𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿-𝗺𝗮𝗻: 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 [ 𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙞 𝙖𝙪 ]

our universe .38

nini reached the lair. richard was out of his cell but his hands were locked up in some magical leash by stephen. nini stopped in her tracks as richard and her locked eyes.

ricky quickly came behind the girl, "nini! stop!"

tony quickly stepped in front of nini, blocking her from ricahrd. ricky was close behind the girl.

"woah woah woah!! you guys gotta get out of here," tony quickly instructed.

"no! i-i wanna talk to him," nini quickly said. everyone looked at her with disapproval. nini continued, "please, just five minutes. you guys can stay in the room as long as you like..."

they all exchanged looks before giving in. they moved to the side and nini stepped closer to richard. she noticed the shift in behavior. richard was usually stern, angry, and forcible. now he was timid, scared, and reserved.

"nini... you can yell, scream, or hit me anyway you like--"

"-- i don't want do any of that..." nini cut richard off. the girl felt her eyes water but she tried her best to keep it in. richard and ricky were taken aback but listened intently. she took in a deep breath and continued, "your girlfriend, nina, saved my life. she gave me my life for hers... and i... heard all your apologies from her... i don't think i'm going to heal the same way or be the same person i was before but... the only thing i can do is be better. i'm going to learn how to forgive because anger will only take me back to where this all started..."

richard nodded his head. ricky noticed richard finally break down. nini softly spoke, "even after everything, nina talked greatly about you. about how it was before you got bit. you guys were in love. really in love and she did anything to keep you around. she missed you though... and i know deep down you missed her and yourself as well...i know nothing i say will bring her back but i just wanted to let you know that she still loved you and she will always love you..."

richard let out a soft chuckle and proudly smiled at nini. his eyes were red and watery but ricky could tell that his heart healed a little. the boy nodded his head and sighed.

"thank you... you didn't have to tell me that... especially after everything i put you through but you did," richard sniffled, "you and ricky are really good people. powers or not...you guys are the best superheroes in the world... thank you."

nini didn't say anything but nod her head. she walked back into ricky's arms and they watched as stephen took richard by his side again. ricky and nini looked at richard one last time.

"you guys are probably the greatest gift i'll ever know..." richard lastly confessed. they smiled at him before tony escorted them out of the room. ricky and nini reached the living room again before they heard tony locking the door behind hem.

ricky looked at nini with admiration, "nini... you are... just..."

nini smiled as she watched ricky. the boy was stammering for words and kept stuttering over his own tongue. nini melted, "just...?"

"i know... we said that every universe was going to be our thing but right now the only thing that i can say is that... i love you, no, scratch that—"

"—oh?"

"no, nini, i just..." ricky forced himself to calm down. he looked at nini in awe, "i don't know why i'm nervous... it just feels like i fell in love with you again? and i guess i'm just trying to say that i don't just love you... i'm literally in love with you! and i don't know if that means anything to you or if there's even a difference... i just... can't imagine a life without you... and... there could be a million universes with a million versions of you but none of them could ever come close to being as perfect as you because... you're just... you're one in a million, nini..."