After several hours since they left the deserts of Afghanistan—passing through a military base and finally landing under the bright California sun—the journey felt stretched out endlessly, as if time itself had been pulled without pause.
At last, they arrived at a wide airport.
There, two figures were waiting.
One of them was Tony Stark's personal assistant—Pepper Potts.
A woman known for her sharp professionalism… yet carrying a warmth she rarely showed to just anyone.
Beside her stood a broad-shouldered man—Tony's trusted bodyguard and driver, always alert, never truly relaxed.
Pepper stood straight in her business attire.
Her long blonde hair was neatly tied back, giving her a composed, disciplined look… but the moment her eyes caught sight of Tony stepping off the aircraft, all that composure collapsed instantly.
Her eyes immediately filled with tears.
Tony walked closer, studying her face for a few seconds—reading the emotions so clearly written there.
"You're crying?" he said lightly, his tone as casual as ever. "Mourning your long-lost boss?"
Pepper let out a small laugh between the tears she was holding back.
"I'm just… really glad you're okay. And yes… I also didn't want the hassle of looking for a new job."
The corner of Tony's mouth lifted slightly.
"Well… sorry to say your vacation's over."
Pepper shook her head softly, still smiling, then her gaze instinctively shifted—landing on the two figures behind Tony.
Kuro… and Xu Fu.
For a moment, she took a quiet breath. The lingering relief still rippled through her, but she quickly regained her professional composure. With a small step forward, she approached and offered a polite, warm smile.
"You didn't introduce them," she said gently, looking at Tony. "Your new friends?"
Tony didn't answer immediately.
He simply raised a hand casually, signaling everyone toward the black car waiting nearby.
"Let's talk in the car," he said briefly.
His tone remained light as always—yet something underneath it felt carefully guarded.
As if… this conversation wasn't as simple as it sounded.
But before he moved, Kuro's hand reached out and rested on Tony's shoulder.
Tony turned his head, looking at Kuro for a few seconds—his usual expression, half suspicious, half trying to read the person in front of him.
"Can I have a moment?" Kuro said quietly. "Just us. Five minutes."
A brief silence followed. Tony raised an eyebrow slightly.
"…Now?"
His eyes briefly shifted toward Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan, who were already waiting near the car.
He let out a short sigh.
"…Yeah. Okay. Five minutes."
His tone was more serious than usual.
They walked a short distance away from the others—not far, but enough that their voices wouldn't carry clearly.
Xu Fu walked beside Kuro, silent, observing the modern world with unfamiliar eyes.
Tony slid both hands into his pockets, standing casually… but his gaze remained sharp and focused.
"Alright," he said quietly. "If this is about saying thanks, I already did—"
He paused.
Then looked directly at Kuro.
"…and if it's about something more than that… now's the time to be honest."
Kuro looked at him again, his expression still flat.
"If I want something, I take it myself."
The words came out without pressure, without boasting.
Just… a fact.
Tony fell silent for a few seconds.
Then, almost unconsciously, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
"…Yeah," he said quietly. "I believe that."
A soft wind passed through, carrying distant sounds from the airport.
A few seconds of silence followed, but this time it wasn't awkward—it felt more like both of them understood something that didn't need to be spoken.
Tony finally gave a small nod.
"Alright."
He stepped half a pace closer.
"Then… I won't stop you."
His tone shifted slightly more serious.
"…but honestly, this is suspicious."
He let out a short breath, then added more quietly,
"Mysterious guy. Appears in the desert. Saves me. Doesn't ask for anything… then leaves before I can figure anything out."
His gaze locked onto Kuro.
"…normally I'd have Happy dig into you down to your bones."
A faint memory of the days inside the cave flickered in his eyes—the man who had just crawled out of hell.
"…but after what happened there… I don't think I've got the energy to pretend I'm still in control of everything."
He glanced briefly at Xu Fu.
"…and you're clearly not a tourist."
Then he looked back at Kuro.
Tony let out a quiet breath, then extended his hand.
"If this is a goodbye…"
A brief pause.
"…at least let me do this properly."
His gaze was honest this time, without any mask.
"…Thanks."
Just one word. Short. But heavy.
Before pulling his hand back, Tony added more softly,
"…If one day I find out who you are," he continued, "I hope it's not as a problem."
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
"…but as someone who shows up again without having to save my life first."
In the distance, Pepper Potts watched with a gentle expression, holding herself back from interrupting, while Happy Hogan stood guard with folded arms—though clearly still watching Kuro with suspicion.
The moment felt brief.
But deep enough to leave an imprint.
And without needing any further words… their paths began to part.
"See you later, Tony Stark."
***
"So… are you going to explain who they are?"
After confirming the route to the press conference location, Pepper Potts finally spoke up.
She sat beside Tony, occasionally glancing at him—as if making sure he was truly there, not just a shadow left behind by everything he had gone through.
"…the two people who were standing fairly close to you, but didn't look like part of any military rescue team at all."
In the front seat, Happy Hogan glanced at them through the rearview mirror.
Clearly… he was curious too.
Tony leaned back into his seat and let out a long sigh.
"If I say I don't know either, would you believe me?"
Pepper immediately turned her head to look at him flatly.
"That's not a reassuring answer, Tony."
Tony nodded slightly.
"Yeah… figured."
He stared out the window for a few seconds. His expression shifted—calmer, but heavier.
"…They're the ones who found me in the desert."
His tone was serious now, with none of his usual jokes left.
"Not military. Not contractors. Not even anyone on any official list."
He glanced slightly toward Pepper.
"…and if they hadn't shown up… I might not be sitting here right now."
Happy frowned slightly in the front seat.
"Wait… you mean they're the ones who saved you before the military found you?"
Tony nodded slowly.
"More or less."
Pepper fell silent for a moment, processing it.
Her gaze gradually softened.
"…and you just let them go like that?"
Tony gave a faint smile—not his usual confident one, but more like acceptance.
"Believe it or not…"
"…I didn't have any reason to hold them back."
He shrugged lightly.
"They're not the kind of people you can 'keep' around."
A brief pause.
"…and honestly, Pep…"
Now he stared straight ahead.
"…I'm not even sure we'd understand what we were dealing with if we tried."
The car fell silent for a few seconds.
The statement felt heavy—and clearly, it wasn't the usual Tony Stark in control of everything.
Pepper let out a soft breath.
"…Do you trust them?"
Tony didn't answer immediately.
A few seconds passed.
"…I believe one thing."
He looked back out the window.
"…if they wanted to, I'd already be dead."
Up front, Happy Hogan didn't interrupt. His hands stayed on the wheel, but his jaw tightened slightly as he processed the answer.
Tony leaned his head back against the seat, closing his eyes for a moment.
"…and for some reason…"
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
"…I don't think they're the kind of people who fix problems in the usual way."
Pepper didn't respond with words.
But the way she looked at Tony… she knew.
Something inside Tony Stark had already changed.
_____
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