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21 | can i be the max to your grinch?

Oh, and that it was ridiculously hard to understand.

"Get it?" Bruce asked after explaining what the difference between a chemical and physical reaction was.

Cara blinked guiltily. She'd spent too much time trying to figure out what he was saying instead of just listening, like he'd apparently expected her to do. She ducked her head. There was no point being outsmarted by Bruce. It would only deflate her confidence. But then she lifted her head.

Fuck it. I don't understand science, that doesn't mean I'm dumb by any means. I understand sarcasm, that's a big enough accomplishment, isn't it?

She smirked. "God, I suck at this. But maybe I could be the Max to your Grinch?" Her grin widened at the reference. She'd only just thought of it, and she prided herself on her ability to think on her feet.

"Who's Max?" He asked. "And why am I the Grinch?"

She stared at him. For once, she'd have to explain something to him? "Oh, you know, when your alter ego comes out, it's all..." She made a few gestures to further get her point across. "Like the Grinch," she concluded, and then added, "and I'd be like the Grinch's cute little dog, Max, the one that pulls the sleigh up onto the top of Mount Crumpit." She smiled. "Get it?"

He shook his head. "No," he ran a hand through his already-disheveled head of hair. "Why would I need a sidekick? I think the Other Guy does enough damage on his own, right?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, I've never seen him in action." She reached forward and poked his stomach. "But--" poke "I talked to--" poke "Tony--" poke--

"Stop!" He said, moving away, turning to face another lab table.

Cara sidled up to stand next to him. "Ooh, what's that?" She feigned interest, hoping to get a reaction out of him. Ever since she'd come here, all he seemed to be was a kind, shy man, but after hearing about his "superpower," she'd been meaning to try some new things around him.

He ignored her. "You know, I think Clint's waiting for you to join him in the gym. Maybe you should go down there," he said, his voice noticeably shaky.

She fluttered her fingers against his middle, chuckling. "Bruce, are you ticklish?"

"I'm sensing some deja vu, here," he muttered to himself, and when Cara proceeded to pinch his arm rather hard, he whirled to face her. "Stop it!" His eyes were dark as he stared at her, their depths filled with black flames.

Cara took a step back, realizing her mistake. "I--I'm sorry, I didn't mean to--"

Then his eyes softened, seeming more Bruce-like. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, calming himself down. "No, I--its fine, I'm just...stressed out," he covered, but Cara knew he was lying. She'd succeeded in getting a reaction out of him, but it wasn't the same as what she'd pictured happening.

All the same, she didn't call him call him out on it, turning around to leave the lab. "Uh, see you later, Bruce," she said, waving lightly in his direction. "Thanks for your help."

He nodded, and looked like he was about to reply when someone knocked on the door, entering anyway.

"Oh, Steve was right." It was Clint, his quiver strapped across his shoulder.

"About what?" Cara asked.

"Nothing, he just said that you'd be here." He glanced at Bruce's figure standing against a lab table. "I hope I'm not interrupting--"

"You're not," Cara answered, while Bruce said a quick, "take her."

She turned back to glare at him, but she didn't blame him for the reaction, especially after her performance. He smiled softly at her.

"Oh," he raised his eyebrows in question, but when neither of them explained, he nodded swiftly and continued, "well, mind meeting me down in the gym?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'll be there in a few minutes."

He nodded in response, and left the room.

When she looked back at the scientist, he smirked. "I told you he was waiting."

She made a noise of annoyance and rolled her eyes, walking towards the door. "Whatever, Banner."