A: On Guard
Fandom: Avengers (2012)
Main characters: Bruce, Natasha
Referenced characters: Loki
Pairings: Pre/understated Bruce/Natasha
Contains: N/a
Rating: G
Summary: He lost control again so of course he's blaming himself.
Notes: Another of the fics for
feywood.
"You don't have to do this, you know."
Natasha looked up and raised both eyebrows, unfolding herself in a stretch. "Do what?"
"Stay with me." Bruce shrugged. "I can't do anything... untoward to myself."
"Yes, you can," she said, calmly. "You're doing it right now. You think I can't see it a mile off? You're blaming yourself for everything the other guy's ever done. I get it, you know."
Bruce laughed a little. "I didn't think you felt regret."
"Rarely." A shrug. "But I see it enough in other people. I'm staying with you, Bruce."
"You're afraid of me," he said, a little blankly. He could see it, in the tension of her body and the way she held her head. Alert, watching for danger. As Black Widow, of course, she was always alert, always ready for danger, but she had her finger on the metaphorical trigger -- the literal trigger, for all he knew -- right now. She didn't have to, most of the time, when she was with the other Avengers.
"Every sane person is afraid of the other guy." Natasha rolled her eyes. "Even some insane people. Like Loki. But I'm not afraid of you."
Behind those words: I trust you.
"Why?"
Natasha looked at him for a moment, and then chose which why to answer. "I'm on the alert because I know you would hate yourself if the other guy hurt me," she said, softly. "I won't let that happen."
There was nothing Bruce could say to that. "You still don't have to," he said, eventually.
Natasha shook her head. "I want to."
This was originally posted here, on Dreamwidth. I would prefer people to comment and subscribe to me there, if you already have an account; I'll happily share Dreamwidth invites, if you want to make an account. Comments aren't disabled here on LJ, though.
Main characters: Bruce, Natasha
Referenced characters: Loki
Pairings: Pre/understated Bruce/Natasha
Contains: N/a
Rating: G
Summary: He lost control again so of course he's blaming himself.
Notes: Another of the fics for
feywood.
"You don't have to do this, you know."
Natasha looked up and raised both eyebrows, unfolding herself in a stretch. "Do what?"
"Stay with me." Bruce shrugged. "I can't do anything... untoward to myself."
"Yes, you can," she said, calmly. "You're doing it right now. You think I can't see it a mile off? You're blaming yourself for everything the other guy's ever done. I get it, you know."
Bruce laughed a little. "I didn't think you felt regret."
"Rarely." A shrug. "But I see it enough in other people. I'm staying with you, Bruce."
"You're afraid of me," he said, a little blankly. He could see it, in the tension of her body and the way she held her head. Alert, watching for danger. As Black Widow, of course, she was always alert, always ready for danger, but she had her finger on the metaphorical trigger -- the literal trigger, for all he knew -- right now. She didn't have to, most of the time, when she was with the other Avengers.
"Every sane person is afraid of the other guy." Natasha rolled her eyes. "Even some insane people. Like Loki. But I'm not afraid of you."
Behind those words: I trust you.
"Why?"
Natasha looked at him for a moment, and then chose which why to answer. "I'm on the alert because I know you would hate yourself if the other guy hurt me," she said, softly. "I won't let that happen."
There was nothing Bruce could say to that. "You still don't have to," he said, eventually.
Natasha shook her head. "I want to."
This was originally posted here, on Dreamwidth. I would prefer people to comment and subscribe to me there, if you already have an account; I'll happily share Dreamwidth invites, if you want to make an account. Comments aren't disabled here on LJ, though.