Everyone meets Bruce's Daemon

Summary: No one has ever seen Bruce's daemon. Is it true what people say? Is Bruce really soulless?

To save your questions:

Tony: melanistic jaguar, female, Deletrix

Steve: sun bear, male, Gandle

Thor: griffon, female, Valkyrie

Natasha: spotted skunk, male, Rasta

Clint: sparrow hawk, female, Pan

Bruce: surprise

And I know it's usually a gender switch on the animals but Steve is special.

~?~?~?~

Steve smiled at the disheveled man. "Dr. Banner," he stuck his hand out. "Pleasure to meet you. Gandle and I have heard a lot about you," he said and Gandle nodded.

Bruce's eyebrow rose. "Everything?" he asked cautiously.

Steve grinned. "Only the important things," he replied.

Steve saw no daemon but said nothing.

~?~?~?~

Tony and his melanistic jaguar sauntered over to Bruce. "Dr. Banner, I'm Tony Stark and this is Deletrix," the big cat growled suggestively.

Bruce smiled warily and they shook hands. "Hello," he said politely.

Tony wasn't introduced to a daemon eithers.

~?~?~?~

Natasha was looked at Bruce in fear, her spotted skunk, Rasta, in front of her as a futile form of protection. They watched as Bruce fought the transformation.

"It's okay Bruce," Rasta said calmly, appearing relaxed despite his screaming instincts.

"I swear-." Natasha began.

"On your life?!" Bruce demanded, partially in a roar.

Natasha grew more scared. Where was his daemon? Why wasn't it helping him?

~?~?~?~

'Crazy?' Thor thought incredulously. Next to Thor was his griffon daemon, Valkyrie. 'You call my brother insane yet you walk alone. Who is truly crazy Green One?'

~?~?~?~

Bruce glanced at them as he walked towards the worm. "That's me secret Cap… I'm always angry."

Everyone watched in many emotions from wonder and amazement to fear as Bruce's body drastically changed into the Hulk. Hulk roared and ran into battle and then everyone noticed.

Spiritually, Hulk ran alone.

~?~?~?~

One month after the invasion and everyone was living with Tony in his new Avengers Tower. Still, no one has seen Bruce's daemon. They knew Bruce had one, however, because they knew Bruce wasn't soulless.

Out of respect for Bruce, no one said anything; whether Bruce showed his daemon or not was his business, even if it did sadden the others a bit. They all agreed that with Bruce's past, they'd probably hide their daemons too. It was not long after they settled the matter that Bruce called for a meeting in the family living room. Confused they complied.

"What's up ScienceBro?" Tony asked, petting Deletrix's head.

Bruce was pacing slightly in front of them; they were all on a couch or recliner. Finally Bruce stopped and looked at them.

"I want…" Bruce hesitates, "I want you all to meet my daemon."

Everyone glanced at each other in worry and curiosity.

"You don't have to Bruce," Steve said gently.

"You are our friend and friends may keep secrets from each other," Gandle agreed.

Bruce shook his head. "I want to, and it's okay; I know you won't hurt her," he assured.

Everyone frowned, subconsciously touching their daemons.

"Hurt her?" Clint asked, glancing at his sparrowhawk daemon, Pan.

Bruce flinched and looked away. "People used to touch her," he said, barely above a whisper.

Everyone grimaced and subconsciously grabbed a mound of fur and feathers from their daemons; the soul-animals quietly comforting their partners. Natasha held Rasta closer; she knew what it felt like to be assaulted in such a way. Tony did too from his time in Afghanistan. They both still got nightmares from the nausea and darkness they felt.

Thor looked at Valkyrie; while she has never been touched by another man, she had been hit by a car and that hadn't felt too good.

"I apologize friend Banner," Thor said, everyone looked at him and Bruce was confused. "I once said you knew not the pain I felt of losing my brother; I was greatly wrong. You've suffered more than I."

Bruce blushed and smiled lightly. "You didn't know."

Everyone started at the squeaky feminine voice. They looked at bruce and suddenly a small brown and black, furry head poked out. Bruce laughed and unbuttoned his shirt a little; everyone was graced by the sight of a sugar glider.

Bruce held his hand out and the glider jumped on; running up his arm to his face. "This is Shanti," Bruce said, speaking around her paw that was on his lip.

"Pleasure," Shanti said happily; wagging her tail.

Everyone laughed at the cuteness. Shanti, loving the attention, jumped from Bruce to land on Deletrix's muzzle.

"Hello," she squeaked.

"Nice to meet you," Tony said.

Deletrix smirked. "Hello as well mouse," she replied.

Shanti huffed indignantly before running down Deletrix's back toward Valkyrie and Thor. Taking a large jump, she glided down and landed on Valkyrie's beak nose. Valkyrie sneezed and Thor laughed.

"Hello small friend!" Thor boomed and Valkyrie fluttered her wings.

"Youngling," she said.

Shanti smiled, and then turned towards Pan and Rasta; she knew, just like her masters, they didn't like to be touched much. Pan and Rasta both nodded in greeting but remained silent.

Shanti turned happily. "Catch me Robby!" she cheered, jumping off Valkyrie.

Instinctually, Bruce brought his foot up to catch the sugar glider form her low jump. Shanti landed on his shoe before quickly climbing up his leg and into his shirt before popping out his collar. Bruce was laughing and smiling the entire time.

Everyone watched the two together and they knew in an instant, they two truly loved each other. Now they understood why Bruce looked like he was in pain; not because of the Hulk but because he had to hide, because he and Shanti had to be caged away.

Tony stood up and Bruce looked at him. "Bruce," Tony swore, "Never again will you and Shanti have to hide."

Bruce and Shanti paused in surprise before Bruce blushed and Shanti hid her face in Bruce's hair.

Bruce smiled wryly. "I should have known that from the beginning," he said softly.

End.