Tony Meets Steve

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Steve looked around the restaurant and then at Kai. "So, this is your ability? And your family's restaurant?"

Kai smiled. "Welcome to my place!"

He led Steve to a table and poured him a cup of tea. "Yeah, this is what I can do—I can open portals to go anywhere I want."

Steve took the cup but seemed a bit uneasy. Kai noticed. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Still having trouble adjusting? Too many superpowers running around these days?"

Steve nodded. "Nick Fury showed me a lot. The world's changed in ways I never imagined. Superpowers, disasters, conflicts… it's nothing like my time."

Kai leaned back. "Yeah, even catching up on history doesn't prepare you for actually living in the present. But take your time. Meet some people, make some friends. That'll help you settle in. Give it a while, and it'll start feeling normal."

As their food arrived, the conversation flowed naturally. Steve spoke about the past—his time in the war, stories about the Howling Commandos, and things he hadn't seen written in history books. In turn, Kai filled him in on how the world worked now, the changes in society, and the new challenges people faced.

By the end of the meal, Kai asked, "So, is S.H.I.E.L.D. setting you up with a place to live, or are you finding one yourself?"

Steve sighed. "Fury offered to set something up, but I'd rather find my own place. I've already checked out a few apartments. Just need to pick one."

Kai nodded. "If you need a temporary place, I have a spare apartment. You're welcome to stay there until you find something."

Steve appreciated the offer but shook his head. "Thanks, but I'd rather handle it myself. Shouldn't take long—I've already narrowed it down to a few places."

"Alright. Once you settle in, let me know. I can show you around—start small, help you get familiar with the neighborhood, then branch out. That way, you won't feel lost all the time."

Before leaving, Steve waved off Kai's offer to see him home. "I need to get used to the streets myself. I'll tell you once I've moved in."

Kai nodded. "No rush. And in a few days, I'll introduce you to some new friends."

Steve paused, then gave him a grateful look. "Thanks, Kai."

Kai watched as Steve walked off, taking his time, as if trying to absorb everything about the world around him.

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A few days later, Kai got a call from Steve. He had found an apartment, moved in, and had even started exploring the area. During his morning runs, he'd met someone else who was also running, and they'd gradually become friends.

Kai immediately knew—it had to be Sam Wilson. Looked like Steve was already making an effort to adjust, which was a good sign.

They made plans to meet up soon. Steve agreed.

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Two days later, Kai received another call—this time from Tony.

"Hey, I finally had some free time and finished that gift for you. Come over when you can."

Kai agreed and, before heading out, gave Steve a call. "Got any plans today?"

"Oh, I've got all the time in the world," Steve replied.

Kai laughed. "Right. Besides running every morning, you're probably just working out at home."

"Pretty much."

"Perfect. How about I introduce you to some people?"

"Sounds good."

Kai got Steve's address and teleported directly to his front door, knocking.

A moment later, Steve opened it and stepped aside. "Come on in."

As Kai walked in, he was surprised. The place was bigger than he'd expected—not just an apartment, but a spacious loft. Half of it was set up like a gym, the other half for living.

"Wow, this is huge," Kai said, looking around. "Was it expensive?"

Steve shrugged. "It works for me. Plenty of space for training and living. As for rent, let's just say I've been getting a government paycheck for decades. This isn't a problem."

Kai whistled. "Man, you've got it made. No job, plenty of money, and all the time in the world. Sounds like a dream."

Steve smirked but didn't comment.

After a quick tour, Kai said, "Alright, let's go."

Teleporting them both, they arrived at Tony's villa.

As they walked in, Steve looked around. "Where exactly are we?"

Kai grinned. "Relax. You'll see soon enough."

Leading Steve into the basement, Kai called out, "Hey, Tony, I'm here!"

Tony, hunched over a computer, barely glanced up. "Yeah, yeah, give me a minute. Almost done here."

Yinsen, standing nearby, noticed Kai wasn't alone. "Hey, Kai. Who's this?"

Steve took a seat as Yinsen offered them stools.

Kai gestured to Steve. "A new friend. Someone with a connection to Tony, actually."

Tony finally looked up, but only for a second before going back to his work.

Then, two seconds later, he froze.

Slowly, Tony raised his head again, this time really looking at the man sitting beside Kai.

And his eyes widened in disbelief.

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