"Been wandering around lately," Wolverine grunted, the cigarette hanging off his lip flickering as he spoke. "I don't do well with rules, kid. Even as an X-Man, I hate being tied down. If I hadn't heard the school was in trouble, I'd still be out there. Anyone hurt?"
Ryuuto shook his head. "No. Everyone's fine."
Wolverine gave a toothy grin. "Knew I didn't misjudge you, Red Mirage. You got a good head on your shoulders."
"It wasn't just me," Ryuuto said. "Everyone fought for it."
"Yeah," Wolverine chuckled. "No one man can protect the world alone… though I sure as hell keep trying."
Ryuuto smirked. "Guess I'm guilty of the same. But sometimes, you gotta lean on others."
The two walked down the corridor, their heavy footsteps echoing against the walls until they reached the main hall where the others were gathered.
Five of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s stealth bombers still hovered above the grounds; no one dared to relax yet.
As the group surrounded Wolverine with relief and banter, Ryuuto quietly slipped away toward his quarters.
The Vanished Scepter
He opened the cabinet — empty.
Loki's scepter was gone.
His pulse quickened. He never carried that thing around; too dangerous, too conspicuous. He'd stored it right here.
So who the hell took it?
He stormed back to the hall, grilling everyone.
Each face turned blank confusion — no one had touched it.
That left one option.
Surveillance.
Inside the control room, Ryuuto leaned toward the monitors, scrubbing through the feeds.
Then his jaw clenched.
The scepter didn't just vanish. It flew out the window — on its own.
He zoomed in.
There — a blur of motion. Tiny, darting, deliberate.
"Ant-Man," Ryuuto muttered, eyes narrowing.
A flicker of the shrinking suit confirmed it. The bastard had stolen it mid-battle — right under everyone's nose — while the X-Men fought tooth and nail outside.
Ryuuto didn't waste a second. He headed for Natasha.
"Where's Ant-Man?" Ryuuto asked sharply, pulling her aside from where she was chatting with Susan.
Natasha blinked. "Scott Lang? He joined the Avengers not long ago. Barely attends meetings. But last I checked, he's… pro-government. Why?"
"He stole Loki's scepter."
Her eyes widened. "What?! That's impossible—"
"It's on camera." Ryuuto's voice darkened. "He didn't take it by accident. He knew what he was after. That means someone told him how to use it. If he's on the government's side, this just got ugly. What about Steve and Banner?"
"Not sure," she admitted. "Lines are blurry lately."
"Then warn them," Ryuuto ordered. "Tell them the scepter's gone. Banner especially — if that gem gets in his head, he'll be the government's ultimate weapon."
Natasha nodded grimly. "On it."
As she left to contact them, Ryuuto's thoughts echoed silently.
Shion, question. Can the weapon integration system absorb items from parallel worlds?
[Shion: Nope. Parallel-world tech doesn't sync. Not even for you, hotshot.]
Damn it… I didn't want to keep that cursed thing on me anyway.
[Shion: You could just… take the gem out, y'know. That's the real prize.]
Ryuuto froze, then smirked.
Right. The Mind Stone.
The scepter was useless — the gem inside it, priceless.
If he got it back, he'd strip it clean in seconds.
"Thanks, Shion."
[Shion: Heh. You're welcome, sunshine. Now go melt something.]
The Breaking Point
Back in his room, exhaustion hit him — not of the body, but of the mind.
The battle had ended, but his thoughts wouldn't stop spinning.
It had been his first time commanding an entire front. One wrong call, and people could've died.
Charles had nearly been killed.
And that thought alone made his blood boil.
They went too far. The government crossed the line.
His fingers clenched into a fist.
Fine. If they want to play gods… I'll show them what happens when a mortal fights back.
I'll tear their throne apart.
The Flare of the Sun
The door slid open.
Susan stepped inside, graceful as always, her uniform still torn from battle.
"You look exhausted," she said softly.
"Just catching my breath," Ryuuto replied, reclining against the bedframe. "How's your condition?"
"I'll live." She sat beside him, close enough that he could feel her warmth. Then, almost shyly, "So… are we officially a thing now?"
Ryuuto's lips quirked. "Of course."
"But you're not very… enthusiastic," she teased, eyes narrowing playfully.
"What's enthusiasm?" Ryuuto sat up, his tone low and dangerous. He pulled her into his arms, breath brushing her ear. "Susan… I'm like the sun. If I burn too hot, you'll melt."
Her pulse spiked. "Oh? And what kind of melting are we talking about?"
The faint scent of her perfume filled his senses. Ryuuto's lips grazed her earlobe, his voice a whisper that made her shiver.
"You'll find out… when we practice."
She smiled, eyes half-lidded. "And what kind of practice would that be, hmm?"
Ryuuto's grin widened. "You're provoking me, aren't you?"
"I'm just being honest," she murmured, leaning closer. "You may be younger, but you're far more composed than me. So tell me, Red Mirage… what exactly do you mean by 'melt'?"
Her words dripped with challenge.
Ryuuto's patience snapped in the best way.
"Guess I'll have to show you."
Just as he leaned in —
"HEY! You two are seriously unbelievable!"
Natasha's voice exploded from the communicator on Susan's ear. "You realize the mic's still on, right?!"
Susan's eyes widened.
"Oh my god—"
Before she could move, Ryuuto kissed her — hard enough to silence the world.
Her hands flew up to his chest, then relaxed, gripping his shirt instead. She fumbled for the communicator, yanked it off, and switched it off mid-kiss.
When they finally broke apart, breathless, Ryuuto looked into her glassy eyes and whispered,
"So, Susan Storm… ready to grow old with me?"