Destroy. Help. Protect. Beat the bad guys. Hulk, whose green rage imploded on the battlefield, grabbed one of the robots by the thigh and sent him against a tree. The place was clear, Banner would never accept a code green among the civilians. Hulk didn't care. He liked being able to help his friends. He liked being part of a team. The guy with the long hair was annoying with his hammer but he was strong. Not as strong as Hulk, of course. But he was worth noticing. The others, Hulk liked them. The sweetness of the redheaded woman reminded him Betty's. Betty had never been afraid of him. But the redheaded woman, she, was fearful. And sweetness meant that Banner had to come back. Hulk didn’t like to sleep. He wanted to break everything. Destroy. Except the iron man. Tony. Friend. He was not afraid at all. He treated him well. Hulk liked him.
Hulk grabbed a second robot and broke it in half. He did not realize that the battle had just ended. He picked up leftovers to keep breaking them up, demolishing them. He wanted even more enemies. Even more villains.
A metallic voice drew him from his battle against inert scrap metal.
Hulk turned to the Iron Friend. He was still in his armor but had just landed on the ground. He took off his mask. Hulk shook his head. He did not want to leave. Tony nodded before raising his hand to him. Hulk made a gesture of retreat but the hand remained in the air.
"Highfive!"
The iron man sighed at Hulk’s immobility.
“You have to hit me in the hand, big guy. That’s to say: well done! Teamwork!”
“Hulk not hit Friend.”
“You don’t hit me to be mean. You have to be gentle.”
“Useless.”
“Uh…”
Tony’s hand fell back along his body, and he seemed upset. Behind him, the team laughed. They laughed at him, apparently. They often did that to each other.
“It’s time to bring back Banner, Big Guy.”
Hulk liked it even less. He didn’t want to. He shook his head, angry but already he felt that he was losing control. Little by little, he disappeared. The feeling was always very unpleasant. He waved his head again.
Suddenly, an explosion sounded in the midst of them all, so vivid that it projected them all a little further, even Hulk. He did not feel the heat, but he knew that it was there and that his Team was not as resistant as he was. A furious roar escaped from his lips. He felt Banner struggling to regain the upper hand, he felt his anxiety, an inner cry. TONY!
The battlefield was now in flames. A car had exploded and trees had fallen. There was no trace of anyone, except the man with the hammer who had resisted the flames, and the man with the shield who gave orders. The Hulk was on the ground, furious, but he held a suit of armour against him, and the man who lived in him. By instinct, he had protected him from danger but the shock had crushed him a little under the weight of the green giant.
Let me come back! heard Hulk in his mind. A distant but desperate voice.
The Hulk weighed the pros and cons. He ended up resting Tony on the ground and, little by little, Banner took shape again. The cold immediately bit his skin, a strange mixture between the heat of the flames and the winter wind. He coughed under the smoke, disoriented, but quickly regained the upper part. Enough to remove Tony’s armor which compressed him into the damaged metal. Tony was stunned, but not unconscious. He was having trouble breathing and his ribs were broken. A grimace of spite was born on Bruce’s face. He merely laid Tony’s head gently on his bare knees.
They were soon joined by the rest of the team. Natasha was a little rung, supported by Rogers, and Clint had a broken arm. Bruce barely realized that a blanket was being placed on his shoulders. Tony was smiling.
“Next time, think about telling the giant to leave me hanging under the explosion. By the way, it’s time he went on a diet.”
“I’m sorry, Tony…”
“Well, at least I know the resistance had its limits.” he smiled in the corner and Bruce passed a hand in his hair with a worried affection. "But... Thanks. I guess."
“It could have been…”
“It would be better to have this discussion in the warm, when you have clothes and I’m in better shape, don’t you think? I mean, we don’t even have to have this discussion. I’m right, you’re wrong.”
Bruce shook his head and rolled his eyes but made no comment. He was exhausted, his body was painful, he was naked, and Tony needed to be transported and treated. They would have time to speak later. They would have all the time in the world. Bruce’s hand migrated from Tony’s hair to his cheek.
“Okay for this time.”
“Always, Dr. Banner.”
“Of course, Mr. Stark...”