#i mean really my askbox is always open for this kinda stuff but eh

[princesjackpot]

Been thinking of doing an AMA (Ask me Anything) for Captain AU at some point

[cozymochi]

(Scared to be off anon but I understand that you don’t want drama in your askbox so it all good)

ANYWAYS- do you have any mini tutorials on how you draw Irkens or the Tallest? Cause holy sh*t the way you draw in the canon style makes me go 👁👁

Love your art!!💕

AAAAAA THANKSSS, And sorry this took. I dunno. Weeks to respond to, but after frequent trial and error I could not for the life of me come up with any “tutorial.” 😔 I’m kind of a failure like that. I’m not even much of a “teacher”

You can take what I have though, even if it’s pretty sloppy and unfinished 😭 And I can try explaining stuff, but this premise is really broad 😔😔 I wouldn’t know where to begin. Any canvas with a pink background is the “new” stuffI tried drawing specifically for this ask, while a white canvas is old.

Sorry that u had to go off-anon though, and sorry if this is a bit of a hot mess that isn’t very concise or helpful and primarily just… nonsense. I’m sure better “explanations” exist. Again, I’m not a teacher nor a tutorial person, really

I drew up this random image at one point in the hopes that It’d be something?? But, tbh. It probably doesn’t help. So I have no idea if this breakdown even makes a lick of sense. I just know they consist of mostly basic shapes. I meant to go in more “detail” but my brain got destroyed.

Every part of Zim’s body is a triangle in some way. Like, if u look at that image maybe u can see what i mean but 😭😭 idk.

It’s mostly just, I suppose, a matter of remembering that despite the fact these are 2D characters that are extremely stylized, they do have some kind of 3D form involved at all times. I personally keep Zim as my “rule of thumb” basis or something when drawing Irkens. Everybody is just a fucked up version of Zim. The Tallest’s heads are just Zims, but longer. Or, Skoodge [not pictured] is just Zim’s head but wider (and he is ALL head pretty much).

There was one time someone asked me advice on how I draw the Tallest, and to this day I never finished it, and with how busted my mindset became towards my own work, i probably never will.

Sorry I don’t really get into the body much, but I tried to recently (as you’ll see) and didn’t get far.

But, kinda like the Zim thing, the Tallest are also basic shapes. They’re a bit weird on having triangles and circles though. Though, I suppose it would be more accurate to call them spheres, cones, and some cylinders.

Random aside: I think folk get stuck on the joints of their arms in relation to their shoulder pads a lot… I try to keep in mind that their arm joint is always locked in a single place, yknow, like actual shoulders. The pad just moves with the arm.

Sorry the drawing is so sloppy this is where my mind fell apart.

Uhhh the Tallest are kinda weird with their long necks and craning. I kinda see where the neck connects with the body as some kind of “pivot” point. That is, if I were to be a lot stricter with that dinosaur neck. There’s a reason that neck tends to be shortened or ignored altogether.

Zim’s eyes are a bit more self-explanatory being ellipticals (not so much circles tbh, but eh). While the Tallest have parallelograms (not rectangles, their eyes don’t have any right angles- i keep that in mind too) They’re also weird since their one of the few characters whose eyes don’t stick out of their head when turned to the side. But, they do curve with their head— but not when facing forward.

Tho sometimes they do wacky shit like this so they tend to break their own “rules” anyway. I dunno. There’s really no set right/wrong means, I just keep a lot of that minor stuff in mind. I think it all would just depend on what you’d want to do

Irken mouths are weird, a lot of the “rules” that used to exist like more strict geometric stuff doesn’t exist anymore due to art evolution. But, again, I really think it just… depends…?

Have no teeth, stretch the face, put the teeth at the bottom/top, don’t leave the face, break open the face, etc etc depends on what u want.

Anything I do at this point just came from watching too many clips or sometimes digging around the comics.

i used up the image limit but there’s no other drawings anyway 😭

the end?

This isn’t all that helpful or satisfying I’m really sorry, I really don’t know how to explain this at all at the moment. Sometimes I do, but maybe I don’t. I also didn’t wanna leave this in my inbox any longer.

Maybe just study reference sheets, or if u can get ur hands on any notes from the art book- reading those might be useful. Sure, they’re outdated, but i dunno they sometimes have useful notes involved

thanks tho for asking anyway, normally i do like answering this sort of thing but I really did just fall apart at some point and messed it all up

[saschagemruler]

Before you delete the message because I know you might think this might be a hate ask- it’s really, genuinly not. I came here to say I’m sorry. (I’m sending this through ask because I feel like maybe dming might be a bit of an overstep- or maybe just weird at this point, if that makes sense)

I don’t think you are a bad person. It’s not like you need my validation or anything- but that’s not my point— I made that post in haste. I saw the desc, and panicked and just wanted to warn other people, and while I’m not apologizing for warning, I am apologizing because I did it in the completely wrong way. There’s no excuse for how aggressive I became, or the tone I made it in. I read your response to it and yeah, you’re right, and I can’t believe I actually became a Notorious Tumblr User in the way I responded. I went to your blog (genuinely, not in a creepy way or like I was trying to get dirt) and I also want to apologize for the added stress I gave you on top of all the other stuff you’re going through. I’m sure you didn’t need that on the day of your test.

I’m going to delete the post I made. You don’t have to respond to this or become chummy with me, but I just want you to know that I’m sorry for the way I acted. And thanks, for pointing that out— I’ll have to fix how this site has made me react to things.

......imma be totally honest here I didn’t even get this ask bc I blocked you the day you made that post. Not out of malice or anything but because I was emotional and didn’t wanna deal with drama.

Before I go into a very long and rambly answer to this full ask:

No hard feelings dude ✌️ we all make mistakes and jump to conclusions, I’m a 16 year old who’s been on the internet since I was like 12-14 and I had this EMBARRASSING argument with someone over something so stupid and honestly that still keeps me up at night. Trust me you ain’t the only one.

Now the rambly part bc I cant help myself:

Again, I never got your ask so when I saw/heard that your post was deleted... I just kinda laughed my ass off. Not at you or anything, but at the situation. You see, one I was very emotional at the time and I was very relieved to not risk getting anon hate. And two, in the last two fandoms I was in, Hazbin (I know it’s controversial, I ain’t forcing anyone to like it) and Vilainous, where the main characters are like... extremely bad people. Which means the type of fanfiction content of severe angst is commonplace, and often sought out! So the whiplash is kinda funny to me because “duh. It’s a kids show and everyone is a good guy/goofy villain! Of course they ain’t gonna be used to me just... casually planning my best course of action to hurt the main characters let alone having me address real and serious issues in my writing”. That’s not an insult to rottmnt fandom btw, different fandoms have different preferences as a whole, rottmnt just happens to be of the kind where most people probably don’t want that type of angst on their dash.

And I can totally understand jumping to conclusions, y’all are probably used to gross stuff being put in the tags and after rereading my summary I got hit with the good ol’ “......shit this gives off the wrong tone”. So I actually thank you for that!

And I unblocked ya not to start up drama but because I was like “eh I don’t really need to block them”

So yeah, that’s all, thanks for the apology! And if you ever do wanna talk about rottmnt or whatever, my askbox and DMs are always open

[dr-astormylasthurrah]

questions and answers...

done over discord, collected here for archives!

(also, a reminder that the askbox is always open~)

“Does anyone like to collect or hoard things?”

CHIYO: I really, really like collecting headbands!! I’ve got a frankly embarrassing collection at home, from Hello Kitty styled ones to more “mature” looking ones. My grandma gave me a lot of my collection, so they’re really important to me! AMAL: I don’t really have time to collect things. Collecting postage stamps would be a nice hobby if it didn’t get so expensive with limited runs or whatever. TATSUMARU: ... Why would... why would I want to spend money on things I don’t need or want? SENTAROU: I collect interesting yarn. But you didn’t hear that from me and if you ever tell anyone I’m legally obligated to kill you. IRIS: Um... hair clips? I have a few sets depending on what I feel like doing! And I buy more every year for my birthday. It... might be a problem. ASTER: Bold of you to assume I know anything about myself, let alone what I have at home. Bold of you to assume I know where my home is, too. I hope past me collected rocks. Not gemstones or anything, just funky rocks. CLAUDE: If it exists in collectible form, I have a few. Don’t even ask me to pick a specific thing, ahaha. My room’s a mess. Wait, Kinder egg toys! Those are fun. HIRONO: I don’t really collect things, but I do keep a lot of physical photographs of places I’ve been to and people I like. Photography reminds me of Megumi, so I like doing it! ALEXEI: Feathers. Call me predictable, but I prefer “dedicated” or “has a very clear idea of what I want in life”. RIRIKA: I collect anime girl PNGs. Never, ever play gacha idol games. Don’t make my mistakes. TSUKINO: I have a TON of plane tickets!! Well, most of them aren’t mine, and sometimes I just beg them off people at airports and they look at me weird. It’s so neat knowing that these little papers can take you anywhere and that they’re from so many cool places, too! BRENDAN: I hoard anything I can fit in my toolbelt and save for later. So like, odds and ends. I, uh... may have a problem with never throwing things away. TIANA: A lot of my jewelry is from lot sales conducted by my aunt. I suppose most of the reason I have so much of it is to feel closer to my family, though I make some of it myself, too. RYOUJI: I collect... what do I collect, actually? I collect dust from sitting in one place for so long. Haha. I’m kidding, I’m always on my feet, please god send help I just want to sleep. TRISTAN: I don’t see the point in keeping so much stuff. Not to sound like a cleaning show host, but collecting things is such a waste of time, space, and money. No offense. KANEMORI: I don’t usually care about things but I got one of those little, what are they called, aquabead bracelets? From a sponsor? And suddenly my house is full of cheap bracelets. Especially those thin vinyl ones, those are the best. Why has my life come to this though.

“Do they dress for looks or comfort? What’s their fashion angle?”

CHIYO: I’d say looks are... most of it? I mean, of course I want to be comfortable, but ultimately I don’t think I’m ever going to stop worrying about passing. It does help that I genuinely like skirts and dresses and stuff, although I’m still kinda insecure about showing too much skin. I like the aesthetic of Howl’s Moving Castle, so I think that’s the kind of fashion I’d like to wear - something simple and crisp. AMAL: For me, fashion is definitely comfort over appearance. I haven’t really thought about what I wear in a while. Bates says I look like a wannabe TA who’s currently sucking up to the professor and I am ACTIVELY CHOOSING to view that as a compliment. Fuck you, Bates. TATSUMARU: In all honesty, what I wear every day is only a slight modification of what I wear onstage. I haven’t even thought about what I would wear if not this. Although this cloak is nice. SENTAROU: Are you kidding? Comfort all the way, but because of my stupid job I have to look at least somewhat professional. Hence, the tuxedo jacket. This is my life hack or whatever, I just toss it on if I need to look fancy. If I had my way, I’d be wearing T-shirts and jackets all the time. I’m not interested in looking nice for other people’s enjoyment, thank you very much. IRIS: As much as I’d love to dress up, I don’t leave my house very often, so there’s really no point in wearing anything fancy. I guess off the shoulder tops would be cute? I don’t really know. Oh, but if societal standards weren’t a thing, I’d love to have a pair of those kiddie butterfly wings! ASTER: ... I mean assuming what I’m wearing right now is close to my normal clothes, I guess this is looking a lot like function over form. But given the option, I think I’d wear more patterns. Like, yeah, I like simple clothing items, but I also want to wear some kind of personality, y’know? I’d keep this jacket, for example. But I want patterns on my pants. CLAUDE: It’s a mix of both for me! Just, y’know, my idea of “comfort” doesn’t exactly match with other people’s. I try to go for an approachable but fashionable vibe! Thin, large sweater tops, scarves, I’d basically be the poster child of every men’s fashion catalogue if I could be, ahaha. HIRONO: Definitely comfort. I’m used to being overlooked, so I may as well be comfortable. Though I’m told if I dress in a suit and fold my arms, my glare is impressive enough to melt holes in steel. I guess that’s kind of cool, but I’d still rather have people to talk to, y’know. ALEXEI: Comfort. Yes, this includes the cape. The cape is comfort. I am comfortable being dramatic and unknowable to man. Fuck off if you have a problem. RIRIKA: Looks, of course. It’s a little hard for me not to be detail oriented, considering my talent and everything, and besides, dressing nicely makes me feel more confident. I like layering things and using repetitive colors or patterns to tie outfits together. Sometimes I’ll focus all of my energy into an outfit in order to kill God or something. I don’t know. TSUKINO: I don’t know what this is! I wish I could be more punkish when I’m flying with like spikes and everything but noooo apparently that’s a “safety hazard” and “a distraction to the instructor”. Well, joke’s on you, safety instructor, but my normal flight clothes have studs on them ANYWAY. I’m gonna fight the establishment in every way, bitch! BRENDAN: It’s comfort. It’s absolutely just for comfort. I’ve had this jacket since I was 12, 13...? I bought it two sizes too big and it’s so worn out now that I’ve had to sew patches into it, but I hate throwing anything away so I just keep it. So I guess my fashion sense is just... “shabby”. I don’t mind, though! I think it gives me character. TIANA: Looks are MUCH more important than comfort when it comes to clothes. A good outfit can make or break someone’s perception of you. Though I don’t like to wear full business attire every day and I can’t imagine doing so at this time, I think it’s wise to at least have a decent collared shirt at all times. As for my shorts and socks... I think I just have a look going on here. Besides, gyaru fashion is quite cute. So roll with it. RYOUJI: Uh... At this point, imma keep it real with you, my fashion sense is a game of “how androgynous can I go without my parents suspecting anything”. I’m kind of dying in this, considering the heat of wearing two layers and a binder, but I also don’t care anymore. I guess I’m okay wearing T-shirts and stuff if I don’t have anywhere to be, but I’d like to at least LOOK competent, you know? TRISTAN: I’m wearing socks and sandals as we speak. So take a guess. I look exactly like a stereotypical gamer because it’s true. KANEMORI: Weird as this is to say, I favor both. I’m never far from a spotlight, between me and my parents and everything, so I have to look at least kind of presentable at all times. Which sucks, but it’s what I grew up with, so I guess that’s just how my life is. I’m used to just wearing T-shirts and stuff. If I had to wear a tie I guess I’d just choke or something.

For Hirono: What's your favorite genre of music?

EKYOU: Uh... anything, I guess? I have what’s described as “eclectic” taste. But I promise I’ll listen to anything people show me, and I’ll do my best to like it!

Uhmm for Iris: How would your ideal romantic date be?

SUMITAMA: E-eh?? This is super cheesy, but... I like the idea of a traditional date! A fancy dinner with candles and everything. SUMITAMA: Oh, but outside of that, I’d really enjoy a date where I can do things I love with someone I love! Walking around a botanical garden, or having a library day... As long as it’s free. I need to save money for textbooks. College courses are evil, don’t do them.

for ryouji: do you keep your room as clean as you keep the kitchen?

ATSUI: HAHAHAHAHA no I wish. ATSUI: The kitchen thing isn’t so much my rules as my parents’ rules, but it’s good to follow - if your kitchen is a mess you’re going to knock something over and regret everything. This may or may not be from personal experience. ATSUI: But my room?? That’s my HOME. That’s my PRIVATE AREA. I’m going to trip over everything in it and no one can say shit. ATSUI: I should probably start picking up all the laundry though.

Alexei, what is the most beautiful bird you have ever seen and why do you think is the most beautiful?

BAZHANOV: Pigeons are underrated. They have iridescent feathers and yet we as humans still consider them nuisances. It’s a shame. BAZHANOV: I would say something real deep about the nature of humanity to ignore beauty but I’m pretty sure that people hate them because they shit everywhere. Which is fair enough, I suppose.

For Chiyo: This is going to sound really dumb, but do you like to read? If so, what sorts of things do you like to read (genre-wise)?

CHIYO: I like kids books a lot more than young adult stuff. You know how young adult novels these days are always either “gritty sci-fi suspense” or “vaguely Eurocentric fantasy” or “heartwarming realistic fiction”? Kids stories are a lot more creative. And with a lot less pointless death. CHIYO: As for what kind of stories, I think fantasy/sci-fi is nice! Especially books that lean on fairytale elements and mythology, it’s like a history lesson and story at once! CHIYO: But, uh, I don’t understand that series with the talking cats. I tried to read it a few times but I think that’s just something you have to get into as a child.

(This is going off Western genres I don’t actually know shit abt Japanese novels)

Tsukino, do you have a celebrity crush?

CHISAKI: THE LEAD SINGER OF R3BELS OBVIOUSLY.

Does Alexei just have the one mask or does he have multiple for different outfits/occasions

BAZHANOV: Just the one. It’s surprisingly hard to track down decent and inexpensive masks for dramatic occasions. I wish I had more, but it’s also not as if I have the money to procure them. BAZHANOV: ... Unrelated, how feasible is it to break into a bank?

hirono, how did you start ōendan?

EKYOU: After... well, after some family things happened, my oldest brother Rousei thought that I needed something to do. He said ōendan would be good because I’m good at cheering for people, and he said it’s what he did in high school, too. So... I guess I gave it a shot? I’m glad I can encourage people to do their best!! But it’s just not something I’m super into for the sake of myself. But I’m at HPA now, so I shouldn’t be ungrateful, it’s just.... Yeah. EKYOU: Plus, I haven’t had time to pursue photography... It’s kind of driving me up the wall.

If tsukino could do anything other than her talent hat would she do?

CHISAKI: It would be my GOD GIVEN RIGHT as an individual to join some kind of band and go break some hearts and make like ten million dollars! But I’m kinda tone deaf! ... Not like that matters for the kind of music I’m into but hey!!

[builder051]

I’m just a ghost running scared (a Natasha/Bruce sickfic)

Thank you for your votes and suggestions.  For the question of who you’d rather see get whumped, Bruce won, though it was a close call. (Writing his POV also saves me from having to describe the Hulk, since he doesn’t remember the episodes…)

There’s a bit of Nat anxiety in here too (thanks @plotmatsu for the tip), but it doesn’t rate as angst at all.

To the anon who suggested some teasing from Tony and Clint: Sorry, that didn’t make it into this one (it was getting longer than I wanted it to be), but I’m sold on the idea being part of my headcanon.

I’m going to add these guys (and their ship) to my repertoire for Heroverse.  I’ll post an updated “What I’ll write” list when I open my askbox (soon, I promise), since I’ve been making some changes.

This is roughly canon and set before Age of Ultron.  Also kind of long.  And kind of a fluff monster.

_____

Since moving into the tower, Bruce has been hesitant to set foot in the gym.  He went in once to walk a few miles on the treadmill, but the sight and sounds of Captain America battling a punching bag and Tony boxing with Happy at opposite ends of the large room had made him anxious.  Since then, he’s taken his walks in Central Park instead.

It’s alright, since he doesn’t need to train in order to have strength in battle.  And he gets plenty of time to bond with the team over pancake breakfasts and movie nights.  Bruce spends most of his free time alone, either working in his lab or reading or meditating in his room.  Things are quiet and predictable.  And that’s how he likes them.

So when Nat knocks on his door one morning and asks if he’d like to play at capoeira with her, he has no idea why he says yes.

They warm up awkwardly, stretching and shifting foot to foot on the mat, a few yards of empty space between them.  Bruce assumes Nat will tell him when she wants to really get started, but every time he sneaks a glance at her, she drops her gaze to the floor.

Is she shy? Bruce wonders.  I’m shy.  Black Widow can’t be shy.

“Alright, so, you know how to do this?” Nat finally asks.  She stands perfectly balanced on one foot as she holds the other behind her and stretches her quad.

Bruce nods.  “The basics, yeah,” He says.  “But mostly from, you know, reading about it.”

“Mm.”  Nat gives a sly smile.  “Well, it’s a little different in practice.”  She drops her foot and assumes a low stance.  “Don’t worry.  I’ll go easy on you.”

“What?  You don’t…  I can…”  Bruce can barely wrap his tongue around the words.  He doesn’t have a competitive spirit.  He should be grateful she’s not intent on taking him down.  But something makes him speak up.

“I’ll go easy on you…at first,” Nat amends.  She taps her palm against the outside of her thigh, starting a slow beat.  “I don’t have any music, but is this ok?”

She’s asking about the tempo.  To which the answer is yes, it’s fine.  The way the fabric of her leggings ripples slightly after each strike is fine too.

“Mm-hm.”  Bruce nods and forces himself to look into Nat’s face.

“Good.”  She keeps up the percussion and starts moving her feet in a measured pattern, swooping her torso and eventually raising her arms to chest height.  Bruce mirrors her.

They move through the ginga for a few moments, until the rhythm of the steps feels natural.  “Ok, ready?” Nat asks.

“Yeah.”

The word is barely out of Bruce’s mouth when Nat feints at him, causing him to scoot back several feet.  His heart hammers as if he’s witnessed a jump-scare.  He takes a breath and slides back to his original position, feeling stupid.

“You’ll be ok, even if you get hit,” Nat says, jabbing toward him again, this time with her elbow.

“Yeah, I know.”  He’s not worried about hits, though the instinctual fear of being struck is part of what’s raising his blood pressure.  He needs to calm down.  “I’m more worried about you.”

Nat rolls her eyes.  “I’ll be ok if you hit me.”  She aims a kick at Bruce’s knee.

“Jesus Christ,” he mutters, quickly sidestepping.  “That’s not what I meant.  If I turn into, you know, the other guy…”

“You know this room is engineered to withstand any damage ‘the other guy’ can do, right?”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I want to transform and damage stuff.”  Bruce initiates a swipe toward Nat’s knee, and she easily dodges.

“If you want to train as you, or if you want to train as him, it’s fine,” Nat says, parrying Bruce’s attack with a punch to his ribs, which lands. The impact isn’t too hard, but it still smarts.

Nat pauses, her fist still against Bruce’s side.  She cocks her head.  “Whatever you choose, you need to train a little harder.”

Bruce’s irritation rises toward anger.  He aims a kick at Nat’s calf, barely brushing her as she leaps backward.  

Breathe.  Cam down, he tells himself.  Don’t get mad.  A halo of green shimmers around his peripheral vision.

“You can turn,” Nat says.  “I’m not gonna get mad.”

Breathe.  Breathe.

“I don’t fucking want to turn!” Bruce explodes.

And that does it.  He swings his fist toward Nat, and he feels himself expand, bursting out of the confines of his t-shirt as pure rage fills his mind.

***

“Banner.  Hey.”

Someone taps his cheek.

“Bruce?”  The voice sounds familiar, but it’s filtered as if it’s coming from the end of a tunnel.

His head aches.  Bruce peels his eyes open and struggles to blink away the blur that still holds tinges of green.

Shit.  Where is he?  What was he doing?

A face framed with red hair swims into view above him.  “Hey.  You ok?” Nat asks.

“Ugh,” Bruce scrubs the heel of his hand over his eyes.  Sweat drips down his temples toward his ears.  He wishes he could answer with a confident yes and disappear into his room, but he doesn’t trust himself to sit up yet.  He hopes his gym shorts survived the transformation.

“Do you need me to get someone?  Are you hurt, d’you think?”  Nat clasps his shoulder.

“I’m ok,” Bruce croaks.  His voice breaks with the effort.  Sick clamminess creeps over his body as nausea begins to well up in his chest.

Nat still looks concerned.

“Did I do anything?  Did I hurt you?” Bruce asks.

“No, no, everything’s fine,” Nat says hurriedly.  “But just, are you ok?  You don’t look good.”

“Well thanks.”

“I’m serious.  Did it go wrong or something?  You’re not supposed to be in so much pain…”  Nat squeezes his arm tighter, then seems to check herself.  “Sorry,” she mutters, loosening her grip.

“This is normal,” Bruce groans.  He shoves himself up on one elbow and pauses for equilibrium to catch up.

It doesn’t.  He’s silently grateful for Nat’s touch.  It assures him the world isn’t actually tipping beneath him.

“It can’t be,” Nat says.  “You look really sick.  I’ve never seen you like this before…”

“That’s because—”  Bruce pauses to swallow thickly.  “I usually try to be alone while I, uh, recover…”

“You shouldn’t have to.”

It’s a sweet sentiment, but Bruce has to turn toward his shoulder as he quells a queasy belch.

“You really don’t look good,” Nat says, biting her lip.

“I really don’t feel good,” Bruce admits.  “But it’s normal, I promise.  Being the other guy takes a lot of energy.  It leaves me kinda…wiped out.”

“This is just, like, low blood sugar?”  She stares at him in disbelief.

Bruce nods and shrugs.  “You try having every cell in your body reconfigure itself twice over…”  He finally gets himself to a seated position, but vertigo still threatens to down him.  He bows forward with his head between his knees.  “Sorry,” he mutters.

“No, it’s no problem,” she says.  “What helps it?”

“Time, I guess?  Gatorade?” Bruce says to the floor.

“Something to eat, maybe?” Nat suggests.

“Eh, I don’t know.”  He’s too nauseated to think about eating.  Even fluids seem questionable at this point.

“Maybe some crackers?  Or ginger ale?  Something to settle your stomach.”

“I’m ok,” Bruce insists.  “You don’t have to, like, wait on me or anything.”

“I’m not gonna leave you to suffer either,” Nat says, “Despite my reputation.”

Bruce lets out his breath.

“I’ll be right back, ok?”  Nat pats his shoulder and gets to her feet.

***

The shakiness fades while Nat’s gone, but the urge to throw up doesn’t.  Eventually the nausea rises into a flow of saliva over Bruce’s back teeth, and he scrambles to his feet to dash into the bathroom.  The sink is closer, and the prospect of changing altitude to kneel in front of the toilet makes him feel like passing out.

Bruce gags harshly over the basin.  He can’t remember how long ago he had breakfast or even what he ate.  He grips the edge of the counter with white knuckles as a surge of sour bile splashes up.

“Banner?” Nat calls from the gym.

“Shit,” Bruce mutters.  She probably thinks he’s up and vanished.  He retches again, and the sound betrays his location.

“Oh.”  There’s a crinkling sound as Nat sets her provisions on the floor, then she appears at his elbow.

Bruce cringes.  “Sorry,” he breathes.  She shouldn’t be here, seeing him like this.  It’s gross.  It’s crossing a line.  “You can…go.”

“No,” Nat says.  She pats him on the back.  “I don’t want to leave you alone like this.”

“Like I said,” Bruce pants, spitting out strings of mucous and bile, “It’s normal.  I mean, I don’t always get sick, but, you know…  I can…take care of myself.”

“You can,” Nat acquiesces.  “But I’m still not gonna leave.”

“Jesus Christ.”  Bruce shakes his head.  He ignores the reverberating pain behind his forehead and turns on the faucet.  He splashes his face, and icy droplets run down his neck and bare chest.

Nat hands him a towel.  “There you go,” she whispers with a sympathetic smile.

“Ah.  Yeah.”  Bruce isn’t sure why he doesn’t just say thanks.

“Do you want something to drink?” Nat asks.  “I brought…”  She gestures to what looks like half the pantry in a pile beside the door.  There’s water, ginger ale, and Gatorade in three different flavors, plus a few packages of crackers.

“Not really,” Bruce says into the towel.  “I mean…not yet.  That’s…a lot.”

“I thought maybe you’d need to refuel.”

“Yeah, in, like a few hours maybe?”  A tremor of exhaustion plays through Bruce’s arms and legs, but the queasiness hasn’t faded yet.  “I’m still…ugh.”  He shakes his head.

“Is there something else I can do?”  Nat reaches out awkwardly.

“Naw.  I should probably lie down.  Then think about, like, slowly sipping some water.  Balancing electrolytes.”

“I can take this stuff up to your room,” Nat offers.  She bends to scoop up the bottles and boxes.

“I didn’t have you pegged for one to be so helpful,” Bruce says, abandoning the towel on the counter.

“Like I said.  I don’t always live up to my reputation.”

"Yeah...”  Bruce sighs vaguely.

“I’ll keep reminding you,” Nat says, swatting his arm with a bag of Goldfish crackers.

“Sure.”

***

Bruce sleeps for five hours.  When he wakes, groggy and still suffering a headache, he swallows 20 ounces of Gatorade in one gulp.  He reaches for his phone, hoping he hasn’t missed anything important.

He swipes away the usual news updates, then pauses when he comes to a text message.

Nat: Let me know when you’re ready to refuel.  There’s a place around the corner that makes the best meatball sandwiches.  I’m buying.

Bruce lets out his breath in nervous apprehension.  Then he stumbles out of bed to find a shirt.