I Am Ironman (MHA)

[Third Person's PoV] 

Melissa sighed and shook her head at Tony's words. "I can't say I'm that surprised... It's typical villain behavior. The only thing you can do is have Friday keep a constant watch on the prison. If the Dark Forger is really in cahoots with them, it stands to reason he'll try to break AFO out."

Tony let out a frustrated sigh, causing Melissa to chuckle softly. She reached behind her and placed the bowl of grapes on the table before patting her lap.

Tony raised an eyebrow, confused by her gesture. Melissa responded by patting her lap even more insistently. Still puzzled, Tony eventually sat down on her lap, unsure of what she wanted.

"Tony... I meant your head, not your whole body," Melissa said, her expression dead serious.

Tony blinked in embarrassment. "Ah..." he mumbled, quickly moving to lie down with his head on her lap.

Melissa rolled her eyes but smiled as she brushed his hair out of his face. "You totally did that on purpose. You knew what I meant."

"I plead the fifth," Tony replied, flashing a mischievous grin.

Melissa pinched his nose playfully, making him talk in a muffled tone. "So why are you doing this?" Tony asked, his voice nasally as he wiggled free of her grip.

"To help you relax," Melissa said, running her fingers through his hair. "This was supposed to be our day off, but here you are, finding ways to stay busy. Working nonstop isn't healthy, Tony."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Didn't we literally just get back from shopping, eating, and—well, you know—getting a little... freaky in the bathroom stall? I'd count that as a break."

A faint blush crept onto Melissa's cheeks, but she composed herself. "I mean a whole day, not just a couple of hours before diving right back into work. When was the last time you took a real break, huh? No inventing, no brainstorming, no business calls—just a whole day of doing nothing but cuddling on the couch, watching movies?"

Tony glanced away, his expression hardening. "Melissa, you know we can't just take breaks like that. It's not how we work."

Melissa frowned, tilting her head in concern. "What are you so afraid of?"

Tony blinked, looking genuinely baffled. "What? What the hell are you talking about?"

"You're defensive," she pointed out, her tone gentle but teasing. "I know you well enough to see when you're hiding something."

She leaned down, pressing her forehead against his and locking eyes with him. "I'm your girlfriend, right?"

"Yeah...?" Tony replied cautiously.

"So, I want to be there for you, to support you when you're scared, worried, happy, sad—everything. I'm not a mind reader, Tony. I need you to be open with me, to tell me when something's bothering you. Just like I'd come to you when something's wrong."

Tony fell silent, his gaze wandering as he processed her words. Melissa stayed still, her fingers gently tracing the lines of his face, offering silent encouragement. Finally, Tony sighed, his voice quieter than before.

"It's not fear, exactly," he began slowly, "but... I'm anxious. Worried."

Melissa remained quiet, letting him continue at his own pace.

"We live in a world full of powered individuals, villains who can wipe out cities if they really wanted to. And that's just what we know about. There are hidden threats, Melissa, dangers we can't even see coming. What if something happens? What if I'm not strong enough to stop it when it does?"

Melissa's brows furrowed in confusion. "You're thinking way too far ahead. What danger could possibly be that catastrophic?"

Tony shook his head, his expression darkening. "I'm not even convinced the multiverse isn't real."

Melissa blinked, clearly taken aback. "What does that have to do with anything we're talking about?"

Tony's gaze remained distant. "If the multiverse exists, then there are infinite versions of me—some smarter, some crazier. What if one of them decides to conquer everything? What if we aren't strong enough to stop them? And it doesn't even have to be me. What if some being from an alternate reality finds their way here and just... decides to end everything on a whim?"

Melissa cupped Tony's face and gave him a firm shake, her eyes soft but serious. "Tony, do you even hear yourself right now? That's a once-in-an-infinite-possibilities kind of scenario. You can't spend your life worrying about something like that."

Tony let out another sigh, frustration etched across his face. "But that's the thing, Melissa. Even if it's a once-in-an-infinite possibility, it's still one. It means it could happen. And if it could happen, I need to be prepared. A single day off feels like a day wasted—time I could be spending getting stronger, smarter, better—building something to protect us from whatever's out there, something unimaginable."

His eyes drifted ahead, his expression darkening as if he were seeing something only he could understand. "I'm cursed with knowledge," he murmured, the weight of the words heavy between them. "I'll always be worried. Always anxious. But that's what drives me. It's not something I can shut off. My anxiety is what pushes me forward. I have to think about what could happen, even if it never does. Because if it does happen and I wasn't ready for it... I couldn't live with that."

Melissa watched him carefully, the tension in his face and the tightness in his jaw. She could see how deeply his thoughts spiraled, always racing ahead to a future only he could anticipate. Slowly, she reached out, cupping his face in her hands, her fingers tender against his skin.

Tony's expression then turned a bit awkward, "Can we talk about something else please… I don't want to talk about this topic anymore" 

Melissa nodded, accepting his wishes, knowing how hard it was for Tony to share what he just did. 

Like she had previously said, she knows Tony, and one thing she knows about him is how he hates being vulnerable, whether it's physically or emotionally. So she was very happy and glad that he was able to open up to her. 

Tony shifted over hugging Melissa's waist as she ruffled his hair with a soft smile.

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