Staring is Caring: Brutasha

Chapter 17

The final chapter has come :(. Sorry, it had to end so soon. It's extra long because I wanted it to have a somewhat bonus section to what happens after they [blank] each other [blank]. To fill in those blanks you'll have to read the story ;).

Bruce's POV:

I feel Natasha's steady rise and fall of her chest and feel her breath brush against my neck. I smile to myself and stop rubbing her back, now certain she is asleep. I move my glasses from my pocket and to the table next to the couch just to ensure they don't break while I sleep. I close my eyes knowing there is no place I'd rather be.

I wake up when I feel Nat start to twitch in my arms. At first, I'm more confused than worried but the movements become more violent.

"Natasha?" My voice is a weird mixture of loud and quiet.

Nothing changes.

"Natasha!" My voice grows and I slightly shake her.

Instead of improving the situation, I seem to have made it worse.

"Shit," I mumble. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make it worse, Tasha."

I decide I might need to move her so she has more space, so I lift her up and slip under. Now she's on top of my chest giving her plenty of space to breathe.

She curls up, bringing her knees close to her chest.

I can't handle this. I start to call her name, slowly getting louder. I start to rub her back trying to soothe her which seems to help.

Soon she wakes up with tears streaming down her face.

"Natasha?" I whisper.

I feel her pull at my shirt and bury her face in my chest.

I don't want to push so I continue to rub her back and run my hand through her hair.

For what feels like twenty minutes, she continues to silently sob into my chest. I continue to not ask any questions. I only talk when she lifts her head and I can hear her cry. I tell her "I'm here and will always be."

Finally, her tears slow and she moves further up my body and rests her head under my chin. I kiss her head and bend my neck so I can plant a kiss on her tear-stained cheek.

After a few minutes of silence, my curiosity takes over. "Are you okay?" I ask.

I feel her slightly shake her head.

Silence.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Nothing.

"Okay, I'm here if you do. I promise you I will never leave."

"You died," I hear her mumble.

"What?" I question, caught by surprise.

"I watched you die. It was my fault too."

I don't know what to say so I rub her back and plant another kiss on the top of her head. I wrap the arm that isn't rubbing her back around her, keeping her where she is.

Finally, words come to my mind. "There is nothing you could do that would physically harm me. Of course, you could always leave me, but as long as you were happier with them, I'd be okay."

I think I hear her laugh. "Don't be an idiot, Doctor. There is no other guy who would have listened to me describe my past and still sleep next to me."

I smile. "That's good 'cause I'm pretty sure I have separation issues after traveling to Sakaar as The Hulk."

She turns to face me giving me the chance to kiss her. So I do. I kiss her forehead, I kiss her cheeks, I kiss her nose, her neck, and then her lips.