Bruce and Natasha were talking while walking back to the compound after a coffee date, a weekly occurrence since they made their relationship public. Natasha was holding onto his arm, and he was chuckling at a joke she made.
All of the sudden it had started raining and they didn't have an umbrella, just their normal jackets.
"Oh, shoot," Bruce mumbled. He was about to run until Natasha slowed them to a walk. He turned toward her to see his girlfriend smiling at the sky in an almost childlike wonder.
She had told him that she didn't have much of a childhood aside from the two years she spent in Ohio. Natasha said her favorite thing besides fireflies was the rain. She and her sister, Yelena would play outside when it rained and just be kids. Since then, she had always loved the rain.
Bruce couldn't keep himself from smiling as he watched her. The smile was still on her face as they continued their walk. He took her hand from his arm and she looked at him, water dripping from her face. He decided to take her by surprise and twirl her under his arm. She stated laughing and Bruce knew it was partly from shock and the other was happiness.
Her laughter was contagious, and he found himself chuckling and his smile getting bigger. He tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear when she faced him.
He was helplessly in love with her and fell harder in that moment.
Natasha stepped closer to him and he kissed her. Before either one of them could deepen it, a clap of thunder was heard and they parted, then spirted toward the compound.
When they got back, the two were soaked to the bone, but Bruce didn't care. Natasha having one moment of happiness and freedom to completely be herself was worth it.
He could see her put her walls back up before they entered the building, and he felt a sadness wash over him. But he also knew it was a force of habit from her time in the Red Room, where they taught her to never show her emotions, at least around others.
Natasha once told Bruce that she only let her walls down around Clint and then at some point, around him.
When Bruce had showered and changed, and was about to leave his room, he heard a knock on the door. When he opened it, he was happy to see it was Natasha, whose hair was slightly wet, and was wearing different clothes.
"Hey," he said, unable to keep the smile off his face.
"Hey. Can I come in?"
"Sure."
As soon as she was in his room, he saw her relax her shoulders, a sign that she was comfortable.
When he shut the door and turned to face her, she walked closer and pressed her lips to his. He broke it when his head began to pound, a sign that Hulk wanted out. Bruce had to take a few breaths and Natasha cupped his face to calm him down.
"When was the last time you let him out," she asked.
"When you did the lullaby a few days ago." Their method to calm the Hulk down had gotten stronger since Ultron tried to take over the world. All he remembered was hearing her voice and then de-hulking on Tony's quinjet. Natasha saw the whole thing and instructed Bruce on how to fly the jet back.
He's brought back to present day when he hears her speak.
"I just need you to know that earlier... I felt safe with you. I've never let anyone except Yelena, Alexei and Melina see that side of me. It's easy to be open around you." He knew this was a big step for her, so he listened while she continued. "A few months ago, I was afraid you'd break my heart, but I'm not anymore. I'm done putting up my walls around you."
"I adore you," he said.
"I adore you too," she replied.
They didn't need to say the word "love," because for them "adore" was the same thing, just with a stronger meaning.
Her hands fall from his face and he hugs her to him. Soon they start swaying to no music.
When her eyes meet his he sees a glimmer of the same look as when they were in the rain. Then he sees her walls fall all the way and he twirls her under his arm again, making her laugh. He smiles as he brings her back to him.
He hears Tony blast the song "Fearless" by Taylor Swift from somewhere in the compound. It was usually done to annoy Clint, but in that moment the lyrics fit.
Note: Inspired by the song "Fearless" by Taylor Swift.
