insurgents | OPEN POST.

He draws away at that, sitting back on his chair and looking up at her with a frown on his face.

"No, that's... alright." He pauses, a little hesitant. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Do I want to talk about my crazy and abusive mother? Not really."

She folds her arms across her chest and sighs.

"All that mattered to her was Patsy. That's what she always called me. Even when I told her I wanted to be Trish."

"Hey, hey."

He reaches for her arms, tugging lightly on them and hoping that'll be enough for her to let that tension unwind. He recognizes a defensive stance when he sees one, and he wants her to know she doesn't need to put up barriers like that when she's around him.

"You don't have to talk about it. If you ever feel like venting, I'll be here to listen. If not, that's fine by me too. Alright? I mean, I... there's things I don't talk about either."

Probably more similar to her own than he even knows yet, but.

"What matters is that you are Trish. And I like Trish."

She sighs and relaxes a little, arms unfolding so that she can take his hands.

"She hit me. She forced me to throw up when I'd eaten too much. I had to wear a wig whenever I left the house so that I'd look like the Patsy character..."

She's not a fan of talking about this but she does want to spend as large a portion of her life as possible with Bruce so really it makes sense to tell him about this stuff.

With just the little Trish had said before, Bruce was already prepared for something pretty bad. Still, despite not too shocking, it leaves a sour taste in his mouth, almost like acid being poured down his throat - he's familiar with the sensation. But there's no point getting angry about this, even if he can control it. It's in the past, and as much as he already hates Trish's mother for what she did to her, he can't really change it.

The only thing he can do is show that it doesn't matter to him, and that he's here for her. For whatever she might need of him.

His fingers curl around her hands, thumbs brushing over her knuckles, and he tugs her closer, inviting her to take a seat on his lap if she wants to.

"I'm sorry, Patricia. That's... I'm glad you escaped that, but I know how those things just-- linger."

Even after years, decades, an entire life.

She does move forward to sit on his lap. Well, more like straddle his lap really since he was already sitting between her legs.

She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses his forehead.

"You know I'll listen if you ever want to talk about the things you don't talk about too."

Then she kisses his lips.

"And I'm okay, really."

She gives him a small smile.

"Just don't call me Patsy."

Kind of what he was expecting, and he wraps his arms around her, pulling her close once she sits on his lap.

"I know."

And he wants to tell her, really - despite having spent so long with all that buried deep within himself. He looks up at her with a small smile at the last remark, offering with a hint of amusement as an attempt to diffuse any tension.

"As long as you don't call me 'Bob'."

Yep, that's a thing.

It's a very comfortable way of sitting, she's always liked doing it.

"Wait... Bob?"

Why would anyone call him bob?

He drops his head back a little, mouth open for a moment before he sighs and just goes ahead and explains himself.

"My full name is Robert Bruce Banner."

"Robert Bruce Banner."

She has to repeat it, smiling as she does. Not because it's a funny name, she just likes knowing more about him.

"It has a nice ring to it. Good for that classic "I'm mad at you so now I'll use your full name" thing."

He nods at first in confirmation, then lets out a huff of amusement at her answer, though he tries to look as exasperated as can be. He kind of fails, though, because the thought of her calling him by his full name is kind of endearing. Even if it might spell trouble for him.

"Great. Now I'm going to dread the times when you use my full name on me."

"Maybe I'll use it in other contexts too, just to keep you on your toes."

It is just the cutest thing when Bruce tries and fails to seem frustrated.

"Robert Bruce Banner, take me to bed right now, or something similar."

He smiles at that, poking her on her sides playfully.

"Good. That does have a very nice ring to it."

She squirms a little and laughs.

"Yeah, I like it."

She considers making an 'I take you, Robert Bruce Banner...' joke but decides against it. She wouldn't want him to think she's trying to hint at anything there.

"I can't believe I didn't know that. Don't worry though, I'll never call you bob. It doesn't fit you at all."

That's a joke that can be saved for another time. A time when it can be a joke as much as something they both might actually want. So soon after getting back together definitely isn't the time.

"Thanks. I didn't think so either, it's why I decided to stick with Bruce."

"You definitely made the right call there."

She can sort of picture him as a Robert, but definitely not a Bob or Rob or any shortened version of the name, for some reason.

"I actually thought about changing my name completely for a while."

"Did you?"

He arches his eyebrows curiously at her, hands settling on her hips.

"I did too, at one point. I think that's why I settled with dropping Robert altogether. Did you ever think of a name to change into, though?"

That is a very good place for his hips to be, if you ask Trish.

"No, that's part of why I just went with 'Trish'. Nothing really felt right. What about you?"

"Actually... yes. David. But I considered keeping Bruce and just changing my last name more often than not."

It'd have detached him even more from all the things that had happened to him during his childhood and school years.

"David. Hm. Yeah, I could see you as a David. I like Bruce though."

Mostly because he is Bruce but never mind that.

"What last name would you want?"

"And I like Trish. I'm glad you didn't change it."

Even Patricia - it just suits her.

"I never thought about it." He shrugs. "Didn't get that far."

He's pretty much the only one who ever calls her Patricia, but it does sound pretty good coming from him.

"So what made you pick David?"

He likes being the only one, actually. He wouldn't call her by it if she minded it, but since she's never complained, he's never had reason to stop.

"No special reason. Just a name I liked, is all."

"Well,"

She gives him a slow, lingering kiss, fingers dragging through his hair while she makes sure that he is given a very thorough proof of her appreciation for him and all that he is.

"I like you and all of your names, Robert Bruce Banner."

He tips his head up and happily returns the kiss, his arms curling a little tighter around her as he leans in closer to her, smiling as they part.

"Right back at you, Patricia Walker."

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