4145/Ant-Man vs. Doctor Man

Ant-Man vs. Doctor Man
Date of Scene:	16 November 2020
Location:	Pym's Mobile Lab
Synopsis:	Scott drops by for some fun and stays for a heart to heart.
Cast of Characters:	Scott Lang, Hank Pym

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Scott Lang has posed:
     "And a one, and a two, and a..." The noise that follows is, at least in part, somewhat musical, a recognizable instrumental version of 'Smooth Criminal' appropriately enough. It would have to be instrumental as Scott has no time to sing as he directs his 'band' of five of the enlarged ants Hank keeps as lab assistants, pulled from their duties for this important project. One is on drums, another guitar, saxophone, piano, and of course an accordion. Only to call them instruments would be a bit of an overstatement, each of the ants actually using portions of lab equipment that seem to at least fulfill the basic requirements of being able to make noise in a roughly controllable variation. Even the conductor's baton Scott is swinging about looks to have far more buttons and look far more expensive, and breakable, than anything an actual conductor would employ for such a task.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym crashed in his lab, last night on a lab table. Not as bas as it sounds. He has a futon and an inflatable pillow as well as a beloved quilt. At the first chord his eyes snap open, red though they may be.

"Lang!"

He grabs for his robe, which resembles a lab coat, fumbling to tie it.

Scott Lang has posed:
     "Alright and pause. Ant-Twon, off the beat a bit but we'll work on it. D-Ante you've really picked it up, great job," Scott taking the time to address the insects first which may or may not actually care, their expressions rather unchanging in any case. All five bugs quickly scatter though as Hank appears though not before setting their 'instruments' down on the floor.
     "Hey, mornin Hank. Or, well almost afternoon really. Guess Nadia wasn't around to wake you today?" Scott cheerfully responds as Hank storms in, seeming rather nonplussed by the grumpy ex-hero as he picks up a mug to sip from, the baton still in his other. The mug of course reading Hank's alma mater on the side of it, clearly it didn't come from Scott's home.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym adjusts his robe, pausing to grab the wand from Scott's hand. "Give me that before you..." The wand beeps and a number of wall panels slide up revealing a selection of pocket artillery that would give the Red Skull an evil-gasm. Hank hits a button on the wand and the panels slide back down.

"Baudelaire?" he calls after Ant-Twon. The ant returns with a mug of tea for Hank. Apparently he had it waiting. He sips the tea, not taking his eyes off Lang. "What brings you by? I knew my convalescence was going too well."

Scott Lang has posed:
     "Neat, so that's what that is for," Scott worryingly focusing on the wand again, giving the impression some of that weaponry wouldn't be there the next time Hank opened those panels. For now though he adopts at least a semi-serious expression as he leans on the lab table and takes another sip from the mug. There's no steam and in fact a slight fizzing sound, apparently having filled the coffee mug with cola. "Anyway, just stopping in, see how you were doing, if there was any actual work you had lined up for me, secrets to teach. You hear I helped the X-Men the other day? I sucked some dirty water out of a hole for them...that sounded more impressive in my head, I don't know why," Scott confesses with a puzzled furrow of his brow.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym multitasks a moment. Okay, change the access codes for the arsenal, get rid of the wand, no keep it just set it to trigger oh heh heheh. Yeah I got a little job to do. He sips his tea, smiles, which often worries people at SHIELD. "Uhm so, Scott, you're a dad. May I ask you something?" He sips again a little glumly. He's not sure how he conveys 'glum' but he does. As e drinks a silver bracelet gadget is visible on his wrist.

Scott Lang has posed:
     Already Scott was counter-plotting whatever Hank was plotting, a constant back and forth that was as likely to break something as it was to get Scott into the gun lockers. Only time would tell but for now that plan was set on the backburner of his mind. And the talk of fatherhood at least momentarily puts his sillier side on hold as he straightens up and sets the mug down. "Well yeah, I mean my daughter is 6 not 16 but, hey a Dad is a Dad right? Everything alright? Not scared she's starting to drive are you?" Alright, perhaps maybe still a bit silly given Nadia was probably trained to operate a nuclear sub much less a car.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym hehs. "She drives, she rides a bike. She does everything. You're lucky Cassie is still small. I met Nadia when she is at the age where she wants to cut loose. It's marvelous. It sucks! I got a daughter I'm about to lose I feel. She's helping the Titans, working with the Avengers, stepping out God knows where with the ex... who somehow got her demonic DNA into my kid. I... "

He looks around reflexively and then turns to Scott and leans closer. "She doesn't need me. She told me get used to sharing her. Frankly it kills me. I mean I know she loves me but... " he trails off.

"The only thing that puts me at a loss for words is Nadia. Is that normal?"

Scott Lang has posed:
     For the first time Scott actually looks worried for Hank, showing a vulernability he'd never seen from the ordinarily gruff man. His eyes wide Scott seems to struggle for words a moment before he finally smiles. "Hey, yea it's normal man. I mean, once you have kids that's all you live for anymore. I can't even imagine how...well complicated doesn't cover it. How mind-blowing finding out you had a teen daughter and under all these circumstances has been but, you gotta cherish the fact you have her at all. Have you guys like, spent time together outside the lab? Take her to a ballgame? Putt-putt? I know it sounds cheesy but, well you missed out on a lot of time, could still catch up on some of it," Scott advises warmly.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pymface lights up. "Well... with us we spend time in the labs together. Between you and me, till she came along the only lab partner I ever had I didn't have want to murder me was Reed Richards. I showed her the tech her mom helped me develop and gave her an Insect Comm like yours... I put it in deely boppers. I gave her a scarf that was her mom's... I told her to o put more clothes on since it comprised half her outfit at the time. Then she... caught me when my BPD and power issues hit me at the same time and ahhhh I yelled and cursed at her... she wanted to kill me. I could see it... and I couldn't even get to full size so it was definitely in her capabilities. I think I burned through all the respect she had for me, man. She was taller than me and everything... then she wants to call... Janet. I lost it."

Scott Lang has posed:
     Scott's eyes widen as Hank lets it all out, maybe more than he really intended to share. But then who else does he have to confide in? "Hey, hey c'mon buddy, kids are hard. There's always gonna be some fights, especially with the age she's at and all your family has been through. Don't go giving up now. You gotta call her, apologize, go somewhere peaceful like I said. Out of the lab. No work, no tech, just the two of you and something fun. Bonding time man, that's what it's all about," Scott says, unsure if Hank is really listening to him or not as he steps closer, not entirely certain what to do himself. He wasn't family, he's not even certain Hank considered him a friend so much as a colleague, or worse, an intern.
     Hesitantly he opens his arms up though, and next thing gives Hank an awkward hug from the side, the kind where you try to touch the person as little as possible while making contact. "C'mon buddy, there you go, let it all out, it's alright it's...oh man you did some drinking lately didn't ya. Look lets uh, lets get you cleaned up a bit alright? A shower and some fresh clothes, you'll feel a million times better," Scott suggests as he breaks the uncomfortable embrace, provided Hank hasn't shoved him off already.