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[In his lab, working in silence.]
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[She'd talked her way in, being very insistent. After what had happened on the news in New York, she knew Bruce was here somewhere. It had been so long, Betty just wanted to see if he was alright.
At the moment she was standing in the doorway quietly, looking in at him. A soft smile on her face. He looked older but being in the lab, he reminded her of before all of this had happened. She was even entertaining the thought of stepping out before he had seen her, not wanting to interrupt.]
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[Bruce had been in the lab, for what seemed like days, he'd been slowly working towards a breakthrough and hadn't found it in himself to take a break. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd eaten, but based on the few empty plates he found in the scattered about, someone had brought him food. He just wasn't sure who.
Sighing softly, he set down the eyedropper he'd been working with and massaged his sore hands, he knew if he kept going like this they were going to cramp up on him and he'd have to wait days before he could work again, but he didn't want to stop. Not when he was so close.
He didn't notice that he had an observer, when he was so focused on his work, he rarely noticed when people came and went. Perhaps if he hadn't taken off his glasses and run a hand through his hair, he wouldn't have noticed her at all, but he did. His eyes widening in shock and surprise as he realized who was standing in the doorway, he'd already taken a step towards her before he caught himself, unable to help the soft exclamation he let out before he did.] Betty...
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[That moment he says her name, she knows he hasn't changed a bit. The idea to leave is gone, she hurries at him without a word of greeting, just wanting to hug him. Whether he wants it or not, she will find out in a moment.]
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[Bruce probably should've expected she would find her way here, the attack on New York hadn't exactly been inconspicuous, he just hadn't known she'd want to see him again. He finds himself moving as soon as she does, meeting her halfway across the lab and pulling her into his arms, almost afraid she might disappear if he didn't.]
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[He is! He's real and here and hugging her like he doesn't want to let go either. Betty buries her face in his shoulder, holding around the back of his neck with her hands.
It's a long moment before she pulls back a bit so she can look at him, her brown eyes wet but she's smiling.] Hi.
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[Bruce can't help but hold her tightly, tighter than he probably should, but it's been a long time since he last saw her, and even then it had been so brief, and he'd been on the run, he hadn't truly gotten the chance to enjoy being simply near her.
When she pulled away, he can't help the bright smile that's over taken his face, reaching up with a hand, he ran his thumb along her cheek, wiping away a tear that had escaped. There were so many questions running through his head, how she got here, what had she been doing the past few years, why she was here, but all he could really say was.] Hi.
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[She had a million questions too but at this moment, everything was right with the world. No questions needed to be asked just yet.]
I missed you. When you left, I kept hoping... [Betty has to compose herself first.] ...are you alright? Have you been alright? [Perhaps not an articulate way to start but Betty worries about him. He wasn't as thin as last time, that was comforting.]
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[His smile softened into something much more fond as he continued to run his hand along the side of her face, twining in the strands of her hair that had fallen loose from her ponytail as he memorized how it felt to have her in his arms again.] Am I alright? Shouldn't I be asking you that?
[Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, he gave her a slightly saddened smile, thinking of the last time they'd seen each other. He'd left to keep her safe, and he stood by that decision, even if he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her while he was gone.]
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[She smiles all the way up to her brown eyes] I asked you first. [teasing a bit]
[No, don't look sad, Bruce. Now she wonders if he is alright or if things have gotten worse for him...and the other guy. Her worried expression back and searching his face for answers.] I saw the news. [And she knew Bruce had been there, the video footage of the Hulk fighting the aliens over New York city. She'd broken a coffee cup dropping it when she saw that.]
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I'm as alright as I'll ever be. [Her teasing elicits a slight smile from him, keeping his grip around her waist tight, almost afraid she'll disappear if he lets go.
Raising a brow, he glanced over her shoulder at one of the screens that kept a constant feed of news stories The image of the Hulk flying across the sky, an ever present reminder of his part in the battle for New York.] Least this time they didn't try to run me out of town afterwards.. You didn't caught up in it, did you?
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[Betty shakes her head no to his question, letting him hold her as long as he wants.] I was at home when it happened. There was talk of evacuating the area but it didn't happen in the end.
[When she is finally able to look around, she takes in all of the lab around them.] And you're working again. That's wonderful, Bruce.
So...has it been any easier? [She knew he had wanted to be alone for awhile, otherwise he would have contacted her in some way. Other than the necklace he had mailed back to her. Which she was wearing around her neck.]
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[ He lets go of her, slowly, reluctantly, his eyes falling briefly to the necklace around her waist, causing him to let out a small smile.] Good, that's good. I'm glad you weren't anywhere near here.
[Shoving his hands into his slack's pockets, he looked around the lab with her, lifting a shoulder in a slight shrug.] It is certainly a relief, but...I never really stopped working. Not entirely. Seems no matter where in the world you go, there's always someone in need of help in some way shape or form.
[He glances up from where he's been staring at his feet, overwhelmed by everything, and enjoying listening, simply, to the sound of her voice. He thought about lying, about saying that he almost had a handle on the Hulk, and he was finally feeling in control, but he knew that she would be able to tell. She could always tell when he was lying.] No.
[Lips twitching, he looked away, lifting a hand to run through the hair he'd let grow out during the past few years.] But it will be. I can promise you that.
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[She hugs her arms around herself once she let's go, not moving away.] You never do stop working... [ It was one of the things she loved about him, his passion for science. But she knew with the addition of the hulk, he had driven himself to mental exhaustion almost constantly.
Her heart twists at his answer, wishing she had an answer for him.] Bruce, it's OK...don't put added stress on my account. [ Another smile, one that says I know you won't hurt me.]
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[Bruce could only lift his shoulder in a shrug, not mentioning that working was one thing that helped him focus. Kept him from letting the Other Guy get a better hold on his daily life, and made him feel better for all of the horrible things that he'd done the past few years.
Turning to her with a soft smile, he instantly closes the distance between them again, lifting a hand to slide along the side of her face before he pulled away and shoved his hand into his pocket.] It's not just for you, Betty. It's for, well, everyone.
[Bruce knew he'd never be able to feel safe around other people, not until he found a way to curb the Other Guy's impulses so he didn't feel in constant danger that he may end up taking their lives on accident.]
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[She leans her cheek into his hand for a moment before he pulled back. Poor Bruce, always so afraid of hurting others.]
I know...but I think you're more in control than you may think. Why else would the Hulk have tried to protect me? [She smiles, reaching to fix a bit of his longer hair.] Because you're still in there.
Hurt/Comfort Meme: Betty goes blind
-------------------------------
[She'd talked her way in, being very insistent. After what had happened on the news in New York, she knew Bruce was here somewhere. It had been so long, Betty just wanted to see if he was alright.
At the moment she was standing in the doorway quietly, looking in at him. A soft smile on her face. He looked older but being in the lab, he reminded her of before all of this had happened. She was even entertaining the thought of stepping out before he had seen her, not wanting to interrupt.]
-------------------------------
[Bruce had been in the lab, for what seemed like days, he'd been slowly working towards a breakthrough and hadn't found it in himself to take a break. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd eaten, but based on the few empty plates he found in the scattered about, someone had brought him food. He just wasn't sure who.
Sighing softly, he set down the eyedropper he'd been working with and massaged his sore hands, he knew if he kept going like this they were going to cramp up on him and he'd have to wait days before he could work again, but he didn't want to stop. Not when he was so close.
He didn't notice that he had an observer, when he was so focused on his work, he rarely noticed when people came and went. Perhaps if he hadn't taken off his glasses and run a hand through his hair, he wouldn't have noticed her at all, but he did. His eyes widening in shock and surprise as he realized who was standing in the doorway, he'd already taken a step towards her before he caught himself, unable to help the soft exclamation he let out before he did.] Betty...
-------------------------------
[That moment he says her name, she knows he hasn't changed a bit. The idea to leave is gone, she hurries at him without a word of greeting, just wanting to hug him. Whether he wants it or not, she will find out in a moment.]
-------------------------------
[Bruce probably should've expected she would find her way here, the attack on New York hadn't exactly been inconspicuous, he just hadn't known she'd want to see him again. He finds himself moving as soon as she does, meeting her halfway across the lab and pulling her into his arms, almost afraid she might disappear if he didn't.]
-------------------------------
[He is! He's real and here and hugging her like he doesn't want to let go either. Betty buries her face in his shoulder, holding around the back of his neck with her hands.
It's a long moment before she pulls back a bit so she can look at him, her brown eyes wet but she's smiling.] Hi.
-------------------------------
[Bruce can't help but hold her tightly, tighter than he probably should, but it's been a long time since he last saw her, and even then it had been so brief, and he'd been on the run, he hadn't truly gotten the chance to enjoy being simply near her.
When she pulled away, he can't help the bright smile that's over taken his face, reaching up with a hand, he ran his thumb along her cheek, wiping away a tear that had escaped. There were so many questions running through his head, how she got here, what had she been doing the past few years, why she was here, but all he could really say was.] Hi.
-------------------------------
[She had a million questions too but at this moment, everything was right with the world. No questions needed to be asked just yet.]
I missed you. When you left, I kept hoping... [Betty has to compose herself first.] ...are you alright? Have you been alright? [Perhaps not an articulate way to start but Betty worries about him. He wasn't as thin as last time, that was comforting.]
-------------------------------
[His smile softened into something much more fond as he continued to run his hand along the side of her face, twining in the strands of her hair that had fallen loose from her ponytail as he memorized how it felt to have her in his arms again.] Am I alright? Shouldn't I be asking you that?
[Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, he gave her a slightly saddened smile, thinking of the last time they'd seen each other. He'd left to keep her safe, and he stood by that decision, even if he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her while he was gone.]
-------------------------------
[She smiles all the way up to her brown eyes] I asked you first. [teasing a bit]
[No, don't look sad, Bruce. Now she wonders if he is alright or if things have gotten worse for him...and the other guy. Her worried expression back and searching his face for answers.] I saw the news. [And she knew Bruce had been there, the video footage of the Hulk fighting the aliens over New York city. She'd broken a coffee cup dropping it when she saw that.]
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I'm as alright as I'll ever be. [Her teasing elicits a slight smile from him, keeping his grip around her waist tight, almost afraid she'll disappear if he lets go.
Raising a brow, he glanced over her shoulder at one of the screens that kept a constant feed of news stories The image of the Hulk flying across the sky, an ever present reminder of his part in the battle for New York.] Least this time they didn't try to run me out of town afterwards.. You didn't caught up in it, did you?
-------------------------------
[Betty shakes her head no to his question, letting him hold her as long as he wants.] I was at home when it happened. There was talk of evacuating the area but it didn't happen in the end.
[When she is finally able to look around, she takes in all of the lab around them.] And you're working again. That's wonderful, Bruce.
So...has it been any easier? [She knew he had wanted to be alone for awhile, otherwise he would have contacted her in some way. Other than the necklace he had mailed back to her. Which she was wearing around her neck.]
-------------------------------
[ He lets go of her, slowly, reluctantly, his eyes falling briefly to the necklace around her waist, causing him to let out a small smile.] Good, that's good. I'm glad you weren't anywhere near here.
[Shoving his hands into his slack's pockets, he looked around the lab with her, lifting a shoulder in a slight shrug.] It is certainly a relief, but...I never really stopped working. Not entirely. Seems no matter where in the world you go, there's always someone in need of help in some way shape or form.
[He glances up from where he's been staring at his feet, overwhelmed by everything, and enjoying listening, simply, to the sound of her voice. He thought about lying, about saying that he almost had a handle on the Hulk, and he was finally feeling in control, but he knew that she would be able to tell. She could always tell when he was lying.] No.
[Lips twitching, he looked away, lifting a hand to run through the hair he'd let grow out during the past few years.] But it will be. I can promise you that.
-------------------------------
[She hugs her arms around herself once she let's go, not moving away.] You never do stop working... [ It was one of the things she loved about him, his passion for science. But she knew with the addition of the hulk, he had driven himself to mental exhaustion almost constantly.
Her heart twists at his answer, wishing she had an answer for him.] Bruce, it's OK...don't put added stress on my account. [ Another smile, one that says I know you won't hurt me.]
-------------------------------
[Bruce could only lift his shoulder in a shrug, not mentioning that working was one thing that helped him focus. Kept him from letting the Other Guy get a better hold on his daily life, and made him feel better for all of the horrible things that he'd done the past few years.
Turning to her with a soft smile, he instantly closes the distance between them again, lifting a hand to slide along the side of her face before he pulled away and shoved his hand into his pocket.] It's not just for you, Betty. It's for, well, everyone.
[Bruce knew he'd never be able to feel safe around other people, not until he found a way to curb the Other Guy's impulses so he didn't feel in constant danger that he may end up taking their lives on accident.]
-------------------------------
[She leans her cheek into his hand for a moment before he pulled back. Poor Bruce, always so afraid of hurting others.]
I know...but I think you're more in control than you may think. Why else would the Hulk have tried to protect me? [She smiles, reaching to fix a bit of his longer hair.] Because you're still in there.
Hurt/Comfort Meme: Betty goes blind
