Banner and Minnie make their peace.
After Tony left I did a few things around the house. I loaded the dishwasher, I made a few calls concerning a painting Tony wanted to buy Pepper, I made plans with Dallas to go dress shopping for the party, and I tried my hardest to avoid going down to the lab until I remembered Tony asked me to bring Bruce some food. I sighed, and decided just because I was childish was no reason to let the guy starve, and knowing Tony, this guy was probably one of those, won't eat unless he's dragged away from his work type.
I made him a quick plate of some heated up spaghetti and garlic bread I had made for Tony the day before and put it on a tray with an iced tea, and went to the elevator. I took it down to the second basement where I knew Tony did some of his Iron Man work.
On one side of the lab was a wall of Iron Man suits. Each one different in technology, an improvement from the last. On the other side of the lab was Bruce, working on a computer screen, his sleeve was rolled up and a tourniquet tied. He stopped typing, picked up a needle and slid it into his arm. I must have hissed in discomfort just from watching because he looked up quickly.
"Dr. Banner, I'm sorry for disrupting you." I said looking down quickly. "I brought you some food, if you don't need anything else I'll be going-"
"Minnie wait, I could use your help." he said and I looked up at him. "Can you come over here?" I put the tray down on the desk and walked over to him.
"How can I help?" I asked and he nodded to his arm.
"Just hold the needle in place. You're not scared of blood are you?"
"No, I'm fine. Just needles freak me out a little." I admitted with a small smile. "I can handle this though." I said and I took the needle, my fingers brushing his as I held it in place.
"Good, now, take that vial." I looked at the table and noticed a small medical looking vial with an orange cap. "Attach the end to that part there." he instructed me. I did as he said and watched as it started to fill up with blood.
"Tell me when." I said and he nodded.
"Just a little more." he replied. I nodded, and looked up at him, he was watching me intensely. I smiled lightly and he smiled. "Can you take the tourniquet off?" he asked and I looked at the large rubber strip that was tied around his arm. I reached forward and pulled it off, then remembering what the doctors always did when I was getting blood drawn I reached down, and ran my fingers along his fist.
"Relax," I said softly. "You're fine. Just breathe." He smiled and did as I said, relaxing his hand. I realized he was lightly holding my hand, I hadn't moved it from his hand, and he looked down at the vial.
"That's good, you're doing really good. Who knows, you could have a career in nursing." he said. I laughed, and I looked down and he nodded. "Take it off." he said, so I reluctantly took my hand from his and pulled the vial off. I put it where he instructed me to, and picked up a cotton ball. "Take the needle out- slowly." he said and I bit my lip with worry.
"I- I don't think-"
"You're fine." he said. "You've got this."
"If I faint-"
"I'm a doctor, you'll be fine." he reassured me. Now normally I wouldn't be so quick to believe a doctor about something like this, but with him... I sighed, and slowly pulled the needle out of his arm, my stomach churning slightly as I did. I pressed the cotton ball over where the needle had been and taped it down. "You did great." he said and looked back at me. "You okay?"
"Yeah fine." I said as I stared at the needle.
"Here, give me the needle." he moved closer to me. "Careful, don't get my blood on you." I made a face when he said that and he smiled as he took the needle, and disinfected it. "You look a little pale, you sure you're okay?"
"That's a really big needle." I said, my eyes not leaving it. He looked at me before he quickly threw the needle away and washed his hands off.
"Come on, sit down." he said as he led me over to the chair. I sat down and let out a small laugh.
"Wow, sorry, I was okay until I actually saw it." I said with a small smile.
"No no, you did fine." he said. "If I had known you were this scared of needles I never would have asked you." he said and I shook my head.
"No better way to get rid of fears then to face them right?" I asked with a smile. He nodded, and sat down in the chair across from me.
"You feeling any better?" he asked and I nodded. "Good." he said and took his glasses off. He was cleaning them on his shirt when he looked up at me. I smiled lightly at him and he sighed. "I'm sorry." he said softly.
"What about?" I asked.
"The other day, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
"Trust me," I said as I leaned forward and touched his hand. "When I'm uncomfortable, you'll know." He turned his hand over and held mine for a moment before he quickly moved it away. "What? What's wrong?" I asked as he quickly checked his pulse, looking at his wristwatch.
"Nothing." he muttered. "Nothing, I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" I asked and he nodded.
"Yeah." he quickly. "Trust me, when I'm not okay, you'll know." he smiled.
"Look, um, I don't want things to be awkward." I said to him with a small smile. "So, about the other day, I wasn't uncomfortable. I think we spend too much time apologizing."
"That's true." he nodded.
"So let's just leave it at we got caught up in the moment, huh?" I asked and he smiled.
"That sounds good to me." he said and I smiled.
"Good." I said as I stood up. "I'd better get back to work. Tony doesn't pay me to flirt with you, you know." I lightly tousled his hair making him give me a playfully aggravated smile.
