Bruce Banner x Reader - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Jenny Was A Friend of Mine - The Killers

She smiled a gentle, cool smile. Bruce watched her as she walked away flawlessly. How could she do that to him, when he needed to say so much? But he knew she understood, somehow, deep inside of him. 

He drifted after her, as she walked back into the kitchen. Steve grabbed her and kissed her forehead. This irked Bruce to no end. “What happened in there? Are you alright?” 

She gave a soft laugh and tried to push him off. “I’m just fine, Steve, I promise.” 

“That’s good,” he murmured. 

Tony gave one of his signature grins and a thumbs up. She looked right at Thor, and she nodded at him. 

“I need to talk to you,” she said. 

Bruce was baffled as Thor smiled and beckoned her over to the balcony. He watched them talking, and Tony poked him in the ribs. 

“You like her? I can’t believe you. You dumbass, ask her out.” Tony looked frustrated, but Bruce could tell that he would take ________ if he didn’t.

“You know why,” Bruce sighed, and he put on his shoes. “I’m going for a run.” 

“Alrighty, Green Boy. Be back soon,” Tony said. 

Bruce rolled his eyes and left. 

Meanwhile, out on the balcony, _______ was looking over the city. 

“What happened to your brother?” she asked. 

“Twas a tragedy. My brother had such talent, and he was such a good man. I thought it was just with him all along, but I believe that my family and I are at fault.” Thor looked absolutely regretful. 

“What do you mean?” ________ knitted her eyebrows in concern, though she knew all to well what he meant.

“I believe he thinks that he never got a chance, was never appreciated and thought he was worthless. But he wasn’t. I adored him. He was my brother, for Odin’s sake. I loved him. My father was just a little demanding. My brother was a tactical warrior, not a brawny one. My father wanted a big king, one with military expertise and basic education. But Loki was a magical warrior, not a physical one. I believe he was the best sorcerer ever known, but he uses it for evil now,” Thor explained. 

“I understand his pain,” _______ replied. She knew that Loki could hear every word she was saying. Thor looked confused but said no more.

She retired to her room and sat at the desk. She began a sketch, of what she didn’t know. When she finished, it was a drawing of a hand churning up magic sparks. She sighed. A cold breath whispered across her neck. 

“I heard you ‘understand my pain’, was it?” he whispered mockingly. “Let’s go for a walk, my love.” 

He put his hand on her cheek and whisked her away. They appeared in Central Park, before a great pond. He took her by the hand and together they walked along the sidewalk. Loki looked fascinated by the fish, but ______ knew better. She felt the fear creep into her mind, her fingers felt cold.

“What do you need, Loki?” she asked, her voice soft and open-hearted. 

Meanwhile, Bruce was rounding the bend in Central Park. He saw shadowy figures by the fish pond.

“I need you to take back what you said!” he hissed, putting his hand around her neck, his long digits barely brushing her cold flesh. He felt her drumming pulse against his fingers. “No one understands my pain. Only me.” 

“But I could help you. Look into my past, and see. See what I’ve seen, be where I’ve been.” His grip tightened around her neck. _______ felt a nagging need for more air. 

“I don’t think you understood me,” he whispered into the shell of her ear. “Only I understand my pain. Not even an accident of a mortal such as you could even fathom what it is like to be me.” His hold on her neck strengthened immensely and she could take in no air. He gave a gentle smile. Her face began to turn a light shade of blue, her lips becoming the color of morning dew. “My love, I see that Mr. Banner is here. Should you even try to scream, you will cease living sooner than later.” _______ saw Bruce running around the bend on the other side of the park. She felt her face becoming warm. "That color is stunning. If it were to darken some more, you'd look just like a Jotun."

He squeezed her long, swan-like neck tighter than ever, and small dots appeared in the corners of her vision, like flickering fireflies. Bruce came rounding the sidewalk near them. He stopped and looked in their direction. Loki smiled in amusement. “Dr. Banner, a pleasure to see you.” 

“Why is ________ with you?” Bruce asked, nearing them. _________ gave him a hopeless look as the fireflies took over her sight. She saw no more, and the light brightened. Then there was dark. Bruce was seemingly oblivious to her silent pleading.

Bruce saw ________’s slack frame in Loki’s arms. Loki kissed her cheeks. this made a flicker of anger rise in Bruce's chest.

“What did you do to her?” he asked, trying to keep calm. Bruce wasn't completely aware of what had occured, but he knew damn well that _________ was hurt, or maybe even dead.

“She said something that she now regrets,” Loki replied matter-of-factly.

“You killed her?” Bruce was breathing heavily, trying his hardest to keep his rage inside. ________ was dead, in Loki's arms. The only thing in his miserable life that mattered was her. This wasn't happening.

“She’s not dead yet; I feel her life below my fingertips. But she will be soon. And I doubt there is a thing you can do.” Loki wasn’t prudent about his response, because he didn’t recall what Bruce could do. It’d been months since Bruce had had an episode, and Loki had had more important things on his mind, in the prison of Stark Tower. 

Bruce couldn’t keep his fury down, and his felt himself growing bigger and bigger, and heard the sidewalk crack beneath his feet. He was scared, and furious, but he knew there was nothing to be done. He then felt nothing but simple emotions. He flicked the God across the park, ________ flying off to the side. He stomped over to Loki. 

“You imbecile!” Loki shouted, getting to his feet, with difficulty. 

“Hulk mad!” the green behemoth bellowed. He smashed Loki into the ground, but the Norse God stumbled to his feet.

“Obviously, you idiot! Can’t you speak in proper English?” the God of Mischief growled mockingly. 

There was a boom of thunder and Thor appeared. “Brother, I am here. What have you done?” 

“You halfwit, you’ve made it clear you’re here.” Loki grimaced when he looked at his older brother. “Apparently Bruce cares for _________.” 

“You killed her?” Thor began to raise his voice. Loki cringed at his brother's - no, his enemy's - voice. He felt old memories rise in his black heart and begged for them to stay inside. He swallowed his weakness and fueled his hatred with the life he once led.

“She said something that made me upset. And unlike this moronic beast,” Loki motioned to the giant beside him. “I take care of things in an orderly fashion.”

“Apparently you didn’t think this out, Oh Great God of Assery. You’re outnumbered.” Tony smashed into the ground beside the God, sending him sprawling. The Hulk took this opportunity to shove him below the Earth’s surface once more, with a satisfied roar.

“Steve, see if _______’s alright,” Clint said, drawing an arrow, and putting it against Loki’s chest.

“No. Hulk see.” The leviathan stomped over to _______’s broken form. A piece of metal had punctured her left side. Blood pooled beneath her, a violent bloody blossom. He picked her up carefully from the iron skewer. “Hulk not know. Who?” 

“That’s _____. Bruce knows her,” Steve said shakily. 

“Puny human?” The Hulk asked. 

“Yes. And he loves her very much.” The rage in the titan’s eyes flickered. 

“Hulk not alone?” the giant rumbled. 

“No, of course not. She loves him too,” said Steve, with a bit more confidence. “And Loki hurt her. If you give her to me, I’ll make it better.” 

The Hulk frowned. He set her down on the broken concrete. Steve picked her up and ran as fast as he could to the nearest hospital. 

Tony watched as the encounter finished. He saw the Hulk’s size begin to diminish. “Hey, Clint, you bring pants? Like I asked?” 

Clint rolled his eyes and tossed Iron Man a pair of black shorts. “God, Tony. Can’t you do something yourself? Or are you too rich?” 

“Too rich,” Tony replied. 

Bruce stumbled to his feet, and looked at his surroundings. Shattered concrete, splintered trees, mangled iron fence, blood. Blood? he wondered. Then he recalled what had happened. 

“Here, big boy. There’s your pants,” Tony said, tossing him a pair of cargo shorts. Bruce tugged them on.

“Where’s _______?” Bruce asked, his voice panicky and helpless. 

“Steve took her to the hospital. He introduced her to the Green Guy,” Tony said, pointing in the direction of where Steve left to. 

“Is she alright? Did I kill her?” Bruce feared the answer.

“You saved her life.” Tony’s voice was sincere. “If you hadn’t been here, if you’d not been angry, she’d be dead.” 

Bruce swallowed the lump of fearfulness in his throat, but he still wondered about ______. He couldnt' lose her, no matter what happened. 

“Let’s go home.” Thor dragged Loki to his feet, much to Loki’s annoyance.

“Release me at once, you dolt!” he shouted. Bruce walked beside Thor. Loki quailed.

“Brother, we’re going back to Asgard,” Thor said, quietly. He turned to Bruce. “Tell ______, that I appreciate her trying her best, for the both of us, if she’s still...” 

Bruce nodded. “I will.” Thor wasn't making things much better, even though he was speaking realistically.

“Heimdall!” Thor shouted, seemingly to the heavens. And then they were gone. 

Bruce dropped to his knees. “Why wasn’t he sent home earlier? What if she’s gone?” And he couldn't go with her. He'd stay on Earth until the beautiful day he would die.

“She’s fine,” Tony said uneasily. “Hopefully Steve got her there in time.” He held out a hand. 

Bruce took the metal-plated paw and jumped to his feet. “Off to the hospital we go,” Clint said sadly. 

“Off to the hospital we go,” Bruce echoed, his voice a raw whisper.