About that scene between Bruce and Natasha reunion and Steve
There are lots of discussion going on
We Romanogers fans look at it a certain way. Bru**not fans completely discard it.
But the thing is the way the scene was shot, nonfans, normal moviegoers also noticed something is up.
I can only compare it to this scene.It was a promotional still. and just tell me it’s random to put Nat in between and other side and has no significant meaning. Didn’t she push him to call her? What problem Nat could have if Steve was getting close to a girl?
Now let me come out of my shipper spectrum and look at it.
Romanogers has been hinted but yet we were not given anything solid to stand which say hey he or she has been romantic. But what is established is that this two are very close, you can call it friendship or anything else. But it was established that Steve and Natasha care and very protective of each other.
I came across a video of a Bruce fan on youtube who also notices something was up. The problem with these boys is that they can never accept that a girl can move on. All they respond with “Nat belongs to Bruce” and “Cap will never go after his friend’s girl”
Obviously, there are other people to point it out that Nat isn’t a trophy. She doesn’t belong to anyone. She is allowed to move on like Bruce did from Betty. And they were trying to establish something 3 years back which didn’t work out. So they were never in a relationship.
But then comes the next point “Cap will never go after his friend’s girl”
The thing is both Bruce and Natasha is his friends. But he is connected more with Nat than Bruce. Even if they never bring anything romantic between Steve and Natasha; Steve is more Natasha’s friend than Bruce.
In the case of Bruce, he is more like a colleague or acquaintance.
But the bond between Steve and Natasha has to affect his relationship with Bruce.
In AOU not even Nat’s best friend Clint noticed but Steve made a point to go to Bruce and say hey my friend seems happy with you, keep her happy. And then it was Steve who pulled out Natasha from her heartbreak. Not giving a crying shoulder because Natasha isn’t like that. But engaging her in what she was good at, joking, lifting her mood.
So even if no romantic feelings involved he was supposed to have a grudge for having Nat’s heartbroken. Steve will look into it from Nat’s side. Not being completely happy like he did with Rhody but also being careful. He may not meddle into their business but he will linger, he will watch out for the tiniest bit of sign if things went south. And if you notice, in every bru**not interaction be it they talk about Antman or Nat asking Bruce if he was ok in the suite, Steve was included. Even in Quinjet, he was lingering nearby. That’s not just a sign of casual friendship. That means even if Nat is a friend it goes to a deeper level for Steve. He was there and he was watching out for her.
Now I will venture into my shipper’s heart and say well not every romance starts with OMG she is beautiful, I want to kiss her. Cap has a complicated history and waiting for the right partner-man is actually a one-woman man. If he has to move on from Peggy, it is given he wouldn’t fall for a cute girl he finds next.
That’s why friendship is important. I have read beautiful novels where someone who thought would never fall in love, fall for unexpected people in an unexpected way. Sometimes you may not look a someone romantically at the beginning but the bond you develop on your way or you become so protective of the person and you realize suddenly that person means so much that you can’t name the relation and that it has become love.
The point is Steve and Natasha’s friendship as they call it has grown in a very interesting way. Clint is Nat’s best friend yet we never see the focus on that friendship. He never even commented or mind Nat’s relationship with Bruce. Sam nudged Steve seeing Sharon or smiled teasing when he saw him kiss her.
But we get to see Nat’s reaction to Sharon in the Civil war. She was supposed to be as happy as Sam or tease him for finally calling the girl she pushed for. But it wasn’t pleasant.
And Steve’s reaction to Bruce is similar. He was supposed to be happy that they have the Hulk now. He was also supposed to be happy and hopeful for Nat, like Sam was to him seeing Sharon if it was just friendship, Steve was supposed to look at Nat to see her smile
Instead, he keeps looking at Bruce, regards him silently as if it’s personal for him too. Even Nat smiled. But Steve who was smiling a second back to Rhody was not. It was like he was having his own moment and camera never excluded him from the frame.
And that’s the key. When things you should have no business with becomes personal. Steve treats Nat very differently than he treats Sam and Nat as well. Steve and Natasha’s friendship has reached that danger zone when both of them have feelings and reaction for things they should not as a friend.
And Bonus Sam Willson, the guy always states the obvious. He was gawking at Steve Sharon kiss to tease him or carrying Vision with Wanda with their open display of affection. But he comments “this is awkward”
It was proved he wasn’t shy from other’s PDA. All Bruce and Nat just did say hi. That was not enough to push Sam. And Sam wasn’t even around to know about Bruce. He joined after Bruce left. So unless Sam witnessed something which makes the situation uncomfortable for him. Otherwise, you would have him say “So happy to have the Hulk when we have to fight aliens”
Another thing is that 2 of Anthony Mackie’s comment. Sam always stuck around with Steve no matter what. But as Mackie said Sam was on his own and only joined Cap on missions in this 2 years. But Scarlett says SteveNat was together. So what may happen then even Sam leaves those two alone? It shouldn’t be a problem if they were just friends.
Or Mackie totally against the idea of Cap being a virgin and then Scarlett never commenting on it asked him “who is he having sex with Anthony?” And Anthony laughing “that’s the question I was getting too”.Those two made a show on Scarlett choosing Steve Rogers as her prom date as well.
And let’s not forget the Heroes Journey book.
So my point is after all these things if people can’t see something is up, they were not paying attention.