"Typical."
Bruce lifted his head to the sound of a familiar voice. "Tasha?" he groggily replied, wiping a trail of dried drool from his lips. Bruce straightened in his chair to help stretch his back.
"Did you really sleep here?" Natasha set a plastic container down on Bruce's desk.
He adjusted his glasses and absently sifted through a stack of papers to his right. "I suppose so…"
"Good thing I stopped by, then." Natasha grinned as she popped off the container's lid.
The sweet scent of pancakes lingered in the air, making Bruce's stomach growl. "You brought breakfast?"
"I had a feeling something like this would happen."
Bruce's eyes wandered to the large stack of pancakes she had packed. "I didn't mean to fall asleep here. It just sort of happened…"
"Did Stark say goodbye?" she wondered, casually leaning against his desk.
Bruce hesitated to tell her the truth, that he hadn't left the lab since Tony instructed him to "go play." "No. He didn't." He slid his chair back and got up to stretch his legs. "We should enjoy breakfast before it gets cold," he suggested with a smile.
Natasha closed the container before following Bruce to the elevator. "You have butter?"
"I believe so," he nodded. "Syrup I'm not so sure about."
Natasha's thumb pointed at her purse. "I've got it covered."
"This is very kind of you," Bruce added as they stepped into the elevator.
She shrugged. "I figured if you were asleep, I'd leave this in your fridge and leave a message with Jarvis."
He smiled. "And now we can enjoy breakfast together… Let me carry that," he offered, reaching for the container.
Natasha allowed him to take it and adjusted her purse's strap. Bruce seemed to be in a better mood, much to her surprise. "Don't expect me to be feeding you three meals a day," Natasha teased.
"I honestly never expected breakfast!" he chuckled. "This is a treat."
"I figured you'd need something special," she offered as the steel doors eased open. "Promise you won't spend every waking moment stuck in the lab."
"I like the distraction, but I'll force myself to step out every so often."
"We can go out tomorrow," she suggested as he led her to his front door. "Date night."
Bruce uneasily chuckled. "I thought dating didn't work for us."
Natasha flashed him a smirk. "We shouldn't give up after one go… Unless you don't want to…"
He already wrecked what he had with Tony. Granted, the feeling was one-sided, but Bruce wasn't sure if he'd ever feel comfortable with Tony. He would hate himself if he ruined his relationship with Natasha. "I…uh, don't think I'm interested. Not now. Too soon."
Natasha respected his decision and nodded. "I hope that doesn't ruin getting dinner," she commented as he held open the door for her.
"Dinner would be nice."
Natasha approached the kitchen counter and pulled out a plastic bag that carried a bottle of maple syrup. "So what big things were happening in the lab?" she wondered.
Bruce set the pancakes down so he could grab plates and silverware. "I thought I'd help Tony with the Hulk-proof armor." The light in his eyes dimmed as he set the table. "I'm terrified to test it out…"
Natasha sensed his doubt as she let the syrup warm up in the microwave. "I shot Barton once," she admitted. "And he shot me right back-an arrow to the arm. We weren't exactly on friendly terms."
"My God," Bruce gasped.
"Long story short, we learned to let it go. We're more than partners now. I trust that man with my life."
Bruce lingered by the table, intently watching as Natasha put the pancakes into the microwave. "I'd love that level of trust with Tony. With all of you, actually," he confessed.
"Then move forward." She carried the bottle of syrup over to the table. "Stark's really not mad at you-that's all in your head."
"I know," he acknowledged. "I just wish I could trust myself."
"Doubt's gonna eat you alive, Doc," Natasha warned.
"I feel like it already has…"
The microwave began to beep and Natasha was quick to answer its call.
"With Clint…" he hesitated as she returned to the table with their food. "Did you mean to kill him?"
"The guy was sent to kill me," she laughed. "We were kinda at each others' throats."
"So you've yet to hurt him as a friend," he confirmed.
She shrugged as she took a seat at the table. "I'm sure I have…I once had to smack him around for show."
Bruce sat across from her and helped himself to three pancakes.
"Your problem is that you're way too nice." She stole two pancakes for herself and proceeded to drown them in syrup. "Stark messed up, but you're acting like this is all on you."
"There's a big difference between ticking someone off and nearly killing them. The other guy makes things more complicated than need be." He left the table to pour two glasses of orange juice.
"I still say your heart's too big."
"Betty liked to say that, too." He sank into his chair and absently cut his breakfast up into bite-sized bits.
"Smart woman," Natasha complimented with a smile.
"All this thinking about her and my mother makes me feel like I can't keep anyone I love around…" A queasy feeling in his stomach forced him to lower his fork.
Natasha felt her appetite die with his. "That's no way to talk, Bruce."
He glanced up at her with tired eyes. "You're positive I'm not bothering you?"
Natasha rolled her eyes and reached out to pat his hand. "You're fun to put up with," she promised. Her expression softened and her fingers lightly squeezed his hand. "Like I said, you remind me of myself. A kinder, gentler me, but I feel a connection."
Bruce admired her slender fingers as she spoke. "I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment. I don't see you as damaged."
"That's because you have yet to scratch the surface," she warned, slipping her hand away from his.
"Have you recovered from what happened?" he thoughtfully asked as he lifted his gaze to her face.
Natasha managed a weak half-smile. "No. But I feel like I've taken steps in the right direction. S.H.I.E.L.D. has helped me accomplish that," she added. "And I think being an Avenger will really help me out."
He smiled. "This is your honest opinion and not something to keep me on the team?"
Natasha laughed. "I'm not a big team player, so yes, it's my honest opinion."
"Any tips for looking at the bright side of life?"
She shrugged. "Keep breathing?"
Bruce inhaled deeply. "Words of wisdom," he chuckled.
Natasha picked up her fork and proceeded to stab her food with it. "Find what drives you, maybe. Honestly, Doc, I look at you for this hopeful crap."
"Funny," he teasingly drawled, "I've always found Natasha Romanoff's words to be quite insightful."
"You may be the only one, Doc," she teased. "Then again, you're the only one I spout this nonsense to."
"It's not nonsense," he promised. Bruce lifted his fork, his stomach suddenly eager for food. "I really do find it helpful."
Natasha watched him begin to eat with a longing smile. She could see them making the "couples" deal work. Maybe not in this life-the Black Widow's potential love life was a story meant for a whole other lifetime. She lowered her head and laughed to herself.
"Hmm?" Bruce reached for a napkin to wipe his mouth.
"Just thinking," she mused. Natasha was far from a daydreamer, but getting lost in her thoughts of dating her geeky co-worker proved to be an amusing escape. "We always find a way to resolve things, don't we? You're not threatening to leave anymore…"
Bruce sharply exhaled. "I'll admit, I've gotten better about how I view the other guy. You've really helped with that, but these bumps in the road lead me to question myself."
"Consider it a test of strength." Natasha took a bite of her breakfast and chewed.
"More like a test of patience…"
"I think you'll work things out with the big guy." She casually shrugged her shoulder. "He's gotta have a soft spot under all that muscle."
"That soft spot would be me," Bruce assumed. "But I've never been one for standing up to bigger guys."
"Show him you're the bigger man."
Bruce frowned as he recalled the black eyes and blows to the face he had received from childhood bullies. He never made an attempt to try stopping the abuse-he was always too scared. "I'm just grateful my last incident didn't escalate," he breathed. "Had that happened, I'd be all over the news for nearly killing Iron Man. Ross would have a field day."
He'd be having that field day from his cell," Natasha assured. "We're not ready to let him free just yet."
"Have you spoken with him lately?" Bruce wondered.
Natasha shook her head. "I'd rather not bother with him. Unless you want me to pass on a message…"
"That's alright," Bruce confirmed. "Curious, is all."
Natasha watched as he began to eat in silence. "Promise me you aren't planning to run away."
Bruce stalled by sipping his orange juice. "After kicking Tony out of his own home, leaving would be rude."
"Just making sure."
"For Nick?"
Natasha's eyes narrowed. "I really do care about you, Bruce."
He couldn't hide his boyish grin. Knowing she cared felt nice. It reassured him that he could trust her. "Do you really think I'll leave?" he asked, curious.
"Hard to say," she admitted, eying her plate. "You seem fine now, but it could always be a front."
"It's not," he promised. She grew quiet and Bruce decided to bargain with her. "Dinner tomorrow night," he stated. "My treat."
"That your way of saying you won't stand me up?" Natasha smirked.
"Anyone bold enough to stand you up should be deemed awful."
She arched a brow. "That's a sweet thing to say."
He smiled down at the remnants of his breakfast. "I won't be the guy who lets you down."
Natasha caught herself giving him a fond smile before she continued to eat. She helped Bruce with the dishes before preparing to give him his space. "Don't work too hard, Doc," she warned.
"I'll try not to," he confirmed. "Tomorrow, then?"
Natasha bit back her "it's a date" comment and opted to parrot his "tomorrow."
"Be careful," he added before showing her to the door. Bruce watched her leave and his full stomach helped him decide that a nap was in order.
"Manning the house?" Tony wondered.
Bruce nodded as his hands were busy toying with an arm from an Iron Man suit. "It's quiet. You really didn't have to leave." He glanced up at his monitor to find Tony's face giving him a lopsided smirk.
"Kinda like getting away. It's not you, buddy, trust me. You should see the beaches-great views." He brought his hands to his chest and used them to mimic women's cleavage.
Bruce returned his attention back to his work. "Isn't, uh, isn't Pepper with you?"
"She's already smacked me for ogling."
Bruce was hesitant to ask how his relationship issues were going, but judging from Tony's chipper mood, all was well. "When do you think you'll be back?"
"Give me three days tops," he answered. "Why? You planning a wild party without me?"
"You know I would never do that," Bruce laughed. "It's quiet without you, is all. I've just gotten used to your rambunctiousness."
"Romanoff's leaving you alone?" Tony asked with a raised brow.
"She visited this morning," he informed his friend. "But her presence is nowhere near as strong as yours."
"I'm taking that as a compliment."
"Well, enjoy your vacation, Tony," Bruce smiled, staring at his partner's face on the monitor. "I promise to behave."
"Take care, buddy!"
Tony's face was quickly replaced by a set of blueprints. Bruce paused to rub his tired eyes and Natasha's advice to take a walk popped into his head. He decided to set aside his work to get some fresh air.
"I've been there six, maybe seven times," Natasha said after stealing a piece of sushi off of a wooden boat between her and Bruce. "I wanna say I've been to Tokyo three times."
"I'd love to visit. I've seen pictures of the shrines and they're beautiful." He added a bit of ginger onto his sushi with the ends of his chopsticks. "And the technology."
"Years ahead of what Stark's got," Natasha bragged. "His toilets don't have butt warmers."
Bruce chuckled. "Is that all you took from that trip?"
"Nah, I've had to do some serious toy shopping there. Barton wanted this particular robot doll-the man's an oversized child."
"I find that hard to believe," Bruce grinned.
"Trust me, you'll see it when you get to know the guy."
"We should invite him with us next time. And Steve."
"Not sure if Rogers is a sushi guy," she commented, reaching for a tuna roll.
"Dinner in general," Bruce corrected. "I'd like to get to know everyone better."
"Maybe next week." She slid her glass of soda close to her chest. "Stark mentioned coming home by then, didn't he?" Her fingers pinched her straw and brought it to her lips.
"He'll be home," Bruce nodded. "I'm sure he'll insist on making a grand ordeal over dinner. He had mentioned there being lack of festivities…"
"Think he'll make up with Rogers?"
"I would hope so." Bruce lifted a tuna roll and let it rest on his plate. "Fighting's the last thing we should be doing…" His mind drifted to an angry and drunken Tony. It was only a onetime thing, he promised himself.
Natasha sensed his discomfort as she stole one of the last two pieces of sushi. "I'd say New York proved we work well together, as both teammates and friends."
Bruce smiled and raised his cup of tea to her. "You're right."
"Back to the lab?" Natasha wondered as she stopped before the entrance of her apartment building.
Bruce chuckled and shook his head. "I think I'd like to relax. I've been working all day."
"Good choice," she grinned.
He admired the pale yellow light that gently illuminated her delicate features. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"
"If you want. I'm free later in the afternoon."
Bruce nodded, his eyes intently focused on hers.
The corner of Natasha's lip raised. "Night."
He refused to break her gaze. "Night," Bruce repeated.
Natasha hummed and inched forward to reward him with a peck on the cheek.
Bruce cocked his head to the side so his lips could meet with hers. "Sorry," he whispered as his hands found her hips.
Natasha eagerly drew closer. "Don't be."
He kissed her again, his tongue managing to slip past her teeth.
She drew back to stare at him from beneath her long lashes. "You wanna come inside..?"
Bruce's hands returned to his side before he took a step back. "It's getting late," he informed with a shy smile and flushed cheeks. "Goodnight, Natasha."
She laughed as he took another careful step back. "Night, Bruce."