Real-Life Myth

Twenty.

Bruce Banner sits in a cafe somewhere. However, he is not the same Bruce from five years ago. Then, he was just Doctor Jekyll. Now he's a combination of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde.

"Come on, I feel like I'm the only one eating," he remarks, pushing a plate forward, "try some of that. Have some eggs."

"I'm so confused," Scott confesses.

"These are confusing times," Bruce says seriously.

"Right. No, no, that's not what I meant."

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

"Yeah! How? Why?"

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

"No one blamed you, Bruce," Natasha assures him.

"I did," Bruce tells her. Her expression softens. "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. I put the brains and the brawn together. And now look at me. Best of both worlds. . ."

Three children behind Bruce walk up to him tentatively. "Excuse me, Mr. Hulk?" The girl asks.

"Yes?"

"Can we get a photo?"

"100%, little person. Come on, step up." Bruce holds the phone out to Scott. "You mind?"

"Oh," Scott says, disappointed no one wants to take a picture with him.

"Say 'green'!" The children and Bruce say Green as Scott snaps the photo. "Did you get that?"

Scott leans forward to hand back the phone. "Don't you wanna grab one with me? I'm Ant-Man," he offers. The kids shake their heads so Scott backs off. "They're Hulk fans, they don't know Ant-Man. Nobody does."

"Wait, no, no, he feels bad. No, he wants you to. . . he wants to. . ." He turns to one of the boys. "You want to take a picture with him, right?" The boy shakes his head vigorously.

"He's even saying no he doesn't. I get it. I don't want it either."

"But, come on, the kid! But he. . . but you. . ."

"I don't want a picture with them," Scott tells Bruce.

"He's gonna feel bad," Bruce tells the kids. Then he turns to Scott. "Sorry. They said they'd do it."

"I don't want it anymore."

"No, no. . . you feel bad."

"Just take the goddamn phone," Scott orders. Bruce takes it and hands it back to the girl.

"Thank you, Mr. Hulk," she says as they turn to leave.

"No, it's great kids. Thank you very much. Hulk out!" He calls after them.

"Bruce," Steve states to get his old friend's attention back so they can discuss the task at hand. Bruce continues to watch the kids leave.

"Dab!" He exclaims awkwardly before doing it himself. 

"Bruce," Steve says again, sterner this time.

"Listen to your Mom. She knows better." With that, Bruce finally looks back to the table.

"About what we were saying. . ." Steve prompts. Bruce wipes his mouth and nods.

"Right. The Hulk time travel do-over? Guys, it's outside my area of expertise," Bruce says honestly.