.ೃ࿔*:･𝐱𝐱𝐱𝐯𝐢. the adults are talking

"𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐒... 𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐈𝐌," Ebony Maw’s voice slithered out from the darkness, his tall, thin figure emerging from the shadows. His eyes, cold and calculating, locked onto Stephen with a predatory intensity. "If I were to reach our rendezvous on Titan with the Time Stone still attached to your vaguely irritating person… there would be judgment."

Stephen’s eyes darted frantically to the sharp crystal spikes hovering dangerously close to his skin. His breath quickened as one of the crystals inched forward and pressed into his flesh. Pain shot through him, and he clenched his jaw, refusing to give Maw the satisfaction of hearing him scream. The stone-cold touch of the crystal was unbearable, yet he knew the stakes were far greater than his own suffering.

"Give me…" Maw’s voice was laced with dark amusement as he tightened his grip on the magic that controlled the crystals, bringing another spike closer to Stephen’s eye, “…the Stone."

Stephen’s breath hitched, sweat beading on his brow as he stared down the lethal point approaching his face. He could feel the cold dread of the crystal’s presence, its sharp edge brushing against his eyelash.

Above, Tony Stark crouched on a higher ledge, peering down at the dire scene below. His mind was a whirlwind of calculations, searching for any possible angle to save him. Behind him, he felt a gentle tug on his shoulder, and he spun around, raising his repulsor in instinctive defense.

Stephen’s cloak, floating beside him, quickly pulled back, its fabric rippling as if offended by Tony’s reaction. Tony lowered his hand, breathing out a tense sigh. "Wow...you are a seriously loyal piece of outerwear," he muttered, half in admiration, half in disbelief.

"Speaking of loyalty..."

Tony snapped his head to the right, his heart skipping a beat as he saw Ingrid standing behind him, her presence somehow both reassuring and unnerving.

Beside her, Peter, masked and upside down, slowly lowered himself from a web he had attached to the ceiling. He landed lightly on his feet, the sound barely audible in the tense silence of the room. As he flipped off his mask, he gave Tony a sheepish grin, his usual energy tempered by the gravity of the situation.

Tony’s expression hardened as he pointed an accusatory finger at them. "You two should not be here," he hissed, his voice low but edged with undeniable anger.

Peter raised his hands in a placating gesture, trying to explain himself before Tony’s fury could escalate further. "We were gonna go home—" he began, his voice almost pleading.

Tony cut him off, raising his finger higher as if trying to physically block the words from reaching his ears. "I don't wanna hear it," he snapped, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"But it was such a long way down, and I just thought about you on the way—" Peter continued, his voice rising in desperation.

"And now I gotta hear it," Tony muttered under his breath.

Peter hesitated, sensing Tony’s tension but feeling compelled to finish his thought. "…And I kinda stuck to the side of the ship. And this suit is ridiculously intuitive, by the way. So if anything, it’s kinda your fault that I’m here."

Tony’s demeanor shifted instantly, the gravity of the situation pulling his focus sharply. He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he fixed Peter with a serious look. “What did you just say?”

Peter fumbled for words, trying to backtrack. “I take that back. And… now we’re here in space.” He gestured between himself and Ingrid, hoping to deflect some of the tension. Ingrid, standing slightly off to the side, had her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her posture tense.

Tony’s frustration boiled over, and he advanced on them, his voice low and steely. “Yeah. Right where I don’t want you to be. This isn’t Coney Island. This isn’t a field trip. This is a one-way ticket,” he said, his eyes flicking between the two teenagers. “And you know that!” Tony’s finger jabbed in Ingrid’s direction, his tone accusing and filled with concern.

Ingrid’s patience snapped, her eyes narrowing in anger. “Amazing! Just blame everything on me!” she shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Tony rolled his eyes, clearly exasperated by the situation. But then a thought hit him like a ton of bricks, and his expression changed to one of concern. “Bruce is going to kill me if I lose you in outer space,” he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose as if trying to stave off a headache.

Ingrid bristled at his words, her own patience fraying at the edges. “Don’t worry, you won’t lose me,” she retorted, her tone sharp. She wasn’t going to let anyone, not even Tony, doubt her abilities or her resolve. But she couldn’t resist adding a jab of her own, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Would be a shame if something happened to you, though.”

Tony raised his hands in the air. “Are you threatening me?”

Ingrid’s expression shifted, her brow furrowing as she feigned confusion. “I don’t know, am I?” she replied, her voice challenging. The tension between them crackled like electricity, neither willing to back down, each too stubborn to admit they cared about the other’s safety.

Tony let out a frustrated sigh, deciding to ignore Ingrid’s thinly veiled threat, recognizing that pressing the issue would only escalate the situation further. Instead, he turned back to Peter. “Don’t pretend like you thought this through,” he said, his voice softer but still laced with frustration.

Peter shifted uncomfortably under Tony’s scrutiny but stood his ground. “No. I did think this through,” he said, trying to sound confident but faltering as he continued. “It’s just—You can’t be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man when there’s no neighborhood.” For a moment, the three of them stood in a heavy silence. "Okay. That didn't really make any sense, but you know what I'm trying to say."

Tony’s shoulders slumped slightly, the fight draining out of him. He knew these kids were here out of loyalty and bravery, but it didn’t make the situation any less dangerous. He let out a deep sigh before waving them over. “Come on. We’ve got a situation,” he said, his tone resigned but determined. He pointed down to where Stephen was still trapped, the crystals pressing dangerously close to his face. “See him down there? He’s in trouble. What’s your plan, Bonnie and Clyde?”

Peter and Ingrid exchanged a quick, bewildered look at the nickname, their shared confusion momentarily breaking the tension. But the seriousness of the moment quickly pulled them back. Peter crouched down, his mind racing as he studied the situation below.

“Um. Okay. Okay… uh… did you ever see that really old movie, Aliens?” Peter asked, his voice hesitant as he searched for a way to explain his idea.

.ೃ࿔*:･

Stephen’s scream echoed through the chamber, a raw cry of pain that sent a shiver down the spines of anyone who heard it. His body convulsed as the sharp crystal spikes dug deeper into his flesh, each one designed to cause maximum agony without immediate death. Maw’s thin lips curled into a sadistic smirk as he watched Stephen writhe in torment. "Painful, aren't they?" he remarked with a cruel satisfaction. "They were originally designed for microsurgery. And any one of them…"

But then, the sound of loud, metallic banging echoed through the chamber, interrupting his twisted monologue. Maw’s smirk faltered as he turned around to see Tony and Ingrid standing behind him, their faces set with determination.

Maw’s eyes narrowed, and his calm demeanor turned icy as he sized up the new threat. “I could end your friend’s life in an instant,” he threatened.

Tony’s eyes flicked to Stephen, then back to Maw. “I gotta tell you, he’s really not my friend. Saving his life is more of a professional courtesy,” Tony quipped, his tone light. He hoped his nonchalance would throw Maw off, even just for a second.

Maw’s expression didn’t waver. Instead, he took a step toward them, his movements smooth and controlled. With a mere thought, he lifted a massive block of metal from the ship’s hull, suspending it effortlessly in the air with his mind. “You’ve saved nothing. Your powers are inconsequential compared to mine,” Maw intoned, his voice cold and devoid of emotion.

“Yeah, but the kid’s seen more movies,” Tony said, his voice laced with the faintest hint of a smirk.

Before Maw could react, Tony fired a blast at the side of the ship. The shot hit its mark, blasting a hole in the wall. Instantly, the pressurized cabin turned into a deadly vacuum, the force of space’s pull ripping through the chamber. Maw’s eyes widened in surprise as the sudden shift sent him flying toward the breach, his grip on the metal block faltering.

In the chaos, Maw was sucked out of the ship, his scream swallowed by the void of space. For a brief moment, there was nothing but the deafening roar of air being sucked into the abyss.

Stephen felt himself being pulled toward the gaping hole. His cloak, acting on instinct, wrapped around his arm in a desperate attempt to anchor him to the ship. But the force was too strong, and his arm slipped free from the cloak’s grip. Stephen’s eyes widened in terror as he was dragged toward the void, powerless to stop himself.

Peter shot a web strand at Stephen, the sticky line latching onto his body just as he was about to be sucked out. Peter held on with everything he had, his other hand gripping a piece of the ship’s interior for dear life.

The webbing snapped, sending both Peter and Stephen hurtling toward the breach. In that split second, Peter’s suit reacted, the metallic arms hidden within the suit springing to life. They braced against the walls of the ship, anchoring Peter just in time to stop their deadly slide toward space.

“Yes! Wait, what are those?” Peter exclaimed, momentarily distracted by the unexpected appearance of the suit’s mechanical limbs. He quickly used the arms to pull them both back inside the ship. The metal limbs strained against the force of the vacuum, but they held firm, slowly dragging Peter and Stephen back to safety.

As soon as they were inside, Tony rushed forward, his hands a blur as he sprayed nanites onto the hole. The tiny machines worked quickly, sealing the breach and cutting off the deadly vacuum. The roar of air ceased, and the chamber fell into an eerie silence.

As he got up, Peter noticed the cloak hovering nearby, and with a grin, he extended a hand to it. “Hey, we haven’t officially met,” he said, trying to lighten the mood. The cloak, however, seemed unimpressed, floating past Peter to wrap protectively around Stephen. Peter watched it go, muttering under his breath, “Cool.” Ingrid, despite the tension, couldn’t help but giggle at Peter’s reaction.

Stephen pushed himself to his feet, his hair disheveled and his breathing still uneven. The pain from Maw’s crystals lingered, but his mind was already focused on the next step. “We’ve gotta turn this ship around,” he said, his voice firm despite his exhaustion.

“Agreed,” Ingrid said, stepping forward with determination in her eyes. She was ready to put this nightmare behind them and get back to Earth, where the fight could continue on their terms.

Tony scoffed as he walked past them, his armor slowly receding into his arc reactor, revealing his exasperated expression. “Yeah. Now they want to run. Great plan,” he muttered sarcastically.

Stephen’s eyes flashed with frustration as he hurried after Tony, his cloak fluttering angrily behind him. “No, I want to protect the Stone,” he corrected sternly.

Tony halted mid-stride, turning sharply to face Stephen. His gaze was intense, eyes narrowed beneath furrowed brows. “And I want you to thank me. Go ahead. I’m listening,” he retorted, crossing his arms over his chest in a challenge.

Stephen’s expression hardened, disbelief evident in his eyes. “For what? Nearly blasting me into space?” he shot back, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Who just saved your magical ass?” Tony countered, pointing a finger at himself with exaggerated emphasis. “Me.”

“I seriously don’t know how you fit your head into that helmet,” Stephen remarked, his words sharp as daggers.

Tony’s face darkened, his patience wearing thin. “Admit it. You should have ducked out when I told you to. I tried to bench you. You refused,” he stated firmly, his voice rising with each word.

Stephen’s eyes blazed with defiance as he met Tony’s gaze head-on. “Unlike everyone else in your life, I don’t work for you,” he declared.

Tony’s lips pressed into a thin line as he struggled to contain his frustration. “And due to that fact, we’re now in a flying doughnut billions of miles away from Earth with no backup,” he pointed out, his voice tinged with exasperation and underlying worry.

From a few steps behind, Peter’s voice piped up, attempting to inject some levity into the escalating argument. “We’re backup,” he said earnestly, motioning between himself and Ingrid.

Ingrid, standing beside Peter with her arms folded tightly across her chest, couldn’t hold back any longer. Her eyes flashed with indignation as she stepped forward. “Hell no! I'm not a sidekick Tony can use whenever it's convenient for him and send home when it's not,” she exclaimed, her voice firm and resonant. Her gaze softened slightly as she glanced at Peter, adding quickly, “No offense.”

Peter offered a small, understanding smile, nodding slightly to show he took none. But before he could respond, Tony’s retort cut through the air like a knife.

“No. You’re a stowaway. The adults are talking,” Tony snapped, his tone dismissive as he waved a hand to brush off their interjection.

Stephen observed the exchange with a raised eyebrow, clearly intrigued by the dynamic unfolding before him. He turned his sharp gaze back to Tony, a hint of sarcasm lacing his words. “I’m sorry, I’m confused as to the relationship here,” he mused, gesturing subtly towards Peter and Ingrid. “What are they? Your wards?”

Peter quickly shook his head, eager to clarify. “No,” he replied earnestly before stepping forward, extending his hand in a polite gesture. “I’m Peter, by the way.”

Stephen glanced down at Peter’s outstretched hand, his expression remaining stoic and unreadable. After a brief, awkward pause, he offered a curt nod instead of accepting the handshake. “Doctor Strange,” he responded, his tone formal and distant.

Peter’s hand hovered in the air for a moment longer before he withdrew it, attempting to mask his embarrassment with a friendly smile. “Oh, we’re using our made-up names. Um… I’m Spider-Man, then."

Stephen stared at him for a beat, his expression unchanging, before turning on his heel and walking away without another word.

Ingrid stepped closer to Peter, offering him a sympathetic, tight-lipped smile as she gently patted his shoulder. “I think that’s his actual name, Pete,” she murmured softly, her eyes sparkling with a hint of amusement trying to lighten the mood.

Peter let out a small, resigned sigh but couldn’t help the slight smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth in response to Ingrid’s teasing.

"This ship is self-correcting its course. Thing's on autopilot." Tony muttered, his voice barely above a whisper as if he were speaking more to himself than anyone else.

Stephen approached him cautiously, sensing the turmoil in Tony’s demeanor. He stopped a few steps away, searching Tony’s face for any sign of a plan. “Can we control it? Fly us home?” Stephen asked, his voice calm but edged with urgency.

Tony didn’t respond immediately. His eyes remained fixed on the distant stars. “Stark?” Stephen prompted, his tone firm as he stepped closer.

Tony blinked, snapping out of his trance. “Yeah?” he asked, his voice betraying the weight of the thoughts that had been consuming him.

Stephen’s gaze didn’t waver as he repeated his question, more insistent this time. “Can you get us home?”

Tony finally turned to meet Stephen’s eyes, a flicker of doubt and indecision passing through his own. “Yeah, I heard you,” he said, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his tone. “I’m thinking… I’m not so sure we should.”

The air between them grew tense as Stephen processed Tony’s words, his expression hardening. “Under no circumstance can we bring the Time Stone to Thanos. I don’t think you quite understand what’s at stake here,” Stephen said, his voice growing more intense with each word.

Tony took a step closer to Stephen, his voice rising as he spoke, each word laced with a sharp edge. “No. It’s you who doesn’t understand,” Tony snapped, the raw emotion in his voice catching even Stephen off guard. “Thanos has been inside my head for six years… Since he sent an army to New York. And now he’s back! And I don’t know what to do.” His hands clenched into fists as he continued, his voice lowering but no less intense. “So I’m not so sure if it’s a better plan to fight him on our turf or his, but you saw what they did—what he can do. At least on his turf, he’s not expecting it. So I say we take the fight to him. Doctor, do you concur?”

Stephen nodded slowly, his expression grim. “Alright, Stark,” he agreed, his voice measured. “We go to him. But you have to understand... if it comes to saving you or the kids or the Time Stone... I will not hesitate to let any of you die. I can’t, because the fate of the universe depends on it.”

“Good. Nice. Moral compass. We’re straight,” Tony replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm, as if dismissing the gravity of what Stephen had just said.

He walked over to where Peter and Ingrid stood, both of them having pretended not to hear the heated exchange. But Tony knew better; they had heard every word, and the tension in their postures told him as much. He paused in front of Peter, his expression softening as he placed a hand briefly on the hiss shoulder. “Alright, kid. You’re an Avenger now."

Peter’s eyes widened in disbelief, the weight of the moment sinking in as a slow, bright smile spread across his face. He nodded, pride and excitement bubbling up inside him, even as the reality of their situation loomed over them.

As Tony walked away, Peter turned to Ingrid, his grin growing even wider. He was practically glowing with the recognition, the validation that he had longed for. Ingrid couldn’t help but smile back, her arm wrapping around his shoulders in a gesture of reassurance.