The Park, Thursday Afternoon

[needsacatchphrase]

Last week, Jane had finally taken the advice of checking on some things from Valkyrie. Which had lead her to returning to her now disorienting actual self in order to get some blood drawn for tests with her doctor back in New York City.

It had been, unfortunately, less than pleasant news.

Mjolnir wasn't so much healing her as resetting the countdown clock on her time left each time that she picked it up. Which wasn't exactly ideal, but... But she wasn't sure at all. For the moment, she was just taking little time to watch the birds in the park on a bench that she didn't know was for emo, but it worked!

It definitely worked.

[open! - content warning: cancer]

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[stykera]

Stark had nothing to do on Thursdays which meant he often spent part of the day walking around the island sort of aimlessly. This almost always involved the park at some point because the park was a good place to be and it was near the coffee shop and the bakery. He'd just stopped at both and had some cookies and a peppermint mocha with him.

And look, there was a superhero in front of him. Maybe she needed a cookie?

"Hello, Jane."

[needsacatchphrase]

Hey, a cookie would always be nice!

"Stark! Hi," Jane said, definitely rallying with a quick smile. She hadn't changed back to the tall, blonde and muscular version of her just yet.

[stykera]

"Are you alright?"

You looked smaller, Jane!

[needsacatchphrase]

"Oh, this? This is just... normal me," Jane said. "Short, huh?"

[stykera]

"Shorter than you were the last time I saw you," Stark said. "This is you before you were the you you are now? Not now, but usually now."

[scarlet_chaos]

Wanda was cutting through the park with a peppermint mocha in hand (evil required caffeine) when she spotted Jane.

"Hey, Jane," Wanda said. "I like your hair."

The whole less muscular thing was kind of worrying, though.

[needsacatchphrase]

Everything required caffeine, to be honest.

"Thank you, Wanda," Jane said, touching it self consciously for a moment. But hey, she still had it! Which was saying something. "I had to take a break from the whole... Thor thing for a couple days for tests."

[scarlet_chaos]

"Tests?" Wanda repeated. "Is everything okay?"

Jane didn't really look okay, but Wanda knew she was looking like a hot mess for a little bit over the summer before she cracked the whole multiverse concept.

[needsacatchphrase]

"Medical stuff," Jane said with a little huff of laughter that sounded bitter even to herself. "Nothing fun."

[scarlet_chaos]

"I'm sorry," Wanda said, moving to take a seat next to her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

[sith_happened]

Anakin could recognize Jane in the Force now but he did a double-take at the new hair color. She looked a lot like Padme now.

"Jane?"

[needsacatchphrase]

In no way would this cause any issues for him. In no way.

"Anakin, hi!" Jane said, rallying strength quickly to be as bubbly as the Thor her could be.

[sith_happened]

Anakin could tell when you were trying too hard, Jane. He came closer, looking concerned. "You look...different," he said.

Years of marriage had taught him not to say 'less than amazing' out loud.

[needsacatchphrase]

Well, that was some good training from his wives right there. Because she'd turn back just to throw something at him.

"I look like me. The normal me," she replied, still trying hard there.

[sith_happened]

Anakin smiled. "This is more familiar to me," he said. "Not that I don't enjoy your other look!"

If you wanted to spend 8 hours putting your hair into insane loops and curls, that would help, too?

[carbsliftthespirit]

Raiden was wandering through the park munching from a giant, open bag of potato chips he was carrying with him, as one did, when he noticed... "Jane? Did you get shorter?"

Also her hair was a different color, buddy.

[needsacatchphrase]

"I did... in a way," Jane replied with a quick smile. "I turned back for a little bit."

[carbsliftthespirit]

"Oh, right!" Raiden exclaimed. "You told me you could that. Duh. I remember." Now. He remembered now. "How's that...going for you?" Was the weather different down there or like...?

[needsacatchphrase]

"Well, I'm short again," she remarked, more than happy to have this sort of conversation with Raiden. He was sweet in the same way Thor had been.

[carbsliftthespirit]

"I can see that!" Hey, there were advantages to being short. You didn't hit your head on things and your hands were usually smaller, to fit in jars and whatnot. "You look..." Great was probably not the right word. "...like you." Only shorter and brunette-er.

[two_idiots_one_body]

Arthur was just out for a walk to try to work out the muscles in both his recently healed leg and the rest of him, a prison pit not being a place terribly conducive to exercise.

At some point, though, he would need to sit.

There's a bench to your left, Arthur. Further. Now straight. There's a young woman on it, but there's plenty of room. Leaning on his cane, Arthur made his way over. There. If you turn, you can sit.

"Is this seat taken?" Arthur asked.

[needsacatchphrase]

"Ah, no," Jane said, offering him a polite smile. "It's a big bench, after all."

For all that emo.

[two_idiots_one_body]

"Thank you." Arthur nodded in her direction. Then, because John didn't mention recognizing her, "Arthur Lester."

[needsacatchphrase]

"Jane Foster," she replied. "Are you new in town?"

She was still pretty new, to be honest.

[two_idiots_one_body]

"I suppose so," Arthur answered. "I've been here..." he stopped to do the math, "about a month and a half, but I spent a good deal of that in the clinic." He lifted his cane in explanation.