dear_mun | (no subject)

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While I appreciate the gesture, no thanks. I'm happy doing my own little thing by myself. I, uh, don't want to get dragged into all -- [ she makes a vague gesture. ] -- this. Um, I -- I prefer being left alone honestly, so... [ jen lets out a sigh, places her arms at akimbo, and looks away. ]

There.

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[That girl sure looks....familiar. Bruce squints warily before recognition sets in.]

Jen? Is that you? [She might not recognize him at first either, he's been away for awhile.]

[ she lets out yet another sigh. jen isn't a very discernible person, tending to fade into the background like a ghost. she's a wallflower, always has been, and people not recognizing her is a problem she still faces, even as an ada in manhattan. in high school, she had to bring a yearbook the first day of school because some of her classmates couldn't remember her. they only did after she told them her father was the sheriff.

so, it's not wholly surprising that her own cousin doesn't recognize her, but it doesn't stop her from wincing in pain a little at the look and question. ]

I wasn't aware I changed so much from the last time you saw me, Bruce.

[Bruce apologizes.]

Sorry, I...it's been awhile since I'd seen anyone. [Anyone related to him anyway.] ....how've you been? [Small talk, yeah Bruce can do this.]

[ not recognizing an old friend from high school or law school, she understands, but not recognizing his own cousin? who he's known since she born? yeah, jen isn't buying whatever bruce is trying to sell. ]

Yeah, yeah. [ she looks away. ] Fine. I've been working and worrying about you, so nothing new.

[Bruce has been kind of on a different agenda ever since the incident. Away from anything and everything that involved home and connections. It's hard to explain that to your own cousin.]

[He laces his hands together, slightly worried himself.] You're sure? [She didn't sound fine.] Something wrong?

I'm fine, thank you. [ jen didn't think being in the same room with bruce again would be this difficult. his disappearance years prior gave her emotional whiplash and the rumours spread about him were shocking. she knew he worked in some heavy stuff, but not the kind that would led him to trouble. not the kind of stuff that prevented her from finding out why bruce really disappeared and why general ross was after him. nothing got her angrier than general "thunderbolt" ross spewing obviously false rumours about her cousin, and knowing that there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. every time she sought out legal measures to explain bruce's disappearance, her investigation would quickly be shut down by red legal tape, classified information, and stonewalling government agencies.

sure, bruce has his anger management issues, but he wouldn't hurt a fly and he certainly wouldn't be considered a threat to national security. and sure, they're cousins and grew up together, but that doesn't mean bruce had to treat her with any kind of decency and tell her what was going on. ]

Why would something be wrong? [ her blood is boiling. despite jen's attempts, there's those anger issues rearing their ugly heads and threatening to spill over into a flash of rage. ]

[Bruce was starting to feel like the white elephant problem in the room. Obviously something was wrong and he had the suspicion her anger was aimed at him.

So he's going to try and diffuse this situation.]

...I'm sorry I haven't kept in touch, Jen. I've...been out of the country. [Which was definitely true. But she seemed like she had a mind to be angry at him. He wasn't going to stop her, knowing full well how bad it was to keep stuff like that bottled up.]

[ naturally.

and perhaps he shouldn't. perhaps he should just let her wallow in this ire like she has been for almost the past decade. ]

Oh, did you move to a place where telephones are outlawed? [ jen isn't known for her sharp words, instead known for her shyness. but when she's angry, it's like a creature takes over and her vision turns green, and she can do anything. ]

[Bruce stays calm, but there is an absent lacing and unlacing of his fingers that spoke of nervousness.]

Phones could be traced.

[Cryptic? Slightly.]

[ she rubs a hand at her jaw, absentmindedly. ]

Could be, not necessarily will be. [ jen's a lawyer, so she's up-to-date on all the tricks and methods criminals try and do succeed in keeping their activities secret from law enforcement. ]

[Bruce glances away as if she's hit upon what he's guilty of.]

It was too risky. It...I didn't want to hurt anyone else. [Since General Ross had no scruples about using any means to get to Bruce. But things were different now. The General didn't have so much pull anymore...and the Hulk was almost a hero for working with the Avengers to save New York.]

[ that causes her to pause and helps cool her temper down. it causes her to consider her words before she speaks. bruce banner? hurt anyone? crazy talk. while bruce not wanting to anyone does sound like him, not wanting to hurt anyone else is out of character for him since he's careful enough not to hurt anyone in the first place. ]

You couldn't do anything to hurt us. We could've helped. [ while jennifer was in manhattan when the aliens attack -- on ground zero actually --, she never saw the jolly green giant. she was too busy cowering under her desk in fear. ]

[His shoes are suddenly oh so interesting. Bruce taking a breath before looking up with very serious eyes. Those have probably changed since she last saw him. Eyes that said he'd been through quite a bit and meant every word he said.]

No, you couldn't. You would have gotten hurt in the process, Jen. I...it was hard enough on Betty.

[Who he hadn't spoken to since he left for the second time. And tries not to think about that time he broke Harlem.]

[ yes, she had noticed how dark his eyes are now, how much he seemed to age in only a decade. he looks like he's been through hell and back. but it's no excuse for leaving without saying goodbye. ]

That's not your decision to make, Bruce. If I wanted to, uh, get involved in whatever it is you did, you should've let me.

[ betty though? jen had only met her once or twice, but she knows that she could've handled it. whatever it was bruce did, there was a way out. jen's sure of it. ]

[Bruce's mouth sets a firm line, shaking his head in disagreement. Even if it hadn't been his decision, he wouldn't have let her.]

I'm sorry, Jen. But I still wouldn't have wanted you involved.

[Although he is using past tense. Could he even begin to explain what happened? Where does one start?] You heard what happened in New York?

[ merely mentioning new york causes jen to go completely silent and wince. a few moments pass before she replies; ] Yes, I'm aware of it.

[ not only is she aware of it, she was there in manhattan when it happened. she spent the whole time cowering under a desk in her office while the sky ripped open and the world was set on fire. ]

[Bruce hesitates.]

And...the Avengers were there.

[another beat]

And I was there too.

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(no subject)

/winging it, hopes this is alright?

aslkjds of course!

after avengers movie? or before?

after? preferably. i'm ok with w/e tbh!

after is good

good, good :'3

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