undercover - Steve Rogers

chapter 52 - i dig the look

Here they sat, at a small booth with the hulk/Bruce sitting there. It felt rather strange that the hulk wasn't trying to cause destruction and reek havoc on the world it was just Bruce.

Scarlett sat in between Steve and Natasha while Lennox sat across from Steve next to Scott, Bruce sat in a chair at the head of the table.

"Come on, I feel like I'm the only one eating here." Bruce sighed looking at the team who was staring back at him trying to figure out when he made the transformation. "Try some of that. Have some eggs." Bruce pushed the bowl of eggs closer to Scott.

Scott kept his gaze of Bruce, "I'm so confused."

"These are confusing times." Bruce chuckled.

Lennox looked over at Steve who sent the same type of glance then they looked over at Scar who was coloring a picture of a butterfly. "Right, no, no. That's not what I meant." Scott said in defense trying not to offend Bruce.

"Nah, I get it. I'm kidding!" Bruce exclaimed, Lennox took a bite of her bacon while Natasha intently watched her. "I know, it's crazy." Bruce continued. "I'm wearing shirts now."

"Yeah. What? How? Why?" Scott questioned quickly.

"Damn way to be passive aggressive, Scott." Lennox chided from beside Scott Lang.

"Five years ago, we got our asses beat. Except it was worse for me 'cause I lost twice. First, Hulk lost, then Banner lost, and then, we all lost." Bruce explained.

Natasha spoke up from her seat, "no one blamed you, Bruce."

"I did." Bruce replied sadly, "for years, I've been treating the hulk like he's some kid of disease... something to get rid of. But then, I start looking at him as the cure." Scott looked at Bruce like he was almost psychotic. "Eighteen months in the gamma lab. I put the brains and the brawn together... and now, look at me."

"You look good, Bruce. I dig the look." Lennox put her thumbs up to show her support.

"Best of both worlds." Bruce pointed at himself as three kids approached Bruce.

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

"Yes."

"Can we get a photo?"

"100%, little person. Come on, step on up. Do you mind?" Bruce asked Scott to take the picture.

"Oh yeah, yeah."

"Thanks. Say 'green'."

"Green." They all said together with smiles on their face. "Did you get that?" Bruce questioned.

"That's a good one. Did you want to grab one with me? I'm ant-man." Scott said the kids all looked at each other like they had never heard of Ant-Man before. "They're Hulk fans. They don't know Ant-Man. Nobody does."

"I do." Scarlett's voice squeaked looking up from her coloring page.

"Thanks Scar. Yeah, look, he's even saying no, he doesn't. I get it. I don't want it, either." Scott handed the phone back and the kids held awkward faces.

"He's gonna feel bad."

"Sorry."

"They're happy to do it. They said they'll do it."

"I don't want tot do it."

"We can do it."

"Take the goddamn phone." 

"Thank you, Mr Hulk."

"Well that wasn't embarrassing, awkward, funny, and just sad almost." Lennox commented and Scott looked over his shoulder with an embarrassed face.

"Bruce." Steve started.

"Dab." Bruce dabbed to the kids.

"Oh god." Lennox said under her breathe. "He's a menace to society." 

"Bruce. About what we were saying."

"Right." Bruce snapped back to reality. "The whole time travel do-over? Eh, guys, it's outside of my area of expertise."

"Well you pulled this off." Natasha added. "I remember a time when that seemed pretty impossible, too." Bruce stalled for a moment looking at everyone sitting there waiting for the answer.

"Scarlett eat your food it's a free buffet. C'mon kid get your priorities straight." Lennox pointed at her full plate, Scarlett pouted then went back to eating what was on her plate.