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[open] apples and quinces, lemons and oranges
Who: Ned, open to all
What: Here be species-swap logs involving Ned the unlikely fertility god.
Where: Anywhere (preferably outdoors).
When: Duration of the event (58 - 61); put date in header, please.
Warnings: Blood, kidnapping, creepiness and general Ned-terrorizing? [will add more as necessary]
Ned wanders the town barefoot, leaving a path of fruit and flowers and vegetation behind him. There are daffodils and bluebells, hyacinths and crocuses, irises of all colors, primroses and poppies and periwinkle in profusion. When he stops to sit quietly under a tree, by the edge of the woods, the vines spread out from his body like paint creeping through water. They slowly wind their way up the trees, or else sprawl across the ground, swelling with strawberries and blackberries, grapes and kiwis, passionfuit and cherries.
He doesn't understand why it is happening, but from the sound of the messages over the communicator, everyone has been going through some strange changes. As far as Ned's concerned, being some kind of plant conjurer is better than some options.
Since he can't think of much else to do with his time, Ned lounges in the dappled shade and makes bouquets. All he needs to do is rake his hands through the soil and a few minutes later, up come the snapdragons, up come the cala lilies. He finds that, if he focuses on a particular kind of flower as he does it, sometimes it is mixed amongst the others. As he sits the hydrangeas are bubbling up around him, shielding him from view.
Ned isn't worried about resting in the woods, despite all the dire warnings he's heard in his short time here. He is at the very edge, just in the shade of the first few trees; the lions and tigers and bears can't possibly have any objections. So he lounges in his cozy bower, hazy, half-awake (he hadn't exactly slept well, the previous night), weaving crowns of camellias and garlands of gladiolus.
What: Here be species-swap logs involving Ned the unlikely fertility god.
Where: Anywhere (preferably outdoors).
When: Duration of the event (58 - 61); put date in header, please.
Warnings: Blood, kidnapping, creepiness and general Ned-terrorizing? [will add more as necessary]
Ned wanders the town barefoot, leaving a path of fruit and flowers and vegetation behind him. There are daffodils and bluebells, hyacinths and crocuses, irises of all colors, primroses and poppies and periwinkle in profusion. When he stops to sit quietly under a tree, by the edge of the woods, the vines spread out from his body like paint creeping through water. They slowly wind their way up the trees, or else sprawl across the ground, swelling with strawberries and blackberries, grapes and kiwis, passionfuit and cherries.
He doesn't understand why it is happening, but from the sound of the messages over the communicator, everyone has been going through some strange changes. As far as Ned's concerned, being some kind of plant conjurer is better than some options.
Since he can't think of much else to do with his time, Ned lounges in the dappled shade and makes bouquets. All he needs to do is rake his hands through the soil and a few minutes later, up come the snapdragons, up come the cala lilies. He finds that, if he focuses on a particular kind of flower as he does it, sometimes it is mixed amongst the others. As he sits the hydrangeas are bubbling up around him, shielding him from view.
Ned isn't worried about resting in the woods, despite all the dire warnings he's heard in his short time here. He is at the very edge, just in the shade of the first few trees; the lions and tigers and bears can't possibly have any objections. So he lounges in his cozy bower, hazy, half-awake (he hadn't exactly slept well, the previous night), weaving crowns of camellias and garlands of gladiolus.
no subject
Ned scoots closer, reaches up and sets his hand atop the little mount of earth. In a few seconds, there are zinnias coming up between his fingers, little spheres of close-packed pale-green petals. Ned takes his hand away after a minute or so, a wistful smile playing at the corner of his mouth. He is going to be sad when all this is over, when things return to normal and he can only give life by killing.
"You match," he points out.
no subject
Flower Man is potentially dangerous; just because he's nice now doesn't mean he won't be mean later, and he could use his flowers against him like that Green Lady did. For the moment, though, he's giving the Hulk something delicate and beautiful, and the Hulk is overcome with gratitude.
Tony is hands down the Hulk's favorite person, but Flower Man is moving up in the ranks.
The Hulk breaks out into a slow smile and looks down at his flowers, brushing his thumb gently over the petals, being careful not to disturb them.
"You're good at this, Flower Man."
no subject
Ned had thought of the incident with the park bench entirely in terms of Bruce, before now - that Bruce couldn't control what he became, that Bruce deserved to be forgiven for causing harm without meaning to. But now, Ned begins to extend that thinking the Hulk, this strange version of Bruce that he had thought was completely unrecognizable. But the care he takes not to crush the flowers, despite the size of his hands, reminds Ned of the care that Bruce had taken, not to frighten or hurt him when he'd come in for his exam. Perhaps the two aren't so different, after all.
"Thank you," Ned smiles, too. The nickname makes him realize that they haven't been properly introduced, and so he says, "Your name is Hulk, isn't it? I'm Ned. But Flower Man works, too." It's a pretty apt description, and it isn't Ned's first unusual nickname by any means.
no subject
Anyway, Flower Man and his flowers make the Hulk feel good, happy, and his mouth twitches into a smile.
"I'm glad I didn't smash you." He's kind of saying sorry, and he is sorry; expressing himself isn't his strong suit.
no subject
He recognizes the apology for what it is and responds accordingly, "It was an accident. Just bad luck all around. These things happen." Ned isn't going to hold a grudge; particularly now that the two of them are getting along together so well. Besides which, he noticed a few days ago that his newly-acquired healing powers seem to have fixed his ribs. So there's no harm done, at all.
"Here, it's for you," Ned says, laying out the large chain of daisies by the Hulk's knee as he gets to his feet. He reaches up into branches, plucks down two perfectly-ripe peaches.
"Want one?" he offers, holding one out for the Hulk while he bites into the other.
no subject
He's still admiring it when Flower Man offers him a peach, and the Hulk frowns as he accepts it. He doesn't trust easily, but he's starting to feel so happy he could almost... cry? And that's because the Flower Man is so kind and giving. He can trust the fruit, despite the fact he's never actually eaten before, not as himself.
It's sweet, but tangy, and the texture isn't what he'd thought, all smooth and squishy; it almost doesn't feel like he's chewing anything at all. He knows what this is; he knows what peaches are, what they taste like, but only as filtered through Banner's experiences, and they never feel like his own.
"I like this," he decides, and then he fixes a steady gaze on the Flower Man. "I like you. You don't sparkle like Tony, but flowers are good too."
no subject
There is something simple - wonderfully simple - about the way the Hulk expresses his approval of Ned which makes it easy to answer simply. "I like you too." There's something about interacting with Hulk that is not unlike interacting with Digby, or any other animal. For many people, that comparison would probably be an insult, but it isn't to Ned. He's never thought of animals as being and less alive, any less complex, any less worthy than humans. It's harder for him to see that difference, when he lives with Digby, sees his moods and preferences and personality. It's also harder because his powers work on animal and human alike: alive is alive, and dead is dead.
What distinguishes humans, as far as Ned is concerned, is their hypocrisy, their insecurities, their tendency to use abstract philosophies and goals to justify cruelty on a scale that is inconceivable for other animals.
Ned thinks it's probably a good idea not to bring up... anything about what's gone on between himself and Tony. So instead he offers, "If you want more, there's plenty. Help yourself." Ned gestures at the bower around them, the various fruit trees with their trunks entwined by honeysuckle. There are apples and apricots, pears and plums, kiwis and kumquats.
no subject
His gratefulness, his happiness, his sense of completion -- it's all growing to the point where it's nearly unbearable, or at least unbearable to handle without some kind of outlet.
Finally, he gives in by putting an arm around Ned and dragging him in close against the Hulk's side. There. He continues eating while cuddling Ned and quietly petting his head.
no subject
Nevertheless, Ned is tense for the first minute or so, sitting stiffly within the Hulk's hold, hands curled into fists at his sides. But as the Hulk continues to stoke his hair - as if he were a pet - and not hurt him, Ned begins to relax. His hands loosen and he leans back against the Hulk's side, acclimating to the contact gradually. He is much more willing to accomodate this level of proximity, in his current state. All of the same reasons and instincts are still there, but muted; it doesn't seem as monumental, as difficult, as terrifying to be touching someone.
Soon enough, he stops worrying entirely. He just enjoys the companionable silence, becomes calm enough and relaxed enough to let his mind wander down into the plants, to get lost in the hazy trance of their growth.
no subject
"Your powers are good. Better than Tony's. Do you need blood? I can get you a wolf." He doesn't know how these things work that well, but he's gotten good at hunting animals to try to make a stubborn vampire eat. By "hunting" he mostly just walks around in the woods until he's attacked, and then he grabs the animal in question.
no subject
"One of the wolves is different from the others. He would be smaller and a lot nicer. He's my friend and I'd be very sad if anything happened to him. Can you ... please be careful not to feed him to Tony?" he requests, resting his head against the Hulk's side. Better safe than sorry. Ned hasn't crossed paths with Jesse in a few days, and he isn't sure the Hulk will be able to tell the difference between a werewolf and a dire wolf.
no subject
The Hulk doesn't know yet that Ned's talking about Wheezy Man, who's also the Wolf Man who made Banner decide to be him after he got attacked. The Hulk can't complain too much about that turn of events, but he's also not thrilled that someone tried to attack Banner at all.