[Third Person POV]
Peter and Harry walked side by side down the long, sterile corridor that led back toward the medical bay, each of them carrying a pair of power-dampening cuffs.
When they arrived, Aria was already waiting. She turned sharply at the sound of their footsteps, her eyes immediately locking onto Peter with a look that made it clear she had been expecting him.
"Father, you're here—perfect," she said quickly, her tone leaving little room for argument. She gestured toward the unconscious figure laid across the medical bed. "I need you to do me a favor… I need you to heal him." Her finger pointed directly at the Leader.
Peter raised a brow, tilting his head ever so slightly. His lips pressed into a thin line as he regarded the man. "Heal him? Why should I?" His voice carried an edge, the weight of his skepticism evident. Though Peter was not someone who condoned needless killing, that did not mean he felt compelled to ease the suffering of those who had earned their punishment. To him, letting someone live with their consequences wasn't cruelty—it was justice.
Aria exhaled, her shoulders sagging as she rubbed at her temple. "Just heal him, please," she sighed, shaking her head in, already anticipating his resistance.
For a moment, Peter considered pressing the issue, however her gaze made him change his mind. With a small shrug, he relented. "Fine. But only because you asked so nicely."
He stepped forward, raising one hand over the Leader's prone body. The faint glow of a magic circle began to form across his palm, intricate runes spiraling into existence. A wave of chi surged outward, flowing from his hand like a warm current of light that washed across the Leader's battered form.
The effect was almost immediate. Flesh began to knit itself back together in real time, closing deep gashes as though they had never been there. Faint cracks and pops echoed through the room as broken bones shifted back into place, realigning with an unsettling precision. The color returned to the Leader's face as bruises faded, leaving behind smooth, unbroken skin. By the end of it, he lay motionless but whole, stretched out stiffly across the bed like a mannequin.
Without hesitation, Peter crossed the room and clasped the dampening cuffs tightly around the man's wrists. The energy that had been radiating from the Leader seemed to dissipate instantly. His once grotesque, mutated features began to diminish. The green tint bled away from his skin, the unnatural size of his head shrinking until only his human form remained. The face of Samuel Stern stared back at them—weak, restrained, and vulnerable.
Bruce's eyes widened with recognition. His mouth fell open before the words managed to leave his lips. "Mr. Blue…" he whispered, clearly in disbelief.
Gwen, standing just beside him, blinked in surprise. "You know him?" she asked, her voice carrying a note of curiosity as her gaze darted between Bruce and the restrained man.
"Yes… I do," Bruce muttered, his brow furrowing as old memories resurfaced. "Or at least I used to." He took a step closer, running a hand down his face before continuing. "He was a cellular biologist. I once sent him my blood, hoping he could help me… that maybe he could find a cure. But instead of curing me, he… replicated more of my blood" His voice grew quieter, heavier, as the truth sank in. "It's all starting to make sense now."
He began pacing, his movements restless, both hands dragging through his hair as though trying to hold the thoughts from scattering apart.
Aria, ever efficient, pulled out a small file and flipped it open, scanning the contents. "Got it here," she said, reading aloud. "Full name: Samuel Stern. Former professor at Grayburn College."
"Grayburn…" Gwen murmured, her hand resting against her chin thoughtfully. "Why does that sound familiar?"
"That's the college where the Abomination first appeared," Peter supplied, his tone matter-of-fact.
The realization lit up Gwen's face, and she snapped her fingers. "That's right! I remember now. We went inside and disposed of all the blood samples we found. I even managed to snag a vial or two to study later." She smiled faintly at the memory, clearly proud of her foresight.
Bruce froze mid-step, turning sharply to look at her, his expression hardening. "Excuse me?" His voice was low, demanding.
Gwen waved her hands quickly in dismissal, her tone playful. "I didn't do anything with it~ Relax." She said in a bit of a childish tone, shaking her head as if to brush away his concern.
But Bruce's eyes twitched. If there was one word he hated more than anything else, it was being told to "relax." It always had the opposite effect. His muscles tensed visibly, his jaw tightening.
Before the air could grow any more tense, Aria clapped her hands together and cut in with a sudden brightness to her voice. "Speaking of the Abomination~" she sang, drawing all eyes toward her. "Guess who was the one that created him?"
Her answer came immediately as she began pointing both hands toward Samuel Stern, poking the air repeatedly with each gesture.
Bruce groaned and dragged his hand down his face, exhaling in exasperation. "Of course. Of course it was him. Obviously." His voice carried the tone of a man who should have seen it coming.
With a small flick of her wrist, Aria activated the Spider-Bots clustered at her side. They whirred to life, their eyes glowing as they projected a series of holograms across the room. The sterile white walls transformed into a battlefield of memories.
"After doing a little psychic prying," Aria began, her voice taking on the smooth cadence of a lecturer, "and digging into the old camera files from that day, I was able to piece this incident together."
The holographic scene played out before them. The Abomination's hulking figure towered over everything, movements chaotic and violent. They watched as Stern tried to get him to calm down. Then came the moment—Abomination's massive hand backhanded him effortlessly, sending him flying.
Aria traced his projected trajectory with her steps, pointing toward where he landed. "Here—this is where he hit the ground. He had a cut across his forehead. At the same time, several vials of Bruce's blood shattered, spilling over him. Droplets seeped into the open wound, entering his bloodstream."
The hologram flickered, showing Stern writhing, his features already beginning to distort. "That was the spark," Aria explained. "The moment Samuel Stern began changing into the Leader. He grabbed a surviving vial of blood, escaped through the chaos, and avoided any contact with Ross. Not only that—" she gestured toward another frame where Ross appeared frozen mid-motion, "—but Stern used the opportunity to seize control of Ross's mind, planting himself firmly in power."
"Perfect… my blood is able to create mutated freaks, just exactly what I need," Bruce muttered bitterly under his breath, his tone heavy with self-disgust. He glanced toward Harry, who was carefully securing a cuff over Ross's wrist to ensure he wouldn't transform once he eventually regained consciousness. The metallic click of the dampener locking into place echoed faintly in the quiet room.
Gwen stepped closer, her eyes softening as she gently patted Bruce's shoulder in quiet support. Peter and Harry exchanged a look before passing Bruce two extra sets of cuffs.
Harry cleared his throat, beginning to explain their design and how they functioned, while Peter adding his own remark, voice tinged with humor. "We figured it might be a little… disrespectful to just slap cuffs on your girlfriend and cousin ourselves. So we're leaving that decision up to you."
Bruce arched a brow, his voice flat and dry as sandpaper. "How thoughtful of you. Thanks."
The sarcasm earned a few chuckles. But Bruce's gaze soon shifted to Aria, whose gemstone glowed faintly as though reflecting the low light of the bay. "Do you know when they're going to wake up?" he asked, tone firm but edged with concern.
Aria placed her hands behind her back, her expression calm and calculating. "I could wake them now if I wanted," she admitted, her gem pulsing with a faint light, "but I suggest letting them rest naturally. Their bodies and brains have been through significant trauma. Forcing them awake could cause more harm than good. If left alone, they should regain consciousness by tomorrow."
Bruce exhaled heavily through his nose but eventually nodded. "Alright… then we'll let them rest for the night." He straightened, his gaze sweeping across the group. "I'll stay here and keep watch in case anything happens."
"Eh? Why does it sound like you're dismissing us?" Harry asked, his face twisting in confusion.
Bruce rolled his eyes. "I'm not. Well… not exactly. But at the same time, I kind of am. You've all been through hell today. Strong or not, invincible or not, it doesn't change the fact that you're still kids. You need rest. We'll stop here for now and continue tomorrow."
The words, though blunt, struck a chord. Peter rubbed the back of his neck, Harry gave a reluctant nod, and Gwen stretched her arms overhead with a yawn. They all felt it—the heaviness in their limbs, the way adrenaline had long since burned away, leaving exhaustion in its place. Reluctantly, they agreed.
Together, they made preparations. Patients were moved to proper beds, medical monitors were set, and supplies were organized neatly. By the time they were finished, the sterile brightness of the bay felt less tense, as though the room itself had exhaled. One by one, they began calling it a night.
---
Later, Peter and Gwen collapsed onto their bed, both already dressed in soft pajamas. The moment they hit the mattress, they melted into each other, limbs intertwining in lazy comfort. Peter wrapped his arms around Gwen and buried his face into her chest with a muffled groan of relief, making her laugh and cradle his head.
"It's not weird that I don't want to do anything lewd and just want to cuddle, is it?" Peter asked, releasing a long, tired sigh. His words were half-mumbled into her shirt.
Gwen's fingers threaded gently through his hair, her smile warm and teasing. "It's not weird at all. Though… coming from you, Mr. Sex Addict, it is a little concerning." Her voice softened, affectionate. "You must be really tired."
"Exhausted," Peter groaned, his voice muffled and pitiful, which only made her laugh harder.
"Well," Gwen whispered, pressing her lips to his temple, "a good cuddle session can be even better than sex. There's nothing wrong with this."
Peter only hummed in agreement, his body relaxing against hers, content as her gentle hands combed through his hair.
Then—
"If you guys aren't going to be having sex, can I join you?!" Aria's voice rang out from somewhere in the house.
Both Peter and Gwen froze. Slowly, Peter lifted his head, and the two of them exchanged a look—wide eyes locking in silence—before they broke into uncontrollable laughter.
"Come on in, Aria!" Gwen called between giggles.
The sound of little pitter-patters echoed across the hallway, accompanied by gleeful giggles. A moment later, Aria phased straight through the bedroom door with zero hesitation, leaping high into the air.
"Yippee!!" she cried, before landing squarely on both Peter and Gwen with a dramatic body slam that knocked the wind out of them.
"You little rascal," Peter wheezed, breathless but grinning. He wriggled until he had her tucked safely between them under the covers.
Now, the three of them lay snug beneath the blankets, Peter and Gwen each resting on their sides with their heads propped on their hands, gazing down at Aria. She stared at the ceiling with a wide, uncontainable smile, her cheeks glowing with happiness.
Peter and Gwen glanced at each other over her small frame, their eyes meeting in a moment of unspoken affection before leaning forward to share a soft, fleeting kiss.
"I want one too," Aria chimed, her voice bubbling with expectation.
Both rolled their eyes, but their smiles never wavered. Together, they leaned down and kissed her cheeks at the same time, earning a squeal of delight from her.
"Hehehe," Aria giggled, wiggling happily between them. "Good night, Father. Good night, Mother."
"Good night, Aria…" they echoed in unison, their voices warm with laughter.
With that, Gwen. reached over and switched off the lamp. The room fell into a soft darkness, and the three of them nestled together beneath the covers—Aria snuggled safely in the middle, looking and feeling like the luckiest girl in the entire world.
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