Enigma ~The Riddler's Daughter (i_riddle) wrote in we_coexist, @ 2013-08-11 13:42:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | bruce banner, enigma, zz:status complete |
Stepfor Wife (Bruce/Effie log)
Effie hummed as she pulled the pie out of the oven, setting it aside to let it cool before putting in the roast chicken, her skirt swirling around her legs as she moved. She looked like a throwback to the ‘ideal’ of the forties, the perfect little house wife every man dreamt of, even then.
At least until she started cursing as she burnt her finger.
Sucking on the wound, she hip-checked the door closed, before turning back to her pie, inhaling the berry sent and turning her focus on the homemade whipped cream. Damon had left a few hours ago, and Effie set out to make her husband(!) a good dinner for when he finished in the lab, dancing around to the pop sounds coming over the radio.
--
Dear God. That smell.
It was enough to draw anyone with any measure of sense from whatever rock they were living beneath, which was exactly the effect it had on the scientist. Unable to deny his senses, Bruce almost knocked over his stool as he rose to follow his nose, heading out of the lab. Despite them being on different floors, that smell travelled.
Bruce wondered if Jarvis secretly captured it and was making it pour through the vents in order to get the petite scientist out of the lab. Anyway, Bruce was hooked.
After an inquiry as to where the heavenly scent was coming from, Bruce found himself standing in the kitchen area where his wife currently was.
"What is that smell?" Bruce inquired gently, trying to keep his salivating to a minimum as he approached her. "It's pretty terrific."
When he reached Effie, he stepped up behind her to peer over her shoulder at what she was doing, arms sliding around her gently. Being with her was Heaven in itself and Bruce couldn't have asked for anything better than that. He was lucky. Most couldn't say they had the fortune he had, even despite the drawbacks of her past and lifestyle. He wouldn't have traded any of it.
He loved her as much then as he did when he first saw her. Maybe it was a little mushy, but he couldn't help it. She was his dream wife, and no matter what she would always be perfect.
--
Effie managed not to jump when he touched her, stiffening for a moment before leaning back against him slightly. “Roast chicken with lemon and peppers, berry pie with whipped cream, grilled zucchini and hot chocolate,” she said, turning to look up at him, blushing slightly.
“Damon...helped me remember...some things,”
--
Bruce's stomach grumbled, and his face creased slightly in hopes that the sound wasn't too loud to upset the moment.
He held her close, setting his chin on her shoulder for a moment. "Sounds great. I'm starving...apparently."
At the mention of Damon, Bruce sighed but nodded. He was glad Damon had helped her remember, and didn't want to know the cost of that event, only glad that she could recall some things she should've remembered in the first place.
"What kind of things?" Perhaps it was a loaded question, but it probably wouldn't hurt to know what she could remember. Bruce could always fill her in on the rest.
--
“You trying to find your boxers,” she mumbled, blushing harder, her whole face and neck bright red. “And daddy...and Damon hugging me,” she said, summarizing. The three most important men to her. “I...smiled at you when you weren’t looking. There was so much love and joy in that memory...”
She heard his stomach growl and made him a small sample plate of whipped cream, berries and a few sprigs of mint to tide him over.
--
His own face turned a soft shade of scarlet, but he wasn't surprised by the answer in the slightest. And hearing that she remembered both Damon and Edward didn't improve Bruce's mood at all. Not that Damon was bad, he had been quite helpful, but they still had a dark history that Bruce kept buried deep within himself for Effie's sake.
And they both knew how much Bruce hated Edward. He was sure the feeling was mutual on her father's end as well.
It did relieve him to know that the memories were good. With a breath of relief, Bruce pulled back to let her work and took the small plate of appetizers from her.
He turned and took them to the bar, settling down on yet another stool to eat and process what she had said. She was going to have to see Edward at some point, and he hoped she remembered that he had tried to kill her, and not that he was still the good detective he had pretended to be.
Approaching the subject wasn't going to be an easy one.
--
“Are you mad I can’t remember anything else?” she asked, looking at him nervously, her fingers twisting in the apron she was wearing. “I keep trying but...it’s all fuzzy and painful,” Especially when it came to Bruce or Edward, too much entwined with those memories.
A meow sounded from Effie’s feet and Effie stooped, picking up the small (though no longer AS small) grey kitten, cuddling Confucius close, giggling as the kitten started eating her earring.
--
He shook his head at her as he looked up from the plate she'd offered him. "Not at all. I'm just afraid that the things you haven't remembered yet won't make you happy. And that's what you should be all the time." He knew her life hadn't been the greatest. Hell, his hadn't either, but she was still young enough to deserve to have a fighting chance.
Bruce looked at the kitten.
Well, Tony had never mentioned having a pet but now that the cat was there Bruce wasn't going to take it from her. He would let Tony be the bad guy on that one.
--
“Why are you staring at Connie?” she asked, tilting her head and setting the cat down, offering him a berry bundle. “Go share with Jaq-Jaq,” she ordered and Confucius ran off to go taunt the dog with the berries, before Effie straightened. “Jarvis said they were ours...” she said, hoping the AI didn’t lie to her when she had to sneak in and pick up the dog and cat at a really ugly warehouse.
---
"I wasnt staring at him. I just hadn't seen him in a good while." Honestly Bruce had figured Edward had claimed them when they'd initially moved out of the warehouse. He had hoped they were safe. It seemed they'd made it after all. Pets were resilient it seemed.
"They are ours. Jaq can skateboard." It was a metal picture Bruce both loved and hated. It was hard, her not remembering things and him having to remember everything. He wished it was the other way around.
"Your dad was supposed to be taking care of them."
--
She wrinkled her nose before bending over to baste the chicken, the hot air from the oven blowing her curls around. “That was not taking care of them,” she said, shaking her head. “They were in a dirty, crummy warehouse that was blood stained everywhere!” She had no idea she had almost died in that warehouse, but wasn’t about to let her ‘children’ live there.
“He can skateboard? That’s so cool!” she said, sounding so different then E when she discovered that fact....E was more...upset, thinking the dog would knock things over.
--
Obviously.
"I wouldn't trust your father to care for anything more than himself. He doesn't even care much about you, and you're his blood kin." Bruce explained. Edward was probably the most selfish person Bruce knew. Worse than Tony, even.
"It was blood stained because of the accidents and things that go on in there. It's not a place for anyone to live." Especially not animals.
At the mention of Jaq's skateboarding being cool, Bruce nodded. "I taught him that. He loved it, as far as I can remember."
--
“You gotta show me later!” she said, bouncing, grinning at him. Unlike E’s normal smirks and smiles, this one was free of the pain and heartache, pure joy and light. She bounced over to him, taking a breath before leaning in and kissing Bruce’s cheek lightly. “Hi,” she said, giggling, covering her mouth.
She didn’t know him, not yet, but she couldn’t deny that being around him made her feel happy and joyful.
--
When she came over towards him, Bruce couldn't help but smile at her. It was a gesture he found wonderful and contagious, glad she was able to finally smile. Her smile was different though. Different from the one he'd been used to before her kidnapping from jail.
He slid his arms around her, and pressed his lips against her cheek, looking up at her fondly from where he sat. "Hey."
He was glad they'd been reunited on such a happy note. Perhaps he was still a stranger to her, but she would rediscover him in time and he hoped she liked what she saw now, the way she did before.
--
She shifted, sliding into his lap, kicking her feet for a moment before taking a chance and giving his lips a quick peck, blushing more. “So...I...like you,” she said, toying with his shirt, blushing even more.
“Is that okay?”
--
He sat back with a nod as she slid into his lap, his arms curling around her gently. When she pressed her lips against his, Bruce felt on top of the world for that brief moment the connection lasted.
He couldn't help but grin at her as she pulled away.
"Perfect, actually. Cause I like you too." Maybe it was a childish way to go about things, but that was about right for him. He had never gotten to the advanced techniques of perusing women, or relationships, so 'like' was a good place as any to start.
Better than nothing.
--
“Can I...kiss you again? ‘Cuz I lied that,” she said, blushing again and kicking her feet, holding onto him to keep from kicking herself out of the seat. “Or not, it’s okay if you don’t want to,” she said softly, toying with his shirt collar as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.
--
He only nodded at her, lifting a hand to brush his fingers over her arm. His other arm stayed curled around her so she wouldn't fly out of the chair from the motion of her legs.
Not that he would've cared.
"I'd like that." He said softly. He was lost in the moment, keeping his gaze and attention on her solely. The Tower could have crashed down around them and he never would've noticed.
--
She shivered as the touch on her arm, leaning in to press her lips against his again, blushing, but not pulling away, the connection sending shocks of pleasure up and down her spine. “Wow,” she whispered against his lips, giggling. “My first kiss...”
Which, it obviously wasn’t, but for her it was and it was amazing.
She leaned in to steal another quick peck, her fingertips gently brushing over the back of his neck.
--
The hand at her arm ascended to cup her cheek as their lips pressed together once more. He offered her a tender kiss, wishing he could let her feel exactly how much love he had for her in that connection.
When she giggled, he couldn't help but laugh softly. And while it wasn't exactly their first kiss, he wasn't going to spoil it for her.
"It was perfect."
He kissed her again, brushing his thumb over the swell of her cheek as he continued the gesture, keeping his touches light and sweet.
--
She gave the world’s softest moan as they kissed again, feeling herself fall into the kiss, into the love and comfort he offered. Before promptly biting him as the oven alarm startled her. “Oh goshies, I’m sorry!” she said, petting his lip. “So sorry...”
She slipped from his lip, hurrying to pull the chicken from the oven, the rich, warm smell filling the kitchen.
--
He jumped slightly when she'd bitten his lip, blinking as the connection was so abruptly severed.
He let her go, and sighed softly with contentment as she raced to get the items out of the oven before they had a chance to burn.
"No worries. I can't be hurt." It was true, he wasn't bleeding nor was there a mark. She didn't have to worry about him hurting physically.
--
“Really, really? Why not?” she asked, turning to look at him as she let the chicken rest and cool down, getting their plates down and setting the table, folding their napkins into little birds as she waited for his answer.
--
"I'm the Hulk, remember? No aging, no wounds, no illness and no death." Bruce explained. It made perfect sense, honestly. He was a host and his parasite had to keep him alive for it to fully thrive.
He wasn't even sure if his cells died and were reborn like they did in normal humans.
He noticed the little birds she was making out of their napkins and he took a moment to admire them. "Fancy napkins."
--
“I...thought you might like them and I forgot about the Hulk...he’s scary,” she said, ducking her head. “But...he was nice to me which was weird. I thought he hated everyone...”
Especially her.
She bounced back to the kitchen, carving up the chicken, giving him most of it since he was her husband and it was his share. She carried the plates back to the table after adding the veggies, smiling at him. “I hope you like it. What would you like to drink?”
--
"He doesn't hate you. Or maybe he doesn't like you persay but he wouldn't hurt you. I wouldn't let him." Bruce explained. He couldn't vouch for Hulk completely considering the Other Guy had no type of intellect at all.
He looked at the food she had brought him, the feast really, and smiled. "Uh, water?" He figured there was probably Gatorade if nobody had drank it, and of course there was booze but he wasn't into that.
--
She nodded, pouring him a glass of ice water and herself a glass of sweet tea, bouncing back to the table and placing the water in front of him, before taking her own seat, happily diving into her food. “Well, that’s good then. I would like to meet him sometime when he’s not smashing stuff...or smash things with him...just not me, I don’t like being smashed.”
She smiled at Bruce.
--
Bruce laughed softly at the image of Effie and hulk having a smashing festival of some kind. That would be the day. He would have to see how much control over his other half he had before he would allow that. It had been hard enough to keep Hulk from squishing her to begin with when they'd rescued her from the Opera.
He couldn't guarantee she'd be safe.
"Maybe. He still needs some work."
--
“Friends could help him,” she pointed out, taking a large bite and resembling a chipmonk. “If he learns some control, maybe you can let him out more often to have smashing fun and then he might be happier...he’ll have a rage outlet!”
Effie, as usual, trying to solve every one problems.
“Why is Research and Development scared of me?” she asked softly.
--
It might work, but it was still risky and he didn't want to put her through a situation that he couldn't control. And there was really no controlling that situation. "I don't know if he'd like that as much as you think he would."
At the question about R&D, Bruce blinked. "You've been kind of hard on them, I think." Actually, he knew, but he didn't want to burst her happy bubble.
--
“Well, we’ll find something he does like,” she said, sticking out her tongue before blinking. “Oh...I should be nice to then...give them the day off and a party then,” she said, nodding. People only did good work when they had good morale after all!
--
He nodded at her. He doubted they would find an activity like that, but he didn't want to discourage her either. That wasn't any fun.
"That might help. Give them the day off....or a week off..." She had been pretty ruthless down there, but he would leave the decision up to her.
He started in on the dinner she had made, and it wasn't before too long that his stomach had finally ceased growling due to satisfaction and that his plate was empty.
--
“Did you enjoy dinner?” she asked, smiling at him, hoping he liked it. She had always dreamt of the time when she would have a husband and family to cook for and was so happy she was in this moment, giving her husband what he needed.
Yes, it may have been out of step with the current climate of the women's movement, but Effie was happiest serving other people, especially those she loved.
“Do you have room for dessert?”
--
"Yes it was very good." Bruce replied with a nod. "You should let me make you dinner at some point as well." He was quite the chef, not that he was first class or anything but he knew his way around the kitchen.
He nodded, "Always!" He wanted some of that dessert she had made earlier that had first drawn him out of his lab.
--
“I would like that,” she said, smiling before bouncing to her feet and getting the pie. She cut him a large slice and set it on his plate, before dotting it with the fresh whipped cream, hoping he enjoyed it. “I...wasn’t sure if you liked berries but I couldn’t find any apples so...” she blushed, taking her seat and cutting herself a slice.
--
He nodded. He was glad she wanted him to cater to her as well. It was only fair that way, and he enjoyed making her dinner. He had once or twice before. And he had taken her a few places around the City to eat as well.
When she set the pie onto his plate, Bruce grinned. "This is great, baby. Don't worry. It's perfect." He couldn't have asked for a more fitting end to a perfect dinner.
He lifted his fork and cut some of the pie with the prongs, scooping the dessert into his mouth. He groaned and chewed, nodding at her.
Perfect. Like her.
--
She beamed in pleasure that he liked her foot, eagerly diving into her desert, the sweet and savory making her almost want to roll around in pleasure. Effie was nothing if not a food whore...along with being a tech whore and she adored every nuance of taste.
“So what will you do after this?” she asked, curious if he was going to run back to his lab.
--
He shrugged in reply, mouth full of berry pie and whipped cream. Once all traces of food had left his plate, Bruce set down his fork, wiped his face with his napkin and sat back in his chair.
"Something with you, probably. Unless you had something else you wanted to do instead." Spending time with his wife was always at the top of his list, and Bruce would've dropped anything in a hot minute to be with her. But if she was doing something else he could always go back to work until she was free to be with him.
He was good either way.
--
“I...would like to spend time with you,” she said, smiling at him, blushing. “I..have some memories, but I want to know more about you...I...” She looked away, toying with the berries and whipped cream on her plate, trailing her fork through it.
“I want to try to fall in love with you again,” she said softly, hoping that would be acceptable to him.
--
Bruce listened to her speak, finding her words almost as sweet as the pie they'd eaten together. He was glad she felt that way, and it made him wonder if all of this was for something greater than either of them.
"I'd like that." But he wanted her not to try but to actually do. He wanted her to fall in love with him again. He loved her already but those memories she had were a life she wasn't part of anymore, good or bad.
Any relationships would have to be rebuilt on her end and he would help her. Through all of it, because he loved her.
"Where would you like to start?"
--
“I think this is a good place,” she said softly, reaching out to take his hand. “A date...just you and me...” There was a slamming sound and Confucius came running in before attempting to look as if he hadn’t just slammed into a wall, Jaq chasing after. “And the holy terrors from hell..”
She giggled, smiling at him.
--
Bruce made a face at the echo resounding through the room from Confucius hitting the wall, and the skittering of nails on the floor as the animals chased each other away from the scene.
"Yes, a date without the kids sounds perfect." He would take her anywhere she wanted to go, knowing that they could afford anything in the city.
Timmy could watch the animals while they were out, doing whatever it was they would be doing. "Tomorrow night? We could go some place special....I did take you out for sushi a couple of times, but I don't know if you remember." They had gotten a little bit wild at the sushi place, but Bruce wasn't too worried about making a similar impression on the staff the next time they dined there.
--
She smiled at him. “I like sushi,” she said, grinning widely, taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.