(no subject)

[everylittlegirl]

Characters: Hayley Stark + Bruce Banner, Tony Stark (MCU), Jor-El, others [CLOSED]
Date: Post-Superman attack (Dec 8→)
Location: All over
Situation Hayley attacked Superman and some people are not entirely thrilled about it + she has some explaining to do.
Warnings/Ratings: PG-13 for violence, language, possible references to homicide, suicide, pedophilia, etc. idk it's Hayley.

[ooc: Log for Kryptonite plot stuff. Please request a thread if you want one.]

Comments

FOR BRUCE BANNER: Late night of Dec 8

[everylittlegirl]

Hayley had checked in with Bruce three hours later with a simple text, as promised. Now, as she made her way to the man's house, she felt decimated at best. Staying elsewhere was definitely a good idea given the allies that Clark had and how many of them might seek revenge. Yet, for all the kindnesses Bruce had given her through their time together, she felt compelled to explain the situation and that would be a nightmare of its own.

She wouldn't betray Clark's secret. Not without good reason, not with her head still spinning from the discovery. But she would explain the Kryptonite and about hurting Superman and why others might seek her out. She would give Bruce the option of expelling her from his suite. It wasn't like he had any reason to protect her and it was unfair to put his life in danger.

Before she knew it, she was knocking at his door, hood pulled up to help soften the fear at the edges of her expression and bag slung across her shoulder.

[angermanaging]

The check in brought his tension down a notch, and by the time Hayley shows up, Bruce is outwardly calm enough that an observer would never guess he had something to preoccupy him. Staying calm is often his best defense, and he employs it now, keeping his wondering to a minimum. When he goes to let her in, he has no clue that her thoughts so closely mirror his own at other times-- that he has to tell his secrets because it's unfair to endanger others unknowingly. That's been his motivation so often when telling others about the Hulk. It'd been his motivation when he told her.

Bruce nods her in, glancing behind her with sharp attentiveness. The shades are already drawn in his apartment, and he's quick and casual to close the door. All of his old instincts have immediately cropped up all at once, pulled to the fore at the slightest provocation.

"Alright?" he asks, more of a status check of the situation than asking if she's okay. He assumes she doesn't want to be asked the latter.

[everylittlegirl]

Hayley moves quickly and quietly into the apartment at his invitation. She stops only a few feet into the space and turns around to face him, rolling up onto the balls of her feet and back down with nervous energy. It's an uncommon gesture for her to display in any other situation. This one calls for it, especially with the anticipation of speaking to Bruce about everything.

"We need to talk," she replies immediately, nearly clipping off his words. "But you already know that."

The girl glances back around the apartment, to Bruce, and around again. "Here, or in the kitchen, or where-?"

[angermanaging]

She's still wound up, obviously. It emphasizes her age to him, where sometimes he can nearly forget when they're speaking only by voice on the consoles. But to him it reads as young, nervous, unsure how to handle an unexpected crisis. He hasn't been like that in a long time, isn't sure he's ever really had the luxury to be antsy.

Conversely, he settles even further, seemingly unaffected by her nerves. "I have it hidden," he answers, assuming that's what she's asking for. That'd be his priority, anyway. "Let's just take a seat." Bruce walks toward the couch to do just that, gait even. "How about you start from the beginning," he says.

[everylittlegirl]

Hayley shakes her head immediately when he speaks. He's missing the point entirely. She's not asking about the Kryptonite, though she supposes she should at some point. Right now, her focus is on the danger at hand. For once, the green rock can wait.

"No, I-," she begins, but stops when he continues speaking and moves over towards the couch. His calm movements annoy her, because she understands exactly what it is, the effort to placate her. "I meant where we should talk."

She hates the idea of following him when he guides her like that, so she moves over near the couch but refuses to sit for the moment. "He's acting like a god, right? No one should be invincible. Especially after their powers kill people. He didn't get that. I just wanted him to understand. So I found some Kryptonite at the auction and I attacked him. Only, it didn't go exactly like I thought it would and.. here I am."

There's a pause as she considers, running through her story again, realizing she missed one important deal. "Superman. I attacked Superman."

[angermanaging]

He doesn't explicitly intend to placate her; he thinks her distress has a real and understandable source. But his instinct is ever to deescalate, to bring the tension down and return to a ruthlessly practical way of looking at potential solutions. It won't do Hayley any favors, in his mind, if he treats her crises less seriously than he treats his own.

Bruce leans against the arm of the couch rather than sit when he sees that she isn't going to, and the surprise is clear in the lines of his posture when she finally clarifies. "Superman?" he repeats, vaguely incredulous. "Why would you-- that's dangerous. Absurdly dangerous. Even if he did-- wait. What do you mean, after his powers killed people?"

Somehow he hasn't been informed of this tidbit yet, and finally, at last, some of that dark dissatisfaction, simmering anger, is visibly lurking in his bearing. Bruce is quick. He has a suspicion about who's deaths she's referring to if she was worked up enough about it to attack someone practically invincible, and he doesn't want to believe that he could've missed a piece of information so critical.

[everylittlegirl]

She appreciates that he doesn't sit after telling her to do so. It's both unnerving and calming that he can read her well enough to predict those kinds of behaviors. Hayley grimaces very slightly when he repeats the name, an exaggerated expression to emphasize her embarrassment over the matter. While the girl has no regrets about attacking Superman, it's not something she knows is common or particularly acceptable. Especially as a 14 or 15-year-old girl.

"It wasn't that dangerous," she grumbles in response, not entirely appreciating what feels all too similar to a lecture of sorts. Somehow, for once, it doesn't really rile her to feel chastised. It's almost too familiar to be uncomfortable.

She chooses to sound less immature as she continues. "It was a Kryptonian's powers who killed Tony and I. I didn't tell anyone because- well, because I wanted to take care of it myself, but also? It was during the whole Zatanna spell thing where people were swapping super powers and so it wasn't really his fault. And I wasn't withholding information either. Lois knows and she's part of the investigation, so they're already looking into it."

There's a pause before she continues with less sureness. "The box I gave you has a piece of green rock in it. Kryptonite? It's the only thing that can hurt Superman. I don't want anyone else to have it because I know how bad that could be if it got into the wrong hands, but it's not fair that no one has any when maybe it could have helped. I couldn't keep it because I know he'd want it back and he might have one of his friends steal it or something, but I figured you should know since you have it right now."

Normally Hayley isn't so honest about the full situation. It's easier to ask forgiveness than permission, but Bruce has earned it.

[angermanaging]

Bruce strongly disagrees that it's not that dangerous. Kal-El is a kind man, he'd have to be deaf and blind to have missed that, but he's incredibly powerful and Hayley is only a girl. If he'd justifiably taken offense to her holding one of his biggest weaknesses, it could've gotten messy, fast.

But he can't harp on that, because she's revealing facts about their murderer and his stomach turns over to hear it. "So someone had his powers," he says instantly. "That's how they could-- without either of you realizing who it was." It suddenly makes a lot more sense why Hayley would want to hold onto the Kryptonite, as a pivotal weakness for the set of powers that had murdered her.

The thought makes him sober, thinking over the implications. "Thank you for telling me," he says honestly, folding his arms and drumming his fingers against his bicep. "Nothing should be impervious, for reasons like this." Bruce definitely feels better having so many people around that he knows can withstand the Hulk. "I agree that holding onto it is a good idea. We don't know what might happen again. He won't be able to guess that I have it?"

Bruce has no idea what Superman knows of his relationship with Hayley, whether he'd think to guess that she'd have passed the Kryptonite onto him.

[everylittlegirl]

Hayley watches and listens in silence as Bruce begins to piece it together. It's dangerous, him knowing so much. In this situation, though, she's aware enough to recognize that she may need help to find the killer and she knows Bruce's words will have more sway with Tony than her own. That means she needs Bruce on her side and to understand that she's not entirely innocent and definitely not content to idle around until the man is found.

She feels a weight lift from her shoulders, one she didn't realize she had been carrying, when he agrees to hold onto the Kryptonite. The girl really didn't want to test that theory about the Hulk protecting her to get time to retrieve the rock from him if he wanted to give it away. With most of her anxiety settling to a more manageable level, exhaustion floods in to fill the gap and she finally moves over to take a seat on the edge of a chair near him.

"I don't know. I think I told him I stayed with you, but I don't think he knows how-" '..how close we are,' 'how much I trust you?' It's the last thing Hayley's willing to admit aloud without absolute necessity. "..often we talk."

"Don't invite him in and maybe.. I think we'll be okay." She begins a different thought than she ends with. Hayley knows Stark Industries would be a safer place for the rock to be, but she doesn't trust Tony with it. The more people they tell, the more risks there are of the wrong person knowing and trying to kill Clark. That's really not what she wants right now.

Let me know if this works acceptably.

[lookedtothestars]

Approaching Hayley over the matter of her attack on his son was not Jor-El's priority. Ensuring that Kal-El would recover fully was, even as he took care that visiting his and Lois' suite did not expose Kal-El further. Confronting her over the matter could wait, and it did.

When he finally decided to speak to her her, a few days had already passed. He did not inform Kal-El; that, if he decided to do so at all, he would do later. Now was the time for him to recover, rather than be concerned for others. Finding her when she would be available to speak to was difficult, though he had anticipated it would be the case.

Let me know if you'd like me to edit

[everylittlegirl]

Hayley knew that people would be coming for her. The fact that it had been a few days did nothing to alleviate that fear, the unquestionable knowledge that she would be attacked, if not killed, by one of Clark's Kal-El's Clark's friends for what she had done. It was half the reason she had spent the first night at Bruce's and had been secretly spending most nights at Stark Industries since then.

Although she knew Jor-El worked with Wayne Enterprises, she had been doing her best to casually avoid him while at her job there and had thus far been successful. Maybe she wasn't paying attention on this particular day; maybe it wasn't his normal schedule; maybe she secretly wanted to talk to him. Whatever the case, she found herself walking down the hall and meeting him face-to-face for the first time since the attack.

The girl stopped several feet short of him, an awkward distance not meant for the relationship they had once shared. She looked directly at him, tentative and waiting to see what his reaction might be. At least they were still in the halls of Wayne's building.

[lookedtothestars]

The science division had its own building, which meant he rarely ventured into the main building, but there were times where it was required.

Finding Hayley here was incidental. "Hayley." He inclined his head lightly as he acknowledged her presence. His voice was even, gentle.

He kept the distance she had decided upon, rather than approaching and closing the space between them. "When you have the opportunity, I would like to speak to you in private."

A public setting like this was not appropriate under the circumstances.

[everylittlegirl]

Her job in pharmaceuticals often kept to the medical quarter, away from the science division, but today found her in the main building and she wasn't certain whether she was anxious or relieved to see him standing there before her. Perhaps both. When he spoke, she couldn't help her muscles tensing and her expression immediately contorted to one that was defensive. He was logical, but there was nothing to say the man couldn't be angry and she wasn't about to attack him too.

"Why?" She asked immediately, but there was something nuanced about the way her body settled into its position that suggested she wanted to stay here and talk rather than quickly leave him now. "I'd really rather not do the whole death thing again."

[lookedtothestars]

"I have no intention of harming you, Hayley." It was a truthful statement, even after what her actions had done. Violence and revenge would do nothing but scare the girl further, even had he any interest in pursuing either. There was something important missing in why she had felt the need to attack Kal-El, in what rationale Kal-El had said she provided when he had asked.

"A corridor is too public a setting for what I wish to discuss with you."

[everylittlegirl]

She continued to watch him, her gaze searching his expression and posture for tells. Hayley wasn't particularly great at catching them. Or, rather, she wasn't nearly as good as she knew she could be. Sometimes, it was a detriment. Other times, it worked to her advantage, joining hand-in-hand with her reckless behavior to enable her opportunities the more savvy and cautious might never have.

"Okay," she agreed. If Jor-El said he wasn't going to kill her, she would believe him for now when there were no signs of deception. Besides, she could think of several reasons they might not want to have the conversation they needed to have out in public. "Now? We can walk somewhere."

[lookedtothestars]

The closed off nature of his body language and expressions hardly helped, it being much more reserved than that of the kedan or humans here.

The fact that she agreed to speak to him would make this easier. While time could aid in it, there was no guarantee, especially since this had built up since Hayley had been killed in the first place. "If you have the time, yes."

[everylittlegirl]

Hayley glanced back at the way she had come, then looked to Jor-El again and nodded. She had been picking up extra shifts when she had time, as much as her kedanese boss here would allow, and had just dropped off an item that was her last task before leaving for the day. That meant she had all the time in the world really. "Yeah. Let's go."

As often was the case in their relationship, she waited for him to lead. While Hayley was much more naturally inclined to take charge or at least demand equality, Jor-El had established himself easily as a teacher quickly enough that she was eager to learn. More so, his choices enabled her to learn more about him and allowing him to lead was a part of that.

[manofiron]

These days, he spends most of his time at home during the day and at work during the nighttime hours. There are fewer people there in the middle of the night and he doesn’t feel like dealing with anyone. Since the alcohol dried up, figuratively speaking, he hasn’t felt like dealing with much of anything, and that means pulling strings of all-nighters until he feels so disconnected and out of it that he doesn’t care anymore. But eventually he has to sleep, his body gives up and forces it on him, and the whole cycle starts all over again.

So here he is, wide awake and out running his demons by pacing the halls of this Through the Looking Glass version of Stark Industries. It’s quiet, peaceful, making him feel deceptively like he’s the only person in the world. It’s a terrible feeling, but an oddly comforting one too. No one can get hurt, and no one can hurt him, if he’s the only one left.

It’s then, thoroughly wrapped up in his maudlin thoughts, that he rounds the corner and runs into Hayley. The other, other Stark, as the guy with the laptop called her. Hauled out of his thoughts, Tony steps back and blinks at her, trying to work out what she’s doing here at this hour.

“Didn’t expect to see you here,” he settles on, temporizing in the hope that she’ll explain it without him having to ask further.

[everylittlegirl]

Hayley knows that Tony spends most nights here. She has done her best to avoid them and has been more than successful thus far, keeping to the levels and areas mainly designed for lower workers and paperwork. On this particular night, having slept here so many nights already, she's plain sloppy. Her thoughts have carried her away from focusing and she's wandering down a hall she rarely frequents just in time to come face-to-face with the man himself.

Her hands immediately lift into a defensive position when she bumps into the man and her muscles tense. Then her brain catches up and she drops her hands and takes a couple steps back, mirroring his own response.

"I'm sorry!" She begins immediately, defaulting to awkward and nervous teenage girl. "I know I shouldn't be here this late, but I was working on a project and I didn't think anyone would be here and I really didn't mean to disturb you."

Hayley refrains from adding 'sir' on the end.

[manofiron]

From one of the techs, Tony would think nothing of it. He doesn’t run a tight ship. Employees can make their own hours, come and go as they please, and he knows that he isn’t the only one who does it. But Hayley isn’t like him. She’s a kid, and there are very few kids who take science so seriously that they forgo sleep, entertainment, and other forms of amusement to come into a lab to do work. As far as he knows, he’s the only kid who’s ever done it.

But he also knows that Hayley’s undergoing something most normal kids aren’t. She’s dealing with having been killed. Maybe, if she knows, she’s dealing with being a clone. For all he knows, maybe she’s also dealing with being separated from that sleazy guy she’d been emailing before she’d shown up here.

That’s probably none of his business. No, he knows that that isn’t any of his business and he tells himself that he’s going to avoid that topic like the plague.

“What project are you working on?” That question he doesn’t shy away from asking.

[everylittlegirl]

"A medical file," she answers too quickly. After all the hours of rehearsing lies in her mind, she falters with the unexpected appearance of her boss and fellow murdered. Knowing her answer sounds as phony as it is, she adds tentatively, "It's not exactly urgent, but I know it could be helpful, so I thought I'd just try to get it finished anyway, you know?"

He knows it's a lie. She knows that he knows. Mostly, she's hoping he'll have enough sympathy to let her go with the blatant deceit instead of continuing to ask questions.

[manofiron]

“Uh huh.” Tony’s dealt with so many liars over the course of his life that he’s gotten pretty good at detecting them when he hears them. He doesn’t always get it right, he never saw the duplicity of Stane coming, but when it comes from those who aren’t close to him, he’s fairly confident that he can tell the difference between the truth and a lie.

Hayley’s lying. This isn’t a hospital. The likelihood of anyone working on a medical file into all hours of the night is slim to nil, especially when that someone happens to be a child. But he thinks that he knows what she’s doing. Perhaps not entirely, but enough that he can relate.

“Look, you want to use my stuff, you don’t bullshit me. I’ll let it go tonight, but fair warning for the future.”

[everylittlegirl]

Hayley's lips pull tight at the edges at his blatantly skeptical reply. She still manages a smile, strained though it is, and manages not to shift impatiently from one foot to the other. Although she doesn't know Tony particularly well, she can't imagine Bruce being so close with someone who isn't nearly as perceptive as the scientist. The fact that Tony owns this whole company aside, he must have something going for him in terms of practical or personally applicable intelligence and not simply the technology aspect.

"I'm not using your stuff," she replies defensively. Hayley may be lying, but she's not about to get called out on something she's not actually doing. A sigh. "I'm spending the night, okay? There was this misunderstanding with this guy I know and I didn't want to stay with Bruce again and I- I wanted somewhere safe, okay? I was hoping you'd get it."

[manofiron]

“This?” He waves a hand in the air, indicating the building. “This is my stuff.” Now it’s his stuff. Technically, it belonged to another Tony Stark, which is a fact he hasn’t forgotten. “You see where I’m going with this, right?”

If she’s watching closely enough, she may notice a faint hint of something wary and slightly suspicious pass over his face when she mentions staying with Bruce. It could be innocent, of course, but he’s read the email. He knows she goes for older men. After all the things he’s done, he doesn’t have much room to judge the personal lives of others, but he has always drawn the line at messing around with underage people. Maybe Bruce does too. Maybe he doesn’t. It’s not his business though, and after the initial suspicion, he releases it, ignores it and moves on.

Because he isn’t going to facilitate her sleeping on the street, or putting herself in harm’s way with whoever she’s gotten on the wrong side of now, he continues with, “Take an empty office somewhere. Second floor, probably. There were a few there last time I checked. Pick one with a couch, it’ll be more comfortable than sleeping on the floor.”

[everylittlegirl]

Hayley frowns and her hands ball into fists at her sides. It's hard to control her anger. Harder, even, when she's tired and surprised and sick of people trying to get things from her in exchange for offering her protection. His suggesting a second floor office is unexpected, but she's too caught up in what sounds like a demand to accept it with gratitude.

"And.. what? Pay you a rental fee? Owe you a favor for using your stuff? I'm sure you're great and whatever, but I think I'd rather take my chances at my suite and hope no super friends come knocking."

Truthfully, she doesn't want to. Staying with Bruce is inviting her potential enemies to find the Kryptonite and she doesn't really have anywhere else to go except back to her suite, where Superman and all of his buddies know where she is. Hayley's reckless and all, but she's very aware that, at the end of the day, she's a technically 15-year-old, very petite little girl.