I thought I'd give the idea I had for an Avengers story a try. I think they're just going to end up a bunch of ficlets though.

"Dalia?"

Bruce Banner knocked twice at a doorframe. Colourful sheets were in place of a door.

"Dalia, are you in there?" He rapped once more, before he gingerly swept the curtain aside and tip toed inside.

The room was cluttered with books. Books lying opened, books in piles, There was hardly an inch of mattress left visible on the bed. There were books on medicines, books on illnesses, books on nuclear physics, and books on astronomy, but mostly there were books on legends.

Fairy tales, Mythology, Legends, of all origins. This was the material that Dalia loved.

Bruce bent down to pick up an opened, dog-eared book on radiation waves and closed it, propping it on a shelf, smiling to himself. He had no doubt in mind to where she would be. There was a small wooden stool, which Bruce had nudged aside with his foot. He stood on top of it and pulled on a little rope, revealing a pull-down ladder leading into another room.

"Dalia." He called softly, poking his head through the attic door.

A girl was sitting on the floor by a tiny window with her head in her hand and her other hand holding a massive red book. She looked up, startled, when she heard her name but her eyes softened when she saw who had called her.

"Oh..Bruce."

"I haven't heard from you since this morning." He chuckled softly, slowly making his way towards her.

The girl nodded and smiled apologetically, reaching out for him so she could bury her face in his chest.

"I'm sorry. I just get so captivated by these stories."

"I know you do, Dalia."

Bruce rested his chin on her head. They rested on the floor together, content with being in each other's arms. Bruce had been flooded with work in Calcutta. It was rare for him to have breaks when patients weren't sick or in need of medical help. But it kept his mind off his past trauma and he didn't mind. And anyways, it was how he met Dalia Hayward. Dalia looked up suddenly, eyes shining.

"Would you like to hear about the story I just read?"

"I would like that."

Bruce dragged a quilt that was crumpled up on the floor over them and pulled her closer. He was relaxed like this. There had been no accidents with the Other Guy for two years and he wanted to keep it that way.

I'm sorry if this chapter seems really unsatisfying. That's how it feels to me. I'm hoping it gets better as it progresses.