you won't like me when I'm angry [open log]

[zen_en_vert]

Who: Bruce Banner, Fear, and eventually open.
What: Bruce takes a pot shot at Fear, in revenge for the whole buried alive week. The results are catastrophic.
Where: Initially outside the clinic, then all over the city.
When: Feb 1st
Warnings: Hulk violence, plus injuries? Will update if it gets more specific.

It starts at the end of a clinic shift. Hawkeye hasn't made it in today, and Bruce is telling himself that the man is probably just busy, but anxiety is coiling tight in his stomach, because the clinic isn't doing so well. Managing the blisters alone from the mass burial has cleaned them out for bandages and ointment, and as much as he tries to scavenge more, supplies in the city are limited-

He shuts the door behind him, and turns around to see a familiar figure on the street out front. Fear has been so exclusively there over the network that he actually can't place him in person for the first few seconds, so he just stands there in a blinking daze.

About forty five seconds later, the first crash echoes through Hadriel's streets. Next comes the roar. Glass rattles across the whole town in windowpanes, and the Hulk begins to run, bringing chaos with him where he goes.

Comments

[zen_en_vert]

"Hey-"

Agrees Bruce, hanging onto her as tight as he can in return, still shaken- but ultimately wildly relieved. He made it through it. It could have been so much worse.

"-how did you do that?"

He has to ask, when he can next get his breath.

[whichend]

"I don't know."

And that's the truth. She'd possessed animals, of course, but the Hulk was a completely different beast -- less of a beast than she expected, really. His mind was powerful, and Arya is still concerned that she could have lost both herself and Bruce in one fell swoop, from what she did.

"It -- it started happening in dreams, first. With wolves. Then cats in the waking world. But I do not think I'm meant to do that to a human."

Otherwise, it wouldn't have hurt so much.

[zen_en_vert]

"Where are we?"

He wonders, stepping back from the hug- but leaving a hand on her shoulder in case he pitches over. But honestly, he needs to get out of here, and to warmth. He needs to very badly.

[whichend]

Arya helps Bruce up, looking around so she can maybe answer his question. She wasn't really paying attention to where she was going in the city. It was mostly a game of follow-the-debris by the time everything is said and done. Still, she has a pretty decent idea of where they are.

"The edge of the city, I think, near some of the caves and Rage's temple. Can you make it to the house?"

Arya realizes that Bruce is probably pretty cold, so she takes off her coat and drapes it around him. He'll need it if they make the walk home.

[zen_en_vert]

"Thanks."

He says, clutching it closer, and nodding determinedly. He can, he will, he has to.

"Just lead the way."

[whichend]

Arya leads Bruce back to the house she and Cashmere share, the house that could be his if he wanted it to be. She doesn't say much, figuring that Bruce will speak if he wants to. He's probably too tired to talk, and Arya processes things silently, turning events over in her mind until she can make sense of them.

Once they've reached the house, Arya springs into action, setting Bruce up on the couch first, then braving the stove to make some hot tea. She and Cash have some cookies in the house too, and when they're ready, she brings over the tea and cookies, sets them in front of Bruce, and then plops down on the floor next to the couch.

[zen_en_vert]

"Oh, Arya."

Bruce says, touched- and suddenly emotional about it to nearly the point of tears, too. Jags like this aren't uncommon when he's coming down. He takes a long, pleased sip of tea, closes his eyes, and lets himself crumple up, just a little bit.

"Thank you."

[whichend]

"You're welcome," she says, shrugging. Arya doesn't have a whole lot of experience with crying adults, so she just sits there quietly, letting Bruce have his space, his feelings.

Eventually, she says, "You shouldn't have to be alone after that."

[zen_en_vert]

"It's really a shame you couldn't have met Tony."

He whispers, eyes closing.

"You had just the same- I don't know. Just the same directness about all this. Fearlessness."

[whichend]

Arya wishes it too, remembering how close she'd come to having a family, even if the Stark was from another universe.

"He's a Stark," she says, simply. "We're all like that. Besides, there are worse things in the world than large green men."

She thinks about people like Joffrey and the Tickler, people who ordered executions, torture, burnings. People who relished in violence, instead of being forced to partake in it. They're far worse.

[zen_en_vert]

"This is true, as much as I wish it weren't."

Agreeing, pulling the blankets closer with a soft sigh.

"I might fall asleep, if I'm not careful."

[whichend]

"You should, if you wanted to. The couch is really nice. There's no straw in the cushions or anything."

Forget the dishwasher or the lights, comfortable couches are the best modern invention in Hadriel. Arya leans her head back against the couch and sighs. She could fall asleep too, just like this.