Who: Natasha and Bruce When: After Natasha’s return Where: Her home then Bruce’s What: Ultron issues Rating/Warnings: Spoilers for Age of Ultron Status: Complete
When Natasha awoke and realised she was back in her apartment in Madison she immediately headed to Bruce’s place. Part of her was happy that even back in their own world and time there was something there, something more than casual flirtation, something which had them planning to run off together. Until he’d abandoned her. A larger part of her was pissed off at him for that. Extremely pissed off.
She had opened up to him, told him about her past, the red room and what they had done to her and then he’d left her. It hurt, more than she had ever expected it to and she wanted him to know it hurt.
Entering his home she searched for him until she came across him in the living room. Walking up to him she said nothing but just smacked him across the face, “You complete and utter asshole” she said angrily.
***
Seeing that Natasha was back sparked hope in Bruce when he first spotted her. At least until he realized that she must have lived through the same events he woke up with memories of. Which meant he couldn't blame her for the way she chose to greet him.
He looked down at his feet. "I'm sorry," he said, knowing that the words were hollow and wouldn't do much to make up for the fact that he abandoned her back home. He did know better than to try to make excuses for his decisions.
***
“That doesn’t make it better” she told him, wrapping her arms around her waist, partly in comfort and partly to stop herself either hitting or hugging him. Despite everything she was still very pleased to see him. She just needed to vent her anger first.
***
"I know," Bruce admitted. "I just…"
He didn't understand how she could want to be with someone like him, who brought death and destruction to everything he touched. Every time he thought that he was making headway with his control over the Other Guy, something happened to prove him wrong.
Sure, his big rampage was the fault of Wanda Maximoff and her mojo, but it wouldn't have been possible for her to manipulate him that way if he didn't have the monster inside him.
"You deserve better."
***
“That is bullshit and you know it” Natasha replied, if anything he deserved better than her. She’d revealed herself to him and he still wanted to be with her, which seemed just as incredible to her as it did Bruce. The Maximoff girl had exploited a weakness but Natasha’s death and destruction hadn’t been anybody elses fault but her own.
***
Bruce shook his head, his eyes full of sadness. "Tasha… I'm a monster. You saw what I did. I… it was selfish of me to think that I could have something resembling normal. I can't risk hurting you."
Even though the Hulk seemed to like her, it was still a concern. He didn't often retain memories of what the Other Guy did, but he vividly remembered cutting off that video call when he was on the plane, knowing that it meant SHIELD couldn't track him.
***
“I think I recall pointing out you aren’t the only monster on the team” Natasha replied, looking down for a moment before returning her gaze to his, “You won’t hurt me. We’ve already proven that. It wasn’t your fault the witch got in your head, you aren’t the only one she messed with” she told him.
Natasha was actually rather pleased with how much she had become the one the Hulk trusted enough to give him the lullaby. She wasn’t afraid of him, not anymore.
***
"It's hard enough for me to deal with the guilt when I hurt a bunch of strangers," Bruce said. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I hurt someone I…" he paused for a brief second, catching himself before saying something he didn't think he should say. "... someone I care about."
What he almost said was as startling for him to realize as it would have been for him to say. And it just proved to him that he needed to make a clean break before either of them got hurt.
"I'm sorry," he said again. "I wish things could be different."
*** “No” Natasha said, lifting her head up and looking at him straight on, “You don’t get to run away this time. I’m not going anywhere”
She knew that she couldn’t just let him give up on her, on them. “You’re scared, I get that but we aren’t throwing away what we could have because of that fear. We’ll face it together. You think you’ll hurt me but I don’t and I plan on proving that to you”
***
Bruce sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He knew that he was fighting a losing battle, but he was scared. Of more than just the possibility of the Other Guy hurting her. He was scared that their being together could cause issues with the rest of the team. He was scared of her realizing he was a monster and leaving him. Like Betty had.
"Why?" he asked.
***
Natasha could care less about what the team thought, but she didn’t really think it would be a problem for any of them. And if anything he would realise exactly what Natasha was and leave her first.
“Because I think running with it would be a really good idea and might give us both some peace and maybe even a fair bit of happiness”
***
"Or it could end up with me hurting you," he pointed out. "Or rather, the Other Guy hurting you. Or worse."
All the progress he had made on his confidence with controlling the Hulk was pretty much shot to hell with the memories he woke up with the other day.
*** “It won’t” Natasha shook her head, “The Other Guy likes me. You have more control than you think. You just need to believe it”
There was definitely more of a connection than either of them wanted to admit, after all it had been the Hulk who chose to leave.
***
It had been Hulk who made that choice, but it was one that Bruce didn't even attempt to fight. After everything that happened, he wanted to be as far away from civilization as he possibly could be. He felt like that would be the safest thing for everyone.
Of course, in Madison Valley, he really didn't have a choice. He just hoped that FitzSimmons would be able to recreate the lullaby and figure out a way to administer it long range in case of emergency. He idly wondered if Tony or any of the others had also returned.
"Natasha," he said, his tone clearly resigned. "Are you sure you want to deal with this?"
***
In Natasha’s mind it had been a joint decision, one they had chosen without her. Which she wasn’t about to let either of them get away with. She didn’t trust many people with her past but she had trusted Bruce and then he’d left her. It took a lot for her to admit, but she was shaken by it.
Here however she knew just as much as he did that he could hardly run from her, not very far or for very long anyway. Stepping closer to him she took his hands in hers, “I’ve never been more sure”
***
Bruce sighed again, but squeezed her hands gently and pulled her to him. "I'm glad you're back," he said, dropping her hands so he could wrap his arms around her and bury his face in her hair. "It's been a few days since Tony and Pepper's housewarming party. We woke up and half of you were gone."
It hadn't been a very pleasant morning. He hoped for Molly's sake that Skye and/or Steve would also return. "I woke up on Monday with a plethora of new memories. The last thing I remember is the Other Guy cutting the video feed on the plane."
He wasn't sure how much more she might have lived past that.
***
“I’m glad I’m back too” she told him, here she at least got to see him, “A few days? I don’t feel like I’ve been gone. That must have been so strange” to say the least, worrying too for so many to go at once. More so for those left behind to deal with it. She let her fingers slide into his hair, liking the familiar feeling of it under her hand.
Natasha nodded, “We couldn’t track it. We think it went down but the stealth technology makes it hard to track. I don’t know where you went” she told him, so she’d begun to help Steve build a new team. It at least stopped her dwelling on things.
***
"I wish I could tell you where I was heading," he said. "But I woke up before I decided."
It struck him that he was referring to the Other Guy in the first person. Which was unusual, but actually true in this situation. Maybe it was a side effect of the lullaby? It was something to discuss with Tony, assuming Tony also returned.
"You, Tony, Pepper, Steve, Skye, May, Coulson, and Clint," he said. "All disappeared. Molly's staying with Darcy and her boyfriend."
He'd been checking in daily to make sure the girl was doing okay. Or at least as okay as she could be under the circumstances.
***
Natasha picked up on it but said nothing, her connection to the Hulk and her burgeoning relationship with Bruce back home had to mean something. Bruce’s feeling obviously affected the Other Guy and his interaction with Natasha, she believed, went some way to proving that.
“Poor kid. She’s going to be so scared by us all just disappearing. I hope the others are back too” hearing how they’d disappeared on mass made Natasha think there had to be some kind of connection but then Bruce hadn’t gone just dreamed. Curious.
***
"Not the best morning," Bruce admitted. "For any of us."
Selfishly, he was glad that Natasha was back, even if he hoped the others returned as well. Of course, if they all lived through the same events, they would all have witnessed his monster's rampage first hand.
"Have you eaten?" he asked. "What was the last thing happening for you back home?"
***
“I imagine it wasn’t” she said, allowing him the sympathy he deserved for that. It couldn’t have been easy. Leaning in she pressed a kiss to his lips, just a light one to show she understood and was sorry he had experienced that.
“I’m starving actually” she admitted, “The last thing before waking up here was training the new Avengers. Tony and Clint had bowed out so there was a new group of misfits that needed whipping into shape”
***
Bruce hadn't been expecting to hear that and he pulled back enough to let his surprise show. "I'm almost afraid to ask," he said. "Who the new Avengers are."
But if he, Tony, and Clint all left, he supposed that Nat and Steve would need more help. Especially since Thor wasn't likely to stay on Earth indefinitely.
"You can tell me all about it while I make some omelets."
***
"The Maximoff girl, Rhodey, Sam and Vision" she told him as they moved towards the kitchen, "Steve and I have our work cut out" she added smiling a little.
It was definitely a strange situation but things changed and the earth still needed protecting.
She watched as he went about making food, ridiculously pleased that he was here and they were together.
***
Despite his misgivings, being in the kitchen, cooking for Natasha, was familiar and comfortable. Bruce gathered all of the ingredients and equipment he needed.
"That sounds like an interesting group," he said. "But if anyone can whip them into shape, it's you and Steve."
***
It was definitely a reassuring sight, Bruce cooked for her quite often and Natasha very much appreciated it.
“Yeah, it’s something to focus on anyway” Natasha said with a nod, “I imagine it’s going to be a challenge”
***
Bruce didn't miss the little dig at his disappearing act, but figured it was best if he didn't acknowledge it.
"Can you fill the kettle and put it on, please?" he asked.
***
She hadn’t meant to make it a dig, it was simple fact. That since he’d left her she had needed to focus and Steve along with the new Avengers had definitely started doing that.
“Sure” she said moving around the kitchen with ease, tea was one thing she could definitely do.
***
"Thanks," he said. "Where are you training them?"
If Tony had bowed out, he couldn't imagine they were using the tower. And with SHIELD underground, there weren't a lot of options.
***
“A new base in upstate New York” Natasha said, “SHIELD is slowly rebuilding, Fury and Hill are there and we’re starting to get our toys back together again”
She had a feeling Steve was particularly happy not to be relying on Tony anymore but she hadn’t spoken to him about it. Things had been tense between them but they’d parted amicably.
***
It sounded like things were starting to improve at home and that was something to be grateful for. Bruce was glad that his departure hadn't been detrimental to the team. Even if Natasha was pissed at him.
"I'm glad things are getting better."
*** “Slowly but they’ll get there” Natasha said, they usually did. With her and Steve leading the team and Fury and Hill sorting the rest they would hopefully continue to do so. And Natasha had a feeling she wouldn’t stop with her personal quest to find Bruce either.