* JOLLY / GREEN !

THE  SLOW  PROGRESS  IN  ADAPTING  TO  to  the  new  surroundings  and  lifestyle  didn’t  feel  any  easier  than  the  rest . in  his  mind ,  the  sounds  of  familiarity  came  from  the  sounds  of  village  chatter –  his  home  previously . his  small  single  room  apartment  at  the  third  floor  and  the  sticky  heat  he  would  wake  to  almost  became  a routine .  now  he  was  comfortable – staring  up  into  decorated  walls  from  the  suns rays  that  shined  from  his  skyline  view  of  new  york  city . Bruce  would  wake  startled , fighting  against  blankets  with  thread  counts  he  never  thought  would  tangle  around  his  body  as  he  struggled  to  remember .  and  for  a moment  he  didn’t  and  his  heartbeat  drummed  ..

        ‘ Doctor  Banner ,  good  morning . it  is  currently  8:56am  Eastern  Standard  Time  and  you  are  currently  residing  in  Stark  Tower  in  New  York  City . shall  i  call– ’

“ no .. no.. thank  you , Jarvis . ” Bruce  quickly  interrupted ,  hand  over  his  chest  as  he  tried  to  collect  himself  and  ease  his  rapid  heart  beat .  he  wasn’t  sure  if  it  was  Tony  or  Jarvis’  own  programming  that  began  the  gentle  ‘reminder’  wake  up  calls . they  helped  but  something  inside  him  was  still  frantically  trying  to  keep  itself  on  the  ground .

FOR  A  MAN  WHO  HAD  SPENT  YEARS  IN  locations  that  required  different  levels  of  adaption , Bruce  still  found  the  settlement  at  the  tower  to  be  unbearably  overwhelming . it  had  been  a  little  under  two  weeks  after  the  battle  of  New  York . Bruce  couldn’t  escape  the  news  and  constant  hailing  from  people  that  now  considered  him  a  hero . a  hero . Bruce  took  to  keeping  himself  away  from  newspapers  and  television . something  Tony  enjoyed  to  bask  in  and  show  excitedly  to  Bruce  whenever  the  Other  Guy  made  an  appearance . Bruce  just  wanted  to  hide ,  grateful  only  that  the  city  had  crowned  them  saviors  instead  of  giving  out  a  warren  for  Bruce’s  arrest . the  thought  always  crossed  his  mind  and  every  morning  it  made  his  stomach  flip .  letting  him  settle  on  coffee  nothing  more  for  a  morning  start .  

THE  WORKERS  WERE  ALREADY  THERE  ,  doing  repairs  that  Bruce  was  sure  were  also  upgrades  to  the  interior  structure  that  had  been  damaged .  he  faintly  remembered  Tony  talking  about  trying  to  get  a  ridiculous  expense  report  done  on  the  view . Bruce  spent  his  time  on  the  top  floor  with  Tony  considering  both  of  their  rooms  to  be damaged  now  and  hardly  a  place  to  work . Bruce  found  the  company  to  be  ,  at  first , stressful .  it  also  reminded  him  of  the  company  he  missed  and  how  much  he  longed  for  it  for  a  time . perhaps  the  slow  integration  into  a  sense  of  normalcy  was  something  Bruce  would  indulge  in  until  he  would  firmly  yank  back  into  his  right  mind  like  a  dog  tethered  to  a  tree .  being  back  in  the  United  States  was  risky  enough  and  was  half  expecting  the  military  to  now  come  knocking  at  Tony’s  front  door .  

instead  it  was  family .

HE  REMEMBERED  DREAMS  OF  MEMORIES that  would  wake  him  in  the  middle  of  nights  and  leave  him  sadden . happiest  of  memories  that  made  his  chest  feel  as  if  it  were  cracking  open  and  collecting  his  aching  heart  for  interaction . he  missed  Betty , he  missed  the  only  family  that  he  had  left  that  he  felt  he  abandoned  – and  she  unexpectedly  now  stood  in  front  of  him  like  a  dream .

“ .. J..Jen ? ” Bruce  muttered  inaudibly  but  his  mouth  moved  slowly  as  if  it  were  testing  the  hum  of  her  name . Jennifer . Bruce  felt  the  familiar  chest  pang  but  this  time  it  wasn’t  pain , it  wasn’t  sadness … Bruce’s  face  was  lit  with  confusion , “ how  .. did  you  know ..? ” Bruce  asked  but  it  was  hardly  important  right  now . he  gently  set  his  coffee  mug  on  the  table  but  didn’t  advance  forward .

      no time is wasted in approaching him — slowly. not out of fear of the Other Guy, but rather of startling the man she grew up with. her own flesh and blood hovered in a hazy daze before her and she almost cried. but she held back; bit the inside of the left cheek and furrowed her brows. a nervous habit they shared, sure.

      “ hey, Bruce. i, uh, i called Pepper to see if she could keep tabs on you. y'know, since you’re so close with Tony. but he, uh, he wasn’t answering. and, tch... i see why. ”

      a breathy laugh is exhaled, calmly, as she looks around at the repair-process state that this entire building is still in. she’s relieved that he’s still standing. not that she doubted he would be, but call her the biggest worrywart among other mother hens — that’s her. and she’s not even his mother.

      dress shoes, with haphazardly tied laces from the hurry she was in, tread the floor heavily as if she were ready to collapse. god, how she’d missed being around a familial presence. how long had it been ? five ? six years ?

      six years, and he didn’t think to let her know, ‘ hey, cous, i’m alive ! ’

      a wary smile graces kindly features as her shoulders shrug nonchalantly. a contrast to the confusion he must be feeling.

      “ so, why wasn’t i called in sooner ? do i really embarrass you that much ? ”

      the lawyer’s heart races — beating, unforgiving, against the bird cage of her ribs. her pulsating organ fluttering no longer, but thrashing. insanely so. eyes shift warily to scratched, old wristwatch. a gift from her cousin, who was the source of her concerns. well, personal concerns  — the attack on New York shook her and everyone else abroad who knew someone there.

      time drags its feet as hands frantically bang against elevator buttons. relentless in her persistence, she might as well have taken the stairs. having called Pepper ahead of time to confirm her cousin’s safety, information regarding his whereabouts was shared. if there was one thing she learned over time, it was that Tony Stark cared about her brother more dearly than anyone she’s met — herself not included.

      briefcase drops to the floor upon entering the top floor. gaze lingering on the once elegant structure, now in shambles. sternly, and laced with worry, a name falls from down-turned lips.

      “ Bruce ? ”