The Science of Monsters

Bruce sat obediently in the soft, dark green chair while he rubbed his bare feet against the plush beige rug Shield provided. Like decorations would ever successfully cover up what this room was designed to do! He didn’t want to glimpse anything above the rug that did hardly anything to hide the light grey floor with the earthquake designed seal in the middle, ready to bolt open at any moment. The room seemed perfectly eloquent except for the earthquake seal, and the rounded glass walls that made him nothing more than a parasite under a microscope. All those things were the least of his worries.

“You know what we want, Banner,” she stated as she sauntered into the room. Most of the men that got the privilege of that sultry voice didn’t live long to truly appreciate the woman who used it.

“We…” Bruce chuckled. “You just want to get paid and get out of here.” He peered toward the woman who always seemed cold hearted toward everyone. Her hair had grown since the last time he was this close to her, but her blue eyes were still icy. Her lips still curled with cruelty.

Shield sealed the room just like they had for Loki—the silver tongued devil who almost got away—but, unlike Loki, Bruce liked being alone. He found the quiet relaxing. They’d sent they’re best agent in to convince him, but Bruce, since he’d known her, witnessed all of Natasha Romanov’s best tricks.

“Shield wants you to take their deal.” She stepped closer to the railing.

“Would you?” He stood from his chair and walked to her, staring into her eyes with each step. “Tell me, Widow, would you let them put you back into the same place where all your worst nightmares happened? They offer you everything. Your own business; they’ll even let you see your ex-fiancée who has a restraining order against you five states wide. All you have to do is say yes.”

“I’d say yes.” She nodded as her body tensed. Natasha tried to cover her nervousness, but something inside Bruce could sense it.

He smiled at her before returning to his chair. “Liar.”

“Come on,” she pleaded.

“Why are you so anxious?” He shrugged returning his gaze to the seal playing peek-a-boo from beneath the beige carpet. “It’s not like I can break out of this chamber.”

“Your friend,” Natasha started as she glanced behind her, “I couldn’t do it.”

“Thank you.” He returned his gaze to her with a slight smile.

“Now, say yes.” She pleaded. The cruel curve of her crimson stained lips turned into a slight smirk.

“Never to you,” he winked. “Clint won’t like it very much.”

She laughed and leaned on the railing a little. “Who says he has to know?”

Bruce shook his head as he walked to her again. She was still putting effort into not being afraid. He leaned his forehead against the glass as he stared into her eyes. “Tell Coulson, to take his job and shove it.” He laughed. “And, sorry, Natasha. I can’t be with a woman who is afraid.”

“But you wanted-“

“Ah, ah, ah.” Bruce stopped her. “Let’s not live in the past. I don’t want to go to Texas, and I, sure as hell, don’t want to see Thunderbolt Ross.” He wouldn’t mind seeing Betty Ross again, but that wouldn’t end well.

She cursed under her breath as she turned her back on him. He’d seen her interrogate most of the poor idiots that Loki took control of, but this what the first time she seemed outdone with the process. “Tell me something, Bruce.”

“I want out of this bird cage.”

“Tell me something else.”

“Send in Coulson.”


Tony Stark hugged Pepper Potts tightly. He never held her like this, and it seemed like the one thing that she needed at the moment. Her world dwindled before her eyes; Pepper got injected by the Extremis Virus just after Killian found her. Every nerve ending in her body screamed, but she held on to Tony for dear life.

“Merry, Christmas,” he whispered in her ear as he pressed a button. His suits, all of Tony Stark’s precious toys, lit the sky up as if they were meant to be fireworks.

“You have to fix me,” she sobbed. “Please, Tony!”

Fixing Pepper was the last thing he wanted to do. She had a brilliant virus inside her, and all he could think about was the interworkings of it. He twisted his fingers through her soot covered hair. “Yeah, I can do that.”