Oh How I've Wanted You-A Noble Beast One Shot
āOh How Iāve Wanted Youā
Heās seen her around. In the coffee shop across the street from the Tower mostly. He tries not to consider how creepy he must look staring down at her red hair flashing and dancing in the early morning sun light. And he tries not to feel how right she looks sitting at that little table out on the balcony while everyone else is huddled inside where thereās heat. And not the sometimes overwhelming cold that comes with winters in New York City.
And after a while (a few days) it becomes impossible to simply watch her from afar. He may have the self-restraint of a saint āin a purple shirt of sex and cargo pantsā as Tony would say, but he wasnāt completely oblivious to the way his pulse would react to seeing her. Or the way his mouth would dry up because of the nervous energy suddenly pulsing through him at the idea of just throwing caution to the wind, going down there, and asking her out on a date.
Later, the irony of this statement will hit him full force and cause ripples of laughter to fall from his lips into her wonderfully bare shoulder.
So timing it just right, he wraps himself in the warmest coat he has and an old black scarf he has waiting in the back of his sock drawer. His heart thumps harder, faster against his rib cage. And he revels in the feeling of freedom he has knowing that he wonāt suddenly hulk out as he draws closer and closer to the coffee shop. For all his complaining about the man, Bruce really loves having Tony Stark as a friend.
Just as the thought flees from his mind, he catches sight of her. Sheās even more gorgeous up close. Red hair waving in gentle flames around her face. Her eyes a swirling canopy of blue and green. He swears he can see the dust of flying comets in those two beautiful pools of light. But then maybe heās just being overly sentimental.
Seeing her like this. Seeing her and knowing itās real, something shifts within him. Something he hasnāt touched, hasnāt even thought about in years. He thinks he likes it. And suddenly, he isnāt scared.
He reaches the entrance just as she does and he canāt help but meet her eyes. He smiles. Not his usual nervous tick at the side of his mouth when his quick wit is soon to follow. But a smile that reaches his eyes, fills his face with light, makes his cheek hurt.
āHello,ā she mutters and her voice is just as wonderful and perfect as the rest of her. He think heās in love with her already.
He begins to open the door until he thinks better about it and steps in front of her. Holding up his hands in that universal sign of surrender he chuckles to himself when he sees a blistering spark come to life in her eyes.
āI was - I was wondering if youād like to go on a date. Dinner, a movie, sight-seeing. You pick,ā Bruce blurts out the words before he gets cold feet. He stares at her. Notes how close he is to her. Notes how easy it would be to lean down andā¦
āSure, you can take me on a date. Can I get my bloody coffee first? You wonāt like me when I havenāt had my caffeine in the morning,ā she says. And even as she snaps at him, he can see that small smile gracing her own lips when she moves past him through the open door.
Yes he knows it now. Heās in love.
So literally I was having such a hard time and then I started listening to my Noble Beast playlist today and the inspiration just sort of hit me. I really hope you guise like it. I canāt even with this ship anymore. Itās beautiful and I just cannot.
Oh by the way. The song that inspired this particular fic is called āBraveā and it is by Tawgs Salter.