{Chapter: 93 - Midnight Deliveries And Pepper Wants To Stay}
"Boss," Blink whispered as she phased beside Aiden with a silent flicker of purple energy, her eyes scanning the periphery of the shipyard. "The Dark Elf we brought in finally gave a clear analysis. He says the technology on your spaceship… it's at least a thousand years ahead of anything Earth has ever developed. And that's not even accounting for the Runes carved into the internal systems."
Her voice was soft but carried a tone of awe, bordering on disbelief. The flickering glow from the ship's underlights danced across her features as she added, "Unless someone completely dissects from every nut to every wire and rune and reverse-engineers the core tech, you don't need to worry. No one's stealing anything anytime soon."
Aiden gave a quiet nod, folding his arms as he looked toward the looming, alien ship now humming quietly in the background. "That's good news. If Tony decides to be generous and lends out a few units of his Iron Legion, we'll have this entire operation running at three times the speed."
He turned to glance at her. "But I doubt he'll agree without a dozen questions, conditions, and probably some snarky remark about ownership."
Blink smirked knowingly. "Sounds like Stark. Even when he's saving the world, he makes sure you remember he's the one doing it."
Aiden allowed himself a brief chuckle. "True enough."
The two stood there for a moment, watching workers moving equipment across the shipyard. Now that security was tightened and the tech couldn't be copied easily, Aiden allowed himself to mentally shift gears. He was making real progress—and that progress felt even more tangible with capable people like Blink on his team.
"Anyway," he said, stretching his shoulders. "Let's leave Stark's generosity for tomorrow. For now, we rest."
---
Hours Later
As the sun disappeared over the horizon, the sky turned a dusky shade of lavender. One by one, the workers turned in for the night. Laughter, footsteps, and the clinking of utensils drifted through the air as temporary lights glowed across the encampment.
Blink had ensured that every worker had a place to rest, food to eat, and safety measures they could trust. Considering most of them were normal people—construction workers, engineers, and logisticians—being surrounded by aliens, mutants, and otherworldly tech wasn't exactly easy to stomach.
But she'd prepared for this. She knew what it was like to be scared of everything… and how much a little normalcy could help.
---
Aiden didn't leave the ship; he made his way to one of the upper chambers in the vessel, a temporary room rigged for sleeping. He barely had time to sit when there was a gentle knock on the metallic door.
He opened it to see Blink standing there, holding two bags filled with containers.
"Chinese food?" he asked, raising a brow in surprise. "Did you… portal out and grab this?"
Blink gave a sly smile and stepped inside, her vibrant pink eyes shining under the room's soft lights. "Well, you've been working non-stop, boss. Figured you might want something with actual flavor."
She placed the food down on the nearby table and opened one of the boxes, revealing a steaming batch of dumplings.
"I didn't know what you liked, so I bought a bit of everything. Noodles, stir fry, duck, dumplings… even some sweet buns. You can't go wrong with sweet buns."
She turned and added with a mock-serious expression, "That's a culinary philosophy I stand by."
Aiden laughed and shook his head. "You've definitely earned a break. Sit. Eat with me."
Blink blinked—ironically—and then tilted her head. "Are you sure? I mean, I can leave you to—"
"Clarice," he said gently, using her real name for once. "You've been running this operation better than anyone else I could've imagined. You deserve more than leftover rations."
Her cheeks colored slightly which were hard to see with the hub of her skin, but she masked it with a smile as she sat opposite him, opening another box. "You know… if someone had told me a few years ago that I'd be managing alien-tech salvage teams on a hidden island, eating takeout with a mysterious spacefaring power, I'd have called them crazy."
"And now?" Aiden asked, reaching for the noodles.
She looked at him from beneath her lashes, her voice low but playful. "Now I think… maybe I didn't imagine myself dreaming big enough."
There was a flicker of something in her tone—flirtation, yes, but deeper too. Curiosity. Vulnerability.
Aiden raised an eyebrow as he chewed. "That sounded almost like a compliment."
"Almost?" She grinned, leaning in slightly. "You've got to earn the full version."
He smirked. "Then I'll keep trying."
The two ate in companionable silence for a few minutes. Blink would glance at him every now and then, studying him. Not just his words, but the way he moved, the way he sat back with confidence, how he never flinched even when talking about otherworldly threats. She admired it—respected it. Maybe even more than that.
"So… no lucky date to share this food with?" she asked, casually twirling a strand of noodles on her chopsticks.
"Nope. Just me, and now… you."
"Hm," she hummed, pretending to consider. "Then I guess I've just upgraded my Friday night."
He gave her a side glance. "This is why you're dangerous."
She chuckled, then stood. "I'll leave you to it, boss. Don't want you thinking I'm trying to steal your dumplings—or your heart."
She said the last part jokingly, but there was something in the air, a crackle of tension that didn't vanish as easily as her portal.
Before Aiden could reply, she vanished with a wink and a flash of purple portal.
He stared at the now-empty space for a moment and let out a soft breath.
"She's trouble," he muttered with a small grin, then turned back to his food.
Outside, the wind howled gently through the scaffolding and towers, and inside, the alien tech hummed quietly—unaware of the complicated, very human connections forming within its shadow.
---
Just as Aiden was about to begin absorbing the Aether, a sudden knock at the door drew his attention. It was sharp, quick—impatient, even.
"Boss!" Blink's voice rang out a second later as the door swung open. She stepped inside without waiting for a response, her magenta hair tied back in a loose ponytail, her signature teleportation marks faintly glowing along the edges of her cheekbones. But this time, she wasn't alone.
Trailing just a few paces behind her was someone familiar—someone whose very presence carried a storm of tension.
Pepper Potts.
Aiden raised an eyebrow. The expression on Pepper's face said it all—tight-lipped, eyes flashing with frustration, cheeks slightly flushed with anger and something else… regret?
Blink caught Aiden's gaze and offered a subtle shrug, as if to say "Don't ask me—this one's yours." Then, with a half-smile and a teasing note in her voice, she said, "I'll leave you two alone. Don't break the furniture."
Before Aiden could retort, she portal away with a flash of purple light and a faint scent of lavender trailing behind.
Aiden blinked. "She's getting more dramatic by the day."
Pepper gave a tight smile. "She's got flair. I'll give her that."
He gestured for Pepper to come in fully. "So, I take it things didn't go well?"
Pepper exhaled, her body language radiating pent-up irritation as she crossed the room, uninvited but somehow entirely at ease. She ran a hand through her hair, pacing once before turning to face him.
"It was a disaster," she admitted, voice sharp with frustration. "I thought Tony would come around, but I underestimated just how stubborn he can be. He doesn't trust anyone messing with his toys—especially not when he's not the center of the universe."
She paused, then added bitterly, "I got fed up with his childish temper and told him off. Again. This time it got personal."
Aiden studied her, arms folded. He could see the weariness in her eyes. Not just from the argument, but from years of cleaning up Tony Stark's messes.
"You look like someone who's carried a grown man on her back for a long time."
Pepper gave a rueful laugh. "I was his assistant, not his mother. But sometimes the lines blur."
"You didn't have to come all the way here," Aiden said softly. "I told you before, you didn't owe me anything."
Pepper's lips curved into a small smile, something gentler now. "Maybe. But maybe I needed to come for me. I resigned, Aiden. Told Tony I was done. And I meant it."
That caught him off guard.
"You resigned?"
She nodded. "Effective immediately. I need a clean break. A new chapter. Maybe a little less chaos… and a lot fewer flying suits."
"Well," Aiden said, watching her carefully, "This island's got its own share of chaos. Alien tech, mutants, a base under construction… But no flying suits, yet."
She tilted her head slightly, considering him. "Are you offering me a job?"
"I don't exactly have a company to run yet," Aiden admitted with a half-smile. "But if you're serious, I'd be an idiot to turn you away. You've basically been running Stark Industries while Tony played hero. I could use someone like you—when the base is finished, I'll need help keeping things in order."
Pepper looked around the room. "It's a bit more rustic than I'm used to."
Aiden chuckled. "Yeah. I don't have penthouse suites and million-dollar espresso machines yet. But I can offer you something Stark never did."
"And what's that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Freedom. And a chance to actually build something, not just patch it up."
She paused, lips pursing in thought. "Let me think about it. For now, I'll help out with whatever you need until the base is operational. But don't expect me to fetch your coffee."
"Deal," Aiden said with a grin.
He led her down the corridor, showing her one of the guest rooms. It was basic—clean, functional, with polished metal walls and a comfortable cot.
"It's not much," he admitted. "But I'll have Blink upgrade it. She likes you, even if she pretends not to."
Pepper smirked. "She's protective of you."
"Loyal, too," Aiden agreed.
As they stopped at the doorway, she turned to him, her voice a little lower.
"You know," she said, "most men I've met either want to impress me or control me. You're… oddly content just letting me be."
"Is that bad?"
"No," she replied, eyes lingering on his face a little longer than necessary. "It's… refreshing."
There was a long pause. One charged with something unspoken.
"I should get some rest," she said, stepping into the room. "Before I make any questionable decisions."
Aiden raised a brow. "Like what?"
She gave him a sly glance over her shoulder. "Like testing how comfortable the commander's quarters are compared to this one."
He smirked but said nothing, letting her have the last word.
As the door closed behind her, Aiden leaned against the corridor wall, thoughtful. He wasn't sure what tomorrow would bring—but the island was slowly starting to feel more alive.
---
Meanwhile, across the base, Blink appeared in a flash of purple portal closing behind her, back at her own quarters, pacing. Her fingers fiddled with the hem of her shirt, and she bit her lip slightly, annoyed with herself.
What the hell was that back there? she thought. She hadn't meant to tease Aiden like that. Or maybe she had. It was complicated.
Years ago, she'd been nothing more than a scared kid with glowing marks on her face and no home to speak of. Now, she had a purpose. A life. A leader she actually respected.
And maybe, just maybe, she wanted something more.
"I should've stayed and chatted more with him.." she murmured to herself. "Stupid."
She stared at the food container she'd brought earlier, now cold. Her thoughts drifted back to Aiden's smile… the quiet way he listened… the strength in him that didn't need to shout to be felt.
A part of her wanted to teleport back, knock on his door, and say "Screw it. Let's talk. Let's eat. Let's… whatever."
But she didn't.
Not yet.
*****
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