We're Not Broken, Just Bent
One
I was surprised at the man who now stood at my doorstep, more than likely because I hadn’t seen him in two years but also because of the way the light from his eyes seemed to be gone.
“Sorry to just show up without calling first, I just didn’t know who to talk to and then I thought of you and the next thing I knew I was on a plane to get here.” I leaned on my front door and stared at him.
“What are you doing here, Mark?” He sighed as his face pulled into an uncomfortable smile, he ran a hand through his hair and he looked down at my welcome mat.
“I’m not sure, I mean I don’t think there is anything you can do for me.” His words had me worried now as I stood up straight and opened my door a bit more.
“That’s scaring me because I am a doctor and you don’t think there is something I can do for you, what’s wrong?” His eyes slowly made their way back up to my face.
“I have a brain tumor.” I felt like someone socked me in the stomach with a fist the size of a boulder.
“I’m sorry it just sounded like you said you have a brain tumor.” My light laugh had a hint of hysteria.
“That’s because I do.” I opened my door fully now.
“Come in.” My tone was now in what he used to call ‘doctor serious’. He stepped past me and into my house as I closed the door behind him.
“I’m so sorry to bother you, I just sort of panicked and I didn’t know what to do.” I motioned for him to sit on my couch as he went on apologizing for showing up at my door.
“It’s okay.” He sat down heavily on my couch as I sat across from him on my coffee table.
“How’ve you been?” The same weird smile that showed up before was making an appearance again.
“Mark.” He sighed and placed his hands over his eyes as he sat back and let his head fall back to hit the back of the couch.
“I just feel so stupid coming here, I mean I haven’t talked to you in what? Two years. You made it very clear I was to leave you alone and here I am. At the first sign of bad news I come running to you.” He flung his hands out as he uncovered his face and leaned forward on his elbows.
“So what?” A small smile appeared on his face; it was a ghost of the famous Mark Ruffalo smile I was accustomed to back in the day.
“So what?” He repeated my question.
“We had some problems and you stayed away from me for two years and now you have a medical condition, I’m a neurologist, it makes sense.” He was looking at me in a sad way.
“I didn’t just come here because you’re a neurologist, I came here because you were my best friend. I’ve spent two years not being able to talk to you and I just-“ He moved his hand over his mouth as he stopped speaking.
“I needed you.”
“Sorry to just show up without calling first, I just didn’t know who to talk to and then I thought of you and the next thing I knew I was on a plane to get here.” I leaned on my front door and stared at him.
“What are you doing here, Mark?” He sighed as his face pulled into an uncomfortable smile, he ran a hand through his hair and he looked down at my welcome mat.
“I’m not sure, I mean I don’t think there is anything you can do for me.” His words had me worried now as I stood up straight and opened my door a bit more.
“That’s scaring me because I am a doctor and you don’t think there is something I can do for you, what’s wrong?” His eyes slowly made their way back up to my face.
“I have a brain tumor.” I felt like someone socked me in the stomach with a fist the size of a boulder.
“I’m sorry it just sounded like you said you have a brain tumor.” My light laugh had a hint of hysteria.
“That’s because I do.” I opened my door fully now.
“Come in.” My tone was now in what he used to call ‘doctor serious’. He stepped past me and into my house as I closed the door behind him.
“I’m so sorry to bother you, I just sort of panicked and I didn’t know what to do.” I motioned for him to sit on my couch as he went on apologizing for showing up at my door.
“It’s okay.” He sat down heavily on my couch as I sat across from him on my coffee table.
“How’ve you been?” The same weird smile that showed up before was making an appearance again.
“Mark.” He sighed and placed his hands over his eyes as he sat back and let his head fall back to hit the back of the couch.
“I just feel so stupid coming here, I mean I haven’t talked to you in what? Two years. You made it very clear I was to leave you alone and here I am. At the first sign of bad news I come running to you.” He flung his hands out as he uncovered his face and leaned forward on his elbows.
“So what?” A small smile appeared on his face; it was a ghost of the famous Mark Ruffalo smile I was accustomed to back in the day.
“So what?” He repeated my question.
“We had some problems and you stayed away from me for two years and now you have a medical condition, I’m a neurologist, it makes sense.” He was looking at me in a sad way.
“I didn’t just come here because you’re a neurologist, I came here because you were my best friend. I’ve spent two years not being able to talk to you and I just-“ He moved his hand over his mouth as he stopped speaking.
“I needed you.”
♠ ♠ ♠
So this is it, let me know if this is a yay or nay. I have spent days thinking about a good plot line and landed on this one, but my mind gears are constantly turning. And if anyone finds another freaking Ruffalo fic please let me know. Or even a character of his that isn't just Bruce Banner.