Prompt 4: Shapechanging (Provided by jaquelinelittle)
First off, sorry about missing yesterday's update. Life, y'know. But here's today's story (on a rough definition of 'today,' but it's not midnight in my timezone yet so I'm counting it!)
Enjoy!
When Bruce was little, he'd wanted superpowers. All little kids want superpowers at one point. When he played heroes with his friends, they chose powers like flying, turning invisible, being super strong. Bruce always chose shape shifting. He loved the freedom of it– he could be whatever he wanted, go wherever he wanted, do whatever he wanted. He was limited only by what he could imagine, and as a bright little kid, be could imagine anything.
Being the Hulk is like shape shifting, Bruce realized once. He'd laughed when he'd realized it. Careful what you wish for, he'd recalled sourly. But changing into the Hulk was nothing like the shape changing he'd played as a kid. Back then, he imagined the change to be fun, pleasurable even– controlling yourself and becoming whatever you want to become. He'd liked the power because it meant he used his brain to fight instead of the brawn he was never meant to have. Changing into the Hulk was the opposite. It's like everything he hates pushes out of him at the same time, and it feels like he's going to be ripped to shreds. In a way, he is. Bruce Banner, who is smart and who is peaceful and who is good, gets destroyed in those moments. There is no control. Where he once thought shape shifting was about decisions and planning and finding the smart answer to problems instead of just beating things up, he now understands that his superpower, his curse, is the opposite.
Even after the battle in New York, even after he was dubbed a superhero, Bruce still despises his power. Tony calls it a gift. Right. Bruce can't come to terms with it, and he knows why. At the end of the day, Bruce Banner never saved the world, Bruce Banner never fought the Chitauri, Bruce Banner never beat up a God. The Hulk did. Even if they are technically the same person, The Hulk is not Bruce-gone-superhero like Iron Man is for Tony. The Hulk doesn't think and reason and plan like Bruce would if he were in control. The Hulk doesn't who to fight and what to fight for like Bruce would. The Hulk doesn't discern friend from enemy from innocent bystander like Bruce would. The Hulk is not Bruce, because when Bruce's shape changes, so does he.
Jeez, that was short. I'll try to do a longer one next time :)
As per usual, Thank you to everyone who reviewed and everyone who provided prompts! And of course, special thanks to jaquelinelittle for this one ;)
Until tomorrow!
