Dread me dead!

"It's so....big!" Wanda gasped, running her hand along it's edge, "And thick!"

I nodded.

"Yes. 22 inches." I said, "Reinforced titanium alloy. And there's a forcefield as well.

As I said, completely safe. Not even a black hole can put a scratch on the ship. So relax. My children live here. No way I would allow it to be that easy to break." I chuckled, "Besides, meteors don't just come out of nowhere. And if they do, my disintegration cannons will snipe them out of the air before they come anywhere close."

I patted her back, and whistled to Pietro who was stuck to the window, staring starry eyed into the abyss of space.

It was cute. Reminded me of the first time Star came with us to outer space.

It was the first time I felt what it is people feel having their own children. To see them explore the world for the first time, everything is new, everything is fun and exciting. And you as parents feel their joy like it's your own.

Just lights up your world.

I smiled softly.

Though it is slightly weird seeing it from a man my own age.

"Now come, meet your roommates."

I led them down a shuttle, explaining how to work them and where everything was, giving them a basic briefing of the parts of the ship they had access to and which ones they did not, dangerous zones and experiment centers, before showing them their rooms, and bringing them to the dining room.

"And what about our jobs? And pay?" Wanda asked.

"You don't have a job yet. This is the training phase.

First, you'll get your powers. Then, you'll undergo rigorous training, before you see any action.

It's a long process so don't count on having much to do yet. As for your pay, you'll be provided food and board and a small stipend, about 14000 dollars, for the duration of your training. And then once that is done, we'll discuss further compensation.

Besides, compensation can come in many forms. If you'd rather have me make equipment for you as compensation, you can ask for that.

Or gold or copper or maybe a farmhouse in the countryside or villa by the beach."

Wanda nodded in understanding, as we reached the dining room.

"Now I'm sure you're hungry. You probably didn't have time to get a bite, moving out of your apartment and all.

Come, eat with us. And tell me if you have any food preferences or allergies. Don't want any .... accidents due to unknown allergies." I said with a pause.

"Nah. I can eat pretty much anything." Pietro rubbed his stomach.

"We are accustomed to most foods." Wanda put it better.

I nodded, and opened the door as a panda suited Star jumped up, hiding his cup of chocolate behind a pillow.

"Papa!" He rushed me.

I caught him before he could smear me with his hot choco covered mouth though.

"You've got a mustache!" I chuckled, wiping his face.

"Hehehe!" He giggled.

"And don't think I didn't see that chocolate. You're eating too many sweets! You'll get diabetes at this rate, little rascal!" I pinched his cheeks and he made a cute noise.

He's about just as likely to give me diabetes too!

I squished him in a hug and turned around to the twins.

"Star meet our new friends. Wanda, and Pietro." I introduced.

"Hey champ!" Pietro waved.

"Hello?" Wanda squeaked with hesitation as she reached put to touch Star's cheeks.

"He's cute, isn't he?" I asked, smirking. Wanda cooed in agreement, squishing his cheeks.

"So cute!"

Just then Star looked at them and tilted his head.

"Are they new test subjects Papa?" He asked, and a chill ran down my spine.

This little idiot!

Don't say that in front of them!

Immediately, I began to play damage control.

"No. They're friends, I just told you didn't I? They'll be helping Papa with experiments for a bit."

"Friends?"

"Yes. Like you and Nami."

"Uhun!" He nodded.

"Go on introduce yourself." I said, calling Riley over as well.

"Hi. I am Galen Walker. But Papa calls me Star so you can too!" He raised four fingers.

"I'm four years old! And 7 months. Almost five!" He announced proudly causing Wanda too coo even more.

"Papa? Is it time for dinner already?" Riley asked as she walked in, pulling off her bloodied surgical gloves.

"Yes. Wanda, Pietro. This is my daughter Riley. Riley, the people I told you about." I introduced.

"Oh! The ones with latent mutations! I can't wait to study you! Can I dissect them later, Papa? Before you activate their powers? I want to see what the differences are with the genome before and after the powers kick in! If I can pinpoint to activated agents in the gentic code amybe I can reproduce the eff-"

I raised a hand to stop her right there, ruffling her hair.

"Alright. That's enough research for today. And you know what I say about family dinner time!"

"No work talk on the dinner table." She droned and rilled her eyes, taking a seat at the table, with a soft smile.

"Thank you." I said, patting her head, and gestured at the rest to be seated as food dropped out portals onto the table, directly from the kitchen.

Today, a feast was in order.

A whole turkey, mashed potatoes, biscuits and chilli, soup, some cake and salad.

"Let's start this working relationship, with a feast then. To new friends." I raised a cup to the twins.

"To new friends." They reciprocated.

.

"Alright." I shut off the yellow beam irradiating Pietro and stretched.

"Status report."

"I don't feeling anything special? Same as always." Pietro replied with a shrug.

"Look deep within you. Don't you feel like a well of power bubbling in your stomach or something? Maybe an itch for action?" I insisted.

He closed his eyes and grunted like a constipated donkey who had eaten ten taco bell crunch wrap supremes.

Pffffftthrew!

He farted.

I shook my head, sighing.

"Sorry. Nothing." He replied.

"Okay. Let's end it here for today. Go take a bath. I'll have the bits prep a meal for you. What do you want? Steak? Eggs? Sandwiches?" I asked.

He thought for a moment and grinned.

"Pizza."

"Of course." I rolled my eyes.

It had become an inside joke for him now.

But, eh, it's good to have inside jokes I suppose.

That means he's getting comfortable here and hopefully attached to this cause. The cause of science. My science.

The past few days passed simply, with the twins getting exposed to the power of the Mind Stone's energy that I had stored in a special extradimensional battery before giving it to the Avengers.

At first they showed no improvement in their abilities, and I watched as the battery drained of it's power slowly and steadily, each percent lowered causing my frown to deepen. Nearly 30 percent of my Mind Stone battery had drained already and I had seen no improvements. At this rate I might just have to alter my plans and steal back the Mind Stone.

Maybe I can do a remote sapping of it's energy to fill my battery again?

The thought jumped blueprints and theories into my head.

So many possibilities, so many applications. If I could implement remote energy sapping, maybe on a multiversal scale.....

Didn't Charn lise it's magic via a lower form of exhaustion that resembled sapping, maybe I'll check up on tha-

Suddenly, alarms rang out and the screen of my contacts flashed , displaying the corridor outside my lab.

I frowned.

What now?

I looked over the screen and my eyes widened.

Pietro was laid across the floor, slumped against a wall, bloodstains trailing down with his head.

What in the fuck?

I ran out and knelt down beside Pietro, and looked him over as he groaned absentmindedly.

A concussion.

And a broken nose.

Did he...did he hit the wall?

That hard-

Oh...oh! Ohhhohoho!

I realised what had happened and double checked it with the security footage, a smile blooming on my face.

Pietro had jogged out the lab chambers, wiping his face with a towel, when suddenly his body flickered and he disappeared.

The next thing I found was him, smashed into the opposing wall, with a broken nose and dazed look.

Yes! Yesyesyesyesyes!

Fianlly, some goddamn results!

Pietro had developed super speed!

I injected Pietro with a dose of CodeRed and carried him over to Wanda's lab where Riley had taken over the duty for today.

Especially since Riley was very curious about how Wanda's body would be affected by the experiment and Wanda was well.... uncomfortable with a man watching her in a state of undress.

Guess I should be grateful she agreed to be dissected by Riley. Pietro on the hand pussied out.

Which is why, I didn't mind. Riley would find it easier to monitor the changes in Wanda's genome too, given her power so it was beneficial for me either way.

Regardless, at least Pietro's accident showed that some progress had been made.

I swung open the door to the lab, and strode in, happy and announced.

"Riley, guess what! Pietro awakened his pow..er..s?"

I found Wanda half naked, putting on her clothes, her back turned to the door.

My entry spooked her and she jumped, startled and mad, when she noticed my admiring gaze.

Damn she looked good!

I spotted the look in her eyes and tore mine off of her form, searing the view in my memory.

For academic purposes, of course.

Besides, what is with this lucky pervert situation?!

What is this, an anime?

"Oh, sorry!" I bowed, and turned around.

"You better! You promised not to-" Just then Wanda noticed Pietro in my arms and exclaimed.

"Pietro! What happened to him?" She spotted Pietro in my arms.

"Am fine sis. Jush a coconut." He slurred.

"Concussion." I corrected, "His powers manifested as super speed. And he couldn't control them and ran into a wall. He'll be up and walking in a minute! Watch." I told her as Pietro's eyes began to clear up and his nose snapped itself back into place.

"I have two superpowers?" Pietro asked.

"No. I gave you a healing serum. Now if you can walk I'll let you off."

"I don't mind being carried like a princess." He joked.

"Well I do. Especially when that princess is a man my age." I chuckled, dropping him.

"Ow!" He rubbed his butt, and smiled, "Jerk! Bet you would have liked it if it was my sister."

"A damn sight better than you for sure." I replied, helping him to his feet.

"Really? And here I thought we had something special! You playboy!" A voice teased behind me.

I jumped in fright, leveling my particle beam at the source on instinct.

"Holy motherfucking schnitzel! What is wrong with you, Lady Death? I almost had a heart attack. Can't you knock like a normal person?"

You want me to knock on your door. The door of your ship. In space." She pointed out with a cheeky grin.

"Yes." I deadpanned.

She burst into peals of laughter, her haunting voice echoing through the halls, seemingly omnipresent.

Fuck, she's scary! And that's even without trying.

Makes me want to bone her even more.

There's just something-

No!

I chastised myself.

No horny!

Not with Lady Death!

She's probably got a body that embodies aspect of dying, like maggots and shit.

And even if she doesn't.....

My mind trailed.

That raises a good question.

Does it count as necrophilia if I do the diddly with her?

"No it does not. It's a working apparatus down here." Lady Death winked as she whispered in my ear.

"How did you put it? It's to die for!" She teased, leabing closer.

"Please don't read my mind, O Reaper!

Or I will subject you to the lewdest, most degenerate content mortal minds can invent and-"

Lady Death winced, rubbing her temples as my thoughts went deeper into the perverse rabbit hole of the internet's worst porn and sickest fetishes till she balked.

"Alright. Boy. I get it. Stop it." She cried, rubbing her temples.

"You didn't say the magic word~" I smirked.

"Stop it or I'll rip your spine out of your body and stuff it up your ass like the bony dildo you deserve." She threatened and I immediately stopped as a chill ran down my spine.

That image....ugh. I need a mind bleach after that horrid image Lady Death just put in my head.

"Fine....sorry." I replied, sulking.

She just shook her head, a light amused, smile on her face.

"Truly, the perversions of the human mind never cease to disgust me."

"Well yes. With death looming over us at any time, it's what humans do to distract themselves. Which reminds me, why are you here. We agreed on a timing. That is, before I leave. Right before. Not two years before. Right before."

"Can't I visit, now and then? Do you not like me?" She asked with a mischievous smile

"Of course you can. I do appreciate a little eye candy around here.

Besides, it's not like I can stop you even if I try."

She giggled, circling around me, caressing my face.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure of that." She whispered in a smooth, alluring voice, almost enchanting me.

"Those new trinkets you're building....What were they called again, ah right! Reality anchors. They might help, wouldn't they?" She smiled knowingly as a my pulse quickened and my heart beat like a war drum in my chest.

I gulped heavily.

"It's not... It's not for you, Lady Death.... It's a ... it's for the Celestials! And ..and Eternity and for other extradimensional threats. You know, not for you. Of course, not! I would never betr-"

"Do you take me for a fool boy?! I have lived longer than you can imagine, longer than imagination and time itself." She boomed, stepping closer, her face morphing into a skeletal frame work with sawtoothed alien maggots crawling out of it's eyes, snapping at me.

I took a step back in fear and revulsion.

"I have seen better men try worse things and none of them....NONE of them escaped my embrace. You are not the first, boy. And you will NOT. BE. THE. LAST!"

I shivered, as she continued.

"Do not test me, boy. Or you will dread me dead." Her voice chilled me to my core.

"I will not be as merciful a second time."

With that she turned in a huff and disappeared into thin air, leaving me in freezing, overpowering fear.

_______________________

Death is not easy to fool.

And MCU proves more challenging than MC expected.

And MC learns that the hard way.

Plans shift and MC has to up his A game.

And next time, Wanda learns magic.

MC does some inventing.

And Arishem The Judge arrives on Earth.

Till then, see ya!

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