13947/Of Magic and Science

Of Magic and Science
Date of Scene:	23 January 2023
Location:	Avengers Mansion - Study
Synopsis:	Bruce and Clea have a chit chat in the study. She tries not to float too much.
Cast of Characters:	Clea, Bruce Banner

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Clea has posed:
It's past the hours for dinner and things in the mansion, but Clea has taken to being a night owl these days. There wasn't daylight in the Dark Dimension so she wasn't really accostumed to the day and night cycles there. She'd found herself in the study this evening and finding a book that she wanted to start reading. She was barefoot and dressed in a pair of black jeans and a flowy purple tunic type shirt.

The white haired woman was reading and cross legged, but she was floating a few feet above the floor in the seating area. She tended not to worry about what others would think of it. It was natural to her.

Bruce Banner has posed:
Dr. Bruce Banner had long since given up on any concept of what is "natural" or "normal". He, on the regular, plays host to a giant green rage machine. So floating women is not that far out of left field. Besides, as an Avenger, he has been around his fair share of floaters.

So when he walks in and offers a brief nod to Clea as he makes his way over towards the book case, he thinks little of it. He is dressed down a bit, as he has taken to later at night, wearing as close to standard issue clothing as possible - grey sweats. He is also barefoot, which he claims makes him feel more grounded but has earned at least one fellow Avenger a murmur of concern about how a stubbed toe could level the Mansion.

Clea has posed:
Clea gives a look over to Bruce when he enters and there is a warm smile from the Faltine, "Bruce." she states with a return nod of her head. She then remembers she's floating and decides that she'll settle down in a chair. She tucks her legs up underneath her as she rearranges her book.

"How is the evening going for you? Here for something to read before sleeping?" she asks the Doctor. Her tone was regal, but that was just because she was raised to reflect it in her manners and movements.

Bruce Banner has posed:
"Please, don't let me interrupt your argument with gravity," Bruce replies with a warm, nodding towards Clea's legs as she starts her descent to the chair. "If I could do that, I'd do it all the time too." He approaches the book shelf and runs his fingers along the spines slowly.

He turns back towards her at the question, and nods. "Yeah, sometimes, you know, the mind just gets going and some people will exercise to try to work it off, and get to sleep, but, uh, that is not always the best idea for me, so..." He taps his fingers against a few books. "Distraction. And hope that it's enough to send me off into the serenity of a night of..." Then he chuckles. "Well. My sleep isn't exactly serene either, but..."

Then he stops himself and looks down. "Sorry, sometimes I forget people are just asking questions to be polite, not hear my whole tragedy spill out."

Clea has posed:
Clea gives a smile to him, "I'm trying to fit in more on Earth, the floating is starting to weird some of our fellow Avengers out I think." she admits to him as she put her bookmark in the page and closes the book while she watches him. "You could probably do it with a bit of training. It is a bit annoying when you can't turn it off, so sometimes it is nice to have the option." she chuckles to that.

"I don't require a lot of sleep, though the bed is comfortable." she admits as she listens to the man. "Do you have nightmares or are you just restless?" she asks him.

She gives him a curious look, "I was genuinely inquiring as to how you were. I am happy to listen to you, Bruce." she tells him.

Bruce Banner has posed:
The idea of floating just being a bit of training away seems to pique Bruce's interest. For a moment, at least. "I'm not sure a floating Hulk is really the best plan for anyone, but I'll keep that in mind in case I ever need a new set of party tricks." He turns away from the books as he realizes that, indeed, Clea is interesting in conversation and not just being polite, unlike most who have a tendency to give him a wide berth.

"Uh, let's just say that sometimes I'm not me when I dream, and also sometimes I'm not me when I'm awake, and so there is a whole lot of..." He runs his hands around alongside his head as if to indicate some chaos. "It's crowded."

Clea has posed:
Clea gives a nod to him, "Should you require any help with party tricks I know a person." she gives a smile to that. She doesn't seem to be uncomfortable or anything. It's possible that she's not really even scared of what Bruce could transform into. She could just send him to another dimension after all! "Want to have a seat or do you do better pacing?" she asks him.

"So sometimes the Hulk dreams and you see it and vice versa?" she asks him. "Interesting." she nods to that as she looks to him. "Sharing space with another consciousness doesn't sound like a lot of fun at any moment really." she admits.

Bruce Banner has posed:
Bruce was not aware that he was pacing until Clea pointed it out. "Uh, yeah, I can try sitting." He looks around, as if now the debate is where to sit. "I think I am better off without party tricks, honestly. World is, too." He give a nervous little laugh.

He nods on the topic of Hulk dreams. "Yes, exactly, and sometimes I am not sure which are actually his dreams and which are my recollections of them. And whether or not the dream is actually just reality. I..." He considers for a moment. "I don't think he necessarily perceives the world the way I do, so sometimes I think the dreams are really how I am interpreting his experiences." He shrugs. "But it's been hard to line-up a dream with documented evidence of what he actually did that day, so..."

There is a nod of agreement. "Especially not when none of you are actually good at sharing. Petty, jealous little child." A pause. "And then the Hulk." He tries to grin at the attempt at a joke.

The debate about where to sit was enough of a distract that he totally forget that he was trying to do it, and is still pacing.

Clea has posed:
Clea was actually happy to listen. It meant she could learn more of her team mates. She doesn't point out the pacing again as she thinks he's more comfortable doing it. She probably would be. "You probably know better what is better than I do, so I will take your word for it, Bruce." she states. "It is alright if I call you Bruce? If not I can use your title of preferance." she points out in a gentle way. "Have you ever had anyone try to look into the dreams to see if there was a fault line perhaps?" she asks him.

She gives a curious look to him, processing the jealousy comment, "Oh, well, I thought you were speaking about the Hulk." she chuckles. "You don't seem to strike me as petty." she adds. "Has anyone ever tried to speak with the Hulk? Maybe he's a bit jealous because everyone is scared of him?" she explains.

Bruce Banner has posed:
For a moment, Bruce looks offended. "No, I insist you call me HULK." He adds a bit of an intonation towards the end, Banner trying to sound scary and intimidating, but it fails miserably as would be expected, not at all helped by the fact that he cannot keep a straight face while doing it either. "Doc Samson tried to talk me through it once, did some hypnosis, and, uh..." He sighs quietly. "He woke up a few states away, and I woke up a few days later. So..."

Bruce grins a bit at Clea. "Sorry, they keep telling me that self-deprecation isn't a great idea, plenty of others willing to mock me and all, but..." A shrug. "People try to speak with him all the time. He's actually a lot smarter than he can articulate with words. But no, he's not jealous that people are afraid of him. He's _proud_ of it."

Clea has posed:
Clea gives him one of those looks that scream 'Really?' when he tries to sound scary. "I'm not sure if I want to put you under stress, but if you'd like me to try. Or at least watch over you when you sleep to see what might happen I am happy to lend my assistance." she states. "Astral Projecting might help that." she adds with a smile. "Hypnosis can be tricky. And I'm guessing that it wasn't good." she nods to that.

"You don't have to apologize for anything, Bruce." she tells him with a smile. "I figured since we're next door neighbors that I would like to see about getting to know you better. I had actually wanted to ask about a project, but I can do that later." she states.

"So what does he do if he finds someone that isn't afraid of him?" she asks him.

Bruce Banner has posed:
"You wouldn't like me when I'm stressed," counters Bruce, with a slight bit of humor, but mostly a tone laced with implied threat. "I'm not sure how interesting I am when I sleep, but unless you can watch without actually being physically there, I wouldn't recommend it. That's how Doc Samson took his little trip."

He blinks a bit. "Oh, you're on the other side of the wall? I'm sorry." The apology is serious. He does not know how well the walls are reinforced against sound, but there are plenty of nights when he is far from quiet. "I'm happy to talk about a project. What does gamma radiation have to do with spell books and sorcery?" He grins a bit, as if finding humor in that.

That last question, though. "He makes them fear him." There is definitely a somber tone on that line.

Clea has posed:
Clea gives him a smile when he says that, "So what do you do to not be stressed?" she asks him. "I mean, I astral project a lot since Faltine's don't really have to sleep. Plus I can read a book and paint and things. All that fun stuff." she muses to that.

When he apologizes she gives him a quizzical look, "I've not heard anything. Then again I moved in a little after Christmas, so I don't think a lot of people were around." she admits. "You don't have to apologize. We all have bad nights. If you ever need anything I'm right next door though." she offers.

"Well, the project was more a question I wanted to ask. Have you ever worked on anything that would work like a mood dampener?" she asks him curiously. His last words on the Hulk are noted though, "I will keep that in mind." she states.

Bruce Banner has posed:
That question. "Uh." Bruce shrugs. "I meditate. Or, you know, have them pump me full of drugs that keep me calm if it starts to look like I am getting stressed." He grins. "It may not be the healthiest for me, but as I said, healthiest for the world at large, so..."

He considers her offer. His mouth was open almost immediately, surely to protest and turn it down. But he manages to hold back from that initial impulse, and then slowly nods. "Ok. Thank you." Will he take her up on it? Maybe not, but at least he is not outright refusing it.

He narrows one eye and tilts his head. "Mood dampener? I mean, we have worked on some things to try to suppress the rage, but mostly focused on the adrenaline that triggers things, and that has not exactly worked. What are you trying to accomplish and what means are you using?"

Clea has posed:
Clea frowns just a touch when he mentions the sedatives, but, she wasn't going to comment on it. Wasn't her place. She listens though and keeps things in mind. She smiles when he doesn't refuse, "I'm sturdier than I look. I promise." she tells him. What exactly that meant would be for anyone to guess!

She nods her head, "Yes, a mood dampener." she tells him. "If I get very very upset I tend to go nuclear. Like you, I have to watch what I feel and what I do. How I react to things." she points out. "Now that I am on Earth I wanted to see if anyone might have any idea about shutting off some of the emotions. So I'm not a risk to others so much." she tells him honestly.

Bruce Banner has posed:
While Clea may not have meant anything to do with her physical frame, that is nonetheless the first thought that hits Bruce's mind, and he looks over the sorceress for a moment. "I imagine so," he says, to at least say something rather than rudely checking her out. If that's what he was doing. Even if it was suggested.

The talk of her going nuclear tickles Bruce a bit. "Well, if you want mental tricks, that is something I can help you with. Partitioning your mind, meditation, etc. I've tried a lot of those, although for separation I have a bit of a natural edge." He laughs softly. "What are you afraid you'll do if you get angry?"

Clea has posed:
Clea blushes a little at the once over, but she doesn't say anything else. She gives a smile to him, "I've done meditation and things. The Ancient One taught me a lot of ways to internalize everything when I first met them. A long long time ago." she admits. "I know with being an Avenger full time and starting to build friendships and relationships that someone that I care for will eventually get hurt. So I either find a way to help lessen the emotions...or I don't get attached to anyone." she tells him.

"I'm afraid I'll destroy everything." she whispers to him. Then she clears her throat, "It's just something I wanted to talk to you on, since you're the resident genius." she smiles to that.

Bruce Banner has posed:
Nodding along with her, Bruce chuckles. "Sounds familiar," he says, and then he sighs at the last part. That gets a small nod from him as well. "Same here. I don't know to what extent the Hulk mirrors my attachments - I know that in at least one case, he does, but it may be that he has his own attachment. But certainly, if I were to end up in a cycle of grief and anger, it would not be good. So, yeah." He shrugs. "Besides, who wants to attach to a giant green rage monster, anyway?"

He takes her concern seriously, moving over closer to her and lowering his voice. "I am sure there safeguards in place, no? Magical ones?" He considers. "Not that I have any idea how any of that works, but..." He flushes at least a bit. "We have a lot of geniuses here."

Clea has posed:
"Doesn't it?" Clea states with a soft smile. "Wonder if that is why we are in rooms next to each other?" she asks him in a conspiratorial tone. But it's a tease. "I'd like to be attached to someone." she states with a bit of a soft smile. "I'm sure it'll happen some day." she chuckles. "Maybe if people want to get attached to you that need to figure out that you share a space and try to help out with keeping you calm and safe." she points out gently.

"I could make magical ones, yes. They might be very large prices though. All magic comes with a price." she tells him. Then there's a grin to him, "Well, you were at the top of the list to speak to. So." she winks at him.

Bruce Banner has posed:
There is something behind Bruce's eyes as he listens to Clea. Whether it is the tease, or the suggestion. Or accepting her point. He has that look of contemplation. "Do you have any kind of magical means to keep me calm?" It _almost_ sounds like he is considering it if such existed.

Then, of course, he seems to immediately regret the ask. "Not that I'd ask you to pay any kind of prices for it, I was just..." He shakes his head. "I don't know what I am thinking, honestly. Sometimes hope gets in the way of reason."

Clea has posed:
Clea gives a look to him and there is a bit of a smile to him, "I could probably see about keeping you calm magically. It might be better than the wear and tear that sedatives would put on your body." she tells him. "I might have ways to calm the Hulk as well, but that would take a bit of trust from you and maybe from him. I doubt he'd like someone messing with him just for a case study." she admits.

"I think keeping you calm would be a benefit and paying small prices is something we can do." she tells him. "Hope is a very powerful thing, Bruce. It's good to have hope, so don't let that go." she tells him gently.