Bab 35: Chapter 35: Returning to S.H.I.E.L.D.
Natasha fixed Thor with an icy stare, her expression unreadable.
Feeling a surge of survival instinct, Thor straightened up, clutching his heart dramatically with one hand while reaching out to touch her cheek with the other. "Once, I had a true love right in front of me, and I failed to cherish it. Now, it's too late for regrets. There's no pain worse than this in the world."
The sudden romantic confession took Natasha by surprise, and her cheeks flushed with a rare softness in her gaze. Seeing his opportunity, Thor continued, "If fate could give me another chance, I'd tell that girl three simple words: I love you. And if I had to put a time limit on that love, I'd wish for…"
"Ten thousand years," Natasha cut him off with a smirk.
Thor blinked, caught off guard. "How'd you—?"
She chuckled, eyes sparkling. "I was on a mission in Hong Kong a few years back and saw that movie, too."
Should've known, Thor thought, barely resisting the urge to slap himself.
Looking into her face—matured from the girl he once knew—Thor sighed, then impulsively pulled her close. She tensed for a moment, then softened, her gaze turning wistful.
"Little girl, I know you're angry. I should never have left you for so long. That's on me." Back then, he'd admittedly used a few tricks to make himself memorable to the young, wide-eyed Natalia Romanova.
Something in his words seemed to bring back memories for her. She looked up, her eyes shining. For a second, she seemed lost, and Thor caught a glimpse of the young girl he'd once known. But she quickly composed herself, offering him a teasing smile. "Come on, Thor, don't get so sentimental. It's been years, not life and death."
She glanced at him, then murmured, "You don't need to apologize. You helped me when I needed it. Without you, who knows where I'd be? I know you've been busy, but… now that you're here…"
She leaned closer, her voice a whisper. "No more talking. Just kiss me."
The next morning, Thor strolled into S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, holding Natasha's hand, to the astonishment of the agents around them. Thor was unfazed, but the shock among S.H.I.E.L.D.'s ranks was palpable. Natasha's allure was well-known, and she had more than a few admirers, though none had ever caught her interest. Rumor had it that she'd sent several overzealous suitors to the emergency room; the "Black Widow" title had stuck, and most agents knew better than to cross her.
Now, seeing her laughing and close with Thor, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents looked on in disbelief, while others glared at Thor as if he were their worst enemy.
In the director's office, Nick Fury glanced at them and sighed, clearly exasperated. "You're finally back, and already half my agents hate you. At least 80% of them now consider you their lifelong nemesis."
Thor shrugged. "Let them. They're just jealous."
Fury set aside his banter, turning serious. "Okay, I need to know why you're really here. What's your interest in General Ross's work?"
It was obvious that Thor hadn't come back just to stir things up with Betty and Natasha. Whatever had caught his attention had to be important.
Thor nodded. "The military's working on a super-soldier project. I've got some interest in the results and might be able to… lend a hand."
Fury raised an eyebrow. "If this is about collaboration, you could have asked S.H.I.E.L.D. for help negotiating. So, what exactly do you want? The super-soldier serum formula?"
Thor shook his head. "No. The military's formula is incomplete. Even if it succeeds, the results won't be anything like Steve Rogers. The most likely outcome is creating an uncontrollable monster."
Thor's real goal is the Hulk—an extraordinary, unrepeatable accident.
In his past life, Thor had seen how Banner's "acceptance" of the Hulk had diminished the creature's potential. As Bruce merged his intellect with the Hulk's strength, the monster's wild rage—the very source of its power—had faded. Professor Hulk lacked the fury, the pure, raw anger that made the Hulk such a terrifying force.
More than that, the transformation into "Professor Hulk" brought other downsides: the massive green body, while strong, erase one of Hulk power, Hulk becomes more powerful as anger increases, his strength continues to rise further and further. He remembers this in his previous life.
If the Hulk gets angry enough, he becomes bigger, stronger, faster, tougher, and oozing with gamma radiation. .
It was a sacrifice that drained the Hulk of much of his primal energy.
In Thor's view, the Hulk was a weapon of unmatched power, one that shouldn't be wasted on compromise.
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