𝕻𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖚𝖑𝖚𝖒 - [𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲]

𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐯. 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦-𝘶𝘱 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 — made-up names

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 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐅 Stephen Strange's yells increased as the seconds ticked on. It felt like hours to the man who remained hovering in the air, stone around his neck as Ebony Maw continued to writhe his fingers grotesquely; summoning the needles that rippled around his target to penetrate Stephen's skin. 

 His throat was raw as yells and screams continued to tear through and reverberate through the tense air, and yet he never relented. Stephen hadn't spoken a word, no teasing comment, no smug quip, nothing. He stayed silent bar the yells that tore at his mouth.

 The weight of the stone that dangled around his neck felt heavier than ever, like a tonne of bricks had suddenly come to rest upon his broad shoulders. He wouldn't give in, he couldn't. His teeth were clenched against one another painfully, but even he knew that he couldn't last forever.

 The sensation of Emilia's abilities had weaved into his senses. He knew when she used them, he knew every single time. The air would feel like static, making the hairs at the back of his neck, the ones on his arm stand on end, all at attention as though a shockwave had caressed his flesh. Perhaps it was the stones influence or his skill with the Mystic Arts... Or maybe they were just that well intuned with one another. Either way, Stephen Strange knew that Emilia Clemente was nearby, and nothing could have brought him more solace than that.

 Emilia felt her breath lodge in her throat as yet another scream echoed around the metal ship. The sound rattled her bones and clawed at her thudding heart but their plan was set; Emilia, Tony, and Peter all knew the parts they would play.

 "Alrighty..." Tony murmured with a sniff, "Ready to save the Doc?"

 "Ready!" Peter chimed as he bounced on his feet, reminding Emilia once more that Peter was just a child. A boy no older than seventeen, who was now stranded on a spaceship and risking his short life for her other half... Risking his life for the universe.

 Emilia settled for a firm nod, no longer trusting her voice to stay strong and steady as the sound of screams clutched at her body.

 Ebony Maw was a gruesome sight; sickly grey skin stretched over a long, narrow skull. Beaded eyes that flickered with malice as he impaled Stephen with the needles once more, relishing in the sounds of pain the Doctor continued to spout.

 "Painful, aren't they?" Maw questioned the man whose throat was clogged with a cry. Amusement pulled his lip higher, "They were originally designed for microsurgery. And any one of them..."

 Maw rolled his eyes as he turned on his feet. The clanging of metal against metal sounded out as Tony, flanked by Emilia landed behind him.

 "... Could end your friend's life in an instant." Maw continued on, eyes settled not on Tony, but Emilia.