"Look at you," Natasha grinned as she opened the door for her date. She gave him a once over in his navy suit, complete with a matching tie.

Bruce kept his hand behind his back as he admired her strapless black dress. "I'm glad I decided to dress up."

"I did say we're getting fancy Italian."

"You did," he agreed, shuffling inside. "I, uh, also got you something. A thank you gift."

"Aww, you didn't have to…"

He revealed a bouquet of multi-coloured tulips from behind his back. "Something small," he shrugged with a nervous laugh.

Natasha eagerly reached for the flowers and delicately touched a pink bud. "You really didn't have to."

"I wanted to," he grinned.

She thought about giving him a peck on the cheek, but she didn't want him getting the wrong idea. Leading him on would only hurt him. "I'll stick these in some water and we'll go."

Bruce waited patiently, observing her as she filled up a tall glass with water. "How have things with Ross been going?"

"He's been quiet." Natasha peeled away the plastic wrapping away from the flower's stems before setting them in a glass. "He's adamant about having you locked up."

"Of course he is," Bruce sulked.

Natasha grabbed her leather jacket and purse before approaching Bruce. "You really don't need to be worrying about him. Tonight's for relaxing."

"Relaxing," he chuckled. "Easier said than done."

"Late nights in the lab?" she wondered, locking up once they left her apartment.

"The other night was," Bruce nodded. "But my pants came in today."

Natasha's eyes fell to his dark slacks. "And you didn't wear them?"

"You're insane!" he laughed, walking beside her to the elevator.

"What?" she smirked. "I really wanna see them."

"Another time," he promised. "Tony and I were actually discussing another trip," he mused. "Should be safe."

Natasha knew exactly what was coming next. "I won't follow," she reassured him, punching the elevator's button to the main floor.

Bruce wondered how committed she was to that promise. Luckily for her, he wasn't going to test her trust. "I'd like you to join. If you want to…"

She was surprised, but at the same time curious towards his intentions. "You're not worried about me getting hurt?"

"You'll be above ground," he cautioned. The steel doors opened and he allowed Natasha out first. "And equipped with tranquilizers."

"Just in case?" she assumed.

He nodded. "I don't want to take any chances."

"So I'm really allowed?" she asked with interest.

"This isn't a test," he confirmed with a light chuckle. "So long as you don't come between him."

"Thank you," Natasha smiled. "And I'll keep my distance."

Bruce grew quiet as they stepped outside into the warm, humid air. "He really doesn't scare you, does he?"

Natasha walked close to the curb. "He's unpredictable, you know? That's terrifying. But now that I've gotten to know you, I've learned that under all that green, you're still in there."

"It's only a matter of reaching out to him."

"Done any meditating lately?"

Bruce nodded. "I've been unwinding before bed. It's funny, the night after confronting Ross… I swore that I could feel the other guy's energy."

"Oh, yeah?"

"I suddenly felt all this rage, this hatred…" Reciting the experience took him back to his moment with the Hulk. "I offered him my hand… He turned away, but I've never had that kind of experience before."

Natasha gave him a hopeful smile. "Next time you should try making him turn back around. He's part of you, right? Should listen."

"To be honest, it might've been a dream," Bruce admitted, scratching the back of his head.

"He should feel flattered you're thinking of him."

"Some are viewing him as a hero-he should feel honoured!"

Natasha laughed. "One of these days he'll be able to meet with his fans."

Bruce uneasily fidgeted with his hands. "I don't see that happening in the foreseeable future."

"You seem to like kids," Natasha noticed. "I bet he does, too."

He pursed his lips. It wasn't fair for him to be the center of attention tonight. "D-do you like kids?" he shyly wondered.

Natasha casually shrugged a shoulder. "They're not bad when they're content. As long as I'm not dealing with any biting and screaming..."

"Biting?" he laughed.

"I've seen it happen," she swore.

"I take it you don't have any kids, then."

She raised her brows in surprise. "Oh, no!"

Bruce felt his face flush. "I'm sorry-that was way too personal!"

"No," she laughed. "It's fine. You're curious. I've never been married, in case you ever wondered."

Bruce shook his head.

"I tend to get asked the marriage question. 'Are you widowed?'" Natasha laughed at her own joke. "The code name tends to get people thinking."

Bruce felt his moment of embarrassment start to subside. "I always associated it with the spider. May I ask why you chose that name?"

"It was given to me," she replied. "Nothing I'm willing to go into detail about." Her voice began to drift.

"That's alright," he assured her.

"Just know I'm beautiful and deadly," Natasha winked.

Bruce chuckled. "I'm well aware."

"Well aware of how beautiful I am?" she teased.

"And your deadliness." His smile fell. Bruce was becoming less of a fan of her messing with his head. He was well aware of his feelings for her, but he knew Ms. Relationships-are-Dangerous wasn't in this for romance.

Natasha could easily tell that something was wrong. The man wasn't even bothering to try hiding his disappointment. "So those pants…"

"Pants," he hummed. "They're alright. They fit me."

Awkward Bruce was hard to listen to. "What'd I say?" she wondered as they crossed the street.

He could've changed the subject, or even tried lying to her, but the truth was the only thing coming to him. "You've been good to me, Natasha."

She watched him in her peripheral vision, awaiting the bad news.

"It's…It's made me realize that I have feelings...for you." He awkwardly glanced in her direction. "But I respect what you've said about relationships. I'm definitely not ready for one." His feet froze once they reached the sidewalk. "I'm not ready, but I do like you. And being around you…"

He stared at her like a child who just broke a window. "I've made it worse, huh?" she lightly commented. Bruce's hurt expression remained unchanged. "I didn't think you were that into me."

"But you had an idea?"

"Bruce," she sighed. "It's not you." She pulled him close to a parking meter so they wouldn't be in anyone's way. "The whole 'love' thing has never sat well with me. I'm not looking for a commitment. Those are too messy."

He slowly nodded his head in understanding. "Honestly, I-I can't see myself in something for the long run, either. I'd like that, but I can't do it."

"The other guy?" she asked. "If you control him, then you won't need to worry anymore."

Bruce wasn't ready to lecture her on his biology. Granted his Hulk issue went away, he was aware of the radiation's effect on his reproductive organs. She was susceptible to getting sick, or even worse, dead, if certain fluids reached her body. As for children, those were a hopeless dream for him. "There's more to it than just that," he concluded.

Natasha wanted to reach out to him, but she stopped herself from doing so. "You're a really great guy, Bruce," she smiled. "If I'm not careful around you, I just might throw in the towel and go for the real deal with you."

Her comment felt more hurtful than reassuring. Once again, she was teasing him. "Forget I said anything. Let's go have dinner. I'll pay."

"Bruce." Natasha grabbed his hand and sighed. "Don't be upset."

He wanted to tell her he wasn't, but he didn't feel like faking a happy tone.

"I really think you're great."

He felt like he was going to hear an awful break-up speech.

"I rarely find a guy who's genuinely interested in me, so thank you." She gently squeezed his hand. "But in this line of work, I really can't settle down. People need me…People need the Avengers."

"I know," he agreed. "And I'm not interested in a romance. I'm really not, Natasha." His longing eyes begged to differ.

"Well, I know you don't want a fling." Natasha could tell he was the loyal, committed type.

Bruce rubbed the back of his neck. "Can we just… get dinner? You can tell me about work. Or Liho."

"Okay," she quietly replied. Natasha began to walk and Bruce's feet followed suit. "Liho's been good. Lots of sleeping-I'm kinda jealous."

Bruce stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Pets seem to have the good life."

"But they miss out on all the fun we have," she added. "Hey, I bet Stark would flip if you let something with fur into the lab."

"You think so?" The idea made Bruce chuckle.

"Why not make it an experiment?" she challenged. "You can borrow my cat."

"He's not allergic, is he?"

Natasha grinned. "I honestly don't know."

"I wouldn't want to take a risk if allergies might be involved," he laughed.

"Party pooper," she snorted.

"I'll think about it," Bruce corrected.

They turned a corner and the chattering of couples and families increased as a pleasant garlic aroma grew stronger. "Ever go here?" Natasha wondered as they approached a building with a red and white awning.

"No, never." He reached the door before Natasha and held it open for her.

"I think you'll like it." She brushed past him and told a waiter to check for a "Romanoff" reservation.

They were seated right away and given a sweet Moscato to sample. "I take it you've had this planned for a while?" Bruce wondered.

"Hey, I promised you a nice dinner, so you're getting a nice dinner!" Natasha raised her glass and Bruce did the same. "To friends?"

He managed a smile and nodded. "To friends." She clinked her glass to his and they both drank. Bruce found the wine to be bittersweet, but he kept the opinion to himself.

Natasha began browsing the menu and commenting on the specials. "Spaghetti squash? Sounds different."

Bruce opened his menu but caught himself glancing over to Natasha until their waiter returned. He ordered a water while Natasha opted for wine.

"Seeing anything good?" she asked, setting her menu off to the side.

"Still looking." He lowered his eyes to actually scan a list of entrees. "Did you find something?"

"Might go with chicken alfredo." She raised her wine glass and brought it to her lips.

He absently nodded. "Sounds good."

"Good enough to give the vegetarian a change of heart?"

He laughed. "I'm sure it might."

"Do you wanna chat with Ross again?" She hoped the subject change would allow some better conversation on Bruce's part.

"Ahh…" He shook his head as he eyed a linguine dish that looked tempting. "Probably not."

Natasha fell quiet until the waiter came back with their drinks and bread. She ordered chicken alfredo and Bruce settled for linguine with grill-roasted tomatoes.

Bruce helped himself to a slice of bread, cursing himself for making the evening awkward. He never should've mentioned his one-sided crush. Love had a way of ending miserably for him. The notion made him want to abstain from the silly concept altogether.

Natasha picked at a piece of bread, unsure of what to say. She knew Bruce was going to be bitter about their earlier heart-to-heart, and she had no words for him. Love was foreign to her. She had felt it before, but the feeling never lasted. Love was just a quick fuck, oftentimes unsatisfying. Natasha knew Bruce wanted the package deal when it came to romance-she could see it in his eyes. He was the kind of guy who deserved someone sweet, not an assassin currently married to her job.

"I'm sorry. Tonight isn't going as planned, is it?" he commented with a weak grin.

"No," she freely admitted. "But we're running with it."

"Are we?" he emptily wondered.

"We will be when you start explaining to me what you did when abroad. You were a medical doctor in India. Tell me more about that."

Bruce appreciated that she was just as uncomfortable with this dinner as he was. "Well," he began. "I have a very basic knowledge in health. I picked up a lot of that knowledge over the internet and in books. My first patient was this little boy-he came from a family of five and each one of them had a bad case of Malaria. This boy was the youngest, so I worked with him first."

Natasha listened, engaged in his story. For a man with a degree in science, he was very passionate about his role as a medical doctor. He was a naturally helpful person, a sweet and overly caring man, the complete opposite of the Hulk.

"And I was terrified," Bruce continued with a laugh as their dinners were served. "The midwife instructed me on what needed to be done, but I insisted that deliveries weren't my thing."

"You passed out," Natasha assumed mid-chew.

"I almost did," he admitted with a chuckle. "But then this human being appeared and I was in awe."

Natasha laughed and shook her head.

"Sorry. I've been rambling, haven't I?"

She poked at a piece of chicken on her plate. "It's fine. I like hearing your stories. Kinda makes me wonder why you didn't pursue a medical career."

"Well, there's the obvious…" He stabbed a bit of tomato and pasta with his fork.

"Playing doctor makes you angry?"

"It could," he shrugged. "I'd rather not take any chances."

"How about when you get things under control?" she prodded. "Think you'll pursue a new life as medical Dr. Banner?"

Bruce quietly laughed. "You really think I should?"

She shrugged, swallowing a mouthful of food. "You seem happiest helping people."

"I suppose I am," he agreed. "And you? Does that same sense of satisfaction come your way?"

"It does," she nodded. "I feel that the more good I do helps to cover up my wrongs."

"A religious practice?" he wondered, watching her thoughtfully.

"Personal," she confirmed. "My own atonement."

Bruce didn't wish to pry any further, so he chose to drop the topic. "How's the chicken?"

"Amazing. Yours?" She went in for another bite.

"Delicious. Though it pales to your cooking," he teased.

"Flattery just might earn you dinner at my place again," she hinted.

"Well, next week I'm on dinner duty," he playfully warned.

She faked a groan. "Damn."

Their plates were both licked clean and their full stomachs denied an offer for dessert. Bruce attempted to take the check, but Natasha was too quick for him. "Thank you for this," he smiled.

"No trouble at all, Doc," she promised. "This was fun." She genuinely meant it. The night had a rocky start, but they managed to work past the bumps.

"It was," Bruce agreed. He did his best to hide the lingering embarrassment from earlier.

"You want some coffee at my place?" she offered. "I'm definitely not feeling ready for anything else," she laughed.

"Okay," he nodded. "Coffee sounds nice."

The walk to Natasha's started out as a quiet one. "Hard to pick out any stars," he muttered to himself, eyes on the sky disrupted by the city's lights.

"Yeah, it's a drive until you can get a good view," Natasha replied.

"You stargaze?"

She shrugged. "Not really. Sometimes I find myself looking at them."

"It's therapeutic."

"You're all about that kinda thing, aren't you?" she joked.

"Can't blame me."

Natasha kept close as the flow of people picked up. "You'll text me about the Hulk getaway?" she wondered.

"'Getaway?'" he cautiously repeated. "If…If you still want to go, then yes. I will."

"Always happy to help," she added.

"I appreciate that."

Natasha opened up her apartment's door and Liho perked up as her master entered.

"Looks like someone was waiting for you," Bruce chuckled. He drew close to the feline, but she darted away when he got too close. "Still not friends?" He heard the door shut, and a moment later, he felt Natasha's hand grab his. Bruce turned and was surprised with a kiss to the lips.

Natasha's fingers tightened around his as she deepened the kiss.

Bruce turned away, his face hot. "What…?"

She stared at him with a curious expression. "We can always give a fling a try. If you want," she casually expressed.

He pulled his hand out of her grasp. "That's the opposite of what I want."

Natasha took a step back. Men always accepted her offer for a fling. Rejection was foreign to Natasha. She only wished that Bruce could've been one of those men weak enough to give in to his instincts, but he wasn't. He was a good man with good intentions. And his innocence was making her feel like the bad guy.

"This isn't right. We work together," Bruce continued. "And… you're just not interested."

She warmly smiled at him. "You're a really great guy, Bruce Banner."

"Saying that won't change your mind," he informed her. "If you didn't plan on making coffee, I'll go." He brushed past her but stopped when she began to speak.

"Looks like I made it worse," she breathlessly laughed.

"A little," he nodded, stepping closer to the door.

"Kinda thought you'd be like the other guys I've been with," she admitted. "You're not. It's a nice change."

His hand rested on the door's brass handle. "Goodnight, Natasha."

She sighed as the door creaked open. "Night, Bruce."