Alex stepped out of the tech room, shutting the door with a soft click. He made his way to the kitchen, rolling up the sleeves of a plain shirt he'd found in the bedroom closet. It wasn't much—some leftover rice, a few eggs, and a can of beans—but it was enough to throw together a modest meal.
"Better than hospital food," he muttered as he stirred the pan.
The house was quiet, peaceful. The kind of silence that made it easy to think. A rare thing in a world soon to be crawling with superhumans, gods, and monsters.
He had just finished plating the meal when—
Ding-dong.
The doorbell echoed through the house.
Alex blinked. "…Already?"
He set the plate down slowly, wiping his hands on a towel as he moved toward the front door. His eyes narrowed with suspicion—no one should know he was here.
"No… wait," Alex paused mid-step.
"There is one person who might…"
His mind flashed back to a blurry memory from the original Alex Rand's past—a girl, quiet, shy, a bit socially awkward. Nerdy, always dressed in oversized hoodies and baggy jeans. But beneath it all? A surprisingly attractive body she seemed determined to hide. He only knew that because of one specific night.
The night before graduation.
The two had gotten drunk, and things had escalated. What started as two nerds ranting about life and debt ended up as a one-night stand. It was awkward afterward—never spoken of again—but the connection was there, and she had stayed in touch from time to time.
"Emily…" Alex muttered under his breath, remembering her name as he reached for the door.
Right then, the doorbell rang again, followed by a soft knock.
He opened it cautiously, only to blink in recognition.
It was her.
She stood there with her usual messy bun and glasses, but her red hoodie was soaked from the light rain outside, and the sweatpants clung to her legs. Despite her casual look, Alex couldn't help but acknowledge how her figure stood out more than he remembered.
So it is Emily.
He opened the door wider, and before he could say a word, she pulled him into a hug.
"You idiot," she muttered, voice cracking slightly. "When I heard you'd been in an accident, I thought you were—"
Her arms wrapped tighter around him, cutting off her own words.
Alex hesitated, then slowly hugged her back, blinking. From the memories he had, they had been good friends—maybe the only real friend the original Alex had. The tension after their one night together had never fully gone away, but the bond was still there.
"I'm okay," he finally said softly. "Sorry for scaring you."
She pulled back and looked up at him. "Damn right you should be sorry. You drop off the radar, then I find out from some Stark PR lady you were nearly killed. I had to pull strings just to get this address."
Alex blinked again. "You… got this from Stark's people?"
"Yeah. One of the assistants must've felt bad for me or something," she said, brushing wet strands of hair out of her face. "Can I come in, or are you just gonna let me drown out here?"
He stepped aside with a faint smirk. "Get in before you start melting."
As she walked in, Alex's thoughts raced.
Alex thought to himself as he closed the door behind her.
Emily stood awkwardly in the entryway, her hoodie clinging to her frame, shoes soaked, and glasses fogged up slightly. Water dripped from her sleeves and down her arms. Alex glanced at her and sighed.
"Uh… you can go use the bathroom. There's a dryer in there," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "As for clothes, all I've got is, well… my stuff. Might be oversized, but dry at least."
She gave a tired, appreciative smile. "Honestly, I don't care how I look right now. I'm just glad you're alive."
Alex led her toward the small bathroom, handing her a clean towel and one of his oversized t-shirts with sweatpants. As she stepped inside to change, Alex leaned against the wall, his thoughts drifting.
She really came all the way here… in the rain… on a damn bike?
It hit him then—harder than the money, the house, even the powers. Someone had genuinely cared enough to show up, even if they barely knew what had happened.
She could've called. Texted. Waited.
But she didn't.
She showed up, soaked to the bone, after riding a bike through the rain just to check on him.
Alex stared at the damp floor where her shoes still dripped.
What kind of person does that for a guy they haven't really talked to in months?
As the bathroom door clicked open again, Emily stepped out in his clothes—shirt hanging a little loose, her damp hair towel-dried and tied back.
"I hope it's okay I used your dryer for the hoodie. I'll fold everything before I go."
Alex shook his head. "Relax. You're not a guest. You're just… you."
That made her blink. A small, genuine smile tugged at her lips.
"So… what now?" she asked softly.
Alex hesitated for a moment, looking over at her.
"Well… I was cooking. Wanna join me for…" he paused, then looking outside the window he added, "…dinner?"
Emily raised a brow, and then she nodded. "Dinner? Sure. Let me help."
Alex just nodded as they both moved into the modest kitchen. It wasn't a five-star setup, but it had everything they needed. Side by side, they chopped vegetables, stirred simmering sauce, and found a strange rhythm that felt… relaxing to him.
Every now and then, their hands brushed, or they exchanged a glance that lingered just a little too long. Neither brought up that night, but the air between them was warmer than the stove.
"So…" Emily said casually, slicing tomatoes, "you're getting involved with Stark?"
Alex blinked, caught slightly off-guard. "You knew?"
She smiled faintly. "Well, you did nearly die in an accident involving his car. Word got around fast in our circles. Also… I might've asked around."
Alex chuckled. "Stalker."