((OPEN)) Have you hugged your physicist today?

[hyperkinesia]

Who: Bruce Banner and YOU
Where: Library, kitchen, dining room, gardens, basement lab, etc. ANYWHERE.
When: From the 16th to the 19th, state your date!
Rating: I don't expect anything past PG
Summary: Bruce is seeking the comfort of simple physical contact. Arms brushing, hands holding, hugging, anything. It doesn't even matter if he knows you or if he's never seen you before. He craves for it so much he might not even notice he's doing it at first.
Note: I'm alright with both brackets and prose, pick your poison.
The Story:

[ It starts with nothing but a feeling, something itching at the far back of his mind, something that's entirely different from the kind of clawing and scratching he's normally used to. But he brushes it aside, he doesn't think much of it - not until he starts crossing paths with random people on the hallways and the gardens and finds himself reaching to touch strangers he's never even seen before.

Most times, he manages to draw back and rush away before actually doing anything. Other times he finds himself detouring just so he can brush his fingers against someone else's, or feel his arm bump lightly against theirs. But somehow it's only when he's alone that he starts to fully realize that something's happening. The mind is quick to make the association, though knowing that this might very well be one of these events doesn't really help him in stopping this craving for touch from happening.

So instead he starts seeking solitude. He hides in corners of the library, and he uses the kitchen and the dining room when there's no one else around. The rest of the time, he retreats to the lab and stays there, surrounded by what's as close to familiarity as he can get, and at least there if someone approaches him, it's people he's more comfortable with. Relatively speaking. ]

Comments

18th?

[vates]

[ Kevin is lonely, and it doesn't matter if his last contact with someone was five hours ago or five seconds ago. As soon as he's alone again, he starts to ache physically, and he starts to panic. Whoever he talked to is probably never coming back. Dean and Sam? Gone. Crowley? Probably gone, too. Everyone Kevin's grown close to -- on a sliding scale of positivity -- is gone and he's alone and all he wants is family.

It's hard to sleep like this; his dreams are full of his mother and sometimes his father, not that Kevin had much time to spend with him, so he winds up wandering the mansion instead of sleeping. He stumbles into the kitchen, sniffling a little, and draws up when he sees someone else.

Who is it? Doesn't matter. It's another body and Kevin's heart skips a dozen beats. ] Oh my God. Hi. I mean. [ He shakes his head, hoping to shake off the desperation with it. ] I mean... Hey.

[hyperkinesia]

[ Each moment alone leaves Bruce's skin itching uncomfortably, but if there's one thing he's grown used to is controlling himself. The sensation is manageable when he's alone - the problem is when there are other people nearby, and it's beyond his own awareness that he closes distances and reaches for strangers. Most times he doesn't even realize he's doing it until he steps away again.

The kitchen's usually empty late at night, realistically being the time he prefers to go there and get himself some food. He doesn't expect company, and though it's not enough to startle him, the arrival surprises him anyway. He turns on the spot, feeling his shoulders tense as he draws his hands to himself and takes a step back. ]

Hi. Sorry, midnight snack. [ Bruce's not even looking at the guy, which makes it just a little easier for him to even think about heading out the door, even as he feels his focus slipping away with each ticking second. ] I'll get out of your way.

[vates]

No. [ Kevin says it too fast and takes a step closer too, a big one, before he stops himself because he can totally see that the guy is drawing in on himself. And that matters, but Kevin can totally respect his space bubble if he just lets Kevin sit outside it for a while and try to bond. ]

No, please... You just... do whatever it is you're doing. I won't get in the way. [ He clears his throat and then looks for an apple or something to make it look like finding a random stranger in the kitchen wasn't exactly what he wanted to do. ]

What are you making?

[hyperkinesia]

[ Bruce was drawing back before, it's true, but when Kevin closes that distance, he relaxes into that proximity, his shoulders unwinding as he takes half a step towards him too. It's the opposite of what he'd want normally, but right now he finds himself wanting entirely different things, at least regarding other people. ]

Some toast, or a sandwich. [ He clears his throat, one of his hands moving just a hint, as if he's reaching to touch his arm, but stops halfway there. ] I can make you one, if you want.

[vates]

[ That's definitely a change in body language, and one that Kevin has no problem at all leaning right into. He's not exactly up to turning down invitations to be in someone's space, and for him that's mostly emotional space, but he'll take anything right now. ]

Sure. What's your name? I'm Kevin Tran. [ And I'm terrified that everyone I know will leave me again so maybe we should be best friends forever, or at least until you inevitably disappear. He manages to hide that rush of feelings with a smile. ]

[hyperkinesia]

[ Bruce's smile is hesitant, even if his movements, unusually so, aren't. He reaches a hand out all too eagerly though, his wish for touch poorly veiled, if at all. At least the guy doesn't seem to mind too much. ]

Doctor Bruce Banner. Just Bruce is fine.

[vates]

[ Kevin's eyes fall to Bruce's hand and back up to his face. Yeah, he seems to be eager for this, and why should Kevin deny him? He doesn't have anything against shaking his hand. And maybe if Kevin can give him what he wants, then he'll be willing to give Kevin what he wants: some sort of a connection.

He shakes his hand, not doing anything out of the ordinary for now, just so he can see how Bruce reacts. ]

What kind of doctor are you?

[hyperkinesia]

[ The hand is taken in a sure grasp, Bruce even adds his other hand to cup Kevin's in both of his for a moment. The thought that it's too much, it's too close, is one that only briefly grazes his mind, so until Kevin makes any motion to let go, neither does he. ]

A physicist. [ He smiles a little. ] Not the most exciting, I'm told.

[vates]

No, physics is the cool science class. [ Kevin had wanted to go into politics, but he'd enjoyed his science classes, and AP Physics was a good class. ]

Chemistry was good too, but physics was my favorite.

[ He notices the handshake is lingering, and that his hand is now being cradled by a stranger. Either Dr. Banner is touchy, creepy, or especially in need of touch. Kevin adds his other hand to the mix before he pulls his hands away. ]

Are you craving human contact? Because me too, sort of.

[hyperkinesia]

[ Bruce's eyebrows arch in a good kind of surprise. It's not every day he hears that from a kid, especially when comparing it to chemistry - most tend to prefer the other. ]

You're an exception to the rule, aren't you? [ He must be really smart, Bruce thinks. He's not much of a teacher, but he's definitely curious now.

At the question his eyes lower to their hands, and he slowly starts pulling away. ] I'm sorry. Yeah, I don't... I don't even notice I'm doing it.

[vates]

Oh, I don't know. [ He's flustered mainly because school feels like it was a million years ago. His college essay, the SATs -- it's been a long time since he even regretted not being able to go through with them, wished for something else. He guesses that means he'd settled into a new chapter, when he decided to stay with Sam and Dean. ]

And it's okay. It turns out that this thing makes me feel like if I don't find friends, then I'm going to die alone and friendless. So let's have sandwiches, and you can tell me something else about yourself, and then I can, like... [ He looks Bruce over. ] Try to braid your hair or something.

oh my god kevin you're killing me.

[hyperkinesia]

[ Bruce doesn't look all too convinced by that dismissive remark, but he doesn't press on. Maybe he'll get an opportunity to see just how smart Kevin is in the future, and God only knows how that could come in handy. ]

Alright. [ Amusement flashes in the small smile on his face, never quite turning into a grin. ] How about we start with the sandwiches, and we'll work from there.

[ Because braiding, really. ]