Marvel : Copycat System

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Kai Vale led Tony and Pepper to their reserved table, poured them some water, and stood by like a proper waiter for the evening.

Seeing Kai in this role, Tony's earlier irritation vanished. As Kai finished pouring his water, Tony grinned smugly.

"Thanks for your service," Tony said, slipping a folded bill into Kai's hand.

Having regained some sense of pride, Tony let out a relieved breath.

Kai kept his cool, pocketed the money without a word, and walked back toward the kitchen. He wasn't in the mood to see Tony's smug face again — though punching him 'was' tempting.

Still, he couldn't risk upsetting his grandfather. If he caused trouble, the old man wouldn't let him hear the end of it.

So Kai stayed in the kitchen, watching as his grandfather prepared the evening's meal. Since Pepper had pre-ordered everything, there was no need for additional requests, and the old man was already halfway done.

Soon enough, Kai was told to serve the dishes quickly.

Meanwhile, Tony had turned to Pepper.

"Pepper, why are we eating here tonight? I mean, this is nice and all, but I could've taken you to a Michelin-star restaurant for some fancy candlelight dinner."

While waiting, Tony's usual arrogance started to shine through.

Pepper smiled. "Don't you know? This place has been trending online recently. It's supposed to be the most authentic Chinese restaurant in New York. I had to pull some strings just to book it for the evening."

When Kai returned with the dishes, he saw the two huddled close in conversation. They quickly straightened up when they noticed him.

After placing the plates down, Kai launched into a detailed explanation of each dish's history. Pepper, hearing it all for the first time, was captivated.

Tony, on the other hand, grew annoyed as Pepper's attention lingered on Kai.

When Kai shot Tony a subtle smirk, Tony's jealousy flared.

'Oh, you think you're clever, huh?'

"Hey," Tony interrupted. "If you know so much about history, why are you wasting your time working here as a waiter?"

Pepper's face turned sharply toward Tony. "Tony! Don't be rude. Apologize, now!"

Tony's face darkened, and he abruptly stood up.

Happy Hogan, Tony's ever-loyal bodyguard, instinctively stepped forward, ready to follow him out.

Kai sighed. He knew Tony wasn't really angry about his comment — it was Pepper's reaction that got under his skin.

And worse, Kai could feel a cold, murderous aura radiating from the kitchen. His grandfather was *not* pleased.

*Better fix this before the old man storms out here and smacks me in front of everyone,* Kai thought.

"Don't be upset, Mr. Stark," Kai said quickly. "I'm actually a college student right now. I just come home to help my grandfather when I'm free."

He shot Tony a quick wink, silently hinting that he'd defused the situation.

Pepper stood up and grabbed Tony's arm.

"Tony, come on. Sit down and eat, okay?"

After a moment of hesitation, Tony relented and sank back into his chair.

When Pepper turned her attention back to the food, Tony glanced at Kai and smirked — mimicking Kai's earlier smug look.

'Yeah, you win this round,' Kai thought, amused.

In a strange way, that little rivalry seemed to break the ice. The tension lifted, and their dynamic shifted from awkward to oddly familiar.

Pepper, now calm, remembered something.

"Kai, you mentioned you're a college student. Where do you go to school?"

Tony paused mid-bite, clearly interested in the answer.

"Oh, I'm a sophomore at MIT," Kai replied casually. "I help out here whenever I'm free."

Tony nearly choked on his food.

"You're at MIT?" he blurted out. "I'm an MIT grad too! You know, Stark Industries sponsors some of the experimental teams there. Want me to put in a word for you?"

Tony flashed a smug grin, certain he'd won this round.

"Thanks, but no thanks," Kai replied smoothly. "I'm working with some friends to start our own company."

Tony blinked, surprised by the rejection.

"Well," Tony continued, "does your company need funding? Stark Industries invests in promising startups every year."

"We're good," Kai said. "We've got enough funding for now."

Tony's persistence hadn't gone unnoticed by Pepper, who shot him a suspicious look.

Realizing he'd been pushing too hard, Tony quickly shifted gears.

"Oh, that's a shame," Tony said, putting on a casual tone. "I was just thinking about helping a fellow MIT alum."

Satisfied with that answer, Pepper smiled and went back to her meal.

Both Kai and Tony let out silent sighs of relief.

By the end of the evening, Pepper was delighted with the food, thoroughly impressed by the old man's cooking. Tony, however, barely touched his meal — Chinese cuisine wasn't really his thing, despite the adjustments for American taste.

Seeing this, Kai quietly returned to the kitchen and whipped up a cheeseburger — Tony's favorite.

Kai swore to himself that this wasn't just about being friendly — anyone who knew Tony's story knew how fiercely loyal he was to his friends. Building a connection now might just open the door for Kai to become part of the Marvel storyline when things really started heating up.

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