Beauty and The Beast ((Bruce Banner/Hulk love))

Chapter 12 (EDITED)

**Aero's POV**

The flight had taken longer than expected since we had the detour with Thor in the woods. Thankfully, after we were back in the air, the flight back to the helicarrier didn't take much longer. Fury had instructed me to take Loki, and around 10 guards to 'The Cage' located deep in the ship. My brain was still in mission mode as I led the small parade of people through the helicarrier towards our destination. When Loki was securely locked into the cage, and Fury was on his way into the room, I left. I headed back up to my room, desperate to free myself from my utility uniform again. I wasn't sure why I didn't find a more comfortable one, but I hadn't yet. I changed into a pair of black joggers and a Shield shirt. I let out a silent sigh and sped off to the conference room where all of the other 'avengers' would be meeting to listen to Fury talk to Loki. When I entered the room, Natasha gave me a slightly disappointed look since I had not come straight from the cage to the conference room.

" Sorry, Am I late?" I joked ignoring the look she was giving me. I plopped myself into one of the chairs at the round conference table with a small audible thud, metal bones and all. Thor stood a few feet away from the table directly across from where I had sat down. He was facing away from the table though I was unsure why. Natasha sat a seat over to my right, looking directly at the screen that showed Fury in the room with Loki. Steve was seated about 4 seats over to my left, also watching the screen in front of him. I gave Bruce - who was standing between me and Cap- a small smile before looking down at my own holographic screen. "Built for something a lot stronger than you." Fury growled back at Loki about the cage he was in. The cage had been designed for the Hulk if he were to hulk out and put the helicarrier in danger, though I hoped we didn't have to use it any time soon.

"Oh, I've heard..." Loki's voice flooded the room. He turned towards the camera, almost looking directly at us, which gave me an odd feeling. I didn't really like the eye contact from him. "A mindless beast makes play that he's still a man," Loki took a cheap shot at Bruce. I felt the air tense around me. Anger rushed through my veins at Loki's fowl mouth, he had no room to talk, here he was the monster. I tried to hide it as I looked up at Bruce, who looked a bit nervous or maybe hurt by the comment. I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but he was unable to even pretend like the comment had not bugged him. "How desperate are you..." Loki continued. "You call on such lost creatures to defend you." Loki was taking shots at all of us now. I held back a growl that threatened to rumble from my chest. I tried to ignore the rest of Loki and Fury's talk knowing it would only annoy me further. I watched the others as they listened quietly with tension that hung in the air. The screen suddenly vanished, telling me the conversation was over. I glanced around at the others trying to read their faces for the moment.

"He really grows on you," Bruce said in a sarcastic tone which caused me to have to place my hand over my mouth to suppress the feeling of laughter in my chest.

"Loki is going to drag this out," Steve said to us. His eyes just barely moved from where the screen used to be. "So, Thor, what's his play?" Steve turned his attention to the asgardian standing with his back to us. Thor went on about some army that i didn't catch the name of, the Chitauri - I think . I was distracted by Bruce who had begun to pace back and forth beside me. I watched as you could practically see the gears turning in his head. "An Army? from outer space?" Steve tried to wrap his head around the concept Thor had given him. Which was pretty funny for a man who had only recently been pulled from being encased in ice for 70 years.

"So he's building another portal?" Bruce questioned. He fiddled with his glasses between his fingers. I couldn't help but notice his muscles that were very easy to see through his shirt. His arms were well toned though they were only faintly hidden under his purple dress shirt. The sleeves rolled up to the elbow and the top couple buttons were undone. His brown slacks held nicely to his butt. I shook my head snapping myself out of my daze, I should be focused on what we were talking about - the impending war on the earth- not Bruce Banner's butt. I pushed away my thoughts and tried to catch up in the conversation about what Loki could possibly have planned. I caught the worried look Natasha was giving me, She must've noticed me zoning out, but I could almost promise it wasn't for any reason she could think of. I waved off her worry trying to refocus myself on the important information that was being bounced around. "I don't think we should be focusing on Loki... That guy's brain is a bag full of cats. You can smell crazy on him." Bruce said, reclaiming my attention. It was true, Loki was a wild card and trying to figure him out was going to take too long.