"Alright, thank you."
Charlie tapped the spider emblem on his chest, and the metal mask retracted, revealing his young face.
In this universe, there was no need to hide his identity.
He wouldn't be here long anyway.
"Oh, I didn't realize you were just a kid," Pepper said, a bit surprised, feeling slightly less tense.
"Yeah, and a good kid at that."
Charlie accepted the coffee, examining it thoughtfully.
"Is this Black Ivory, or maybe Civet? Could be St. Helena?"
"What?" Pepper looked puzzled.
"Sorry, just something I read online."
Charlie took a sip, savoring it.
"This must be expensive, right?" he asked casually.
Pepper gestured toward a small garden outside the window. "Tony grows it himself. If you like it, you can have all of it—he doesn't actually drink it."
Charlie paused. "...Uh, thanks, but I don't usually drink coffee."
A bit embarrassed, he put the cup down and picked up a nearby art piece, turning it over in his hands.
"If you like it, you can have that too," Pepper offered.
"Really? Well, I—"
Then Charlie spotted a photo on the wall, quickly setting the item down.
Oh. So, this was a prized relic from an African chieftain.
Wow, it was… pretty big.
"Actually, I came to see Tony."
"I've already notified him."
"Alright, I'll wait."
They fell into silence again.
"Uh, if you'd like another coffee, I have some finer beans here," Pepper offered tentatively.
Charlie nodded. "Thanks a lot. Only the finest for me."
"Definitely still a kid," Pepper chuckled, heading off to prepare more coffee.
"Could you tell me why you saved Tony?" she asked curiously as she ground the beans.
Charlie settled into the couch, relaxing. "No special reason. He just got lucky."
"Really?"
A little distracted, Pepper murmured, "Since he came back, he's been talking to himself a lot, but he won't tell me anything. I'm worried about him."
"Tony does have a tendency to get anxious," Charlie said after a moment. "But don't worry—he's just found a new friend."
"A new friend?"
"Yep, a very new friend," Charlie grinned.
After all, Tony's latest "friend" was the symbiote.
With the symbiote, Tony's reactor was now external, his heart's injury no longer an issue.
And with the symbiote's power boost, Tony had some protection even without his suit.
Lucky guy, compared to the other Tony.
Suddenly, Charlie turned toward the darkened night sky, frowning.
He'd just sensed a watchful presence.
It seemed a contestant was considering targeting Tony.
Or maybe…
Boom!
At that moment, a fiery light cut through the sky, and a Quinjet hovered just outside the floor-to-ceiling window.
The hatch opened, and the older Steve waved. "Hey, Spidey, come with me."
Beside him, Tony grinned and waved, holding a burger.
"Long time no see! Care to join me?"
Charlie shot a web and swung into the jet.
"No thanks, I only eat at Madonna's."
Tony scratched his head, confused.
"She has a burger joint now?"
As the hatch closed, Tony piloted the jet into the sky.
The older Steve looked serious. "Spidey, you need to use your…"
"Hold up, I don't actually have that ability right now," Charlie cut him off.
"You don't?"
Steve shook his head. "Well, that makes this resurrection match a lot riskier."
Whether it was the other Loki or Doctor Strange, he knew these two could be big trouble.
Doctor Strange, at least, was a Sorcerer Supreme.
But Loki's moral compass? Questionable.
"They haven't made any moves?" Charlie asked.
The older Steve thought for a moment. "Besides those chasing you, we ran into Peter Parker—he killed someone and then disappeared.
"Oh, and Loki. He caused a mess at an opera house and then ran into another Loki. They fought, then both vanished."
"Venom Parker?"
Charlie recalled his previous encounter with Venom Parker in the second resurrection match.
Only under certain conditions could Peter Parker temporarily break free of the symbiote's influence and regain self-control.
Most of the time, he just drifted, letting the symbiote use his body freely.
Peter Parker had pretty much given up on himself.
Winning the resurrection match wasn't even a concern for him.
What mattered was keeping "himself" well-fed.
As for the other Loki…
Charlie asked Steve, "Where's the opera house?"
"On Hamlet Street. Why do you ask?"
"No reason. Just thought I should remember for next time."
"Next time?"
The older Steve looked confused. This kid always said the oddest things.
Probably a hint, though. Better remember it.
He pulled out a small notebook and jotted it down.
Charlie: "…"
Sometimes, effort just stings.
The Quinjet rose above the clouds, and a massive helicarrier slowly revealed itself from cloaking.
"We're here; this is S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ."
Tony glanced back with a smirk. "What do you think? Pretty impressive, huh?"
Steve, calm as ever, said, "It's alright. Seen it before."
Charlie looked around the helicarrier's vast expanse and nodded.
"Way more stylish than S.H.I.E.L.D. back in my universe."
Boom!
As the Quinjet touched down on the landing strip, Tony led the two out of the cabin.
"Hey, Agent Coulson, is everything ready?" he asked the man waiting for them.
"All set; this way, please."
Coulson glanced at Charlie and the older Steve, then led the group toward the meeting room.
Along the way, curious looks followed them from the agents they passed.
"That old guy looks familiar."
"Yeah, kinda like Cap."
"No, I mean he reminds me of someone else."
Hearing the murmurs, Charlie glanced at Steve.
"You know who you look like?"
Steve shrugged. "Aside from the younger me, who else?"
"No, I mean you have serious political potential."
"Political potential?"
Tony, ever attuned to anything political, froze mid-step and looked at Charlie.
"Could I count on your vote?"
"Sorry, I don't have legal status here."
"Well, that's a shame."
Soon, they arrived in the meeting room, where Nick Fury and others had been waiting.
"Finally, you're here."
Nick Fury stood and greeted them. "Hello, I'm Nick Fury, the director here."
"I know; we go way back," the older Steve said, shaking his hand, then turned to Charlie.
Charlie thought for a second. "Actually, we go way back, too." He scratched his head sheepishly.
Hearing that, Nick Fury smiled slightly.
As expected—it seemed he had a knack for getting along with superheroes in any universe.
Good news!