- E3 has come and gone but despite all of the new titles that will be released in the following year, there's only one game I'm looking forward to: Halo Infinite. Supposedly, the game will be released this December. Getting to play as the Master Chief again will be a great nostalgic way to spend the holidays.
- Spider-Man: No Way Home will be coming out this December as well. With luck, the local movie theatres will be opened again by then. Not that I'd mind streaming the movie at home but it's more fun to see a film in a good old fashioned theatre.
Enjoy.
...
The sound of the harsh winter wind blowing against the window was what roused Peter out of his comfortable slumber. His eyes rapidly blinked twice before he was able to fully awaken. The Queen of New Asgard was still fast asleep beside him...snoring away like an old bear. His lips curved into an amused smirk as he watched her slumbering form for a moment. Most people would find it difficult to even sit in the same room with an individual who snores loudly, much less sleep.
Peter never found it to be a problem though. He always managed to sleep soundly with Brunnhilde despite her snoring rivaling that of Jessica's. Whenever the private detective took a nap, her nose and mouth sounded like it was sawing down an entire forest of wood.
His stomach suddenly rumbled with a quiet little growl, reminding him that it was time to eat some breakfast. The Queen must've heard it too because her snoring came to a sudden halt with a loud snort. Most of her mind was still in a state of slumber though and she could barely keep her eyes open.
"Good morning." Peter said quietly. "Sleep well?"
Brunnhilde cuddled closer to him. "I always do with you by my side. What time is it?"
"It's almost eight thirty."
"That early? No wonder I still feel so sleepy."
He chuckled. "Well, we did only go to bed about five hours ago."
"Sounds about right." She mumbled before her lips curved into a playful grin. "...I'm certainly not complaining about why we fell asleep so late though."
"Nor am I...but here's hoping Hela isn't too mad at us if we did disturb her rest last night."
"That'd be a first. We've fucked each other with her asleep in the room next door many times before and Hela's never complained about the noise at all. I can't see why she would do so now."
Spidey couldn't argue with that. "Fair point. I'm about to head downstairs to make our breakfast. Is there anything specific you want to eat?"
Valkyrie thought for a moment. "Hmm...I'll just have toast with scrambled eggs and bacon. Lots of bacon. I feel as though I could eat a horse right now."
"No problem. You want regular bacon strips or should I make them extra crispy?"
"Extra crispy, of course. It's the best way to eat bacon."
Peter nodded with a little smirk before he got up from the bed. Grabbing his clothes from the nightstand, the young Spider entered the bathroom so he could brush his teeth. Brunnhilde laid her head back down on the pillow and closed her eyes again. She dozed off for a few minutes before her boyfriend stepped out of the bathroom, looking more refreshed and fully dressed.
"I'll start making our breakfast right away." He said, smoothing out his shirt. "Go ahead and sleep in for a little longer. Once our food is ready, I'll come back up to wake you."
Brunnhilde smiled and tilted her head up to give Peter a loving kiss. "You're the best, you know that? Thank you."
"Anything for you, my Queen."
Peter kissed her once more before he left the room. Valkyrie held the blankets closer around herself and quickly fell asleep again. He made his way down the hall and knocked on the door to Wanda's room.
"Who is it?" She called out.
"It's me. May I come in?"
"Go ahead. The door's unlocked."
Spidey opened the door and stepped inside. Wanda was sitting on her bed, putting on a warm sweater. Her hair got messed up a bit by the fabric of the sweater as she pulled it over her head. The young Sokovian woman reached up with her hands to smooth out some of the loose strands.
"Hey, Peter. " She greeted with a teasing smirk. "Sounds like you and Brunnhilde had a lot of fun together last night."
He sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Oh man...so you heard us?"
"Yep. I'm pretty sure the others did too...but we knew better than to interrupt you both."
"So much for us trying to stay quiet. I'm sorry if we woke you up by accident."
Wanda quietly laughed. "It's fine. I was only awake for a few seconds before going back to sleep. It was probably the same for Carol and Hela."
"I hope so." Peter muttered before he remembered his reason for coming here. "Anyways, I just wanted to check in on you before I went downstairs to make breakfast. How do you feel?"
"I'm okay. Haven't gotten any of those headaches yet...but something else did happen yesterday."
"...Is it the reason why you ate less than usual during dinner yesterday?"
She wasn't surprised that he noticed her lack of an appetite last night at the dining table. "Yeah. Remember when I said I'd meet you downstairs for lunch after I used the bathroom real quick? The second I got inside and closed the door, my stomach suddenly started to feel nauseous."
He frowned, not liking the sound of that. "Did you throw up?"
"No, although I really thought I would. That urge to vomit was just so strong."
"I don't doubt it...so what do you want to do?"
The Scarlet Witch cocked her head quizzically to the side. "What do you mean?"
"Do you want to go see Hilde or Erika now?" Spider-Man clarified. "I know you promised to see them if those headaches appeared again...but now you have these random feelings of nausea to worry about. It wouldn't hurt to have one of them perform a proper check-up just to be safe."
Wanda smiled, appreciative of the fact that Peter was asking her what course of action she'd like to take instead of just pushing her to do something that may be unnecessary. The queasiness and pains in her head could just be harmless symptoms resulting from a normal cold or upset stomach. Going to Erika or Hilde would prove to be a pointless trip if that truly was the case.
On the other hand, she knew not to take the matters of her health lightly. It would be prudent to seek out the Asgardian healers for their help in finding out exactly what was wrong with her.
"I think it's a wise precaution. Let's go see Hilde after breakfast is over."
Peter's heart filled with relief as he nodded in agreement. If she really was afflicted with some sort of infection or disease, at least they'd now know for certain with Hilde's help.
"Sounds good to me. Brunnhilde ordered a heavy meal for her breakfast but I don't think it'd be a good idea for you to have the same."
That was probably for the best. There was no telling when the urge to vomit would strike her again. "Probably not. I would hate to puke up all that food if I start feeling nauseous again. I'll just have a couple slices of toast with tea for breakfast."
Peter gave Wanda a quick kiss. "Okay. I'll have your food ready in no time."
He turned around and was about to leave the room. She reached forward to grab him by the arm just before he could open the door. Spidey looked back at the Scarlet Witch and was surprised to see her staring at the floor with a hint of fear in her eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. It's silly but..."
Wanda reached out with her arms to hug Peter. "I'm just a little afraid to find out what's actually wrong with me."
"It's not silly at all...I'm a bit scared myself." He whispered, rubbing her back. "But if these headaches and the sudden sense of nausea are the worst of it, it's probably not anything too bad."
She nodded in silence and tightened her hold around him. The young Sokovian woman took some comfort in his words...she just hoped they proved to be true.
...
Hilde was humming the tune of an old Asgardian lullaby as she reached for the clean warm clothes inside the dryer. Grabbing them by the handful, the Asgardian healer folded her family's laundry before she put them into the blue basket. She was in the midst of folding one of Lorelei's shirts when the chime of their doorbell suddenly rang out through the house.
"Amora?" She called out. "Could you go see who's at the door?"
In their living room, her eldest daughter closed the book in her hands before she stood up from the couch. "Yes, mother."
Amora unrolled the sleeves of her sweater down her arms as she walked towards the front of their house. It was going to be cold for a short moment after the door was opened. Whoever was outside rang their doorbell once more before the young Asgardian sorceress finally answered the door.
"Peter? Lady Wanda?"
Much to her pleasant surprise, Spider-Man and the Scarlet Witch were revealed to be the ones on the other side. The two youngest Avengers greeted her with friendly smiles. Amora smiled back and waved for them to come inside so they could get out of the snowy cold weather.
"Whew...it's freezing out there today." Peter instinctively shivered as he removed his jacket. "Hello, Amora. Sorry we didn't call ahead."
The blonde sorceress shook her head as she gave him a quick hug. "It's alright. You two are always welcome here."
"It's good to see you again." Wanda said, unraveling the scarf around her neck. "Where's Hilde and your sister?"
"My mother is doing the laundry in the back. Lorelei's upstairs cleaning her room."
That explained all the cluttering noises he could hear coming from upstairs. "What about Natasha and Maria? Where are they?"
She pointed down with her finger. "Oh, they're in the basement. Lady Natasha has been helping Lady Hill with her physiotherapy for most of the morning."
Amora went to the kitchen to pour them some tea that her mother had prepared earlier this morning. Peter and Wanda walked towards the couch and sat down next to each other. In front of them was the fireplace, where a healthy fire was blazing away in the middle. The young sorceress soon came back with two hot cups of tea in her hands and gave them to her guests.
"Thank you." Spidey graciously nodded before he and the Scarlet Witch took a careful sip.
The hot tea tasted sweet with just the right amount of bitterness. It also helped to warm up their chilled bodies a little more. Carrying a basketful of her family's clean laundry, Hilde walked into the living room just as her eldest daughter sat down in the chair across from Peter and Wanda.
"Amora, who was at the do-" The Asgardian healer didn't finish her question, for it was immediately answered when she saw two of their people's saviors sitting on her couch.
Wanda gave her a friendly little wave. "Hello, Hilde. Our apologies for dropping in so suddenly."
"No, it's fine. It's always good to see you both. To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?"
The young Sokovian woman didn't answer right away as she reached for Peter's hand. He held on with a gentle grip, slowly nodding for her to go ahead and tell Hilde the reason for their visit. Hilde observed their silent interaction and quickly figured out that they weren't here just for a friendly visit.
"The truth is...we came here because I need your help. I've been feeling unwell for the past week and we were wondering if you could find out what exactly is wrong."
The Asgardian healer put the laundry basket down on the floor. "Of course, I will do my best. Head upstairs and go to the second room on the left. I'll meet you both there shortly."
Wanda quickly thanked her before she and Peter stood from the couch. They both walked up the steps together and entered the room that Hilde directed them to. Along the walls were shelves with various medicinal potions stacked on the left side. The right held several pots of herbal plants, with most of the vegetation green in colour.
Some of them were more drastically coloured...such as the unique tree at the far end. The fruit it bore on the branches looked like apples, only they were gold instead of the usual red.
Spidey stared curiously at the golden apples for a short moment before he looked away. Though the unusual coloured fruit was an interesting sight, it had nothing to do with why he and the Scarlet Witch were here. They both sat down in the two empty chairs that were beside the desk where Hilde presumably worked in during the day.
"How are you holding up?" He asked.
She leaned the right side of her head against his shoulder. "A little better. When we were making our way here, I was nervous and scared. Now that we've arrived...I just feel anxious."
"...You want to know what's making you sick ASAP?"
"Pretty much. The sooner we figure out what's going on, the sooner Hilde can prepare the treatment to help me get better."
Peter pressed his lips on her temple. "Yeah...but the last thing we want to do is to rush through your check-up. Otherwise, Hilde might miss something that could be important."
"I know." Wanda said quietly. "Better safe than sorry, right?"
"Exactly."
Hilde opened the door from the other side before she stepped into her office. The apron that she wore earlier had been removed and her long blonde hair was now tied back in a impromptu ponytail.
"Sorry for the wait." The Asgardian healer said, taking a seat at her desk. "I had to tell my daughters to put away their clothes from the laundry basket."
Spidey smirked. "It's okay. We didn't wait too long."
"Before we get started with the check up, could you tell me all of the symptoms that have shown up so far?"
The young Sokovian woman proceeded to talk about her random headaches as well the sudden queasy feeling that welled up in her stomach yesterday. Peter added a few important details like the fact that Wanda was starting to eat less than usual and how she needed to use the bathroom more often. With a feather pen in her hand, Hilde wrote down the details being told to her onto a little notepad.
"Okay...is there anything else I should know about?" She asked.
Wanda thought for a moment. "My breasts have been feeling a bit sore since I woke up this morning. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with whatever is afflicting me though."
Hilde quickly jotted down that detail too before she leaned back in her chair and read through her notes. Her mind thought of all the possible health conditions that could lead to these symptoms manifesting in Wanda. From the pensive expression on her face, the Scarlet Witch and Spider-Man understood she was thinking hard at the moment. They patiently waited for her in silence so as to not disturb her thought process.
After a long moment of contemplation, the Asgardian healer allowed herself a little smirk. There was only one likely reason why the Scarlet Witch was being afflicted with these symptoms. Hilde herself had experienced them a long time ago...but it would be wise to perform the proper medical tests to make certain before she gave Wanda her diagnosis.
Hilde set her notepad back down on the desk. "I think I got everything. Let's begin your check-up, Wanda. Sorry, Peter...I'll have to ask you to leave. It's best to do this without any distractions."
"No problem. I understand."
"Thank you. Could you tell the others not to disturb us?"
"You got it." Spidey replied before he turned to Wanda. "I'll meet you downstairs when you're done."
She leaned forward to give Peter a quick kiss. "Okay. I'll see you soon."
Peter nodded and got up to leave Hilde's office. Quietly closing the door behind him, he made his way down the stairs. The young Spider found himself in the living room of their house once again and he wasn't alone. Maria and Natasha were sitting on the couch, still decked out in their gym clothes. Both of them finished their morning training session just a few moments ago and were now taking some time to rest. Hill looked more tired than her oldest friend did though. Her cheeks were still flushed red from the various exercises they did for the last three hours.
Natasha smiled warmly at Peter when she saw him walk in. "Hello, Моя любовь."
"Hey, you two. How was your workout?"
"Tiring and intense." Maria wiped some sweat off her head with the towel around her neck. "...But it was good training nonetheless. My arm feels stiff from all the reps I did curling and lifting dumb-bells."
"I had her do a lot of exercises with light weights. It'll be a while before she can lift anything heavier."
The two former spies moved over a bit to the left and right so Spidey could take a seat between them. "How light are we talking here?"
The Black Widow rested her head on Peter's shoulder. "Fifteen pounds is the heaviest I've had Maria work with. If all goes well, she'll be able to work with twenty pound weights by next week."
"You're still following my aunt's instructions, right?"
"We know better than to disobey May. I'm just having her do simple exercises for the first two weeks."
The raven haired woman smirked in agreement before the look on her face turned serious. "...How's Wanda doing? Amora told us what was happening while you two were upstairs in Hilde's office."
"She's holding up pretty well, all things considered. Most of the fear she felt earlier went away by the time we arrived." Peter said quietly. "Now Wanda's just anxious to find out what the diagnosis will be."
"I think we all are." Natasha mumbled.
Neither Hill nor Spider-Man argued with that. They were all very much concerned for the Scarlet Witch. Hopefully, Hilde's medical examination of Wanda wouldn't yield unpleasant results about her overall health.
...
"Take a deep breath. This will only sting for a moment."
The Scarlet Witch breathed in some air and slowly exhaled as Hilde injected the needle into her arm. For the last twenty minutes, the Asgardian healer had done a number of simple medical procedures to check her health. Both her blood pressure and heart had been measured and they were unsurprisingly working at a normal steady pace. She also carefully examined her mouth, throat, nose, and ears to see if there were any signs of a viral or bacterial infection.
Fortunately, there was nothing of the sort to be found at all and both of them felt relieved to learn that.
Overall, Wanda seemed to be in good health. Her medical check-up was almost done...all Hilde needed to do now was to take a small sample of her blood. The Asgardian healer extracted a small amount of blood before she gently removed the needle from her arm.
"There, all finished." Hilde grabbed a clean empty vial and poured the blood sample into it. "Hold this against your arm for a few minutes. The bleeding should stop shortly."
Wanda was handed a clean ball of cotton and she pressed it down against the injection point on her arm. "Thank you...but why do you need a sample of my blood?"
"I have a pretty good idea of why you've been feeling sick. I just need to run some tests on your blood to confirm it. If my guess is correct, I should find trace amounts of hCG within your blood."
"You've figured out what's wrong?"
"I believe so. Don't worry, you're not suffering from any kind of disease or sickness." The mother of two reassured. "...Your condition is still serious in a different sort of way though."
Wanda grew a little confused. "What do you mean?"
"Forgive my bluntness...but when was the last time you and Peter had sex?"
The Scarlet Witch was not expecting to be asked such a private question and her face instinctively blushed a twinge of red. Her mind flashed back to that memorable intimate moment she shared with Peter and Natasha in Sokovia. "A-almost three weeks ago, I think. Why?"
Hilde just gave her a knowing look in response. Wanda was confused for a moment before the reason for the direct question finally dawned on her. The expression on her face quickly turned into one of utter surprise as she stared at the Asgardian healer, who nodded to confirm her thoughts.
"...You're pregnant, Wanda."
Her eyes widened out of shock, taken aback by what she just heard. She was pregnant? It couldn't be...she and the others always practiced safe sex, taking the right contraceptive pills before they got intimate with Peter. The only logical explanation her mind could think of was that the pill she swallowed on that morning in Sokovia had been a faulty one.
Either that or Peter's sperm was much stronger than she and the other women involved with him realized. If that were the case though, wouldn't at least one of the others be pregnant too?
"A-are you sure?" She finally asked.
Hilde solemnly nodded her head again. "Your feelings of nausea, random headaches, sore breasts, the increased need to use the bathroom, and unexpected fatigue...those are all classic early signs of pregnancy. I've been through those myself."
"From when you were carrying Amora and Lorelei?"
"Yeah. There are a few minor differences between Asgardian and human pregnancies but the symptoms are pretty much the same."
The Scarlet Witch stared at the floor again...she had no idea about what to feel at the moment. There were a mix of emotions going through her heart right now. A part of her took some relief in the fact that her body wasn't afflicted with any sort of disease or illness. She was understandably scared for the most part though. Wanda didn't know if she was ready to be a mother yet.
"Will you tell Peter that he's a father now? Or would you rather wait until the blood test is done and confirms your pregnant state?" Hilde asked.
Wanda considered both options carefully. She wanted nothing more than to go to Peter and tell him that they were now parents. Discussing this important matter with her boyfriend would help them both figure out their plans for the future a lot sooner. But it might be best to wait until the blood test confirmed that she was indeed pregnant with Peter's child. The young Sokovian woman could then tell him about it with absolute certainty.
She finally made her choice. It was better to be safe than sorry. "...I'll wait for the blood test to be done first. I don't want to risk raising his hopes for nothing if it turns out I'm not pregnant."
"I understand. Fortunately, you won't have to wait long. The blood test should be done in two days. I'll let you know the results right away once I have them."
Her lips curved into a small grateful smile. "Thank you. I still can't believe it...this all just feels so surreal."
Hilde reached out with her hand and placed it on top of Wanda's. "Trust me, I know. I felt the same way the day I first learned that I was pregnant with Amora."
...
- Didn't surprise me that most of you figured out Wanda was pregnant with Peter's child, though I wasn't really trying to keep it a secret. Most of us are probably familiar with the usual early signs of pregnancy by now anyways...unless you're still a kid who doesn't understand how babies are made.
- The apple tree in Hilde's office are just a small reference to the Golden Apples of Idunn from the Marvel comics. It's what basically grants the Asgardians their immortality, youth and vigor. Only the Goddess Idunn can pick them though to retain their miraculous effects.
- I have no idea how Asgardians confirm suspected cases of pregnancy amongst their people. Nothing in the comics or movies ever touches on the matter...for censorship reasons, I presume. So I just had Hilde run a standard blood pregnancy test for Wanda. They're considered by some people to be a bit more accurate than the convenient urine tests.
- I can't promise anything grand or amazing for the next chapter. All I can really say is that I will write it out to the best of my ability and I hope you will enjoy it. Till next time, folks.