Betty Ross (MCU) (elizabethross) wrote in misassembled, @ 2011-05-13 14:36:00 |
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Entry tags: | old log |
The whole time Betty has been in Tony Stark's home, she has felt watched. It didn't help that a robo-butler seemed to read her mind, either. Now that she's physically in the same place as Bruce, the feeling was worse. She trusted Tony to a point. What if he turned them in? Betty didn't really care if she were to be arrested. She could get out of jail. Bruce wouldn't be jailed, he would be used. That's enough to make her sick to her stomach.
She's not really sure where Tony is right now, but she doesn't care. Between herself and Bruce is a chess board. Tony probably intended for it to be decor only. Doesn't matter, she's convinced Bruce to play her. Tony has several TVs with every channel you can ever imagine. Video games and fast cars. Instead, they're sitting here playing chess.
Betty reaches over and brushes her hand over Bruce's. "Are you nervous?" She grins, "You know, that I might beat you?"
Bruce sort of sits in sort of an empty state across the board, mind a million miles away. His head slightly hangs like a shameful child as he studies the game and tries to get into it. This is a normal thing, Bruce. This is all quite perfectly calm, normal and a patient way of passing time before Stark comes back and the work can start. Relax...
Her touch brings him right back to reality, eyes flicking up to look at hers and her smile. He can't help it, he gives her sort of a sheepish look in response. "It wouldn't do much to fear the inevitable," he tells her with something of a smile and pushes a pawn into a defensive position.
Betty laughs, moving one of her own pawns. She would really like to keep the subject of conversation off of unpleasant things. But they are sitting in Tony Stark's home. "Do you think this is going to work?" If he mistakes this question for something regarding the game, then so be it.
Of course not! "I have to try everything, regardless of variables. I'm not sure of Stark's involvement in all of this but if I can gain even a crumb of real data out of this, something... concrete when everything just keeps changing, it's just been so hard to collect anything relevant for more than a few days." He puts an elbow on the table and leans his head against his hand. "After everything that happened.... something changed within the radiation levels in my cells, trying to survive. It's starting to react to more than just naturally produced biological chemicals, I think.... I think Sterns might have changed the gamma mix permanently or that possibly in reaction to the work we did, the cells have reshaped themselves to refuse inhibition."
Wow. That's more than he's said since he got here and saw her again. Bruce sort of realizes this and meekly rearranges his defensive line with a push of a knight, looking down. "But... there needs to be a lot more work done before anything like that can be nailed down...."
"We can't do any work if they keep trying to take you away." It sounds a lot better to say that they keep trying to take Bruce rather than to say that Bruce keeps running. She doesn't blame him for anything that's happened. She's on his side and she never wants him to question it.
Betty leans forward, as if that would help any. Jarvis is probably recording all of this. "Back at Stark Industries, I heard Tony say something about 'recruiting' you." Does that sound ominous to you or is it just her?
Bruce is weird with 'we's and as he looks back into her eyes, he sees one blacked, head wrapped in bandages, skin so pale against the hospital pillow as her father roars at him, his fault, his fault-
Blinking rapidly, Bruce looks away, leans back and rests his knuckles under his nose. "He's trying to save face. I really don't know what he thinks he's going to get out of me."
Betty stares at the board, then she giggles. "Maybe he wants you to be a super hero with him." Oh haha, isn't that funny?
"That or he'll sell me to the highest bidder." Oh ahahaha.. ha. Wait. He could do that. And it's not too funny. "I was joking," Bruce adds, just to correct himself.
Betty busies herself with one of the pieces on the board. Change the subject? Don't mind if she does! "I missed you." Once her piece is moved, she reaches to pull the chain around her neck up. Fiddling with the necklace, silently showing him that she got it back.
Silence moves in and makes itself comfortable.
Bruce catches the movement and watches her for just a moment. "... I'm glad you got that back," he tells her honestly, trying to think of more to say. "How long are you going to stay here?" She must have important things to get back to, right?
Betty's eyes dart away, she sucks her top lip into her mouth. This is going to sound stupid. "As long as you're here." Betty sits up straight, moves her rook and changes her tone. "As long as I can be."
"What about your work?," Bruce asks, concerned instead of touched that she'd put her life on hold for the likes of him. He moves to take her hand.
Betty squeezes his hand. "This could be my work."
Oh. Well then.
"Betty..."
He looks at her for a long moment, connected through more than just the feel of fingers. He wants to tell her that she's worth so much more, that she really shouldn't short shrift herself like this, that his life is dangerous and he just couldn't think to ever see her hurt again and ... how much it hurts him... how...
Bruce is horrible with expressing himself. So he's silent, just looking at her sadly.
Betty can already see what he's getting at with just that look. "You hear those stories about people who get married and then their spouse gets brain damage or wheelchair bound... if you love someone, you'll stay with them even if you have to help them get dressed or ... watch them turn into something they can't control." She stares down at their hands. "Only we can fix this."
It's not exactly the same. They're not married and the Hulk isn't on the same level as drooling on yourself. The point is clear, though. She loves Bruce, so she's going to stick with him. For better or for worse. Despite big green monsters, despite the government. Despite how much better at chess she is than him.
He closes his eyes for a moment, centering himself. He takes a moment to let go and just hear what she's saying, accepting it on its terms and nothing else. Because otherwise... it's not fair.
His thumb moves across one of her fingers, but otherwise it's like holding on to a balloon.
Betty lifts her hand, lifting Bruce's with it. She kisses his knuckles and then goes to speak, "We're going to fix it. Then we're going to get married so I can get brain damage and all that. You can return the favor." Making light out of the situation. Probably not helping one bit.
Bruce's eyes dart up at the big M word suddenly being bandied about and gets a sort of nervous smile on his face, eyebrow lifted. "...Marriage," he sighs with a slight chuckle. She's not serious, is she? Man, Betty's got a weird sense of humor, HA HA. Letting out a breath, he remembers the board here and pushes his rook into place to create the same habitual little defensive pattern he always created when playing a game.
"I got your mind off -- oh hey." Betty moves a piece. It would be nice. One day... when Bruce isn't playing Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
"Dr. Ross. Dr. Banner." Jarvis's voice comes out of nowhere quite suddenly, enough to make anyone jump. "Two things." A light pause like he's waiting for a question, and then he automatically goes on: "First. Dr. Ross, you'll want to castle kingside on your next move. Second. Mr. Stark will be returning to his rooms soon. I understand that you might wish to be warned of an intrusion although this is his home and the intrusion is really on your part."
Bruce jerks back slightly from... well, everything as the rather soothing voice seems to come from just that. Tony had talked at him when he'd finally convinced him to go along with the crazy idea and had sort of glossed over the AI system in the quick and smug fashion that the billionaire had going for him. It had irked Bruce then and the AI sort of irked him now. He looked up for lack of a better focus.
"If this is an intrusion, should we go?"
"No, Dr. Banner. It's simply a matter of semantics. Please enjoy your stay." Jarvis is perfectly friendly.
Betty is cheerful towards Jarvis, because he changed the subject! "Thank you, Jarvis!" You hint-giving bastard. She moves the piece like he told her and then stands. "Is Tony coming to see us?" Suddenly, being alone with Bruce doesn't feel the same as it did a moment ago.
"Well, he's coming in this general direction, Dr. Ross."
Bruce, out of habit, stands with Betty and rubs at the bridge of his nose for a moment. Looking around, he decides to let her handle the machinery, stuffing his hands in his pockets and waiting this all out.
"What's his general disposition at the moment?" Betty is also staring into space, maybe at a certain light on the wall. Asking Jarvis this question makes her feel like she's talking to him about a paradox that'll make him overload his circuits and explode. A slight grin slowly spreads onto her face.
Jarvis isn't your average A.I. He can handle anything! Human emotions, however, are really beyond him. He understands certain tones of voice to be more or less impatient, but that's really about it. Sometimes he comes across as freakishly human. "I would not conclude that he is unhappy, Dr. Ross. He has just purchased a new car. Two, as a matter of fact. He won't be unpleasant."
Bruce takes a deep and centering breath. Bring on the loudmouth.
"Two cars, you hear that, Bruce?" Tony Stark! Bourgeois pig!
"Yes, two. Would have been three but that bastard Worthington beat me out." Tony Stark is returning from an impromptu vacation. Sure, he left Bruce and Betty alone in his house, but he's sure that the snuggle bunnies needed some private time. Not a long vacation, but all they need is a good fifteen minutes if they're being thrifty. He steps into the room in a sharp suit, removing his sunglasses with one hand and jingling two sets of keys with the other. "Some people collect stamps." He blinks innocently and offers an expectant smile to them both, as if he thinks they're going to leap on him and hug him.
"All right, don't greet me," he says when he gets no hug. "I only give you use of my house and fun shiny things, I only provide you with shelter from the authorities, hereby risking my own neck for your sake. I'm only keeping a pretty girl that I don't intend to screw and a skinny nerd who turns into a massive green monster----now, now, Banner, don't get angry, I don't like you when you're angry." Tsk tsk, a wag of the finger.
Tony really doesn't allow for anyone to interject. He comes into the room and takes control of it because ... it's his room. Even when it isn't his room he does that. He tucks the keys into his pockets and flashes a pair of credit cards. "I took the liberty of opening up an account for each of you. Frank Keller and Emily Carr, you are now Stark Industries employees with access to this small checking account for business purposes. I made an initial deposit of fifty thousand. Your business purposes include using said funds at your leisure while I work with Mr. Keller on the gamma project. I've also taken the liberty of procuring you Stark Industries security cards, driver's licenses ... as well as birth certificates and social security information if things happen to get sticky. I trust that they won't; that kind of thing can always get so messy." He pauses. That expectant look is back. Come on, babies. A hug? Come on.
With the sort of revved engine that might give one of the new flashy cars Stark just bought a run for its money, Banner is taking quick steps and reluctantly waiting through all of that social joie de vivre to finally break in and make his point. Blah blah blah, something about cars, blah blah blah, need for gratitude, blah blah, Betty can fight her own battles, blah blah blah, new identities, blah blah go!
"Dr. Ross and I have gone over the preliminaries and have been waiting to talk to you regarding the early telemetry reports you provided before you left because according to the initial readouts..." And he just goes on. And on and on, launching into his compiled data resources, the projected radiation emitters, just everything because Banner hasn't had a spare moment to shoot the breeze since... well, for a very long time. The time for pleasantries is over, now is the time for science.
Betty has several different emotions during this whole little show. Her jaw goes a little slack from gawking. He mentioned having sex with her (even if it was to say he wasn't trying) and oh she's always liked the name Emily but then there was the bit about fifty... thousand. Part of her wants to know if it's a bribe, the other part doesn't care.
She kind of looks like she wants to hug him. This is the closest thing to normal they're going to get right now. The closest thing to reality. "Mr. Stark... thank you." She takes her glasses off and cradles them in her hands. "Bruce, can we finish our game first?" It sounds a little selfish. Honestly, she just wants Bruce to relax. "--I mean, you've been running for so long, just take a moment to breathe."
Tony's surprisingly good at carrying on two conversations at once. Listening to Bruce and interjecting with his own comments with "... in the early testing phases ..." and "... accidental and tangental side-effects, it's not going to be a damn perfect science yet..."
Then he's listening to Betty at the same time, flashing her a smile and a "you're welcome," then glancing back at Bruce. "You heard the lady, didn't you? Keep the technobabble to a minimum when you ought to be savoring the sweet fruit of reunion..." Tony's smirking. He doesn't know Bruce, but... he knows. He understands. He's the same way. These scientific types. The obsessive types. Tony would rather play in his workshop with his toys and go on with technobabble all the time.
So... he winks.
Bruce has everything ready to go, the first testing phases planned out to start them in slowly on this venture; this was of sussing out Stark's intentions without giving away all the goods, so to speak. All of his planning can be initiated on the spot and Bruce has waited far too long to really spare a moment to chit chat, thankyouverymuch.
And then Betty interjects and he suddenly finds himself on the wrong side of the room. Sneaking a glance towards her that hints at betrayal, he huffs out a breath to make sure he's calm and relaxed because damn. Between the wink and the quiet plea from Betty, doesn't he seem a little off his rocker? There's nothing left to do but sort of hang his head and look away, a little chastised.
Betty's lips part and she just barely whispers, "Bruce." Don't be that way! "We're safe hiding here, we can work at our own pace. We don't have to rush, we have time to make sure this is right." They can't afford to screw up again, or even screw up worse.
"I mean." Tony interjects, lifting a finger to get attention. "I would much rather chat with you about the technical stuff, Banner, but I'd also like for you to retain your testicles for a while. A woman shunned for work is likely to ..." He makes a snipping motion with his fingers.
Betty gives Tony a look loaded up with daggers and perhaps a bazooka thrown in there for good measure. "Honestly, Stark, look at me and tell me something. Is this really all you see?" Betty puts her hands on either side of her chest and pushes her breasts together. "Can you at least pretend that I have 'doctor' right in front of my name? Or you know, that I'm in the room and able to hear you and would really like to--" HOLD HER BACK, BRUCE.
Bruce puts both hands to the sides of his nose as he calms himself with a deep breath as the scene just sort of escalates behind him. He's the rational one, ha ha.
"Everyone?," he asks in just a shade louder tone of voice, going so far as to put a hand up to hopefully detract some of the attention away from Stark and his enormous ability to say the wrong thing. "Can we just calm down for a moment?" This is a plea, people. "Mr. Stark I understand if you're not willing to start this now, but can you at least give me a time in which we can." He looks back to Betty with a slightly pleading with. Please Hammer, don't hurt 'em. "I know we have time now but it's not something I want to squander. If there's any way I can know if this at all can be stopped... I want to have it done."
He looks between the two and takes another slow breath to remind himself who's in charge.
Tony stops looking at Betty's breasts to glance back at Bruce. "I'll give you two hours, then you meet me in my workroom. Please, don't think I'm putting you off; I'm equally anxious, so let's turn that frown upside-down, shall we?" And then his attention is back to Betty. "Actually, doctor, I was far more interested in your long, slender legs; do you work out?"
Betty's face contorts, she looks a little like a cat hissing. "You--"
Bruce had simply started his way out of the room, knowing full well to be absent when an explosive personality would go off (remember, kids!), but finds enough in him to gently put his hand on Betty's shoulder and suggest, very lightly, that she might want to turn a little this way. You know, towards the door. Away from Stark. "Just gonna... go get some notes..."
Tony chuckles, perfectly pleasant. "Two hours, lovebirds." He winks and then heads over to the bookshelf, where he has a lovely and fully-stocked liquor cabinet.
Betty twitches. She allows Bruce to move her, even walks with him. Away from Stark.
Once they've reached a safe distance, Bruce keeps his hand on Betty's shoulder, but it's a lot more a familiar touch than the ginger direction of before. "Betty, he's just trying to rile you," he offers with a little bit of a smile.
Betty returns the smile despite what brought it on. "And it's working." She lowers her forehead to his shoulder in defeat, "But we're safe here, right?" We, not you. And oh, what sitcom fodder this whole situation this is.
"That remains to be seen," notes Banner, looking back to where they left Tony and the bottles of really expensive booze.
"Oh, please, you're safe here. Don't give me that." Tony snorts and goes about pouring himself a scotch. "Ooh----" He covers his mouth with a hand. "Was I not supposed to hear that part?" he calls, realizing that they're not really close anymore.
Betty gives Tony a shrug, a little awkward because she thought he would be entranced with the booze, not listening. "Anyway, thank you again!" A little bit of politeness goes a lot way, apparently.
Why is everyone looking at Bruce like he should be thanking someone? We'll save that for when it works. Banner goes to get his notes....
Tony wiggles his fingers in a farewell wave. "Have fun! An hour and fifty-five minutes, Banner."