#shecreatesmonsters

The tragedy in Nigeria was bad enough, but as Bryce read about it in the newspapers, she knew from the reactions she was reading and seeing that she had been smart to leave when she had. Everyone was determined to scapegoat the Avengers, and from past experience, Bryce had an idea of what was going to happen even before she read about the proposed Sokovia Accords a few days later.

Possibly one of the most worrying things was the fact that at some point Thaddeus Ross had become the Secretary of State and was now in charge. If that didn’t spell trouble-

Something stung the back of Bryce’s neck. A bug? But when she reached around to touch the spot, she felt something thin and metallic. A brief rush of fear flared up but was abruptly cut off as Bryce lost consciousness before she could transform.

***

Bryce didn’t know how long it’d been since they’d tranq’ed her, but when she woke up she couldn’t move and her mind felt like it was stuffed with cotton. Ross was standing over her, looking down but Bryce couldn’t feel any anger at all, or even nervousness. 

“-to reduce activity in your amygdala,” Ross was speaking. “You’re not going to be executed for your crimes, or even cut up, certain people have fought very hard on your behalf against that, but in a minute we’re going to put you in a very deep artificially induced coma to ensure that you are never a threat to anyone ever again. You should be thanking me, Banner. Isn’t this what you wanted? For people to be safe from you? You have to admit, this is better than what I would have done to you five years ago if I’d caught you. You have to understand by now, I’m working for the greater good here.”

Your muse strokes my muse’s hair lovingly while they’re sleeping. Send♮for my muse’s reaction

Glancing up at Betty, Bryce gave her a slightly sheepish grin from where she was lying in an indentation in the ground, not bothering to cross her arms over her breasts. Being in the same situation numerous times had desensitized her to embarrassment over accidental nudity in public places. Besides it wasn’t  like Betty had never seen them before. 

Since Puny Banner had spent so much time in warm places, Hulk hadn’t had terribly much experience with snow. She could remember one occasion that she’d come out of Banner to see snow but even that time she’d been more consumed with rage over the sting in her mouth from Banner’s actions than with wonder at the new surroundings. 

But right now she could wonder at it. Sure, temperature wise she preferred warmer climates despite her skin being thick and her body hot enough that she was essentially immune to the cold, but what she saw right now was fascinating.

"Excuse me? Excuse me!” 

The fight had been long and draining. Abomination had come back stronger than ever and more clever in his fighting strategy. Hulk’s victory had been hard won but she had done it. 

As she dropped his body and turned, her anger faded to shock as she saw Betty with her back against a tree. Her mouth was red but as Hulk got closer she realized it wasn’t natural, it was from the blood that was coming out. Suddenly she remembered how in the thick of the fight Betty had run in to try to help only for Blonsky to smack her away. 

Hulk kneeled down next to Betty, whose breathing sounded all wrong, hard and uneven. She heard a whimpering sound but then realized it had come from herself as she realized what was happening. “Betty?” Despite her large size, her voice was suddenly very small.

Betty smiled up at her even as it just made her mouth redder. “Hey… it’s okay.” She reached up a shaky hand to touch Hulk’s cheek. “You did a good job.”

Reached out, Hulk very very carefully put her hands under Betty, picking her up to hold her in her large green arms, cradling her close. “Betty hurt. Hulk help. Hulk smash hurt,” she said, voice shaky but Betty shook her head.

“I’m sorry, Hulk. You can’t smash anything this time. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. This isn’t right. You shouldn’t be alone.”

“Hulk not alone, Hulk have Betty.” Hulk’s voice cracked with the last word as she started rocking back and forth. She’d lost Mommy in a way too much like this, she couldn’t loose Betty too. Not sweet Betty.

“Hulk… please… let me talk to Bryce,” Betty said, her voice soft. “I have something to tell her.”

Despite wanting to argue, Hulk couldn’t say no, so she let go, tears streaking down her face as she slowly shrank, smaller arms now holding Betty over her lap as a shocked Bryce looked down at Betty. “Oh god, no… Betty, no. Please…”

“Bryce, listen. You know you can’t get to help in time. Now please… promise me you won’t lock yourself away from the world after this. I don’t want you to be alone again. Promise me you’ll try to find a way to be happy.”

“Betty I can’t-”

“Promise me.” Betty’s voice was firm as she stared Bryce down. “I will not let you shut yourself away from any possibility of happiness again. I just wish… I’d said it earlier. I wish we’d had more time to make each other happy.” Betty kept blinking, as if trying to keep herself awake.

“I-” Bryce’s voice shook. “I promise.”

Betty smiled and Bryce reached out a trembling hand to wipe away some of the blood. 

“I love you, Bryce. Remember that I have always loved you. You’ll be okay…” Betty’s eyes finally closed and Bryce frantically tried to wake her to no avail. “Betty… Betty! Please, no!”

She laid Betty down on the ground, trying to give her CPR but after a few minutes with no results it finally settled in and Bryce screamed, screamed the way she hadn’t since her mother had died, screamed as if her voice could bring Betty back, screamed as if it could make all the pain go away.

With tears cascading down her face she roared up at the sky until she turned into Hulk again and really did roar at the heavens, as if demanding back what had been taken.

Boredom plain and simple is the cause for the normally racing Avenger to be wandering about Stark Tower at a rather slow pace. He came along because Wanda thought he could use the change of scenery. Get away from HQ for a while, since he’d just been medically released from Dr. Cho’s care. 

He’s hardly aware of what time it is, shuffling along down the endless hallways. Hands in his pockets as he half heartedly searches for something to do. He darkness outside tells him he should probably be in bed, but his mind is in far to high a gear for that. So he continues on, without direction. At least until one of the doors he walks passed opens, and he finds himself running into another person.