PURE AND TAINTED ( wanda maximoff )

fourteen → our relatable monster problems

PURE AND TAINTED
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
( our relatable monster problems )

ALINE LIKED TALKING WITH BRUCE. Despite her not understanding most of the things he was talking about (because it was science related), she liked talking with him. He knew what it was like to be plagued by a monster in his head. Plus, he was usually pretty calm and always counterbalanced her upbeat, energetic personality.

The first time they had actually acknowledged that fact was about a month and half after New York. Aline had been the one to bring it up, approaching him when he was alone in the lab. Tony was nowhere to be seen, most likely handling some sort of company business, repairs to the building, or with his girlfriend. Nevertheless, Aline was glad the billionaire was out of the building when they had this conversation.

The brunette sat atop one of the tables, watching Bruce do some sort of research on the screen in front of him. Honestly, she wasn't quite sure what forced her to ask but she did anyway. She pursed her lips, then asked, "What is it like?"

Bruce didn't look up from his work. "What is what like?"

"When you turn into the Hulk," she elaborated, "what is it like?"

He paused, his hand stopping before he touched the screen. He looked up at the girl. Even though he knew what she was, it was still strange for him to wrap his mind around the fact about what she is and how long she's been alive. Aline just looks too... young for all this pain. "It's like I'm there, but not really," he said, then slowly continued his work. While Bruce's eyes were on the screen, he was focused on Aline. "I still have some sort of connection to the Hulk; it's like we have a Jekyll and Hyde thing relationship. Why do you ask?"

Aline lifted up her hand. She scrunched her nose and furrowed her brows, concentrating. Her nails suddenly started to grow long into claws, yellowing a bit at the edges, and she squeezed her eyes shut. "When Loki attacked us on the helicarrier, I turned. It was the first time in years I'd done so and it sucked." The wolf inside beat against the cage of her mind once more. It always did. "When I turn... it's almost as if I'm in a cage, banging on the walls for it to stop. Most of the time, I don't remember what I'm doing or what's happening; the last thing I can remember is the shifting pain... and then nothing."

"But what about the times that you do remember?" Bruce asked.

"They're not pretty." She gazed out the window. "How do you control it? You said that you're always angry, so you should always be the Hulk, but you manage it. You control it and don't let it manipulate you. How?"

"Years of practice."

"I'm a thousand years old," Aline deadpanned. "Don't you think I've tried and practiced? When the wolf takes over, I don't remember much and it literally kills me." She paused. "Well, not literally, but you know what I mean."

Bruce could see just how young she'd been when she had turned. She told Bruce that she turned just before her twenty-second birthday, and her life was taken from her while she was still in her prime. She looked so young, but he could see in those dark eyes of hers just how old she was. He could see how tired she was; tired of being scared and not in control, tired of living without purpose. Aline Ashford was just... tired. 

"When... this happened to me," Bruce started, pressing a hand to his chest, "I was terrified. I didn't know what to do and every time I got angry, this monster appeared." He looked down at his feet. "It was like I was locked in the back of subconscious, watching through my eyes and seeing my body do all sorts of things, but it wasn't actually me. I was angry because this monster was in control of my life and I was angry at myself because I was letting him."

"So how did you do it?" Aline adjusted herself to allow her legs to dangle off the table.

He shrugged a little. "I accepted it," he said. "A few years ago, I had accepted what I was and that I'd always be angry. Then we just... starting working in tandem. I need him and he needs me, like how you and your... inner wolf need each other." Bruce looked back to his work. "I know it'll be a bit hard, but you two have to communicate. If you don't, then you'll just end up tearing each other apart. Finding something to anchor both of you."

Aline gave a weak smile and looked down at her lap. "Thanks, Bruce," she said, smiling at the man. "I think we should talk about our relatable monster problems more."

Bruce chuckled at her. "That'd be nice, Aline," he said.

The brunette stood up and hugged Bruce from behind, her head just resting between his shoulder blades. "You and I both know I don't like serious talks... but I've been doing a lot of them lately so I've been all mushy. So... accept this hug." Her hands wrapped around and met at his chest.

She typically hated serious and mature talks. She was never sure why thought; being a thousand years old and experiencing all kinds of things, one would think she's this incredibly wise shaman-type but she wasn't. You'd think she had memorized everything by now 一 every country that was currently in existence, the number of languages, et cetera 一 but honestly, with how often the word changed, she couldn't remember most capitals. One day, she actually forgot that Chad was a country and not some douchebag frat boy's name. Serious and mature just wasn't who Aline was, and despite all this, she actually enjoyed talking like that with Bruce.

Looking over his shoulder, Bruce saw Aline burying her face between his shoulder blades. He reached up and gently pat her hands that wrapped around his sternum.