1049: What Is It Good For?

[alonewillsing]

Away at War/Battle MemeWe all know war can be a hard time for everyone but those left behind? It can be torture. Hoping you get a letter or a call, staying glued to the television and cringing at those news stories. Guess what happens to you now? Your loved one has gone off to fight a war (battle, fight, in that ilk of things) and some time has

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Natasha Romanoff | MCU

[redinmyledger]

(flexible for either scenario)

[redinmyledger]

Natasha's smile faltered as he coughed again, her fingers pausing in his curls. "This is why I'm not allowed to be funny, isn't it?"

She pulled away to give him some space, her hand staying tucked around his as she tried not to feel helpless just sitting there. She was good in a fight. She was good with the enemies she could see. Practical problems. Sitting and waiting was not her strong suit. She'd never had to pray before, but she was tempted to start now.

"I know," she murmured quietly. "I didn't wait this long just to watch you slip away."

[igotlow]

He smiled and looked up at her, studying her face. She was...sad. It was funny - he just wasn't used to seeing her express so much. She must be worried. He still couldn't believe half the time that Natasha cared for him, out of all of them, out of anyone in the world - Him. He'd never deserved her, he knew that. But here she was, and he was so glad he got to see her. So glad she was here with him.

"I love you, you know." He managed, all of the talking and activity starting to wear him out. "There's-" He took a breath, focusing on her face. "I'm supposed to go into surgery tomorrow."

He doesn't think he'll have to tell her, thinks she's seen enough injury and death and pain on her own to know. It doesn't look good. He might not make it. It's ridiculously dangerous for the doctors to try, with his toxic blood and his volatile state and he doesn't know if the Hulk could make an appearance, but nobody wants to find out.

[redinmyledger]

As soon as surgery was mentioned the walls went up. Natasha withdrew into herself and apart from her eyes nothing gave away what she was feeling. She didn't want Bruce being operated on anymore than she'd want herself operated on.

Her tongue flicked out to dampen her lips and she shifted forward in her seat once more as her grip tightened on his hand. He never understood why she loved him, but it was because he couldn't see him the way she did. Even that first moment in India she had felt something stir. It had been a slow burn, but it was deeper than anything she'd ever felt for someone.

Didn't make it any less easier to say those words back. Part of her was always going to be wary about admitting it. Like it jinxed things. But this was Bruce, and he needed to know. "I love you too, which is why you have to find a way to come out the other side. Bruce--"

[igotlow]

Bruce smiled tiredly at her, and squeezed her hand weakly. He wanted to be reassuring, and tell he he'd be fine, back on his feet soon and maybe sore for a little while, but no worse for the wear - But that wasn't fair. He shouldn't lie to her now.

"Whatever happens," He licked his lips, grimacing when he hit the split in his bottom lip. "It'll all be fine. Okay?"

[redinmyledger]

"You always were a terrible liar, Bruce." And strangely enough it was a quality she admired in him. She liked that she could at least rely on him to be honest.

She changed her grip on his hand and leaned forward so that she could rest her head on his shoulder. "I should have been able to find you."

[igotlow]

He brought his other hand up shakily, resting it on her head. He wished he wasn't doing this to her. "No, Natasha. I'm glad you didn't have to be there."

[redinmyledger]

"But it's not fair. Why can't we have this? Why can't it just be you and me?" She brought his hand up against her lips, pressing a kiss to his knuckles.

[igotlow]

He smiled. Yeah, sure, it wasn't fair. They deserved to have a happy ending at this point - how many times had they saved the world? But nothing was ever fair. Fair was for kids' games, not life.

"You know why." He rested back on the pillows, worn out. "It's never fair for us." It never had been. Why would this be any different? "What we had was good, though."

[redinmyledger]

Natasha nodded. What they had had been good. She just hadn't had enough of it. But that was the danger of what they did. Who they were.

She brought the chair closer and kissed the corner of his mouth where there wasn't a cut. "Rest, Bruce. I'll still be here. I'm not going anywhere."