Beauty and the Beast

Collide

Steve walks through the halls of the Avenger tower in search of a missing two-some. He locates the assassin and the physicist in the kitchen early in the day, seated at the common table with her on one side and he on the other.

Natasha had found some science pun and thought he'd get a kick out of it. Based on his reaction from the clipping she left in the spot where he usually sits, she was right.

The Captain coughs to get their attention. He targets one at a time;

"Miss Romanoff, I'm sorry to bother you but Clint wants to talk. Something about the Jersey mission."

She nods with a full understanding in her eyes and slips back into spy mode,  "Thank you Rogers."

She stands, quickly dismissing herself and offering Steve a tap on his shoulder as she passes.

Bruce observes cautiously, fingers still toying with the clipping. Steve lifts a shoulder, curious over Banner's lingering focus in Natasha's direction;

"Stark needs some help with his arc reactor? Something about a wire? I'm just the messenger- I have no idea what's going on."

Bruce snaps into action, hiding behind his lenses, "I doubt Tony does either."

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

Stark is looking downward, fiddling his forefinger over a wire emerging from his heart as Bruce enters with a hesitation.

"Brucie, can you help me a quick second? I need to take this wire out and throw in a new one."

He nods, "I don't remember impromptu surgery being in my job description."

"You do it for Romanoff why not me,' Tony scoffs, leaning back comfortably in his chair, 'Pep's gotten good at this but she's out."

"Uh huh," Banner members only half-heartedly and immerses himself in the project.

Stark twists his jaw, eager to catch his friend off guard;

"How was your breakfast date?"

He barely flinches as he carefully removes Tony's the wire;

"I don't know what you mean."

Tony follows Banner's work with his eyes. He has to feel in charge despite Bruce already knowing what to do, "Be careful, don't let it touch those rims."

Within minutes the project is completed. Carefully and accurately. Tony smiles, fastening his glowing circled back into his chest. He looks back at his friend washing his hands and in a bit of a haze.

"You're not spending more time around a certain redhead this week? The herbal tea stash and coffee creamer are getting low."

Bruce looks back at Stark, twisting his expression;

"It's Natasha, she befriends everybody."

Tony snickers as he replaces his AC/DC shirt, "She flirts with everybody too, so. Doesn't seem like your type. I admit I'm confused? Conflicted? I have connections who are more your speed. Nerdy. Geeky. Still living in her mother's basement at 34- I ever tell you about Iliza?"

"I'm not interested in a date if that's what you're asking," Bruce forces a smile, removing his glasses to clean them with the edge of his shirt, "You should be good. As good as you get for having scrap metal where your heart should be but I digress."

"You think you're funny,' the billionaire thinks for a moment before nodding, 'Chinese tonight? Late night science banter; You and me. If you refuse I sneak into your room and stab you through the chest and replace the hulk's heart to match mine."