Rock-Bottom Runaway

United

"Still falling for the same trick after all these years..." A soothing voice hummed. With a slow, almost seductive walk, a woman appeared from behind the curtains, wrapped in a light green cover that sparkled. "The word spread quick that you'd arrived."
Bruce was frozen, staring in astonishment. All the time he had spent preparing for the moment he would see her again became obsolete.

"Bruce, I'm sorry that I did that so soon without you knowing, but I knew you'd escape and find me and - well - I'm so sorry I put you through that - We needed to run away - this was the only way without anyone knowing- you know I-" Natasha stopped herself and took a deep breath to compose herself. "I'm sorry."

Bruce hadn't listened to a word she said. Everything had become muted and slow motion. He didn't care about her excuses. He stared at her with wide mesmerised eyes. With a squeezing heart, his eyes watered. He ran forward and collided into a hug, spinning her around twice, then held her tightly and safely in his arms.
All that mattered was that she was alive, and with him again.

"I adore you..." He whispered, before smashing his lips against hers. Natasha deepened the kiss in harmony. Her hand drifted to his wrist out of habit to monitor his pulse, so she rubbed it gently to make sure it stayed neutral. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and she opened them after Bruce had slowly pulled back.

"I missed you..." She whispered against his lips. "We can be together... an escape away from everyone. Just you and me. Forever and always."

Bruce was speechless at how her entire plan had worked out. He felt frustration. An entire year he had spent suffering in a cage, watching the Hulk on television, learning to hate himself. He escaped the government once again and made his best friend take the hits. The pain and apprehensiveness he had gone through thinking about whether he had killed her or not. It was all selfish... but it was genius. They were free. Natasha was "dead", and Bruce was missing. They no longer had to answer to any calls to danger. They could live a happy life together like normal humans.

He gazed into her emerald green eyes and lifted one hand to stroke her hair behind her hair, then traced her jawline lightly.
"W-w we can finally be happy...?" He asked, like a lost child in need of clarification.

"Yes. I know this is a rough beginning, but our journey is yet to come." She whispered, pulling her lips into a smirk as she watched her lover's face lighten up. Bruce had no idea what was going through his mind, but the happiness outnumbered all of his other emotions.

Without thinking, the scientist dropped to one knee and held her hand in his.
He would get a ring sooner or later, but the moment was engraved in true love, and the throb of his heart drew him into a stream of words.

"Natasha Romanoff, I want to spend the rest of my life with you... Will you do the extraordinary honour of being my wife? Will you marry me?"

Natashas eyes sparkled as a coat of liquid covered them. Speechlessly she nodded and allowed the tears to steam down her face. She felt wanted, loved, like putty in his hands. He was the only one who made her feel truly human. The proposal was out of the blue and caught her by surprise, but no moment had ever been more full of bliss.

"Yes..." She eventually whispered, then fell to her knees beside him. He sat beside her and cradled her into his arms. She leant into his chest and let out a long sigh of relief.