[Perspective: Peter Parker]
"Parker," Fury's voice was dangerous now.
"No, I'm coming," Peter whispered into his shoulder. He turned to Ned, who was standing nearby holding a tiny pair of brass binoculars. "I'm... hey, I gotta go. Could you tell MJ that I'm sick or something?"
Ned realized what was happening. "O-okay. Be careful."
"Yeah, Ned, I know," Peter said, backing toward the exit.
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yeah."
"Gotta go."
"Parker! You better be on your way," Fury yelled in his ear.
"Coming!" Peter hissed, sprinting out of the opera house and diving into the nearest dark alleyway to change.
Inside the lobby, Betty watched Peter run out the door. She turned to Ned.
"Where do you think he's going?" Betty asked. "Do you think he's going to the carnival?"
"What?" Ned squeaked, trying to look innocent.
"We should go too," Betty decided, grabbing Ned's hand.
"Oh, I, I..."
"We should go."
"Yes, we should go," Ned surrendered instantly.
"Come on, let's go. Come on," Betty pulled him toward the exit.
[Cathedral Tower]
Peter swung up the side of the ancient cathedral, landing silently on the stone ledge of the bell tower. He crouched low, surveying the sprawling city of Prague below him.
"All right. I'm in position," Peter whispered, tapping his earpiece. "As soon as I see something, Beck, I'll... I'll let you know."
"Roger that," Beck replied smoothly.
"How's the suit?" Fury asked.
"The suit's great," Peter said, adjusting the sleek black fabric. "It's awesome. It's a little tight around the old web shooter."
"Parker!" Fury growled.
"Okay, I'll shut up."
Peter settled into his crouch, his eyes scanning the horizon.
"By the way," Peter added. "I forgot to tell you. I met Wanda yesterday in Venice. She was on vacation there with that doctor she was dating."
"What? Why didn't you say that earlier?" Fury's voice finally returned. "I would have called her too."
"Sorry," Peter winced. "I forgot. A lot was happening."
"Let me try," Fury said rapidly. "I will contact her. If she is nearby, she can help us too."
[Perspective: Wanda Maximoff]
Aryan was driving smoothly, one hand resting on the steering wheel, the other firmly clasping her hand on the center console.
They navigated the winding streets of the city, finally pulling up to the grand entrance of a famous luxury hotel. The facade was classic European architecture.
Aryan parked the car in the designated unloading zone.
He stepped out, walking around to the back to retrieve their luggage. The valets rushed forward.
They walked through the revolving glass doors into the opulent lobby.
"Checking in?" a concierge asked, stepping forward with a welcoming smile.
"This is my booking," Aryan said, handing over his documentation.
The woman checked her system.
"Dr. Spencer. Your room number is the Presidential Suite on the top floor. I will guide you."
They followed her to the private elevator, ascending to the top of the hotel.
The suite was breathtaking, featuring a panoramic view of the city and a massive bed.
Aryan took the luggage from the valets and dropped the bags in the center of the room with a theatrical groan.
"If we had a Doraemon pocket," Aryan sighed, rubbing his lower back, "it would have been nice. So we could just put everything inside that pocket and bypass the physical labor."
Wanda frowned, unpacking her scarf. "What is Doraemon?"
Aryan stopped rubbing his back. He stared at her, genuinely shocked. "You don't know Doraemon?"
"No," she shook her head. "Should I?"
"You missed something really good," Aryan said, walking over and pulling her into a loose hug. "It is a staple of childhood joy."
"Oh?" she smiled, leaning her head against his chest. "Why not you tell me?"
"Okay, so," Aryan began, his eyes lighting up as he recounted the story. "It's about a robotic cat. From the future. He travels back to the past to help this kid named Nobita. Nobita is... well, he's a bit of a disaster. He's bad at studying, he's weak, he gets bullied easily by these kids named Gian and Suneo."
"That sounds sad," Wanda noted.
"It gets better," Aryan assured her. "Every day, Nobita gets bullied, and he runs home crying to Doraemon to complain. And Doraemon has this four dimensional pocket on his stomach. He pulls out these futuristic gadgets to solve Nobita's problems."
"Like what?"
"Like an 'Anywhere Door' that lets you step through to any place in the world. Or a 'Time Machine' hidden in a desk drawer."
"That is very powerful magic for a robotic cat," Wanda smiled.
"Right? But here's the catch," Aryan laughed. "Nobita always, without fail, misuses the gadget. He tries to cheat on a test, or show off, or get revenge. And the whole episode is about how the gadget creates a massive disaster, and Doraemon has to fix it to get the gadget back. It's a total mess, but it's incredibly funny and good to watch."
Wanda smiled. "I would like to watch it too."
"Sure," Aryan promised, kissing her forehead. "But at home. I don't think the TV here will show us Doraemon on local channels."
"We have a lot to watch when we get home," she noted, wrapping her arms around his waist. "We still have to finish the sitcoms."
"We do," he agreed, leaning down to capture her lips.
Before their lips could meet, a sharp ringing sound shattered the quiet of the suite.
Wanda paused, her brow furrowing. She walked over to her purse, pulling out her phone.
The screen displayed an 'Unknown Caller ID'.
She hesitated for a moment before swiping the green icon and lifting the phone to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Wanda." The voice was deep. "Where are you?"
"Fury," she stated.
Aryan, who had been unbuttoning his jacket, stopped moving. He looked at her.
"I am in a hotel," Wanda answered cautiously. "At Prague."
"Oh, that's good to know that you are nearby," Fury said, the sound of static and frantic typing echoing in the background of his transmission. "We need your urgent help."
"The Avengers are dismantled," Wanda replied immediately. "You can ask the other people."
"It's urgent," Fury barked. "We don't have time to inform others. There is a world ending threat mobilizing in the city center right now."
"I am on a private matter here, Fury," Wanda insisted, her eyes meeting Aryan's.
"I don't care if you're getting a massage from the Pope," Fury shot back. "Thousands of people are going to die, Wanda. An elemental entity made of pure fire is about to manifest and level the city. We have one kid in spandex and a guy in a fishbowl helmet trying to hold the line. We need heavy hitters."
She wanted to say no. She wanted to hang up the phone and stay in this beautiful room with Aryan.
But she couldn't let innocent people burn while she sat comfortably in a suite.
"Okay," Wanda sighed. "Where? But I won't stay for long."
Fury rattled off the coordinates for a plaza near the center of the carnival.
"I am on my way," Wanda said, and abruptly cut the call.
She lowered the phone, looking at Aryan.
He was already walking toward her.
"Aryan," she started, the guilt heavy in her throat. "There is some incident. I have to go to save some people."
"Do you need my help?" he asked, stepping close and placing his hands on her shoulders. "I can help."
"No," Wanda said quickly, shaking her head. She didn't want him anywhere near a battlefield. "It will be quick. Don't worry about that."
"Wanda..."
"You can stay here," she insisted, reaching up to cup his face. "I will be quick. I will be back in half an hour at most."
Aryan looked at her for a long moment, searching her eyes. He sighed, pulling her into a tight hug.
"Okay," he murmured against her hair. "But you have to be careful. Okay?"
"I will be careful," she promised, burying her face in his chest for a second of comfort.
He pulled back, his hands framing her face, his thumbs brushing over her cheekbones.
"You should not get harmed in anyway. Okay?" he ordered softly.
"Okay," she whispered, her heart swelling with love for him.
"I love you," Aryan said, kissing her deeply.
Wanda kissed him back with equal fervor, pulling away reluctantly.
"I love you too," she said.
She turned, her hands igniting with a faint crimson glow as she moved toward the balcony doors, preparing to fly.