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There's a moment on the battlefield where Bruce doesn't change.
Usually, Bruce changes as he drops. They didn't drop in this time, having rushed from a nearby event in one of Tony's limos of all things. Happy's driving is a bit terrifying. That isn't the problem, though. Bruce has changed in other, worse situations.
They're on a battlefield, sure. But this battlefield is one with Doombots, and Cap gets between the first one to come for Bruce, shield up. He glances back a minute later and does a double-take to see Bruce still there. He takes a step back toward Bruce when another Doombot comes in from the side and that's it, Bruce is gone.
~*~
Bruce has the time in the car on the way to SHIELD, groggy though he is, to think about it. And he knows what happened but-
"Listen. Can we-" Bruce squirms because he hates asking for things. "Not in the SHIELD debrief?"
Steve tilts his head to show he's listening. When Bruce doesn't say anything further, Steve looks at him as the clib out of Tony's limo. They're coming into the corridor that leads to the briefing rooms when Steve says, "But later?"
And Bruce- he really, really appreciates that Steve makes it a question, not a demand. He smiles at Steve, knows it's probably a little shy.
"Yes."
Steve nods his acceptance.
~*~
Steve doesn't wait long, only until they're all piled back in the car together.
"Do we have a problem?" He says it in his calm team-leader voice. The others stop chatting, focusing on Steve and Bruce. No one else had caught the delay in his transformation, then.
"No." Bruce's calm, the slowly widening happy curve of his lips, does its work. The rest of the Avengers ease back. Only Phil seems unaffected. "It's not a problem, Steve, I promise."
Steve's smile warms him. "What then?"
Bruce loves this, loves the way his team, his family, trusts him more and more. A year ago, there would have been other questions. "What triggers the transformation?"
Steve's smile goes from curious to indulgent, willing to play student to Bruce's teacher. "Anger," he says.
Tony snorts. "Nu-unh, Cap, don't let him give you that. We know better." He catches Bruce's eyes. "Fear. Fear is what triggers the Other Guy."
Steve pulls Tony under his arm for the interruption. "You were in danger."
Bruce ducks his head, cheeks heating up. "No I wasn't." He raises his head, gives their alpha his eyes. "You had me."
There is a soft sound in the car, a wave of repressed noise as his teammates, his pack, react.
"Bruce." Steve's voice is so sharp with joy that Bruce bares his neck on instinct alone. "Yes. I have you." Steve holds out a hand, eyes shining. Bruce clambers across the facing seats and piles onto Steve's lap.
"I have you," Steve whispers into his hair once his arms have closed around Bruce. "You're safe."
Bruce closes his eyes and wallows in it.