hyperkinesia | ( Savrou ) IC Contact

[ Well this scientist sleeps, or else scientist will no longer be scientist but green rage beast instead. Also he likes sleeping with his girlfriend, excuse him for that. ]

Knowing you, it won't be ten minutes.
Where are you?

great question
i'm pretty sure this is the observation deck?
not gonna lie it's giving me an existential crisis

Sounds about right then. The one at the aft?
I'll be there in a bit.

let's say yes
take your time
i'm not going anywhere

[ Not that there's anywhere for him to go, but Bruce skips on pointing that out. He shrugs on a thick sweater over his t-shirt instead, not really bothering to change out of the sweatpants he was sleeping in and just throwing on a pair of sneakers before making his way out of the room while making as little noise as possible.

The ship is largely quiet and deserted, and Bruce doesn't even cross paths with anyone on his way to the lift, then up to the observation deck. Tony's the only one he finds there, unsurprisingly, and he makes his way over while still stifling a yawn and running a hand through his short curls. ]

Tony. [ A quick nod in greeting. ] What's wrong?

[ Because it's the middle of the night —well, 'night'— and Tony's texting him so Bruce is guessing something's definitely wrong. ]

[ Tony's seated himself cross-legged on the floor, back pressed to the force field-glass, and isn't wearing anything that could even resemble sleepwear. Which begs the silent question "when did he last sleep?" but that's not even of particular note aboard the Moira, because it was just as much of a problem back home, too.

He twists a small screwdriver around in his fingers aimlessly, and doesn't look up when he speaks. ]

Did you know one of my roommates keeps an alien as a pet, and another is Alexander Hamilton, yes that Alexander Hamilton? Aunt Peggy's here too, but she's like, half my age or something. Some kid makes disembodied limbs sprout out of things, which is actually less concerning than the kid walking around with pockets full of bombs.

And I bought shots for a skeleton.

[ Translation: he's wigging out he is W I G G I N G OUT, BRUCE, WHAT THE FUCK. ]

[ Okay calm down Tony CALM DOWN. He can tell right away by the single-breath rant that Tony's not handling things well, which... well, it's understandable. Bruce had had a tough time at first too, but then there had been a lot less people around and everything was quieter and more peaceful and generally less weird.

He steps closer and takes a seat close to Tony, heaving a soft sigh as he crosses his legs and props his elbows near his knees. ]

So you're getting acquainted with the ship and crew, I see. [ Bruce is probably going through a list of all the other weird stuff and people on board right this moment, but no way he's going to voice that. ] I've met Peggy. She's really something. [ Sure, let's start there. At least it's vaguely familiar and (hopefully) a lot less weird than a talking skeleton or disembodied limbs. ]

[ He's fine this is fine it's fine everything is just fine. ]

Of course she is, she's Peggy Carter.

[ He scrubs his free hand over his face a few times, as if trying to clear it. ]

God, when is the last time I even saw her? I must've been a kid. Teenager. She used to come around to visit dad when I was growing up. Kicking ass even in her old age, you know how it goes.

And then her twenty-something year old self walks up to me in a bar and calls me by name.

What is up with this place.

[ Clearly not a request for multiverse theory explanation; he's 100% on the same page as everyone else on that point, at least. But that doesn't mean it's not goddamned exhausting. ]

[ Yep, that pretty much sums her up, so Bruce just nods. He says nothing to the rest because well, there really isn't much to say. He knows Tony understands the whole mechanics and theory behind what's happening here, so he's not going to go down a speech about multiverse and suspended time theory or how it's at all possible to pluck people from different points in time.

He knows it's not that that's overwhelming him right now. And it's not going to help calm him down talking about it either. ]

She met you before. When you... your other self was here. So she would recognize you. Sorry— I should've told you she was here.

[ It's just kind of hard to keep track of all the things he should tell new arrivals sometimes, especially ones he knows. ]

[ He waves off the apology and finally looks up at Bruce. ]

What? No. C'mon, if you'd tried to warn me about every person who was going to recognize me, from back home or otherwise, you'd have needed another manifesto.

[ The people from back home, the team - the Avengers - that's one thing. It's a few of the others that have managed to genuinely unsettle him. Yet again, the Maximoffs come to mind. And Vision - god, what the hell. ]

Even I've lost track, and it's only been a few days.

[ Christ, Bruce didn't even remember the Maximoffs. Forget Vision, twins holding a lifelong grudge against Tony are probably priority on the list of people he should've told him about. Not that Bruce spends a lot of time with them, in fact he doesn't even know Pietro's on board yet, and he makes a point not to step anywhere near Wanda when he knows what she does to him in the future, but still. ]

That lasts for a while. Losing track, that is.

[ He looks up and out the large window. ] I like this spot. When everything's a mess, this is... simpler. Barring the occasional existential crisis, but I prefer handling that sometimes.

[ Tony spares a glance for the vast expanse of the universe, but it's a fleeting thing. ]

Yeah, I'll probably get there eventually. Space isn't exactly a favorite at the moment.

[ Understatement. He'd thought willingly subjecting himself to it would help lessen some of the anxiety, and if he's honest, it has a little. But it still leaves a nauseous fear in the bottom of his gut. ]

But it's quieter than the petting zoo in my room.

[ Bruce opens his mouth, closes it again. It crosses his mind to tell him about the time he got stuck out there as the Hulk, floating around frozen in outer space, but it wouldn't really help at all. Instead of offering any kind of connection between their experiences he'd likely just make Tony's anxiety even worse— and besides, he mentioned it in his file, so he figures Tony's read it already. ]

It's always quiet up here, even when most of the ship isn't asleep. [ So it figures Bruce would like it. It's his spot of choice for his meditating sessions, even. ]

It's not so bad here, Tony. It's complicated right now, sure. A lot has happened and there are so many people on board, so things are a little tense, but generally speaking, it could be worse. [ Things could always be worse, granted. But moving on. ] It just takes a while to adapt. But you know you're not alone, right? You've got me. You've got us, even. Doesn't make everything sunshine and roses but it beats being alone.

[ And he knows a thing or ten about that. ]

[ Tony's silent for a long moment. He knows that, on some base level; it's probably why he'd messaged Bruce in the middle of the night despite his wiser inclinations. And the team - it's important to him, they're important to him, even if he's only known them a brief time. It's not Pepper. It's not Rhodey. But it's... something.

He smirks quietly to himself. ]

This seems like a weird bit of turnabout.

[ Last he remembers, he was trying to convince this guy that being part of a team wouldn't be so bad. That he should trust himself more. That he can do good for the world. And he'd met resistance at every turn, at least until the big guy had shown up to prove Tony's point.

And now here they are. ]

Maybe not the sentiment I wanna go for, but still, I think this place suits you.

[ Bruce chuckles quietly and dips his head in a nod, because he knows exactly what Tony's talking about. It's been over a year for him since then, not to mention the months he's been on board the Moira, so he definitely has a different perspective from then. He's changed— for the better, he hopes.

Not that he'd compare a spaceship in an alternate universe to settling down in New York City, but... you know. It's a pretty crazy city so there's that. ]

You know what, I think it suits me too. In some weird way, it just... I don't know.

[ He shrugs, because it's a very strange realization, when he's been through so much crap while on board. ]

[ Bruce seems happy; that's the difference, really. The Bruce Banner he remembers talked about putting a bullet in his mouth as if it were common sense, an inevitability. He'd treaded lightly around everyone, he'd been jumpy, pessimistic. Even his sly humor had been muted, at least compared to their interactions aboard the Moira.

Tony reaches out to give Bruce's shoulder a brief squeeze. ]

I'm glad. Seriously, I mean that.

[ He still has his days. He went through a particularly rough period after C-Primary, but that was... it was a long time ago, actually, what with the year he was away from the ship too. He'd be lying if he said that the thought of ending everything hadn't crossed his mind at one point or another during his stay on the Moira, but now that seems like a distant thought, a memory at the back of his mind. ]

Thanks. [ He smiles a little, not shying away from the touch. Eyebrows raising, he shakes his head and adds, as if he suddenly just remembered something. (Which he kind of did, actually.) ] Right. You should meet my girlfriend sometime. It's, uh, we're... I forgot to mention that. Sorry.

[ Now hang on just one damn minute, ]

Your girlfriend.

[ Bruce probably looks a strange mix of embarrassed and amused at the reaction, translated into a lopsided grin and a tip of his head. ]

You could at least try not to sound so shocked. I'm sure you've heard of a lot weirder things.

[ On the bright side, much of his earlier distress seems to have been sidelined for the sake of giving Bruce shit. ]

No way! This takes the cake. 100%. How could you not tell me? It's been, like, multiple whole days.

—Wait.

[ He leans forward and squints, clearly trying to picture something. ]

How does that even work, with the whole- [ ... GESTURE ]

I forgot! And you had other stuff to deal with, alright?

[ Bruce looks intrigued for about the second it takes Tony to ask him that, then he looks like he could just bury his head in a hole right then and there. ]

I'm not gonna talk to you about that! Don't you think that's kind of... you know, immensely personal?

[ Also WHY WERE YOU TRYING TO PICTURE IT TONY, YOU FUCKING PERVERT. ]

Deliberately cryptic answer.

[ HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM ]

... Kinky.

[ Oh my god Tony just. Just stop. He's going to die of embarrassment. ]

You're an idiot. [ Said almost lovingly. ]

One of my defining features.

[ He sounds so self-satisfied. ]

So when do I get to meet her?

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