowled, kicking the chair beside him. The backing hit the table and forced Tony's monitor to back flip onto the floor along with a series of pens and papers.
"Tony…" Now he really had to leave. "You saved the city. We're all aware."
"Then get off my back about it!" he shouted, glaring in Bruce's direction.
"Sir," JARVIS interrupted. "Ms. Potts is on her way."
"I don't need Pepper!" he shouted at the ceiling.
Bruce headed for the door while Tony bickered with his technology. He rubbed the back of his neck as he waited on the elevator.
Pepper soon emerged and ran for Tony while Natasha stayed behind, eyes on Bruce. "Glad to be back, huh?"she sarcastically drawled.
"I think I upset him," Bruce mumbled as he joined the redhead.
"You're not alone," she replied as the doors began to close.
He pressed his back against the wall and sighed.
"Barton and I are meeting up later tonight if you're willing to join," Natasha offered. "Pizza and drinks-interested? I'll get Rogers in on it, too."
Bruce felt himself perk up at the offer, so he agreed. "If I don't answer my phone, my apartment's number 122. Just in case you feel like sending a letter," he quipped.
"I try to save greeting cards for the holidays, but I'll keep that in mind."
"You mentioned helping out in the city," Bruce added. "Do you think they'd accept me if I offered a helping hand?"
"They'd be idiots not to," Natasha remarked. "You're a hero. People already go nuts over you."
"Only when I'm green," he softly replied. Even then, people should fear him…
"Why be unhappy with that?" The doors opened and Natasha stepped out into the first floor. "The Hulk's a hero, you're a hero. They see no difference."
"I love you, Bruce. All of you. And those pieces that you hate are the ones I love the most."
Bruce chose to stay in the safety of his little corner of the elevator as Betty's words came flooding back to him.
"Dr. Banner, would you like to visit a different floor?" JARVIS inquired.
He shook his head, "No. Thank you," he answered before stepping past the set of steel doors.
"Everything okay?" Natasha wondered.
"Fine," he nodded with a grin. "I just remembered something."
Natasha offered him a ride home, but he declined so he could have an excuse to see more of the city. As he walked, all he could think about was Betty. He had tried so hard to keep her pushed to the back of his mind, but memories were seeping through the cracks of the walls be had built.
"Remember saving that little boy? You were his hero, Bruce. That building would've killed him."
He saved one child that day. One life spared while dozens of workmen were lost to a collapsing in-progress building caused by his rage. Betty's desperation to end his depression led her to seek further help regarding his "condition." She even went as far as selling the last reminder she had of her mother.
"I love you, Bruce."
She always said that, and she always meant it. If only he could've given her a normal life. Maybe then, they'd have died together.
Bruce stopped in his tracks and ignored the occasional stares he received from those bustling past him. Staying in the city he called home didn't feel right to him. His sense of belonging was laid to rest with Betty.
S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't need him. He was only an asset to help with whatever supernatural occurrences arose. Granted, Natasha seemed to be taking a genuine interest in helping him out, but she was only doing so to keep the beast at bay. She was terrified of the monster, and she had every right to be. Bruce strayed to the edge of the sidewalk and chose to walk the next three blocks with his head bowed.
His apartment wasn't as much of a wreck as he thought it would be. A bookshelf had toppled over, the wood paneling splintered across the middle upon impact as books littered the floor. Two of his kitchen cabinets had also collapsed, shattering his set of ceramic dinnerware. On the way to his bedroom, he noticed the shower curtain's pole fell, and his bedroom bookshelf had also fallen, same for his bed table lamp. Cleanup could wait. For now, a nap was in order.
Bruce awakened to a series of vibrations in his back pocket. He rolled onto his side and clumsily reached for his phone. There was a text from Natasha telling him where they were meeting at six. Bruce ended up reading the message another three times to clarify that his tired eyes weren't misreading the smiley emoticon at the end of her message. She didn't seem like the type, but it managed to brighten his groggy mood.
After re-arranging his bathroom, he showered, then found a navy jacket to wear with a pair of matching pants and a light blue shirt. The pizzeria was a seven minute walk away and the air was crisp and cool, perfect for travelling by foot.
Bruce entered the pizza parlour, letting a jingling bell announce his arrival into the bustling restaurant. He checked the tables closest to the door, then continued past another row of tables hoping to find familiar faces.
"Dr. Banner!" Steve stood up and waved from his table closest to the register.
Bruce made his way over to the table. "It's good to see you, Steve." He held out his hand and Steve gave him a firm shake. "Natasha said seven. Are we too early?"
"She's just late. Her and Clint," he added. "So you're back in town?"
"For the foreseeable future, yes," he smiled. "And you?"
"I don't see myself packing up and leaving anytime soon. This place is home." Steve chuckled and pulled out his phone to show to Bruce. "But the technology isn't. Touch screens. Can you believe it?"
Bruce had almost forgotten that he was talking to the man out of time. "I take it you're keeping yourself busy with technology?"
Steve nodded as he slid his phone back into his pocket. "I've had kids teach me how to use that thing. Can you believe that?"
"You can teach them all about stick ball," Natasha playfully commented as she approached the table with Clint.
"Doctor," Clint smiled.
"Good to see you, Clint." Out of everyone on the team, Clint was the biggest stranger.
Natasha seated herself in between Bruce and Steve while Clint snagged the chair across from her. "Help yourself tonight, boys, it's on Barton."
"Aww, Nat," Clint groaned.
A waiter approached and Bruce chose to show Clint mercy by ordering water. Natasha and Clint ordered beers while Steve settled for a Coke.
"Well, If I'm paying, I vote on getting a meat lover's," Clint suggested.
"Throw in some wings and I'm in," Natasha agreed.
"That sounds good." Steve was busy staring off into the kitchen, observing as a pizza went into a brick oven.
"I'll pay for a slice of cheese," Bruce finished, chuckling as he set his napkin on his lap.
"Vegetarian?" Natasha guessed.
He nodded, straightening his fork and knife at his right. "No hard feelings."
Clint held up his bottle of beer once everyone had their drinks. "I say we toast to Bruce. That's a diet I can't follow, man."
"To Bruce," Steve agreed. "Welcome back home."
Their glasses all clinked together as the four settled for their second meal as an (almost) complete team.
"So Stark's not coming?" Clint wondered. He noticed Natasha shake her head. "That makes my wallet happy. What happened? Is he still pissed about the Shawarma sucking?"
"He's got other sticks up his ass," Natasha replied.
Bruce fell silent, same for Steve until Clint rose from his seat after their dinner order was taken. "You guys play darts?"
"Against Robin Hood?" Steve quipped. "I'll pass."
"Maybe next time," Bruce offered.
"Let's see if I can find me a challenger," Clint mumbled as he left the table.
"So… India?" Steve piped up. "May I ask what you do over there?"
"Avoid trouble, for one," Bruce joked, making Steve laugh along with him. "I mostly worked with patients. That's my specialty."
"I've known a few doctors," Steve smiled. "So thank you. It's a rough job."
"I should be thanking you for your service. Captain America," he mused.
"How many autographs did you have to sign today?" Natasha teased.
"Two," the blond replied, rolling his eyes.
"Autographs, huh?" Bruce turned to Natasha. "You do a lot of those?"
Natasha shrugged as she sipped her beer. "It's always the kids asking. I don't mind that."
"Gotta love the kids," Steve agreed. "It's nice being a role model for them."
Bruce shifted in his seat.
"It's funny to see the ones painting their faces green." Steve's smile widened as he watched Bruce perk up at his comment.
"They're really doing that?" Bruce warily asked.
"Who doesn't want to be big and strong like the Hulk?" Natasha flashed the doctor a smirk.
"I'll believe it when I see it," he chuckled.
"Hey," Steve interrupted, "looks like Clint found some competition."
Bruce and Natasha turned their heads simultaneously to watch Clint chatting with a group of three men by a claw machine. "No." Natasha shook her head as she observed the furrowed brows and clenched jaws. "Dammit, Barton," she muttered under her breath.
Clint turned his head in his table's direction as one of the men pointed at Bruce.
"Brace yourself, boys," Natasha warned.
"Oh, no…" The men began to zero in on their table and Bruce felt a shiver run up his spine.
"That's him?" A man with dark hair and glasses demanded as he glared at Bruce.
Natasha gave Bruce a pat on the shoulder as she got up to act as his personal bodyguard. "I'm sorry," she began in her sweetest tone. "Did my friend say something to you?" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Clint running towards the table.
"I'd like a word with him, Miss," the man with glasses grumbled.
"You must have him mistaken for someone else," she coolly continued.
"There's only one group of Avengers," a man with his blond hair tied back retorted. "That's the Hulk."
"Bruce," Natasha breathed. "Get out of here."
"May I ask what I did wrong?" Bruce wondered. He rose from his chair and stood beside Natasha.
"Why don't you ask your ugly green mug?!" the man with glasses spat.
The stench of alcohol on his breath made Bruce regret not listening to Natasha's advice. "Did… Did I do something?" He stepped back, bumping into the edge of the table.
"You killed my brother!" the man shouted.
Bruce's heart sank in his chest.
"Fucking freak!" the man snarled. He lunged at Bruce, but Natasha grabbed his fist and twisted his wrist until he cried out.
"You think he did that on purpose?" she snapped.
"I saw the bastard throw the car!" the blond shouted. "Chucked it right at Rick!"
"N-" Bruce violently shook his head as he proceeded to cover his ears. "No!" He could see his other half's large hands lifting up a Corvette as a Chitauri soldier zoomed past. The Hulk threw the car at the alien, sending it plummeting off its flying chariot and towards a crowd of screaming civilians. Bruce stared into the crowd through the monster's eyes and saw the man with glasses screaming in horror as he grabbed an arm lodged under a horribly damaged Corvette. "No!" I didn't mean to...
"You killed him!"
"Hey!" Steve's voice boomed. "He's suffered just as much as you have!"
Natasha turned towards the dining couples and families and signaled them towards the exit. Everyone began to run, leaving her group alone to settle the matter at hand.
"Murderer!" The man lunged at Bruce, sending them both crashing onto the table.
"Hey!" Natasha made a grab for the man's leather jacket, but his friend with light brown hair pulled her back.
Natasha elbowed him in the ribs while Clint began playing darts with the blond.
The archer flicked three darts into the man's arm, making him cry out as he was forced to pull each rusted tip lodged in his skin.
Steve gritted his teeth as he yanked on the collar of the man strangling Bruce. "Smells like you've had one too many drinks."
Natasha managed to bring her opponent to his knees without having to resort to her tazer bracelets she concealed beneath her jacket's sleeves. She turned and felt her muscles tense as her eyes fell upon Bruce curled up in the fetal position on the table. "Steve, Barton-get these guys out of here!" she shouted.
Steve hoisted the man with glasses over his shoulder while Clint flicked another two darts at his foe's thigh. "You heard the lady!" Clint barked. "Move it." He kicked the man Natasha had taken down in the side, evoking a pained groan. "C'mon, slacker!"
Natasha rushed to Bruce's side, thinking only of his Hulk-out on the Helicarrier. She had danced with death hundreds of times, but that day, she was sure she'd be reduced to a puddle. "Bruce. Listen to me…" She had tried reasoning with him that day, too. "You're okay now." She used her most soothing tone as if consoling a child. His hands were over his head, hiding his-or the Hulk's-face from view. "It's okay now, Bruce." Her hand reached out to pat his back, but his body seized when her fingertips grazed his jacket. "Bruce." Natasha held her breath and cautiously stroked his back.
Bruce peeked out from the crook in his elbow to find Natasha uncomfortably close. "Leave!" he warned in a stifled growl.
She breathed a sigh of relief in knowing he was still himself. "You're gonna be okay. How about we find another joint for dinner. Maybe a salad bar."
"Natasha, leave." He swatted her hand away and kept his head low.
"Bruce…" The memory of his clothes ripping and his skin turning a sickly green reminded her that she should listen. But the pizza parlour was smack dab in the middle of a busy street swarming with people. She turned her head when blue and red lights began flashing through the store window. "See? Those guys are being taken care of."
Bruce crawled off of the table and slumped down in the nearest chair. "I killed a man…"He buried his face in his hands and began cursing himself under his breath.
Natasha sat in the seat closest to him. She couldn't say it was an accident. The man had no control of himself when the Hulk took over. "These things…" happen… Natasha stopped herself from finishing. What was there to say to a man who meant well, but lacked the proper conscience? He had a child's sense of ethics, and Natasha wasn't about to patronize a grown man who was likely to explode at her for doing so.
"These things happen."
Bruce had heard that line before.
"I know you're the better man. People are gonna see that, Bruce."
He honestly hoped that what Betty said was true. Bruce tried to focus on kids painting their faces green and the "Hulk=Hero" graffiti, but screams and limp bodies invaded his train of thought.
Natasha turned away from Bruce once she heard footsteps.
"Those guys are being taken in," Steve informed the two. "Is Dr. Banner alright?"
She returned her attention back to a hunched over Bruce. "Hey." She grabbed his glass of water and offered it to him. "Try drinking something."
"Doesn't help."
Steve looked between the two, frowning. "Is it safe to let everyone back in?"
Natasha nodded. "We should go." She stood up and waited for Bruce to do the same. The group left the restaurant and everyone kept their voices low as the Avengers left.
"Those guys were nuts," Clint commented as they walked past a police car. "Drunk, all of them."
"That doesn't mean they were lying about the man I killed," Bruce sulked.
"You know that wasn't your fault, Doctor," Steve affirmed.
Natasha shot Steve a warning glare.
Bruce stopped in his tracks, forcing the others to halt with him. "I think I'll take the long way home."
"We're not letting you walk alone," Natasha ordered.
"Don't trust me?" he faked a smile for her. "I wouldn't, either."
Clint chose to keep the silence at bay by bragging about how he could hit a bull's eye drunk and blindfolded while Steve told him it wasn't possible. Natasha walked behind the child of the group and kept close to Bruce. "You had it together back there," she noticed.
"Barely," he replied.
"Still," she shrugged. "You did it. The little victories are what matter."
"Little victories…" because not losing control of himself and potentially killing someone equated to a "little victory." Betty had never looked at it as optimistically as Natasha had put it. She focused on trying to get him to cope until they could find a cure. Even after he had broken up with her two years ago, she was still looking out for him by updating him on her findings.
"Sometimes I think about what I'd do if I lived a normal life," Natasha said. "What if I wasn't working with S.H.I.E.L.D. and fighting aliens? Maybe I'd have a steady boyfriend-or maybe I'd just have cats," she mused. "But I make do with what I've got going for me."
Bruce stuffed his hands into his pockets as he watched her profile. Her advice was beginning to steer him in a more hopeful direction. He had to live in the present and work with what he had. Perhaps Tony could help him find a cure. Or maybe Natasha's yoga advice would prove useful… "I think I needed that." He stared up at the empty sky. "So thank you." He looked back at her to give her a genuine smile.
"Just know all of us have your back, Bruce."
Clint snorted with laughter as he and Steve walked two feet ahead of them. "Who died and made you captain, Romanoff?"
"It's pretty sound advice, if you ask me, Hawkeye," Steve laughed.
"You're outnumbered. Go home Barton," Natasha smirked.
Bruce quietly laughed as he felt himself beginning to warm up to his newest teammates.