She's Mine) Romanogers

Part 2) Lab Rat

Nat P.O.V.

I ran up the stairs with my coffee in hand, trying to wipe the smile off of my face and the blush from my cheeks. I loved spending time with him, as much as I was always fighting it. The last thing I needed was everyone knowing about us being together, it could be a weakness exploited by those against us... and deep down, I think people knew I didn't deserve him. The sobering thought replaying in my mind had my facial expressions schooled back to neutral by the time I reached Bruce's lab.

"Hey Banner," I called as I walked into the room, "whatcha need?"

"Nat," he stammered as he stood up, clearly a bit startled by my sudden entrance. I forgot how engrossed he would get into his work sometimes, I probably should have been more careful not to spook him. "Glad you're here, I wanted to get that scan going on you."

"I figured," I sighed, "can I still drink the coffee while you do it?"

"Yes," he mumbled as he put his attention back to his screen. Something was a bit off with him, I could feel it. Yes, Banner was normally socially awkward and aloof, but he seemed so tense and nervous, he wasn't looking me in the eyes... like I said, something was off. "Uhh, hop up on that table."

I did as directed, watching him very carefully and studying the surroundings to see what was off. Hoping it didn't have anything to do with the scan I was about to receive. "So, what is the point of this again?"

"We need better baselines, and I've created a safe wavelength to get a more comprehensive imaging of internal bodily structures," he answered, wheeling over a large box with a lens, very similar to a normal x-ray machine.

"Have you tested it on anything organic yet?" I asked, looking it over like an opponent rather than the machine it was.

"Yes, it's perfectly safe," he shot back, clearly a tad offended I would call his work into question. He then pulled out another tray full of needles and test tubes.

"And you're going to take my blood?" I whined, not expecting that.

"Part of a complete diagnostic image of your baseline," he tentatively reached out and pulled my arm, pulling the sleeve up and getting a tourniquet ready. "There was also another reason I called you up here," he added under his breath as he ducked his head.

"And what would that be, Banner?" I tilted my own head to the side to try and see what his face was doing, but he bent down further as he cleaned and prepped a vein as his mop of hair obscured my view.

He mumbled something inaudible, so quiet I missed it even in the already silent lab.

"What?" I tilted my head just a bit more in curiosity.

"Don't make me say it again," he grumbled, lining up the IV catheter.

"Sorry, I genuinely didn't hear you," I laughed a bit, he couldn't be mad at me for not hearing him when he whispered quieter than a mouse.

"Nat, I asked if you would go out with me," he snapped at me, plugging the needle down into my vein as he snapped his head up to look at me.

"Oh," I stammered a bit, caught off guard for the first time in a long time.

"You heard me that time?" His tone was sharp. I had no idea where this hostility was coming from, but I had to assume that he felt uncomfortable due to the vulnerability of the question he was asking to me, maybe that was why he was lashing out. He also totally missed my vein, which pissed me off.

"Yes," I laughed it off awkwardly, "I did hear you."

"So, what is your answer?" He hunched over again and started to prod the needle around until he eventually found the vein.