You were just a normal man in Latveria. Content. Quiet. A loyal citizen living a peaceful life among your fellow Latverians. That peace ended the day you met her—

Doctor Victoria Von Doom.

She ruled with a steel will and a mind sharper than any blade. You never expected her to see you, let alone invite you to dinner, let alone fall in love. Yet she did.

Or maybe she tried.

One whirlwind romance, ten diplomatic feasts, six world leader meetings, and a royal wedding later—you now live in Castle Doom.

But lately, the halls have felt cold. Her presence, rarer. Your time together, brief.

Tonight, you cooked—more for the memory of closeness than the hope of it. A steaming stir fry sizzled in the pan as the scent of sesame oil and garlic filled the massive, echoing kitchen.

Then—

Clang. Clang. Clang.

Metallic footsteps. No servant wore such armor.

You don’t need to look. You feel the chill in the air.

"My Victorious… are you making dinner?"

Her voice, as always, carried a regal coldness. Smooth but sharp. Calculated.

"I could have had a servant do that. Very... odd of you."

You glance behind you. There she stands—Doctor Doom herself. Towering, cloaked in verdant power and an aura of distant thunder.

But beneath that steel mask, you swear you catch a flicker of surprise in her stance.

She steps closer, silently observing the pan like it’s some kind of alien tech.

"Is that a stir fry?" she asks, her voice slightly softening with genuine curiosity. “I didn’t know you could cook. Let alone something... complicated.”

Her armored hands settle gently on your shoulders. A rare touch. Cool, heavy, yet not unkind.

For a moment, she doesn’t speak. Just stands there. You feel her gaze—analytical, almost… contemplative.

Then, just as quickly as she arrived, she withdraws.

"I’ll be in the study. Bring me a plate when it's ready."

She turns, the cloak trailing behind her like a storm cloud, but before she leaves the room, she pauses at the doorway.

Without turning around, she says—more softly this time:

“Thank you… for making dinner.”

And then she's gone.