The sky is blue the air is clear and the breeze was pleasant, it was a change compared to the scare that had been global warming about a decade previously. Of course, all it had taken was a affordable priced car produced by Stark industries that not only clarified the air but also didn't run on fossil fuels to help that. Mr. Tony Stark only took some of the credit, 12 percent of it went to another party.
But that didn't really matter, they had other things to worry about at the moment, like getting to the show on time.
"Your boyfriend is late," Branden said, his eyes glued to his book, Tali sighed.
"He's not my…well, you know…boyfriend…" she grumbled, but she was blushing.
"Uh-huh," Branden said, sounding like he wasn't listening and this was an old argument.
"The moment he asks me, then he will be, but not until then!" she declared there was a snort next to her. "You're a real downer you know that right."
"Nope, just practical, you two have gone on, seven dates, six of which I have been present for, as cover, you two are totally a 'thing' if not boyfriend and girlfriend," he replied only sparing her a glance as he turned the page.
"You've been spending time with Uncle Loki again…haven't you?" she asked, sounding more amused than anything, "You know you start speaking with a tone when you do."
"It pays to keep good company," he said and she just snorted as someone else came up the hill, she turned around, getting a mouthful of hair as the wind picked it up.
She spat it out as she saw Leifr coming at them, smiling, but holding the hand of his little brother.
"Hey guys, sorry…Dad and Pops were making…'that face' at each other," he said, "Again."
"Gross," the little boy said, reaching for Tali the moment he saw her, she laughed.
"Come here you," she said taking Refr in her arms and setting him on her lap, "Did big brother rescue you?" she asked, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a squeeze.
"Yeah! 'Said we was gonna watch a movie!" he said giggling at the squeeze, Tali looked up at her not quite boyfriend. He flinched.
"Yeah…about the show…we…can't exactly go with Ref', so…I um promised him we'd go to a movie instead," he rubbed the back of his neck and Branden shrugged.
"Makes no difference to me, at least I won't be a thirdwheel tonight," he said and Tali poked him in the ribs.
"But you're so good at it!" she teased, and Branden rolled his eyes.
"It's not our fault you don't want to go out with Jessica, you know she's smart," Leifr, said leaning back, so his shoulder brushed against Tali's, she grinned.
"It's not that I don't like her, because I do, it's just…she's half Norse God…half astrophysicist," he shrugged.
"So. You're all genius, why should it matter?"
"I'm half Jotun, seriously, man, I'm blue sometimes."
"His feet get cold really fast."
"You only say that because you sit on them."
"What else am I supposed to do with them?"
"You could always rub them."
"Ew."
"You two are so incorrigible," Branden grumbled, but he was smiling, his best friends were probably cuter together than his own parents. And that was something, as even his dad's Green 'Friend' tended to fall for his mom's tender mercies.
Though it was always something to come home to the Hulk sitting on the kitchen floor gazing up at his mom in near reverence as she read to him. They had a really strange dynamic, but he didn't care, as long as Hulk didn't smash his room again, and that had only been once, and it was an accident.
"We know," they said in unison, then started talking about something else once he'd thrown some grass at them. Bad influence for Refr, but the kid was inherently good, he would probably be upset he'd killed the grass later.
The sun kept shining, a few clouds passing over, leaving them in shadow for a few minutes before revealing the sun. The breeze was as gentle as always, moving through the grass. Central Park had changed very little in the last several years.
They needed to enjoy what they had then because very soon, Central Park would be the site of a battle none of them would soon forget.