AURORA ODINSDOTTIR
We drove out to a cafe where Bruce agreed to meet us, and Bruce was happily eating food.
No one else was though, but I had a blueberry muffin.
"Come on, I feel like I'm the only one eating." Bruce said, pushing a plate forward to Nat.
"Try some of that, have some eggs."
"I'm so confused." Scott said, and Bruce shrugged him off, a nonchalant attitude around him.
"These are confusing times." He said, making Steve and I share an amused look.
"Right."
"No, no, that's not what I meant." Scott said, and Bruce laughed, dropping the confused act.
"No, I get it, I'm kidding!"
"What happened to you?" I asked, making Bruce chuckle.
"I know, It's crazy. I'm wearing shirts now."
"Yeah! How? Why?" Scott asked, and Bruce realised it was time to explain.
"Five years ago, we got our asses beaten, except it was worse for me, because I lost twice. First, Hulk lost, then Banner lost. After that, we all lost." He said, but Nat shook her head.
"No one blamed you, Bruce."
"I did." He responded, looking at me.
"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."
No one said anything, so he continued.
"Eighteen months in a gamma lab. I put the brains and the brawn together, and now look at me. Best of both worlds." Bruce smiled proudly, and some children approached us carefully.
"Excuse me, Mr. Hulk?"
"Yes?" Bruce asked, and the girl spoke up.
"Can we get a photo?"
"One hundred percent, little person. Come on, step up." He smiled, handing Scott the phone.
"Do you mind?"
"Oh, yeah." Scott responded, taking the phone and holding it up to take a photo of Bruce and the children.
"Thanks, say 'green'!" He said happily, and they all said it while Scott took the photo.
"Did you get that?" Banner asked, and Scott nodded, leaning over the table to hand back the phone.
"Do you wanna grab one with me?" Scott asked, looking at the children.
"I'm Ant-Man."
"They're Hulk fans, they don't know Ant-Man, nobody does." He mumbled, and Bruce shook his head.
"Wait, no, he feels bad. He wants you to-" He cut himself off, turning to one of the children.
"You want to take a picture with him, right?" The boy shook his head vigorously, looking at Bruce.
"Stranger Danger."
"He's even saying no he doesn't. I get it, I don't want it either." Scott said, making Bruce frown while Nat, Steve and I watched it unfold.
"But, come on, the kid!"
"I don't want a picture with them." Scott said, and I took a bite of my muffin, slowly getting more uncomfortable.
"He's gonna feel bad." Bruce said to the children, turning to Scott.
"Sorry, they said they'd do it."
"I don't want it anymore." Scott dismissed him, and Steve gave me an awkward glance.
"Just take the goddamn phone."
"Thank you, Mr. Hulk." The girl said and Banner smiled.
"No, it's great kids. Thank you very much."
"Hulk out!" They exclaimed, making me turn to Steve and Nat.
'Hulk out?' I mouthed, and they both shrugged while Steve kissed my temple.
"Bruce." Steve said, trying to get his attention, but it didn't work.
"Dab!"
"Bruce!" I exclaimed, and he didn't pay any attention.
"Listen to your mum, she knows better."
"About we were saying." Steve tried again, and Bruce looked over at us, finally.
"Right, the whole time travel do over?" He asked, taking a bite of his food.
"Guys, it's outside my area of expertise."
"Well, you pulled this off." Nat tried to convince him, gesturing to his half Hulk form.
"I remember a time when that seemed pretty impossible time, too."
•••
Once we'd convinced Banner to help us, we agreed to meet him, Scott, and Nat at the compound.
Steve elected to stop by our place on the way, to 'grab a few things'.
"It'll just be a second, sweetheart." He said, opening the front door while I stayed in the car, but after a moment, my phone dinged.
'Can you come inside my love? I need your help for a moment. x'
I giggled to myself, unbuckling my seatbelt and stepping out of the car, walking towards the front door.
What could he possibly need my help with?
I opened the front door, and noticed more bouquets strung around the room than I could possibly count on my fingers, and in the middle of it all, Steve.
Steve, kneeling in the middle of a large heart shaped with rose petals.
"Darling, what is this?" I managed to stutter out, and he gave me a smile, pulling out a small black box.
Oh my goodness.
"Aurora," Steve said, and I walked up to him, standing a foot away, and he looked up at me.
"I wanted to do this earlier, I'm sorry we had to wait." Steve sighed, but I shook my head, smiling at him.
"It's okay, it is so okay, my love." I whispered, making him chuckle softly.
"I have a lot to say, if that's okay with you." He said politely, and I nodded, clasping my hands together.
"Of course, please do." I encouraged my boyfriend, making him clear his throat.
"We've known each other for such a long time, and I know we never saw eachother much at the start, but these last years with you have been incredible." Steve begun, and I felt a tear run down my cheek.
"I felt so lost when I woke up, finding out everyone I knew and everyone I loved was gone, but then I met you." He said, taking one of my hands in his.
"I met you, and you made living worth it again. You gave me something, someone, to fight for again."
"You mean that?" I asked, and Steve nodded.
"I do. I really do." He smiled, squeezing my hand gently.
"I know we haven't really talked about children, our ages, and the difference in our mortality, but I don't care what happens, as long as I'm with you."
Steve took a breath, and I wiped the tears off my cheek, smiling down at him.
"When I'm with you, I feel like everything is okay, and everything's going to be okay. You make me feel safe." He said, and I nodded, kissing the back of his hand.
"You make me feel so safe, Steve."
"I do?" He asked, and I laughed.
"Of course you do, Captain America, the strongest soldier in history, is my boyfriend? I'd say I'm pretty safe." I giggled, making Steve laugh a little.
"You turn people to stone, my love. You don't need me to protect you." He pointed out, and I shrugged.
"You make me feel extra safe, then."
"I'll take it." Steve smiled warmly, and I felt my heart skip a beat.
"I remember when I met you, when you and Thor broke into the Quinjet to take Loki." He said, making me laugh a little at the memory.
He and Tony were so surprised to see us.
"I thought you were so beautiful, I was so drawn to you."
"I thought you were very handsome." I giggled, and Steve laughed.
"Aurora, watching you grow over the years, and being able to grow with you, is the greatest blessing of my entire life."
I wiped more tears off my cheeks, and Steve smiled warmly at me.
"I'm almost done, I promise."
"That's okay, take your time." I smiled, making my boyfriend nod.
"Whenever you left to go back to Asgard with Thor, it broke my heart. Everytime, even before we were together, I just wanted you to stay. I wanted to be with you, and living without you for so long was so hard." He admitted, and I sighed.
It was hard for me, too.
"When I went to Wakanda, I thought you were dead, so when you showed up, I saw how radiant you were. You were so strong and so beautiful, and I realised in that moment, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you."
Here it comes.
"Aurora," Steve said, sparkles in his eyes as he opens to box to show a diamond ring.
It's so beautiful.
"Will you please, do me the honour of marrying me?"
"Of course!" I exclaimed, tackling him into a hug, which he happily accepted, and we fell to the floor.
He held me for a while, in a comfortable silence, just breathing eachother in.
"Could I have your hand, angel?" Steve asked, breaking the silence after a while, and I nodded excitedly, holding my hand out for him to take.
He took it, kissing the back of it a few times, making me giggle.
"I love you, so much." Steve whispered, and I kissed him softly.
"I love you, unbelievable amounts." I smiled, watching him slide the ring onto my finger.
I was engaged to Steve Grant Rogers.
I am his, and he is mine.
Forever.