20133/Painting Plans

Painting Plans
Date of Scene:	24 February 2025
Location:	Avengers Mansion - Labs
Synopsis:	Bruce and Clea reconnect after a long time, and make plans to go have a lunch 'date'.
Cast of Characters:	Bruce Banner, Clea

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Bruce Banner has posed:
Dr. Banner has been keeping to himself. The introvert has been on high activity, and has fallen into his most common habit: becoming a lab hermit and giving other people a generally wide distance. It isn't intentional, it just ends up being what happens, after stretches of time where so much focus is on him -- or his other aspects.

Some time to just be Bruce, and not other things, can be a relief. To try to reset and get his mind centered.

And so it is that Bruce is in the Avenger labs, in a side-section off in a corner... not actually doing lab work, but reading a book. He's found a cozy chair to bring down, and while the lab beeps and boops nearby as it processes some tests, Bruce has taken the chair as a small sanctuary.

Clea has posed:
Clea's not lived in the mansion for awhile, but she's also been giving Bruce time to get resettled before showing up and pepper him with questions. Since she doesn't really make a sound when floating she uses that to her advantage as she makes her way into the lab. But she walks normally after that.

She leans against one of the shelves, studying him for a moment while he reads. "There is my favorite face." Clea states with a warm smile.

"I figured I'd let you get resettled before popping in." she adds as she straightens from her leaning spot.

Bruce Banner has posed:
"Feels like I've had so many variant faces. I appreciate this is a favorite," Bruce answers with a calm, mild self-deprecating tone. He isn't surprised by her, he hadn't had his back to the doorway at any rate. He shifts his bookmark forward in the book, looking up over the tops of his glasses to smile in welcome at Clea.

"You're looking well, Clea. You're welcome to visit, no need to wait on my relaxation timeline." There's a quick laugh, and Bruce pulls his glasses off, folding one earpiece, then the other, one-handed. He realizes he failed to provide a visitor chair, and looks around in consideration of where to offer a proper seat to Clea.

There IS a stool beyond one of the test tables, and he gestures at it with a silent 'sit?' quirk of wrist from the hand holding his glasses. A quiet offer if she'd like to seat to chat, she's welcome to do so.

Clea has posed:
Clea gives him a radiant smile, "Always has been." she tells him. "Though Hulk was growing on me there for awhile as well." she admits. At least he didn't punch Clea on sight anymore!

"What are you reading?" she asks him as she draws closer. "Mmm, I know I just...didn't want to overwhelm." she states in a softer tone. There is a look to the stool and she goes to grab it, bringing it back with her to settle in for a bit.

"Have you been getting out of the lab at all?" she asks him.

Bruce Banner has posed:
"A novel that a friend of mine wrote. High fantasy, just fun adventure. A nice diversion from reality." A smile follows, as he closes it, locking in his bookmarked place. "I promised I'd give an early review of it. I think she's collecting compliments... which is all right by me, I can do that," Bruce says, showing the very temporary looking binding and lack of artwork on the front of the heavy book.

"Mmmmmm," Bruce answers regarding the Hulk, with just a lift of eyebrow, and not answering about that particular personality shift recently. "I'm glad to backseat the grey," is what Bruce says. Which suggests a different Hulk is more prominant now, for good or ill.

The question about getting out of the lab gathers a quick laugh. "I guess not. I'm not...." he pauses awkwardly. "Entirely sure what will surface with me right now. Perhaps some denial about 'maybe I'll have some time before I find out' is not the best, but. Here we are."

Clea has posed:
"That does sound like an interesting read." Clea admits. She'd been checking out more books, so maybe she'd find something like that. "I can't blame her for wanting to collect compliments." she teases him softly.

When he brings up backseating grey there is a look given to him, "Do you remember anything as your time as Joe?" she asks him. "He was definitely...something new." she muses to that.

"Would it help if you took small trips out with someone? I would be happy to accompany you." she offers to him with a soft smile. "So you think our normal green Hulk might be replaced currently?" she asks him curiously.

Bruce Banner has posed:
Bruce frowns, and picks at the glasses in his other hand, after setting the book aside. The questions about Joe caused the frown, most certainly. "I remember some things, yes. But I don't want to... dwell on them right now," is Bruce's opinion and outlook on it. He isn't comfortable, and his teeth move against the inside edge of lip. The more quiet scientist is the prominant person here, over all the Hulks, for the moment. Bruce is 'himself'.

But the trips comment causes a softened, deeper laugh. Low and easy. "Oh, I--am not a security problem right now. If I thought so, I'd be off in a desert somewhere. You don't need to babysit me," Bruce teases. He knows she didn't mean it that way, this is more self-deprecation than annoyance. "Which Hulk? I'd expect green. I am the standing expert on it, but even I could be surprised about what comes forward. Could be nobody, and I'm standing there unable to assist the team. We're in unknown territory today."

"But I'm happy to do a day trip anyway."

Clea has posed:
Clea gives a nod of her head to him, "We won't talk about it then." she tells him. She absolutely lets the subject change and she listens to him with a curious gaze.

There is a moment that she gives a quirk of her eyebrow to him, "Babysit you?" she gives a little tch. "I enjoy getting to spend time with you and admittedly the last few years have not done well with that." she muses to that. "I'd just like to be able to see you." she admits in a quiet tone.

Then she listens to him speak on what they don't know. "We will hope that if anyone needs to make an appearance it will be known territory." she states.

"You let me know when and where and I'll be there." she grins to Bruce when he agrees to do a day trip.

Bruce Banner has posed:
"I don't believe that talking about something makes it come true, most of the time. That type of probability... no," Bruce chuckles. "But focusing on something and feeling the weight of the guilt, or burden of..." He trails off here, eyes dropping to the glasses, that have mainly been a useful fidgit-tool so far. He's calm, but the edge of that anxiety comes through with the slow rotation of the glasses. He can only do so much to control feelings.

"There's no need to spiral, when I'm having a good day," Bruce clarifies, wrapping up his thought. He brings a bright smile to the surface, without it feeling too forced. The smile comes into his eyes as well.

"I am not the best at day trip plans. Normally my trips feel more like speed scavenger hunts--get the required items as fast as possible and get back!" A laugh follows, mellow. "But I can try to do better, something 'fun' to do. Though that leads me to asking what //you// find fun. I tire of things being about me; let's make it about something you'd like to do?"

Clea has posed:
Clea looks to Bruce, her curious gaze being replaced by a much softer one. She makes note of him fidgeting and she extends her hand, offering for him to hold it if he wishes without saying anything.

"Well, I'm not going to suggest that we go somewhere overly crowded or Hot Yoga again." she tells him with a soft laugh.

She does ponder for a moment about where she would like to go, "My suggestion would be maybe something that's not really urban? Could take a trip to see the part of the Hudson Highland Fjord Trail that's open? I could take some of my painting gear and you could take a book?" she offers. "And we can make sure you don't get too cold. I forget that I'm not effected by that." she sighs.

Bruce Banner has posed:
"Yes. If I /do/ get too cold, there's other options for me," Bruce agrees dryly, another reference to that the Hulk would probably come and get involved in that. Which is tiresome, to constantly have that lurking issue with everything, all the time. No getting away from himself, though. "Like a very big, fuzzy coat." He's making a deadpan joke.

Bruce blushes a little at the hand--though if it's at the extend, or more about that he realizes she's aware of his anxiety or fidgeting, unclear. Maybe it's both.

"I could paint! Badly." Bruce laughs, and pats her extended hand twice, a little social awkwardness to it, but sorts it out to accept the hand in a palm, and set the glasses DOWN for a minute to the side. He isn't against lifelines of this kind, it just takes a moment to ease into them.

Clea has posed:
"We won't let you get too cold. I promise. I'd offer to use some magic...but we know what happened the last time I tried to help with that." Clea sighs to herself. "We'll make it work." she grins after a moment.

Her hand falters for a moment when he blushes, thinking it was maybe a bad idea. Then there is the pat and he accepts it and she gives his hand a soft squeeze. There is the faintest warmth to her cheeks for a moment.

"Honestly if you'd like to paint I'll bring two canvases and we'll just paint." she smiles to that. "The therapist says it's good for me." she chuckles softly to that. "Since I'm picking the spot, what would you like for lunch?" she asks him.

Bruce Banner has posed:
"The //therapist//?" Bruce asks, as if that were crazy talk. He's aware how silly that is coming from him, and he's joking about it. He's a king of therapy needs! He smiles and nods. "Painting of various quality. It is the journey, not the end result, after all. Allow ourselves--well, I'll allow myself--to be learning at something for a little while."

Bruce smiles vaguely, "I think the reason it's a good therapy is it trains in the feeling that you get while learning. Being comfortable to sit in that 'learning' space of frustrated.... and let it be whatever it is."

"Lunch. I've been in the mood for a Reuben sandwich. That could work with picnic," Bruce suggests. He pauses, though, unsure if he's reading this painting and lunch thing correctly, and gives her a somewhat observant studying look.

Clea has posed:
Clea gives him a silly wide eyed look for a moment, "The Therapist, yes. I see one." she chuckles to that. It's in a good natured way. They all had their scars and inner demons...he just had a few more demons that sometimes manifested. "I do a fairly good job at painting." she states with a little lift of her chin.

"I tend to paint outdoors. It helps with not feeling trapped sometimes." she admits in a quieter tone.

Then she gives a grin, "We'll get you a Reuben then." she tells him. His pausing causes her to look to him. "Is that the 'is this a date?' look?" she asks him.

Bruce Banner has posed:
"I suppose that's up to you. You asked me," Bruce answers, with a formal quality to it. It doesn't sound like he's evading it, but more that he's got some quiet sadness adjacent to the topic. He generally doesn't date, or has a mix of feeling unworthy around that area. He's aware he carries a hefty and often dangerous level of baggage with him, and more recently he's looked it in the face.

It's difficult to feel good about dates when feeling the undertow of anxiety of worthiness. "Outdoors, in an open space, with sandwiches. Whether it is a date or not." He leaves the door open, and doesn't need it defined. "I'd still like to do it."

Clea has posed:
"I was hoping that it wouldn't come out of my mouth like that." Clea states with a bit of an apologetic look to him. "I know it's not an easy thing. For either of us." she explains. Everyone left Clea for their exes or never came back. That was a small cross compared to what Bruce went through.

"I'm afraid of messing things up." she admits to him. "More so...I know that overwhelming you doesn't go well." she smiles softly at that. "So what day is good for you, Doctor?" she smiles brightly at him.

Bruce Banner has posed:
"I am pretty sure Hulk does not consider this a type of crisis he needs to get involved in. If it were the main trigger, I'd barely see him," Bruce chuckles, trying to ease it for both of them by being light about the whole thing. He doesn't generally date, but doesn't have a very good reason to just reject it outright either, when she does know about the big green 'skeleton' in his closet already, and isn't turned off by it.

"Friday would be a good day for it. What do you think of Friday?" Bruce still has her hand, and realizes it. He suspects he should release and give it back. So there's a squeeze, and he releases her.

Clea has posed:
Clea gives a soft laugh when he talks on the Hulk, "I think Hulk and I have worked over our differences in the past. More so he stopped punching me through walls whenever he came out." she smiles at that.

"I have nothing on my calendar for Friday, so I will just have to wait patiently until then." she admits. She gives a soft smile when he squeezes her hand and after it is released she clasps her hands in her lap. "Thank you." she states.

Bruce Banner has posed:
"You and I both," Bruce chuckles in regard to them having worked over their differences. It's wry, and Bruce doesn't linger on the topic. Though it is true that some of the differences can be worked through, but Hulk is far too stubborn to ever truly give in, Bruce feels. But maybe that's needed, to balance.

The 'Thank you' gets a curious, questioning look, and he waits for her to say more.

Clea has posed:
Clea grins to that, "Well, you've had longer to work on that." she teases him gently. Then she changes the subject a bit, "Just make sure that you venture out of the lab a bit? If you need to escape the mansion you are welcome at my brownstone. I have an extra room if you need some space." she offers.

"I don't usually get to thank you for being good to me. I'm not used to it." she admits with a bit of a sad smile.

Bruce Banner has posed:
"Ah, don't tempt me with going off to sit quietly in the corner. I do enough of that on my own. I'm here being social with the Avengers," Bruce defends, with a broad gesture of both hands, as if the room were crowded with people.

"I suppose I shouldn't do that off in this lab, though. I was enjoying Pym's company for a time, but..." But Pym can wear on anyone, but Bruce just chuckles. "I'll survive. Thanks for your concern about me. I've had enough space, is all I'm trying to say."