[for Smashquatch]

[daretodo]

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.

Comments

[bannered]

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

"Don't get too many ideas."

[daretodo]

"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?"

[soulthatwanders]

"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?"

[bannered]

"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."

[daretodo]

"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."

[soulthatwanders]

"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."

[bannered]

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."

[daretodo]

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."

[soulthatwanders]

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.