Natasha is somewhat surprised by his concern, but maybe she shouldn’t be. Despite the rumours surrounding him, Bruce is one of the kindest men she’s ever met. She lowers her gaze and puffs an escaped lock of hair from her face, wondering if she has the energy to lie. She doesn’t —— the lies are exhausting her as surely as everything else, and she doesn’t want to lie to a man who has put a lot of trust in her.
❝ I guess so. Things have been —— well. I guess everything is beginning to catch up with me. ❞
Bruce isn’t fond of the familiarity that wrings his stomach at her words. Reality nipping at the heels an old, sad friendship Bruce has come to know. His calloused fingertips drag across the tabletop in haphazard patterns; they’d be calculations from numerous projects if he focuses hard enough, but the action is really just a diversion for himself so he doesn’t have to look Natasha in the eye. ( Her weariness reminds him of the girl he attacked on the helicarrier. He’s still trying to get over that. )
❝ And… you’ve chosen the kitchen as your resident thinking place at… quarter-past three in the morning? I hope you know Stark is usually up at this hour it could have been him pestering you right now.. ❞
❝ No, but I am considering, that maybe, ya know, they should have brought someone in to train me that wasn’t so …intimidating.❞
[ and she means that in the nicest way possible, of course. He’s friggin’ Bruce Banner after all, how she was supposed to focus on round-kicks when he was standing right in front of her— breathing, and being himself.]
with a skeptical shake of his head, a small, mirthful grin curls at his lips before he returns to her side in a proper stance loose fists up in front of his face, feet shoulder-width apart with his back foot turned outwards, knees bent. he’s only a little ( quite ) amused by her honesty.
❝ Come on. Back to first position. Focus on the kick and not me. I’m sure you’re bound to face things much more intimidating than me on you’re ops and I don’t want you stumbling every time your throw a kick. ❞
