spoonerisms | OPEN OPENESS FOR THE MASSES

Touching a few buttons on the screen in front of him, Bruce’s eyes drifted inconspicuously to the side again, catching a glimpse of the young blonde woman that was currently sharing his lab space. Tony hadn’t given him much explanation, just claiming she was a new research assistant and saying something about an internship or a work term or something of the kind before he’d breezed out again. Bruce hadn’t been given any time to ask for clarification.

Forcing his eyes back to his work, he made a few notes before removing his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose. He didn’t like being around new people, they always made him nervous. Okay, so people in general made him nervous and he preferred to be alone, but he had a pretty good reason for it.

Slipping his glasses back on, he cast one more quick glance in Bobbi’s direction before trying to concentrate on his notes.

There was absolutely no way Bobbi couldn't notice all of those subtle glances Bruce was trying to give her. She knew who he was, of course, he was part of the reason she was actually here, and that? Didn't bother her at all. She had a feeling she was one of the few. It was why she didn't even have a problem accepting this assignment.

She waits a few minutes, waiting for another glance or something, before she finally can't keep her mouth shut any more. "You could always ask me my name or something." She smiles a little. "Might be a good place to start."

Bruce is slightly startled when she suddenly spoke, but he looked up at her with a bit of an embarrassed smile. “Tony told me what it was, but I’m pretty sure he had it wrong, unless your surname really is ‘Moose’.”

He removed his glasses again and tucked one arm of them into the front of his button up shirt. “Unless that is your name, in which case I’m sorry.”

If that really was her last name he was off to a tremendous start here. Talk about great first impressions.

"No, it's definitely not Moose." Bobbi laughs. She has a feeling Stark did that on purpose. He knew very well what her name was. "Close though. It's Morse."

It really did kind of sound like moose, at least. She takes a second to wipe her hands off on her jeans, then walks over to him and offers a hand to shake. Considering who she was introducing herself to, she felt like she should be a little worried about the situation, but she wasn't. She was more in awe that this was Bruce Banner. He was a scientific legend.

Of course, she couldn't actually let on that she knew who he was. Not really. Maybe a little.

"You can call me Bobbi."

Edited 2012-08-26 17:37 (UTC)

Bruce smiled and lowered his eyes when she laughed. “Oh, good,” he said before taking the hand she offered and giving it a firm shake. “Bruce Banner. I guess we’ll be working together for a while, Miss Morse.”

Looking at her a moment his smile fell again. “Doctor Morse?” he queried. She looked so young, he just assumed she was still a student, but assumptions were something he tried not to make often. Fortunately she gave him a first name to use instead. “Bobbi,” he corrected himself, letting go of her hand. “I’m sorry, Tony didn’t really give me much information about you and what you will be doing here.”

"Yeah, it's doctor." She smiles when he uses her first name, though. She wasn't exactly the biggest fan of running around and telling people about her degree. People rarely believed her, anyway. The luck of the draw, when it came to brains in the science department. "To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what he wants me to do. Then again, I'm not sure he knows, either."

Doctor Morse looked barely half his age, it was a bit unsettling. Folding his hands together in front of him, Bruce shifted his weight to one foot and glanced around before bringing his eyes back to her.

“He must have had a reason to hire you. Was there a job posting you applied for or did he seek out someone at your place of employment and you just happened to be the lucky one?” Which would come as no surprise. Bruce had heard the story of how Tony had hired ‘Natalie’ as his assistant, and it was clear that her looks had been her main selling point. Bobbi Morse certainly had beauty in spades, and even though Tony was dating Pepper now he hadn’t completely changed.

"I just happened to be the lucky pick." It was a good a lie as any. And it was true, even if she had been planted there for him to pick her on purpose. "I was already doing some research for Stark Industries, when he found me and moved me up."

"Don't worry, Dr. Banner. I'll stay out of your way, unless you ask for help with anything." She gives him the best and most friendly smile she can. "And, if you don't mind me saying it, it's an honor to meet you."

Because, even if she hadn't been a SHIELD agent, he was famous, at least in the scientific community.

Lucky pick, right. Bruce had no doubts that she was intelligent and capable, but he was also sure it wasn’t those qualities that had attracted Tony Stark. “That was convenient, and a good move for you, I should hope.”

Stark Industries was at the forefront of all R&D in the world, so any chance to work for the company was certainly an important opportunity. Any scientist would be green with envy to hear about her position. No pun intended, of course.

Lowering his head and rubbing his hands together, his smile grew more nervous, almost pained, at her words. “Thank you. I suppose you have... heard of my work?”

How much had Tony told her? How much did she know from other sources?

"I have. Word gets around." She chooses her words carefully, even if it doesn't show. Sure, she knows everything, but she has to pick and choose which knowledge an everyday, average, non SHIELD agent would know. "You should know that scientists can be gossipy, especially when someone's kind of the scientist version of a rock star."

It wasn't entirely an exaggeration. He was one of the most gifted scientists in the world.

“I’m sure Tony would appreciate that analogy,” he said with a bit of a chuckle.

Her answer was fairly vague, and left him with no indication of what she really knew. Either way, he didn’t particularly want to talk about it, nor about himself in general. Bruce Banner in any form was pretty much his least favourite topic of conversation.

“So, Dr. Morse, what sort of research were you doing for Stark Industries? That may help us figure out exactly what Mr. Stark intends for you to do here,” he continued, hoping to smoothly steer the conversation away from himself.

Bobbi lets him direct the conversation wherever he wants it to go. She doesn't need to know anything more about him, so what they talk about isn't particularly important. Though she is a little excited to get to know him, even if she wouldn't admit it. "I was doing work with neurotransmitters, and how we might be able to replicate their function with technology."

Her nose wrinkles a bit and she might make a face when she mentions technology. She loves it, and everything about it, but it's not her area. It wasn't exactly what she did best. "There has to be a reason why he left me in your capable hands."

Bruce noted the look on her face and smiled in amusement. “You don’t look too impressed with the assignment,” he said, raising his brows.

He wasn’t sure why Tony had hired her, though, nor why he had then immediately placed her in Bruce’s lab space. “Tony... Mr. Stark tends to prefer to work alone. Perhaps I was becoming too distracting to him and he decided I needed a distraction of my own.” Realizing this probably wasn’t the most flattering title for her, or perhaps a bit more suggestive than intended, he flushed a little and shrugged. “Not that you would be a distraction, I’m sure you’ll be an excellent asset to the company, but having someone else to work with would leave him free.”

"Technology isn't really my thing." She admits, laughing. "I like it, it's just not what I like to study." It was the truth, even if what she was studying right now wasn't exactly what she was here to do, either.

She can't help but laugh a little at his backpedal. "Who knows, maybe that's exactly why he put you here? So you wouldn't get lonely working by yourself in a lab." From what she knew about Tony Stark, it wouldn't surprise her in the least.

Leaning one hip against the workbench, Bruce crossed his arms and nodded. “What would you rather study?” he asked, genuinely curious.

It was quite possibly true, what she said. Bruce had hid himself away for a long time, not allowing himself to get close to anyone, to get to know anyone. He had lived a lonely life, but one the thought he had to live. Tony and the other Avengers had changed that, but it was a slow process. More often than not he still preferred his solitude, but that didn’t mean he didn’t still feel lonely at times, sometimes he might even go so far as to feel starved for human interaction.

He usually ignored it.

“I wouldn’t put it past him,” he replied. “Whatever his reason, I hope you like it here. Welcome, Dr. Morse.”

"Pure biology. Nothing technological. I actually really enjoy working with testing the human body, and seeing how to improve it." This isn't entirely a lie, either. When she was working as a scientist, she was at her best working on Project Gladiator, trying to re-create the super soldier serum. She'd made some decent progress before Nick Fury had offered her something different, something that she discovered she enjoyed even more.

"Thank you, Dr. Banner." She smiles at him, completely sincere. "Hopefully I won't be too much of a bother."

Bruce’s easy going smile fell at her words.

“Not all ‘improvements’ are good,” he replied, the word ‘improvements’ sounding distasteful on his lips. He knew the type of improvements people were trying to make, and while they worked on the rare occasion as they had with Steve, more often than not they were a disaster.

“Some days I wonder if what we do is a benefit to anyone,” he continued. Turning away, he slipped his glasses back on his face and tried to focus his attention on one of the touch screens over his head. “People are born vulnerable. If they’re weak, if they become sick, maybe that is just how their life is supposed to run. No other animal in the world strives as we do for invulnerability and immortality.”

At this point he’s talking more to himself than to Bobbi and he completely missed her sincere gratitude.

"Not that we know of, at least." Bobbi looks thoughtful. From the looks of it, Bruce is in his own little world, so she's not even sure he hears her. And she knows, of course why he thinks he way he does. She doesn't exactly disagree with him, though. "But no, not all improvements are good."

“So why do we do it?” He turned to look at Bobbi again. “We strive to be like gods, but...” Bruce trailed off, suddenly embarrassed by his outburst. Rubbing his hands together, he gave her a sheepish look.

“I’m sorry, I’m not trying to scare you off on your first day,” he said. “We do a lot of good, interesting work here, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, despite the company.”

Bobbi laughed, and shook her head. "No, I don't mind. It's actually fun to think about." She'd be lying if she said she didn't miss conversations like this. They weren't exactly common in the halls of SHIELD HQ. "I have a feeling we'll get along swimmingly."

Smiling at her reply, Bruce accepted it with a simple nod. He really hoped she was right.

“I suppose we should get you started on something, though it might not be what you want to do, or what Tony wants, but since he didn’t tell us anything then he doesn’t get a vote,” the scientist replied, straightening his jacket. “Currently I’m attempting to design a new type of polymer that has the toughness of metal armour but that retains a certain amount of flexibility so as not to limit the movements of the wearer.”

He wasn’t sure how much to reveal about the application of this product, how they had two very human members of their super hero team that couldn’t be encumbered by heavy armour and still remain effective. It was probably best to make it sound more general; after all, it was something the military would be most interested in as well if such a material was at all possible. “You are welcome to help me with that for now until Tony gives you a better understanding of your purpose here.”

OPEN OPENESS FOR THE MASSES

Science... bros?

For the sake of science!

geek minds unite!

jsdkfaj; DW didn't post this. Fail.

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