𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝗳- ʙʀᴜᴄᴇ ʙᴀɴɴᴇʀ

She calms the raging storm

It had been a while since Bruce's first date with Emily, and things had slowly started to feel... manageable. He found comfort in their easygoing conversations and in her ability to understand when he needed space. Tonight, they'd decided on something casual: a stroll through the city, grabbing food from different food stalls as they talked. Bruce found himself almost enjoying it-until something went terribly wrong.

They were walking through a busier part of the city when, without warning, a man rushed by, snatching Emily's purse from her shoulder. She barely had time to react, but Bruce was already in motion.

"Hey!" Emily shouted, shocked but too far behind.

Bruce's mind raced, heart pounding as he sprinted after the thief. His first instinct was to catch the man, retrieve Emily's purse, and handle the situation like anyone else would. But as he turned a corner, following the thief down an increasingly narrow alley, he could feel the adrenaline coursing through him.

The alley grew darker and more isolated. Bruce kept his eyes locked on the thief, who finally stopped in the shadows, tossing the purse aside as two other men stepped out from the darkness, smirking.

"Well, look what we've got here," one of them sneered, arms crossed over his chest. "You really think you're gonna walk out of here, hero?"

Bruce glanced around, the realization of what he'd walked into dawning on him. They had set him up-led him into a trap. The streetlights barely flickered in this part of town, and the alley was so cramped it felt like the walls were closing in.

Bruce's pulse spiked. He knew what this kind of pressure could lead to, and he needed to stay calm.

*Breathe*, he told himself. *Don't lose it here. Not now.*

But the frustration gnawed at him-the audacity of these men, the feeling of being cornered, the threat looming over him. His body started to react against his will. His muscles tensed, expanding painfully against the fabric of his shirt. His vision flickered with green.

One of the men moved closer, pulling a knife from his jacket and pointing it at Bruce. "Hand over everything you got, and maybe we'll let you walk out of here."

Bruce clenched his fists. The change was coming, his control slipping. His breathing became ragged, his body twitching as the transformation started creeping in.

"Guys... you really don't want to do this," Bruce warned, his voice low and strained. His hands were shaking now, the skin of his knuckles darkening to a greenish hue, and his shoes groaned under the pressure of his growing feet.

Before the men could react, Emily appeared at the mouth of the alley, having finally caught up.

"Bruce!" she called out, gasping for breath. She looked at the scene in front of her-the thieves, the knife, and Bruce, who was... changing.

Her eyes widened in horror. Bruce's normally calm brown eyes had flashes of vivid green, and his muscles bulged unnaturally, stretching his clothes. His breathing was shallow and rapid, his body trembling as if barely holding back a surge of power.

Emily froze, staring at him. She had no idea Bruce was... *this*.

"Bruce?" she whispered, taking a cautious step forward.

He tried to control it, but the stress was overwhelming. He was about to lose it, about to hulk out right in front of Emily, the one person he had been trying to keep this side of him hidden from.

The lead thief, oblivious to the danger, jabbed the knife toward Bruce's chest. "What's the matter? Scared now? Gonna cry for help?"

That was all it took.

With a roar, Bruce's arm shot out, grabbing the man by the wrist and throwing him against the alley wall like a rag doll. The force of it cracked the bricks behind him. The other two thugs backed up, their bravado crumbling as they saw Bruce's half-transformed state.

His skin was greener now, and his shirt had torn at the seams as his muscles bulged. His breath came in heavy, dangerous pants, his fists clenched tight. He was nearly there-on the edge of fully becoming the Hulk.

Emily stood frozen, her heart racing as she processed what she was seeing. She wanted to help him, to calm him, but she had no idea how to reach him like this.

"Bruce," she called, her voice steady but desperate. "Bruce, listen to me."

He looked at her, his eyes glowing bright green, his chest heaving. For a second, it seemed like he didn't recognize her. His face twisted in frustration and pain, caught between his human form and the unstoppable force of the Hulk.

"Bruce," Emily repeated, stepping closer, though her own fear trembled at the edges of her voice. "I'm here. It's okay. You're safe. I'm safe."

Her words cut through the haze of rage, and Bruce's breathing began to slow, just slightly. The glow in his eyes dimmed, his muscles shrinking back, though not completely. He was struggling-fighting an internal war to remain in control.

"I... I'm trying," Bruce choked out, his voice deeper, strained. He stepped back, forcing his body to calm down, though his entire form trembled with the effort.

The two remaining thieves, wide-eyed with terror, saw their chance and bolted from the alley, leaving their comrade unconscious on the ground.

Emily slowly approached Bruce, watching as his breathing evened out, his green-tinged skin gradually fading back to its usual tone. He stood hunched, gripping his knees as he tried to regain control.

"Bruce," she said softly, standing beside him now. "You don't have to do this alone."

He looked up at her, still panting, but slowly returning to himself. "I didn't want you to see this," he muttered, ashamed.

Emily knelt beside him, placing a hand on his arm. "I'm not scared of you. I'm here, okay?"

Bruce nodded, though his gaze remained downcast. He couldn't believe what had almost happened-how close he'd come to losing control again, right in front of her.

"Let's get out of here," Emily said gently. "We'll talk about it when you're ready."

Bruce nodded again, and together, they left the alley. But as they walked, Bruce couldn't shake the fear that the next time, he wouldn't be able to stop himself in time.