The blinding sun rising outside his living room's wall-length bay window was a rare sight for Bruce. He took a bite of his bagel and slowly chewed as the morning news played out for him. As usual, there was a lower headline about the Avengers at the bottom of the screen. Today's was in regards to the "A" signifying the start of "Avengers Tower." Bruce tuned in to hear of the fabulous sunny day ahead of him while finishing his morning snack. It was just after 8:00 when Bruce decided to make a rare venture down to the gym with a yoga mat tucked under his arm. He didn't think the environment would feel very relaxing, but he knew that it would be quiet, and his only distraction would most likely be Natasha.
"I kinda idolize her," Natasha's voice echoed.
Bruce followed the sound to the weight room where he found Steve at a leg press and Natasha working on her arms.
"I do, too," Steve answered, his voice laced with a sadness that resonated with Bruce.
"Ever think of visiting her?" Natasha paused when she spotted Bruce standing shyly in the doorway. "Joining the party, Doc?"
Bruce nodded and waved as Steve turned his head to him. "I am, if you don't mind. Good morning, Steve."
"Hello, Dr. Banner," Steve acknowledged.
"Giving morning yoga a try?" Natasha wondered as she eyed the plush mat Bruce had lowered to his side.
"I think it'll be a nice routine to add to my morning," he chuckled.
"Never tried yoga before," Steve commented.
"It's very relaxing. Maybe you can join me one of these days."
Steve smiled as he abandoned the machine he was using. "I'll be sure to take you up on that offer." He draped a towel across his shoulders before reaching for a water bottle.
"Leaving?" Natasha asked.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Steve told the redhead.
"Would you be interested in joining Natasha and I for breakfast?" Bruce offered.
Steve maintained his kind smile. "I'm sorry, but I have some errands."
"Another time, then," Bruce decided.
"Thank you, Doctor," the Captain added before leaving.
Natasha waited until they were alone to speak. "So yoga in the gym…"
"Yes," he chuckled. "And you're welcome to breakfast after if you're free."
Natasha adjusted the weights on her machine. "I told Fury I'd meet with him. You free for dinner tonight?"
Bruce smiled with a nod. "Dinner would be nice."
"My place okay?"
"Your place is perfect."
Natasha rolled her eyes. "Stark actually has a room for yoga. Pepper really wanted one. Down the hall. It's got medicine balls and that fun stuff if you were looking to get toned."
Bruce chuckled. "I think I'd be too distracted in my home."
Natasha relaxed in her cushioned seat. "I'm pretty sure I'm distracting you right now."
"I can't drop by and say 'good morning' to a friend?" he teased.
"I feel like there's a catch to it," Natasha drawled.
He continued to grin. "You can join me, if you'd like."
"Have you extended the offer to any of the moms from our class?"
Bruce shook his head and laughed. "I suppose I should."
Natasha cracked a smirk and left the elliptical. "I won't mind joining you for a bit. Could use a cool-down," she added.
"How long have you been here?" he wondered as he followed her out of the room.
"Right before seven."
Bruce hardly envied her for being an early riser. He felt that his productivity was at its peak during the nighttime.
"Think doing this will focus the big guy?" Natasha opened the door leading to a room lined with padded floors.
"I hope so." The room had warm, pale yellow lights cascading down from the ceiling. Bruce had imagined the room being bleak and dark, but this felt very calming, perfect for private meditation.
Natasha let the door click shut behind them and she went to grab a medicine ball off of a rack. "Like it?" she smiled, admiring his brightened eyes as he looked around.
"It's very nice." Bruce knelt and unrolled his mat off to the farthest end of the room.
Natasha carried the ball over to Bruce's spot and she took a seat in front of him.
Bruce took a deep breath in and exhaled with a chuckle.
She had a strong feeling that the Lamaze class was on his mind. The room was giving her a sense of déjà vu about that classroom. "Takes you back, doesn't it?" Natasha wondered.
"It does," he agreed. "Feels like ages ago."
She absently rolled the five pound ball back and forth in between their feet. "Want me to play teacher?" she smirked, her eyes on Bruce's face.
"I won't force you to stay," he promised.
"But you want me to."
"Of course I do."
Natasha lowered her head to lick her lips. "Close your eyes," she began in a calming tone."Let your body relax. Think of…" This wasn't work she was cut out for. "Happy thoughts." She caught Bruce smirking. "Take this seriously, Banner, or I'll force you to teach our buddies from birthing class."
"You're making this even more difficult." He cracked open an eye, but was quick to squeeze it shut as she threw him a hardened glare.
"Straighten your back," Natasha lectured. "You're in a field. A sunny field with a cool breeze…" She didn't know what she was doing. Honestly, she was just running with her spontaneous lesson.
Bruce let her voice take him to a grassy pasture, one he vaguely remembered from his youth. There were lilac flowers scattered in the ankle-length grass. Bruce always liked to pick those flowers in his grabby little hands to bring to his mother. He shifted against his mat, losing his train of thought.
"Take a deep breath in…" Natasha noticed his brows twitch. "One, two, three, four…" Bruce seemed to relax as he inhaled. "Now out, two, three, four…"
Natasha let another two rounds of breathing pass until she decided to try mixing things up. "Now you're standing in an empty space, alone…" Natasha kept a watchful eye on Bruce's face. "And the other guy approaches. He doesn't mean to hurt you-he's calm," she added for his own reassurance. "You're both relaxed…"
Bruce was too deep into his guided meditation to say anything against having the Hulk appear. He welcomed what Natasha instructed, and in his imagined scenario, he glanced up to find the Hulk glowering down at him, his jaw tight. Bruce took a deep breath and slowly raised his hand to the beast.
Hulk unblinkingly eyed the hand as if it was offering him food.
Bruce held is hand up to the Hulk's eye level with fingers spread out. He waited while the green beast continued to stare.
And then a large hand lightly pressed against his.
Bruce's hand remained frozen as though even the slightest twitch of a finger would force the Hulk to crush every bone in his hand. "You're okay," he heard his own voice say. Bruce's eyes fluttered open to find Natasha's hand on his knee. He blinked as the feeling of weightlessness left him.
"Done already?" Natasha smirked.
Bruce stared at his hands folded in his lap. "Sorry, I just snapped out of it…"
Natasha's smile fell. "Was mentioning him too much?"
Bruce shook his head with a calm smile. "I liked that, actually."
"Oh, yeah?" Natasha asked with interest.
"I did," he nodded. "We seemed to feel a mutual connection. Like we were both on the same page."
Natasha snorted. "I think I just found my new calling."
Bruce chuckled and pressed the palms of his hands together. "I think you did."
"So you think you've got a zen place down?" she wondered.
"I highly doubt one attempt will keep the other guy in line," he laughed. "But practice makes perfect."
"Practice makes perfect, huh?" Natasha winked and Bruce immediately caught on to her innuendo.
"I…" His voice caught in his throat. "I hardly think I'm ready for that."
"I was only agreeing about meditative practice, Doctor," she smirked. The man's face turned a deep shade of red and Natasha laughed. "I'm kidding. I should really stop."
Bruce's features softened as he felt himself recover from his embarrassment. "I think it's all part of your charm," he stated. "What makes Natasha Natasha..."
"You like my witty charm?" She rested her chin in her hand.
Bruce was tempted to admit that he loved it. He honestly did love her sense of humour, but he didn't know how she would interpret his mentioning of love. "I like it." Simple and casual.
"Then I'll be sure to put on the charm over dinner tonight." Natasha uncrossed her legs before straightening them and stretching in place. "Six okay?"
Bruce crawled off of his mat and proceeded to roll it up into a tight burrito. "Six is fine. I can bring dessert," he offered.
"I won't say no to that."
Bruce followed Natasha out of the room until she approached the women's showers. He rubbed the back of his neck as she pushed open the door. "I'll see you soon, then."
"Don't lose track of time in the lab," Natasha winked.
Bruce arrived right before six with a pair of chocolate croissants that tempted him at a local bakery.
"Look at you," Natasha commented as she opened the door to find him in a pale brown dress jacket with matching pants and a pastel blue button-down shirt. "Hope I'm not disappointing you," she added as she tugged at the end of her black shirt bearing the Avengers logo.
"You're not," he promised with a chuckle. "I've been wearing this all day, minus the jacket."
Natasha arched a brow in interest. "Fun day in the lab?" She welcomed Bruce inside and snatched the dessert carton from his hands.
"I always have fun." Bruce removed his jacket and rested it on the counter.
"No Stark?"
"He mentioned Venice to me after brunch the other day."
Natasha rolled her eyes and groaned as she reached for a pan from the oven. "What a life."
"I'm sure Tony would let you join if you were interested," Bruce smiled.
Natasha laughed as she set the pan down to cool. "My vacations are better if they're Stark-free."
The smell of tomatoes and garlic quickly filled the kitchen. "He gets under your skin, doesn't he?"
"We love each other," Natasha snorted. "It's a love/hate deal we have."
"You've known each other a while."
"A few years." She grabbed a spatula and began spooning out fresh baked eggplant parmesan onto two waiting plates.
"Pepper, too?"
Natasha nodded. "They were a package deal from the moment we met."
Bruce smiled softly to himself.
"Mind grabbing the salad from the fridge?" she asked as she carried their dinners over to the pre-set table.
"Of course!" Eager to help, Bruce made his way to the fridge and found two bowls of salad ready to be eaten. He brought them over to the table just as Natasha was returning to the kitchen.
She grabbed a bottle of vinaigrette dressing from the fridge before spotting a bottle of White Zinfandel. "You in a wine mood?"
Bruce seated himself and took a sip of water from a glass Natasha had already left out for him. "I'll have a small glass, please." He rested a napkin in his lap while hungrily eying his dinner. "This smells amazing."
Natasha set a wine glass down to his right. "Always fun to search for vegetarian meals."
"I'm not a burden to you, am I?" He weakly grinned.
"It's nice to mix up dinners." She took a small sip of wine.
"One of these nights I'll take you somewhere nice and buy you a burger," he promised.
She raised her glass to that.
Bruce savored his first bite of pasta and eggplant and gave Natasha an approving nod as he chewed.
Natasha began stabbing at her salad, her eyes glued to one particular slice of a tomato. "I was thinking of checking on some business tomorrow…"
Bruce wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Another mission?" He brought his salad bowl close so his dinner could have a moment to cool.
Natasha knew their conversation was going to take a heavy turn. "Ross." She only wanted to be honest with him. "Figured I should see how things are going. Fury never brought him up today."
Bruce felt like he took a light blow to the gut. "I see," he acknowledged, unsure of how he should react.
"You can join me, if you want…"
He forced a smile as he picked at his salad. "Maybe after a few more yoga sessions."
"Want me to tell you how it goes?" She wouldn't pester him anymore if he was against it.
Bruce was tempted, and he knew the urge to know whatever conspired between Natasha and the General would eat away at him until he had answers. He hesitated before replying with a "possibly." Bruce had a sip of water. "If he mentions me… I honestly don't know. That's a rough subject…"
"I get it," she gently answered. "Just let me know. No pressure."
"You make it difficult for me to think of ways to repay you," he told her with a weak smile.
Natasha rolled her eyes. "I don't need to be repaid, Banner. Unless I really need a couple hundreds. Then I'll come find you and make you pay up."
He chuckled. "Give me a head's up before I'm about to lose half my bank account.
"Trust me, you'll lose more than half."
Bruce finished his salad as they continued their lighthearted teasing. "Between you and Tony, I can't choose who has more sass."
"It's a tough call," Natasha replied.
"Your humour is much more sincere."
"Oh, yeah?" She brought her glass of wine to her lips.
"Tony isn't exactly kind when it comes to joking around."
"Barton can be like that."
"He seems shy," Bruce noticed from what brief interactions he and the archer shared.
"He can be quiet," Natasha nodded. "But he's friendly despite the permanent scowl... Any of your friends around here?" she abruptly wondered.
Bruce kept his head low. "None in the city. It's been a little hard keeping relationships with my better half around."
"There's a lot I don't know about you," she stated. "And I know I don't exactly open up to you… We both have our secrets." She slid her wine to the side. "I know I've said this before, but it really gets to me..." Her eyes were fixed on the wood grains running down the table's surface. "You really open up with me. Between Betty and the other guy… I've seen you stripped to the bone. I don't even have it in me to tell you about my past lovers, or even family… You lay it all out for me, Bruce."
"Granted, I never wanted to show you the Hulk," he countered. "I'd rather not have to show anyone that side."
"Because it'll drive them away?" Natasha prodded. "It never sent Betty running... or me, or Stark… We've seen you at your absolute worst, Bruce, but we still love you."
His body froze when he heard the seemingly forbidden "L" word.
"We're your friends."
He could rest easy after hearing it toned down with the mentioning of being "friends." Bruce scooted his chair back and reached for Natasha's hand. "Please don't beat yourself up over this. Natasha… Everything you've done for me means everything. Between you and Tony-I'm beyond grateful." He breathlessly laughed. "I don't want you pushing yourself to tell me all about you." He paused. "The same way you don't want me to push myself…"
He made them feel like two sides of the same coin. "If you knew what I did, it'd drive you away," Natasha murmured. "Hulk's got nothing on me."
He had no interest in prodding into her past. "If it's going to drive me away, then don't tell me." Bruce left his chair and brought himself close to Natasha. "Don't drive me away, Natasha." There was nothing more painful than having to live in seclusion. Bruce didn't want Natasha to feel that way. Loneliness was a near and dear pain to him, and Natasha didn't deserve to feel it. He pressed a light kiss to her lips, but she didn't respond with the enthusiasm she usually did.
"Ignorance is bliss," Natasha drawled. "What if I decide to open up to you? What happens then?"
Bruce dropped to one knee with both of his hands enclosed around one of hers. "I won't leave," he vowed. "Of all people, I have no right to run. Like you said-you've seen the very worst parts of me, and you still won't run away."
"You think it'll make us closer?" she droned.
"Is that what you're most afraid of?"
Natasha locked her arms around his neck. "I don't want either of us getting hurt."
He kissed the edge of her mouth. "I'll do my best to never hurt you. I swear."
"I know." Her hands cupped his cheeks as she initiated another kiss. His words were far too sincere for her liking, but Natasha had to let herself give in. She knew there would be hell to pay-nothing came to her without a cost. But she deserved a win. They both did.
Bruce's hands grabbed her hips as he felt her tongue press against his teeth. Natasha latched onto his belt loops in an attempt to pull him closer. He chuckled, thinking of their neglected dinner. "You aren't hungry?"
She slowly lifted herself off of her chair, forcing Bruce to inch backwards. "Are you?"
His limits were being tested, and he was taking a risk with getting himself worked up. But she was hard to say no to. "A little," he admitted, fighting the reckless piece of his brain.
Natasha gave him a gentle shove back as she ended a kiss. "Dork," she snorted, lowering herself into her chair.
Bruce smiled as he made himself comfortable in his seat. He set a napkin in his lap before taking on a serious demeanor. "I value your safety, Natasha. And everyone else's." One wrong move, and the eight foot Hulk would have her apartment demolished. He imagined the screams as rubble clouded the air. One of the screams heard was Betty's, and Bruce's appetite completely disappeared.
"Bruce?" His face went from a natural tan to a sickly white in seconds.
He shook his head as his fist crumbled a napkin.
"Bruce…"
"It's nothing," he lied, keeping his head low. The smell of the pasta sauce had his stomach in an unfavorable state. "May I-bathroom?" He brought a hand to his mouth and Natasha was quick to show him down the hall. Bruce managed a hasty "thank you" before shutting the door in her face.
"Did I make you sick?" Natasha asked through the door.
He started to run the faucet and splashed some cold water on his face. Bruce took a few deep breaths before finding his laugh. "It wasn't you. Or the food," he quickly added.
Natasha was relieved to hear a cheerier tone in his voice. "You sure?" The sound of running water continued.
Bruce dampened the back of his neck with some water. "I'm sure," he stated. "Just remembered something, is all." He shut off the faucet and stepped out of the bathroom. "Sorry for scaring you."
"Shame the poison didn't work," Natasha smirked.
Bruce followed her to the table. His appetite was still missing, but he settled with finishing his water. "Do you mind if I take this home?" he asked, briefly eying the leftover half of his pasta dish. "It really is delicious…"
"Sure." Natasha didn't even want to know what he thought of to give his attitude a complete 180.
"Thank you."
"I can save those croissants for another night."
He smiled and shook his head. "Keep them. Share with Clint or Steve."
Natasha caught Liho on the counter inspecting Bruce's jacket. "Liho might like one."
Bruce turned to spot the cat parading over his coat. "Looks like you get a treat," he chuckled. The feline ignored him as she leapt off the countertop.
"I think I'd rather save them," Natasha smiled. "For next time."
Bruce relaxed in his chair. "Thank you, Natasha."
She eyed his empty glass. "More water?"
"Please," he nodded. Natasha left to refill the glass and returned with a small tupperware cube. Bruce thanked her for the water and took long, drawn out sips.
Natasha stared into the remnants of her dinner as she contemplated something to say. She wanted to let him in on Natasha Romanoff. Nothing too deep, just enough to let him see past her surface. "I grew up in Russia. Stalingrad." Bruce set his half empty glass down. "If you think New York's bad in the winter, you better think again."
"I'm not a fan of the cold," he admitted.
"Ever vacation in Florida? Might be a nice change."
Bruce chuckled. "Do you remember Russia?"
Natasha pushed her plate off to the side. "Bits and pieces. The snow's the most vivid memory." Her voice drifted as her mind wandered to blankets of blinding white ice stained with fresh blood. "It's been years. Years," she reiterated.
"Old age has caught up with your mind, I take it?" Bruce joked.
The corners of her lips raised. "I'm telling you, I'm an old soul, Doc."
"I believe you," reassured her. "Have you considered swapping stories with Steve?"
Natasha shrugged. "The guy hasn't lived through the decades like I have," she pointed out. "And I'd rather not swap war stories."
Bruce nodded in understanding. "Of course…"
She smiled as she noticed a healthy pink return to the doctor's cheeks. "You look better."
He began spooning his dinner into the plastic container. "I feel better. Much better."
"Maybe we can have dessert tomorrow night?" She lightly bit her lower lip as her eyes stared into his.
"I'd like that." Bruce knew that by tomorrow, he would be back to his normal self. "Will I see you at the gym?"
"Don't plan on it. Work," Natasha added. She drew close to him to kiss his cheek. "Let's plan for tomorrow night."
"Okay," he quietly agreed. "Thank you. And I'm sorry-something just came over me." He tapped the tupperware's lid. "Dessert. Tomorrow."
"Good night, Bruce."