scott x hope oneshots

there's no place i'd call home

"And boom! The building exploded!" Scott Lang makes an explosive noise and then he's voluntarily falling backwards and shrinking down at the same time, right into the pillow fort. As he falls, there are glimpses of the real explosion that had happened five years ago, the violent shattering reverberating in his ears, the pressure of the detonation blowing him backwards. He remembers his entire life flashing through his eyes - Cassie, Hope, and then he's falling into darkness, crashing under the debris. It still haunts his dreams occasionally, the nightmare only starting to fade during the recent years.

Still, he doesn't know why his throat is running dry and his chest constricts, because in truth, he's at home, he's safe at home with his daughters.

"Daddy! Where are you?!"

It draws Scott back to reality when he hears Hailey's voice, that he's actually under a pile of pillows and blankets, away from the chaos of the battlefield. He reminds himself silently, that was history.

He lets out a shaky laugh, laughing at his own anxiousness and silliness. All these years, his family had been the one keeping him completely calm, whether he's braving through missions with Hope or presenting a simple security plan, everything he does, he focuses on them. So, he pushes himself from the floor, steadying his breath, and makes his way through the pillow fort. He's got a story to tell.

"I'm here cookie!" He reassures Hailey. "It's dark and dusty, and then all of a sudden I hear your Uncle Rhodey and Uncle Rocket calling for help...and Uncle Bruce's trying his best to keep them from being crushed...," Scott's tiny voice comes through the microphone.

"Help them daddy!" Her reaction emerges easily.

Scott beams. They had taught her well.

The youngest of the Lang family is sitting cross-legged on the floor, huddling together with Cassie, her sister's arms wrapped protectively around her as she leans against her. Hailey's lips are curled up in concentration, listening intently to her father. She was the mirror image of Hope, with shoulder-length dark curls framing her pretty face, bright green eyes and dimples bracketing her smile that was so Scott's.

She thinks the world of her father (just like Cassie did at her age, she still does). He tells her the best stories (not like her mother's stories weren't any better) but she always looked forward to his bedtime stories.

He tells her about a super soldier who was a man out of his time, who believes in always doing the right thing, and fiercely loyal. Hailey could tell he was her father's favourite because of the wide, silly grin animating his face whenever he talks about him. He tells her about a brilliant scientist with seven PhDs who not only has brains but brawn. He tells her about a God of Thunder from another planet, who has a weapon that only the worthy can wield. He tells her about a skilled archer who never misses his target. And then there's a spy who's named after a deadly spider, who sacrificed herself to bring back half of the world. And then he also tells her about a genius billionaire who built suits and armours and saved the world. He always seemed so grim while talking about the latter two Avengers, that Hailey knows better than to ask further.

"I sure did!" Scott grows back to size, emerging from the make-up fort, making Hailey squeal in delight. "Because I grew really really big and tall, and saved all of them from the rubbles," he pops his helmet off. Cassie notices that he's grinning proudly, and she can't help but feel proud of her father too.

"As tall as the Golden Gate?" Hailey giggles.

"Yeah, well," Scott tilts his head in consideration. "Almost," he winks at Cassie who snorts in response because she knows he's just exaggerating.

"Was mommy there too?"

"Oh cookie, of course your mommy was there, everyone was there. There were superheroes, warriors, wizards, all of us coming together to bring the enemy down...," as he is listing off each and every one, he imitates their signature stances accurately well, to which Cassie can't help but laugh at his antics. Her father was such a fanboy that sometimes he doesn't realise that he's a pretty great superhero himself. After all, he played a big part in saving the world.