daretodo | [for Smashquatch]

I swear to God, even with all the wacky changes, I've lived on this island long enough to not have to look where I'm going anymore, every path as familiar as the back of my hand. My focus is more on my book than my surroundings as I take the long way back to my house, hoping to stretch out my alone time before I have to deal with the beast of a dog that's Martha again. She's a good dog, really, I'm just not so sure I'm a great owner. I've never really wanted a pet, but circumstances being what they are, I can't bring myself to hand her over to someone else. She's changed too many hands already.

Doesn't mean I won't sneak an hour or so out of the house just to breathe on my own. Which is all to say I'm not exactly looking for company when I hear a pair of familiar voices up ahead. I got my book and I got my nice, solitary walk to enjoy. Except the pairing has got my attention and when I finally happen upon Wanda and Bruce set up with lunch, I'm honestly too curious to keep walking.

"Hey," I greet, tucking my book back into my pocket.

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Frowning at Bruce's reaction, there was a brief, unfortunate moment where all Wanda wanted to do was reach out to him, rest a hand on his knee, something, but Peter sticking his foot in his mouth luckily proved to be a fine distraction.

"Oh, you know," she teased lightly. "It's as good a change of topic as it ever is."

He's grateful for the change of subject and the tension eases a little more from his shoulders as he reaches for one of the sandwich halves, taking a small bite off the side.

"Baseball?" he asks, glancing to Wanda with curiosity.

"There's a team. We're on it. It is a good subject change."

Shaking my head, I lean back a little, balancing my weight onto one hand. "Honestly, I'm only on the team 'cause I was afraid Rogue'd kill me if I said no. Never really was a sports guy, but at least it's more interesting to play than it is to watch."

"Real sense of team spirit you've got there, buddy," Wanda said, nudging Peter with her foot as she grinned at him through a mouthful of fruit. "I'm really feeling the love. Besides, like you've got so much else to do."

"I don't know. I still think I might be more inclined to watch," Bruce admits, mouth twisting subtly.

There's an extra beat or two where his gaze lingers on the particular way sun catches in white, wavy hair before he drops his eyes to his lap again.

"C'mon, man, it's baseball," I say, miming swinging a bat. "It's, like, the least aggressive game known to man. It's up there with, like, bowling or golf. I could understand if you weren't too fussy about joining a football league, but there's nothing to be angry about with baseball."

At least if you're not really into sports, such as yours truly.

Catching the tail end of Bruce's gaze, Wanda shot him a look of something like warning before it shifted smoothly into one of mock contemplation, her lips pursed in thought.

"Maybe you could ump. Doubt there are a lot of people who'd disagree too vehemently with any calls you make."

His eyes widen for a beat, the look of pure innocence turned on her in silent answer, and then he shrugs, face slipping back into its normal resting expression as his mouth twists to one side.

"And if they did, well - maybe I don't need to finish that sentence," he quips, shifting his weight on his elbow.

"We wouldn't like you when you're angry, yeah, yeah, yeah, we know the catchphrase," I say with a flap of my hand. I should probably not be so flippant with the guy, but at this point, I feel like I'm on a run.

"Pete, play nice," Wanda teased, stretching as she leaned back with her hands propped up behind her once again. "Anyway, I didn't hear a 'no' in all that," she added, sing-song.

"Maybe because there wasn't," Bruce replies, his tone significantly less sing-song. It's an intriguing idea and one he hadn't lent much thought to until now, but there's no reason why he can't show up and participate in a greater capacity than spectator.

"Getting Bruce Banner to join in on the wonders of organized sports," I say loftily, cutting a hand through the air. "Will the surprises never cease?"

"Yeah, I'm a regular miracle worker," Wanda chuckled, shooting Bruce a smug little look and taking pains not to let it linger, as they seemed inclined to do more often than not these days. "Looks like these lunches are productive after all."

"First time for everything, right?" Bruce answers, absently raking a hand through his hair.

"Don't get too many ideas."

"C'mon, we've got two of the greatest minds on this crummy rock having lunches semi-regularly, and the best you've come up with is Bruce Banner: umpire?" I say, tutting them. "What've you guys been doing all this time?"

"Yeesh, no pressure," Wanda said with a laugh, hoping it didn't come across as too nervous. "What, we've got to be 'on' all the time?"

"I didn't realize this was a test," Bruce agrees, his own expression slightly more relaxed as he glances in Wanda's direction, a subtle smile lingering.

"Clearly we haven't been making the most of things."

"Well, someone's gotta pick up the slack," I say, popping one last piece of fruit into my mouth before making to stand. God only knows when Tony'll pick himself out from the bottom of a glass. Much as I want to help him, I don't know how, not this time. Everything seems like an empty promise. There's no light at the end of the tunnel here -- there's just more tunnel.

"Thanks for lunch."

"Anytime, Webs," Wanda said, nodding. Preferably under less potentially compromising circumstances. "We'll be sure to try and get up to something productive in your absence."

Bruce tries not to clear his throat after that but the sound slips out anyway, a damning cough if he's ever heard one, but his expression isn't revealing anything as he glances up with a slight nod.

"What she said."

I try my darnedest not to react to the nickname -- Bruce doesn't know about my super alter-ego, but he also doesn't know that Spider-Man is a guy that exists, so making a big deal out of it is gonna be more suspicious than anything else. But his cough catches me off-guard, and I shoot him a curious look.

"...right," I say after a second, shaking my head a little. Guy probably had some food stuck in his throat or something. Not a big deal. Digging up a smile, I give them another wave and head off. "See ya."

Waving distractedly back as Peter left, Wanda shot Bruce a slightly disapproving look. In the interest of decorum, though, she did wait until they were alone again to kick him.

[for Smashquatch]

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