((Open to those in and around the Avengers Mansion))

[lil_hulk]

After Jay turned into a regular human guy in a pair of shorts hugging Aether's neck (with maybe a bit of help from Sara), he went directly back to the Avengers' mansion. Having Hulked out this badly before, the sometimes green teen followed the precedent set and became reclusive. He locked himself (and Boo) in his large room and refused to come out.

Jarvis had seen him the most and had gotten concerned about the diminishing size of the amount of food Jay had been eating. Jay's mother had come back to New York immediately after hearing her son had rampaged through the city. She currently was back on the Keewazi rez to get his father and bring Wyatt Wingfoot to New York to help with Jay.

Today, the teen was getting a little stir crazy in his room. Though he had Boo and Keewazi tech for entertainment, he thought he could maybe take a small walk around the mansion. If he was moving around, maybe less people would knock on his door to try to get him to come out. Also, he could avoid them easier if he wasn't in one spot.

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[comic_awareness]

And Bruce too, would go looking for his friend. Because this definitely required a conversation. And as leader-type-guy, he was required to have it.

[lil_hulk]

Jay had been avoiding Jarvis and Bruce, which was harder than he first thought. Well, the ever-present butler more than Bruce. Though he did slow down enough to get caught looking into the gym.

He hadn't worked out since before being captured. His current plans included not working out ever again. It would help him lose muscle and not be so strong if he ever rampaged again.

[comic_awareness]

"Hey, bro," Bruce said, when he saw him.

He pointedly did not ask how Jay was doing. That would be pretty stupid.

[lil_hulk]

Jay jumped slightly. He had been spacing off, thinking about a BBQ, Bacon & Cheddar from smashburger. He kind of missed food.

He blinked at Bruce. "Hey."

He tried to not look like he was calculating the best means of escape. Maybe he could find the attacking treadmill for some help...

[comic_awareness]

Bruce did his best to seem non-threatening.

"You had lunch yet?"

[lil_hulk]

"No. Not hungry." Though once he said it, his stomach made a loud grumble. Jay could not believe his own body would make a liar out of him, but there it was.

He put a hand to his stomach and gave a small, rueful smile.

[comic_awareness]

"Well, I've got an delivery order from smashburger coming," Bruce said. "And you know me, I always order too much food..."

[lil_hulk]

He grimaced slightly. Mostly because his stomach made a long rumble at the mention of smashburger.

"Dammit, Bruce." He scrubbed his face with his hands.

[comic_awareness]

Bruce allowed himself a small smile. "Well, you know, it'll be here in a few minutes. If you wanted any."

[lil_hulk]

"I'm trying to cut down on... eating." It sounded incredibly lame to him to say that out loud. He tried to amend it but not quickly enough. "Burgers."

His mostly liquid diet would hopefully help him weaken. So the next rampage could be handled with less terror and destruction.

[comic_awareness]

Yeah, Bruce picked up on some of the subtext there. But he was going to have to treat this pretty delicately. "Well, you know, I got fries too. And shakes."

[lil_hulk]

"That's a lot of food for just one guy," Jay pointed out flatly. His eyes narrowed just a bit. The more Bruce talked, the more the non-hungry part of his brain picked up on the plot.

[comic_awareness]

"Is it..." Bruce began, then trailed off. "Okay, look, dude. Just come have some lunch with me. That's all."

[lil_hulk]

Jay stuffed his hands into his pockets. He took a deep breath and let it slowly. Not like he could outrun Bruce.

"All right." Even if having lunch was counter to his plans.

[comic_awareness]

Bruce nodded slightly. "C'mon to the dining room now. Food'll probably be there by the time we get there."

[lil_hulk]

As they headed toward the dining room, Jay wondered if his Mom put Bruce up to this. Distraction while she went to get Dad. The sometimes green teen walked along quietly. Or tried to.

His stomach got excitedly vocal about solid food.

[comic_awareness]

Please. Bruce is perfectly capable of putting himself up to things.

"So...," he ventured, carefully, "how are you feeling?"

[lil_hulk]

"A little stir-crazy." Jay shrugged. He knew he had to be since he was wandering all over the mansion and not hiding in his room. Boo just wasn't the great conversationalist he had hoped.

[comic_awareness]

"Cabin fever, eh?" Bruce said, sympathetically. "Rough, bro."

He paused briefly to get his food from, and thank Jarvis.

He started unpacking the burgers, fries, and shakes. "Let's get it while it's hot."

[lil_hulk]

"Trying to get used to it. If they fix the gamma jail on the rez, I'll not have a lot of space." It was one of the many options he was considering. Voluntary incarceration. It worked with his current plan on weakening himself.

The delicious-smelling burgers and fries worked counter to his plans. He was hesitant in taking any of the food.

[comic_awareness]

Bruce went ahead and took a bite of his burger, gesturing to some of the rest for Jay to take.

"Thinking about heading back, huh?" Bruce asked, not judging, but perhaps a bit surprised.

[lil_hulk]

Jay grabbed some fries. He could nibble on those. Fries weren't so bad.

"If I weaken enough, they can contain me. And Dr. Green can't probably get to me there." One of those reasons was more important than the other. Though that changed from moment to moment.

[comic_awareness]

But the burgers, Jay! The burgers! Think of the burgers, with their bacon!

Bruce nodded slightly. "That's... a possibility," he agreed.

[lil_hulk]

One of his hands was inching toward a burger. Because the call of bacon was not something his body could totally ignore.

"Better than having a monster sitting under your roof, innit?"

[comic_awareness]

Baaaaaacon.

"You're not a monster, Jay," he said. "Not now, not ever."