Just Close Your Eyes – Bruce Banner/the Hulk
"Just close your eyes." Bruce said to me reassuringly. "You won't know about it then."
"But I hate needles." I whined, squirming uncomfortably in the seat as he walked over with an injection needle in his hand. I waved my hand at him to make him stay back and he chuckled, gently swatting it out the way.
"You have to let me do this Sam; I can't run the tests without a sample."
"Can't you just prick my finger?" I asked hopefully. He shook his head and I shied back into the chair as far as it would allow with a terrified expression on my face as I eyed the needle in fright.
"Sam, don't look at me like that." He sighed. "I can't do it when you look scared." He placed the needle on the table and crouched down in front of me. "You've gone so pale." He muttered, taking one of my hands into his own and feeling the temperature difference.
"I get cold when I'm scared." I explained, still curled up in the chair.
"C'mere." He said, pulling me up off the chair as he stood up. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close to him as I shook a little. "Don't get yourself worked up about nothing Samantha. Needles are nothing to what you've been through before."
"Don't judge me." I whimpered, hiding my face in his chest; feeling him rubbing my back softly.
"I'm not judging you. You're just getting yourself worked up over a slight pin prick. I'll be quick, I promise."
I took a deep breath, filling my nose with his scent, before falling back down on to the chair; sticking my arm out at him with my eyes squeezed tightly shut. He knew to work quickly before I changed my mind and I soon felt the needle pierce into my skin and held back the squeal, making it sound strangled.
"I'm done, you can open your eyes now love." Bruce said gently. I peeked one of my eyes open and saw a plaster stuck on the inside of my elbow where the needle had gone in me. I opened both my eyes properly and saw Bruce looking at me with his dark eyes.
I sniffled slightly and pulled my arm back towards my body, holding it to my chest as I continued eyeing him with a slight pout on my lips. He bent down so his face was level with mine and reached out, pulling my head closer and pressing a kiss to my forehead. My eyes widened slightly and I felt my cheeks grow warm from the blush that spread through them.
"Was that so bad?" he asked quietly, his dark eyes connecting with my own. I nodded and he released a chuckle before standing properly again. "Don't lie to me Sam."
"I don't like needles." I said in a small voice.
"I know you don't, but I have to do it if you want to know what's wrong with you. You haven't been well the past couple days." He said softly, tucking my hair behind my ear to get it off my face. A cough racked through my chest and Bruce rubbed my back lightly to try and soothe it. "Come on."
He pulled me up from the chair and kept his arm around my waist, making me lean on him as he led me somewhere. I let my head fall to the side so it was on his chest and felt his eyes glance down at me before realising he was taking me to his room. He sat me on his large bed and gently pushed me so I was lying down, making me look at him questioningly.
"You need to rest." He whispered, stroking my cheeks as he sat beside me on the edge of his bed. "Just close your eyes and everything will be better in the morning."