9306/Drifting 101

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Drifting 101
Date of Scene: 24 September 2019
Location: Somewhere in New York
Synopsis: Bruce and Betty discuss the past and the future.
Cast of Characters: Hulk, Red She-Hulk




Hulk has posed:
It was going to be a difficult arrangement. Sure, Bruce was no longer being hunted, so his Hulk episodes weren't nearly as numerous or explosive as they were... but each time, there was always the chance of Hulk reverting halfway across the planet. It's happened a few times; transforming in the US, only to wake up somewhere in Europe.

When it was just him, that just means picking up where he left off and figuring out what to do next for himself... now, with Betty coming along, things have changed.

The day sees Bruce and Betty sitting inside a restaurant, having ordered from a menu, with Bruce wearing non-descript clothing and a basement cap to conceal his identity; being publicly known is a double edged sword, after all.

"So if we're going to do this, we need to get a few things out of the way." Bruce informs Betty as he leans back into the booth, his arms crossing over his chest as he watches her, "this would be in no way normal drifting, and I know you know that. Are you sure you want to do this long term again?"

Red She-Hulk has posed:
Betty is sat opposite Bruce in the small booth, gazing out the window and idly rubbing her shoulder softly. She's dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a t-shirt with a slightly washed-off logo of some obscure rock-band that she picked up at a thrift store on the way here and a dark-red beanie from which her brown looks spill out and over her shoulders.

She seems to be in deep thought as she stares out the window, but when Bruce speaks to her, she snaps out of it and looks over at him. It takes a second, but then she nods. "Yes.....I think so. I know it's going to be...difficult, maybe, but I trust you. You know I do. Even after..." Pale blue eyes find the table for a moment before she looks back up at him. "..I trust you."

Hulk has posed:
"I realize and appreciate that," Bruce continues, "but that doesn't change the fact that it's likely you might suddenly not see me for days or weeks. The mobile home has a satlink, but I can't put a tracker in my pants." Bruce points out, "I literally can't build a tracker that can survive the transformation without making it obvious." He sighs, then. "How do you plan on handling your affairs here, then?"

Red She-Hulk has posed:
Betty nods and gives Bruce a soft smile before looking to the table again, eyes narrowing in contemplation. After a moment, she looks back up at him. "I am not sure yet. I told the university that I had to take a leave for a couple of months, and I got Gillian to look after the apartment and Saphira (Betty's cat). I....I'll figure something out. It's all happened so fast, I haven't really had much time to think about it yet." Then her chin lowers and she looks up at him through her lashes, clearly hesitant to ask her question. "Weeks? Really? I mean....I don't if I can...." Her voice trails off, as she stares at the table before looking up again. "Just promise to hurry back as much as you can when it does happen?"

Hulk has posed:
"It's not likely to happen often, but I've had a week or two gone before, yes." Bruce informs her, "usually during the more serious hunting your father did back when he had government authorization." Bruce smiles slightly, "I don't expect it to happen anytime soon... but you should be prepared for the possibility."

Red She-Hulk has posed:
Betty winces faintly at the mention of her father and his obsession with catching Bruce. An obsession that thankfully does not have government approval any longer. "Ok" Betty replies. "But I....If it takes more than two Weeks, I can't promise I won't come looking for you."

Hulk has posed:
"It probably won't be hard to find me, if The Other Guy is pissed off enough to stay transformed for weeks." Bruce (helpfully?) explains, "I wouldn't expect you to stay put if that were the case."

Their order comes, and Bruce starts to cut his steak with a knife and fork, "for that matter, the Avengers might come looking for me, if I'm that bad off. Doesn't look good for the team if he's going off on his own, and they're one of the few people who he seems to have some semblance of trust in."

Red She-Hulk has posed:
Betty nods. "I know, Bruce. I've met him before, remember?" She says, smiling softly as a faint chuckle escapes from behind closed lips. A sniffle, then. "I just meant that I can't promise that I will stay away if things get that bad."

Betty offers the waiter bringing their food a smile and then takes a few fries from the small plate, leaving the chicken she ordered alone for now. "I'm glad that there are more people he finds that he can trust now. I remember when I was the only one he trusted...," Betty tells him before bringing the fries to her mouth. She smiles as she speaks the words, but there's a hint of regret and disappointment in her eyes, which Bruce would no doubt notice. He knows her better than anyone, after all.

Hulk has posed:
"I don't think he wants to be hunted anymore than I do, and he's not stupid... he's just got a simple worldview." Bruce shrugs. Hulk and Bruce never get along at the best of times; Hulk seeing Bruce as a weakling and puny human he's forced to defend, and Bruce seeing Hulk as a large stupid brute.

Both are right, in their own ways.

"So you're taking a leave of absence... seeing how it goes before you take the plunge?" Bruce inquires.

Red She-Hulk has posed:
"You can hardly blame him. No one should have to live their life being chased constantly, always having to look over their shoulder." Betty says, smiling softly. "He just wants some piece and quiet. You can hardly blame him."

Betty takes a deep breath when Bruce asks his question, looking at him almost apologetically, eyes shifting from side to side. She shakes her head faintly. "I....not exactly. I just, didn't know what to do, or what exactly to expect. I have worked really hard to get to where I am..." And she has worked really hard, largely to keep her mind occupied so she wouldn't think of and worry about Bruce. "..I guess it's just hard to throw that away. Like I said, this has all just happened so fast."

Hulk has posed:
"I can understand that." Bruce nods, taking another bite. "There's no rush for this, but if you want to see if this works long term, some concessions will have to be made." Bruce frowns around the eyes at her, "Let's say... two months, then? Before you go back."

Red She-Hulk has posed:
Betty nods. "I know. I just...need a little time." She replies. "Yes, that.....that sounds good. I didn't give an exact date for when I would be back. I just told them I had some personal matters I need to see to, so there's no rush. Two months is a good start at least."

Hulk has posed:
Having finished his steak, Bruce gives a small nod. "Sounds fine to me. Shall we get back to it, then?" Bruce states as he stands, offering Betty his arm to leave.

Red She-Hulk has posed:
Betty glances out the window one more time, and then looks back to Bruce, nodding and smiling. "Yes. No reason to waste more time. We have so much to catch up on already," she tells him before grabbing a couple more fries. The chicken is left completely untouched as she gets her jacket and then rises to her feet, accepting the arm offered by Bruce to let him lead them out of the diner.