Book One: A Wolf Among Beasts

Chapter Ten

Bruce stands watching Eli tinker under her truck, it had started making some weird noises on the way back from their road trip and she's been fiddling with it most days since they came back a week ago, he's barely seen her, well he's not seen her as much as he's wanted to. He smiles though, her bare legs poking out from under the truck.

"How's she looking?" Bruce asks, Eli pushes herself out, revealing that she's only wearing a bikini top and some shorts and her biker boots.

"Well...she's not in the best of shape" she answers standing. "Considering she's like....200 years old" she teases, Bruce clears his throat and gives her a look before looking around and stepping closer.

"So are you" he teases boxing her in against the side of the truck. "And you look...amazing for someone your age" she grabs his shirt and pulls him closer, since their trip he's been a lot more open with PDA, and the other guy, Hulk's been quiet, even according to Bruce, which means that Eli's talk with him sunk in, at least for now, and it means that Bruce is willing to push just that little more, testing the Hulk just a little bit more. He lets kisses linger longer, he touches her more, flesh on flesh, and his lets his watch beep just that little bit too long before pulling away. She pulls back and straightens his shirt a little.

"I've actually been meaning to thank you since we returned" she tells him pressing her hand over his heart.

"Thank me?" he asks her, she lifts her eyes to his.

"You were so afraid, so worried, so upset when you saw me get hurt, that you, and he, jumped to defend me, to avenge me, no one except for my brother has ever done that for me" she strokes his face and smiles. "I know you don't like him" he shakes his head. "But I do" she wraps her arms around his neck. "He...'saved' me" Bruce sighs a little and nods.

"Well guess I can't be that upset about him coming out that once" he grumbles reluctantly and kisses her softly.

"It's the middle of the day" she offers. "Thought you'd be off doing your science thing" she comments.

"Well I came to ask you if you wanted some lunch" he offers brushing oil from her cheek. "I made that Peruvian dish you like" she hums a little and nods.

"I can spare an hour or two" she grabs a cloth from the side and wipes oil off the rest of her skin, smearing it more like, it doesn't go very far, she sighs and shakes her head, Bruce smirks a little and takes the cloth from her.

"Why don't you take a shower at mine?" he asks taking over, but the oil is really stuck on her. "We can take the rest of the day to relax in the sun" she smirks a little and pulls him closer.

"Why Dr. Banner if I didn't know any better I would think you were trying to get me into your flat and naked" she teases, he chuckles and kisses her before she pulls back. "But I do know better" she lowers her arms. "And thank you for the offer, lunch sounds great, but I think I should shower at home" she takes the cloth back off of him.

"Eli" he starts.

"It's okay, Bruce, we talked about this, and I agreed not to wave temptation in your face" she steps away from him. "I'll meet you back at yours once I've showered and changed" she kisses his cheek before walking away. They had talked about the sexual side of things and she had agreed she would try to do better, to control her primal aspect around him, and though he's closer to her, more comfortable with the PDA, he's just not ready to go the whole way yet, if ever, he can't trust himself, even if she heals he still can't bring himself to risk it be him that hurts her. He takes a breath and then heads towards his apartment.

......................

Eli sits across from Bruce as they eat, she's wearing jeans and a long shirt this time, covered, her hair pulled back onto the top of her head. She pokes at the rice on her plate, Bruce makes notes in his book at his side. It's quiet but...sort of comfortable, there is still a tension, a need sparking between them. Bruce can feel it to, creeping along his spine, but he can fight it. He's just worried she can't. She is a primal being and how long can she go before she moves on to someone else to fill that need. And he knows that'll hurt. So he has a choice, do it himself or...accept that she will get it from somewhere else.

"Maybe we should take a few days" he offers looking to her, she frowns a little.

"We just got back" she argues. "And we both work" she adds.

"So we can't take the next weekend?" he asks her closing his book. "The plant isn't open then anyway, and you pretty much work whenever you feel like it" she taps her fork against her plate and studies him.

"What's going on, Bruce?" she asks him setting the fork down. "So far I've had to talk you into going away...." he sighs a little and takes her hand.

"Eli" he starts. "I just want to spend time with you, is that such a bad thing?" he asks, she squeezes his hand.

"Of course not....but you're lying" she pulls her hand back and smirks. "Bruce, I can hear your heart beating, and there is a shift in pheromones when people lie" he looks down and smiles.

"Fine" he whispers and then nods before looking to her.

"Bruce" she starts sensing his nerves. "You can talk to me, you know that, right?" she asks him. "I'm not going to judge you or make fun or you or yell at you"

"I know" he assures her taking her hand again. "This is just..." he pulls her hand closer and kisses the back of it before lowering it. "I would like to be...intimate with you" he admits. "Just..."

"We don't have to" she argues. "I told you I was fine with things the way they are"

"Yes, you are 'fine' with things the way they are" he agrees. "But fine is not happy, Eli" he argues though. "I want you to be happy to be with me...not fine with it" he offers, she watches him.

"I am happy" she argues, he gives her a look and she sighs. "I'm not saying it's perfect, but you don't want to do that because you feel you have to"

"I don't want to have sex with you?" he asks shooting her a look, she smirks and looks down.

"Okay, so....it's not about want....it's about....can't" she turns his hand over revealing his wrist, and his watch. "Remember?" she asks him. He covers the watch with his other hand and sighs. "Tell me why you're saying this" she asks of him. He plays with her fingers a moment, thinking, trying to figure out how to word it without insulting them both. He stops and takes a steadying breath.

"You're...primal, Eli, I'm just...there are aspects of you that...crave touch, that craves...." he sighs and stands clearing the plates from the table setting them into the sink.

"You really think I'll go looking somewhere else?" she asks him standing. "For someone else?" he sighs and shrugs. She moves to him and touches his shoulder before she curls her arms around him, resting her head on his back. He touches her arm and closes his eyes. "Bruce" she whispers. "I would never" she assures him. "I may be an animal...." he turns to face her. "But wolves are monogamous" she kisses his cheek and then walks away, Bruce watches her as she crouches to ruffle Ricky's face in her hands, Bruce smiles.

"Now I want to even more" he comments, Eli stands and frowns at him. "Have sex with you" he offers.

"Bruce, no" she warns. "Okay, we're not talking about this any more, we're not doing it"

"I thought you'd want this" he offers quietly.

"I do" she assures him. "But....but if something happened, if....Hulk came out because of it. Then I don't want you to hate me for it" Bruce looks to her softly.

"Eli" he moves to her.

"You were so worried about something happening, if it does....I don't want you to see that every time you look at me" he brushes his hand over her cheek and she leans into it.

"So we go slow" he offers. "And if it looks like something might happen....we stop" she searches his eyes, he nods. "I promise no matter what happens we'll be fine" he promises, she nods a little.

"But, on my terms" she warns. "Let me plan this, let me make sure....."

"Whatever you want" he interrupts pulling her closer, she kisses him softly.