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Arthur wanted to talk to Tony about the connection between the Winter Soldier and Howard Stark. But Tony was in one of his playful moods, cracking jokes and clearly in good spirits.
Considering how brooding Tony had been lately, Arthur decided to hold off on the heavy conversation. It was rare to see Tony this lighthearted, and Arthur didn't want to ruin it.
The reason Arthur even considered bringing it up now was because of Bucky. Without Arthur's constant supply of food and drinks, Bucky's memory recovery had slowed down significantly.
Still, over the past year, fragments of his past had started to resurface. Bucky trusted Arthur completely and had been haunted by guilt over the things he'd done while brainwashed— especially to Tony.
Lately, Bucky had been urging Arthur to tell Tony the truth, no matter the consequences. He was ready to face Tony's wrath, even if it meant his own death.
But this only made Arthur's task harder. "The most important thing is to prepare Tony for this," Arthur thought to himself. Yet, he still had no clear plan.
Time was running out. Bucky was currently stationed at Camp Lehigh, handling security, and it was only a matter of time before he ran into Tony. If Bucky blurted out the truth about Howard and Maria Stark's deaths on his own, chaos would surely follow.
As Arthur cooked, he pondered the situation but still came up empty-handed. He carried the food downstairs and slid it into the cell where the Mandarin was being held. The Mandarin eyed him suspiciously. "You're back again?"
"If I didn't come, you'd starve," Arthur replied. "Try it. I made it myself."
The Mandarin glanced at the meal. It looked decent— colorful and appetizing. The green drink, however, seemed a bit suspicious, but he figured it couldn't be that bad. He took a bite, and his face immediately contorted in horror.
He spat out the food and grabbed the drink, gulping it down to wash away the taste. But the drink only made things worse. His face turned green as he stared at the cup, then at Arthur. "What… is this?" he croaked as if he'd just endured the worst torture of his life.
Arthur blinked innocently. "Homemade juice. Bitter melon, citrus, cucumber, winter melon, and watermelon rind. How is it?"
The Mandarin stared at Arthur, speechless. His eyes were hollow as if he'd been pushed to the brink of madness.
If prolonged imprisonment could drive someone to despair, then having someone like Arthur— who tormented him with both words and culinary disasters— constantly around was like descending into the deepest circles of hell.
At that moment, the Mandarin regretted ever thinking Arthur had potential. Now, not only was he a prisoner, but he was also subjected to this daily torture.
Just last night, Arthur had grilled him with relentless questions, even dredging up embarrassing childhood memories. And now, this? The Mandarin was ready to bang his head against the wall and end it all.
"Weird… I thought it tasted fine," Arthur muttered, taking the empty cup. "It's supposed to be refreshing and healing. I had a friend who cured his amnesia with this."
The Mandarin flopped onto the floor, vowing never to get up again.
"Dead?" Arthur glanced at him. "Well, I'll bring you more food tomorrow."
As Arthur cleaned up and prepared to leave, he suddenly froze. A strange, ominous feeling washed over him. He looked back at the Mandarin, who lay motionless in his cell, staring blankly at the ceiling as if he'd lost something vital.
"Not him… then what?" Arthur frowned. "This feeling… it's just like what I felt in Kamar-Taj."
He had planned to visit Kamar-Taj earlier, but Tony's situation had delayed him. The Ancient One had mentioned something about a "countdown." What did it mean? And how was it connected to this sudden premonition? Arthur's mind raced as he returned the dishes and headed to his room. "I have to go to Kamar-Taj. Now."
Something was wrong— seriously wrong. The last time he'd felt this way, it had been a warning. But now, it felt like the real thing was about to happen.
Just as he was about to step onto the teleportation circle, a cheerful voice echoed from downstairs. "I'm home!!!"
Arthur nearly stumbled. Lily! Of all times, why did she have to come back now? His foot hovered over the circle, hesitating.
Truth be told, they hardly spent any time together. She was only home during breaks, and once her vacation ended, she'd return to her studies. Arthur was always busy, and their communication was mostly limited to texts. He missed her but now wasn't the time.
"Damn it…" Arthur clenched his teeth. He didn't know what was happening or how bad it would be, but he couldn't afford to delay. If circumstances allowed, he would've loved to stay and spend time with her. But…
He stepped onto the circle and closed his eyes. "Wait for me… I'll be back soon."
In an instant, Arthur vanished.
Downstairs, Lily, dressed in white, struggled to drag her suitcase upstairs. She felt the emptiness and coldness of the house and didn't hear the response she'd hoped for. She smiled wryly. "Well, you are… a superhero, after all."
She blew on her hands and struck a heroic pose. "And I'm a tough girl. I won't cling to you."
She wandered to Arthur's room and knocked gently. "It's Christmas today, and New Year's is next week. Does this idiot even know? Always so busy… Ah, whatever. I'll buy some groceries and make dumplings for you when you get back."
(End of Chapter)