Venom // Natasha Romanoff

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"Do you make your own or something?"
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"Come on, I feel like I'm the only one eating here." Bruce said, gesturing to all of the food on the table in the café they were no in. "Try some of that. Have some eggs."

"I'm so confused." Scott stated.

"These are confusing times." Bruce chuckled.

"Right, no, no. That's not what I meant." Scott denied.

"Nah, I get it. I'm kidding! I know, it's crazy. I'm wearing shirts now." Bruce smiled.

"How is that even possible? Do you make your own or something?" Nova questioned.

"Yeah. What? How? Why?" Scott asked.

"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.

"No one blamed you, Bruce." Natasha spoke up.

"I did." Bruce replied. "For years I've been tearing the Hulk like he's son kind of disease, something to get rid of. But then, I start looking at him as the cure. Eighteen months in the gamma lab. I put the brains and the brawn together and now, look at me. Best of both worlds."

"Went from Green Bean to Hannah Montana." Nova as three kids approached the table.

"He's Green Bean?" Ivy asked Natasha who nodded. "Makes sense now."

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

"Yes." Bruce responded.

"Can we get a photo?" She questioned.

"100%, little person." Bruce answered, taking her phone. "Come on, step on up. Do you mind?" Bruce asked Scott, holding out the phone.

"Oh, yeah, yeah." Scott nodded.

"Thanks." Bruce mumbled. "Say 'green'."

"Green." The children repeated as Bruce did the same.

"Did you get that?" Bruce quizzed.

"That's a good one." Scott mumbled, holding out the phone again. "Did you wanna grab one with me? I'm Ant-Man." The kids all glanced around in confusion and Ivy frowned. "They're Hulk fans. They don't know Ant-Man. Nobody does."

"No, he wants you to take a picture with him." Bruce tried.

"I don't want a picture." Scott continued.

"Stranger danger." One of the boy spoke up.

"Yeah, look, he's even saying no, he doesn't. I get it. I don't want it, either." Scott denied.

"But come on. The kid-"

"I don't want a picture with them."

"He's gonna feel bad."

"Sorry."

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

"I don't want to do it."

"We can do it." The other boy chimed in.

"No, you feel bad." Bruce continued.

"Take the goddamn phone." Scott stated, handing the phone back to the kids.

"Okay." Bruce muttered.

"Thank you, Mr. Hulk." The girl grinned.

"No, it was great, kids. Thank you very much." Bruce smiled before they all chorused 'Hulk out!'

"Scott." Ivy whispered and Scott turned to her with raised eyebrows, encouraging her to go on. "Here you go. Mummy says it's your plant." She smiled, handing him a daffodil like the ones Nova had planted.

"Thank you. You're adorable." Scott grinned, taking the flower and putting it in the pocket of his shirt.

"Bruce." Steve interrupted.

"Dab." Bruce smiled, doing the dab and Nova took a sip of her coffee to hide her laughter.

"Bruce." Steve repeated.

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

"About what we were saying." Steve continued.

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

"Well, you pulled this off. I remember a time when that seemed pretty impossible, too." Natasha shrugged and Bruce seemed to mull over her words.

"Mama, this tastes funny." Ivy mumbled and the two women turned to see Ivy holding Nova's cup of coffee, a grimace on her face, half the cup of the black liquid now gone.

"Chocolate may not be the problem tonight anymore, Cherry." Nova muttered, taking the cup away from the child on her lap who started to then plait Steve's longer hair because she was bored while the rest watched amused as Steve got his hair done by a seven year old.

{648}