A head of vivid azure hair, gleaming under the sun, amber eyes that caught the light, a petite frame, porcelain skin, and an almost ethereal face—all of it drew Rhodes' gaze again and again. Of course, Rhodes wasn't some lovesick fool.(He chuckled to himself—it was simply the appreciation of beauty. Attractive people inevitably drew attention wherever they went.)
"Tony, who are these two?" Rhodes finally asked.
"This is Ethan—he saved my life. Without him, I wouldn't have survived the last three months."Tony pulled Ethan into a grateful embrace before continuing."And this one—you can call him Hayashi. He was captured, same as us."
Tony had originally thought about telling Rhodes the stranger truth—that Hayashi had appeared out of nowhere in that cave—but for reasons even he couldn't quite name (and certainly not romantic ones), he decided to keep Hayashi's origins to himself.
"Alright then, Tony—let's get you home. You two can come along as well," Rhodes said, nodding toward Hayashi and Ethan.
Hayashi had been worried Tony might mention his sudden, unexplained appearance. Now it seemed he didn't have to. Ethan, for his part, took the cue from Tony—if Tony wasn't talking, neither would he.
A few hours later, Hayashi set foot in New York for the first time. From the plane window, the steel-and-glass sprawl rose like a futuristic fortress. The city pulsed with life, its streets a restless tide. Hayashi pressed his hands together, feeling the cool sensation against his palms, grounding himself.
His journey had truly begun.
Half an hour later, the plane touched down smoothly. Hayashi, Ethan, and Tony disembarked. Waiting near a sleek luxury car stood a blonde woman and a tall, broad-shouldered man in a black suit. An ambulance idled nearby, flanked by paramedics in crisp uniforms.
From his memories of another life, Hayashi recognized them: Pepper—Tony's constant anchor—and Happy, the ever-watchful bodyguard.
"Oh, Tony!"
Pepper's eyes brimmed with tears as she rushed forward and embraced him. After the nightmare in Afghanistan, the sight of someone dear was almost too much for Tony.
"Pepper… I'm back."
"Mm." Her voice wavered.
When they finally pulled apart, Pepper noticed Hayashi and Ethan.
"Tony… who's this little girl?"
Something prickled in her tone—a flicker of suspicion. Had Tony… brought a daughter back from Afghanistan? The thought gave her a sudden headache. If so, how exactly was she supposed to navigate that situation?
"Pepper, they're people who were captured by the terrorists along with me. Don't get the wrong idea."
Tony, who knew more than enough about the ways people thought, had easily read her expression.
"Oh… alright." Pepper's tension eased.
"Tony, you need to get to a hospital for a full check-up. And of course, the girl and the gentleman here will be examined as well." She tugged at his arm toward the ambulance.
"No, Pepper. I know my body. There are only two things I need right now: first, a cheeseburger, and second—"
"Tony, honestly, you're impossible," Pepper interrupted, clearly imagining something far less wholesome.
"No," Tony cut in, suddenly serious. "I'm holding a press conference. Arrange it—I have something important to announce."
Hayashi knew exactly what was coming. Tony was going to shut down Stark Industries' weapons manufacturing. And soon after, the moment that would echo across the Marvel universe—I am Iron Man—would arrive, heralding the age of heroes and villains alike.
Sitting in Tony's gleaming car, surrounded by leather and chrome, Hayashi felt a small sting of envy.Big-shot billionaire, he thought bitterly.
Meanwhile, in a high-rise office at Stark Industries, Obadiah Stane seethed. News of Tony's safe return had just reached him.
"Damn those Ten Rings fools! They couldn't even finish the job. Now that Tony's back, my entire plan is in jeopardy."
His phone rang. He snatched it up.
"Boss, we found this where Stark was taken down. You might want to see it."
A photo came through. Obadiah's scowl twisted into a grin.
"Well, well, Tony… always full of surprises."
"Bring the armor to me," he ordered.
He straightened his suit—still rumpled from his outburst—and prepared to pay his "dear nephew" a visit.
By the time Hayashi reached the press venue, the place was a storm of flashing cameras and shouting reporters. The moment Tony stepped out of the car, microphones shot forward like spears.
"Mr. Stark, were you kidnapped during your three-month disappearance?""Mr. Stark, what's your response to Stark Industries' stock plummeting?"
While Tony fielded the frenzy, Hayashi drew his own share of stares—not just because he arrived with Stark, but because of his arresting looks and that cascade of sapphire hair.
"Hello, little lady, what's your relationship to Tony?""Are you his daughter?"
A reporter shoved a microphone so close to Hayashi's face it nearly bumped his lips. Poor Ethan, meanwhile, stood forgotten in the background.
Hayashi froze. In his old life, he'd been just an ordinary person. Now, faced with this kind of attention, he felt awkward and annoyed. Why did everyone assume he was a girl? He was obviously a man… wasn't he? (Just look at yourself, a mocking voice in his mind whispered. You know what you look like.)
Thankfully, Pepper spotted his discomfort and swept in.
"Sorry, we're not authorized to answer those questions. Tony will explain everything." She gently pulled him away.
"Ms. Potts, can you just—" the reporter began, but Happy had already stepped in, ushering them back.
With Ethan and Pepper at his side, Hayashi found Tony sitting cross-legged on the stage, cheeseburger in hand.
"Everyone, take a seat. Settle down," Tony called.
The noise died in an instant.
Then, with a measured breath, Tony began:
"My father once told me…" His voice was steady, resolute. "…and so I have decided to shut down Stark Industries' weapons manufacturing division."
The room froze. Then chaos erupted. Reporters went wild, their voices a crashing wave, hungry for more after such an earth-shattering announcement.