The Ultimate Fix-It Fic

5| In The Flesh

It was Saturday evening now, and after another five hours of not-date on Friday, Natasha was staring down at the dress Pepper, Maria, and herself picked out months ago, on a shopping excursion.

Maria had held the dress up to Natasha's figure and made her try it on, all the while with Nat grumbling about how she didn't need another dress that she'd probably ruin the first time she wore it.

Natasha glanced at herself in the mirror now, smoothing down the front and checking her hair for what seemed like the millionth time. She sighed and decided to brush the stiff curls out into soft waves that ended at her shoulders.

A soft knock came from her door and Maria barged in, holding a little box. "Your boyfriend asked me to give this to you." She tossed it to Natasha, grinning.

"What–" Nat caught the box. "Bruce isn't my boyfriend!"

Maria snorted. "Right. Sure." She flopped onto Natasha's bed. "What's inside?"

Nat opened the little box to see a delicate gold chain with a green eye-shaped gem twinkling at her, the same green as her eyes, as she studied the necklace in the mirror.

Maria let out an appreciative whistle. "That's nice." She glanced at the box Natasha left on the duvet. "There's a note."

Nat picked up the little card that fit so snugly inside the box lid that she didn't notice.

Natasha, it read, since you gave me something meaningful, I decided to return the favour. This was something my mother passed on to me as a gift, hoping I'd give it to someone special one day. I think now it's a good time to give it to you, in case I die a terrible death by the AI that Tony and I are working on. -Bruce.

Nat hid a massive smile as she tucked the note and the necklace back into the box, then the box into her desk drawer.

"What, you aren't wearing it?" Maria asked incredulously.

Natasha nodded. "Let's go?" she asked, refusing to elaborate when Maria kept pestering her about the necklace.

-

Natasha stepped behind the counter at the open bar, beginning to make a drink when she saw Bruce at the staircase leading up to their rooms. He beelined for her, so she put some more stuff in.

"What's a nice girl like you doing in a dump like this?" he said like they were strangers in a bar somewhere, not who they were or who they were to each other.

Natasha sighed, playing along. "Fella done me wrong," she leaned onto the counter.

"Got a bad taste in men, kid."

"He's not so bad." Nat poured out their red martinis. "Well, he's got a temper. But deep down, he's all fluff." She watched Bruce as she sipped from her glass. "Truth is, he's not like anybody I've ever known."

When Bruce didn't say anything, she continued. "All my friends are fighters," she said, "and here comes this guy, spends his life running away from the fight 'cause he knows he'll win."

"Sounds amazing," the scientist deadpanned.

Natasha glanced at him, lips curving mischievously. "He's also a huge dork."

Bruce chuckled.

"Chicks dig that," Natasha added. "So, what do you think? Should I fight this, or uh... run with it?" The corners of her mouth tugged into an earnest smile.

"Run with it, right?" Bruce stammered. "Or did he– was he– what did he do that was so– wrong?"

Natasha leaned forwards, a small smirk on her face. "Not a damn thing," she said softly. "But never say never." Her eyes roved over him as he swallowed.

Across the room, Maria called Natasha and the moment was broken, so the agent grinned at the scientist one last time before heading over to her coworker.

Natasha sank down into an armchair next to Maria, sighing irritably. "Is it so hard to leave me alone for five goddamn minutes?" She muttered to the other woman. "I was busy."

"I could tell," Maria smirked. "You looked like you were having fun."

"I was," Nat grumbled. "Thanks a lot."

Clint dropped into the seat next to her. "Flirting with Banner again?"

"Shut up." Natasha covered her face with her hands. "I hate you."

Maria chuckled. "Don't worry, Barton. She hates me too." She took a sip of her wine. "So worth it."

An hour or so later, they were all gathered in the central area, where Thor was being called out by Clint, who said that the game was rigged.

Everyone had gone up other than Maria and Nat, so Bruce gestured to her. "And, Widow?"

"Oh, no. Thanks." Natasha gave a small smile. "I don't need the answer to that question."

But Maria started up a chant and got Clint and Tony into it. "Do it! Do it! Do–"

Nat threw a small rock decoration at the other agent's face. "Fine. You're all annoying." She got up and gripped the hammer, not even caring to use the strap. To her and everyone other than Bruce's surprise, she lifted it easily.

Thor sat up straight. "You're worthy." He breathed.

Natasha tried to hand it back fruitlessly; Thor was spluttering praises at her and started to cry. "Thor– no– I don't want–" she mumbled, feeling the cold humming of the hammer being pressed into her hands. "Thor–"

"You're the first person than me to lift it since the pronouncement from the All-Father, Odin, five years ago!" Thor said tearfully. "You're the most worthy of us all!"

Natasha felt a rare flush of either pride or embarrassment. "Thor," she said quietly. "Take the hammer or I'll use it to smash your guts out."

"I will take it with pride!"

"I'm not worthy!" Natasha protested. She felt something crawl up her spine... invade her mind...

A metallic voice crept into the room, stilling and silencing everyone. "'Worthy'," it mused. "No, how could you be worthy? You're all killers."

Steve started towards the metal creature that came out between the wall and the stairs and forced hiself to stop. "Stark."

"JARVIS." Tony deflected, calling to his assistant.

"I'm sorry, I was asleep." The creature rubbed his face, which seemed to be a discarded piece of the Iron Legion. "Or... I was a dream?"

Tony muttered something: "Reboot. Legionnaire 06's got a buggy suit."

"There was this... terrible noise... and I was tangled in... in... strings. Had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy."

"You killed someone?" Natasha distantly heard someone say. She couldn't recall who, later.

"Wouldn't've been my first call. But, down in the real world, we're faced with ugly choices." The creature shrugged.

"Ultron?" Bruce breathed, standing next to Natasha.

She gripped his arm, trying to hold onto reality. The hammer, she realized, was trying to breach her mind, see if she was in earnest, worthy.

The creature didn't have a mouth, but Nat got the sense he smiled.

"In the flesh."