Worlds Apart (A Bruce Banner Love Story)

Chapter 12

Bruce tapped his pen as his eyes kept flicking towards the clock. This was the fourth day Solerah hadn't come to visit him and he was worried. He didn't know whether to be happy that she stayed away or upset. He knew she wasn't on a mission because he didn't think it would hurt to take a look at the system's schedules. It wasn't an invasion of privacy, he was just concerned, that was all. He looked at the clock again and his stomach growled, it missed the regular meals Solerah had enforced him to have. He wanted to pretend that was all he missed. He looked at the chair Solerah had claimed as her own, seeing an image of her swinging in circles and making herself sick as she often did.

He shook his head and dropped his pen, standing up and walking out of his lab. He couldn't take this anymore. He made his way to the foodcourt and once there his posture hunched and he started rubbing his wrists as he looked over the many tables of people, scanning for her face. Come on Sol where are you?

The incessant chattering of everyone in the room was starting to get to him. She would never miss a meal, she loved food too much. He supposed he'd check her room next but he started having doubts if he should be chasing her up, especially if she didn't want to see him and after what he said he wouldn't blame her. His thoughts were broken when Alfred walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "She's in the sky deck." Alfred said giving Bruce a thumbs up as he walked into the foodcourt. "Go get her." Was his words of advice as he winked causing Bruce to look at him with concern. Never the less he found himself promptly walking towards the sky deck.

He made his way to the elevator to the upper floors, the sky deck was so appropriately named because it was the one part of the underground base where you could see the sky, having built a securely hidden glass roof there people used it as an area to relax. He reached for the door knob, fingers wrapped around it as he paused, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before entering the room.

His eyes lightened when he saw her laying on the plush carpet and staring through the sky lit ceiling, a small bag of confectionary laid beside her. "Sol?" He said softly as he approached her.

"What do you want?" She spoke in an uninterested tone, nowhere near her usual excited greeting. He wanted to cringe but he deserved that. He sat down beside her, laying next to her and staring up at the sky.

"I haven't seen you in a couple days. The labs been quiet."

"I've been busy..."

"Sol... I'm sorry."

"Why? You've done nothing wrong."

Bruce stayed quiet for a moment, unsure of how to respond.

"You're not a freak Solerah."

"Bruce. I'm an alien. I am literally a giant alien. If it weren't for this implant no one would like me. They would run from the 8 foot tall giant grey woman."

"Sol that's not true."

"It is and you know it."

Bruce sat up and looked at her.

"Turn back."

"What?"

"Go on. Turn back to your real self."

Solerah looked at him with suspicion but shrugged, sitting up, she kicked her shoes off and shifted into her true self. She hugged her knees and her head sank into her shoulders, trying to make herself appear smaller as she sighed. Bruce looked at her with a hint of a smile as he traced his hand across her elongated face, causing her to look at him. "I don't see a freak. I see someone beautiful no matter what form they're in."

"BB..." Solerah smiled shyly, her grey cheeks tinged a dark blue as she leaned her head into his touch.

"Don't call yourself a freak again."