UNKNOWN GUEST

#49 'A Bad Weekend'

Aunt Pepper whined playfully, "Come on, it's never a problem. You can stay here as long as you want."

I couldn't help but laugh at her antics. Uncle Tony jumped in, backing her up. "Of course. Pep's not here most of the time, which leaves me and Jarvis all alone. You could keep me company."

I rolled my eyes, knowing where this was headed. "Alright, I'll think about—"

Before I could finish, Aunt Pepper glanced at Uncle Tony and cut me off, "He's staying."

I shook my head, trying to maintain some control over the situation. "I said I'll think about it. Mr. Hawkeye has some plans, so we'll be on it."

Uncle Tony rolled his eyes, clearly not impressed. "Fury must've given him some secret low-profile missions, and that's why he's calling you over."

Aunt Pepper's disapproval was instant. "Missions? You couldn't even walk for weeks, and now you're going on missions—"

I quickly stopped her before she could go on a full rant. "It's not a mission, Aunt Pepper. And Mr. Stark, don't assume anything."

Uncle Tony scoffed, clearly not convinced. "Yeah, whatever."

A soft chime caught my attention, and I pulled out my phone. It was a bit futuristic—Uncle Tony had set it up, linked to his satellite network. The notification was from Dr. Cho, letting me know she was heading to the spot we'd decided to meet. I sent a quick message of confirmation and slipped the phone back into my pocket. Grabbing my jacket and slinging it over my shoulder, I turned to the couple. "Okay, I'll be a bit late. Jarvis will open the door, right?"

"Yes, Mr. Little Red," the AI responded smoothly.

Uncle Tony smirked and shared a knowing look with Aunt Pepper. "He's going on a date."

Aunt Pepper's eyes widened in surprise. "Who is she?"

Uncle Tony shrugged, clearly out of the loop. Aunt Pepper turned to me, waiting for an explanation, but I shook my head. "It's not a date. We're just meeting to avoid a bad weekend."

Uncle Tony wasn't buying it. "Whoever it is, just don't forget to use protection."

Aunt Pepper couldn't resist joining in, "Yeah, you're a kid, so you don't want to have a kid, do you?"

I huffed in annoyance as I headed out, trying to escape their teasing. "You guys are the worst."

Their laughter echoed behind me as I stepped into the elevator, my mind wandering. Is it a date, though? Nah, she'll probably kill me if I even imply that.

I watched as Dr. Cho stepped out of a cab on the other side of the road. She waited on the sidewalk, her eyes scanning for a break in the traffic. When our eyes met, she gave a small wave, and I waved back, feeling a bit of relief wash over me. The traffic light turned red, and the crowd began crossing the street, with her walking toward me. She was wearing a long brown coat that almost brushed her knees, making her look a bit shorter than usual. I smirked to myself at the thought but kept it to myself—I wasn't about to risk my life over a comment like that.

As she approached, I greeted her with a smile, "Hello, Dr. Cho."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, standing in front of me. "Not a doctor for now, so... you can drop the formality."

I nodded, playing along. "Okay. What should I call you then?"

She shrugged casually, "My name, simply. Helen."

I hesitated, opening my mouth to say it, but it felt strange. "It's a bit... weird to say," I admitted, feeling awkward.

She laughed, a sound that lightened the moment. "What's weird about it? My name is short and simple."