Marvel: Playing Iron Man, Falling In and Out of Love with Jinx

"Mr. Duke, do you have any orders?"

When the sailor aboard the Swordfish greeted Duke, Graves instantly froze where he stood. Duke glanced at him and snorted coldly, "Now that you've got a job, stop thinking about your old crooked ways."

"Doesn't clocking in and out on time every day sound nice?"

He patted Graves' shoulder, which all but screamed embarrassment, and then pulled the sailor aside, asking in a low voice,

"Where's the ship's cook?"

"The head chef already went to the hotel, but the sous-chef is still on board."

"Tell him to bake me some cheesecakes. I want them rich, sweet, and fragrant, stuff that fills the whole room with the smell!"

"However many the oven can fit, make that many."

"Yes, sir. Anything else you'd like?"

"And find out everything you can about that ship over there~"

Duke casually pointed toward the merchant vessel Neeko had boarded, then waved the sailor off to get moving.

"Yes, sir!"

The sailor jogged away to carry out his orders, and Duke let his thoughts drift back to Neeko's backstory.

According to the lore, Neeko fled for days after her homeland was destroyed, eventually falling into the ocean. Not long after, she was picked up by a merchant ship from Ionia. She later disembarked at Harrelport in Ixtal, ventured inland, and entered the jungle.

There, she met a wild huntress, Nidalee, known for walking into alleyways on two legs and walking out on all fours.

And at one point, just for a few pieces of cheese bread, Neeko accidentally destroyed a Noxian outpost. She used her innate abilities to manipulate the soldiers, coaxing them to reveal where the storage room was so she could find her prize. In the end, their own suspicion and paranoia led to their downfall.

By Duke's estimation, Neeko must have arrived in Bilgewater aboard the merchant vessel for resupply. Unable to suppress her curiosity, she climbed the mast to look around this city she'd never seen before.

"What a stroke of luck," Duke murmured. "I thought I'd only run into Bilgewater champions, but to think I'd stumble upon Neeko too!"

Duke turned his eyes back to the mast. Neeko was still perched up there, while a horned Vastaya sailor below barked at her to come down.

Though his tone was harsh, Duke could tell it came from concern.

Even though Bilgewater was a melting pot of races and cultures, Vastaya were still like gems in the rubble, rare and eye-catching. A single Vastaya could fetch a fortune in the black markets. Plenty of eyes at the dock were already sizing up the Ionia merchant ship, and among them, Neeko, with her unguarded curiosity, was by far the most tempting target.

The darkness in people's hearts never fades, and for someone like Neeko, innocent and adorable, the danger is tenfold.

From the docks, Duke watched through Edith as Neeko was reluctantly pulled down from the mast by the Vastaya sailor and ushered back into the cabin.

"By now, the cake should be almost ready."

Hands in his pockets, Duke leisurely strolled back toward the Swordfish. It was docked right next to the Ionian ship, and their kitchens were conveniently close together.

Which meant, it was showtime.

"Kolette, you're the worst! Neeko doesn't like you anymore!"

Neeko coiled her tail like an incense spiral and crossed her painted arms with a pout. Kolette sighed and ruffled her blue-purple hair.

"Don't wander around. We Vastaya aren't as free here as we are back home."

"Hmph!"

Neeko turned her head away, cheeks puffed. Kolette shook his head and decided it was best to keep her locked in the cabin until they could sell their goods in Ixtal and head back to Ionia. She would be safer there, where she could be properly looked after.

"Stay put in the cabin. If you run off again, no more cheese bread!"

"Nooo! Neeko loves cheese bread the most!"

"Then be a good girl and stay here. You're not going anywhere!"

Neeko scowled at him, then suddenly morphed into his appearance and made a silly face.

"Such an enviable talent…"

Kolette looked at the mimicry, then turned to leave. He still had work to do. He hadn't saved Neeko just because she was Vastaya, they all shared ancestry from Vastayashai'rei, but because he had genuinely come to care for this innocent girl.

"You big meanie!"

Neeko grumbled as she curled up on a hammock, legs crossed. Her tail sagged behind her like a wilted flower.

"Neeko's hungry…"

She rubbed her belly and collapsed onto the hammock, her hair fronds drooping too.

Then, a sweet smell drifted in through the ventilated porthole, honey-sweet and warm.

The scent alone perked Neeko right up. Her head fronds glowed anew.

"Something yummy?!"

She looked toward the window, then at the firmly shut door, and crept off the hammock like a thief. Inch by inch, she crept to the porthole and took a deep sniff.

"Mmmm! Smells so good! So tasty!"

With the grace of a gecko, Neeko squeezed through the window, completely ignoring Kolette's warning.

Climbing down the ship's hull, she followed the smell, hopping right onto the Swordfish. With her chameleon heritage, climbing was child's play for her.

The smell came from a window just slightly ajar. Neeko crouched below it and peeked in. One look, and her pupils lit up like stars.

In the kitchen.

"Boss, didn't know you had a sweet tooth."

Graves leaned in toward the freshly baked cheesecake, cigar between his lips, only for Duke to yank him back.

"You're a scruffy old man. Just puff your cigar and leave this alone, it's not for you."

"Tch."

Graves bit down on the cigar again. "So, when are you gonna make me my weapon?"

"Tell me what you want. Let's hear it."

Duke casually glanced toward the open window and caught a flash of glowing blue hair. He smirked. So Neeko really was that greedy. He'd barely opened the window, and she'd already sniffed her way here.

But then again, what girl could resist good food?

"It needs to scream 'badass manly gunslinger' just by the look of it!"

Graves thumped his chest with a hearty laugh. Duke rolled his eyes.

"You're such a brute. Maybe I should just forge you a Freljordian battle axe."

Still… Duke did have some ideas about Graves' weapon now.

"Alright, come with me. I'll sketch a draft, you tell me what you think."

Casting one more glance at the window, Duke led Graves out of the kitchen and shut the door behind them.

Moments later, a mop of blue hair popped up at the window, followed by a pair of gleaming amber eyes.

"So tasty-looking!"

Neeko wiped away a single tear of joy, tiptoed into the kitchen, and easily squeezed through the window. She was small enough to fit, but anyone else? Not a chance.

Being extra careful not to knock over any cookware, Neeko crept to the table and dipped her finger into the steaming cheesecake.

One taste and her eyes curved into crescent moons. Her tail swayed in pure delight.

"Too yummy! This is the best thing Neeko's ever eaten!"

She went all-in, her face and fingers soon covered in crumbs. She was so absorbed she didn't even notice the window slowly closing behind her.

Creak…

The window clicked shut. A new shadow loomed by the door, curiously watching her.

Noticing the unfamiliar gaze, Neeko looked up, her face full of crumbs, and locked eyes with Duke, who was casually twirling a remote control in his hand.

He had installed a remote-close mechanism on the window earlier. It had only taken him a few minutes.

Just now, he'd pressed it.

"Yikes! Caught by a no-tail dum-dum!"

Neeko turned to flee, only to find the window locked tight.

No way back. No way forward.

She clenched her little fists, stood on tiptoes, hunched her back, and gave Duke her fiercest glare.

Neeko: "(Φ皿Φ)"

Mouth open, she let out a mock dragon roar. Duke just shook his head, amused, and walked to the oven under her wary gaze.

Neeko hadn't forgotten Kolette's warning. Many people coveted Vastaya like her.

"No-tail dum-dum, step aside or Neeko will bonk you!"

Neeko raised her little fist in warning, but her eyes never left Duke as he opened the oven and pulled out a piping hot tray of cheesecakes. There were still two more trays inside.

"The door's over there. No one's stopping you."

"But before you go… are you sure you don't want another slice?"

He set the cake down on the table.

Neeko's fierce glare melted the moment she saw it.

"Cheesecake?!"

Her eyes widened, full of doubt. "It's really for Neeko?"

"Neeko is super smart! Neeko won't fall for the tricks of a no-tail dum-dum!"

"It's all yours. And if that's not enough, there's more in the oven."

Duke leaned on the doorframe, popped a malt candy into his mouth, and grinned at her.

Neeko looked at the cheesecake. Then at Duke. Then at the cake again. Then Duke. Then cake. Cake. Cake...

Neeko: "?(ˉ﹃ˉ?)"

End of chapter...

To be continued...

Want to dive deeper into Duke's world of gears, power, and shadow?

Craving early access to game-changing chapters?

Join my Patreon and become part of the machine that powers it all. ⚙️

🔹 Hexcore Initiate – 15 chapters ahead

🔸 Arc Reactor Elite – 35 chapters + 1 bonus

Join now. Power up the engine. Build something legendary.

patreon.com/MrBehringer