Imagine If You Assembled the Avengers: Volume 1

Love Me Like You Do (Bruce Banner x reader)

Based on the song "Love Me Like You Do" by Ellie Goulding

You're the light, you're the night

You're the color of my blood

You're the cure, you're the pain

You're the only thing I wanna touch

Never knew that it could mean so much, so much

Fading in, fading out

On the edge of paradise

Every inch of your skin is a holy grail I've got to find

Only you can set my heart on fire, on fire

You put your hand gently on Bruce's back, slowly running it along the muscles of his arms and across his back. Your fingers grazed his neck on their way into his hair and back to start the path all over again. It was fascinating to think about what this man could become, but at the same time be the most caring and gentle person you had ever met. It was amazing that someone could be so diametrically opposed within themselves, and it was equally amazing to you that he had it under control; especially on nights that you spent together. Nights like this one, when you lost sight of where your body ended and his began, when tongues were tangled and mouths searched each other in desperation, when emotions were high and self-control was never guaranteed.

"What are you thinking about?"

"You," you whispered. "What else would there be on my mind right now?"

Bruce rolled over to look at you, his eyes heavy but as relaxed as you had seen him in a long time. Work with the team had been particularly strenuous lately, and 'the other guy' had been getting a lot of business; it was hard to see the toll it had taken on him, and moments like this were meant to be appreciated for what they were.

"Me? Or the other me?" He was always worried about the day, or night, that might come when he didn't control the Hulk so well, and it terrified him to think that you would be there.

"Maybe a little of both."

He groaned and was about to roll away again when you grabbed his arm to hold him in place. "No, hear me out. I'm thinking about you and how you're able to handle so much and still be...you. You always act so surprised when I say that I love you, but I don't get that. It can't be all about the other guy, can it? Because you know I don't see him as a threat and I'm not scared. So why won't you believe me?"

He sighed and ran his fingers thru tangles of your hair that had fallen over your shoulders, gently uncoiling each curl and dropping it against your skin. "I believe you. I have to, because I love you too, and I can't imagine if you weren't in this with me."

~~~

"Hey, (Y/N), we could use a little help here! Your boyfriend is off the deep end!"

"Jesus, Tony, do you think maybe it's because you're working him so damn hard?" You were running as fast as you could to where the Hulk had lost control, but you weren't fast enough. You yelped as Tony flew past, sweeping low enough to grab you in his arms and carry you there.

"The more he does this, the harder it is for him to come out of it! You know that, Stark! This is your fault!"

"You think I don't know that? Save the guilt trip for later!" He flew low to drop you a few feet from the Hulk, turning to land and stand a short distance behind you if you needed him, but still out of sight.

The loud growl sent a chill through you, but you did your best to not show it, to not let him see that he was scaring you. You had promised Bruce that this side of him wasn't a threat, and it was all you could do to act like it was the truth. You weren't threatened when he was in control, unlike now, when he was standing over you and looking down at you with a confused look in his eyes.