"Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain." ~Joseph Campbell
Bruce was meditating in his room, or perhaps trying to, would be a better way to phrase it. The Other Guy had been restless all day, so Bruce had locked himself away from everyone and everything. It was probably late by now, but The Other Guy was still pushing to get out. Bruce didn't want the other on the team to get hurt because The Other Guy decided to come out to play. His own hate for The Other Guy and his self-hatred for not keeping in control was consuming him as he sat alone in his room.
"Bruce? Do you want anything?" Anora Williams voice asked through his door.
"No. Thank you."
"Okay- but Bruce, if you need anything, ask. Okay? Even if it's just someone to sit quietly beside you, alright?"
"Thank you. I will." He heard her sigh and set something down outside, before walking away.
The doctor stood and walked to the door. He peaked out into the hallway and looked down, a smile tugged at his lips. The young woman had left him a cup of tea and some food, all still steaming, with a note.
'If you need anything else, just let me know.'
Dr. Banner scrawled a quick note on the back of it.
'Thank you. I could use someone to meditate with in the morning, if you wouldn't mind?'
He left the note with the dishes outside his door. When he looked later he found another cup of tea and a reply.
'Sure thing Doc. What are friends for?'
The Other Guy calmed down after reading that note for some reason. It wasn't actually surprising, Bruce decided. Anora seemed to have that effect on people; maybe The Other Guy just wanted friends, people to accept him, just like he did. And he had friends here, they had friends here.
Bruce Banner smiled as he drank his tea, and The Other Guy purred quietly in the back of his mind.