Marvel: Short stories

Not your fault - Bruce x Reader

The team watched in horror as (Y/n)'s body went flying through the air, her crumpled form falling in a heap on the floor as it hit the wall. They couldn't believe their eyes, of all people why had made Hulk hurt (Y/n)?

Clint shouted his younger sister's name at the top of his lungs. The tormented cry heard by all even above the carnage that surrounded the team.

"I have to get to (Y/n). Someone cover me." Clint called out over the comms as he fired off another volley of arrows. Tony flying over to his position, as Clint tried to fight his way over to where his sisters battered body lay.

Clint had never trusted (Y/n) around Hulk, even though she seemed to be able to calm the beast better than even Natasha, he had always worried about how close (Y/n) seemed to the big green monster, as well as Bruce. It wasn't that Clint didn't like Bruce. The usually quiet doctor was more trustworthy around his sister than many others that he could think of, especially Tony. But recently Clint had noticed that (Y/n) and Bruce seemed to be getting closer and closer, (Y/n) spending her every spare moment in his laboratory with him. And even more annoyingly for Clint, Hulk himself seemed to have more than a passing liking for the younger Barton when he made an appearance.

Finally, Clint fought his way over to where (Y/n) lay, her body being protected by a bellowing, snarling Hulk. The big green creature smashing anything that dare come close to the woman that lay seemingly lifeless on the ground. Even roaring at Clint as he tried to get close.

As the battle finally subsided, Steven and Bucky taking care of the last few stragglers, the rest of the team rushed over, all watching as Hulk leant down over (Y/n), gently picking up her body and cradling it carefully in his arms.

"(Y/n) hurt. Fix (Y/n)." Hulk said quietly, turning around and presenting the body to Clint. The rest of the team watching as the archer carefully took his sister from the Hulk's arms. He and Tony taking her back to the Quinjet as quickly as they could.

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Bruce sat in his seat, his head in his hands not daring to look up to where Clint sat holding (Y/n)'s hand. Her beat up body secured for the long journey home.

"It's not your fault Bruce" Tony said quietly, as he came to sit by his friend's side. Tony's reassurance doing little to take away any of the guilt Bruce felt.

"I doubt that Clint thinks that. And who else's fault could it be? I know Hulk didn't mean to hurt her, she was fighting by his side and got too close. I know that he would never hurt her, I would never hurt her, but if it wasn't for me, wasn't for me changing into the Hulk, (Y/n) wouldn't be like this now." Bruce said sadly, as he finally looked up, his eyes focusing on the broken woman that lay motionless on the makeshift bed.

"Then it was an accident. And (Y/n) will know that when she wakes up. You know how much she cares for you, how much she even cares about the Hulk. When she comes around, I am sure that she herself will tell you that it wasn't your fault." Tony tried to explain, as Bruce watched Clint grip (Y/n)'s hand tighter.

"He wouldn't let me anywhere near her. Even when I said that I needed to examine her. He just pushed me away, saying it was all my fault, and that he didn't want me near her ever again." Bruce told Tony, as they watched Clint talk quietly to Natasha as the machines around (Y/n) beeped steadily. Natasha carefully brushing the long strands of (Y/n)'s dark brown back behind her ears.

"You know how important (Y/n) is to Clint. They've always looked after one another. Its only to be expected that he'd be upset and angry about what happened. And you know what (Y/n) is like. Clint will tell her that he doesn't want her to have anything more to do with you. (Y/n) will tell him to mind his own goddamn business, threaten to shoot him with one of his own explosive arrows, then she will be back down in the labs listening to you go on and on about your latest formula or discovery. Just give him time, Bruce. Just give him time." Tony said, as he stood and patted Bruce on the shoulder, before he made his way back to the Quinjet cockpit.

"Are you ok?" Natasha asked, as she came to sit in the spot that Tony had just vacated.

"Yeah.......no........to be honest, I don't know anymore." Bruce replied, as Natasha took his hand.

Natasha had known the younger Barton for as long as she had known Clint. She had watched (Y/n) grow, seen her flourish into the exceptional agent that she was now. An agent that was as much a part of the team as any of them. Natasha couldn't help but find herself shocked and angry as she had watched what had unfurled, but Natasha knew Bruce, knew that whatever the archer may think at this moment, that neither Bruce nor the Hulk was to blame for the unfortunate event.

"She's going to be fine, Bruce. (Y/n) is tough, she has to be to put up with Clint. Once we get her home, she will get the best treatment, and she will be back to her normal self in no time. You'll see." Natasha said, furrowing her brows as Bruce suddenly tore his hand away from hers and stood up.

"And what if she isn't, Nat? What if she dies? It will all be my fault. All my fault because I turn into that big green monster that I can't control. All my fault because I should be able to protect the woman I love, not hurt her. I know why Clint doesn't want her to have anything more to do with me. I know why he hates me. But believe me, he can't hate me any more than I hate myself." Bruce shouted, a tinge of green appearing in his eyes as he ignored the stares of the rest of the team and stormed off to be alone. Clint looking at Natasha in disbelief at the doctor's declaration of love for his sister.

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Bruce watched from the shadows as Cho examined (Y/n). Clint having to be forced from the room so that the doctor could do her job. The entire team was watching and waiting for the results. (Y/n) was as much a sister to them as she was to Clint, and not one of them had really known what to say to Bruce since he had had his outburst on the Quinjet. In part not knowing the best way to reassure the doctor, but also not wanting to have a code green while in mid-flight.

"Well? How is she?" Clint asked nervously, as Cho exited the room.

"Good news and bad news, I'm afraid. (Y/n) sustained internal bruising, a punctured lung, several broken bones, and a concussion." Helen began, the team crowding around her as she looked through the pad in her hands.

"Is that the good or bad news?" Bucky asked, the others looking just as unsure as he was.

"That is the bad news. The good news is that it's nothing that can't be fixed. (Y/n) is strong, and even though her injuries sound bad, the fact that she received them from the Hulk and is still alive, is an accomplishment in itself. I have given her a sedative that will help her sleep comfortably and will give her brain time to start to heal. (Y/n) is very lucky." Cho concluded, as she placed the pad in her pocket.

"You call that lucky? Yeah, she's lucky not to be dead. If it wasn't for Banner, none of this would have happened." Clint declared as he glared over into the dark where Bruce stood.

"Clint. Bruce already explained that it was an accident. (Y/n) got too close, and Hulk didn't see her. He thought she was one of the other agents. It could have happened to any of us." Tony said, trying his best to defend his friend.

"Bull! It wouldn't happened to anyone else, because my sister is the only one dumb enough to get so close to that out of control monster. And if it had been you, your suit would have protected you. If it had been Steve or Bucky, they would have healed quicker. If it had been Thor, he would probably have just brushed it off. But no, it had to be my sister. And I don't care if he claims to love (Y/n), if he goes near her again, I won't be held responsible for my action." Clint growled, as he pushed past the rest of the team. Bumping Bruce as he left the room.