Ultimate Iron Man

Tony was sitting in the living room, his feet propped up on the table in front, and a bowl of fresh fruit on his belly. Before his eyes were multiple holographic screens. He was doing a side research on his own DNA, checking the changes. He popped a slice of pineapple into his mouth.

The door slid open behind him. He heard the footsteps. Without looking up, he murmured, "You know, I've been telling you for days to take it easy."

Sue walked over and slumped onto the couch opposite him with a heavy sigh. She looked exhausted. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to scrub away the fatigue, but it was no use.

"Yeah, well, you know me," she muttered, her voice hoarse from too many sleepless nights. "I can't just stop. Not when people are depending on me." She took off her jacket and placed it beside her. The dark circles under her eyes told the story of the past few days—days spent running on nothing but adrenaline and sheer willpower. Oh, and lots of coffee.

Tony looked at her with concern. He knew she was pushing herself too hard. He even told her to take proper rest, but she was stubborn just like him. She won't stop just like that.

"How'd it go today?" he asked, breaking the silence.

Sue leaned back, her head resting against the couch. Her eyes stared at the ceiling, unfocused, as if replaying every moment of her visit. "It was... it was good. Everything's going smoothly. Today we cured fifteen mutants and got thirty applicants for the hero job. Nat is doing the background check and all that. Then we talked about opening a few more branches around the world. All in all, it was good."

She let out a long, shaky breath, the weight of the past few days settling deeper into her bones. She knew she was making progress, but seeing the effect it had on people's lives—seeing those smiles, those moments of relief—had made all the sleepless nights worth it. Still, the physical toll was catching up with her.

"I think you've done more in the last few days than most people do in a lifetime," Tony said softly, looking at her. He wasn't the type to hand out compliments, but he knew Sue's work was groundbreaking. It wasn't just the science; it was the lives she was touching, the lives she was saving.

Sue smiled faintly at his words. "Thanks again. I couldn't have this without you and the team," she said, her voice quieter now, almost a whisper, "And I know you are worried about me, but I can't help it. I just... I had to see it. Had to know if it was really working."

Tony took another bite of his fruit, his thoughts momentarily drifting away as he processed her words. "I understand what you mean. Been in your shoes too many times and have made a lot of people worried. But at that moment, from my point of view... the end result was all that mattered."

Sue nodded slowly. "I thought I might sleep once I saw it. But I couldn't. Too many thoughts running through my head. Too many people who still need help. And if I stop now…"

"You'll burn out." Tony's voice was firm, cutting through her half-formed thoughts. "Don't make me drag you to bed myself."

Sue laughed softly, though it was more from relief than humor. "I'd like to see you try."

"Alright," Tony said as he deactivated the nanites in his eyes and stood up. He walked over to her. "Bridal carry it is."

He carefully lifted her from the couch into his arms.

"Hey!" She let out a small, surprised gasp, her hand instinctively resting on his shoulder as her body sank into his chest. She could feel the warmth of him, the rhythm of his heartbeat against her ear. For a brief moment, she forgot how much her muscles ached, how heavy her eyes were. It felt almost... comforting.

"Tony!" Sue protested, though the word lacked any real force. "What are you doing?"

"I'm doing what you obviously can't do yourself," Tony replied with a smirk, his voice playful, as he carried her toward the hallway.

Sue smiled as a small blush crept across her face. It wasn't just the physical effort of being carried, but the unexpected softness of the moment that made her feel vulnerable.

"Seriously," she murmured. "I can walk. You don't have to..."

"Yeah, you can walk," Tony interrupted, "but if you keep doing what you've been doing, I'll be carrying you to bed every night for the rest of your life."

'Ummm... He's so warm.' Sue laughed weakly as she gave in, resting her head against his chest. "You're impossible."

"I know," Tony said casually as he carried her down the hallway toward her room. He stopped in front of the door. After a quick scan, the door slid open with a soft whir.

He walked inside and lowered her gently onto the bed. Sue sank into the plush comforter, her body almost instantly relaxing at the feel of the soft mattress beneath her. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment, and she inhaled deeply, the exhaustion slowly melting away.

"I should've known," Sue muttered, letting out a deep sigh. "You're right. I'm too stubborn for my own good."

Tony walked over to the side of the bed, grabbed a pillow, and fluffed it. "Lift your head." She lifted her head, and he placed the pillow.

"Humm~" She let out a satisfying sound.

He then took a seat at the edge, looking down at her with a softened expression.

"You need to rest," he said firmly. "And since you won't listen to yourself, I guess I'll have to be the bad guy."

Sue chuckled faintly, but the sound was followed by a quiet groan as she stretched out on the bed. The softness beneath her seemed to call her to sleep, but Tony's voice stopped her.

"Turn over," Tony said, his tone light but still commanding. "I'm giving you a massage. You've earned it."

Sue hesitated, the weight of the day still lingering in her thoughts, but the gentle pressure of Tony's words, combined with the tenderness of the moment, made her obey without protest. Slowly, she shifted onto her stomach, her body grateful for the softness of the bed as she let her arms rest at her sides.

Tony moved behind her, his hands hovering for a moment as he assessed the tension in her muscles. He could see her pressure points and tensed muscles. 'Wow! She's overworked. I told her to take the serum. Haaa... Well, time to do my magic.' His fingers began working their way across her back, applying just the right amount of pressure to release the knots of exhaustion.

Sue's breath caught in her throat for a moment as she felt his fingers sink into her muscles. It wasn't just the physical relief that washed over her; it was the little care in his movements. There was no rush, no hint of impatience. It was just him, offering her a moment of comfort, of peace.

His fingers were expertly massaging her shoulders, working their way down her back.

Sue couldn't help but let out a soft moan of relief. 'Oh, yeah. Keep going.' She tried to answer, but the words caught in her throat. She simply nodded with her eyes closed. The weight of the world, or at least the weight of the past few days, seemed to lift off her shoulders with every movement of Tony's hands.

He then moved toward her feet and cracked her toes, then moved up to her calves, slowly moving up, but stopped near her inner thigh. She wanted him to go up and massage her glutes, but decided not to since it might be weird.

Tony pressed his thumbs along her spine and slowly applied pressure while moving up to her neck. She bit her lips to stop moaning. 'Fuck! That's a close one.'

"How's that?" Tony asked softly.

"Feels..." She paused, letting the sensation overtake her. "It feels good."

"Well, if you take proper rest from now on, then I might just give you massages like this every now and then."

She couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you, Tony," she whispered, her voice barely audible, but filled with gratitude. "I... I really needed this."

He didn't say anything and continued the massage.

Soon, she fell asleep.

Tony stopped and looked at her sleeping face for a bit before she got down from the bed. He pulled out a blanket from the cupboard and covered her properly.

"Sleep well, Sue."

He dimmed the light and left the room.

...

[8 PM]

Sue woke up due to the beeping sound of the mail. She closed the notification and let out a large yawn. The muscles in her back no longer ached, and the fatigue from the past few days seemed to have gone, leaving her feeling lazy but refreshed. She stretched slowly, enjoying the sensation of her body loosening up.

"Ohhh~ Yeah."

A satisfied sigh escaped her lips as she rolled over onto her tummy, burying her face into the pillow. The comfort of the bed, combined with the memories of Tony's gentle touch as he massaged her, made her heart race just a little faster. His hands had been firm yet tender, careful yet confident. She couldn't help but smile, remembering the way he'd taken such meticulous care with her. The memory lingered, filling her chest with a warmth that was more than just physical relief.

Her mind began to wander to the last few months. Tony had always been there, sharing laughs, working alongside her, their banter playful but laced with something more. She had always been aware of the bond they shared, but tonight, something inside her felt like it was shifting.

Sue knew Tony was in a relationship with both Natasha and Yelena. The three of them seemed to have their own unique dynamic, something that worked for them. But that didn't stop Sue from wondering whether she could be part of that circle, too. Could she? Would they want her to be? It felt like a bold question, one she wasn't sure she was ready to ask aloud, but the feelings were there, slowly pulsing in the back of her mind.

After a few moments of silence, Sue shook her head, as if to shake away the hesitation. She had spent so much time holding herself back, so much time wondering, but no more. She was tired of waiting.

Sue took a deep breath, "Alright. Let's do it." She tapped her smart bracelet and activated it. The interface activated in holographic mode as she initiated a video call to Yelena and Natasha, her heart pounding a little faster at the thought of this conversation. She had to do this. She wasn't going to hold back anymore.

The call connected after a few seconds, and the faces of Natasha and Yelena appeared on the screen.

"Hey, Sue," Natasha greeted first, her tone light. "Please tell me you took a nap."

Sue chuckled softly, her fingers playing with the edge of the blanket as she settled against the pillows. "Yeah, I did. Tony made sure of it." Her voice softened at the thought of Tony, but she cleared her throat and focused back on the conversation. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you both about something."

Yelena raised an eyebrow, always quick to catch on to the change in tone. "Uh-oh. This sounds serious."

Sue hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Well... it's about Tony. And about, well... all of us."

Natasha's eyes narrowed slightly, an amused but cautious look in her gaze. "You know you can talk to us about anything, Sue."

Sue took a deep breath, feeling her heart race in her chest, but she pressed forward. "I've been thinking a lot about the three of you. About Tony... and about how I feel around him."

Yelena leaned forward, her interest piqued. "Go on."

Sue swallowed and lowered her eyes for a brief moment, gathering her thoughts. "I don't want to overstep or make things weird. But... I've developed feelings for Tony. I know about the relationship you all have, and I've always respected that. But... lately, I've been wondering if maybe... if there's a place for me in that dynamic."

There was a pause on the other end of the call as Natasha and Yelena exchanged a glance. Neither seemed surprised, but Sue could tell they were considering her words carefully.

"Finally," Natasha said with a smile as she looked at Yelena. "Told you, she won't be able to hold herself back."

"Yep! The way she always looks at him all the time and smiles when no one is noticing, well," Yelena looked toward Sue. "Welcome to the group, Sue. And before you get excited and ask a barrage of questions, hold it in and wait till we get there. We girls are gonna have a nice long chat."

"Oh, and ready to get teased. Yelena took a couple of pictures of you blushing and stealing glances at him," Natasha chimed in.

"No! You didn't!" Sue's eyes widened.

"Oh yeah, I did," Yelena said with a smirk.

---

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