5143/Random coffee with an old friend.

Random coffee with an old friend.
Date of Scene:	12 February 2021
Location:	The Coffee Bean
Synopsis:	No description
Cast of Characters:	Bruce Banner, Peggy Carter

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Bruce Banner has posed:
Coffee. Probably not the wisest of choices, but Banner is here anyway. For the obsevant agent, an ankle tracker blinks. Otherwise, he's just plain old Bruce. The quiet before the storm. Peggy's seen the storm too. Of course, there is the herbal tea option and that is what he has infront of him.

Peggy Carter has posed:
It's been months since Peggy and Bruce had a chance to talk. Part of it's both of their lives being rather too busy, part of it's the things Peggy's been working on. Small hints growing bigger, more worries... She didn't want to draw him into it. He didn't deserve it. But when he called to catch up, she couldn't resist either. She missed having friends who didn't see her as the once-upon-a-time director.

A wide smile cuts across her lips as she sees him, the tracker noted but not with any worry. She looks a bit different -- certainly more tired for the season, but her hair has been shorn and now rests in a curly, chin-length bob, mostly hiding the very faint scars along the left side of her face, but those are new too. "Hullo there, stranger... Thought I scared you off the last time." She winks, leaning over for a brief but earnest hug. She smells of vanilla powder and lavender, as ever.

Bruce Banner has posed:
Glancing up towards her he stands to return the hug she offers and laughs softly,"Funny how I though I might have scared you off when you saw...well the other guy." After a good hug he indicates a chair across from where he has been sitting. He considers her hair and the scars and comments,"It looks like you've been busy since lasy time."

Peggy Carter has posed:
It's become so much a part of her in the months since it happened, it takes Peggy a moment to figure out what he's talking about. She blinks, but then runs one hand through her somewhat shorter hair. "Oh, yes... a small bomb decided I needed an unplanned hair cut. Trying to grow the mess out now... it's strange not having the whole mop of it." As far as any photo has show, Peggy's worn her soft curls well past shoulder length for nearly 80 years. It must be odd to be shorter now.

She settles into the chair, giving him a slightly softer smirk and a levelled look. "...Scared ME off? Goodness, no. I'm...glad I was there. And he's not... quite so awful, I promise. You're worth it."

Bruce Banner has posed:
Touching his hair to indicate what he means, but stopping once she figures it out. He shakes his head and smirks,"A small bomb you say? I can understand bombs clowing up too close." Did he ever get around to telling her about that? He's been busy and things hav ebeen hectic in regards to being on house arrest. Then there is the part where he isn't in the house, but that's another story.

He motions to a passing waitress to get your order. He takes the tea bag from his cup as it seems to be at the strength that he wants it to be,"He has a tendency to leave a lasting impression on everyone he comes in contact with. Memorable. I hear he is a sucker for a pretty face or a damsel in distress so maybe there is hope for him."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Gunpowder black tea, cream, sugar... and one of those scones, thank you." Peggy still takes nearly offensively caffeinated tea, but she won't touch American coffee. She then looks back to him with a still softer, red lipped smile. "He wasn't so bad... and it feels good to be considered a friend by both... parts... God, is that rude to say? I don't quite know how to... address the matter. But he did not scare me away. Neither did you." Her eyes drop curiously towards his ankle, though, a brow arching in silent quesiton.

Bruce Banner has posed:
"We're a part of each other. We hate it, but it's part of life. Nothing that can be changed." he tells her,"If he wasn't bad then you must have caught him on the calm down process. He didn't have the most damage that day either. He's good at breaking things." He takes a gentle sip of the tea and smirks a little bit,"I am glad you weren't scared away. I have missed our talks. Me and the other guy are not long on friends."

He looks down at the ankle monitor and he shrugs,"House arrest. They want the Avengers to keep a close watch on me." he admits. He takes another sip and he mutters softly,"It works...in a manner of speaking."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"House..." Peggy's brow remains lifted, head turning across her shoulder as she looks across the coffee shop. "I can understand wanting to get out, but I'm happy to come up to the mansion next time, too. But hell, if you didn't really... *Do* anything... You're not a criminal, Bruce. That's not really fair." Peggy's sense of justice is kicking up a bit more than her sense of being law abiding, but then she and Steve have always been like that.

"Anyway... it's been... quite a few months. The matter I spoke to you about in Brooklyn..." The fact that there is some HYDRA somewhere in SHIELD, "Has only been confirmed, so... I'm managing that off site as much as I can, but getting put into field leader duties. I wish they'd decide if they want me retired and out to pasture or not."

Bruce Banner has posed:
"Avenger's Mansion." he replies sofly,"A lovely woman with a similar attitude to yours made sure it more or less says I am there." He isn't too worried about you going back to talk to anyone about that,"As for criminal or not, depends on who you ask. Funny how the other guy is good to have around when you need a nuclear bomb without the radiation fall out."

He sips the tea again and he nods,"It has been a while." he agrees. His face says mostly neutral when she mentions working off site and field leader duties,"Putting the great Peggy Carter out to pasture? That might be a fast way for you to move on to a new part of your life. Peggy Carter private investigator. Peggy Carter public relations specialist."

Peggy Carter has posed:
A deeper smirk crosses her lips, though she falls quiet as her tea and scone are dropped off. A gentle nod of thanks is given to the waiter, but Peggy isn't about to discuss SHIELD or Avenger's business in front of a random bystander. She waits until it seems they are mostly alone again and gives a litle laugh, "I'm...sure I'd have found something else, but simply taking time off...Maybe it's earned. Would have given me time to work on some of these outside projects. But people seem eager to keep me busy."

Bruce Banner has posed:
"A long term vacation somewhere tropical and quiet." he comments softly and takes a drink of tea again,"Quiet is good any way you go at it." he continues with a smirk,"Less likely that bad things happen when it's quiet. Remember the little people when you are drinking mai tai's and making cabana boys wish they had a chance."

Peggy Carter has posed:
A slight roll of her eyes comes and she begins carefully doctoring her tea, with motions that she barely even needs to watch herself do, they are such muscle memory after nearly 100 years of life. Peggy settles her back into the chair, long legs crossing beneath the table and all her body language exuding relaxation even if he might see the sharpness of paranoia behind her eyes. "Not going to happen any time soon. I suppose they decided this dinosaur was still of use to them."

Bruce Banner has posed:
"Guess the dinosaur will still have to streggle along." he comments as he watces her prep her tea for consumption. There is a smirk and he sips his tea again,"It's like you've done that a time or two." he teases lightly and then leaves it alone there,"So what else is going on with you now? Anything new and worthwhile that isn't work related?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
That last question gets a bittersweet sort of laugh, "Ah...not... Really, I don't suppose I have much of a life outside work. Between the off the clock hours and field leadership..." Peggy gives him a half shrug and takes a long sip of her tea. There's something haunted behind her eyes, something she's not quite bringing up now but is certainly there. "That last mission... I'd rather work anyway, we'll leave it at that. And what of you?"

Bruce Banner has posed:
"Trying to find a way to make the other guy go away for good." he admits and shakes his head,"Other than that, not really. Work keeps me busy too. Even under house arrest." He laughs softly and takes another sip of tea,"You'd think the last thing the government would want would be for me to have ready access to top of the line labs and computers."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"I think the government doesn't know what it wants more than 'better weapons' most days, so...I'm not surprised." Peggy's voice is low as she says that, a muttering meant for both their ears and no one else's, but she's showing her exhaustion and lack of trust in those words alone. SHe's grown hard in her older age. "...If you need me to get anything from SHIELD to help... you just say. I suspect you have everything but I've got a higher access now..."

Bruce Banner has posed:
"A bit disillusioned with the government too. As the man said, I love my country. It's my government I don't trust." he muses. Leaning on the table a little he shakes his head,"I appreciate the offer, but I'm not sure there is anything that I need really. I live in the mansion of the biggest super hero group in the world with pretty much all their facilities...within reason. Still, I'll keep that in mind. Anything I can do for you, the same goes."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"I couldn't have put it better myself." The British woman quips gently about not trusting the government. Peggy really does look tired about it, but then she's been fighting government ideals since 1939, even while still working for them. She sets her tea down, breaking off a part of her scone to savor instead, the sweets calming back a bit of the traditional ire that's kicked up in her head. "I'm...glad they're looking out for you, at least. I know Steve spends a lot of time up there. He's still one of the best people I know. You can trust him... You ever need anything, you call one of us. We'll get it for you."