Beauty and The Beast ~ Hulk Love Story ((Book 2))

Chapter Two

**Aero's POV**

"Hi Bruce..." I said shyly. He lifted his head to look at me. He had an uneasy smile on his face. I returned it. I bit the inside of my lip. I wanted to run into his arms and hug him, like I had the other avengers, but I was unsure if I should.

"Hey Aero..." His voice made my heart skip a beat. My cheeks started to burn. He opened his arms a bit waiting for a hug. My heart swelled in joy. I dashed at him trying to keep my super speed under control, but  failing due to my excitement and nervousness. I wrapped my arms around his sides as I hugged him tightly. He wrapped his arms around me just as tight. My head rested on his chest. I could hear his heart beating fast as well. His cologne filled my nose. He smelt amazing. "I've missed you..." He mumbled lowly almost as if he didn't want me to hear.

"I've missed you too..." I replied just as quietly. His muscles tensed for a moment. I chuckled a bit at his reaction. I pulled away from the hug a bit. I smiled up at him. "So the cotton candy Frappe is for you right?" I teased. He chuckled a bit shaking his head. I smiled brightly at Bruce.

"Aero," Tony's voice caught my attention. I looked over at him. "There's another reason We came..." He started. I pulled my eyebrows into a frown. I slipped out of Bruce's arms and turned to Tony fully. "We need you... There's a hydra base... I tried to keep you out of the Avengers as much as possible. I know you wanted a break, But we need you." Tony told me. I let out a soft sigh looking back at Bruce.

"Okay," I nodded my head back at Tony. "But... I have to work-" I was cut off by the shop phone ringing loudly again. I held up one finger telling them to wait. I picked up the phone. "Dream Bean Coffee Shop, this is Aero. How can I help you?" I resisted the greeted I had been trained to say.

"Hey Aero, Its Michael." The owner said from the other side of the phone. "So... I just talked with Tony. I'm gonna come in and cover you. You need to go help the Avengers." He told me. Michael was an Ex-Agent of SHIELD meaning he knew about me and the others.

"Yes Sir," I told him. I hung up the phone and looked back at Tony with Narrowed eyes. He smiled innocently. "Let me just get my things... And I gotta go by my apartment." I told him. My hands on my hips.

"Okay, We're gonna take these..." He began laying money on the counter and picking up one of the drink carriers. He handed it off to Clint. "And Bruce can walk you to your apartment. I'll send Happy with the car in like an hour, Okay?" He grabbed the other drink carrier leaving one of the black coffees sitting on the counter. I rolled my eyes as the others left.

"I'll just be a second, Bruce." I told him before disappearing into the back. Rosalyn was doing inventory.

"Oh, Hey Ro." Rosalyn called me by my nickname. I smiled at her before going to my locker. "What's going on?" She hopped up from her spot on the floor.

"something came up... Michael is gonna come in to help you. I gotta go for a bit..." I tried to give her as little detail as possible. I pulled my jacket, Phone, and purse out of the locker. "I'll see ya..." I waved before going back out to the front of the shop. "Alright, lets go." I told Bruce.

"Lead the way." He opened the door for me. I smiled at him before leading him to my apartment, which was about 2 blocks up from the coffee shop. "How have you been?" Bruce struck up conversation as we walked.

"Pretty good, I love working at the coffee shop. And my apartment is pretty nice." I told him. I was looking over my shoulder a bit to talk to him. I felt myself being jerked backwards. I stumbled and fell into Bruce's arms. A car zipped past us. I blinked a few times.

"Are you okay?" Bruce's voice was laced with concern. I looked up into his deep brown eyes. I felt my heart flutter again. I nodded my head a bit. He let me go slowly making sure I was secure on my feet. "You almost walked into traffic..." He told me.

"I'm such a dunce sometimes." I giggled as I bonked my own head. He let out a soft sigh. "Come on, We're almost there." I grabbed his hand lacing our fingers together. I tugged him across the crosswalk. He followed me closely.

"Bruce..." I said slowly once I was done packing the things I was going to need. He was sitting on my couch just looking at the ground. He lifted his head as I sat next to him. "Can... Can we talk about when I left?" I asked slowly. concern washed over his face.

"Sure, Aero..." He nodded. I paused looking down at my hands. I was unsure of what to say or how to say it. I let out a huff of frustrated air. Bruce's hand came into view as he gently laid it on mine.

"Bruce... I..." I looked up at him. "I think..." I shook my head. I tried to control my nerves. "I know... I love you... I... I didn't know If you could even love me back... I... I..." I lost my words. My head fell again. I held my eyes closed tightly. I was expecting him to draw back to want to run. But his hand remained on top of mine.

"I..." He started. I held my breath as my heart skipped a beat in fear. "I love you too..." His voice was quiet. My head shot up to look into his eyes. He was dead serious. My heart filled with excitement and joy. "I guess Tony was right." He joked. I shook my head at the thought of my best friend. It was silent for a second. We were just starring into each other's eyes. "Can... Can I kiss you..." He asked shyly. I nodded unable to find my words. My cheeks heated up with a blush. His hand found its place on side of my face. His thumb gently caressing my cheek. We both leaned. My eyes fell closed. I could feel his warm breath dancing on my face. His lips gently touched mine. Fireworks went off in my mind. He pulled away long before I was ready for him to. A small smile hung on his lips. I bit my lip a bit trying to hide the ear to ear grin that threatened to crawl onto my face.

**Bruce's POV**

I sat on the black leather couch in Aero's apartment. I was in my own thoughts while Aero gathered the things that she needed. "Bruce..." Her voice was soft and sweet. I pulled my eyes away from the spot on the floor I had been unknowingly been starring at. I turned towards her. I couldn't help but to take note of how beautiful she was. Her long black hair was pulled into a tight ballerina bun on the top of her head. She only had on a bit of eye make-up. She had changed out of her work in clothes. She wore a pair of tight black leggings and a light pink long sleeve muscle shirt. She sat down next to me. "Can... Can we talk about when I left?" She asked. She sounded nervous. I couldn't help but to worry where the conversation was going.

"Sure, Aero..." I nodded anyways. Aero didn't say anything at first. She just starred down at her hands that were folded in her lap. Her face was covered in worry, nervousness, and frustration. She let out a huff of air. I could see a battle going on inside of her. I reached over placing my hand on her small ones.

"Bruce... I..." Aero looked up at me with the softest green eyes I've ever seen. "I think..." She began but stopped herself. She shook her head disagreeing with what she had said. Her hands coiled into tight fist under my hand. "I know... I love you... I... I didn't know If you could even love me back... I... I..." Her voice stopped. Her head hung again. Her hands relaxed under mine. Her green eyes were shut tight. She sat there almost like she anticipated me to pull away. I just starred at her. My mind still trying to wrap around what she had just said.

"I..." I started to speak but found it hard to use my words. My heart pounded in my ears again. I remembered all the time we spent together on the helicarrier. The way she didn't flinch away from the Hulk. The feeling of her wrapped in my arms earlier at the coffee shop. There wasn't a doubt in my mind. "I love you too..." My voice came out quiet. Her eyes met mine quickly. She checked my face for any form of joke. I could see the joy behind her emerald green eyes. "I guess Tony was right." I joked thinking about Tony telling me that she liked me. She shook her head lightly. The room fell silent for a second. We were just starring into each other's eyes. "Can... Can I kiss you..." I couldn't believe I had asked that. I didn't regret it for a second when I saw her nod. A light pink blush dusted her cheeks. I cupped the side of her face. My thumb gently caressing her soft cheek. We both leaned in. My eyes closed slowly. Her breath smelt of cinnamon. My lips gently touched hers. Her lips were as soft as they looked. My heart was doing flips in my chest. A small smile hung on my lips once we parted. She bit her lip in the cutest way. A smile threaten to form on her lips.