sixwordstories | (no subject)

That's a hell of a thing for you to say to me.

So it's better for you to be alone and chased down?

They've been getting closer, lately. I can't take on the extra risk. [he inwardly winces at calling her a risk, but squares his shoulders. He knows he's right about this.]

Because running on your own did so well at keeping SHIELD from figuring out your location even when you weren't hulking out in the streets.

[After close to three months of tracking and tracing Bruce Banner's steps, Spencer knew better then to expect anything other then that.

Didn't mean it was particularly nice to hear, though.

Frowning, Spencer ignored the other man, unzipping his overstuffed coat to let in at least some of the chilled mountain air.]

Dr. Banner, I'm the only thing keeping them off your trail at the moment...

[Bruce, on the other hand, pulled his collar up and crossed his arms over his chest, trying to keep in the warmth. He hadn't known about his tail until a month ago, when he'd begun his trek up into the Appalachians; Bruce had been on the run too long. He was losing his edge.

He glared at Spencer.]

You kick up interest in my case, pull my records in the state where I've been hiding, and follow me into the mountains... And you're keeping them off my trail? [a dry, disbelieving laugh] No, Dr. Reid, you're the arrow pointing to the bullseye.

You're right. It's been a... learning process. [self-deprecating smile that quickly turns into a more serious look] It's taken me this long to get even a small foothold on this mess, and now you want to join me? How can I hide two people if I can barely hide myself?

Your mistake is in thinking you're the one who'd do the hiding. I've got resources you don't have access to.

Resources who are willing to risk going against the United States military to protect a... [he almost says monster but changes his mind at the last second] stranger?

Absolutely. Especially a stranger who happens to be a person I love and who saved my life.

Going up against the US Millitary is one of the things we do.

I can't ask that of...

We? Since when has this been a we?

Months now. I told you, I've got more resources than I used to have.

Do they know about... your greener half?

I'm not exactly hiding it. After all, I'm entirely in control either shade.

[Bruce hadn't hiked for the past three hours. Reid was sweating, and while logically he understood that letting the cold in now would only make him sick, he still couldn't help the almost feverish need to cool down.

Clearing his throat, Spencer shook his head, his travel pack sliding from his shoulders.]

I was assigned your case a year ago, I haven't pulled any state's record on you, and my last report told them you were somewhere in the middle of France.

I... thought it was you, looking at... then, who was it? [Bruce suddenly looks weary; all the intrigue becomes too much for him sometimes. For some, it might be an interesting mystery; to Bruce, it's another barrier to freedom.]

Well, that's a fun development. Might as well come inside, Dr. Reid.

[Bruce had set up this safe house a few months before, knowing he'd need options; the dilapidated cabin barely counted as shelter, but Bruce's expectations were low after years of living on the fringes of civilization.]

[Most people who knew what Bruce could do and what he had done wouldn't have gone anywhere near that old shack in the middle of nowhere on some deserted mountain top. Most people who know what Bruce could do, would have never bothered walking up and knocking on the door. And they sure as hell wouldn't have even considered walking through that door. True, the brittle old wood would provide little resistance should Bruce get more then a little upset, but it was a sure way to make himself the prime target for his...attentions.

And yet, Spencer only hesitated for a moment before he nodded his thanks and picked up his pack again, not even bothering to sling it over his shoulder before he ducked into the meager shelter, trying to kick off as much snow off himself as he could before it got all over the floor.]

A L.E.O. thought he saw you last time you came down to the market. I switched out your photo with a much older one before he had a chance to check, though. Should keep him from looking too hard. Especially with winter coming so quickly...

[He made a face, standing awkwardly just inside the door, dripping snow....and shivering. When had he started shivering?]

[Reid's nonchalance didn't escape Bruce's notice. He'd heard all the reassurances before, from friends and enemies alike. Understanding his... condition in a theoretical sense was vastly different than confronting the reality of... of the Hulk ~~he hated that name~~. Bruce himself didn't want to confront the monster inside him, but he had no choice. He wouldn't inflict this burden upon anyone, and so he ran-- had been successfully running until Spencer Reid had tracked him down and confronted him on a snowy mountain-top.

For someone to willingly confront him, alone... that spoke of idiocy or bravery-- nothing in between. Bruce was willing to bargain on Reid, for no other reason than the man looked miserable.]

Come inside before you freeze to death. I won't have your death on my conscience just because you're stubborn.

[Spencer was miserable. He was a FBI agent, yes...but he wasn't Morgan. He wasn't Hotch. He wasn't made to hike up the side of a mountain with no trails in snow that hit him mid-calve. He was an engineer, a mathematician, and a chem-geek. The fact that he was here at all said something about how stubborn he had to be about this, let alone the fact that he was here alone.

He'd slipped his team the same information he'd slipped everyone else, and while it would break a part of him when they found out his dishonesty, it was worth it. To him, Bruce Banner wasn't some criminal to be chased down and brought in like a rabid hound. He was a victim who refused to be a victim.

Setting his pack near the door, the scrawny man struggled out of his coat, revealing exactly how little his body had to offer in a situation like this one, even under the two sweaters and thick snow gear. The man looked like a stiff breeze could come and lift him away like a kite.]

I would tell you that I wouldn't freeze to death and that you were over thinking the situation....but I've been sleeping outside in a tent for a week now trying to find you and I haven't really felt my feet since sometimes before yesterday....

Playing the victim won't work with me, you know. [Bruce smiled a little, unable to help his sarcasm. Some days, it was the only thing that got him through the day. He walked into the cabin, assuming the other man would follow.

Bruce knew little to nothing about Spencer's research. He was basing his assumptions off the information he hacked from the military-- which was months old. No surprise then, that Bruce was hostile towards Spencer.]

What's your interest in the Initiative?

[His smile was tiny and fidgety, as if he wasn't sure if it would be handled well, but it was there nonetheless.] I'm not playing the victim, actually. I really haven't felt my toes since sometime before yesterday. You're a hard man to find, Dr. Banner. Even with a grid map and a compass.

[Following Bruce into the cabin, he glanced around more out of habit then rudeness, a man used to taking in his surroundings for something other then scenery. He didn't walk too far into the small space, however. He didn't want to get snow everywhere.] I should probably take these boots off before I track half the mountain through your living room... [And though it wasn't a question, he said it like it was. A little lilt at the end, almost as if he were asking if Bruce was going to allow him that little bit of comfort in his current home.]

And I have no interest in the Initiative. I don't work for S.H.I.E.L.D., much to their disappointment. [He dug around in his bag with numb fingers, finally pulling out a plastic baggie from the very bottom of all the outdoor gear. In it was his badge. FBI, Behavioral Analysis Unit.] Though, I'm sure this is no longer accurate since I've been off the radar for two months...

I'm not drawing attention.

I'm drawing up the schematics for the Iron Man suit. Different things, you see.

[ The sour look Loki gives in response is hampered slightly by his current disposition. Rather-- being short, small, quite under his usual age and wrapped in Midgardian clothes; trying as he might to avoid the eyes of those whom would want revenge; which, thanks to his ability to be entirely insufferable when given the chance, was most everyone. At least on Midgard, he had learned, they were far less likely to kill a child. Though this plan could have perhaps been better thought out when it came to the where he had been deposited to. Better than with the Jotun, Aesir or Chitauri. Running into the beast had not been his intention; but better darting into the cab with him than allow the trackers to find him. ]

Yes well, I'd rather not either if it's all the same to you.

[Bruce's better nature took over completely at Reid's admission.] We're gonna need to take a look at that. Can't get back down the mountain without toes.

[Bruce looked down at the boots, wringing his hands absently. It was a nervous habit, one that made him look more uncertain than he felt. Then he looked around the cabin as if seeing it for the first time.] This place doesn't warrant much in the way of etiquette, but you're going to need to take those off so I see how bad the frostbite is. If. If that's okay.

[Bruce took the proffered badge out of courtesy, and raised an eyebrow.] Behavior analysis? Of me or... him?

Yeah, sure. [Bruce knows he should be polite, but Hammer makes it difficult. He looks over Hammer's shoulder, scanning, then points to an equation related to the propulsion.] You need to... [Instead of explaining, Bruce grabs a pencil and moves around a few variables.] There. That should help it... not explode.

[Kids usually make Bruce very nervous. Even Loki's new child-size form makes him naturally more cautious, though he knows he's being foolish; Loki in any form is dangerous. He's manipulating you, Banner, Bruce told himself. But he'd seen Loki be pursued, and allowing a kid be chased is difficult to reconcile-- even when the kid is a mass-murdering trickster god. Besides, he can't fight; a brawl with Loki means the other guy announcing his presence to the entire world. Again.]

I'm not going to fight you, Loki. I just want to leave.

I have no intention of battling you or... your friend. [ He retorts sharply, he's no fool and in his current state that would be asking for pain or worse. Sitting up a little he glanced out the back window of the cab, lips pursed into a thin line. It's a hard expression for such a cherub like face, round cheeks not yet gone gaunt with age. Sinking back down he seemed content to stay out of view-- Aesir may have thought that fighting to the death was more honorable than running, but what of waiting to be tortured? Not that he cared what the Asgardians believed, especially not now. ]

This is simply the most convenient place to hide.

[Spencer offered a small, hopeful smile at the prospect of having his feet looked at by someone who was a little more experienced with such things then himself. Neither of them were that kind of doctor...but Banner had picked up more over his travels then most doctors did during their first years in medical school.

While Bruce looked over his badge, Spencer did his best to kneel, not quite managing it, but getting low enough to reach his laces. Thick gloves were pulled off by his teeth...and it looked like at least his pinkies were mildly frostbitten as well. It took a while before he could work his fingers well enough to untie his laces and even longer before he managed to peel them off along with the multiple layers of thick socks he had on under them. But, even under all that, his toes were a faint shade of blue...

Spencer looked away, taking several deep breaths and running through the statistics of frostbite twice in his head to resettle his nerves. It was mild...he'd be fine, if it was treated now.]

Uhh...He glanced back up to the man, focusing on him so he didn't have to look at his toes and his voice was a little shaky..but he got the information out.]

The case was originally on him. They wanted to know more about him. I...I decided to learn more about you, instead. [And he had. And here he was, to prove it.]

[Bruce had an adequate medical kit with him at all times; the last few years' experience had taught him what was essential and what he could do without. Working in low income or third world environments had given him a spontaneous and innovative edge that hadn't been necessary in a fully-funded lab. It was a positive outcome of his situation, and Bruce tried hard to focus on those. He had to-- his only choices were resistance or acceptance. There was no escape; he knew that all too well.

Bruce was fairly familiar with frostbite. It was covered in all the first-aid classes and books, of which Bruce had read several during long nights with no other distraction.]

It's going to take a while to heat up the water over the fire. Until then, we'll have to cover your feet in all the dry clothing. [Bruce noticed Reid's hands and their limited mobility. He took one gently and examined it. He seemed calmer now; he found comfort in adapting the doctor role.] Some of these fingers will need attention too. You should, ah. Hold them in your armpits or between your thighs.

[Bruce was a true scientist in that he assumed when someone said they had an interest in him, they meant an interest in his work. Before the accident, he'd been a prominent force in his field, but there were perhaps a few dozen people on the planet who would've been able to understand his work. Reid had proven himself determined and resourceful, but that didn't necessarily mean he had the intellectual capacity to understand Bruce's research. Bruce didn't consider himself interesting enough on his own to warrant attention.]

And what have you learned about me, Dr. Reid? [he smiled thinly as he moved logs into the fireplace and got it started.] Besides the location of one of my safe houses.

[Spencer apparently hadn't been lying when he'd said that he'd spent the last week camping out in the winter cold weather trying to find this place. His fingers were cool to the touch even though he'd been wearing the appropriate gloves for the area...he just ran colder then most people. His core temperature was a good 2-3 degrees cooler then everyone else's, on average a steady 94-95 instead of the steady 97-98. He was so thin, heat had no where to be stored...and dumping himself into the middle of a mountain as the first of the winter storms were starting...well, he was determined, if nothing else.

He watched his hand when Banner took it, acutely aware of exactly how it easy it would be for the other scientist to get irritated at him for invading his safe house. How easy it would be for ... the other guy to rip him apart like a paper doll. He was intimately aware of all those facts, but he didn't so much as flinch away when the man reached for him.

Because he trusted Banner. He'd spent the last year immersing himself into the other man's life. How he lived, what he ate, what kind of music he liked, so on and so forth until he felt like he'd known Bruce longer then he'd known himself. He understood that Bruce could and probably would get upset about something and change...but he also understood that he was learning how to control it. Learning how to tame it.

He trusted the man to not hurt him.

Glancing up, he fumbled awkwardly for words, unsure exactly how much he should divulge of the other man's life....and in the end, he settled for launching into a rather spirited and fast paced breakdown of his work. It was stretching his engineering and chemistry degrees....but he'd taken a few extra courses over the past year to bridge the two a little bit better.]

...and I really think it's brilliant how you've managed to continue your work even while out here! Under other names and sometimes even fake ones, sure, but I've been paying attention and you have a very unique style of patterns that I haven't seen from anyone else in the field...

[Sorry, Bruce. Long Reid!Rant is long. The tl:dr version? He's a fanboy.]

[Bruce was constantly looking for signs of fear in any companion that knew his secret. The fear he felt from others was a reminder of the monster he could become if he did not actively keep himself calm. He wanted to see fear; it kept him from lowering his guard. It also held him at a distance from anyone who might begin to think he wasn't a threat. Reid seemed like such an idealist; he did not react at all when Bruce approached him. That was dangerous, and Bruce knew he would have to be careful not to let the other man get too close. He let go of Reid's hand.] You'll be fine, Dr. Reid, but much longer and there might've been permanent mobility loss. Sit down and wrap your feet. You can use the clothes from my pack too.

[Bruce's work meant more to him than anything else in his life-- it took a certain mad devotion to experiment on yourself-- and he'd rarely been afforded the opportunity to talk about it with open enthusiasm. The academic world was perpetually skeptical and egoic, while the military realm was rigid with utilitarianism. While Reid didn't use the jargon of a career physicist, he had intuited connections and insights that would never be on any journal article or psych report. Bruce shook his head in amusement. Here was the man Ross needed, and he was completely beyond Ross' reach.]

...Thanks. I wouldn't say I've continued my work. Supplemented previous research, perhaps. My... circumstance doesn't allow for very much lab time. But I don't have to worry about obtaining uncontaminated blood samples. [Wry grin as he went outside and filled the pot with snow. He put iodine in and set the pot over the fire. Facing away from Reid, he allowed himself an inch of camaraderie.] So, you've studied my work. Thoroughly, from the sound of it. What are your thoughts on the serum? Can it be reproduced? Or was there something unique about Steve Rogers?

[Spencer Reid was something of an idealist. For as much pain and suffering and human filth he'd seen over the years, he tended to latch onto aspects that he considered 'good' when he found them. It was a welcome relief to a mind that remembered everything when he was focused on someone that wasn't a stark raving lunatic. Or serial killer. Or child molester. Or...well, one could get the idea.

Bruce was a good guy and while Reid was completely, academically aware of Bruce's other side....he was more then willing to not think about that particular set of statistics until he absolutely had to.

Limping over to the nearest seat, Spencer groaned as he sat down, the sharp angles of his body finally resting on something other then mountain rock for the first time in a week. Reaching over to grab his own pack, he started digging through it for his dry set of clothes, wrapping them gingerly around his tingling feet.]

Captain Rogers had the benefit of working with the creator of the serum himself. The rest of us have to work with what's left over from a seventy year old blood sample. I think it would be difficult to accurately say much at all on the subject that doesn't essentially boil down to something akin to a five year old saying 'Dinosaurs are purple because I had a dream that they were'. I'm not a physicist, Dr. Banner. There's only so much a PhD in engineering, chemistry, and mathematics can get me for this...

[Outside, the winds picked up, the threat of the first major storm of the winter proving to be serious. If it started snowing now, the pass leading back down the mountain would be snowed in in a matter of hours...

Reid would be stuck up there.]

Ha. Yeah. Only so much. Well, the next one will have to be in physics so we can hold a proper discussion about it. [A pause, while Bruce checked the temperature of the water. Still not hot enough, and Reid's skin needed the bath. He felt impatience rising, and took two measured breaths. He took the irritation and channeled it, as he'd learned to do, into another layer of intense focus.] What are you doing working for the FBI? [Bruce's bias against government agencies might be showing.] You seem... overqualified.

[Bruce could tell what Reid is thinking; he heard the wind too. But there was another wrinkle in this situation that Bruce had been putting off mentioning.]

It's going to be. A while. Days, probably, before your skin can be exposed to cold. The damage will be exponentially worse if frostbite occurs again. You... you'll have to stay until it's safe. [Bruce was obviously not too pleased with this idea, but he was resigned to it.] You didn't happen to bring anything to read?

[He liked watching Bruce work. It gave him an insight that most people wouldn't have, and his years of training and experience only helped him translate what he was getting. He was a profiler down to his bones, it would seem; the ultimate scientest, a man who's lab was the world and his petri dishes were the people in it. He saw that little ripple of frustration crease Banner's brow. Saw him still, breath, and saw that crease smooth out along with the breath he spoke with.

It was fascinating.]

I was picked, actually. A man by the name of Gideon spotted me at a recruitment lecture and apparently I asked the right questions at the right times, because he pulled quite a few strings to get me into the academy before I was technically old enough.

[He grinned, this one fuller then all the others and it became painstakingly clear that this man who had tracked him all over the world hadn't yet seen his 30th birthday. Probably not even his 28th.]

After that, I just kinda...fell in love with the job.

[The smile faded a bit when the conversation turned to weather...but it didn't fade completely. He was well aware of what the weather was doing out there. He'd slept in it for a week.]

You do understand that if I stay, the path down the mountain won't be open again until spring right? I'm not going to force you to let me stay here....but, that being said, I'm in no particular hurry to loose my feet, either.

[It was dangerous, seeing the youthful nature of his tracker. The last thing Bruce wanted was to form an attachment with someone who had every reason to turn him over. The idea of Reid staying the entire winter was enough to curb any friendly impulse.]

You forget. [Bruce smiled grimly.] Nothing's closed to the other guy.

[Yes, he would risk transformation and being spotted to get this man back to civilization. For one thing, there weren't enough provisions for both of them and Bruce wasn't thrilled about the prospect of starvation. Second, Bruce still didn't fully trust Reid and never planned to use this safe house again.

Besides, there was a reason Bruce had been choosing isolated environments; the other guy seemed to prefer the solitude of nature. Much of the destruction occurred as the other guy tried to flee the city and was stopped by Ross' teams. Odds were high he'd simply stay in the mountains until Bruce had the opportunity to wretch back control. Which followed a depressing logic: the other guy's brain functions seemed high enough for self-awareness. If Bruce was inclined to be at all sympathetic, he'd... but there's no sympathy to be found.]

But. We can discuss the options later. You're here for the next few days, at the least. Are you hungry?

[He arched a brow, his smile turning into a smirk as he rubbed his hands together in an effort to create some heat between his abused and half frozen fingers. It wasn't the best action to take...but he was bone tired and it was habit, anymore.]

Maybe not to the other guy, but, unlike him, I can still freeze to death. And so can you, when you wake up in a snow drift somewhere, naked. Well...maybe not to death, but you very well may lose a few toes of your own.

[He let that sink in for a moment before he nodded, letting the conversation drop. For now. He wasn't exactly going to be perfectly okay with being told he had to follow a giant green rage beast down the side of a mountain in temperatures that could kill him in two hours if he got too sweaty. For now, he'd focus on food...and his stomach was all too happy to answer the question for him with an embarrassingly loud grumble.] Apparently so. I have some food in my pack... You're welcome to whatever. And I'm also completely expecting you to search through my things. Feel free, I've got nothing to hide. You can even feel around for a microchip if you want.

[He offered his arms, covered as they were by the layers of sweaters he'd had on under his coat. His wrists were....disturbingly bony.]

Ah-- no, don't-- [Bruce moved forward and caught Reid's hands in his to stop the movement. There was silence as he stared at their hands, then up at Reid's face.] That's. A bad idea. No friction, okay? Here, the water should be hot enough.

[Hiding his discomfort behind doctor's orders, Bruce poured the pot of water into a bucket and placed it at Reid's feet. Then he neatly unpacked Reid's pack until he reached the food.] You'll need to keep your feet submerged longer than your hands. You should eat beforehand, in any case.

[Did Reid think he'd be following the other guy? Bruce had imagined the other guy simply picking up Reid and jumping down the mountain. It would take maybe fifteen minutes, Bruce estimated. But Reid's hesitation in merely following meant Bruce was not so foolish to mention his idea now. Best to work up to it.]

I'll take you up on that, later. Right now, I'm... [Exhausted? Tired of distrusting humanity? ...Angry?] going to unpack.

[Bruce's hands were hot and Spencer sucked in a sharp breath with the aching chill of his hands was overlaid by the sudden heat. His voice was stuck somewhere in his throat, startled and high as it was...and was it just a trick of the firelight, or was he blushing by the time he nodded at Bruce's instructions. Surely it was just a trick of the light.

While Bruce unpacked-and no doubt looked for a tracing devices-of which, there were none. Not even a cell phone or bank card or GPS system-Spencer rolled up the legs of his pants and hissed through clenched teeth as he gingerly sank his feet into the water. Intellectually, he knew the water wasn't that hot. To his deadened nerves, however, it was almost as bad as Bruce's hands had been.]

Ohh...that smarts.

[Right. Eating. He'll eat when his feet didn't hurt so bad he had to bite his lower lip to keep from writhing on the chair. Yes...please go in the other room, Bruce. The last thing Spencer wanted was a witness to the possible tears threatening the corner of his eyes....]

[Bruce doesn't notice anything, blushes or otherwise; his expertise is reactions between chemicals, not humans. He smiles encouragingly when Reid nods.] Good.

[Bruce intends to look more thoroughly after Reid is asleep, so for now he does a minimal sweep and doesn't pause long. He isn't making much noise, so he hears Reid's hiss of pain. He turns his head slightly to look, and quickly turns away again. He goes into the only other room-- he hasn't decided whether he's going to show Reid the root cellar yet-- and unpacks his pack, giving them both much-needed space. When he returns, Reid's face is still wincing in pain.]

Hey. It's okay. [Well. No, it's not. Neither of them believe that, and Bruce isn't going to try to sell it. What could he say that would be both comforting and truthful?]

You'll be okay. Better, if you drink this. [He offers a water bottle. Bruce has a tin camping cup that he dips into the remaining hot water and sips while he sits at the small table and looks at a map.]

[ooc: so, okay, we should establish wtf this cabin looks like and is equipped with. It has to be completely off the grid, so it has a small solar panel and a small personal-use wind turbine for emergency electricity-- mostly charging his computer-- but he uses it sparingly. There's no running water, but there's plenty of snow. There's one room that's living/kitchen/dining-- it has a fireplace, a counter beneath a window, a table with two chairs, and a rocking chair. The only other room is a bedroom, which has a bed and a dresser. The bathroom of course is outside. They are bare to the point of looking possibly abandoned-- which is intentional. Then there's a root cellar that's hidden, which is where Bruce works on his experiments. He buried some supplies into the dirt floor last time he was here, and has brought more. He also has his store of food down there. The cellar is more roomy than the first floor, because Bruce spends most of his time there. There are candles and lanterns for lights but he tries to rise and sleep with the sun. When he's at a safe house, he literally doesn't do anything else with his time besides work on a cure, so ~12 hours of sunlight is more than enough time. Does that make sense?

Also, in my head!canon, this interaction is happening after he starts working on controlling transformations (so basically after the Hulk movie), but before he decides he's going to help people and do good.]

(ooc: Sounds perfect to me! I would like to add that if they're doing their cooking from the fireplace itself, then it will have to have a swinging cooking hook. And there's probably a woodbox, probably taking up a good portion of any porch they might have. This would have to be completely full for them to have any chance of surviving the winter. Thankfully, however, that'll be covered to keep the wood dry, so no one'll be able to see that the 'abandoned' cabin is fully stocked on wood. XD )

[While Bruce puttered around in the small space, Spencer focused on his breathing, inhaling through the sharp pins and needles with every pulse of blood in his feet and exhaling when that pulse passed, the pins and needles ebbing back to a tolerable level. It would take a while for that pain to pass...but Spencer settled in and relieved some of the urge to writhe by utilizing the fact that his chair was a rocking chair.

By the time Bruce came back, with his kind words and the bottle of water, Reid was still wincing, but the urge to whimper or make any other kind of noise was passing. He smiled, the expression tired and slightly half-assed as he took the water bottle with clumsy hands, bringing it to his lips for a long drink.]

Thanks... Oh! I-uh..I brought you a present. To try and make up for the fact that I kinda showed up out of nowhere.

[Snagging the strap of his pack with an outstretched arm, he dug through the most protective inner layer, grinning a little more lively as he held up a small, unopened and slightly bent box of tea leaves. His favorite, if Spencer had picked apart his clues right...]

(ooc: perfect! And yes, please suggest things, I'm just bumbling along here.)

[Bruce takes the tea mutely. To a stranger, he might look impassive as he examines the box. He likes taking things in before reacting to them, and as an introvert he finds it difficult to express emotions with an abundance of enthusiasm. For him, such enthusiasm would be faked for the sake of sparing emotion or living up to a perceived social expectation. Reid doesn't seem the type to misread his lack of excitement. Bruce is excited, but it manifests much more subtly.

The Puh-ehr tea leaves smell wonderfully earthy. Bruce buries his nose in the box and takes a deep breath, closing his eyes.This tea would be a comfort in the months to come, and Bruce was a man desperately in need of comfort.]

Yes, this makes up for your intrusion. Thank you. I'll have to ration it out very carefully. But for now...

[He begins moving around again, gathering cups. For the first time, some liveliness returns to his eyes and actions. He carefully unfurls a few leaves with a chemist's fingers and places them in the hot water. These are movements he's done hundreds of times before, and if Reid wants to know the impact of his gift, it's there in the slight relaxation of the spine and the deep breaths as Bruce inhales the steam.]

Should I ask how you knew to bring this? Behavioral analysis. How does that work, exactly? I have yet to be convinced of the accuracy of the social sciences.

[Spencer Reid wasn't most people. He never had been. He'd never taken much out from 'face value', even as a child before he'd really understood that people could lie. After all, a child could say 'thank you, I love it' to a relative offering an article of clothing, and then never wear it again.

Instead, he watched as a few of the stress lines eased, the line of Bruce's shoulders relaxed. He was smiling even before the other man got up to practice those ingrained motions of tea making.]

You won't have to ration as much as you think. I brought four boxes. Figured it wasn't something you'd had in a while since you spent so much time in South America.

[Smirking, he shifted a little in his seat, careful not to slosh water over the side of the pail he was soaking his feet in. The last thing they needed was a frozen slick of water smack dab in the middle of their main living area. Especially considering this would probably be where Spencer was going to sleep.]

I knew to bring it because I have manners. I knew to bring that specific kind because I knew where to look. As part of the investigation, I got the privilege of looking around your office. You had a canister in your bottom left hand drawer, mostly used. So, as I followed you around the world, I started asking local tea shops if there had been anyone in asking about it. I figured it was your favorite. And no, before you ask, I never included that in any of my reports.

That's generous, for a man who's supposed to be bringing me in. [He hands a cup to Reid, looking at him with wry skepticism.] I don't think they allow kettles where they'd be keeping me.

[He takes his own cup and settles into a chair. Bruce is beginning to warm to the idea of having someone to talk to. To sit across from someone and have a conversation-- that is a pleasure rarer than the tea, and much more valuable.]

I'm at a disadvantage here. You know my tea preferences and I don't know... well. Anything.

It would be generous, you are correct. If I had ever had any intention of actually bringing you in. As it is, I showed up on your doorstep, wounded and half frozen, and I'm kinda begging you to not just send me back down the mountain in a storm to freeze to death. I consider it more of a peace offering then anything else.

[He accepted his mug with shaking hands, the warmth seeping from the ceramic almost too much for his fingers. But the warmth would help them more then anything, and he braced the mug on his lap to keep it from spilling as his fingers soaked in the warmth.

The conversation was helping to distract him from the pain still in his feet, not to mention the fact that Spencer had been working towards this goal for the past several months. After all, it had only taken him three months to figure out that Bruce wasn't the heartless, out of control rage beast that the government was saying that he was.

Taking a sip of his tea, he let the subtle flavors rest on his tongue for a moment before he swallowed, feeling the warmth travel all the way down into his core.]

Well...I do have the advantage, I guess. But nothing is keeping you from asking me questions, you know. I would just start talking, but I'm afraid that my grasp of what people want to know about other people is limited when it comes to myself. I'd just end up telling you that my name is Dr. Spencer Reid, I have a PhD in Chemistry, Mathematics, and Engineering with a handful of scattered BAs to go along with them, and despite only having basic knowledge of advanced physics, I've read every paper you've ever published, be it under your own name or some one else's.

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hi! :D

hi!

Sorry that took so long. I got conned into taking someone to town. ><

real life, stop getting in the way, I'm trying to tag over here.

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For real. XD

I'm in love with this 'verse already.

XD So am I.

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FINALLY.

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thank you, Web MD, for making me sound legit

XD I thank Google everyday I play Reid. Stupid genius boy...

Right? I had a RDJ!Holmes that I abandoned bc of the sheer amount of googling

It's very daunting and I'm not particularly good at it.. XD /Fails at life

bb you're awesome imo

Ty <3<3<3 You're not half bad yourself, you know. XD Also, stop being cute, Bruce.

ugh sorry this took so long

XD No worries. Life happens.

i love this thread, why does it take me so long to tag? ;~;

XD Life happens?

ugh it's puh-erh that typo will haunt me :|

XD I promise, I didn't notice.