After dessert, prompted by Saiki Kusuo, Peter Parker reluctantly left the Saiki residence. With S.H.I.E.L.D. still undergoing reconstruction, Banner decided to simply continue lodging with the Saikis.
Seeing that it was getting late, Saiki wished his parents goodnight and, stifling a yawn, prepared to head back to his room.
He had just reached the second floor when Banner hurried after him.
"Wait a moment, Saiki."
Saiki paused, his hand on the doorknob, and simply looked at Banner expectantly. After everything he'd been through, he was utterly exhausted. Coupled with the constant effort needed to control the stones' power, Saiki opted for a better night's rest and hadn't activated his telepathy.
Banner hesitated for a moment before speaking seriously, "About that stone Thanos gave you just before he left... what are you planning to do with it?"
Subconsciously, Banner trusted Saiki Kusuo to handle things himself. But he couldn't shake off the paranoid warnings Nick Fury had been feeding him—scare tactics, really. Moreover, the words Thanos had spoken when handing over the stone had sent chills down his spine.
One Thanos had nearly destroyed the entire planet. If Saiki, with potentially even less restraint, took his place... could the entire universe be at risk?
Of course, Banner swore to himself, he believed in Saiki Kusuo—99.9 percent. But then Nick Fury's question echoed in his mind: What if it happens to be that 0.01 percent?
Even though thinking this way felt like a betrayal, Banner genuinely believed he was acting in Saiki's best interest. Despite being an omnipotent psychic, Saiki was fundamentally still a kid who had grown up sheltered in the Saiki household, inexperienced in the true cruelty of the world.
Truthfully, Saiki hadn't figured out how to handle the mess Thanos had dumped on him either. Banner bringing it up immediately sparked a headache.
However, as Banner continued speaking, Saiki's expression shifted. Something felt increasingly off about Banner's words. Deciding to check, he activated his telepathy, and his face instantly darkened.
He cut Banner off mid-persuasion, his voice flat but sharp. "Dr. Banner, do you trust Director Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. more than you trust me?"
The question stopped Banner cold. Though Saiki's tone was devoid of emotion, Banner felt an inexplicable wave of guilt wash over him. He wanted desperately to explain that he was just worried, but he knew that against Saiki's telepathy, further explanations were utterly futile.
In the end, only a single phrase escaped Banner's lips. "I'm sorry."
He clapped Saiki gently on the shoulder. "Sorry, I was overthinking things. Get some rest."
With that, Banner turned and returned to his room, leaving Saiki standing thoughtfully outside his own door.
The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., is it? Very well. You've successfully caught my attention.
Tossing and turning in bed, Saiki fiddled with the stone Thanos had given him. He knew this particular stone was called the Ego Gem. If brought together with the other six Infinity Stones, it possessed the power to resurrect Death.
Thanos had been seduced by this very possibility. Death had exploited his ideals and his infatuation with her, manipulating him into gathering the stones. Her plan was to have Thanos wipe out half of all life, and then use the assembled power to bring her back to true existence.
However, based on the visions Saiki had received from the Mind Stone, Death's hopes were doomed to fail.
And, likely, not for the first time.
Mulling this over, Saiki eventually drifted off to sleep. And once again, the beautiful woman from his previous dream appeared.
She certainly possessed the assets to bewitch men; every glance, every smile was captivating. Unfortunately for her, in Saiki Kusuo's eyes, she was merely a skeleton. Oh, wait—lacking a physical form, she didn't even qualify as a skeleton. She was just... a puff of air.
Death glided slowly towards Saiki, her deep, dark eyes seeming to pull one into their depths.
She leaned close, whispering by his ear in the same seductive tone she'd used on Thanos.
"It's been a while, little one."
A faint, mocking smile touched Saiki's lips. He seemed utterly unaffected.
"Indeed, it has. How have you and Thanos been getting along lately?"
Hearing this, Death's smile froze for an instant before quickly reforming. She covered her mouth with a delicate hand and let out a light laugh.
"Hehe, little one, could you possibly be jealous?"
Saiki found her even more narcissistic than Peter Parker. He couldn't resist a venomous retort. "I think you could stand to change how you address me. Calling me 'little one' repeatedly—are you trying to emphasize the age gap between us? Or perhaps signalling that anything you take an interest in, regardless of your own advanced age, is fair game? Then again," Saiki mused cuttingly, "you had no qualms going after Thanos when he was so young. I'm already eighteen. Targeting me now almost seems conscientious of you."
The words were devastatingly cruel, practically aimed to kill the heart. Death's face darkened visibly. She clenched her fists, glanced at the gem theoretically in Saiki's possession, and forcibly suppressed her rising fury.
When had she, Death, ever been forced to endure such humiliation? Even Thanos had been utterly obedient to her every whim. This brat won't be arrogant for long, she fumed internally. Once I'm resurrected, I'll tear him limb from limb.
Saiki responded aloud to her thoughts, "Then you can rest easy knowing you'll never be resurrected."
Death: "..."
Saiki continued, "Also, are you genuinely stupid, or do you take me for an idiot? You know perfectly well I have telepathy, yet your inner thoughts are practically screaming at me without any attempt at concealment. Did you really think I'd fall for it?"
Death bristled, her elegant facade beginning to crack. "You little—"
Seeing Death about to shed her graceful goddess persona, Saiki adopted a rare, mischievous expression. "Oh, don't get angry now," he advised lightly. "I really dislike hypocritical women who are secretly vicious shrews. If you want to ask me for something, you'd better lower your attitude and say a few nice things to coax me."
"Coax you?" Death arched an eyebrow. Even laced with barely suppressed rage, her voice remained melodious. "How exactly would you like me to coax you?" she asked, then paused, suspicion dawning. "Wait... you're just messing with me, aren't you?"
To her surprise, Saiki nodded, admitting it with cheerful frankness. "Yep. Totally messing with you."
Death: "..."
Saiki yawned, his patience for conversing with Death wearing thin. As far as he was concerned, engaging in this so-called "flirtation" (as Death likely perceived it) was far less appealing than simply sleeping.
He waved a dismissive hand at her, starting to shoo her away.
"Alright, I'm going to sleep now. If you don't have any other business, you can leave. Goodnight."
Death: "..."
Death couldn't believe someone could be so utterly immune to her charms. Of course, she rationalized, it could just be that he didn't play by the usual rules, meaning her extensive arsenal of seductive techniques hadn't even had a chance to be deployed.
Yes, that must be it.
She continued to suppress the inferno threatening to erupt from the top of her head, demanding through gritted teeth, "Don't you want to know the true secrets of the Infinity Stones? How to unleash their maximum potential?"
Hearing this, Saiki lowered his head slightly. "Hmm?" he murmured. Death thought she had him hooked, her face instantly lighting up with triumph. But before she could elaborate, Saiki spoke first.
"I think Thanos might be interested in that topic. Why don't you go find him instead? Deep in the middle of the night... I'm sure he'd love for you to join him in his dreams."
Unable to restrain herself any longer, Death shot Saiki the middle finger.
"Fuck you, you green-glassed, bob-haired son of a bitch!"
Completely unfazed, Saiki offered a final critique. "You know, despite the hypocrisy, I actually prefer this fiery spirit of yours over that phony ladylike act."
Death was about to absolutely lose her mind!
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