"I'm Bruce Banner."
Bruce was not in the rescue mission, Edward met him for the first time months after he was already housed with the other avengers.
His eyes were tired, and his smile uncertain. He looked so sad and yet he was strangely kind.
The two measured each other from a distance, not far enough to not hear each other, but enough to be strange. James was close by, his eyes wary and protective, ready for any attack, even if he was playing chess with Steve. Steve also looked nervous, as if he expected to have to act quickly if something went wrong.
Edward slowly got up from where he was sitting watching the others play in the garden. He was only allowed to watch because nobody but Stark wanted to play with him after realizing that even without intention he always ended up listening to each movement and strategy in advance. Stark, of course, had managed to find a loophole in that, and he loved the challenge.
"Edward."
He noticed the man frown, slightly surprised by his voice.
Edward found him so confuse.
He had two minds: the first was clearly Bruce, he could hear exactly the observations he made about him, the scientific theories that made him slightly nervous and eager to escape. The other voice was like a child but in the tone of an adult.
He could see himself through the eyes of that voice differently. While Bruce counted his characteristics and compared him to a carnivorous plant, the other voice focused on his skin in the sun that filtered between the plants.
"Pretty."
Edward smiled slightly at that, frowning in curiosity. From the other's thoughts, he knew that Banner would transform into a beast called the Hulk when his heart rate accelerated.
The voice he heard did not sound like a beast and it contrasted with the images of destruction in the minds of others.
"Shiny. Like a firefly. ”
He chuckled at this and the men, except James, who just smiled amused with his antics, looked at him as if he was insane.
"Sorry. It is just... Hulk is peculiar."
The man was instantly tense and Edward took a step back with the flood of thoughts that came at once. He put his hand on his head with a groan. James was on his feet immediately, the pose menacing.
"I didn't mean to offend." He apologized. "I can hear you two."
The thoughts changed, becoming curious. It was the scientist again.
"Are you a telepath?"
“Someone could have warned me. Damn, Tony. It is not very polite to look without permission. ”
"I can't turn it off."
He vocalised slightly offended. He might be a little bit lunatic, but he was polite.
"Interesting, he is different from Wanda and vision then."
"I can't read their thoughts." He answered the question in the Doctor mind. "They don't know why I can't turn it off, though."
"Interesting." The man contemplated. "You said that our minds are separate."
"Yes."
"Puny Bruce"
"He's an interesting guy."
“It is not an unusual gift. Why can't he turn it off? Maybe he will still evolve the talent? Perhaps the transformation has frozen the development? Did he have it when he was human? Maybe we should do some tests ... ”
When he heard the word test he took a quick step back, stopping on the other side of the garden, not controlling a small growl that looked more like a whimper coming out of his mouth.
His instincts told him to run, to hide.
He saw white corridors, lab coats. Questions, loud voices. And then screams, his screams.
Painpainpainpainpainpain.
"Edward!"
He opened the eyes, aiming at steady blues. The metal hand was on his face, holding it, diverting his attention from the men in lab coats in his peripheral vision.
"The year is 2018, you are at the avengers compound." The robotic voice was gradually making him come back from the past. "The base was destroyed. You are no longer an experiment."
"No more tests." His voice came out in a pleading tone.
"No more tests."
They remained for some time still looking steadily at each other and even when he let go of his face, the metal arm remained on him, at the nape of his neck when they turned. Steve had an arm around Banner's shoulder, preventing him from coming closer to them.
"No tests." He spoke loud enough for the other to hear.
He immediately noticed the recognition of what caused the crisis in Bruces's face.
"Oh, I'm sorry. It was not my intention-"
He searched the other's thoughts, his eyes suspicious and then nodded in satisfaction with the sincerity.
"No tests."
"No tests." The man agreed
“Bruce bad with the firefly. Stupid Bruce. ”
Edward smiled.