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𝑰𝑻 𝑻𝑨𝑲𝑬𝑺  𝑻𝑾𝑶
-𝒔𝒆𝒃𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏
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"IN THE right hands, the relationship between man and suit is symbiotic." Hank explained, standing between Hope and Christina. Scott nodded at Hank's words, stretching out his legs and arms as well. "The suit has power. The man harnesses that power. You need to be skillful, agile, and above all, you need to be fast." Hank raised his hand, snapping sharply. "You should be able to shrink and grow on a dime. So your suit always suits your needs."

With a blank look, Hope closed the door.

"Now dive through the keyhole, Scott." Hank called from the other side of the door.

Scott stared at the tiny opening, flipping down his mask.

"You charge big, you dive small, then you emerge big."

Scott moved his feet, braking into a run towards the door. When he neared, he jumped, pressing the side of his hand with his thumb; but missing the button accidentally.

While Hope rolled her eyes, Christina cringed at the heavy thump against the wooden door.

"Ow!"

THE TRAINING went on for a few more days, Scott still missing every time. With each passing day, Hope pushed the idea more and more of her becoming the next Ant-Woman.

For the umpteenth time, Scott crashed into the door. Hope shared a look with her father. "Useless..."

Christina shook her head, opening the door to find Scott laying on the floor, gripping his arm that hit the door. "We're moving on with training."

Nodding at Hank, she and Hope ushered Scott into the basement.

After they changed into workout clothes, Christina and Hope both stood in front of Scott.

"When you're small, energy's compressed." Hope explained, ambling around the other two. "So you have the force of a two-hundred pound man behind a fist a hundredth of an inch wide—"

"You're like a bullet." Christina added, which to Hope nodded in agreement.

"You punch to hard, you kill someone." Hope said.

"Too soft, and it's a love tap. In other words, you need to learn how to punch properly." Christina finished, tying back her sleek black hair.

Scott narrowed his eyes. "Did you two practice that?" He shook his head. "Anyways, I was in prison for three years. I know how to punch."

"Really? Show me." Chris offered, raising her hands. Scott did a small step back, raising his fists before striking one into Chris' palm.

Christina and Hope shook their heads. "Terrible."

Scott smirked cockily. "You wanna show me how to punch?"

Christina smiled sweetly, nodding. Scott raised his hand. "Show me how to—"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Christina's fist swung forward, punching his nose, carful not to break it. Scott stumbled backwards before falling to the ground.

Hope smirked at Christina, coming up to give her a small high-five.

Hank chuckled, stepping forward in a lab coat. "Christina and Hope have been looking forward to this; Hope especially."

Scott rose to his feet with a sway, bending over and holding his knees. "No kidding."

"Hope trained in martial arts at a difficult time. Christina joined shortly after, offering emotional support, which I am thankful for." Hank continued.

"And by difficult time, he means when my mother died." Hope corrected with a hint of bitterness.

"We lost her in a plane crash."

Christina slowly moved over to Scott, helping him fully stand as Hank and Hope started to bicker.

"It's bad enough you won't tell me how she died. Can you please stop telling me that lie? We're working here." Hope remarked, turning back to Chris and Scott.

Hank shook his head, walking away. Hope smirked at Scott. "All right, princess. Let's get back to work."

Scott glared at Chris, holding his nose. "Were you even going for the hand?"

         OVER THE next few weeks, Scott grew more as a person; getting better physically, learning about his ant-allies (trying to control them mostly), and even growing closer to Christina.

They spent countless hours in Hank's basement, Christina trying to shape Scott into better physic. They were so engaged many times that they didn't realize Hope excusing herself to relax.

Christina wiped her brow of sweat before lifting her leg to try and kick Scott in his side. Scott groaned loudly as her foot connected into his ribcage. Grabbing her neck, he tried and failed to knee her in the stomach. Pushing Scott away, Chris tried to slap him, but missed.

She panted as she and Scott circled one another. Scott lifted his fists to his face. "You gettin' tired, Clark?"

"Nope!" Christina blurted, swinging a punch. Scott quickly blinked before being able to smack her fist away. When she went for another quick punch, Scott hit that fist away before uppercutting his fist into her stomach.

Christina jerked back, gasping for a breath. Scott pouted his lips mockingly as he bent to her level. "Aw, did I hurt you, Chris—"

She growled as she quickly punched him in the face, making him stumbled back. With a sudden battle cry, she stepped up on his knee, hooking one leg over his shoulder before wrapping her other under his other arm. With enough momentum, Christina swung Scott off his feet while capturing in a headlock between her thighs.

Scott rolled on his side, groaning. He pulled on his arm that Christina held before slapping her thigh in a surrender.

She huffed in satisfaction, unwrapping her thighs before lifting to her feet. Outstretching an arm, she helped Scott up. After a moment of silence, she chuckled. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

SCOTT HISSED, pressing a piece of gauze that was soaked in rubbing alcohol to clean his wounds. Christina glanced up from her gym bag, quickly stealing a look as his torso, which as become quickly toned after the various weeks of training.

Hope walked by, catching Christina's look, but chose to ignore it. She looked at Scott. "Hank wants you outside for target practice."

Both looked up and nodded. Christina joined Hope while Scott went to put a shirt on.

SCOTT SAT, resting his chin on the kitchen table. Around him, Hank, Hope and Christina all watched him trying to control the ants into placing a sugar cube into a cup of tea sitting in front of him.

"You can do it, Scott. Come on." Hank encouraged, watching Scott place his finger to the communication device.

When the ants didn't respond to Scott's signals, he threw the ear-piece on the table in frustration. "They're not listening to me."

"You have to commit. You have to mean it." Hope said with a sigh, holding the back of her neck. "No shortcuts, no lies."

Hank sighed as well, ambling around. "Throwing insults into the mix will not do anyone any good, Hope."

"Guys, please not now." Christina huffed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Scott's trying his best here."

Hope glanced at her before looking back at Hank. "We don't have time for coddling."

"Our focus should be on helping Scott!" Hank expressed, his voice raising in volume. Scott looked back and forth as Christina stood near the island, eyes casted at the wall.

"Really?" Hope asked. "Is that where our focus should be?"

When Hank didn't respond, Hope swiped the comm off the table, hooking it on her ear. After a moment, a line of ants made their way on the table, each one grabbing a cube of sugar a throwing it into the cup.

After, more ants traveled down the chain on the light above, crowding around the bulb of it and darkening the room.

"Hope!" Hank yelled, quickly making the ants scatter. Hope looked up at her father with teary eyes.

She slowly approached him. "I don't know why I came to you in the first place." With that, Hope left.

Scott slowly stood to his feet, looking between the two. "I'll...go talk to her."

HANK AND Christina stood in the living room as Scott re-entered the house with Hope. Christina turned from Hank as they entered while Hank kept his back to them. "Your mother...convinced me to let her join me on my missions. They called her the Wasp."

Christina slowly made her way around the room, to Scott who stood back. They let Hope move towards Hank.

"She was born to it." Hank said, staring at the fire pit. "And there's not a day that goes by, that I don't regret having said yes."

Hank slowly turned to Hope, noticing tears building in her eyes before looking out the window. "It was 1987. Separatists had hijacked a Soviet missile silo in Kursk...and launched an ICBM at the United States. The only way into the internal mechanics, was through solid titanium."

Hank ghosted a heavy look on his face, seeming to remember that day as clear as day. "I knew I had to shrink between the molecules to disarm the missile. But, my regulator had sustained too much damage. Your mother, she didn't hesitate. She turned off her regulator...and went subatomic to deactivate the bomb. And she was gone."

He looked at Hope. "Your mom died a hero." he slowly walked forward. "And I spent the next ten years, trying to learn all I could about the quantum realm."

Hope closed her eyes, drawing in a shaky breath as Hank stood in front of her. "You were trying to bring her back."

"But all I learned is that we know nothing."

Hope looked at him, shaking her head. "It's not your fault," her face softened. "She made her choice."

"I didn't mean to lose you too." Hank confessed as Hope bowed her head.

"I'm sorry."

"This is awesome." Scott said, smiling.

He stepped forward as Christina's smile slowly faded. "It's awesome, you know? You guys are breaking down walls, you're healing. It's important."

Scott looked around before realizing they were all glaring at him. "I ruined the moment, didn't I?"

Hank nodded. "Yes. Yes you did."

Scott lifted his fingers, before gesturing to the kitchen. "I'm gonna make some tea."