Being a Banner [ 1 of JA ]

58

It was very early in the morning. . .well, late morning for Bruce. To him, six o'clock in the morning was like sleeping in until noon. The sky was still a dark navy, and the stars began fading away into the atmosphere.
      Bruce walked out of the hallway and to the big windows to stare out at the sky. He sighed, wondering what Betty would say if she heard about this mess. Her voice was in the back of her head, "You didn't tell our daughter about Hulk and you're wondering why she's mad?" Maybe Betty would say, "Jesus, your pants get huge." Or maybe she would've told Kerry sooner so she wouldn't be kept in the dark.
      Tony knew Bruce gets up early in the morning. He learned that a long time ago after the Chitauri attacked and he allowed Bruce to stay at the tower, but Bruce moved out when someone in particular after Ultron came to town. That wasn't the only reason; Tony got up even earlier to work on his suits and new ideas.
      Tony he walked up next to Bruce with a small smile as he too looked out the window.
      "You know, you and Kerry could move back here," Tony said. "She's still got her room, and it'd be nice for her to relax while this all settles,"
      Bruce nodded with a smile. "Thanks Tony, maybe we will but I-I don't know,"
"What's stopping you?" Tony asked.
"Me." Bruce answered right away, which shocked Tony. "I've been working for years, trying to fix myself, and. . ." Bruce looked up at the stars. "I've only made it worse by distancing myself from her,"
Tony nodded, patting Bruce on the shoulder and keeping his hand there, squeezing gently.
"I look up to you, Bruce." Tony softly said. "I looked up to you when you became a parent because I wasn't good at it my first time, and little did I know that it was probably my only shot. However, you are just like her; you bottle things up and keep to yourself. You're not good at talking, which is what I think the two of you should do."
      "What would we talk about?" Bruce asked. "So many things are clogging up her mind—Hulk, me, and probably Ross now,"
      "Ross?" Tony asked, surprised. "She met Ross?"
      "I'm not sure, but she knows the military is out there looking for us right now," Bruce looked back out at the early morning skyline.
      "You never told him about her, right? I mean, I understand why, but he's gotta be pissed when he finds out you've been hiding a granddaughter from him." Tony replied.
      Bruce sighed and looked out at the city, as all the lights very slowly began turning on. Suddenly, flying right across his view of New York, there was s bright flash of gold, something like fire, and bright red and gold colors.
      Bruce watched the Iron Man suit twirl around and circling in the air. He smiled and said to Tony, "I didn't know Howie flew this early,"
"Neither did I. . ." Tony bit his lip and looked closer at the suit.
      "I don't." Howie said, approaching the men with a cup of hot coffee.
Bruce shook his head, staring at Howie in awe.
"Wait," Tony turned to Bruce. "If he's here, then who's in the suit?"

*************

"Kerry, I think you've been up in the air longer than what Howie has—"
"WHOOOO HOOOO!" I scream, laughing at the end. "Jarvis this is amazing! I feel like Peter Pan!" I fly around Tony's tower, Stark Tower, then shoot up and lean back for a loop.
"You should head back before your father realizes you're flying." Jarvis replies. "He wouldn't approve of this."
"There are some things he's done I don't approve of," I retort. "Can I fly higher?"
The screen in front of my face within the mask starts glitching.
"Jarvis, you good?"
"Someone seems to be interfer—"
Suddenly, Jarvis cuts out and I'm no longer in control of moving the suit. The armor is still activated, but no matter what I said the AI wasn't responding, but flying back towards Tony's tower and Howie's launch pad for me.
"No, no, no," I grumble.
"Uh, yes, yes, yes. How the hell do you know how to fly this thing?" Tony's voice asks within the suit.
"Howie taught me early this morning," I reply.
"Really?" Tony sounded impressed. "It took me weeks to figure out how to control my flight and you step in on your first day with nothing but smooth sailing. Bruce, she really has a knack for this—"
"Get her on the ground, Tony!" I hear Dad snap in the background.
I sigh deeply as the suit takes me back on the terrace launch pad. Immediately, Dad struts out onto the terrace as the suit curls and falls apart off me into its own empty iron body case. Dad grabs me gently but firm by the shoulder and walks me inside.
"What the hell are you doing? You could've gotten hurt!"
I roll my eyes. "If I'm bullet proof I'm like ninety-nine percent sure I'm indestructible."
"Don't smart talk me," Dad snaps. "You're not supposed to leave the tower!"
"I didn't leave, I was flying around it's aura," I retort. "I didn't see the government pointing weapons at me while in the sky! No helicopters looked sketchy,"
"What has gotten into you?" Dad asks, his brows furrowing down. "You're acting like a child!"
"I still am a child! But what do you know about children? Seems as though spending all your time in the lab didn't sharpen you skills as a parent!" I yell as I walk passed him.
"What?" Dad asks. I turn around before entering the hallway to see his face contorted in confusion.
I start laughing, but it sounds maniacal.
"Are you kidding, Dad?" I snap. "You're the smartest guy I know, and being that you'd at least know what I'm talking about!"
I walk down the hallway, headed for my room.

*************

I hear a knock at my door. Rolling over in bed, I see the clock that tells me it's 10 am. Someone knocks again.
"Who is it?" I ask, throwing my arm over my eyes.
"Your favorite godfather," Tony replies.
"You're my only godfather,"
Tony chuckles from the other side. "Yeah. . .may I come in?"
"Depends. What do you want?"
"I was just going to ask if you were hungry." Tony replies.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course."
I roll off the bed and open the door to my bedroom. Tony stands in the doorway smiling, and as I flip back on my bed he begins talking.
"I was wondering if you'd like some scrambled eggs with a side of your dad being a good parent." Tony says, hands behind his back as he rolls on his tip toes.
I groan and look away from him, my body sprawled on the bed.
"All everyone does is lie to me." I mumble.
"He did it to protect you." Tony says. "And if you want to play the victim, be my guest, but it's not going to make you or Bruce feel better."
      I scoff and sit up on the bed, shaking my head.
      "I'm not playing the victim. However, you knew Dad turned into the Hulk, and still proceeded to lie to me."
Tony looked shocked and shook his head. "How did you know that I know?"
"I didn't until just now." I sigh. "Does Howie know?" To my dismay Tony nodded with closed eyes, like he was ashamed.
      There was a long silence between us. Until Tony cleared his throat.
      "Be good to your dad," he spoke low. "I don't know how much he's told you, and I wouldn't pry into it all right now, but he's walked through Hell so many times the Devil and him are best friends. I'm serious too. God, he drove me nuts running around all over the country—I still don't know how he did it! Look, bottom line is, he's a good dad. He wasn't there because he was trying to cure himself so that then he could be with you—"
      "I know that," I snap. "I know! I told Phil—"
      "So why are you making such a big deal out of it?"
      "I don't know!" I yell. "I really don't know! God. . .maybe because he hasn't spoken to me about it? He hasn't brought it up on his own? I feel like I need closure, but something other than it being about Hulk." I rub my eyes and sigh. "I don't know Tony. Everything is going all wrong. I was normal, and now I'm some bullet-immune. . .freak who can stop a tank no matter how fast it's going or how many bullets I take! Try to see these past couple days in my eyes!"
"I understand—"
"No you don't!" I snap. "No one could understand this!"
"Your mother did." Tony replied quietly. "Maybe even better than Bruce. Kerry, I promise you, you are no freak. I've met some pretty strange people, even call most of them my friends, but you and Bruce are my family. In my family there are no freaks, only the most amazing people."
I twiddle my thumbs and look down at the ground. "Do you still talk to your friends, the strange ones?"
"Not recently, but that's only because we've all started families of our own. I bet one day we'll all get together, and you'll meet them and their kids, and then you may feel a little more at home." Tony pats my back as he turns back around to my door.
Standing in the doorway, he turns his head and asks, "Are you actually hungry? I did make eggs!"

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Oof I really need to get back on this app I forgot how much fun I have writing :)