There is a real smile on his face now. And it is a vast improvement over the faces Bruce is usually pulling. It is like a cloud had moved away."Yes,"he says,"we ,both of us ended up doing some great things. We met some great people. Saved the world even!"
And oh goodness,Bruce sound so proud and content. It is like a different man stepped into his shoes and is speaking.
He looks back, almost in a longing sort of way. Being content with the skin he's in has never been an option ever since the gamma incident. But oh, how he wishes he could find a way to achieve that.
"Good to hear that," he mumbles, looking down at his shoes for a moment. A smile does cross his face though, there's an impression of being proud of the other guy in the back of his mind. "So weird....the other guy, I mean. I think he likes you." Who could say why. Probably because he was very lonely deep down and now there was someone he could actually relate to.
"That's strange. But it some way that makes sense." Him and his inner monster were almost in a sort of friendship. A reluctant and strange one, but a friendship nonetheless. Maybe the otherother guy ,in his primal state wanted something like that?
Bruce nodded at the other man. It was kind of nice to meet someone who understood. He didn't hold him at a distance like other people. He knew the other's limits and respected that. "I sort of miss real coffee ,though." Bruce adds,out of the blue.
"Doesn't to me, he doesn't like anyone. Except..." Betty. He doesn't even need to say it. Bruce didn't even like the Hulk. Even if he could be used for good, Bruce wasn't sure he could survive the process of getting there. He felt half out of his mind most of the time anyway with a second voice in his head.
That comment breaks the ice in a way and Bruce actually chuckles, another neck rub. He hadn't laughed in awhile. "I remember coffee. Decaf isn't the same."
At the mention of Betty ,Bruce is back to frowning. He had thought about it and is afraid. What if she had found someone else? What if she did not want to see him again? All these what if swirled in his mind. But a low snort sent them scattering. Someone was okay with the notion.
He had thought of all of those things too but, from his perspective, if he couldn't go himself...he'd send someone who could. Because if this other Bruce had a handle on controlling the Hulk, there wasn't going to be a better time to check on her, no matter which way her life had taken her.
Bruce shrugs slightly, "Just surviving." Staying ahead of Ross. Like always.
"Do you think we have really done a lot of damage to the time space continuum?" He says it offhand,with a sidelong glance to the other man. There had the same intelligence. His guess was as good as Bruce's.
He thinks of visiting Betty. No romantic gestures. No big bouquet of flowers and chocolates. No. That could be bad if she had someone else. no,Bruce would just walk up to her doorstep with just himself.
He does a little mental math. "...assuming we're the same person, it might make a paradox. And that would be bad for you." Since he was the older Bruce. "But...we don't really look alike so the alternate universe theory might be more plausible." In which case, it didn't matter to either of their timelines what was said and done.
Bruce looks out from the bridge, the coast is still clear.
It hits and damn it hurts...a lot. There is a moment ,where the Hulk is slumped over on the ground,breathing hard. The whiny scientist in his head is screaming for him to get up. To fight. Take the 'copter down and you can..smash Ross! The creature bares his teeth at the whirling monster. Then has an idea. With a swift motion a nearby tree is uprooted and flung at the helicopter.
It's too fast for the helicopter to dodge, the tree hitting it square on and the whole thing crashing in a ball of flame. The army keeps thinking of Hulk as a mindless monster, displays of intelligence are not something they're prepared to deal with.
One of the soldiers actually manages to get around behind, trying to drag off the unconscious man. He's not sure why Banner is not the Hulk, but either way he's trying to salvage the mission the only way he can think of. Bruce is still too out of it to wake up, being pulled along like a rag doll under the arms.
The Hulk is roaring in triumph. Take that! The smile on it's green face is so strange and misplaced. A few of the fleeing men swore it was baring it's teeth. Nope. A smile.
Turn around! Inside Bruce is pushing the Hulk as best as he can. It is still difficult to keep the creature on track. Keep the other Banner safe. The creature turns just in time to see the soldier trying to escape with a very human package in tow.
The hapless soldier sees the danger a few seconds too late and drops Banner, who groans at being moved in the first place, and empties his gun at the creature as a last resort.
When Bruce sits up,the Hulk is so pleased. It leans in close for a better look,staring the human up and down. Then snorts,grinning that insane looking smile. Something this big and green had never been this pleased. There is a moment where this Bruce can be seen in the creature's eyes. Something incredibly human reflects back. It pokes him again.
You have had you fun no- The Hulk shakes his head. Not done! Not done!
He can't take his eyes off the other guy. Literally, the other guy right in front of him. Bruce has never seen his monster like this before. It's unnerving in a way. He swallows, not sure what to say. "...think I had a dream like this once." It was more like a nightmare really.
He's knocked flat on his back from the poke back into the soft grass. Was he...playing with him? Bruce actually chuckles, trying to sit up again. "Easy there...big guy..." That sounded so weird to say aloud. He still smiles ruefully. "I'm kind of fragile right now."
That might have been a chuckle deep in the Hulk's throat. Maybe. It was a bit confusing to the creature. This guy was like him! He should be big and strong. Not teeny and pale.
It doesn't try to poke him again. Instead ,it plops down in the grass next to Bruce. The creature is watching him closely,green eyes following his every move.
Bruce takes that as his cue to work on standing up. The drugs have nearly all but cleared his system now, he's only a little bit wobbly with standing. And that might have nothing to do with the sedatives.
The Hulk is big, much bigger than he had though in compared to himself. He's wary though, him and his alter ego just don't get along in his head right now. But the two of them will never meet face to face like this.
"Why?" He's not even sure what he's asking at first. "I know you understand, sort of. Why me, why us?" Why were they stuck together in the first place? It wasn't like the Hulk could give him this big important answer.
The Hulk tilts his head in confusion. Whaaaat..? He wants you to change back. The creature huffs. Skinny scientists always ruin the fun. That is a lesson it has came to learn over the years. It doesn't choose to obey him. At first. but some inner coaxing has the Hulk doing yoga breathing with it's eyes closed. Even then you can tell how displeased the monster is.
After a few minutes of this,the shrinking starts. Green recedes all around. Finally all that is left in the creature's wake is a swaying Bruce Banner in too big pants.
Even he can't hold back a smirk at how annoyed the Hulk was with this exercise. At least he finally goes through with it, Bruce wasn't even sure if it was going to work.
Then it happens....and Bruce can't take his eyes off the whole process. In fact, he stares at the swaying man for a whole five seconds before he can get himself to move forward and try to catch him before he can fall.
"...we've got to stop meeting like this," he says half-jokingly.
Even after all the control Bruce has, it still took some out of him when he changes back. It takes a few seconds of leaning on the other Bruce before he stands up on his own. Putting a hand to his forehead,he smiles. "About time you woke up."
He ducks his head sheepishly after letting him go, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah well...being shot at sometimes makes me sleepy, y'know." Yes, that was in fact a joke. Maybe the older Bruce was starting to rub off on him.
"Sorry about the pants." He'd sacrificed his wardrobe to save him. "I owe you one."
Comments 116
And oh goodness,Bruce sound so proud and content. It is like a different man stepped into his shoes and is speaking.
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"Good to hear that," he mumbles, looking down at his shoes for a moment. A smile does cross his face though, there's an impression of being proud of the other guy in the back of his mind. "So weird....the other guy, I mean. I think he likes you." Who could say why. Probably because he was very lonely deep down and now there was someone he could actually relate to.
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Bruce nodded at the other man. It was kind of nice to meet someone who understood. He didn't hold him at a distance like other people. He knew the other's limits and respected that. "I sort of miss real coffee ,though." Bruce adds,out of the blue.
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That comment breaks the ice in a way and Bruce actually chuckles, another neck rub. He hadn't laughed in awhile. "I remember coffee. Decaf isn't the same."
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"I might.. And you..you be working on everything"
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Bruce shrugs slightly, "Just surviving." Staying ahead of Ross. Like always.
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He thinks of visiting Betty. No romantic gestures. No big bouquet of flowers and chocolates. No. That could be bad if she had someone else. no,Bruce would just walk up to her doorstep with just himself.
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Bruce looks out from the bridge, the coast is still clear.
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One of the soldiers actually manages to get around behind, trying to drag off the unconscious man. He's not sure why Banner is not the Hulk, but either way he's trying to salvage the mission the only way he can think of. Bruce is still too out of it to wake up, being pulled along like a rag doll under the arms.
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Turn around! Inside Bruce is pushing the Hulk as best as he can. It is still difficult to keep the creature on track. Keep the other Banner safe. The creature turns just in time to see the soldier trying to escape with a very human package in tow.
It charges forward,fists raised.
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You have had you fun no- The Hulk shakes his head. Not done! Not done!
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He's knocked flat on his back from the poke back into the soft grass. Was he...playing with him? Bruce actually chuckles, trying to sit up again. "Easy there...big guy..." That sounded so weird to say aloud. He still smiles ruefully. "I'm kind of fragile right now."
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It doesn't try to poke him again. Instead ,it plops down in the grass next to Bruce. The creature is watching him closely,green eyes following his every move.
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The Hulk is big, much bigger than he had though in compared to himself. He's wary though, him and his alter ego just don't get along in his head right now. But the two of them will never meet face to face like this.
"Why?" He's not even sure what he's asking at first. "I know you understand, sort of. Why me, why us?" Why were they stuck together in the first place? It wasn't like the Hulk could give him this big important answer.
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After a few minutes of this,the shrinking starts. Green recedes all around. Finally all that is left in the creature's wake is a swaying Bruce Banner in too big pants.
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Then it happens....and Bruce can't take his eyes off the whole process. In fact, he stares at the swaying man for a whole five seconds before he can get himself to move forward and try to catch him before he can fall.
"...we've got to stop meeting like this," he says half-jokingly.
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"Sorry about the pants." He'd sacrificed his wardrobe to save him. "I owe you one."
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