Voice testing Bruce's Rule 63

[notpmsing]

[A rumpled woman wearing an extremely baggy shirt glances up at her username, then gives a small scowl.] A PMS joke. Never heard that one before.

[She looks down and starts reading her magazine again. It's Physics Today.] You're still not funny.

[She flips a page. It doesn't take her long to get through the articles.] So when can I expect you to get bored and let me get back to what I was doing? I'm not going to let the other girl out for your amusement, if that's what you're hoping.

Comments

[safeties]

Doctor Banner.

[ Ruth smiles. It fits the span of her face, the curve of her chin. She means it honestly. ]

It's good to see you.

[notpmsing]

[Bryce glances up from her magazine. She doesn't smile, per se, but there is a slight quirk in the corner of her lip. That's basically her version of a smile.]

Good to see you too, Ruth. I don't suppose you're coming with news that we can all go home now.

hope this is alright?

[smash_stuff]

[Bruce would keep to himself....but that Physics Today magazine draws his glance like a magnet. Don't get involved, don't get involved, he keeps telling himself, working on sweeping the floor. He still can't help a glance or two at a time, that's looks like a new issue. He hadn't been able to read any science magazines in awhile.]

[casualtiesofwar]

[Sophie Rogers enters into the room, glancing around. Her blonde hair falling around her shoulders]

Dr. Banner? What are you doing here?

More than alright!

[notpmsing]

[Bryce doesn't need to look up to know someone is there. Over the years of being on the run, she has learned to be hyper-aware of there being other people, especially men. After a while of him just sweeping and eyeing the magazine, she glances over the top of her glasses.]

I have more issues of this magazine if you're interested.

[notpmsing]

Being the plaything of a college student with a god complex, apparently.

[She glances up from her magazine, looking supremely unamused by the whole situation.]

What about you?

[smash_stuff]

[Figures he'd get caught eyeing a science magazine. Good thing she didn't think he was eyeing her.]

I, uh....is it good? [Pretending he'd NEVER seen such a magazine in his life.]

Couldn't resist

[idol_of_millions]

What's with these yahoos? PMS, really?

[notpmsing]

[Oh, she considered it. But by now, she's figured out what people look like when they're checking someone out, and he did not have the look.]

If you're interested in physics. There's an article about MRIs of immiscible fluids in this one.

[She closes the magazine and holds it out to him without prompting. With her free hand, she picks up another issue from the seat next to her.] You can see if you like it.

[notpmsing]

Everyone always thinks they're original. They're really not.

[smash_stuff]

Really?

[Oops. Maybe he was interested after all. Bruce takes the magazine offered, checking the index first to see where the article might be. And if there was any articles that might give him an idea on how to cure his condition.]

Thank you.[He'll be sure to return it when he's finished. He must look odd, standing with the broom, it's handle tucked in the crook of his arm as he flicks through the magazine.]

[notpmsing]

[He doesn't look odd at all, at least not to Bryce. She's been right where he is right now.

But she also knows how nerve-wracking it can be to be in a low-level position and for people to take note of one's intellect. There are a lot of reasons for smart people to need to take up a dead-end job.

So she doesn't acknowledge that he clearly knows something about physics. Instead, she just opens up another issue and starts to read quietly.]

[smash_stuff]

[Soon, Bruce has forgotten the broom, sitting in a nearby chair, completely engrossed in the magazine. He missed this. Most of his science work is cobbling together what he can while on the run.

He takes a few notes on a napkin for later. Mostly scientific symbols and his own shorthand.]

[notpmsing]

[Bryce is doing the same thing, except instead of napkins, she's writing things in the exact same shorthand on the inside of her arms, which are already stained with tightly compacted handwriting. After every note, she holds out her arm and blows gently on it before pulling her sleeves up again and moving to the next article.]

[irredeemed_ant]

Doc.

Should I be worried when all these female versions of guys I know show up and I'm suddenly aware of how attractive they are when they have...

... additions?

[notpmsing]

[She glances up from her magazine. Then slowly, she takes off her glasses and leans forward.]

I think what you should worry about is what these female versions will do if they hear you talking about their breasts.

[irredeemed_ant]

[Eric shrugs and sits just across from her.]

It's not exactly the worst thing to notice, you know. I mean I am technically complimenting their appearances, but it's not exactly the only thing I'm thinking about when I meet them. Steve's sort of a childhood hero of mine, so I don't exactly know what to think when I've met a Steph Rogers and I'm feeling more than a tad drawn to her or something. Maybe I'm just not great with ladies.

Also I'm mildly curious when you Hulk out if you're anything like She Hulk. In my universe she's your cousin Jenn, and she's sort of your female counterpart anyway.

[notpmsing]

You notice I didn't say 'noticing.' I said 'talking about.'

[She puts her glasses on again and leans back, looking back down at her magazine and feigning disinterest, when in reality, she's listening to every word.]

I don't have a cousin Jenn, so I wouldn't know. What do you mean, anything like 'She-Hulk'? [The word tastes sour in her mouth. She-Hulk. It sounds medieval, diminutive, sexist--all the things she's had to deal with ever since her entrance into academia and throughout her travels. Even 'Hulk' is better than 'She-Hulk.']

[safeties]

I'm working on that.

[ Even if she doesn't quite understand how this world works yet. But hey -- she's done that before. She'll do it again.

Ruth straightens, squares her shoulders a little. (Old habit.) ]

Are you alright?

whatever lets get all the bruces in here

[broke_harlem]

I can't imagine the physical transformation could actually be due to changes in hormones and egg counts, anyway. [ He is very helpful, this one. ]

[smash_stuff]

[That's curious. She's writing on her arm...not a bad idea really. Always willing to help someone in need, Bruce offers a few napkins.]

In case you run out of space, there's more on the tables too.

[...that handwriting sure looked familiar.]

Bruce party!

[notpmsing]

I've already tried to explain how the transformation and the given time of month have absolutely no correlation, but it doesn't stop the PMS and werewolf jokes.

Everyone thinks they're original when they make them. They're not.

[irredeemed_ant]

[Eric adopts a awkward expression, despite his position he's a little worried he'd irritating her and coming across badly. He's not sexist at all but one could say he's remarkably good at saying the wrong thing to the wrong kinds of people, especially with the fairer sex.]

Ah, right, well I mean in my reality Jennifer's like you with the big green muscles and the like but still is relatively... ah, feminine. Tough but in a slightly different way. That was what I meant, not... erm, checking out women for just their physical appearance and the like. Sorry if I came across that way.

I'm Eric. Agent of SHIELD and stuff.

[casualtiesofwar]

[sophie smiles]

You could make the most of a less than ideal situation? I mean what can we do right?

[notpmsing]

Hmm?

[She looks down at the napkins, then spares him a small quirk of the mouth that gave off the impression of a smile.] Thanks.

[She notices that he seems to have a few napkins of his own.] You know, if you're interested in physics, I can give you some more magazines. I've sort of loaded up on a lot of them recently. [To make up for her long absence from the scientific community.]