Who is in Control?

Robert "Bruce" Banner || Hulk || Scientist || Science Bro   You wouldn't like me when I'm angry

[pxperxstark]

@gammaxpowered

Piper hadn’t seen Uncle Bruce since the whole summer, and she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. Especially seeing as she was dating Matty right now she thought she would have seen him more, like should they both have dinner with each other’s parents or something? Maybe they didn’t need to cause really their fathers were close but weren’t it a courtesy with these things? piper wasn’t really sure, this was her first relationship but regardless Bruce was someone her father really cared for so of course, she did as well. and she hadn’t heard or seen him in a while.

And if there was one place he would be it would be his lab, and what she found was kinda familiar to her. A tired old man who really needed some sleep and something to eat. “Ya know, I kinda see why you and my dad are like thicker than thieves.” She says as she moves further in and examines his desk from afar before promptly walking over to him. “Hey Uncle Bruce, maybe we should head out of there for a while?”

[gammaxpowered]

To say the scientist needed a break was an understatement. Bruce spent the last several days mulling over endless streams of data in hopes of a breakthrough. If anyone was going to help Tony, it was going to be him. The world needed Tony Stark, after all. It does not matter how much Tony wants to think otherwise. There were dark circles under his eyes and he constantly rubbed at them as if to rub the bleariness out of them. 

In came Piper and Bruce did not have it in him at that point to shrug it off. “I think that might be a good idea.” he said quietly, almost in dejection as he tore his gaze away from another holo-screen. “I don’t think I’m getting anywhere with this at the rate I’m going.”

[gammaxpowered]

Matty had hoped his father wasn’t too far gone to at least notice his appearance. No such luck. He stood there awkwardly, watching the man for a good few minutes before he sucked it up and crossed the room to sit down in front of him, not bothering to look at the screens. His dad would shut him out of the information anyway.

“Dad? We need to talk.”

Matthew’s voice, broke him out of his concentration enough for him to turn and face him. He looked him up and down, trying to gauge what the problem might be before answering. 

“What is it, son?”

[gammaxpowered]

From what Bruce observed, Tony was deteriorating and faster than he had anticipated. He swore to not experiment on his best friend, not without permission and clearance. This time, he would hold himself to that--to the best of his ability. A lot of things had been on his mind, from learning his former wife was publicly considered deceased, to his son being in the hospital for god knows what. 

He needed a distraction, desperately. Tony was usually the best kind. For three days, he was held up in his lab and going on minimal sleep as he researched what better ways he could treat Tony’s condition. What stung the most was getting some data back and realizing it was his fault to begin with that Tony was progressing. No one else can know that. He’d take that guilt to his grave if he had to. 

If anyone approached the lab, he didn’t hear the hissing of the doors. The scientist was just standing there, staring intently at complicated data feeds on multiple holo-screens. He needed to put the pieces together and come up with something that was not entirely off-limits. 

[gammaxpowered]

  ❛  I FUCKING HATE  this,  ❜  he sighed, frustrated. he hated how useless he was with the whole situation, and just wished there was anything he could do to help his father. to save him.

Bruce hesitated at first, but he moved to gently put a hand on Gideon’s shoulder. He knew how it felt--and this went beyond Tony. When he knew his mother was sick and getting worse by the day, there was nothing he could do. He felt useless and even more so when his father made matters worse. 

“I won’t let your father go down like this. Not if I can help it.” he promised him. 

[gammaxpowered]

 HE LOOKED AT  the man, and despite his displeasure with everything that had happened, he could see the truth in the words.  ❛  to bad he can’t just give him his regeneration.  ❜ that would have been too easy, and life was anything but. that much he knew.

“Trust me, Gideon, I wish I could figure out a way to do so that would not turn him into a monster.” In truth, Bruce had considered that option, but knew no one deserved to live with this curse. He already imposed it on Jenn. He couldn’t do that to Tony too. 

[gammaxpowered]

  HE KNEW BRUCE  had had good intentions, he was one of his dad’s best friend and gideon knew he loved the man. but it still didn’t make everything okay. not when they couldn’t know the results.  ❛  i do,  ❜ he sighed.  ❛  i know you didn’t want to make things worse.  ❜

The truth was Bruce needed Tony just as much as SHIELD, this school, and the rest of the world did. Maybe that made him selfish, but he was the face of innovation. He jump-started clean technology and pried military tech out of the hands of dangerous people. Tony would never see the good he’s done, but that’s what he had the Avengers for. 

“I’d do anything if it meant keeping your father alive. That’s something the big guy can agree on with me.”

[gammaxpowered]

Bucky blinked, a frown touching his features. “What are you talking about?” he asked, folding his arms over his chest. “Messed up how?”

Bruce pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “When Tony was diagnosed with brain cancer, I pulled old research of my own. Then things got worse, so I used an experimental serum on him without asking.” He pressed his lips together and started to wring his hands. “It did not go well when he and Steve found out.”

[gammaxpowered]

~ Self-para regarding Banner-family drama ~ 

Bruce was skeptical when Hiro-Kala approached him with the odd request of checking in on his ex-wife. Part of the deal he made with Thunderbolt was to not make contact ever again. Doing so cost him his sons indefinitely. Now that he had them back and was considered safe within HQ, reaching out could be done. Luckily, he still had access to a small amount of Tony’s systems. Looking for people and checking on them was not something Tony would be opposed to, he thought--especially if it had to do with rekindling an old flame. 

As he searched through data, he found something that made his heart still for a moment. A headline. 

Renowned Cellular Biologist Killed by Radiation Poisoning

No. 

It couldn’t be. 

Dr. Elizabeth Ross was well known in her experiments and research in Bio-Enhancements. Her father, General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross shared details saying she was “battling the sickness for a long time--she lost the fight peacefully in her sleep”. It has been speculated that long-term exposure to radiation had caused the illness. She is preceded by her two sons, Rick and Matthew Banner. Her former spouse, Dr. Robert Banner, was no longer in the picture when she fell ill as stated by General Ross. 

The scientist had to close all of his findings. How was he going to go about telling this to his sons? This was the same way he ruined Rick Jones’ life, however, this time ended in death rather than a mutation. For now, he could not immediately bring these findings forward. He needed to protect his sons. 

As long as it took, he would do it. 

[gammaxpowered]

Bucky snorted softly. “You could say whatever you wanted to say to Tony, and he’d let it roll off his back – after saying something that made somehow made you feel worse,” he said. “He’s witty like that.”

He blinked. “Uh, no,” he said. “I guess there was Winter Soldier stuff, but he keeps telling me that stuff isn’t my fault.”

The scientist nodded his head at Bucky’s answer. In a way, the two of them were similar--at least in the department of being uncontrollably dangerous at one point. “I know how that feels, at least when it comes to Hulk wrecking things.” he said offhandedly. “I...I messed up, Bucky. With Tony.”

[gammaxpowered]

 ❛  YOU GOT THAT.  ❜  it was true, he couldn’t begin to comprehend what it was like to live with the hulk, but that wasn’t enough to excuse what bruce had done. not in his mind anyway. he frowned as the topic changed to his father, taking in the words.  ❛  so you can’t know for sure.  ❜ and he doubted his father would be sharing whatever his new doctor found out with him.  ❛  you better hope it doesn’t make him worse.  ❜  

Bruce rubbed the back of his neck, sighing softly. “Listen, Gideon, I would not have done what I did had I not had the scientific evidence to back it up. I’m not looking to make excuses, I understand what I did was not the best, but you have to believe I had nothing but good intentions. I’m sorry.” 

[gammaxpowered]

Bucky snorted softly. “It was the ‘boring scientist’ that created an advanced AI system that could pass for human,” he said. Never mind that advanced AI system tried to take over the world. Every program had bugs. “They’ll get over it. And if they don’t, I guess just kick them out until other kids get the message.”

Bruce chuckled. “Maybe I should start taking pages from Tony’s book. He was a bigger contribution to the Ultron mess than I was and no one let him live that down. That was--until he did start throwing out students who questioned him.” he rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, the thought of Tony wore on him these days. 

“I have a question for you, Bucky.” he said, changing the subject. “Have you ever...made a mistake that put a strain on your friendship with Steve before?”

[gammaxpowered]

The expression on her face as she shook her head was one of obvious disgust, laced with an element of loathing for the man that could do such a thing to his own flesh and blood. “I’m so sorry, Bruce.” She didn’t know what else to say. “Was there nothing Betty could do to keep him away from them?” It was hard to imagine that the woman had been okay with the actions of her father, especially when it was her children being hurt.

“Maybe he’s not hurt him that badly,” she offered hopefully, though even as she spoke she wasn’t convinced of her own words. “If Matthew can still be defensive of Ross…” But wasn’t that how it so often was with such situations? Her jaw tightened for a moment before she sighed. “You got a plan?”

“He had a way of convincing her he was not doing anything without Matthew’s consent. The boy wanted to be in the army, wanted to impress his grandfather. I feel like he manipulated him into doing whatever it took to make him the perfect soldier.” Saying it out loud, he backpedaled a bit. It sounded like he was more paranoid than anything, but he was usually right about these sorts of things. 

“My plans never turn out so well these days.” he admitted. “I have some access to files through Tony, but you’re definitely better at digging into top secret files. I just want to know any kind of projects Ross oversaw the last...ten or so years.” 

[gammaxpowered]

Hiro-Kala merely gave Bruce a dismissive wave of his hand. Whether or not Banner was bothered by his threats meant nothing to him. It was just a warning for what could happen. Fingers drummed against the counter as he scanned about the lab, noting anything out of place. He was not really looking for anything, just observing his surroundings.

“You need to find out. We do not care about Ross, he can burn for all I care. You should not care either. We just…I want to know if Mom is safe.”

Bruce knew that Rick’s powers were unique. When he learned of the Old Power, he spent wuite a bit of time assessing whatever lore he could. What worried him was how in tune with the Earth he was, much to the point where he hears whispers and voices. Some dead, some living. There was no clear way to decipher living from dead. The scientist supposed he did not blame his son for wanting to make sure his mother was alive if he was hearing her voice loud and clear. 

“I’ll do what I can, ok?”

[gammaxpowered]

“They’ll calm down eventually. I still get kids looking at me sideways when they first get into my class every semester, but after a while they realize I’m just a boring old guy.”

“Normally, on the surface, I’m just a boring scientist. It’s that...incident with the science building that’s got kids staring at me in awe and purposely trying to agitate me.” 

[gammaxpowered]

Howard nodded slowly. “It’s fine… I don’t want to fight either big guy…. I last time really hurt.” The boy admitted as he took a step towards the green creature. “H-how are you doing? Since last time we saw each other…. I am sorry for causing that.”

The green goliath only snorted in amusement. “Stop being sorry. Puny Banner always angry too.” he said with a nonchalant shrug. 

[gammaxpowered]

“He got to the boys?” That was news to her, but then she’d been a little preoccupied as of late; Cara joining Hydra was just the latest in a long line of things that had been going wrong, though that was thankfully still a secret from most. “He’s their grandfather…” she broke off, brow furrowing as she shook her head, trying to process what Bruce was telling her. “What kind of monster has their own grandson institutionalised?” It sickened her.

“You really think he’d go so far as to experiment on Matthew?” Even as she spoke the words, she knew the answer. General Ross was despicable at best, and she wouldn’t put anything past him. “Has Matthew said anything?”

“That tells you a lot about his character. It was always about power to him. He wanted to weaponize what I am, let alone that my...condition is a genetic mutation. Hulk was always too strong for him--I supposed he thought my sons were easy prey.” Bruce told her solemnly. He had not seen Matthew in years. Matty had always been interested in science and the military, so he was fine with him being trained in the armed forces. Bruce was too naive to think that just because Ross took on a new job as secretary of defense, that Matthew would be safe. He still wasn’t sure if people like Talbot were still around to do Thunderbolt’s work for him. 

“He did not tell me much. Told me he was not allowed to say anything. Suddenly he’s defensive over Ross, hates when I talk bad about him.” The doctor paused and let out a sigh. “I need to know what he did to him.”

[gammaxpowered]

Now he had done it. Howard froze as he saw the scientist transform in front of him. Not again. The memories of his broken ribs flooded his mind as he stepped back a couple of steps, eyes not leaving the green figure. “No…” He mumbled to himself as he saw the other looking at him.

But it was different than last time. The Large being in front of him didn’t roar, nor did he send Howard flying against the room. “B-baby metal?… I- You don’t want to hurt me?” Howard asked in confusion.

Hulk shook his head and took a moment to stretch, almost like he was getting used to the idea of being out and about. He hardly got such leisure these days.  “Hulk don’t want to fight. Hulk was angry last time--sorry. Hulk always angry.”