05 ☣ TEXT & VOICE;

[angermanaging]

Looking to gather some info. Please respond with succinct list of what you would consider unalterable laws of reality in your home dimension, e.g. gravity, conservation of mass, particular laws of magic.

Will attempt to compile results into meaningful commonalities across dimensions. Maybe there's a universal law somewhere.

Would prefer text response if possible. Thanks.

B. Banner

[The message is then repeated in audio, if preceded by Bruce clearing his throat, for those that can't read English.]


[Voice | 60% encrypted to castmates & established CR.]

Finally got fed up with everyone talking over my head and made a trade to see my future.

[A beat.

In utter, dry exasperation,] You're all nuts. What kind of teamwork was that?

[ooc: Bruce is now post-Avengers! If you're not sure if you're established CR, ping me and I'll let you know if they're included, but feel free to play fast and loose.]

Comments

[angermanaging]

Tell me about it, [he says wryly.] Always something you didn't account for.

I didn't realize-- [Bruce stops, decides whether he wants to get into this, but really. Annabeth he doesn't mind telling. She of all people has taken his previous revelations with utter equanimity and due seriousness.]

I saw it this time, [he admits.] What happens when I... change. I wasn't expecting that. I should've, but I-- I never thought I'd see it, I always go black. It was bizarre. I almost felt like I should be taking notes. And I still don't know what to think about it.

[sophos]

Sometimes stuff that seems obvious in retrospect. [:T]

[But as always, Annabeth's a careful and patient audience. Whenever Bruce brings up the other him - she has a hard time calling it Hulk, as much as it's easier, but he didn't seem to like it - she just listens.]

I can't blame you for that. [For wanting to see it? For wanting to take notes? Both seem applicable.] You'll have plenty of time to think on it, at least. [Something minutely prickly comes into her tone, though it's not exactly aimed at him. She's just had - too much time, to think about things, lately.]

[angermanaging]

[He doesn't take it personally, but he does notice that implies she has some underlying resentment there that he doesn't know the context for.]

You saw something you're still thinking over? [It's an open offer to listen, with an easy out if she wants to evade it.]

[sophos]

[There's a few seconds of silence before she responds:] You already know what I saw. It was - the build up to that.

[angermanaging]

Ah... right. How have you two been doing with that?

[sophos]

[Wow good thing this is audio. Because the short answer in her face would be AHAHAHA AWFULLY, but instead there's just another bit of silence. Then her tone is closed up.] Fine.

[Except for the part also in her tone that's unintentionally hinting at the opposite.]

[angermanaging]

[She simultaneously sounds her age for once, and reminds him of himself. Which means he's raising his eyebrows where she can't see them.]

Does that mean you want to talk about it or you don't? [Just checking.]

[sophos]

[Unseen, of course, but she glances towards the bathroom anyway, where Percy went off to shower, enough to give another pause.] There's nothing to talk about.

[Nothing she really can, anyway. Admitting she and Percy have been extra confrontational and snippy with each other lately isn't something she's particularly inclined to do.]

[angermanaging]

[The blatant untruth is slightly irritating when Bruce has been nothing but forthright with her on a myriad of topics. To date, he hasn't had any reason to get snippy with Annabeth himself, and his voice is still mild when he answers.]

There is something. If you want to avoid it, that's fine with me.

[He's not about to press her when she's never pressed him, but Bruce doesn't participate in more deception than he has to.]

[sophos]

[To be fair, it's not aimed at him exactly. The topic of speaking to the Emperor about the future sort of played into everything already getting to her lately.] I'm not avoiding it. I couldn't avoid it if I tried. [No wait wow nope nope backing up now that slipped out before she meant it.] We'll be fine.

[Because they have to be, right?]

[angermanaging]

[It's not that he cares whether it's aimed at him. Bruce can handle quite a bit of friction before he lets it interfere with his opinion of someone. But her responses are abruptly reminding him of how old Annabeth actually is, and that she hasn't acquired the resigned sanguinity to her circumstances that he has to his.]

If you decide you're not fine, I'm here, [he says simply, and leaves it at that.]

[sophos]

[She opens her mouth to respond with something probably entirely uncalled for, but then closes it with a pop. She's never been more glad that it's currently a voice only feed.]

[Adults. Adults not pushing her or ignoring her or demanding she save the world for the millionth time. She forgets what that's like. And even if she can't talk about it, not right now, even if she's definitely not fine at all, she can appreciate the words; at the moment, it even helps a little bit.] Aren't you supposed to be dealing with your own visions of the future right now?

[angermanaging]

[His conversations on this post are definitely making Bruce think he needs to use the phone more. He appreciates the chance to hide his expressions himself.]

What's to deal with? [he quips lightly, letting her redirect the conversation.] I already knew the important stuff. This was just... filling in the gaps for myself. Kind of a-- a relief, actually.

I have other things to worry about. [Does he ever.]

[sophos]

You never know. [Really. Someone probably should have warned her of that.]

Like what? [She asks without thinking, but makes a somewhat apologetic noise.] Sorry, you don't actually have to answer that.

[angermanaging]

[There's a moment of silence as he decides if he wants to answer. It's her immediate apology, tacit offer to let it go, that convinces him to say something as much as anything.

He can't spill Tony's secrets, but that's really what's riding on his mind right now.]

Someone I know, [he says slowly.] That I... I'm friends with. They haven't been coping well. I think I'm their only support and I'm-- uh, I haven't done this in a while. [Try ten years.]

[sophos]

Oh. [She won't pry further; she's a little surprised Bruce even offered that much, but maybe knowing she wouldn't ask for more allowed it.]

[Haven't been coping well opens up a can of worms she'd rather have stayed shut, though, and she bites the corner of her mouth.] As long as you just - listen, be there for them. I'm sure they appreciate that much.

[angermanaging]

[He realizes belatedly that, given him not naming names, it could sound like he's speaking about Percy and Annabeth as much as Tony. The situation is totally different to him, however. They have each other-- they rely on each other. With Pepper gone, Tony doesn't have anyone but him and JARVIS, who's indicated to Bruce that he needs back up.]

I do. I mean. I do listen. I am there.

You just... wanted to know what I was dealing with. [He half shrugs, though she can't see it.] It makes worrying about my, hypothetical future at home on the backburner.

[sophos]

A good or bad backburner? [It's easier to go there, instead of the other side of things; she didn't really think he was talking about her, or Percy, but it's similar enough that she doesn't really want it to start heading in that direction.] You didn't have to explain all that to me, though.

[angermanaging]

I know I didn't. [He's well aware. He simply had done so anyway. Annabeth had proven herself both circumspect and rational, the two traits Bruce values most in those he opens up to. It's a conscious choice he makes here.]

Good, I guess, [he answers the question finally.] I can't change it. I'll just-- deal with it when it happens.

[sophos]

[She doesn't really reply, because - well, she picks up on all that. That he didn't have to and all the reasons why he did anyway. Good thing it's audio, because she shifts a little, not uncomfortably but - in something she's not really used to.]

I hope it stays that way.

[angermanaging]

[A little ruefully,] Change isn't quick. That part I'm not worried about.

[Bruce doesn't think he'll be one of the ones that abruptly disappears. He tends to be stuck with his circumstances for a long time before anything changes. But if he does, he won't bemoan it, whatever state his consciousness is at that point. So there's no sense dreading it-- and aside from that, he's not sure he even has a future to go back to, given what they don't know about the cloning. He's too practical to be preoccupied over it.

But he appreciates Annabeth listening to the glimpse of his more immediate concerns that he'd given her.]

And... thanks.

[sophos]

I know it isn't. [But she's not really interested in thinking about that, or explaining or anything else. At least Bruce is in a good enough place after seeing his future.]

[The thanks catches her off guard a bit, though, and she blinks at the console for a moment, before finding her voice again.] You don't have to thank me for anything.

[angermanaging]

[He has to laugh a little, fondly, that there's actually someone slower on the uptake with friendship than he is.]

I know that, too. But we're... friends, right? We don't have to be.

[sophos]

[Something almost quirks in her face (maybe something almost a smile, but once again, thanks audio! She still sounds faintly awkward, but not as much as before.]

I guess not, no. [Frands. Ahhh.] Then - you're welcome.

end?!!

[angermanaging]

[Congrats, it's only taken about six months to get Bruce to admit he's friends with you. But he did, finally.]

Don't mention it.