Even After Everything | Steve Rogers

Chapter 50

I sat in a cafe booth, Steve's arm around me, as Nat, Scott, Steve and I stared up at Bruce Banner in confusion. Yes up. He was huge, green, and wearing glasses. I was very confused, and I think Banner saw our stare.

"Come on, I feel like I'm the only one eating," Bruce used his big green hands to push a huge plate of eggs towards us, "Try some of that. Have some eggs."

Scott shook his head, and I looked across the table, where he and Natasha sat, "I'm so confused."

Bruce suddenly became serious, "These are confusing times."

"Right, No-no" Scott tried to find his words, "that's not what I meant."

"No, I get it. I'm kidding!" Bruce lost the serious look, "I know. It's crazy. I'm wearing shirts now!"

"Yeah! Wh...How? Why?" Scott trailed off.

"Five years ago, we got our asses beaten. Except it was worse for me," He sighed, "Because I lost twice. First, Hulk lost, then Banner lost. Then, we all lost."

Natasha looked at him with sympathy, "No one blamed you, Bruce."

"I did. For years, I've been treating the Hulk like he's some kind of disease, something to get rid of. But then I started looking at him as the cure. Eighteen months in a gamma lab," Bruce gave us a big smile, "I put the brains and the brawn together. And now look at me. Best of both worlds-"

Suddenly, three kids walked up to our table with tentative looks on their faces.

"Excuse me, Mr. Hulk?" The girl asked.

Bruce turned to her with a smile, "Yes?"

The girl held up a phone, "Can we get a photo?"

"One hundred percent, little person. Come on, step up," Bruce handed the girl's phone to Scott, "You mind?"

"Oh, yeah." Scott leaned forward, holding it up to take the photo.

"Say 'green!'" Bruce and the children said it together as Scott took the photo.

Bruce smiled, "Did you get that?"

Scott handed the phone to Bruce, "Don't you wanna grab one with me? I'm Ant-Man," The kids shook their head slowly, "They're Hulk fans, they don't know Ant-Man. Nobody does."

I immediately put my face in my hands, getting second hand embarrassment for Scott.

"Wait, no, no, he feels bad. No, he wants you to...he wants to... You want to take a picture with him, right?"

"Stranger Danger," I heard the little boy mutter, and I leaned over to Steve, laughing into his chest.

The two continued to argue about the photo, when I finally heard the kids walk away.

"Bruce," Steve tried to get his attention, and I leaned back up in my seat, trying to stifle my laughter, as the kids waved goodbye.

"Dab!" Bruce "dabbed", and still didn't hear Steve.

"Bruce," He said again.

Bruce pointed after them, "Listen to your Mom. She knows better."

"About we were saying..." Steve lifted his eyebrows.

Bruce finally turned back to us, "Right. The whole time travel do-over? Guys, it's outside my area of expertise."

"Well, you pulled this off," I shrugged.

"She's right," Natasha agreed, "I remember a time when that seemed pretty impossible, too."