"Steeeeeeeeeeeeve. This is so effing boring" Emma mock whinged. Another reason why her friends used to call her the teenage Tony Stark - she had the worlds shortest attention span. "Unfortunately there isn't a lot of things to do out in the desert" Steve replied playfully.
Emma stopped walking for a second, grabbing Steve's arm and pulling him to face her.
She grabbed the chest piece of his shirt and pulled him down so that his face was close to hers. She leant in close...
"Race ya"
She laughed, and then she was gone, already a good 30 feet ahead. "Oh, you're on!" Steve yelled after her, laughing as he picked up speed chased the trail of sand kicked up by Emma's feet.
"That. Was. Awesome!" , Anna separated every word with a huff of breath , she and Bruce had been running for almost 30 miles , Anna had shape shifted into a gazelle , a cheetah , and even a vulture and Banner was pumped up on Gamma radiation.
Bruce laughed , he was drenched in sweat and so was Anna."Its really hot.." , he said and Anna nodded."We should get going , we've been running.. I'm human.. I'm going to faint.." Banner said wobbling slightly.. "Woah.." , she said steadying him , "Ill carry you" , She said and Bruce raised an eyebrow , "How?" , and Anna laughed and turned into Thor.
"He might not be smart , but he's got good arms" , she said cheekily , as she proceeded to pick up Banner , princess style, while he blushed.
"This is supposed to be opposite.." he grumbled , as Anna started walking in the reverse direction , and she laughed , "Women rule.." , she smirked , and and looked down at Banner , who was now fast asleep.
She smiled as sweat started dripping down her long , blonde hair - Thor's actually - she had a warm , fuzzy feeling in her heart , she hadn't had before. She grinned.
It was so weird to be carrying her childhood Idol , like a just hoped the weeks would go by soon.
"Is everything okay, Man of Iron?," A very confused Thor asked Tony Stark, who was now laughing uproariously while flying. "JARVIS, save this image. I want to keep this forever"
Tony said, while gasping for air between laughs. "Certainly sir," JARVIS responded, saving the unmistakeable image of Bruce Banner being carried by Anna/Thor.
"Well done, Rogers. Pretty impressive run" Emma said, through laughs. Neither her nor Steve were particularly tired, but had stopped running after covering around 40 miles in an hour.
"I think we should probably head back," Steve said, smiling at Emma as he turned on his heels.
She couldn't help but check out his famous super-soldier ass as he did so, smiling lightly to herself before catching up to him. As she picked up her stride to walk in front of him, she felt his eyes on her.
"Like what you see?" She said, with a cheeky wink. Steve blushed profusely. "Um.. Yeah.. I mean, you're a beautiful girl... Uh"
He stammered. Emma laughed and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "I was joking, Steve. But thankyou"
She said, with a genuine smile. "I'm sure you've had lots of experience with the ladies, the whole super-soldier thing and all." Steve paused, looking sombre. "There was a girl. Back in the 40's. She was beautiful... Brave. We had a dance date, but I missed it." Emma noticed the shine of a tear in his eyes.
"I'm sorry," She paused. "She would have loved you, whether or not you made your date." Emma placed a soft hand on his shoulder and drew him into a hug. She felt Steve smile into her shoulder, as she let go.
"Thankyou," He said, wiping his eyes. "Now, tell me about the 40's... Be honest, was casablanca as great of a film then as it is now?"
Steve laughed at that, as they continued walking back to the meeting point. Emma breathed in the warm desert air, knowing that this serenity wouldn't last for long.
Anna signed as she looked around , she had no sense of direction. She looked at a sleeping Banner and nudged him , "Bruce , I know you're tired , but help me out here!" , Anna said and Bruce shifted."Wha.." , he said sleepily , rubbing his eyes , behind his glasses.
Anna dropped him on the floor and transformed back to herself , her green eyes , looking at Bruce.
"Is this the right direction?" , she asked and Bruce nodded , looking at the setting sun."Yep. I think , a few more miles. I'll walk myself.." , Bruce said and brushed off his shorts."Woah.. Look!" , Anna came to a halt and found a strange plant.
Something she didn't recognize at all from years of Biology study."What is that?!" , she said as they approached the green plant , with yellow leaves.
"This is a teritophytos" , Bruce and and Anna looked at him. "It's extremely rare but wait till you see this.." , Bruce said and grabbed the middle of the plant and yanked it open.
It will filled with a magenta liquid."It it safe?" , Anna asked curiously and Bruce made a face.
"We don't know yet.. It's rare , I'll try it.." , Bruce said and Anna stopped him , clutching his hand , her eyes widening.
"Are you INSANE , ? This thing could be highly toxic.." "OR it could help us! Nothing can hurt me , I promise" , he said and Anna , frightfully , nodded.
Then she heard a small rapid beeping noise.
It was coming from Banner's heart rate detector. She looked at Bruce who was now taking deep breaths.
"Umm.. Please let go of my hand." , he said making Anna blush and Bruce blush too."Ok , here goes nothing.." , he said dipping a finger inside , and licking it while Anna watched.
"Yeah! It's tasty!" , he said grinning and Anna tasted it too , curiously."Wow.. It's like grape or something.." , she said and Bruce proceeded to pick up the plant , and it was shaped like a hollow fruit bowl , he picked it up easily , and they started walking again.
"I could carry it , if you're tired.." , she offered and Bruce laughed.
"You carried me , I'll carry this thing.. The least I can do.," , he said , shyly and Anna smiled. Meanwhile , the sun was rapidly setting in front of them."Let's hope they make it.." , Anna said and looked ahead to the stretches of sand , that seemed never-ending.
