𝕻𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖚𝖑𝖚𝖒 - [𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲]

𝐱𝐥𝐯𝐢. 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐒𝐈𝐗 — the black order

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 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃 far too proud of himself when two sets of narrowed eyes were flung his way. His helmet retreated, freeing his features that were certainly no less than smug. Emilia had poked fun at him for five whole years; always siding with Pepper, even if she was wrong... because apparently, Pepper Potts was never wrong.

 Which was somewhat true, now that Tony pondered the fact.

 Emilia rolled her eyes skywards, catching a flash of lightning as Thor surged by with his axe in hand, hair flying wildly behind him. She wasn't exactly giving Stephen the cold shoulder, as Tony had so delightfully put it... rather... saving herself from possible future hurt.

 Tony knew that, of course he did. It was clear enough that if they didn't win and Thanos spared any of them... Emilia wouldn't be 'sticking around'. She'd made it clear on numerous occasions that she simply couldn't handle that heartbreak once more.

 She'd been through too much, and her heart was far too fragile now.

 But keeping an air of arrogance and nonchalance was what Tony did best, wasn't it? Still, Tony had appeared for a particular reason, not just to simply cause a little couple's squabble.

 Tony stepped forth, metal boots clanging against a piece of shrapnel buried beneath a smattering of dust, "So. Fourteen million... and just one chance to win, yeah?" Tony looked up, eyes locked with Stephens... and Stephen had to try so very hard to keep a straight face when presented with his lie once more, "Tell me this is it."

 It was. The war raging around them was exactly what needed to happen. They'd all fight, they'd all bleed... and they'd all... no, most of them would survive to see another day. But there was just one little tidbit of information that Stephen clutched tightly to his chest, unwilling to let it free.

 There were two paths ready to diverge before them; Tony Stark would trail on his merry little way, fighting Chitauri as he went. He'd blast dozens of aliens into tiny little pieces... and then? Then he'd face Thanos all alone.

 But that was just one path. The other? Emilia would join him.

 Emilia Clemente would stick to Tony's side like glue while Stephen watched onwards, surrounded by the Black Order to face alone. Ebony Maw. Obsidian Cull. The rest of Thanos' children would crowd around him and obscure his view... but he knew what would happen if he and Emilia parted ways even if she was out of sight... because he always knew.

 She'd never let Tony snatch the stones from Thanos... she'd keep the genius at bay with her powers, all the while her skin glimmered as the Infinity Stones tore away at her flesh and bone. The Power Stone would singe her once more. The Time Stone would finally work against her... but even in such agony as her blood boiled from within, Emilia wouldn't relent. She would snap, and the army they were up against would be nothing more than a pile of miserable ashes at their feet.