Re-Introductions
“So he decided it would be best to kick him in the stomach?” Layla questioned as they sat at a vegan cafe that Steven usually went to. After leaving Avenger’s tower, the two had stopped at the apartment and allowed Marc to get changed. Now, they both sipped at vegan coffee’s and discussed what had happened that week.
“That’s exactly what I said!” Steven exclaimed, but did his best to keep an inside voice. “I mean, you can’t just kick Captain America in the Stomach!” Layla laughed, only laughing more when Jake intervened.
“It was in self-defense! For one, I’m pretty happy dat we aren’t currently wrapped up in a straight jacket by dat red, white, and blue asshole!”
“You still kicked Captain America in the stomach.” Layla sipped at her coffee and was glad she fully swallowed it before Jake’s reply.
“He’s luckly I didn’t aim lower.” She snorted before covering her mouth and setting her coffee down. After a moment, she calmed down and sighed happily. Then, a hand laid over hers lovingly. She looked up at her husband’s eyes and saw a familiar warmth that neither Steven or Jake could stare at her with.
“Thank you. I don’t know what would have happened if you didn’t save our ass back there.” Marc smiled fondly at her, but she only chuckled.
“Like Jake said, you’d probably be wrapped up in a straight jacket by that red, white, and blue asshole.” The two laughed before something caught the corner of his eye. Marc looked over at a booth away from them and saw none other than Bruce Banner sipping at a coffee. He noticed Marc’s gaze and waved with a small smile. Marc’s features scrunched up in anger, mumbling a quick “I’ll be right, baby.” before standing up and walking over to the man’s booth. He sat across from him and glared, all while Bruce smiled kindly.
“I assume I’m speaking with Marc?” The man pushed his glasses up slightly, his calmness not stopping Marc from wanting to punch his face in.
“Would you rather talk with the one who wants to break your spine?” Marc growled and Bruce raised his hands in surrender.
“Not particularly.” He laughed a bit but Marc didn’t seem too amused. After a beat of silence, Bruce understood that he most definitely wasn’t welcomed and decided to just get to the point. “I apologize for what happened back at the tower. Honestly, I wanted us to meet you like this.”
“Interupting a coffee date with my wife?” Marc questioned with sarcasm, to which Bruce sighed at.
“No. In an open, public area where I would hope you would feel comfortable in.”
“I was comfortable here, before you showed up.” There was silence after that. Marc was about to stand up and leave before Bruce pulled out a manilla folder and a hard drive. “... What the hell’s this? Blackmail?”
“No, it’s camera footage, notes from SHIELD, Tony, and Doctor Emberly with any information about you, your wife, or Steven and Jake.” Bruce smiled as Marc’s anger shifted to confusion. Hesitantly, he reached out and grabbed the folder and hard drive, opening the folder and looking at the notes. Slowly, his gaze seem to zone off before furrowing his brows.
“Talkative?” A british accent scoffed, clearly offended by the word. “I’m not talkative! I just enjoy speaking my mind! Why is that put as a bad thing? I can’t believe this… And over-sharing? I thought that was what I was supposed to do! Bloody doctor… Stark… Do you think I’m talkative or over-sharing, Mr Banner?”
“Er, Doctor Banner, please.” Bruce smiled at the man, who didn’t even look up at him for his response.
“Right, sorry, Doctor Banner- Can you believe this? And how come I’m the one with the most notes?” He paused for a minute before rolling his eyes. “See, this is why I don’t ask you about this kind of stuff, Jake. You always find some way to antagonize me. I-” Finally, he looked up at him and flushed a bright pink. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation, I just saw the notes and got all… You know… Ah, I-I’m Steven Grant-” He stuck his hand out for him to shake, which caught him off guard but only for a second before he returned the gesture. “Though I assume you and your friends already knew that…”
“Again, I really am sorry about that. That wasn’t how I planned our first meeting.”
“Yeah, I heard. I’m guessing they were worried we were going to “take a hostage” or something?” Steven chuckled a bit, and once again, Bruce was surprised.
“Uh, yes, actually.” He laughed a bit with him. “How did you know?”
“Oh, I would’ve thought that a long time ago about Marc and Jake, but now I only think it about Jake!” He closed the folder and set it to the side. “Oh hush, you know it’s true. Though, I still think I like your plan much better than their’s. That was honestly quite frightening, hah…”
“Yeah, sorry about that… again.” Bruce gave an amused huff, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, I guess that’s a sorry for all three of you, right?”
“Huh, I guess your right…” Steven huffed out a laugh as well, smiling at him. “Well, thank you, Doctor Banner. It means a lot that you came all the way out here to apologize.”
“Of course, Steven, though there is also something else I need to do out here as well.” Steven let out a small “Oh” before he glared at him.
“Of course there’s something else.” He was American again; Marc. “This better not be about me trying to get all buddy-buddy with you, shit heels.”
“No, no, nothing like that, even though I’m sure you would understand that Nat is quite fun to be around when you don’t break two of her ribs,” Bruce laughed dryly, though it was clear neither of them found it amusing. “I just want to make sure that you’re on the right side when you’re in costume.”
“What do you mean?”
“From what I recall, you’ve only ever killed people who were truly bad; Killers, rapists, trafickers, people like that. But you’ve still killed people and stolen some goods that most definitely didn’t belong to you, some being quite powerful when in the wrong hands.” Bruce took in a deep breath befre continuing. “I just want to make sure that you won’t try to hurt anyone that doesn’t have it coming… or the Avengers.” He added with a laugh. Marc seemed to really think about his words, his frown deepening as he stood up with the folder and hard drive, and gave Bruce a look that nearly made the Hulk come out.
“Stay outta our way, and you an’ yer super-dweebs won’t have ta worry ‘bout it.” Then he walked away and back to his wife. Bruce couldn’t help but smile as he stood up and left a small piece of paper on their table on his way out.
The bell on the door rang as Bruce left and Layla was the one who picked up the small note. She smiled and laughed a bit, causing Marc to give her a confused look.
“What? What does it say?” She handed him the note before answering. “I’m guessing you and Jake aren’t much of a people-pleaser.”
He gave her a look before reading it.
Here’s my number: ###-###-####
It’s mainly for Steven in case he wants to chat with another history buff :)
-Bruce Banner
Marc scoffed but shoved the note in his pocket anyway. Steven could use someone to talk to about history, especially if it was someone who was actually interested in it. Maybe save Marc and Jake’s ears for a day or two.