cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

It's my 1 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

#1 year tumblrversary #tumblr milestone

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THOR LOVE AND THUNDER

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

Day 12: Natasha gets bad news

Natasha and Bruce were having a good time in the lab, redesigning her suit.

Suddenly, the glass doors rattled and Tony came barrelling through, making a mess everywhere. “Pep called in sick!” he shrieked. “I have no one to bring to the charity thing tonight!”

Natasha looked at Tony’s display amusedly. “And why does that concern us, Stark?”

“I’m here to collect on your debt!” the billionaire declared. “You owe me, Romanoff. You're also still my employee.”

Nat raised an eyebrow. “This wasn’t in the job description. Are you sure you need a plus-one?” she asked. “I’m sure you can—”

“— I need you!” Tony wailed.

“What happened to ‘I don’t give a shit about the media’, Tones?” Bruce asked from beside her.

Tony sighed. “Please, Natty?” he asked. “I’ll give you a house.”

Natasha shook her head, smiling. “Depends on the kind of house, Stark,” she mused. “Beachside? Not so much. Somewhere remote on a big forested island though…” she trailed off, glancing at the scientist beside her. “Lots of running ground.”

“Done!” Tony snapped his fingers. “One remote, big forested, island-ed, lots-of-running-ground house coming right up.” He paused and looked between the two. “I assume you want high, presumably 12-foot ceilings?”

Natasha nodded. “Where’s this party?” she sighed, grabbing a pen and paper. “And dress code?”

-

Nat turned in a circle, frowning at herself in the mirror. “This doesn’t feel right,” she complained.

Maria sat on her bed, sipping a glass of wine. “You look fine,” her friend said. “And I made sure you can still kick ass without flashing anyone. Now put on the necklace.”

Natasha sighed as she slipped the delicate gold chain around her neck. It was a gift from Bruce, a necklace with a green pendant hanging. It brought out her eyes, the scientist had said.

“Phone?” Maria called as Nat went into the bathroom.

“Got it.”

“Purse?”

“Check.”

“Gun?”

Natasha poked her head out of the bathroom. “No firearms,” she sighed. She perked up. “I’m bringing knives. Five throwing ones and a dagger.”

Maria rolled her eyes. “Is that why you wanted the–”

“Yeah.” Nat walked out of the bathroom via the walk-in closet holding two pairs of shoes. “Stilettos or platform?”

Her friend glanced between the two. “Stilettos for extra weapons, platforms for better balance.”

“Stilettos it is.” Natasha pulled on her shoes, grabbed her purse, her jacket, her phone, her keys, and turned to Maria. “Call if anything happens. God knows I need a reason to skip out on this stupid party,” she muttered.

Natasha met Tony at the elevator.

“You look nice,” he said.

“Thanks,” she sighed. “You clean up well. You don’t look like you were wasted this morning at all.”

“Brucie helped.”

The scientist in question came rushing down the hall and stopped in front of Nat. “Hey,” he panted. “Good. I caught you.”

“Are you okay, doc?” Natasha asked amusedly. “You need to breathe? I’m happy to be late to this party.”

Bruce waved her off. “I’m fine.” He straightened. “Just wanted to say goodbye.”

Nat put a hand on her chest in jest. “Will I ever see you again?” she said.

The scientist chuckled. “Hopefully.” He glanced at his watch. “If you stall any longer, you will actually be late. So you two should get going. But hey, text if you need anything,” Bruce said. He smiled and let them get into the elevator and waved as the doors closed.

Natasha and Tony got into the car.

“Is it okay if we got cheeseburgers on the way?” the billionaire asked Happy. “Please?”

“There’s food at the party,” the man said.

“But I want cheeseburgers!”

They got cheeseburgers.

Natasha slipped her phone out of her purse and sent a text to Bruce.

Tasha: It’s been seven and a half minutes since we left and we are getting cheeseburgers.

Bruce answered fairly quickly.

Bruce: That sounds fun

Bruce: Wait for it. Tony’s going to spill ketchup on himself

“Aw, geez!”

Nat glanced to her right and sighed.

Tasha: You were right

Tasha: Not five seconds later

Bruce: I don’t know how to feel about my knowing Tony this well

Natasha smiled.

Tasha: Call it long-term babysitting

Bruce: That’s funny

Bruce: I’ll tell Pepper later she’ll appreciate this

Tasha: Have you seen her?

Bruce: She stopped in after you left

Nat rolled her eyes.

Tasha: Of course

After a few more minutes of back-and-forth texting, Natasha looked up when Happy knocked on the divider.

“We’re here,” the man called. “Prepare to get off in a minute.”

Natasha sighed and typed out her last message.

Tasha: Banner, get me out of here

Bruce: Have fun

Tasha: I’m serious

Bruce: Good luck

Tasha: When I get back, I’m going to kill you

Bruce: Get in line

Nat scoffed.

Tasha: Fine

Tasha: I look forward to my vengeance

Bruce: I look forward to feeling your vengeance

Natasha huffed an annoyed laugh and got out of the car into what she later called the worst party of her life.

#brucenat #brutasha #bruce banner x natasha romanoff #bruce banner #natasha romanoff #natasha romanov #hulktasha #hulkwidow #the hulk #hulk #black widow #tony stark #iron man #mcu #marvel #mcu fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #tony stank #tony stark fanfiction #bruce banner fanfiction #natasha romanoff fanfic #text post #robert bruce banner #vii’s 12 days of winter writing

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

Day 11: Brucenat on holiday with the Bartons

“Bruce!” Natasha called. She was tugging on her shoes, hair falling into her face, when she collided with her husband. She laughed as he steadied her. “Hey.”

Bruce smiled at her. “What did you call me for?” he asked.

“We are going to be late,” Nat reminded him. “Not that Clint or Laura cares, but the kids do, so–” she looked up and fastened her scarf around her neck. “It’s Christmas.”

“Yeah.” Bruce stood by the door. “I’ve got Bob and everything in the jet. It’s warmed up. We are going to the mountain house, where we’re meeting our proteges, the Barton family, and Clint’s protege, plus Yelena. Sounds like it?”

“Yes.” Natasha drew her scientist in for a kiss before leading them outside and locking the door. “Let’s go.”

-

The two (plus their dog, Bob) arrived at the house in the mountains that Tony gave them a few years ago. It was a huge log cabin-esque mansion complete with a frozen-over lake in the back, whether for swimming in the summer or skating in the winter.

Every time Natasha went there, she had to stop herself from pausing to marvel at the place before her. It really was a beautiful house, especially with the snow blanketing the building and the fairy lights twinkling in the early sunset.

Natasha grabbed her bags as she smiled at the Hulk’s short visit out to help haul in the presents. To think this would all have been impossible at some point… she shook her head and went inside.

“Natasha!” Laura smiled as she greeted her friend. “I missed you. Can I grab your bags?”

“Ha. No.” Nat rolled her eyes as she navigated her way up the stairs. “Our usual room?”

“Yep.” Laura followed her up. “You and Bruce are in the yellow room. Clint and I are taking the white one, Kate and Yelena are taking the purple one with Lila, Nate and Cooper are sharing the green room, and Peter and MJ are taking the blue room.”

Natasha glanced at Laura with a smile. “Those two are rooming now? A big step,” she commented.

“Yeah,” her friend agreed. “And to think they used to be squeamish about hugging each other.”

“Now they’re sharing a bed.” Nat sighed. “We are getting old.”

“Oh, come one, Nat,” Laura said. “I’m so much older than you. You’re what, 40? I’m 57! You’re not even the age I had Nate!”

Natasha sighed, toting her bags through the doorway. “Fine, Mom,” she muttered.

“Nat!”

She turned and grinned at her friend. “Yes, Mom?”

Laura threw up her hands. “I give up.” She walked out to the hallway as Natasha followed her. “You’re impossible.”

Natasha grinned and hooked her arm through her friend’s. Once she got downstairs, she was immediately ambushed by Nathaniel Barton, who was being pursued by his two siblings, Lila, and Cooper.

“Dad’s making cookies,” Lila informed Natasha. “Kate and Yelena are in there probably hogging all the good ones so we just came here to say hi. Now we have to go.” She tapped Nate, who was still hugging Nat, to get him to release his godmother and return to the cookies.

Nat watched them go. “Are our MIT students here yet?” she asked Laura as they went into the living room.

“Oh, no.” Laura shook her head. “They phoned ahead, said that they had to finish up their stuff. They’ll be here in an hour or so.”

Natasha shifted to face her friend on the couch. “Hey, thanks for inviting us.”

“It’s your house, Nat.” Laura laughed.

“Yeah, but still.”

Natasha’s gaze drifted to the huge tree in the foyer, where Bruce was lying on the floor next to a pile of presents. She went over to her husband and squatted down beside him. “Hey, doc,” she teased.

Bruce chuckled lightly. “Hi.” He sat up. “Back problems.”

She smiled and sat down next to him. “Peter and MJ aren’t here yet.”

“Sad, I was hoping to see them before the Hawkeye family demolishes all the cookies.”

An hour later, Natasha and Bruce were jolted awake by the students they were talking about.

“Hey, Ms. Romanoff,” MJ said with a smile. She looked over to Peter, who was in a rapid discussion with Nate about… something. “Peter, come back here.”

He finished his conversation with Nathaniel and walked over, slinging an arm around his girlfriend, the other hand holding a mug of hot chocolate. “Ms. Romanoff, Dr. Banner,” he greeted happily. “Nice nap?”

Natasha rolled her eyes and helped Bruce get up. “Are you two sleeping together?” she asked the couple.

Peter choked on his drink. “What– no–” he spluttered. “Of course not!”

MJ frowned at him. “You make it sound like a bad thing,” she said.

“MJ–”

“I meant sharing a room,” Natasha interjected. She saw the relief on Peter’s face. “Relax.”

He smiled nervously. “Right.”

Bruce took Nat’s hand gently and guided her to the living room. “Let’s sit down and catch up,” he suggested.

The four of them sat down on the couch.

“So how’s MIT treating the two of you?” the scientist asked. “Everything going well?”

Peter glanced at MJ, who nodded. “Yeah, yeah, everything’s been great.”

“Just…” MJ shrugged. “Exams.”

“Right,” Bruce replied.

Kate came running in. “Clint’s getting chased down by Yelena!” she yelled. She ran out the other way as Clint himself came rushing in.

He had a look of panic on his face as he addressed Natasha. “Nat, your sister’s crazy.”

“I know,” she replied.

Yelena jumped Clint out of nowhere. “More cookies,” she demanded. “Now.”

“They’re in the oven!” he yelped. “Just wait a bit!”

Kate stuck her head back in. “You were just going to put siracha on it anyways, ‘Lena.” She laughed.

Yelena frowned. “And?”

“Never mind.”

“Dad!” Lila’s voice came through from the kitchen. “Cooper stole my bow!”

“Coming!” Clint huffed as Yelena let go of him. He jogged slowly back into the kitchen.

Laura passed her husband as he left the room. “Anyone want more hot chocolate?” she asked with a smile, even as one of her children screamed and a fire erupted in the kitchen behind her. “We have cinnamon and nutmeg if you want to add stuff. No peppermint though,” she added.

“Clint Barton, the cookies are burning!” Yelena yelled.

“I don’t care anymore!” said the grown man.

“Care or I will make you care, you arrow-toting mudak!”

“You beat me up last year!”

“Take the cookies out or I will do it again, Barton!”

Natasha sighed. “Never a dull moment here, huh?” she said.

Laura smiled. “Nope.”

#brucenat #brutasha #bruce banner #natasha romanoff #natasha romanov #hulktasha #hulkwidow #the hulk #hulk #black widow #bruce banner x natasha romanoff #mcu #marvel #mcu fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #clint barton #laura barton #claura #clint x laura #bartons #hawkeye #agent 19 #kate bishop #yelena belova #spiderman #peter parker #petermj #spideychelle #michelle jones #michelle jones watson

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

Day 10: AU - Library

Peter stared at the three dots doing the wave. He was waiting on MJ to answer his text.

They’d been dating for a while now, since they were sixteen, and now it was their last month at MIT. Finals were done a week or so ago.

It was taking MJ an amazingly long amount of time to type out her text. It was understandable, since it was six in the morning and Peter was only up because he was so excited about the prospect about today.

His phone pinged and shook him from his reverie. Peter grinned as he read her answer.

MJ: Sure. I’ll meet you in the library at 9ish? I need to catch up on some stuff.

Peter thumbed in his answer. Okay see youu.

He watched the ‘delivered’ part of the message turn into a ‘read’ and he turned off his phone and flopped back onto his bed. A sudden need to phone a friend seized him.

Peter waited patiently as he called the princess of Wakanda.

“My favourite white boy!” Shuri greeted him cheerfully. “What is up, Parker?”

Peter smiled. “Uh, remember the thing I was talking to you about last week? About MJ?”

“Oh my–” Shuri gasped. “You’re serious? You’re going to do it?”

“Today,” Peter confirmed. “Hopefully.” He checked his watch. “In about three hours.”

“You’re not doing it at sunset?” The princess asked. “It’s more romantic like that!”

He sighed. “Yeah, but the library at sunset is usually full–”

“You’re doing it at the library?!”

Peter chewed on his lip. “Why, is that bad?” When he got no reply, he continued. “I’ve got it all planned out. I grab us coffee, we have a bit of time to ourselves since nobody’s usually in the library at 9 in the morning after exam week on a Sunday. We have a snack. I bring up partners and Dr. Banner and Ms. Romanoff and other various married couples we know and admire and then she laughs and calls me an idiot and I ask her–”

“Peter!” Shuri’s voice startled him out of his rambling. “Do you have your ring?”

He jumped to his desk and opened the drawer. Peter opened the little box and looked inside. “Yep. A momento from Venice, June 2024. It’s going to be awesome.”

Shuri sighed. “Well, at least you’re semi-prepared. Good luck, Parker.”

“Thank you.” Peter smiled and hung up. He suddenly frowned and called Dr. Banner.

The line picked up after two rings and his idol picked up the phone. “Peter?” the scientist asked.

“Dr. Banner! I’m glad you picked up.” Peter hopped onto the ceiling and started pacing. “I’m going to propose to MJ and I need your advice.”

He could hear the scientist sigh. “Peter, that’s awesome. I’m happy for you and MJ.” Dr. Banner sounded tired. “So what did you need help with?”

Peter paced harder, scratching his head. “Uh. I’m not sure. I–” he ran a hand through his hair. “How did you propose to Ms. Romanoff?”

Dr. Banner laughed. “I stumbled. A lot. And that’s quite an understatement.” He sighed. “Well, it was just a little while after I met her family back in… late September, 2016? Yeah. I proposed in late spring of the next year. It was a nighttime picnic on the beach. Floating candles on the waves. Stars were out. It had her favourite food, favourite flowers. I wore that shirt she keeps trying to take off. Told her, this is it. We’ve officially gotten through two years without dying, without killing each other, without getting arrested, running away, being declared public enemy number 1 again. Told her I loved her more than anything, that I was hers for the rest of the time she’d like me to be, and I asked her.” He chuckled. “And by some miracle, she said yes. And now we’ll be celebrating, what, 12 years in December.”

Peter paused. “Wow. You guys’ve been married for a long time.”

Dr. Banner laughed again. “Yeah. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine. But then again, we’ve known you and MJ since the end of your eighth grade, and we’ve also bet that you guys would get married since you asked us how to ask someone out properly.” He sighed. “You’ve come a long way, Peter.”

Peter stood on his ceiling, half-speechless. “Thank you, sir,” he managed. “Thanks for being here.”

“No problem, kid.” Dr. Banner sighed. “Hold on– yeah, Tash?” There was a short silence on the other end of the line before the scientist came back. “Well, Natasha wants me, so I’ll be going now. Good luck, Peter.” A beat, then he spoke again. “You know, you’re kind of like a son to me.”

Peter’s throat felt dry. “Thank you, sir,” he whispered. “You–you’re like a dad. Or– or that uncle who’s even better than a dad! Thank you.”

Dr. Banner chuckled. “Alright. Bye, kid.”

“Bye.” Peter sighed as the tone rang.

He hopped in front of his mirror and put on his blank nano suit.

“Which shirt does MJ try to take off?” he mused. Peter shook his head. “Nope. No. That won’t work. Just… a regular, normal, run-of-the-mill shirt. It’s raining. I could wear a sweater. Or a vest. Or a button-up– wait, no, that’s too formal. I need to look sharp but not formal. Hmm.”

He stared at himself in the mirror and sighed.

“Powers of a spider but no sense of fashion,” he muttered. “Or common sense. Just great.”

-

In the end, Peter ended up in his regular clothes, the ring box in his pocket. He swung by the Cadenza to get their coffee and grinned when he saw Ned.

“Morning, Peter,” his best friend said happily. “I’ve got your stuff right here.” He put two cups and a tray of snacks. Ned leaned on the counter as Peter tapped his card on the pay thing. “So is this it? Are you doing it today?”

Peter nodded.

Ned pumped his fist in the air. “Can I be your best man?” he asked excitedly. “I need to find that notebook we had from 11th grade! We made your wedding plans there! I’m so–” he grinned. “Peter!”

Peter smiled at his friend’s antics. “You know,” he reminded him. “I haven’t asked yet.”

Ned shrugged. “Face it, Pete. You’re a hot item. Who would pass up a grab at this?” On ‘this’, he gestured up and down Peter’s body. “And soon, you’ll be off the market and wedding bells would be ringing and doves would be flying–”

“Ned,” Peter interrupted. “Ned.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll see you later, Ned,” he said. “I’ll call you after.”

Peter left as he saw Ned do a happy dance behind the glass case of pastries.

He walked to the library and went inside, carefully keeping the food hidden until he reached the usual nook he and MJ studied in.

Peter grinned as he spotted his girlfriend reading by the window, rain pattering persistently against the panes.

MJ looked up and smiled. “You got the goods?” she asked.

Peter lifted the coffee and she smiled wider.

“Hi,” she greeted him, kissing his cheek as he handed her her cup. “What’s up?”

“What’s not?” Peter answered.

MJ threw a piece of lint at him and settled into her seat, back into her book.

They sat in a comfortable silence before Peter glanced up from his own procured study and his seat on the floor at her feet.

“MJ?” he asked.

“Hmm?”

Peter swallowed. “You know how partners sometimes end up married like Dr. Banner and Ms. Romanoff?”

“Yeah?”

“I was thinking, you know, since we’re partners, and we’re dating–”

MJ shook her head. “You sound like an idiot,” she said softly, with a smile.

Peter grinned inside. Everything is going to plan. He rolled onto one knee, bringing out the ring. “Well, will you give me the honour of being your idiot forever?” he asked, with his heart in his eyes.

MJ looked up from her book and down at him, eyes wide. “Peter–” she covered a grin. “The ring.”

The ring was a thing he picked out in that glass shop in Venice, years ago. It was just a simple band of silver and a piece of stained, red glass. There was an inscription on the inside that was very easy to see, especially for MJ. He had gotten that done when they got into MIT.

In all places, worlds, and times. An excerpt from an adventure a long time ago. The rest of it reads, I love you, and I will always love you, and I promise I won’t ever forget you.

Peter looked up at her.

MJ smiled and nodded ‘yes’.

#peter parker #mj #michelle jones #michelle jones watson #spiderman #spideychelle #petermj #mcu #marvel #mcu fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #vii’s 12 days of winter writing #au #alternate universe

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

Guess what? I can’t. Have fun with this though.

Day 9: Find me in the next life (a song because I can’t be bothered to write a chapter today)

Verse 1:

Found you in a place

So far away

All alone

And now you’re home

You were what was needed

And something to be had

You said I had you

Like you do

One day I tried to say

What if we ran away

You weren’t so sure

No

But then you left and

I know it ended

By the time you said hello

It was too late

Verse 2:

Lost you to a nightmare

Somewhere far away

Now you’re gone

Who knows where

Family’s in pieces

Nothing’s been the same

Since you’ve been gone

Now it’s too late

Chorus:

So find me in the next life

I’ll be the one in red

I’ll wait out until the rain

When the rain falls on my head

I’ll see you in our next life

Still there’s so much to be said

Darling, you are evergreen

And I’ll be the one

I’ll be the one in red

(I’ll see if I can record it and I’ll put the link on later if I can)

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

Day 9: Find me in the next life (a song because I can’t be bothered to write a chapter today)

Verse 1:

Found you in a place

So far away

All alone

And now you’re home

You were what was needed

And something to be had

You said I had you

Like you do

One day I tried to say

What if we ran away

You weren’t so sure

No

But then you left and

I know it ended

By the time you said hello

It was too late

Verse 2:

Lost you to a nightmare

Somewhere far away

Now you’re gone

Who knows where

Family’s in pieces

Nothing’s been the same

Since you’ve been gone

Now it’s too late

Chorus:

So find me in the next life

I’ll be the one in red

I’ll wait out until the rain

When the rain falls on my head

I’ll see you in our next life

Still there’s so much to be said

Darling, you are evergreen

And I’ll be the one

I’ll be the one in red

(I’ll see if I can record it and I’ll put the link on later if I can)

#vii's 12 days of winter writing #brucenat #brutasha #bruce banner #the hulk #hulk #natasha romanoff #black widow #original song #lyrics #marvel #mcu

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

Day 8: Setting — Quinjet

“I can’t believe you,” Bruce muttered, his nose an inch away from Natasha’s stomach wound. “Why do you keep doing this to yourself?”

They were just the two of them on the Quinjet, after Natasha got him to partner with her for her mission. Partnering being patching her up after.

“I don’t do it to myself,” the spy retorted. “The people I fight do it to me.”

“You go on the fights,” he reminded her.

“Then take it up with Nick,” Nat said. She winced as Bruce tugged the needle through her skin. “Ow.”

Bruce sighed. “And this is why I keep telling you to take a break every now and then. I’ll only be available for so long, Natasha. Soon enough, Tony’ll release me from my vacation time.”

“Then let me hire you,” Nat replied, leaning forwards as Bruce approached her back with antiseptic wipes. “Be my personal doctor.”

Bruce chuckled. “I’m pretty sure I already do that.”

“But officially!” Natasha laughed as the cold wipes touched an uninjured part of her skin. “I need my personal doctor to be on call and not next to Tony making murderbots!”

Bruce rolled his eyes. “One time.”

Nat turned to him with pleading eyes. “Please? For me?” She batted her eyelashes.

“You’re being ridiculous,” Bruce laughed.

Natasha kept her eyes on him as he walked back in front of her. “Just consider it.”

“Fine,” he sighed. “But I’d rather you put me out of work by not being hurt.”

Nat rolled her eyes. “You know I can’t do that.”

Bruce exhaled and kneeled down to the spy’s hanging foot.

“Sprain?” she asked.

“Yep.” He stood up. “Like it or not, doctor’s orders, you are going on sick leave.”

Natasha frowned. “How about no.”

“How about you either take the leave now and keep it short,” Bruce said, “or take a half-year leave after you inevitably exceed your limit and crash from the sky, Icarus?”

“You did not just call me Icarus.”

“I did.”

Natasha sighed. “But there are things to do!”

“Like rest,” Bruce said sternly. “Or I’ll be recommending a different doctor for you.”

Natasha mock-gasped. “Now, don’t be hasty.”

“Rest.”

“Do I have to?”

“Absolutely.”

Nat pouted.

Bruce sighed. “How about I stay with you on your leave? Will that make you happy? Will you go on leave?”

Natasha brightened. “Yes.” She grinned, hopping off the examination table against Bruce’s protests. “A Bruce Banner vacation.”

“Yay.” He tried shepherding her back on the table to no avail.

Nat hip-checked him playfully. “Sit down.”

Bruce chuckled. “I’m not the patient here,” he said.

“I’m getting us drinks.” Nat turned. “Unless you don’t want me to have a drink with you.”

“I didn’t say that.”

Natasha grinned and grabbed her thermos. She went back and poured them a cup. “I only have one cup.”

“We can share,” Bruce said. He smelled the tea. “Chamomile?”

“Yeah.”

They sat in a silence while they slowly drained the thermos.

“What do you want to do on your leave?” Bruce asked her.

Natasha smiled. “You.”

Bruce groaned. “Not what I meant, Natasha,” he muttered into his hands.

Nat laughed. “The look on your face.”

“You’re not serious.”

“On the contrary, if we’re using the fancy words,” Natasha deadpanned. “But I digress. Do you like cheesecake?”

Bruce spluttered. “You can’t– you can’t just–” he sighed. “Yeah, if it’s the good kind of cheesecake.”

Natasha smiled at him over the rim of the cup. She poured out a new cup and handed it to him.

The sunlight filtered through the Quinjet windows as they flew by the sunset.

“You look handsome with the light hitting your face like that,” she commented off-handedly.

Bruce choked. “What– sorry–” he coughed a few times. “What?!”

Nat shrugged. “You looked nice and it deserved to be said. What?” she asked when Bruce just looked at her.

“Nothing,” Bruce sighed. “Has it ever occurred to you that you flirt a lot?”

Natasha thought for a moment. “Just with you. With everyone else, not really.” She toasted a new cup to Bruce’s stunned face. “What, you thought I did this with everyone?”

“I–” he frowned. “If not, then why me?”

Natasha got that ‘you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me’ look on her face. “Oh my god,” she muttered. She looked up, straight into Bruce’s eyes. “Dr. Banner, has it ever occurred to you that there’s a reason why people flirt?”

Bruce nodded. “Yeah. They–” a look of realization dawned on him. “Ohh.” He blinked and looked between them. “Oh.”

“Yeah, ‘oh’,” Natasha huffed.

Bruce stared at her. “Um.”

“Yeah?” Nat asked resignedly.

“I… I reciprocate.”

Natasha looked skeptical. “Do you?”

Bruce swallowed. “Yeah.” He hesitated before steeling himself. He leaned forwards about five degrees. “Can I–”

Natasha closed the rest of the distance and kissed him softly. She pulled away and smirked at Bruce’s look of frozen surprise.

“– ask you on a date?” he finished, a little lamely.

Nat smiled at him. “Sure.”

Bruce blinked. “Okay.” His eyes darted around the Quinjet.

“Okay.” Natasha laughed again. “I’ve got to say, uh, I thought you’d be less shocked.”

Bruce ducked his head. “Yeah, I haven’t really gone out… much. Not since Betty. And that was a long time ago. I’ve forgotten how to date, actually.”

Nat smiled at him, tugging at his collar. “We can fix that,” she promised. “Now, about our vacation. What do you think, Mexico or someplace even farther away?”

#natasha romanoff #bruce banner #brutasha #black widow #brucenat #mcu #marvel #the hulk #hulkwidow #hulktasha #gammawidow #banneroff #Bruce and Natasha #marvel fanfiction #mcu fanfiction #quinjet conversations #confession #vii’s 12 days of winter writing

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

Day 7: Medicine (by Havelin if you want the inspiration)

Natasha watched the rain, sitting outside the compound in the refurbished greenhouse. It was her comfort space, sitting comfortably in the solace of blankets and fairy lights. It was small and cozy. No one knew about it.

Nat sighed.

They had lost a really bad fight between her team and a really enthusiastic branch of the Black Order, who had come back for vengeance, she assumed, and while, thankfully, there weren't any casualties, everyone was a little shaken up.

Natasha stared at her phone, screen dark, as she contemplated calling him.

On one hand, she might get a few words of sympathy. On the other, did Natasha really want a few words of sympathy?

Nat shook her head at herself, swallowing her pride. She went to her starred contacts list and pressed the top number. It rang once before he picked up.

"Nat?"

Natasha sighed. She didn't even know why she was holding her breath for him to answer. He had never left her hanging. "Hey, Bruce." She took a shaky breath. "How are you?"

The was a short silence before she heard a car door being closed. "I'm in my car," the scientist answered. "Are you at the greenhouse?"

Natasha exhaled a laugh. "How'd you know?"

"I just do." Bruce sounded rueful, but maybe it was just the audio quality. "What happened?"

Nat shook her head as if he could see her. "Just... the last mission. We didn't really... you know."

"Oh." The scientist didn't offer up the words of sympathy Natasha had wondered about. "I'll be there in a few minutes. Talk to you then?"

"Sure." Nat closed her eyes. "Hey, Bruce?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

There was a brief pause, then– "Anything."

Natasha smiled as she hung up.

A few minutes later, Bruce knocked on the greenhouse door.

"Come in!" she called.

Bruce stepped in and looked around. "You redecorated," he noted.

Natasha sent him a wry smile. "Well, I couldn't keep your quantum theory Pinterest board up here forever." She watched him sit down at the foot of her egg chair. "It's my resting place and it made my head hurt."

The scientist smiled softly. "I could teach you."

Nat rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean." She sighed, leaning back into her chair. "Things have been crazy."

"This week, month?" She opened her eyes to see Bruce watching her carefully. "You were out of reach for a while."

"This whole..." Natasha waved her hands around to try and convey the sheer vastness of crazy she experienced. "... Thing." She turned slightly to look at Bruce. "How are you?"

He shrugged. "I'm fine. Working on a project at the moment."

"About what?"

"Time travel." Bruce shifted in his seat. "I just wanted to try. I have schematics running right now. Uh, Tony's actually over here, with Morgan. We were hanging out."

Natasha blinked. "Oh my god." She sat up. "I interrupted you. I'm sorry."

Bruce shook his head. "It's fine. We weren't getting anywhere." He chuckled. "Plus, after Ultron, I had this safeguard installed so that once I leave the place for more than ten minutes, everything is self-contained. It won't break. Even with Tony and his baby with sticky fingers."

Natasha sighed.

They were both startled by Bruce's phone pinging.

He checked it and sighed. "On another hand... they could just figure it out." Bruce looked at Nat. "Do you need me to stay? I can have it set on a back burner for now. Time travel isn't urgent."

Natasha shrugged lightly. "Go do your time travel thing. I'll be fine."

Bruce looked unconvinced. "Tasha..."

His phone pinged again.

Bruce was halfway between sitting and standing.

Nat bit her lip. "Actually, could you stay a while?" she asked softly. "If you can."

"Of course I can." He sat back down, but Natasha pulled him up into the egg chair with her. "Back to our old habits, aren't we?" he commented with a small smile.

Nat returned with a shameless one.

They sat in a comfortable silence, squished next to each other even though the egg chair had plenty of empty space between them and the walls.

Natasha glanced at Bruce only to see him already looking at her.

"What?" he laughed quietly at her smirk.

"Nothing." Nat smiled to herself. She looked back to see him again, gazing at her. "You're staring."

"Is that so wrong?"

Nat rolled her eyes and linked their arms. "This reminds me of before the... you know." She leaned her head against Bruce's shoulder. "I think... maybe if I had tried a little harder, we might've been together still, right now."

He was still looking at her. "We could still try again. There's still time."

"According to who?"

"The world." She felt Bruce drop his head on hers. "We aren't dead yet."

Natasha laughed. "That doesn't give me a reasonable timeframe, you know."

"I made you laugh."

Nat huffed. "With your face, it's not that hard."

"Ouch."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Natasha got on her knees and sat back on her heels. "I think we should try again."

Bruce's smile widened. "Oh, really?" he asked.

"Give me one chance," Natasha said. "I don't deserve it, but give me just one chance."

The scientist curled his arm around her waist. "Who said you don't deserve it?"

"Me." Nat grinned up at him. "Are you going to send me to a psychiatrist?"

Bruce rolled his eyes affectionately. "Ha. At least you've stopped calling them 'shrinks'."

"I have."

"And it shows some growth."

Natasha sighed and looked Bruce in the eyes. "When I ended things... did I tell you why?"

"You said it was too much," he said. "Though you weren't very convincing, for a spy."

Nat settled into his arms. "That was part of it... but another part of me was scared of what would happen if I followed through on plan A."

Bruce smiled slightly, a little confused on the outside. "What was plan A?" he prompted.

"Telling you I loved you that night," Natasha confessed. "Over a romantic candlelit dinner and a bouquet of a dozen red roses."

"Aww. You're a romantic."

"Of course I am." Nat sighed. "It's a pain." She had a sudden moment of forgetfulness. "Why did I get you to come here again?"

Bruce chuckled. "You asked me how I was and I knew something was up so I just came."

"Typical." Natasha nudged him a little. "You're a romantic too. Running in the rain, 'I-remember-every-tiny-detail' kind of romantic. Though," she added with a smirk, "that can be translated that you're a creep."

Her scientist rolled his eyes. "Ha."

"It's true!" Nat grinned. "But hey, you fixed my headache. You're like my own personal brand of Tylenol."

Bruce laughed slightly. "Of course. I'm headache medicine."

"It's a compliment!"

"I have no doubt it is."

"I love you," Natasha blurted out. She immediately hung her head and whispered quietly to herself, "Fuck." She looked back up. "That was not how that was supposed to go."

Bruce smiled. "I love you too."

Natasha opened her mouth and closed it. "Th–thank you." She blinked. "Yeah."

"Tongue-tied?" he teased.

Nat batted his hand away annoyedly. "Shut up, Banner," she muttered.

"Anything."

--

Here's the song that inspired me today! It's called Medicine by Havelin. 

#bruce banner #natasha romanoff #brucenat #brutasha #the hulk #black widow #hulk #hulktasha #hulkwidow #banneroff #marvel #mcu #marvel fanfiction #mcu fanfiction #fanfic #vii’s 12 days of winter writing #fluff #avengers #avengers 2018 #endgame #endgame au #medicine #medicine by havelin #Spotify

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

I just love them so much. Can't believe it's been nearly eight years, though.

““I adore you.””

— Natasha Romanoff to Bruce Banner, Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

#age of ultron #avengers #avengers 2015 #thought donated #bruce banner #the hulk #hulk #natasha romanoff #black widow #brucenat #brutasha #hulktasha #hulkwidow #gah they're so cute #i love these idiots #team christmas #red and green #red and green hearts

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

"I adore you."

Natasha Romanoff to Bruce Banner, Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

#submission #thought donation #thought donated

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

Day 6: Caffeine Withdrawal

Natasha sat on the examination room table as Bruce stitched her up for what seemed like the millionth time.

The doctor sighed. “As much as I enjoy your visits, Natasha, I don’t like how we keep meeting like this,” he said with a small smile.

Natasha feigned confusion. “What do you mean, doc?” she asked. “With your face being five inches away from my chest and me partially undressed?”

Bruce shook his head. “No.” When he spotted Nat’s smirk, he realized what that sounded like. “That’s not what I meant.”

“But you said it,” she teased. Natasha grimaced as he tugged at her wound a little harder. “Don’t be like that.”

“Sorry,” he murmured. When Bruce was done, he looked up at her. “But seriously, Natasha, please be more careful. Every time you have a fight, every time you go on a mission, you seem to come back with injuries worse than the last one.”

Natasha kept her teasing smirk on. “Do you care?”

“Of course. You’re my teammate. And patient.” Bruce hesitated. “And a friend.”

Nat smiled.

“All jokes aside though, your blood pressure’s a little high,” Bruce said, reading from his computer. “Not horrible, but if it does turn out to be something, I’d like to catch it before it gets out of hand.”

Natasha leaned forwards, disrupting her new stitches. “Really? But I do healthy stuff!”

Bruce shrugged. “It’s your blood. Just stay off caffeine and you’ll be fine. I’ll write you a note excusing your withdrawal symptoms.” He turned back to his computer screen and glanced back to her. “Did you just rip your stitches?” he asked exasperatedly.

Nat smiled at him still, guileless.

Bruce sighed. “Hold still while I fix this.”

After a few minutes of him redoing her stitches, Natasha spoke up. “So, how do you plan on stopping my coffee intake?” she asked.

Bruce didn’t look up from his task. “You’re supposed to do that yourself.”

“But what if I don’t want to?”

“Then you don’t want to and you’ll be coming back later when you faint.”

Nat wrinkled her nose. “I don’t faint.”

“Yet,” he reminded her.

She rolled her eyes. “What if you regulate me?” Nat offered. “You stick with me for a while and stop any stuff I try to get.”

Bruce huffed. “You want me to stick with you for about two to nine days to make sure you don’t consume any caffeine?”

“Yeah.” Natasha stared at him. “Have a problem with that? Cause I have a doctor’s note.”

The doctor sighed. “Fine. God knows I work on vacation days anyway.” He finished her sutures. “Don’t touch them.”

Natasha hopped off the table. “And if I do, I’ll have you with me to fix them.”

Bruce rolled his eyes. “I’ll clean up here and I’ll meet you outside.” He started washing up his things.

Natasha grinned. “Or I could just stand here and watch you.”

“You could do that too.”

A few minutes later, Bruce and Natasha emerged from the examination room, Nat grinning triumphantly while Bruce followed her with a sigh.

After stopping by the kitchen to have their dinner, they walked to Natasha’s door.

“I guess this is where we say our goodbyes for the night,” Bruce said, rubbing his neck.

Natasha looked at him with a mischievous smile. “What if I wake up without you noticing and sneak out and get my morning coffee? No, no. You’re coming in here with me.”

Bruce spluttered uselessly as he got led into Natasha’s room. “Nat–”

Natasha perched on the edge of her bed. “What? You were the one who said I needed to be off caffeine, and it’s not like we’re sleeping together.” She took her shoes off. “Right?”

“Ye– Yeah.” Bruce looked around before sitting down in the armchair. “Right.”

Nat grinned at him before going into her bathroom. She performed her usual routine and winced slightly as the hot water hit her wound.

When she was done, she came out of the bathroom in her pyjamas and watched Bruce stifle a laugh. “What?”

“You’re wearing your own merchandise.” He grinned. “An extra-large Black Widow tee.”

Natasha lifted the hem of her shirt and the corner of Bruce’s mouth twitched.

He chuckled. “Hulk pyjama bottoms.” Bruce shook his head. “You own Avengers merchandise.”

“Of course.” Natasha padded over to her side of the bed. “I helped design it, so what’s the use of not keeping a few for myself?”

“You designed the–” Bruce broke off into another laugh. “You constantly surprise me.”

Natasha smiled. “Well, that was the goal,” she said. “Shall we sleep, or do you want a good night's kiss?”

Bruce sent her a small smile. “I think I’m alright.”

Nat shrugged and turned off the lights.

-

Natasha woke up to a splitting headache. “Banner!” she cursed.

Bruce startled awake. “What?” He looked around and seemed to take in his surroundings. “Why is my last name being used as a swear word?”

“I need coffee,” she complained. “I have a headache.”

Bruce rolled his eyes. “Come here. Sit down.”

Natasha padded over reluctantly. She plopped down in front of Bruce’s chair.

The doctor placed his fingers on her forehead and applied a slight pressure, rubbing soothing circles on her temples. “Feel better?” he asked softly.

“Hmm,” Natasha replied. “In a bit.”

After a few minutes of this, Bruce released her from the head massage.

“That felt nice, but why’d you stop?” Nat frowned up at him.

Bruce sighed and returned his fingers.

Natasha grinned at him.

-

The second day, Bruce made her breakfast.

“I like this.” Nat chewed thoughtfully. “This beats the Ritz.”

Bruce rolled his eyes. “You’re bluffing.”

“C’est vrai, cher,” Natasha replied, smiling at him.

The doctor flushed.

Tony walked in, eyebags prominent, to the coffeemaker. “Good morning, coffeemaker. Good morning, love birds.”

Natasha glared at Tony. “Shut up, Shellhead,” she snapped.

“Cranky,” the billionaire muttered. “On withdrawal?”

Nat threw an orange at him.

Tony caught it and established eye contact before biting into it, skin and all. He spit it out right after. “That’s… bitter.”

“No shit.” Natasha rolled her eyes and turned back to her food. She took a bite of the egg and caught a whiff of the trash can, which her gag reflex didn’t appreciate. Nat ran to the sink and threw up her breakfast.

Bruce got her some water while she tried not to vomit because of the vomit.

“Sink, flush,” the doctor called behind her.

The sink flushed.

Natasha barely acknowledged him as she tried to keep her water down.

Bruce offered her a peeled banana and she took it.

“Fucking withdrawal,” Nat muttered.

Bruce rubbed her back sympathetically.

After the banana, the two of them hung out on the couch.

“I don’t like you.” Natasha breathed in. “Nope.”

The doctor chuckled. “That’s okay. It’s not my job to be liked. I just want you to be okay.”

Natasha kicked him without much conviction.

“Thank you,” Bruce commented. “That was such a nice was to convey gratitude.”

“You saw me half-naked.”

“That,” he said, “is, as always, completely your fault.”

Natasha frowned. “Other people stabbed me.”

“You went on the mission.”

Bruce and Natasha had a staring contest before he sigehd and bowed out. “Fine. You win,” he said. “Please be careful.”

“Sure.”

“I mean it.”

Natasha regarded him with soft eyes. “Fine.”

Bruce looked at her, brown eyes meeting green. “You promise?”

“I promise.”

#brucenat #brutasha #bruce banner #natasha romanoff #caffeine withdrawal #fanfic #vii’s 12 days of winter writing #marvel #mcu #mcu fanfiction #marvel fanfiction

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

Day 5: Setting - Closet

“Peter?” Mr. Stark called him over.

Peter grinned, bouncing over. “Yeah, sir?”

Mr. Stark regarded him over the rims of his sunglasses. “You know how I’m having a party on the weekend and you want to be involved but your aunt doesn’t agree with that?” he asked off-handedly. “Want to be my coat boy?”

Peter blinked. “What?”

“Your aunt doesn’t want you to be in the party, but you do, and I think it’s a compromise to have you work,” Mr. Stark explained. “I’ll pay you.”

“Sure!” Peter smiled hesitantly. “Can my friend come?”

“The boy from your school? Ned?”

“No. My friend. MJ.” Peter flushed. “She likes to earn a little extra cash on the weekends.”

Mr. Stark’s eyes flicked up and down Peter. “A girl?”

Peter blushed darker. “She’s a friend.” He fidgeted with his jacket zipper. “She’s saving up for her university tuition.”

“What’s her name?” the billionaire asked. “Mary Jane?”

“Uh, Michelle Jones. Jones-Watson.”

Mr. Stark nodded. “Sure. Bring her. Thirty bucks per hour sound good to you?”

Peter blinked again. “Sure!” That was pretty good money. “How long is the whole thing?”

Mr. Stark smiled. “The party starts at seven at night but staff come an hour early. Ends around eleven but staff leaves an hour late. Same old procedures. Maria would be your point person.”

Peter wrinkled his brow. “Ms. Hill?”

“Yep.” Mr. Stark tapped his phone that lit up and turned it off. “She’s my assistant sometimes.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Peter shouldered his bag. “Well, Mr. Stark, I better get going. May doesn’t like it when I’m late.”

“Bye, kid,” Mr. Stark said. “See you on Friday.”

-

Peter hurried down the hallway to his lunch table with Ned and MJ.

“Hey,” he greeted them. 

MJ looked at him with a perfectly serious face, an open book in front of her. “You’re late,” she said stonily, snapping the book shut.

“I know.” Peter sat down. “Sorry.”

Ned chewed forgivingly.

The three ate amid the clatter of the cafeteria.

“Hey, do you guys want to study at my place on Friday?” Ned asked between his sandwich and his Snickers bar. “Lola’s going to make puto.”

Peter blinked and glanced at MJ. “Yeah— actually, about that.” He punched his fist lightly. “MJ, Mr. Stark wants me to work on Friday night. He says you can come too.”

MJ raised an eyebrow at him. “How much?”

“Thirty an hour.” Peter looked at Ned. “Sorry.”

Ned shrugged. “It’s fine. That means I get more puto.”

MJ nodded. “I’ll take the job. Friday night?” she asked.

“Uh, yeah.” Peter took a sip of his water. “I can swing by your apartment and we can walk to Avengers Tower together. We’re collecting jackets. For about six hours.”

MJ nodded. “Good deal. Dress code?”

Peter blinked. “Um.” He took out his phone and sheepishly texted Mr. Stark, who responded very quickly. “They say to dress for a funeral.”

MJ looked intrigued. “Is it a funeral?”

“Not that I know of,” Peter replied. He checked his watch. “I need to swing by the library and grab some stuff. See you guys after school.”

MJ waved half-heartedly while Ned just continued eating.

Peter smiled to himself as he walked to the library

-

He ran down the street, mentally cursing. 

It took longer than Peter thought for his suit to be done at the dry cleaner’s. He had his tie in one hand and his coat in the other, not having time to put it on before leaving the change rooms in the store.

Peter huffed as he buzzed MJ down to the foyer.

She opened the door in a jacket and a dress. “You’re late,” she noted again. 

Peter just stared.

MJ looked unimpressed. “What?”

Peter untied his tongue, nervously brushing the front of his shirt. Suddenly, he was very aware that he, on the other hand, had three buttons still undone on his shirt and he wasn’t even wearing his tie or his jacket. “Nothing,” he managed. “Let’s go.”

Thanks to good planning, Peter was only late for getting MJ and not arriving to the staff attendance check.

The two of them got there a few minutes early and met with their point person of the evening, Ms. Hill.

“You two are early,” the agent remarked. “Good.” She led them through to the coat-check area. “Your job is to take their jackets and give the person the jacket’s number. When they leave, they give you the jacket number slip and you return the jacket. Washrooms are down the hallway to the left. Your dinner will be at 9 and delivered quietly. Don’t damage or steal from the jackets. Clear?”

Peter nodded and MJ said, “Clear.”

Ms. Hill smiled. “Great. Have a nice time. Be polite and maybe you’ll even get tips.”

“Thank you, Ms. Hill,” the duo chorused.

The agent nodded and left to the next room.

Peter and MJ sat inside the coat-check booth. 

“So,” Peter said nervously. 

MJ looked up from putting her jacket away next to her. “What?”

“Uhhh,” Peter stumbled. “You look nice.”

“Thanks.” MJ regarded him and looked like she was trying not to laugh. “You look like you ran through a bush and got mugged.”

Peter sighed. “Thanks,” he muttered.

MJ actually laughed. “Give me your tie.”

Peter handed it over to her, and waited patiently as she tied it around his collar.

MJ leaned back, taking it in. She frowned and patted his mess of curls down. “There. You look less terrible now.”

“Thank you,” he said, trying not to flush at their proximity.

MJ, ever so perceptive, noticed. “You okay?”

“I, uh, I’m fine,” Peter said unconvincingly. Sure, he has the powers of a spider and could lift literal tanks. He just can’t lie. Which is fine. Not really. 

“You sure? You don’t sound fine,” MJ said, rummaging in her pockets, offering up a small, shiny, wrapped thing. “Do you want a candy?”

Peter looked at her. “You’re like a grandma.”

MJ kept the proffered hand out and Peter took one, popping it in his mouth. 

He spit it out instantly, into the palm of his hand. “What in the shit?” He wiped his hand on a tissue. “What was that?”

MJ looked concerned. “That was a mint.”

Peter suddenly thought back to a biology class when they had to study spiders. “Oh.” He looked from his palm to hers, which was still out. “Sorry.”

“No worries. You just confirmed a theory of mine.”

Peter froze. “What?”

MJ shrugged. 

The first of the guests started coming in after a few minutes of silent preparation for them. Soon enough, it was almost 9.

“You’re Spider-Man, aren’t you?” MJ asked casually.

Peter choked on a glass of water he got. “What?” he spluttered.

“You’re Spider-Man,” MJ said matter-of-factly. “I’ve watched you.”

“When?” 

MJ shrugged. “Whenever you weren’t looking.”

“So in my sleep?”

MJ studied him with critical eyes. “Maybe I was wrong.”

Peter couldn’t believe her. “Yes!” He nodded. “I’m not Spider-Man!”

She rolled her eyes. “Act’s over, Parker. I know.”

Peter sighed.

“I also know I like you.”

His head snapped up. “What?”

“Catch up, Parker.” MJ scribbled something onto a piece of paper to an onlooking guest. “I like you. Simple as that.”

“Like—” Peter blinked— “like like?”

MJ nodded. “Wouldn’t kill you to actually respond, would it?”

Peter opened his mouth and closed it again to not look like an idiot. “Uh.” He swallowed.

“It’s okay if you don’t reciprocate,” MJ said. “It’s just going to make a hell of a night.”

Peter unstuck his tongue to the roof of his mouth. “I like you too.”

MJ looked relieved. “Oh, good.” She handed Peter a coat and he gave her a ticket. “So I’m not going to die of embarrassment.”

Someone knocked softly on their door and a woman came in with a tray.

“Your dinners,” she said, leaving them on a side table. “Return the dishes to the kitchen when you leave.” She left.

Peter looked at MJ. “You take the first break while I finish up the line.”

“Sure.”

A few minutes later, Peter joined her in the back of the closet. “Hey.”

MJ was busy chewing on a piece of bread. She waved.

They had their dinner and they continued their job until 11:15, when they finally got everyone their coats and the guests left.

“So.” MJ looked at him. “About us liking each other.”

Peter shifted his weight. “What do you want to do about it?” he asked.

MJ studied him and he suddenly got a sense of how pretty her eyes were. To his surprise, she leaned over and kissed him lightly.

“If you tell anyone,” MJ warned. 

Peter nodded. “I won’t.”

MJ smiled and his brain turned to mush. “Great.” 

Peter inched closer until he was about half a foot away from her. They were about the same height. MJ was a little taller.

She reached for his shoulder and then someone knocked and came in.

Ms. Hill ‘hmm’ed and Peter and MJ sprang apart.

“Sorry!” they chorused.

Ms. Hill shook her head. “I’m just here to drop off your cash of the evening. Happy’s going to drive you two home since it’s late.” She handed them both a Manila envelope each. “You two have Stark cards now. They’re like back cards except Tony can add money to it as he pleases. Good night and down the hall.”

Peter and MJ grabbed their jackets and the enveloped and they went down to the garage where Happy sat grumpily in the car.

“Ready?” he sort of asked. Without waiting for confirmation, he turned on the ignition and they left.

#peter parker #michelle jones #spideychelle #spiderman #maria hill #tony stark #iron man #avengers #mcu #marvel #mcu fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #vii’s 12 days of winter writing

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

Day 4: The eggnog was a little more alcoholic than everyone thought

“Have yourself a merry little Christmas, let your heart be light… from now on, our troubles will be out of sight…”

Natasha walked over and sat by Bruce, watching Tony try and chat up Pepper, who was attending tonight out of pure spite. 

“Hey.”

Nat looked over to the scientist, a smile blossoming on her face. “Hi, Bruce.” She grinned at Tony and Pepper and looked back to Bruce. “What do you think?”

“Of their argument?“ Bruce chuckled. “Pepper is definitely going to win, especially if we put it to a vote like last time.”

Natasha laughed, grabbing a mug. “Eggnog, doc?” she offered.

Bruce nodded. “Hopefully it doesn’t have Tony’s latest concoction in it.”

Nat poured them their mugs. “What concoction?” she asked curiously.

“Gets-me-drunk kind of concoction,” Bruce said. “Tony wanted to experiment.”

Natasha rolled her eyes. “You can’t get drunk?”

“Ah, no.” Bruce chuckled. “Perks of having the Hulk: I’m always the designated driver for Tony when we go out.”

Nat nodded. “Neither can I, technically.”

“Why?”

She shrugged. “Procedure from my childhood. Got some of the stuff they gave to Steve. I can drink rubbing alcohol.” Natasha sipped her mug.

Bruce wrinkled his nose. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope.” Nat looked at him over the rim of her mug. “Clint can prove it.”

“I’m not in a legal position to say anything!” Clint called from the other side of the room.

Natasha sighed. “There goes my witness.”

Bruce laughed. “Don’t worry. I believe you.” He looked at his mug, and then at Nat. “Should I risk it?”

Nat raised her mug at him. “If you get drunk, I get drunk, so why not?”

Bruce clinked his mug with hers and took a sip. “This is surprisingly not bad,” he commented.

Natasha nodded. “It’s better than rubbing alcohol.”

Bruce chuckled.

Nat grinned at him. “What?” she asked. 

He just smiled at her softly. 

“What?” Natasha tried to stifle a wider smile. She nudged Bruce. “What?”

Bruce laughed at her antics. “Nothing!”

“Liar!” 

Suddenly, Natasha realized that everyone had left.

“Hey, where’d everyone go?” she asked Bruce. “I thought we were having a party.”

Bruce looked at his watch. “It’s 1 in the morning.”

Natasha wrinkled her nose. “But it was only 10:30 the last time I checked.” She looked at the eggnog in her mug. “It’s cold.”

“It’s been a while.”

They sat in a silence for who knows how long.

“I think Tony did the concoction,” Bruce said.

“You think?”

“I like you.”

Natasha blinked. “What.”

Bruce looked flushed. “I like you. Like like.” He laughed. “Oh my god, this brings me back to sixth grade.”

“I like you too,” Natasha found herself saying. Wait, what? You’re not supposed to tell him that! “I mean. I kinda– never mind.”

Bruce studied her. “You like me back?”

“Maybe.”

“Oh.” He sounded disappointed, and Natasha couldn’t have that.

She leaned over and lightly pressed her mouth to Bruce’s. When Nat pulled away, she found Bruce smirking. “Oh, shut up,” she muttered.

“What are you two doing?” 

Natasha and Bruce looked over to Tony, who was standing in the doorway. 

“Having a nice smooch?” the billionaire teased.

“Go away, Tony,” Bruce requested. “Please.”

Natasha agreed and threw a small unknown object at him.

“I’m leaving!”

“Thank you!” Bruce called.

#brutasha #brucenat #christmas fanfiction #eggnog #tony stark #iron man #avengers domestic #bruce banner #natasha romanoff #the hulk #black widow #mcu #marvel #marvel fanfiction #mcu fanfiction #vii’s 12 days of winter writing

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

Day 3: Bruce Goes Missing Again

Bruce woke up to a cold space beside him. Usually Natasha was there. Maybe she left early for her morning coffee.

"Natasha?" he asked, walking out into the kitchen.

The whole apartment was empty.

"FRIDAY, where's Nat?" he said to the AI.

There was no answer.

"Weird." Bruce walked out into the residential hallways. It was around 9 o'clock, so people should at least be getting out of bed. It was empty.

He walked to the end of the hallway that lead to the common areas, surprised to feel a force field stop him from entering the commons like a wall.

Bruce squinted at the force field and poked it.

Almost imperceptably, there was a ripple of bluish light that expanded from where he touched, like the aftereffects of throwing a stone into a lake.

"Hello?" Bruce called.

Surprisingly, his voice seemed to bounce back at him.

Bruce poked the force field again. It was very solid, as if it was a wall.

Interesting.

He went down the hallway, knocking on the doors, hoping someone would answer even if they were groggy and half-dressed. Unfortunately, no one did.

Bruce went to Tony's doghouse room, the only one he knew was empty. He tried the handle. It didn't budge.

"Huh."

Bruce felt an itch at the back of his mind.

No, not now, he batted the thought away. We shouldn't destroy the residential hall. That means we'll have to fix it.

The Hulk whined like a child.

Stop it, Bruce thought. Then he had another thought. Fine. Try Tony's door. Lightly.

His vision went super clear, as is whenever he let the Hulk half-take over. He felt himself punch Tony's door.

Instead of it shattering, the punch made the wall ripple like the force field had, only on a much larger scale. Small, tiny hexagons on the door were now blank, glitching in and out of focus.

Bruce picked up a small piece that had fell off the door and examined it closely.

It resembled the nano-technology that he and Tony had tried to develop a while ago, but it was never this small.

"Huh," Bruce repeated.

He let the Hulk punch the door again. This time, more nano-bots fell off or turned blank.

Faintly, with the Hulk's added power, Bruce could hear shouting somewhere far from here. He was acutely aware of his very own heartbeat, at 130 steady and slowly climbing.

"Settle down," he muttered. "Just one more time."

Bruce punched the door again.

This time, the whole door just went blank, a big, white rectangle where a nice hardwood door used to be.

One more time?

He sighed. "Fine. But this is the last time."

Bruce punched the white space where the door had been and left a Hulk fist-sized indent.

He ran his fingertips along the ridges gently to feel how much more metal there is. The bottom was flimsy, could be easily broken.

"Never mind," Bruce sighed. "Do it again."

He punched the dent and it broke through, making a hole.

Bruce peeked through the whole, seeing nothing. He shrugged and tore the wall apart.

See? Hulk good sometimes.

Bruce sighed. "If you insist. Where was that shouting coming from, anyway?" he asked.

Other way.

Bruce turned half a circle.

Up stairs.

He went up the stairs. "This door?"

That is only door stairs lead to.

"Don't sass me."

Bruce opened the door to see a room in chaos with General Ross staring at him with a bunch of other people looking very alarmed and very armed. Bruce waved awkwardly. "Sorry to interrupt. I'll be going now."

"Wait a second, Banner!" Ross started.

Bruce slammed the door on the general's face, making the hinges shudder.

"That was fun."

Ross bad.

"That we agree on."

#bruce banner #thaddeus ross #general ross #hulk #the hulk #hulk thoughts #marvel #mcu #marvel fanfiction #mcu fanfiction #vii’s 12 days of winter writing

[cryinginsidebecauseofbrutasha]

Day 2: Plans for Chaos

Natasha and Maria stared down at the paper the new girl showed them, and looked back up at May stood behind the girl and another one, possibly younger.

“You want to organize… a surprise Christmas party… for Fury… and Coulson?” Maria asked slowly. “You realize they’re the directors of SHIELD for a reason?”

The girls named Daisy and Simmons nodded.

“And this is why we’ve asked the best spies SHIELD can offer to help us,” Simmons said.

May chuckled. “Flattery’s not going to work on these two. I’ve known them their entire career here. I watched Maria graduate.” She looked directly at the agent in question. “She was the only one who didn’t throw up her cap.”

Maria glared at May. “At least I invited you.”

“I would’ve came with or without the invitation,” the older agent said. “I went with Phil.”

Natasha nodded. “Yes, Phil, who was definitely not your date and not in love with you at the time.”

Daisy laughed but May glared at her and she stopped. “Sorry, Mom,” she muttered.

Natasha glanced between the two younger agents and May. “‘Mom’?” she mouthed.

May sent her a look that said ‘don’t ask’ in a very dark way.

“But anyways,” Simmons said, clapping her hands. “Basically, I’m going to ask some other people to help out as well, and Daisy and May are in charge of distracting Coulson. And I was hoping you would help with distracting Director Fury.”

Maria massaged her temples. “And why are we doing this again?”

“Because they need more problems and it’s Christmas!” Daisy answered cheerfully. “What better gift than a non-fatal problem?”

“An actual gift?” Natasha said. “You know, socks, a coffee maker, knives, ammunition; you know, useful stuff. You can get Coulson a bazooka.”

May waved her off. “He working on one with Fitz.”

Natasha shook her head. “Say we agree. Who else are you asking?” she asked.

“Peter Parker and his group of friends. Wanda. Vision.” Daisy looked to Simmons. “Who am I forgetting?”

“Princess Shuri.”

“No, she’s within Parker’s group.”

Daisy and Simmons muttered to each other before looking back up.

“That’s it for now,” Simmons said, Daisy nodding behind her.

-

MJ dialled up the last person on the list, Kate Bishop. “Hey.”

“Hi!” Kate was a year younger than MJ, but they’ve been friends ever since they met at the compound last year.

“We’re doing it,” MJ said, trying to bat away Peter, who was snooping on the phone.

“Really?” Kate asked excitedly. They’ve been talking about the party since Hallowe’en.

They had all met Director Coulson and Director Fury when they were in the first full Junior Avengers meeting, with Princess Shuri, Peter, MJ, Riri, and Yelena. Yelena was pretty miffed that she got stuck with the Juniors, but apparently Natasha had told her that she was ‘supervising’ them.

“Yeah. We’re having a meeting– hang on–” MJ broke off, listening to Peter whisper something in her ear– “Peter– ugh, fine.” She spoke to Kate. “Peter says to call it a ‘secret’ meeting. I don’t give a shit what you call it. It’s at the compound tomorrow in the residential wing.”

“Okay!”

“See you.” MJ hung up and looked at her frowning Peter. “What?”

“Nothing.” He flopped back onto her bed. “So. We’re organizing a secret party for the world’s best spies.”

MJ sent him a wry smile. “What kind of idiots would do that?”

“Graduating, sleep-deprived, super-heroing, MIT students,” Peter groaned, rolling over. “I have never been more tired.”

MJ spun in her chair. “They offered us an out when we graduated high school, Peter. It’s hardly their fault.”

“I’m not saying it was.” Peter studied her eyes. “Did you? Want to?”

“Not really,” MJ said. “I mean, I had my doubts. I definitely didn’t want to burn down our school campus. But we made it through. We’re graduating in–” she checked the countdown clock they had mounted on their wall– “five months, three weeks, and half a day. And we’ve done it.”

Peter nodded seriously before winking at her upside-down.

MJ laughed. “Don’t even start. Don’t distract me. I have to study.”

“You’re smart,” Peter grinned, rolling of the bed elegantly and dropping to sit by her feet. “My lovely girlfriend is going to ace her exams without even trying.”

“Shut up, Parker.”

“Talking to a mirror?” he teased.

MJ groaned and threw an eraser at him. “Don’t be an idiot.”

“Ow–” Peter plucked the eraser that fell into his hair. “Hey, just because I have spider-sense doesn’t mean I have common sense.”

“I can’t believe I’ve been dating you for five and a half years, you dummy,” she laughed.

“Neither can I!”

-

“We convene at the first annual meeting of the secret organization of the Fury-Coulson Christmas party,” Kate whispered.

“Why are we whispering?” Shuri asked in a hushed voice. “This is fun, but why?”

“Because it’s a secret meeting!” Peter said quietly.

“Screw this,” MJ said louder. “The walls are soundproof and I turned off the cameras.”

“Thank god,” Yelena sighed. “I hated it.”

“You haven’t said anything yet, though,” Wanda said, holding hands with her boyfriend, Vision.

Yelena shrugged.

Simmons stood at the head of the table with Leo Fitz, her husband. She clapped her hands happily. “Let’s review the plan.

“So, Peter, MJ, and Shuri are in charge of keeping the directors away from the party. Not distracting them like May, Daisy, Agent Hill or Agent Romanoff, but like that movie Home Alone.

“Kate and Yelena are in charge of the people involved and all the bad guys are disposed of for the night.

“Wanda and Vision, you guys cater food and drinks.

“Leo and I will be here if you have any questions but mostly we’d probably be wrapping gifts.” Simmons sighed happily. “All righty?”

Kate whooped but she stopped when everyone stared. “Sorry, it just felt like—” she shook her head. “Never mind.”

“Let’s set this plan in motion.”

#natasha romanoff #black widow #mcu #marvel #marvel mcu #marvel fanfic club #marvel fanfiction #spideychelle #peter parker #michelle jones #wandavision #wanda maximov #vision #princess shuri #kate bishop #yelena belova #plans for chaos #vii’s 12 days of winter writing