i saw your post about bad fic usage of pet names, and i was curious about what you think re: brucenat and pet names? i have some thoughts about it, but i'm always interested in other people's opinions on brucenat!
Oh no I have thoughts onthis too! Well, maybe not directly because I don’t think it counts as a petnamewhat I’m going to prattle about? Look, this is one of those things I just havevery oddly specific and detailed headcanons about (I think it started in a fic,in fact I’m pretty sure it did, that’s what we’re going to blame)
Okay, so, I headcanon thatsometime after AOU but before TWS Natasha and Bruce ended up on a missiontogether, no Hulk involvement they just wanted a scientist on board to help outand well, Bruce is much less of a, well everything riskthan Tony is (and Fury wanted to do some matchmaking come team-bonding comehelicarrier patch-up) so one thing lead to another and Bruce and Nat ended upon a remote base in the middle of nowhere working an op together.
Over the course of this mission they obviously spent quite a lotof time together but Bruce didn’t really know her all that well (and Hulk tried to squash her which he was still a bitawkward about) so he countered both of these things by being extra formal andcalling her ‘Ms Romanoff’ at every opportunity. Natasha got very sigh-y overthis and kept correcting him to ‘Natasha’ whenever he did it (look Bruce, we’vebeen here practically alone for a month now I think it’s okay to use firstnames) but, well, Bruce and his habits die very (very) hard so he just keptdoing it sort of unconsciously.
To combat this (because she is a dork) Natasha decided the bestthing to do would be to fight fire with fire so to speak so she started gettingreally formal around him too and calling him Doctor Banner all the time, whichof course he corrected to ‘Bruce’
This turned from a habit into a deliberate little inside joketype thing and stuck a bit and resulted in him calling her Ms Romanoff attimes, ie if she’s getting a telling off for stealing his cookies before they’veproperly cooled and the like and she calls him ‘Doc’ left right and centre(which, as @bisexualtimelady well knows, never fails to make me melt a big bit)
As for sort of like ‘sweetheart’ style petnames I can’t really see it personally? I’m not hugelyaverse to it, like I’m pretty sure someone/some fic could talk me into it ifthey really wanted it’s just not something I’d be likely to do myself if I waswriting them or thinking about them? But now I’ve overshared here I want tohear your headcanons!
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Who gets excited about Halloween in July: Natasha is more likely to do this than Bruce I think. She gets into the spirit of things much more than him.
Who starts wearing sweaters and scarves on the first day of September and completely overheats: I want to say Natasha. They both put on heavier clothes (Bruce insists) but she’s the only one who overheats, he’s just nice and warm.
Who thrives in Fall/Who prefers Summer and warm weather: Nat definitely prefers the cold to Bruce, he feels it much, much more than she does.
Who thinks the other looks so cute when they’re cold and trying to fight it with 50 sweaters: Natasha. Bruce gets all bundled up like a little snow bear and still complains he’s cold (especially if he’s ill)
Who offers the other their jacket: Bruce. Because Natasha never brings one but she just shrugs and wraps it back around him because he looks in danger of emulating Steve and becoming a capsicle if she leaves him without it for another minute.
Who doesn’t want to get out of bed in the morning because it’s too cold and has to run from the warm covers to the shower: Bruce. He always takes a little longer to wake up than Nat does but when it’s cold he actively doesn’t want to.
Who touches the other with their freezing cold feet at night: Nat. She thinks it’s hysterical until one night Bruce flops out of bed in alarm and nearly hulks out on her.
Who makes the hot cider to snuggle under a blanket and drink: Mm, Nat. To warm him up (and to apologise for the cold feet incident)
Who loves carving pumpkins and buys about 300: Definitely Nat.
Who is terrible at carving pumpkins: Also Nat. Which is why she buys 300 of them. Bruce is slower and much more meticulous but actually surprisingly very creative and inventive with his pumpkins.
Who thinks pulling the pumpkin guts out with their hands is icky: Natasha. Which Bruce finds hysterical given her background.
What is their favourite Fall activity: Erm...I don’t know, what do people do in Autumn? Snowmen making seems like an enjoyable passtime for all let’s go with that.
Who gets scared when they watch Horror movies: Bruce. He tries to insist that it’s all just make-believe, and really not scientifically correct at all. But that doesn’t stop him jumping out of his skin.
Who hands out candy to trick-or-treaters: They both do.
Who accidentally scares the kids: Oh I’m just picturing Bruce painting himself green a year (at Nat’s urging) and dressing up as the Hulk...this has a rather alarming effect, shockingly.
Who suggested the couples costume: Definitely Nat. Bruce just goes along with it.
What is their couples costume: It varies every year but they’re costumes are always perfectly in-sync and always awesomely put together.
What is the best Halloween they ever had: That one year that Tony got really carried away and has sworn them all to secrecy but they all vividly remember it in grave detail.
What is the worst Halloween they ever had: ...Also that one year that Tony got really carried away.....
Who eats too much candy and ends up sick the next day: I can see Bruce having more of a sweet tooth than Nat but maybe not /that/ much.
1. Whoremembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant? Bruceis good at this, it helps when she’s running a little late for one of theirdates on a SHIELD mission, he knows what she’d like to order. (On the otherhand, Natasha can generally predict what Bruce is going to take because he’smuch less adventurous with his food than she is)
2. Who reaches for the other one’s hand whiledriving? Hmm,maybe Nat? If he’s drifting beside her or lost and thought she might reach outand give his hand a little squeeze to bring him back to her (that and the factNat’s a super confident driver, she has lightening reflexes, she can focus onher man while driving around no problem)
3. Who gets the window seat? On the plane? Ina restaurant? What a vague and mildly confusing question (or maybe it’s justme) but I’m going to go with Nat, she likes to watch the world go by and shelikes being able to see what’s going on.
4. Who leaves little notes in the other’s onelunch? (Bonus: what does it say?) Hmmm, if we’re talking in the Tower when Nat issending food to the lab to feed Bruce because he hasn’t emerged for some timeand has forgotten to feed himself, then Nat and they’ll be a short, bluntlittle funny about how as a scientist, he should know better, people need foodto exist, please eat. If they’re in a domesticated setting, Bruce definitelyhandles all of the food and his notes will generally just be little I love yousand the like, maybe telling her his plans for putting a movie on for the two ofthem that night, generic little tidbits that make her smile.
5. Who wakes up first? Natasha, definitely, when Bruce sleeps he’s asleepy head. And Natasha never seems to need all that much sleep. Tony ishalf-convinced Bruce is dating an android. It suits them though, by the timeBruce wakes up, she’s almost back from her run and he always has breakfastsitting waiting on the table for her, they have a very nice, slick morningroutine.
6. Who falls asleep while watching a movie? Maybe Natasha if she’s been on a really longmission, Bruce’s shoulder is nice and comfy and he’s very warm and reassuringbeside her. But nine times out of ten it’s Bruce.
7. Who’s prone to wearing socks indoors (or tosleep)? Natasha.She doesn’t like cold feet.
8. Who has bigger cravings? Hmm, neither of them, really I don’t think?Bruce maybe after he’s hulked out might get some pretty strong food cravingsbut other than that I think they’re both quite chilled.
9. Who reminds the other to put on sunscreenbefore going to the beach (or pool)? Natasha. Bruce burns easily. The way she doesthis is just by abruptly sitting on him and squirting it all over him, which alwaysslightly alarms him, but it’s nice when he gets used to it. Bruce always takesgreat pleasure in helping Nat put on her suncream which Nat has no objection towhatsoever because he has nice, gentle hands and it’s an excuse for a relaxing massage.
10. Who carries all the important documents whiletraveling? Hmm,Bruce, he’d trust her to do it too but he’s a worrier and checks them fifteendifferent times, which is easier when he’s got them instead of her.
11. Who checks the prices while grocery shopping? Brucedoes, he’s very money conscious. Natasha has lived too long with either SHIELD’scredit cards or Tony’s money is basically just numbers by this point.
12. Who sneaks in cookies in the shopping cart? Bruce, but they’re mostly for Natasha.
13. Who’d give their child sweets behind theother’s back? I actually want to say Natasha for this one? She’s as bad as themsometimes and it’s literally *cookie crumbs everywhere* Natasha. Nope, wasn’tme.
14. Who’d pop the other one’s pimple? WAIT IS THIS A THING? WHAT IS THIS? I don’teven know, Nat? This question is so confusing, moving swiftly on.
15. Who would discreetly pinch the other one’sbutt in public? Haha, oh this is just so Nat, Bruce is adorable every time she does it.
16. Who cooks at 2 in the morning? B r u c e. And he inevitably bakes at 2am sowhatever’s going on it draws the Avengers to him like zombies to a freshcorpse, Bruce’s cookies are legendary.
17. Who gets extremely competitive playing MarioKart? Natasha.So Natasha. Bruce mainly cheerleads, but heaven help anyone who tries to playwith her without knowing what they’re letting themselves in for.
18. Who takes longer getting ready? Neither of them really? Maybe Bruce, he tendsto stall in the shower a little longer than she does.
19. Who likes doing the dishes? Bruce. It’s therapeutic. But they’ll share, hewashes, she dries and it’s just a little bit of time they get to spend side byside chatting and flicking soap suds at each other.
20. Who points at a dog when they see it? Natasha. She then drags Bruce over to say helloto it.
21. Who’s prone to road rage? Natasha’s adorable little *beep beep*s turnvery quickly into a stream of aggressive and inventive Russian curse words whensomeone does something idiotic because there are rules on the road for a damnreason and idiots like you shouldn’t be allowed on it. Bruce is secretly veryamused by these little outbursts. He learns a lot of Russian curses.
Gives nose/forehead kisses: Bruce does forehead kisses a lot, mostly absent-mindedly during snuggles when they’re smooshed up on the same chair and all tangled around each other. Nat takes care of the nose kisses because every time without fail he blinks and looks like a puppy that’s just been startled and she thinks it’s very amusing.
Gets jealous the most: Hmm, neither of them? I just can’t see either of them being the jealous types, for any reason. I think a lot of their relationship, especially at the beginning, is long distance for a lot of the time, they need to be able to trust each other implicitly, and they do.
Picks the other up from the bar when they’re too drunk to drive: Again I don’t really think either of them? Maybe, maybe Bruce picking Natasha up after a girl’s night out but neither of them really get drunk all that much.
Takes care of on sick days: Bruce is very attentive and fussy over his wayward little assassin. Most of his time is taken up sighing and scooping her up and escorting her back to bed when she insists she can still work, she’s fought legions of murderous robots, okay, she can handle a headcold, stop fussing, she’s fine. Most unfortunately, she can’t really stand up straight so Bruce puts his foot down and marches her back to bed where he supplies her with blankets and tea.
Drags the other person out into the water on beach day: definitely Natasha. It takes quite a lot of coaxing, Bruce isn’t really all that fussed and the water is freezing but she keeps at it and eventually he joins her for a paddle.
Gives unprompted massages: Hmm, Bruce I think, especially if she’s just come back from a long, exhausting mission and needs relaxing and having someone massage out all of the cramps from her muscles, which he is very very good at.
Drives/rides shotgun: Natasha drives, Bruce is passenger, by mutual consent (and is one of the few people who will willingly get in a car with Natasha and not curse her the whole way to wherever they’re going because she drives like a madwoman, he kind of likes it, and he trusts her, it’s all fine)
Brings the other lunch at work: Natasha will definitely drift up to the lab and force some food on Bruce when he inevitably forgets that he has to do these basic, necessary things (but he’ll cook for her if they’re at home and if she’s away he texts her to make sure she’s looking after herself as well as saving the world from certain demise)
Has the better parental relationship: Hmm, neither of them? (can I count Natasha and Fury in a mentor-come-parental relationship here? If so Nat)
Tries to start role-playing in bed: If either of them, Nat. Bruce is fairly cool with it.
Embarrassingly drunk dancer: Oh gosh I want to say Natasha, just because it’s a hilarious and adorable image, and the most Bruce will ever do no matter the amount of alcohol he has in him is shuffle around aimlessly to the music, drunk Nat dancing however, rare though it may be, is a sight to behold (and makes everyone wonder if she ever did have those dancing lessons in her youth) Bruce finds it very endearing.
Still cries watching Titanic: Ermmm, maaaybe Bruce if I had to pick one but I don’t think either of them gets overly weepy at sad films (unless there are fluffballs concerned)
Firmly believes in couples costumes: Natasha. So Natasha. The things that woman has made him wear, Tony still has videos, and pictures, and he has backed them up in such a way that if the world ever ends, if nothing else survives, that footage most certainly will. Bruce doesn’t really mind though, it makes her happy and that’s what he’s all about.
Breaks the expensive gift rule during Christmas: Hmm, I think they both really do stick to it for the most part. Maybe Bruce if it was for something really, really special, but mostly they’re quite good at keeping to these sorts of things.
Makes the other eat breakfast: Definitely Bruce. Even if it’s just a piece of toast inserted into her mouth after he kisses her goodbye in the morning, he’ll rarely let her leave with nothing.
Remembers anniversaries: I think they’re both quite good at this, and they plan what they’re going to do a few weeks in advance, though neither of them really wants a huge fuss, just making sure they set aside a little time for being together.
Brings up having kids: Neither. As it stands, I know they both wanted kids, but I also think that’s a big part of who they were and not who they are, and with who they are, I just can’t see either of them wanting to fall into the typical school-run 9-5 routine. In another AU under totally different circumstances, I think it’s a decision they’d come to together at pretty much the same time, but as it stands in canon it’s not something I particularly want/see for them in their future.
who’s the cuddler: I think they both are actually? I have a little headcanon that revolves around their liking for physical proximity. Even if they’re not speaking or if they’re doing different things; one going over some paperwork while the other reads a book or some such, they like being physically connected while they do it and this tends to manifest itself in the pair of them tangling up together squished into a single armchair when there are an abundance of perfectly good, empty chairs around them that neither of them are choosing to occupy.
who makes the bed: Natasha usually (Bruce is busy making breakfast for them, they have a routine)
who wakes up first: Definitely Natasha. They both struggle getting to sleep but once they do manage to, Bruce sleeps longer. Nat wakes up at the same time every morning without fail and heads out for a run to give sleeping beauty the chance to come to.
who has the weird taste in music: I kind of think they both have some oddballs in their collection. Neither is all that fussed with specific genres or what have, it’s more a case of, okay I like that I’m going to listen to that. This works out quite well since they can usually share music between themselves pretty well and neither of them really minds if the other wants to stick something on while they have lunch.
who is more protective: they’re both protective in different ways I think, but in general I see Nat being more protective over him, when the other guy isn’t around, that makes Bruce her responsibility and she takes care of him and keeps him safe and god help anyone who wants to try and hurt him while she’s around, they’re not even going to get close (Bruce I think can be more sort of ‘passively’ protective if you like, he’ll surreptitiously try and help her avoid things that might be upsetting after she’s just come back from a mission, reports or loud, sudden noises, he takes care of her without her noticing, though she knows he does)
who sings in the shower: Natasha. She often tries to coax Bruce into joining her. He rarely does. But that never stops her.
who cries during movies: Both of them. But at different things.
who spends the most while out shopping: Hmm, I think Bruce would spend the most if it was for other people otherwise he’s really quite careful with his buying. Nat is totally an impulse buyer (and this is how Bruce comes home one day and discovers a kitten curled up happily on top of some of his research papers but that’s another story)
who kisses more roughly: Hmm, Nat, I think. Bruce is a big softie ninety nine times out of a hundred.
who is more dominate: Natasha. Bruce really doesn’t have a problem with this at all.
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"(and in a lot of ways, Nat isn’t that much better at the flirty stuff, but really don’t get me started, we’ll be here all day) " ooooh, come on, please? *puss in boots eyes*
Heehee, well okay twist my arm.
I’ve talked this with people before so they’ll be sick of hearing it but okay, putting it out there: I’m sure actually really love the fact that they didn’t make Nat this incredible alluring seductress that was just amazing at all of this flirting because in a lot of ways I actually think Bruce has more experience in this department than she does?
We’ve talked a lot about how one of the most important aspects of Brucenat in AOU for Nat is the idea that Bruce is someone that she’s choosing just for herself; he’s not a mission, or a necessity, he’s someone that she wants for herself, because she’s attracted to him and she feels a connection with him. And so a big big theme for Natasha’s AOU arc is choice. The idea that the choice to have children was stripped away from her, and really, if she’d gone on with the KGB/Red Room plans, she wouldn’t have had any meaningful relationships or connections to anyone.
So you have that aspect, that in her past choice was taken away from her, she was made to be a tool and an instrument, and something destructive; so then you have her past and those fears paralleled against her present and her potential future, which is the one she wants with Bruce (and Bruce brings this up as well when he tells her he can’t give her that future because he can’t have children, but that’s straying well off topic) but the point is that Bruce presents her with; he’s something that she wants for herself, he is that potential to have a future that she never thought she could have.
Anyway, the point of the above deviation was that, she’s really not all that experienced in this area at all, she’s never really had that, she’s more than likely had to flirt on missions at one point or another (which Steve briefly mentions) but as Steve also notes, it’s not the same thing, it’s different with Bruce.
And that’s another one of the reasons I love their little movie roleplay (alongside the fact that it’s just adorable and gives us all sorts of lovely headcanons of the two of them sitting watching old movies together) it also gives her a little something that she does a lot; which is playing a part, and playing a role, and by doing that, she’s able to say all of the things that she wants to say to him (that little ‘he’s got a temper, but deep down he’s all fluff...’ speech she makes) that is what she thinks and it is how she feels and she’s trying to tell him that but she’s not quite sure how to say all of it in her own voice and in her own way as Nat, so it gives her a little something to help cushion her uncertainty.
And we sort of see that coming back later at the beginning of the farmhouse scene, she segues a little into that mode again before they start really talking about their pasts and what have you, but she does that at the beginning and it’s just a little implication that she isn’t quite as sure as she might be in this area of flirting and relationships and that sort of thing.
So yes, the bottom line is that she doesn’t really have all that much personal experience in that department and it sort of shows through with the roleplay conversation at the bar; she’s trying to find herself, find Nat and how she flirts and how she approaches romance which isn’t something she’s had a chance to do before and I think it’s nice that she has the opportunity to do so with someone like Bruce who I think is a bit dorky when it comes to flirting and the like, but it works for her, it’s just another thing that works for them both.
Hulkwidowanon strikes again, fellow! two small questions. 1) what was the key, at what point, you started to ship them? 2) your three favourites scenes/moments (one BruceNat, one Nat, one Bruce).
Hello friend, thank you for asking me! Questions may be small, answers probably won’t be, apologies and warnings up front for that.
1)- To be completely honest with you? The Calcutta scene. My shipper heart just locks on to tiny ships and gets attached within the first 0.5 seconds and yeah, I was gone. In all seriousness I seriously adore that scene with every fibre of my being, it’s just so them while deconstructing them at the same time? There’s that rawness that I think you just get whenever they’re alone on screen together, a real stripping back of the masks that they both use to cover up and hide behind and that scene is just fascinating with Nat in particular and yes, okay, I have meta’d about this before, I will not regurgitate all of that again but I think it just establishes them really really well and there’s an intriguing tension and chemistry there, it’s something I watch and want more of.
The rest of this got huge (as it so often does) so yes, it’s under a cut to spare anyone who doesn’t want to scroll through it all, read on if you care to.
2)- okay this is hard, let me see. I actually think, probably a popular choice, but I think it’s the ‘we could use a little worse’ scene which every man and his dog in this fandom seems to just, erase from their minds and memories?
I just, I love everything about it. I love the fact that she steps up and says it, I love the fact that it’s honest, they’re in the middle of a war with giant space aliens, she doens’t have time to screw about and try and offer empty comfort, she damn well means that, she wants him on their side here and she’s very open about that fact as well (and right, Bruce/Hulk’s arrival totally marks a turning point in that battle)
I love his reaction to it? (which is so beautifully played, thank you Mark) But when has he ever heard before ever that he’s actually wanted that he can be of use, that he can help.
That is such a turning point for their relationship and for Bruce’s character arc in the film as well which from the outset has been about fearing the Hulk and keeping him out of sight ‘he wants me in a cage?’ is one of the first things Bruce says when mentioning Hulk in this film (and he’s right) everyone is scared of Hulk, everyone, and Nat is the first person to step up and tell him she wants him here, she wants him as part of the team, that they can use him, that they need him.
This is his whole arc coming to a head, this is the turning point, this is the change from we just want Bruce, we want to pretend Hulk doesn’t exist, oh and by the way we’ve built a giant glass murder cage for him just in case; to you can help, you can be a hero, you can be an Avenger. This is the ‘now go be a hero’ of Avengers, this is the start of that arc, this is so important for Bruce and for BruceNat because it just, it’s the springboard that pushes them into AOU, she wants him to fight with them, she wants him here, she sees the potential in him, the parallels in them; she sees the desire for redemption, she, of everyone on that team, understands exactly why he’s come back after what happened, exactly what he’s looking for. Because she’s been there, she’s made mistakes, she’s hurt people, she’s wanted to make amends, she’s actively trying here to make amends and she is the first person to reach out and offer him the same chance and opportunity it’s just, there’s so much in that scene and I love it with all my heart (as you can possibly tell from the waffle)
Favourite Nat scene: Okay, I’m cheating her a little bit and lumping two scenes together but I love her little instances of flirting with Bruce (0 brucenat bias here at all clearly) both at the bar and then later on when she slips into it again a little bit at the farmhouse? I love Nat, she’s one of my favourite characters, she’s incredibly capable, she’s highly trained, highly skilled, essential to the team, badass in every department in every way imaginable but she’s also intensely intensely human and I think these little beats really showcase that?
So much of Natasha’s life has revolved around other people and other organisations having complete control over her; the Red Room, the KGB, SHIELD and the juxtaposition of her control being completely stripped away from her, which was really brought to a head and emphasised in the sterilisation that haunts her throughout the film that she explains to Bruce in the farmhouse scene and then paired with this little relationship with Bruce that she’s tentatively pursuing, which is really just for her. It’s her choice, it’s her making that choice for no-one and nothing but herself and because it’s something that she wants and that’s really really important.
And I think that the little flirtations she has with him are really loaded and really important and they just have so much to tell you about her character. And also I think, (to give some meaning to the above background waffle) it’s entirely her, there’s no agency overlords telling her that she has to be with Bruce, that she has to seduce him or pursue him or whatever, she’s just doing it for her, there’s no underlying motivation there, so she’s not following any orders, she’s not being told what to do or why she’s doing it for herself and I think you really sort of see some of her vulnerabilities and insecurities coming out in those scenes she has?
They’re so so well played as well, but, I love it because it’s just her but it’s so true to just her, because it’s not really her at all? Okay, this is getting messy, but it’s like, she doesn’t really know who she, Natasha, is? She doesn’t really know how she flirts or does any of these things just for her, she’s always told what to do, what to be, who to be, she’s given a cover and a story and she lives in that and then she sheds it but in her own skin and left to her own devices she’s not really all that sure who to be or how to behave? So she kind of, invents a cover of her own, and this little roleplay they’ve developed is perfect for her because she can say her own things with someone else’s voice and it’s, she can chisel out some sort of ‘comfort zone’ for her, some character that she’s cobbled together from, I assume, watching old movies with Bruce (which is an adorable headcanon in itself) and she can use that the way she usually uses her covers to say what she wants to say and explain to him what it is she likes about him and what she wants to do with this relationship.
There’s just, I think there’s a real sort of, odd as this may sound, an innocence to her in those scenes? She probably doesn’t have a huge amount, if any, personal experience in this department at all and it’s allowed to breathe and shine through which I love. It would have been so so easy to just turn her into a wily, manipulative seductress and then things would have been forced and awkward and weird. but she’s allowed to be sort of flawed and insecure and vulnerable in a lot of ways in this department and it makes for some really lovely scenes and really lovely insights into her character and I love it a lot? Right okay let’s pretend some of this made sense and move on.
Okay, okay, favourite Bruce moment is, hmm, I have a lot of these you know, this is tricky, I love my ridiculous, dark twisty science squish and I love lots of little pieces that sort of build together to create him. I love the little ‘she’s creating tissue!!!’ because science Natasha, look at the science look! I love the post-helicarrier hulk out crash landing onto that abandoned building and the fact that the first word’s out of the ridiculous man’s mouth is ‘did I hurt anybody’ BRUCE YOU JUST LITERALLY FELL FROM THE SKY TAKE A MOMENT MAN, TAKE A MOMENT, I love the darker little beats of him and that line that breaks my heart every time ‘in case you needed to kill me but you can’t, I know, I tried’ which I think is a huge huge huge part of Bruce’s past (and something that needs to be discussed more dammit) I love his strength to move past that and what he is and try and do what’s right and what’s best, and just, I love all of Bruce Banner okay this is difficult.
but yes, right, trying to actually come to some kind of answer, I think I really love the sort of, and it’s not so much a moment as a sort of, character trait I suppose, but I love how he just gets people? I know that a lot of the time fandom, and I suppose to an extent MCU canon presents Bruce as really quite socially awkward and not really great in that department and in a lot of ways he’s not but at the same he really does understand people and the way they work really quite well? And I love that.
That little beat in the first Avengers when he starts analysing Loki’s ‘warm light for all mankind’ line, what it means, what it’s designed to do and then on to SHIELD/Fury in general and questioning what’s going on and happening and it’s a fairly small little scene but I think it’s really interesting that Bruce is considering these things, and the things that he points out are interesting and largely on point. And that’s not the only time he does it either; the first scene with Nat in Calcutta, he calls her out on a lie, makes her play her hand, and he’s right about Fury and the fact that he does have a cage that he intends to shove Bruce in if things get out of hand. He also predicts, rightly, in AOU that Ultron’s desire here is ‘evolution’ and deduces from that that he’s gone to Helen Cho.
Bruce I think is one of those people who doesn’t really speak unless he has something to say; and when he does it’s something to pay attention to. I think he really does understand people, he watches, he weighs, he analyses, he picks apart, he solves people the same way he would a science puzzle, he figures out how they tick, why they do the things that they do, what drives them, what undoes them, the way they think. And he’s not often very vocal about this but when he is he’s right. It’s just, I don’t know, it’s just something that I really love about his character and his habit of watching and analysing and understanding people just sort of branching out into the larger want to watch and analyse and understand everything. Bruce I don’t think was ever really in to science to make things, only ever to pick apart what was already there to see how it works, I just, love that a lot. I am going to stop now I have finally run out of things to say I promise. This got stupidly long I’m so sorry.
10-Whodrives? Cooks? Does the handiwork? Cleans? Pays the bills? Handles the public?
Natasha drives, andBruce is fine with that (begins wondering if Bruce /can/ drive hmm) Natashaalso drives like a crazy person, so much so that no-one else wants to (daresto) get in the car with her. Bruce has faith (and nerves of steel)
Bruce cooks. No-onelets Natasha near the kitchen (not even Bruce) and this is for a very good reason.The woman burns water, no-one has yet sussed out how but just, Natasha and cooking do not mix (that’s not to say shedoesn’t like it and she doesn’t like being in the kitchen with Bruce andhelping out, but left to her own devices? No, that’s not a thing anyone wantsever again, they’re still scarred from the first time)
I think they’re bothfairly alright when things break and need fixing (Natasha because she’sindependent and just, when something goes wrong she figures out how to put itright again; Bruce because, well, when there’s a problem he just automaticallyneeds to know how to solve it) if they’re at the Tower though they mostly leaveit to Tony (usually because the source of the issue is Tony meddling withsomething or other ‘improving’ it)
They share cleaning,it’s fairly even between them when they’re in their own space. I don’t thinkeither of them are entirely messy by choice (Bruce can be a bit scatterbrainedbut that’s a different thing, and it’s organised chaos you know) and Natasha isjust organised full stop.
Hmm, I think justwhoever gets to it first and sees it (they can both be in and out a lot of thetime with work so when things need done they just do it)
Mostly Natasha but Idon’t see a lot of handling of public going on at any rate.
15- How adventurous are they?
Natasha is very adventurous (which means so isBruce, whether he wants to be or not) I think they’d like travelling, once allis said and done with SHIELD and the Avengers and they actually just have timeto be themselves I see them both just upping and wandering the globe with oneanother for a good while. I don’t think either of them are entirely rooted toone place, they’re fairly free and both ‘adventurous’ in that sort of sense Isuppose. The main difference being that once they get to these new places,Natasha wants to explore all over, and ride camels and elephants and hey, shehasn’t jumped out of anything really high up in a while let’s go skydiving.Bruce ends up doing a lot of things he’d never even dreamed of (or in some casehad any awareness of) because Natasha is a little impulsive and ‘kid in a candystore’ at times and hey this looks fun let’s just do it right now.
20- What does their home look like? Their room?
Ooh, hmm. First off Idon’t think it’s anywhere all that big? Warm is the first word that comes tomind (Nat handles most of the decorating (Bruce just colour-co-ordinates a bitand makes a few suggestions here and there) and she chooses nice rich, brightwarm colours for all of their spaces. I don’t think ‘sparse’ is the right wordbut they don’t have all that many worldly possessions so things are quite sortof minimalist (but at the same time, scattered, because the few things they dohave don’t even think about matching, but that’s okay) Their room, again, Ithink is fairly stripped back but at the same time entirely them? There’s justa giant big bed in the centre for them to curl up together and not a lot ofspace for much else, a bookshelf or two, a few pictures, and a few morescattered titbits from their travels.
send me a ship and some numbers and I’ll exchange them for headcanons
