Bruce was smiling to himself as his fingers played across the keyboard of a laptop Thor had recently gotten for him.

Looking over some formulas and writing down a few hypothesis's.

It had been ages since Bruce had done any science just for the sake of science! Beforehand it had all been about finding that cure. There had been so much stress involved, it wasn't in anyway fun.

But maybe.. Just maybe. He didn't need a cure. The Hulk had made his appearance a total of four times in new Asgard now. And literately nothing had happened!

At first Bruce didn't believe it, not even as all the Asgardians kept asking when the big guy would come out to play with them again. Finally though, he started to believe.

Bruce sighed as he stretched his arms and rubbed his face, probably time to take a break! Drowsily Bruce got up from the chair and headed outside for a casual walk, he didn't get far though before a peculiar sight met him.

The current prince of Asgard, glaring at a much shorter man in front of him whom was grinning.

"Hey Loki! Are you… Low key?" Tony asked.

If looks could kill… Tony would have been six feet under already.

"Darn, that was funnier in my head." Tony rubbed his cheek. Then his head turned and by the sight for Bruce he brightened up. "BRUCE!" he grinned.

"Tony." Bruce laughed as Tony ran towards him. "It's nice seeing you again."

"You to big guy." Tony grinned grabbing Bruce's hand. "I hear you have settled all right, that's fantastic!"

Bruce nodded. "Yeah. It's like that thing… You think you know what you need. But you don't actually know before you have it."

"And this is what you need?" Tony asked.

"Yeah… Yeah I think it is." Bruce smiled. "Though it really is nice to see you, just another human. I know these guys mostly look human. But they really aren't. They couldn't care less about the superbowl."

"Neither do I honestly. But I'm sure we can find other earth topics to talk about." Tony chuckled.


Loki was left to his own devices with a woman with strawberry blond hair who had yet to speak, her entire face was a deep shade of red though. "I am so… So sorry." she muttered.

Loki looked down at her, and finally the woman glanced up.

"So… You must be Loki. Right?" she asked.

"Prince Loki of Asgard. If you please." Loki replied.

"Oh god that's even worse." Pepper swallowed. "What I mean is… I erh. Please forgive us, your highness." she bowed for him and then stood up again. "I'm Patricia Potts. People call me Pepper. I'm.." she sighed deeply. "I'm with Tony." she finally informed.

"I gathered." Loki commented.

Pepper sighed deeply… Yeah this wasn't going so well.

"I must say, you are not what I would expect Tony's girlfriend to be." Loki commented.

"May I ask. What do you mean by that?" Pepper asked.

"You seem like a very sensible woman." Loki replied. "Tony could do well to learn from you."

"oh, thank you. That's a compliment right?" Pepper asked.

"Just an observation." Loki replied in a shrug.

Pepper couldn't help but be stunned… These Asgardians. If you didn't know they were aliens, you wouldn't think about it. This man though, Loki… Not only the way he looked. But the way he spoke. He truly seemed… well.. alien.

Loki sighed deeply. "What is it?" he asked.

"I don't wish to be rude or offend you." Pepper informed. "Beside, what-ever I say to you. You probably have already heard it a hundred times. And I can understand why you would find that highly annoying."

Loki glanced at her, then smirked. "Very astute. So, yes. I am a difference race than the others. And yes I am the only one of my race at this place. There is though an entire realm filled with people of my race. It is merely across the Galaxy. I am Thors adopted brother. The ridges are natural, I was born with them. Their shapes are indeed genetic and is used to circulate elemental energy. Any other questions?"

Pepper chuckled. "The ridges weren't even on my mind at all. Does people ask a lot about them?"

"All the time." Loki rolled his eyes.

Amused Pepper shook her head. "Honestly, I wondered more about how I was supposed to talk to you. We must seem very strange and uncivilized to you."

Loki smirked. "Well, some humans." he stated. "Others seem all right." he stated as he turned around and simply left leaving a stunned Pepper.

Was that… A second compliment? Something told Pepper she should appreciate that.

"Pepper!" Tony came running towards her with his new friend in tow. "So Bruce, this is Pepper. Best woman on earth! Peps, this is Bruce! Genius Gamma expert and he has legit super powers."

Bruce blushed. "Erhm, hello." he shyly offered Pepper a hand

Pepper blinked, this man was Bruce Banner? The way people talked about him, they always made him sound like such a big brute. With no regard for human life. This man though, seemed very shy and just a little awkward. Pepper smiled lightly accepting the hand. "It's nice to meet you Doctor Banner."

And they shook as Bruce finally seemed to relax a bit. "So, first time at New Asgard Ms Potts?" he asked. "Well, of course it is. I would know if..." he shook his head. "I can show you around if you want. The Asgardians, they are very welcoming people. But they can also be… a bit loud. Bombastic, so to speak."

"Bruce here says he lacks actual human company." Tony smirked. "I say we'll give it to him."

"Sure." Pepper smiled then she halted. "Sorry I am asking Doctor Banner. But what are you doing here exactly? At New Asgard."

"Well… You see." Bruce began carefully. "Ever since… I became the Hulk. I have been traveling all over the world. Looking for a cure. I never found any. Aliens arrived here, with technology unlike anything on earth. So I came here to look. I didn't find a cure but… What I found honestly surprised me. These people, they actually like the Hulk." he gaped. "Oh! And I am training my mind with Prince Loki! It seems to really calm the Hulk, he can come out without being a big ball of rage!"

"So I can meet him?!" Tony asked excited.

Bruce looked at him. "Tony, you have to be the only human on earth who actually wants to meet the Hulk."

"I don't believe that. Lots of people want to meet him. Surely." Tony smirked.

"Yeah, people who want to do science experiments on him." Bruce muttered.

"Sorry, sorry." Tony waved. "So for a walk then? Show the way Doc."

Bruce shook his head. "Come on, the dining plaza is this way." he showed and all three humans started to walk.