Imagine If You Assembled The Avengers: Volume 2

Hulk Not Fluffy (Banner/Hulk x reader)

"What's with the nerves, Banner?" you smiled, leaning towards Bruce and resting your head on his shoulder as he sat next to you on the quinjet. He only shrugged and murmured some sort of half-convincing answer, shaking his head before leaning it over to rest on yours. "Hey, seriously, what's going on?"

"I just don't feel up to seeing the Other Guy today, I suppose. I haven't needed to in a while, and guess I was hoping to keep it that way a little longer."

"You want me to talk to Cap?"

"No," he quickly retorted, sitting up straight again, "no, please don't. The last thing I need is for my girlfriend to fight my battles. Tony would never let that die, I guarantee it."

"I'm not fighting your battles, Bruce. I'm merely offering to help," you sighed, sitting up in kind and pulling your gloves on to gather your battle gear when Clint called out the alert for landing. "What good is it to have Steve as a best friend if I can't get a few favors out of the guy, am I right?"

Bruce turned to you with a look of surprise and feigned hurt, slapping his hand to his chest in shock, "I'm not your best friend? Oh, the pain...it's too much..."

"Oh, shut it," you smirked, "you're my best everything else."

~~~

No matter how long you and Bruce had been together, and no matter how many missions had come and gone, you would never get used to seeing the transformation into the Hulk, and the pain in his eyes with each one. It was a pain that stayed with him even as that other persona, only becoming more apparent each time he was near you; Bruce's fear of hurting anyone was well-known and something that he struggled to hold on to when he was the Hulk, but the fear of hurting you superseded the rest.

"Status," Steve called out to the group as the action began to die down.

"I'm heading to the jet to fire it up," Clint replied. "We should be good to go here."

"Starving and ready to blow this popsicle stand, Cap...sicle."

"Tony, I swear you're at the top of your game," you chuckled. "You're so punny."

"I could teach you a thing or two, sweetheart."

"No, please don't," Steve sighed, "one of you is about all I can-"

"Hey, guys," Natasha broke in, "I need a little help on the north ridge. The lullaby isn't working."

"I'm on it," you called back, breaking into a sprint. "Nat, what's your read on his mood?"

"Um...Hulk smash?"

"Well, yeah, but I was kinda asking if he was trying to smash you in particular."

"Not yet," she grunted, dropping to a knee to avoid a tree flying just over her head. "But I'm having to duck an awful lot, if you get my meaning."

"I'm right behind you, kiddo," Tony called out, swinging an arm around your waist and lifting you to him as he flew up next to you and continued towards the ridge. "Steve's moving in from the other side and Clint's in the air if we need him."

"For what? To shoot him down? You know that doesn't work."

"No, of course not," he scoffed. "It's to get you guys the hell outta here if I have to call in Veronica."

"I'm not gonna let that happen, Tony," you argued. "Guys, listen, when I get there I want everyone to fall back. Tony's going to drop me off and I want you all to clear the area. Leave him to me, do you copy?"

"No way," Steve replied immediately, "if the lullaby isn't working, I don't have a guarantee that you'll be safe, even if it is Bruce in there. (Y/N), I'm not leaving you alone."