Secrets And A Spider

-34-

Minutes later, we were sat with Bruce...well, 'Professor Hulk', in a cafe, and Scott was staring at him with wide eyes. "Come on, I feel like I'm the only one eating." He pushed a plate towards Scott and I, "Try some of that. Have some eggs."
"I'm so confused." Scott mumbled, confusion spread across his face as he watched. "These are confusing times." Bruce said, completely serious.
"Right. No, no, that's not what I meant." Scott told him.
"No, I get it. I'm kidding! I know. It's crazy. I'm wearing shirts now." He dropped the act, a grin spreading across his face.
"Yeah! Wh...How? Why?" Scott questioned.
"Five years ago, we got our asses beaten. Except it was worse for me. Because I lost twice. First, Hulk lost, then Banner lost. Then, we all lost." Bruce began.
"No one blamed you, Bruce." Nat reminded.
"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. I put the brains and the brawn together. And now look at me. Best of both worlds..." that's when three kids walked up behind him.
"Excuse me, Mr. Hulk?" The girl was the first to speak.
"Yes?" He turned to them.
"Can we get a photo?" She asked him.
"100%, little person. Come on, step up." Bruce handed Scott the phone, "You mind?"
"Oh, yeah." Scott nodded, holding it up. "Thanks, Say "green"!" They did. as he said, and the photo was taken. Nat, Steve and I exchanged glances, fed up of the ridiculous mix. "Did you get that?" Bruce asked. Scott leant forwards, holding the phone out. "Don't you wanna grab one with me? I'm Ant-Man." He smiled, no reaction. "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...You want to take a picture with him, right?" The boy shook his head at Bruce.
"He's even saying no he doesn't. I get it. I don't want it either." Scott said.
"But, come on, the kid! But he...but you..."
"I don't want a picture with them."
"He's gonna feel bad. Sorry. They said they'd do it."
"I don't want it anymore."
"No, no...you feel bad."
"Just take the goddamn phone." Scott finished the argument, and the grip took it as we all sighed, Steve placing his head in his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Hulk." The Girls smiled.
"No, it's great kids. Thank you very much. Hulk out!" They left and Steve finally spoke up.
"Bruce."
"Dab!" Bruce ignored him.
"Bruce."
"Listen to your Mom. She knows better."
"Hey, Banner!" I shouted at him, cutting his fan visit off. "About we were saying..." Steve began.
"Right. The whole time travel do-over? Guys, it's outside my area of expertise." Bruce said.
"Well, you pulled this off. I remember a time when that seemed pretty impossible time, too." Nat encouraged, and I gave her hand a small reassuring squeeze as she remembered the relationship they once had. "Alright." He gave in, and I smiled. "Good, because I've already got a suit in progress." They all looked at me, and I tapped my glasses. "I'm a Stark, we're always building something." 
"But what about the shrinking and..." I cut Scott off as I met his eyes, "Well, I may or may not have done a basic scan back when we teamed up." I shrugged it off as if it were nothing, walking out of the cafe. As I glanced back, I saw Scott say something to cap, a look of amazement on his face.

Just over an hour later we were stood at the back of Scott's van, he in a modified suit and ready to enter the Quantum Tunnel. "Okay, here we go. Time travel test number one. Scott, fire up the uhhh... the van thing." Bruce spoke up, Scott did as he said, flicking the switch. "Breakers are set, emergency generators are on standby." Steve nodded.
"Good. 'Cause if we blow the grid, I don't wanna lose Tiny here in the 1950's." Bruce mumbled the final part, and we all gave him a concerned look. "Excuse me?" Scott looked at us.
"He's kidding. You can't say things like that!" Nat scolded.
"Just... It was a bad joke." Bruce nodded along.
"You were kidding, right?" Nat double checked.
"I have no idea. We're talking about time travel here. Either it's all a joke, or none of it is." He whispered, and I rolled my eyes as he gave Scott a thumbs up. "We're good! Get your helmet on, Scott. I'm gonna send you back a week, let you walk around for an hour, then bring you back in 10 seconds. Makes sense?" He asked.
"Perfectly not confusing" Scott nodded.
"Good luck, Scott. You got this." Steve encouraged.
"You're right. I do, Captain America." Scott smiled, before Bruce pressed the button, sending him into the tunnel. "On the count of three. 3... 2... 1!" He pressed the button. The suit came back, inside it something I had feared may happen.