17323/Avengers Winter Camping Trip

Avengers Winter Camping Trip
Date of Scene:	12 March 2024
Location:	Upstate New York wilderness
Synopsis:	The Avengers do some winter camping. After a day of snowmobiling, skiing and snowshoeing, they gather around the campfire that night.
Cast of Characters:	Steve Rogers, Clint Barton, Thor, Bruce Banner, Carol Danvers, Clea, Scott Lang

---

Steve Rogers has posed:
The Avengers loaded in a vehicle to head out camping. True, their vehicle might be a Quinjet, in the event they should need to return or jet off to save the world in the middle of the winter camping trip. But after that it became more like a normal trip.

Tents are set up in a circle around a firepit. A fallen log has been brought over as a bench, but there are also camp chairs that are a bit more comfortable. There are coolers with drinks, and lots of food for cooking on the fire. A pot of hot water was left to simmer so there is always water for hot chocolate or coffee.

And then the team went out to have fun at whatever winter activity they chose. There were snowmobiles provided, and a lake nearby where one could ice fish. Snow shoes were on hand, as well as cross country skies. Even some sleds for a nearby hill. After a day of fun in the snow (which a certain X-man had a hand in making sure was nice fluffy snow perfect for such activities), then the team can meet up afterwards back at the campfire to eat and drink together.

Clint Barton has posed:
The growl of a snowmobile can be heard in the distance, the little headlights lighting the way back. High speed, the snow is kicked up, the trees avoided narrowly in their passing. As it nears the camp, the engine starts to downshift and the revving keens high, then lower as it slows to a stop near the Quin. (Easier to load later that way!)

The key is turned and the engine sputters and dies, and once it's pocketed, Clint throws a leg over and gets off. Feet are stamped to get a little circulation moving in boots, and with a grin, readjusts his winter woolen hat and starts to make his way towards the campfire.

"There're some deer about a mile or so away. In case we ever wanted to do a hunting trip."

Thor has posed:
Thor was ... all over the snowmobiles. That was Thor's obsession of the day. Lots of high volume yelling, challenging of others, leaping off of it (to make funny snow angel shapes of the landings)... it was a very physical time of enjoying play on the snowmobiles, enough to where he probably exhausted others' patience about them, but not enough to actually be annoying, since he was happy to go revving off somewhere into the woods on one even if others were busy elsewhere.

But now, Thor ditched that activity (the snowmobile is MIA) and he has since been 'teaching' a proper survival building structure of how the vikings used to build bushcraft lean-tos. The sacrifice of trees for the lesson has not been a large one: he has stuck to old or fallen trees, and a rock circle base, but it is definitely noisy: the chopping, towing, and erecting of the shelter structure is not a quiet one.

"We did not scare them off with our exhuberance?" Thor calls back to Clint.

Bruce Banner has posed:
Bruce Banner stuck close to the indoors. No skiing, no snowmobiles. Definitely no ice skating, he had the coordination of a newborn deer. Athleticism was not a part of Bruce Banner's existence, not in this state of mind at the very least. And what the Hulk did went somewhere beyond athletics and into the titanic. Hulk wasn't really a person.

That's what Bruce Banner always told himself, at least. His psychiatrist would disagree.

He sits around the firepit with multiple large Thermos containers - hot chocolate, black coffee, green tea. Kept him on a nice even keel. He'll be doing his best to be sociable and not spend all his time staring thoughtfully into the fire.

Carol Danvers has posed:
Given her penchant for daredevilry and general always give 11 out of 10 passion, one would probably expect Carol Danvers to have gone immediately for a snowmobile, or at least one of the sleds and the steepest hill she could find. But this was a getaway, and so Carol must have thought she should try getting away from expectations. Or, maybe, the woman with an upstate farmstead that she'll sneak off to work on restoring whenever she can might actually enjoy the occasional leisurely, even serene winter activity.

Also, being able to fly means if you get tired of snowshoeing, you can just fly back to the camp. But where's the challenge in that? No, Carol went for a quiet hike that might very well have led to her spying those deer off in the distance, appreciating nature's beauty and such.

Really, it's the sound of tree chopping that brings her back around to Clint and Thor, if only out of sheer curiosity because... well, someone's chopping a tree down.

Whatever its purpose is she can't not find out. Of course, cresting a hill and throwing a wave to her teammates only to see it's a practical survival demonstration and not someone wanting to do some midwinter caber tossing is... Well, Carol's not sure if it's disappointing or reassuring. Maybe both.

Probably both.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve Rogers has been Clint's and Thor's snowmobiling partner to start the day. After racing around the area on the fresh fallen snow, weaving in and out with the other two, going over hills to catch air, and doing normal sorts of snowmobile fun, Cap had waved to them and called he was going to go grab some skis and would see them later back at camp.

So it was he had returned to camp, sharing some coffee with Bruce, and then headed out on the cross country skis. He likely came across Carol at some point, offering her some coffee a thermos he'd brought with him in a pack, before speeding off again at a pace that would probably challenge for the Olympic leaders.

Now it's getting late, and he comes gliding over a hill, giving two last pushes with his poles and then coasting to camp.

"Good, looks like we didn't lose anyone," he says with a grin as he pulls up his googles. He got a bit of sun out there, a little extra color in his face. "Everyone have a good time today I hope?" he asks as he undoes the bindings on the skis and steps out of them, moving them over to lean where some of the other recreational equipment is.

Clint Barton has posed:
The snowmobiles are probably a little worse for wear, considering they probably 'caught air' at every possible point in the ride. The skidding, the running over ice and side-sliding.. no one could possibly have stayed 'dry', considering the snowbursts kicked up by the machines.

Now, Clint is absolutely back and with a quick cup of coffee steaming in hand, the archer is watching the 'art of viking lean-to making', and is leaning on a tree. Every couple of minutes, he's nodding, lending a hand to hold a weave as the structure slowly rises. "Okay, this works.." he offers consideringly. "Less material, a little stronger. I like it."

Twisting around at Cap's presence, the relaxed smile remains, "Heya. So far, head count is right. And, all fingers and toes. No trips to the hospital."

Thor has posed:
The 'art' of the structure is not an activity Thor intends to be at for very long. It is a quick and dirty situation, but meant to be extremely strong. Which, considering the weather, is some kind of incredible overkill. And Thor is too distracted by the returning teammates to actually keep his attention on completing it, when there is no actual pressing snowstorm for it to shield them from.

But just in case, it's there. For freak storms. Later, when a rain villain picks on them, they'll be thanking him.

But for now, Thor grins at Clint openly and happily. "What is not to like? But certainly slower than your modern auto-poop tents." Automatic pop-up, is possibly what he meant.

Thor is in a grand mood, gracious and pleasant. And his face seems to have mostly healed, an injury still bruising his eye and eyebrow, the eye with a ring of red in it -- but those injuries have nothing to do with this day. Thor is happily in his element in the cold, in modern clothes and a sort of extreme woolen gray scarf that he has lost about four times. Even now, it's draped on part of his lean-to structure.

Bruce Banner has posed:
Bruce Banner takes the coffee back from Cap and throws back a long drink. Hot and bitter. "Just like my ex," he mutters to himself.

He greets others as they come back. He tries to let himself loosen up. Cameraderie and groups of friends weren't much of his experience of life, unless you counted the occasional late night lab session in grad school. And even then, you're as much rivals as friends.

As Cap speaks, though, he turns slowly. Bad memories of summer camp. "I don't know what you have planned for tonight, but I am not going to be singing campfire songs under any circumstances."

Clea has posed:
When you aren't effected by the elements and you don't touch the ground without willing yourself to it takes the fun out of camping. Clea's doing what she does best, being quiet and floating like some pale ghost from a Victorian novel.

She's exchanged her trademark purple for black today and whatever she was doing during the sunlit hours is still a mystery. Clea was not native to Earth and well...she was becoming more distant from what she had learned with staying in Kamar-Taj and other places.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve's breath comes out in a visible mist in the cold air as he gives a warm chuckle back to Bruce. "What, I heard you have a great singing voice. Someone said that about Bruce, didn't they?" he says, glancing around for anyone willing to claim they said such.

He walks over, the snow here in the camp having mostly been packed down by people walking across it, and gets some of the coffee to warm up. "Thor, you look like you've been hard at work," he says. Steve grins over to Clint. "Good, nice to bring back as many digits as we left with. Otherwise JARVIS will probably have a disappointed tone when we return."

He looks over at the fire. "So what's the plan for dinner? Cook some steaks? Burger? Make a big pot of chili? Hot dogs roasted on sticks, and s'mores after that/" he asks. Steve looks to Clea. "Have you ever had a s'more? Marshmallow browned over a fire, put on a square of chocolate, between two graham crackers?"

Clint Barton has posed:
"Pop-tents, Thor. Not poo- never mind." Correcting the Asgardian is like being Sisyphus. That rock always rolls back down.

"What?" Clint narrows his eyes as if he can actually hear Steve better by doing that before nodding and raising his coffee mug. Smile and nod! "That's what I hear!" Ha. "I'm sure you know some good ones, Bruce."

Wandering back to the fire once the quick ad-hoc lean-to is raised (let the archaeologists work THAT one out!), the archer pulls up a log to sit down. "Never want to disappoint an AI. Never know what he'd do.."

Thor has posed:
"Songs are not necessary. But heroic stories of might and valor could entertain," Thor recommends in a tone that is meant to be supportive of Bruce's concerns about music. And, of course, Thor loves to both tell and hear epic stories. Thor climbs over, then, to plop down heavily next to Bruce. As if maybe his level of sunshine could boost the grumpy gus's mood upward!

"It was not I that would say such of your singing voice," Thor loudly stage-whispers to Bruce, attempting to put a friendly arm to his back and lean in. "Ere I have not heard you. But I do not think any here would pass judgement."

Still, Thor is not there to pressure Bruce, and doesn't push about it. "I support all of those feast selections. Begin them!" Thor applauds of Steve's list. It was not a 'choose' to Thor, but a menu. "I had intent to submit roast boar, but if Barton prefers a fresh hunt---?" Thor lets that hang. He did listen to Clint's proposal of venison.

Bruce Banner has posed:
Bruce Banner shakes his head, "I am not singing. There is no way you can get me drunk enough. I've had a large amount of liquid already, I'm not even thirsty," he says. "Also, if I humiliate myself too badliy, I'll turn into the Hulk and then you'll get to find out how good his singing voice is while he bounces your head off the trees," he says.

Joking.

Probably.

"Sounds as if you want to recreate the campfire scene from Blazing Saddles with that menu," he says. "Hot dogs are traditional, I think."

Scott Lang has posed:
Scott Lang actually enjoyed some sledding, a lot of snow shoe walking and simple things like that. Take time to feel a little younger, enjoy life and maybe make a snow angel along the way. And now he's moving back up to the campfire.

"I can't remember the last time I had fun in the snow like this," Scott reflects coming up to the fire. He grins and rubs his hands together ready to get warm. "How'd everyone else make out today?" he's just curious what everyone did, how they were enjoying it. Different views, takes on the same situation, that stuff interested him with the team. It's not every day you got the perspective of a literal God, war legened, very trained agents and regular people that got imbued with powers.

"I'm more of a drum guy, but I could always sing. May not sound great, but I could give it a shot,"Scott chimes in, cheerily. People do not want to hear him sing, there's a reason Scott picked the drums.

There's an interested look from Scott when talk of Venison comes up. He visibily leans a little bit looking toward Clint.

Steve Rogers has posed:
"Campfire scene from Blazing Saddles? I think I must have missed that one," Steve replies as he goes over to the containers holding the food. Looks like he'll be cooking tonight. And not the first time the World War II soldier will have made a meal over an open fire, no doubt.

A quick smile is given over to Scott Lang as he returns and joins the group. "Good. Clint and Thor and I took out snowmobiles earlier. I did some cross country skiing after," he says as he brings over some cooking surfaces. "Did you have a good time out there, Scott?" A bunch of meat goes onto a flat skillet. "For the chili," he says, though he adds some chicken that the staff had packed, already marinading in bags, for something else to eat while the chili is being made.

Hot dogs are set out along with sticks for cooking them. A pot goes over the fire and Cap fills it with beer, then drops in some bratwurst to boil. "Clint, want to get those ears of corn into the fire?" he asks while he starts adding ingredients to the chili pot.

Clea has posed:
Clea's been a bit careful about looking at others. So it drags her out of the reverie when Steve talks to her. "I've not had that, no." she tells him.

"I don't believe I have been camping. Someone was supposed to take me, but it did not happen." she states. "Master Wong told me I should come to this, just not to be a wet blanket. Whatever that means." she explains. Then she goes quiet again as others talk. She's good at observing for the moment since this is a new situation for her.

Carol Danvers has posed:
Carol sighs out and pats at her pockets in show, "I am all out of stories of heroics and might. I mean, there was that drama at the space port a couple weeks ago, but all I really did was fill in as landing thrusters for a couple ships. I mean, I threatened that one ship that armed its weapons but they were... kind of reasonable about not shooting anyone."

She glances towards Bruce and perks an eyebrow, "I mean, I'm sure Hulk could be our... baritone? I don't actually know anything about music. I mean, I know about music but like... yeah, Karaoke is definitely a drinking activity and that's a slippery slope... and if we want slippery slopes we've still got the sleds, right?"

As far as food, Carol watches Steve cooking meat for chili, "Honestly, a trip around the galaxy's pretty good for centering your appreciation for... Earth cuisine in general. You'd think that 'nutrient paste' would have a very boring and consistent taste across the galaxy, right? But you'd be wrong."

Clint Barton has posed:
"No venison this time. Next time," is promised as he leans over to grab the corn. Clint pulls the ears and starts the shucking, the corn-husks falling into a pile at his feet. Sharpened sticks are produced as are pieces of aluminum foil. Butter, salt, pepper.. wrap. That is done with each ear until they're all done and ready to be set into the coals.

"The entire point of it is to not care if you can sing or not. Heck.. I'll even start, unless someone else wants to." There's a pause to his work, and the grin rises, a little lopsided, "I know a lot of songs." Uh oh.

"On second thought.. let's go with Thor's idea and do some storytelling?"

Thor has posed:
"'Blazing Saddles?'" Thor questions, curiously. "I wish to hear the tale of the saddles which blaze," Thor encourages. "Is it related to Chariots of Fire?" Not that he has seen that either. Thor's cinema experience is extremely devoid. He's just had his focus elsewhere. And it is very nice to focus on simple, easy things like this, and not those... bigger, awful things that his life has been so full of lately.

Thor hasn't been around the Avengers for what feels like two years. So his manner is a little overblown... but not unnatural. He just had a lot of pent up emotion about missing all of this, and is happy to be -- happy. And at this moment, that is watching Clint wrap corn, and doing one himself. Simple things are just fine, and welcome. Not villains that tear away your very soul, for a minute.

Scott Lang has posed:
"Lots of sledding, some snow angels, simple stuff, just nice to forget about everything for a few hours. Be 'Normal.'" And he'll air quote that, too. "It's a luxury we don't have often, but should try to make time for," although next time he would grab the child, bring her along.

"I caught a ship recently," he piggybacks off of Carol's statement. "It's a lot like a football. A very solid and hot football," Scott also remembers catching on fire shortly after.

Scott stops the lean when Clint talks about no Venison this time.

"I think we should pivot back to the singing," he says wanting to see how extensive Clint's song knowledge is.

Bruce Banner has posed:
Bruce Banner smiles, "Oh right, getting rid of all of my anxiety and just doing it, Clint, why didn't I think of that? You're right. And farts, guys, it's a scene with a lot of fart jokes. I'm saying that there would be lots of farting if we all ate a bunch of hot dogs and chili!" he says.

He takes a moment and unscrews the thermos of his tea, taking a slow drink, letting the steam wash over his face. Soothing. Soothing.

"Sorry," he says, snapping the cap closed. "I never was a very good camper. Got sent home early from two. 'Insufficient spirit'."

Steve Rogers has posed:
The comments from the other Avengers about enjoying the sorts of activities that other people get to enjoy, but seldom the heroes, brings a small, satisfied smile to Steve's face. Exactly what he was hoping it would be for the team.

"Well," Steve says to Clea, "Here's a bag of marshmallows. Put one on a stick and heat it over the fire. Now these are pretty flammable so you want to be up in the heat but not too close. They'll turn a golden brown, and then will quickly start to get overcooked and burn, so take them off when golden brown." He grabs the crackers and chocolate bars, and sets up a s'more for the marshmallow when Clea is ready for it.

Then it's back to the fire to turn the chili meat so it cooks evenly. He grins at Thor's asking about the movies, but also looks up for Bruce's explanation. "So why are the saddles blazing?" he asks.

He looks back to Carol then. "So do people from other planets tend to have the same kind of tastes? Or, I can just imagine all sorts of different flavors appealing to one race and being repellent to another."

Clint Barton has posed:
Clint has sticks! Many, many sticks- mostly shafting that is too light for any of his bows. Now, they're more than useful for weenie roasts, for the ears of corn and, of course, the marshmallows.

"Everything is coming back to Blazing Saddles. The farting.." the archer can't help but grin. "See, in reality, we're all pretty much 12. Fart jokes, poop jokes.. yeah." At least he thinks some of them are still funny.

"I'll.. I'll make sure you both," Thor and Steve, "get to watch the movie. It's something you'll never forget."

Movie night!

"And Thor.. buddy. I just want to say welcome back. Doc Banner, you too. I'm glad all you guys decided to come on out just for a little R&R."

Thor has posed:
"Do NOT," Thor says sternly, "Accept any fool that dares to say you have insufficient spirit. Your spirit of indomitable tenacity is an example to many of us." That is to Banner, very directly, and seriously. "I allow no one to speak so ill of my friend." Thor'll go to the mat for any of his team, when their honor is tarnished.

The fart joke thing. Thor is mixed about it. Both that he is also often 12, but a royal Asgardian. There are two ways to go with that. "Should I release wind, you may believe it is thunder," is what Thor says, cheeky but still regal.

Clint's thank of Thor gets a real Thor reaction though, a laugh and a move to collect Clint in a tight hug. "As it is to see you!"

Scott Lang has posed:
"Blazing Saddles is a classic and Mel Brooks is a national treasure in my book. Mel Brooks night, I'm down," although the thought Scott has about a movie night with Mel Brooks does cause a twinge of sadness. Just fun times with someone important that seems to have gone awol. The sadness is visible to anyone that looks his way, but it passes quickly.

Pushing past all that, "We need to do more things like this more often. Remind us that we're team, but friends, too. Or at least people that tolerate each other. Does the whole team building thing," plus it just keeps everyone social. Scott imagines this group has some unintended shutins. Himself included.

"You've got plenty of spirit, Banner. The camp just couldn't handle ya, that's all," Scott joins a similar stance to Thor.

Clea has posed:
Clea retrieves a stick for the marshmallow, she's hesitant about that, but she gets through it. She then returns to the fire and roasts it. She doesn't burn it, but it's not the most perfect thing.

She looks a little stressed when she doesn't immediately know what to do with the marshmallow, but plops it to top of the chocolate without burning Steve.

She is distracted by the laughing and the Thor hugging Clint, but she goes back to the graham cracker confection...to see what it is all about.

Steve Rogers has posed:
"That's not bad at all, Clea, most people catch it on fire the first time," Steve says, getting out of her way. "Yep, then just put the top on, and it'll start to melt the chocolate a bit. It'll be hot inside so give it a minute."

The meat is cooked and goes into the chili pot. Some of it was cooked ahead of time, so Steve only lets it go long enough for the flavors to blend properly. "Alright, chili is ready," he says, spooning out some bowls of it for whoever want the heart warming, rib-sticking winter meal.

"Sure," Steve says of seeing the movie. "One more thing I can cross off my list." It's been years that he's been out of the ice, but people still keep suggesting things to Steve that he needs to see. Or hear. Or taste. Or visit. So keeps his list going in his little notepad.

Carol Danvers has posed:
Carol cups a mug of hot chocolate, levels gaze at Clint, and perks her eyebrows, "You know, I've never seen Blazing Saddles? Like not even once? I have seen..." Her brow furrows, "Like ten minutes of it. Edited for cable." It's... not entirely clear if she's kidding or not. But given how slowly she sips that cocoa, and the level cast of her eyes, either she's practicing a bluff for poker night and is going to be a terror or... or it's true!

She eyes Steve and that deadpan face cracks, breaks into a grin. "You've been adding to that list, right? I mean, you make a list of everything you missed and start crossing it off, you're probably missing things that have happened since you MADE the list... so you need to add them onto it and then start doing those..... riiiiiiiight?"

Clint Barton has posed:
GRAWKKK.. nothing like getting hugged by Thor, even if it's a side hug. Clint is quickly squished, and he laughs and offers a pat on the man's arm in return. "Seriously though. One day, I'd love to hear all about what happened," and there's a quick point to his own eye in hint.

"But, enough. There's marshmallows to set aflame and squish in crackers and douse with chocolate. And, then there's the doctors' offices to visit when diabetes sets in." All this with a smile on his face.

Pointing to Carol, Clint makes a pistol gesture with his hand, "That's probably because you saw it on cable. Most of the movie was edited out. We need to see it in its entirety." A pause, and the archer is looking at Lang. "Scott buddy, you okay?" Definitely a Mel Brooks night is in the making!

"Now, Steve, pass some of that chili over, and lets get to some 'no shit, there I was' stories."

Clea has posed:
"I tend to set everything on fire, so it's good to have something go right for once." Clea states to that. "Thank you." she adds. There is a bit of a smile as she looks at the others and their conversations. It was always nice to learn new things, no matter how small.

"I'll be back in a bit." she states to no one in particular. She doesn't give a reason for stepping away either, but she does take her s'more with her. Maybe she'd give it to Wong.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve Rogers grins back to Carol as he passes the chili around, a bowl going to Clint. Another goes to Thor to try. Steve adds a little extra chili powder to that one. "Oh yes. As long as people keep giving me things, I keep adding them. I've seen some of the Simpsons, but apparently that show just keeps going forever? And heard a lot of great music. Some that wasn't quite as much my style. Punk and heavy metal aren't quite my taste, but I give them a try when someone suggests them. Books. A good way to pass time on a flight. The DaVinci Code. Five People You Meet In Heaven."

He scoops some of the chili into a bowl for himself, then gets an ear of corn from out of the fire and goes to sit down in a camp chair. "There's a musical I'm supposed to watch, Man Of La Mancha. About Don Quixote I guess," he says as he grabs a spoon and starts in on the chili in his bowl.

He remembers something, and gets up to go to his tent and into his pack. He returns, setting down glasses and then pulling from a protective cylinder a very old bottle of scotch. "I was given this by a veteran," he says. "Should be very smooth." He starts pouring glasses of it for anyone who wants to try it.

Scott Lang has posed:
"A bad memory. Well a good one. It's complicated," Scott admits honestly. It's bittersweet. "Thanks for asking Clint," Scott means that, too. It's a nice gesture from Clint.

"Simpsons lull somewhere in the double digits, but starts to turn around season 15ish. Slowly getting better," there's a few standouts.

Scott goes to grab some chili and pours himself a bowl of that. He grins and then sits down anywhere he could find a good spot.

"You should see Wicked, Steve. Has good effects. Good cast. See it before seeing the upcoming movie," the plays tend to just have a little something the movies don't.

Thor has posed:
The question about Thor's eye injury made Thor chill off quite a bit: it caused him to smile but nod once, and quiet for the next time, as he fell into some introspection. He had perhaps hoped no one would notice it, or perhaps the memory grounded him out of the happy high.

But Thor is resilient, and starts to perk back up with the offers of food and a better time of stories and enjoyment with the Avengers.

Steve Rogers has posed:
The night grows colder, but the fire is warm, and the companionship warmer as the Avengers sit up into the night. Swapping stories, drinking and eating. Bonding in the ways that friends do, becoming ever closer with the teammates who depend on each other for their lives.

Almost better than Shawarma.