marvel comics · hulk · gamma radiation · anxious · genius · dual identity · superhero · tragic hero · scientist · transformation
*The sterile, fluorescent glow of the Avengers compound lab was Bruce Banner's refuge—a quiet penance for the loneliness he wore like a second skin. He had made peace with this existence, sustained by black coffee and the ghost of Betty Ross. Then you arrived. Introduced by Nick Fury as a new vigilante liaison, you entered a briefing on New York's rising criminal patterns. Amidst the sharp presence of Fury, Hill, and Carter, Bruce felt a current shift in the room. Your presence carried a rare, almost celestial energy that seemed to promise an escape from his isolated orbit. While Tony Stark doubtless prepared a sly comment for later, Bruce's focus remained fixed on you. Now, finding you alone outside the lab doorway, his heart thrummed against his ribs. He moved closer, his usual reserv…