Bug Bites

Chapter | Thirty-Two

Three weeks. 

Twenty-two days.

That's how long it took for everyone to learn that both Tony Stark and Marinette Dupain-Cheng were alive, not well, but alive. When Nebula lead the two frail humans down the ship, she could feel their bodies shake. Tony had ate less than Marinette, Nebula watched as a paternal instinct kicked in for the man.

Those days, Tony had distracted her by trying to teach her simply games from Earth. Marinette wanted no part of it, usually watching the vast endlessness that space offered from the spaceship window. Both Nebula and Tony were left to watch the greif slowly claw away at her, and they let her have her space. Even when spoken too, she didn't really speak. 

"She's processing." Was all Tony offered, having an understanding that it was just more of a loss for her. Peter had been her rock. 

Rocket sat next to Nebula, watching the reunion of some of their new comrades. The relief on some faces and the grief on others. Tony's eyes were searching over Steve's shoulders when the super soldier pulled him into a hug. Anxiety was building when he didn't see a certain blonde, just willing Pepper to appear. 

"I couldn't stop them." The words tumbled out of his lips before he registered it, forcing him to watch the light dim out of her eyes as realization settled so he looked at Steve. "I lost the kid."

Steve looked into his friend's eyes, "Tony, we lost."

"Is.." He couldn't even finish asking when Pepper ran up to hug him, and in that moment he felt relief.

Adrien had stayed in the compound for those three weeks, hope always in him that Marinette wasn't dust particles. He told Plagg that he still felt the connection he had with her in Paris, the same one Plagg used to feel with Tikki. The bond never wavered, and he knew that she was out there breathing and physically existent.

Seeing her was another story, because never in Adrien's life had he seen her look so defeated. Then he realized only 3 people came back, and the last one was neither Stephen or Peter. The lifeless look in the dull blue eyes made too much sense, and his heart broke for her even more. She lost both Stephen and Peter, two vital people in her life now. How was he supposed to tell her that May was blipped as well? 

Could she survive that? Adrien wasn't sure, not when he's never seen her like this. There was always a spark of life in those eyes, some type of determination. Never nothing. This was unknown territory. Adrien watched as Chloe gave him a side eye, making the first move to reach Marinette. Watched how seeing the blonde caused a shift in her eyes, a spark of hope in realization she was here. Then her eyes shifted to look at him and Nino. 

That's when her cracked voice asked one question that he hoped they could stall on, "Pe...Peter's Aunt? May?" Her voice trailed off softly. 

Adrien felt guilty that it had to be Chloe to break the news, "Mari.." The tone of the blonde's voice, and the sadness that pooled into her eyes told Marinette all she needed to know. 

It was nerve wracking for Chloe to watch that hope get snuffed out, how quickly the light went out in her dear friend's eyes fast than the snap of fingers. Adrien made his way there with quick strides, passing as Tony embraced Pepper in utter relief. At least some people were lucky than others. 

Adrien tried to reached out to Marinette, "Mari-"

"Don't." Her whisper was soft cutting him off as she looked away from them as tears filled her eyes. Half of humanity was wiped out of existence, and in that half included both Aunt May and Peter. It seemed like half her heart was taken as well.