the only *surprise* about this is that i managed to find some more fanfics to share with you guys

"What in the world ---", Hope came to a halt as she almost stepped onto a bouquet of flowers outside the bedroom door, carried by an army of ants.

She could hear hurried, familiar footsteps approaching. "Hey, you guys, your job's done, you can go now.", he whispered, hunched fowards while flailing his hands dramatically as if to chase the ants away, unaware of her presence. She bit her lip, suppressing a laugh. The silly man. The ants scattered away and he looked up.

"Scott?", she arched an eyebrow, and eyed at him suspiciously with crossed arms.

"Hi Hope! Surprise!", he smiled gleefully, and waved his hands as if he had just performed a magic trick. He scooped up the bouquet of flowers. "Though you weren't suppose to see that, these are for you ---", he held the flowers in front of her but stopped in his tracks, when his eyes caught what she was wearing.

Hope was wearing one of his old white-coloured office shirt, it fit her loosely, revealing her long, slender legs.

He gulped. Until now, she still gave him palpitations.

She had been staying over at Scott's house for a couple of nights after the flurry of events that had happened, after the search for her mother and among other things. It all started when he had invited her over for a movie with Cassie which ended with him convincing her to stay the night. And now, it seemed they had comfortably fallen back into a routine. She would come over to his house to train (he claimed he was rusty, but she definitely saw through the lie), and then it was dinner leading to a movie/late night conversations and certain 'extra-curricular activities'. After two years of being in no contact at all, they had endless topics and conversations to catch up with.

Deep down, it scared Hope that she and Scott were moving forward so naturally. Were they an item now? A couple? Before the events of Civil War, they certainly were, but what about now? They had never talked about it, until last night.

She sat crossed leg on the couch, flicking through television channels, but nothing seem to interest her. They were just done with dinner, and it was Scott's turn to do the dishes.

"Hey.", he sauntered towards her, grinning. "Nothing on TV?", he asked, and with a swift movement, much to her surprise, he laid down on the couch with his head resting on her lap.

"You really do know how to make yourself comfortable.", her lips curled up forming a thin smile.

"That's because you're comfy.", he flashed his goofy smile, his dreamy green eyes staring into hers. He missed her. More importantly, he missed them.

She smiled, a hand reaching out behind his ear, stroking his hair. He closed his eyes. The small gesture was something he enjoyed because it showed that she was comfortable with him.

"So, what was it like fighting alongside Cap?", she smirked, but was genuinely curious.

He froze and opened his eyes, avoiding her gaze. They hadn't touched on the issue after the end of his house arrest. However, it had always bothered him that he hadn't formally apologize to her about secretly running off to Germany with the suit.

She noticed his blank look, and that meant he was either going to make a joke out of it or he was going to babble.

"Scott, I ---"

"Hope, I'm sorry.", he cut her off and sat up abruptly, facing her. "I should have told you about it. It was stupid of me running off with the suit without you or Hank's permission. I never intend for you and Hank to get caught up in the conflict. It got into my head, thinking it could be my once in a lifetime opportunity to fight along with Cap ---," he paused. "--- Captain America. But with the Sokovia Accords, it would mean that we will be controlled by the government, and who knows what will happen to the tech if it fell into the wrong hands, what with the political conflict happening, not to mention, the accords were tampered with...", he rambled, his expression serious. He could never forget being locked up in The Raft, afraid he was never going to see Cassie and Hope again.

"Not if it was kept a secret.", she knew her father would never give up his technology, not after his stint with SHIELD. And then Scott had to become Giant Man during the airport fight, exposing it.

"I truly am ---", his face was as red as a tomato.

She reached out and touched his face, thumb gently caressing his cheek, calming him.

"I forgive you.", she interrupted him, her gaze soft. She had forgiven him after he had broken she and her father out of jail, and had forgiven him the second time after he nearly drowned in the ocean. He was risking his freedom and yet he had still come for them. She realized that she could not lose him.

"Thanks Hope.", he smiled sheepishly, grateful, as he held her hand in his. "Since I'm forgiven, does this mean we're a thing now? Like you're my girlfriend again...", his face broke into a lopsided grin. "And we've been hanging out a lot, and I would really want you to be my girlfriend again, officially...", he blabbered on.

"Oh shut up Scott.", she pulled him close and kissed him. He responded passionately, hands grabbing her arms, eagerly returning her kiss. She proceeded to climb on his lap, arms clinged around his neck and straddled him with her legs.

They broke off, both out of breath, smiling.

"I'll take that as a yes?"

"You're an idiot Scott.", she giggled.

"Your idiot."

He carried her up, with her legs around him, and sprinted towards the staircase. And that was how she ended up staying the night.

"Scott?"

"Earth to Scott!?!"

He came back to his senses and stared at her.

"That's my shirt..."

She didn't had anything to change into, so that was how she ended up with wearing his shirt, not that she minded.

"Are you just going to stand there the whole day staring?", she teased him. "Thanks for the flowers by the way. What's the occasion?", she motioned to the long forgotten flowers in his hand.

"Can't I surprise my girlfriend once in a while?", he smiled cheekily, as he headed towards her and grabbed her waist. Her face blossomed into a wide smile. He pressed a kiss on her neck, while they moved backwards in sync and closed the bedroom door.