Cordelia's Secret
[Seimei Kikkan (Life Return) Manual & Instillation]
Viktor clicked his tongue and muttered "Not very helpful… But not useless…" as he started reading the manual.
Despite the actual effects of Life Return in One Piece, it also had crucial information about the human body, so it was good study material.
Viktor held Kikoku on his shoulder as he read the manual with one hand. Good thing nobody was paying attention because the manual appeared out of thin air…
As he was reading and formulating new ideas for treating patients, Pepper walked over and said "Are you returning to New York?" She seemed to be happy. Viktor didn't even look at her, asking "Tony's alive?"
Pepper was startled and asked "How did you know?" Viktor laughed and replied "If you were happy because your house exploded and Tony was dead, then there would be something wrong with you, right?"
Pepper paused and smiled "Yeah, now that you say it like that…" Viktor added "Yes, by the way. I would like to go home." Pepper nodded and made a call, saying "I arranged for a jet to send you back."
Viktor smiled at her, "Thank you, Pepper." Pepper smiled and waved her hand.
Viktor left and returned to New York. Emma jumped on him at the door and checked all over before letting out a breath of relief.
Fortunately, he wasn't injured!
She then angrily chided him about being involved in huge explosions.
Viktor spread his hands and said innocently "How am I supposed to know?" Emma retorted angrily "You should know! You know everything!" Viktor didn't have a reply and rubbed his nose embarrassingly.
She snorted and crossed her arms, saying "I'm happy you're safe." Viktor hugged her and kissed her forehead, saying "Who cares about me more than you?" Emma smiled slightly and he kissed all over her face, making her giggle.
That was the end of that problem…
The next day
Viktor was sitting on the couch, watching the TV while Emma laid on his lap. He gently ran his hands through her hair as the TV played.
"But Santa! I can do it!"
Cordelia was lying on a sofa weakly, staring at the Christmas special blankly.
Where is my Superhero housewives…
She squirmed in her seat, looking over at Viktor and Emma before saying "Can we watch something else?"
Emma cleared her throat and Cordelia sighed, squirming unfortably before getting up and running up the stairs to her room.
Viktor watched her go and said "I'd say… Severe ADHD." Emma rolled her eyes and replied "You're a therapist now?" Viktor chuckled and said "I'm still a Doctor~" Emma twisted on the couch, looking up at him and saying "Then how about a full body check up, Doctor~"
Viktor grinned and pulled her in, saying "Let's talk in my office." Emma giggled and kissed him when the door opened, Christian walked in laughing "Merry Chri-" before freezing.
Viktor and Emma froze and looked at him.
He coughed and said quickly "Well, I'll just take Bobby to meet Cordelia then. Come on, Bobby." The guy next to him rubbed his nose and said "Hi, I'm Robert Drake. Nice to meet you."
Viktor looked at him and said "Cool, are you going to run upstairs now or…?" Bobby and Christian immediately ran up the stairs and Emma sat up with an angry look.
She complained as she sorted out her clothes "People don't even knock anymore?! Not even a phone call!" Viktor rubbed her thigh and said "It's okay, it's your brother after all." Emma crossed her arms and leaned her head on Viktor's shoulder, still complaining "The idiot…"
Viktor chuckled and picked up his ringing phone.
The ringtone was 'Shoot to Thrill'
Viktor said "Yes, Tony." Tony said quickly "Hey! I'm in Tennessee. Can you look up one J. Taggart?" Viktor asked "You need help? Are you in trouble?"
Emma turned and stared straight at Viktor silently.
Viktor's expression didn't change but he started sweating silently and Tony replied "Hah? Not really, I can handle it. I'm just out of power at the moment." Viktor flicked his phone and swiped at the hologram in the air, saying "Joseph Taggart, retired Army amputee… Friends with a certain suicidal Mr. Davis. Guy blew himself up with a bomb, can you believe it?"
Tony replied "Yeah, that's the thing. I don't think so. No bomb casings within a 3 mile radius at all and only 5 vaporized shadows but 6 casualties… Anyway, thanks!" Viktor said "Oh by the way! Did you hear about this Aldrich Killian guy?"
Tony paused and asked "What about him?" Viktor said "He's developing something called Extremis or whatever. Anyway, this guy came to Frost International and talked to Emma. I don't know what he's trying to do, but Emma told me he also saw Pepper."
Tony replied "Did he flirt with Emma too?" Viktor paused and squeezed the phone, saying viciously "He better not have. If you find anything out, let me know please." Tony chuckled and replied "No problem." before he hung up.
Viktor put the phone down and said "Maybe I should go slaughter this freak…" Emma held his hand and said with an amused smile "He did but I shut him down and kicked him out. He was talking about biomedical something or other, I wasn't paying attention nor understood what he was saying."
Viktor sneered and said "Extremis." Emma nodded "Yeah, the one from the movie that makes people breathe fire." Viktor added "And explode at 3000 Celcius. I want to swallow A.I.M and his Extremis research when he dies."
Emma frowned and said "You promised you wouldn't go anywhere for Christmas!" Viktor caressed her cheek and said "Who's going anywhere? I don't care about saving Maya's life, I just want the Extremis, I'll have Tony take care of it."
Emma frowned and asked "What are you going to do with it? That stuff's really dangerous, you know!" Viktor shook his head and disagreed, saying "It's a Medical Marvel! If you modify the formula and change the applications, you can treat amputees without prosthetics! It would advance Medical Science by dozens of years!"
Viktor pursed his lips and said excitedly "I can study it and make it so that only the healing is left! Plus, not to mention continue developing it myself. It's in its primitive state right now, Maya isn't smart enough to do anything with it, handing it over to a mental case who also doesn't even have the slightest clue on what to use it for…"
Speaking this far, he turned to Emma and asked speechlessly "Can you tell me honestly? Why does everyone want to take over the world? Like is it fun? Is there something I don't know? Do you get a prize?"
Emma gave him a funny look and asked "Why are you asking me? How am I supposed to know?" Viktor sighed, "I don't know, you tried to take over the world before, thought you would know." Emma's lips twitched and she replied "That was another me in a different universe…"
Viktor sighed and added in confusion "Also, this Extremis could bring Killian so much money if he used it with an ounce of brain power, but he decided to weaponize it? I still don't understand his brain circuit…"
Emma leaned on him and replied "Crazy people often don't make sense, big bear… Just forget about it."
Viktor scratched his head and chuckled "I guess so! By the way, did you get that thing?" Emma suddenly smiled and nodded, Viktor let out a breath of relief and Emma teased "I have to make your gift for your student, you're really something else."
Viktor smiled wryly and retorted "I have no idea about that, you know that. I only know medical things and fighting…" Emma snuggled up to him and smiled sweetly "And I don't know anything Medical…"
Viktor hugged her and scratched the bridge of her cute nose, saying with a smile "We're a perfect match it sounds like~" Emma giggled and shifted into a more comfortable position, changing the channel to the Hallmark movie channel.
They ran Christmas movies all December long.
Although the movies were predictable and repetitive…
However!
They were romance movies so the duo enjoyed them while laughing at their own jokes.
In the middle of the night
Cordelia came down the stairs to see Emma and Viktor cuddling together asleep. She stopped in the living room and looked at them for a few moments before throwing a blanket over the two.
She pursed her lips and went to the kitchen, getting a drink before tiptoeing back up the stairs…