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When Wanda heard Kai say he had something else to tell her, she quickly sat up straight, waiting attentively.
Seeing her reaction, Kai chuckled. "Relax, Wanda. You're not in Sokovia anymore. No one's going to experiment on you here, and I won't ask anything of you."
"Really?" Pietro's voice was filled with disbelief. He had to hear it again, needed the confirmation straight from Kai's mouth.
Kai glanced at Pietro and immediately understood his thoughts. He didn't blame him—after everything they had been through, it was natural to be skeptical. But Kai had never intended to harm them. So, he spoke solemnly, "I'll say it again—I will never force you into experiments."
Only after hearing this did Pietro truly relax.
Kai leaned back slightly. "Alright, now can we talk?"
Wanda hesitated but then nodded.
Kai continued, "So, what are your plans? You're in New York now. If you go back to Sokovia, it'll be dangerous. Hydra will be searching for you everywhere."
At the mention of Hydra, Pietro's expression darkened. He clearly didn't want to return, but as always, he left the decision to Wanda. His eyes silently pleaded with her.
Kai noticed Wanda's hesitation. "You can stay here. My place is big enough. But if you want to leave, you're free to go anytime."
His tone was casual, like he truly didn't mind either way.
Wanda was silent for a long moment, thinking it over. When she glanced at Pietro, she saw the hope in his eyes. Finally, she exhaled and made her decision.
"Then… we'll stay here for now. But we don't want to be a burden."
"Yeah!" Pietro cheered. The relief in his voice was obvious—at least for now, they had a safe place to stay.
Kai, though still appearing indifferent, felt a weight lift off his shoulders. In truth, he had hoped they would stay. Otherwise, why would he have gone through the trouble of rescuing them early?
It wasn't just sympathy—though the idea of two kids being used as test subjects disgusted him. No, it was also because they had potential. They were powerful.
Kai waved a hand dismissively. "If it makes you feel better, you can help around the house. Simple things—chores, whatever you feel comfortable with."
Wanda's eyes lit up. She had been worried about simply taking without giving anything in return. Now, she had something to do.
"Thank you. We'll do our best," she said sincerely.
As they spoke, the evening rolled in, and dinner time arrived. Wanda instinctively headed toward the kitchen, but Kai quickly stopped her.
"You don't need to cook here. The food's already taken care of. It's delivered daily—I have everything arranged in advance. Just sit tight and eat when it's ready."
Just as he finished speaking, Banner and Samuel emerged from the underground lab, heading toward the dining table with their meals.
Banner was the first to notice the newcomers. "Kai, who are these two?"
Before Kai could answer, Wanda stepped forward.
"Hello, my name is Wanda, and this is my brother, Pietro. We were test subjects… but thanks to Mr. Kai, we're free now. He rescued us and gave us a place to stay. Please take care of us."
She nudged Pietro, who quickly followed her lead, greeting them politely.
Banner raised an eyebrow. "You rescued them?" He turned to Kai. "People are still experimenting on kids?"
Kai nodded. "That's right. And when I heard about it, I went straight there. They'll be living here from now on."
Banner sighed. "Well, Wanda, Pietro—welcome. I'm Banner, and this is Samuel. We mostly work in the basement. If you need anything, feel free to ask."
He deliberately avoided mentioning that they were scientists conducting their own experiments. No need to scare the kids on their first day.
Kai understood his reasoning but figured they'd find out eventually. Best to let time do its work.
As they all settled in for dinner, Kai leaned back, lost in thought.
Wanda noticed and didn't say anything at first, quietly eating. But after a while, curiosity got the better of her.
"Kai, what are you thinking about?"
Kai snapped out of his thoughts, then smirked. "Just call me Kai. No need for formalities—we're not that different in age."
Wanda hesitated, then nodded. "Alright… Kai."
Kai studied her for a moment before asking, "Wanda, do you know Tony Stark?"
The moment she heard that name, Wanda's entire demeanor shifted. Her expression darkened, and her grip on her fork tightened. She didn't speak but instead stared at Kai, waiting for an explanation.
"Right. That reaction," Kai muttered to himself. "I figured you might feel that way."
He sighed. "Listen, I know you blame Stark because his missiles destroyed your home. But what if I told you that Tony never actually sold weapons to those people? That he didn't even know his missiles were being used like that?"
Wanda's gaze flickered, but she didn't respond.
Kai continued, "The real reason those missiles ended up in Sokovia was Obadiah Stane. He was the one secretly selling Stark Industries weapons to whoever had the cash. Tony was completely unaware until years later. When he found out, he shut the whole operation down."
Wanda remained silent. She had never heard this version of events before.
Kai took a sip of water. "I'm not saying you need to forgive him overnight. I'm just saying—maybe there's more to the story than what you've always believed."
Wanda stared at her plate, deep in thought.
She didn't argue.
But she also didn't agree.
For now, that was enough.
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