𝕻𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖚𝖑𝖚𝖒 - [𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲]

𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓 𝐢𝐢. 𝘧𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴

 But Peter hadn't had nearly long enough with his mentor... his hero.

 Emilia could already feel the sting burning within her heart, begging for her lips to remain completely sealed. But if there was something that hadn't changed about Emilia after all those years... it was the very fact that she'd gladly take pain onto her shoulders just to spare another from its clutches.

 So she granted Peter's request.

 A cup of tea was placed before him, a teacup rimmed in gold, while the handle glimmered a pastel pink. Earl grey simmered in the saucer, a mound of sugar having been stirred while a slice of lemon floated atop the steaming liquid.

 Peter took a small sip of the rippling liquid while Emilia took her place beside him. He cleared his throat, "You don't have to... I know it — it probably hurts to —"

 "— It's alright." Emilia blew into her tea, watching as the surface rolled for a moment. Speaking about Tony always caused a great deal of pain, merely thinking of the man that had saved her and kept her alive for five miserable years... Emilia blinked, "Wanna hear about how we helped Bruce and the Hulk, well... merge?"

 "You know... I was so confused when I heard Doctor Banner's voice coming from the Hulk." Peter's head cocked, a little curl of hair coiling to dust his eyebrow.

 Emilia's laughter bubbled atop her tongue; her own reaction, as well as Tony's, had been... rather raucous. They'd cheered and clapped at another job well done, but when they finally watched those big green lips move, when they finally heard Bruce's quiet and dulcet voice... they had folded. They toppled onto the sandy shores of the island Tony had dragged them to and clutched at their bellies all the while Bruce whined at their reaction.

 Emilia hummed, a lilt of amusement still dribbling from her words, "It's quite funny, isn't it?"

 As ever, Peter seemed to shy away from saying something considered... mean. But in the end, he snorted, "Yeah, Doctor Banner's voice doesn't really, uh... suit the Hulk."

 "Tony and I said as much. Actually... you could say we bullied him about that."

 "Really?"

 "It was too hard not to."

 Peter's laughter echoed throughout the entire Sanctum. It bounced from one wall to another. Actually, genuine laughter; Peter hadn't been sure it was possible to conjure anymore, he'd almost feared that he was too far gone to even laugh once... But Emilia's rather dramatic stories she told to Morgan truly helped to capture the utter insanity she and Tony had shared together.

 Peter had snorted into his tea, almost inhaling every single drop when Emilia spoke of how The Hulk had very purposefully tossed himself into the salty ocean waves only to allow a poor — and very sodden Bruce — to take over.

 Bruce had floated there, watching as his friend's cheeks burst with pink, as laughter rumbled within their guts.

 Emilia had told him how she had been the mediator for Bruce and Hulk — while Tony very graciously made off-hand comments — while the two of them sorted through the multitude of issues they had with one another.

 "I can't believe —" Peter almost wheezed, swiftly placing his tea cup that had been newly replenished back upon the counter, " I can't believe The Hulk buried Mr Stark in the sand!"

 Emilia grinned, and for the first time without Stephen, Bruce or Morgan in sight... she found it to be a real smile, not something so far removed from reality, "Tony was warned! But we all know what he was like, he couldn't keep his mouth shut!"