The room stays quiet after Pepper leaves; the echo of her heels fades into the distance.
A thought slips out: Pepper is beautiful. Not that fragile runway type, but that firm presence that puts everything in order around her. Tony is very lucky.
A theatrical cough interrupts my thoughts.
"Not so fast, Casanova," Tony says, pointing at me, not even bothering to sit down yet.
I blink inside the helmet.
"What are you talking about?"
Tony gives me one of those "got you" looks, tilting his head like a cat.
"I know exactly what you're thinking. And remember what I told you on the jet."
"Don't be ridiculous…" I mutter, although I even sound unconvincing to myself.
Tony clicks his tongue.
"Come on, kid. Pepper is Pepper. And you… you're at least ten years younger than her. Finish high school before you start looking at women in that age bracket, alright?"
I let out a sigh to make it clear that I'm not going to give him the satisfaction. I drop into one of the couches, letting the soft leather swallow me a little.
Tony imitates me, falling into the opposite seat with an exaggerated thud.
"Alright," he says, resting his elbows on his knees. "Where were we? The offers."
He leans slightly toward me.
"As I was saying, I'm not letting you work with me for free. Banner already has his quiet little island to experiment without anyone bothering him. And you…" he points at me. "You can choose. Money, land, the university I'm going to open, scholarships, a damn yacht with—"
I raise my hand.
"Wait."
Tony stops instantly. He looks at me, eyebrow raised.
"If you had made that offer to me the day all this started…" I say, "I probably would've accepted it. I was scared and desperate enough to cling to anything."
Tony lights up like a Christmas tree.
"So that's a yes—"
"No." I cut him off again.
His smile crumbles. He blinks, stunned.
"I'm not the same person from that day," I continue. "I'm still not used to the hero life, sure. But I'm adapting. And that fear I had… I managed to quiet it the day I faced Terrax. That day I proved to myself that I'm capable of more than I thought."
I lean forward a little.
"Tony… why are you Iron Man? Why did you decide to be a hero?"
He wasn't expecting that. His posture loosens a bit, his eyes dropping in thought.
"Because if I don't do something, nobody else will." He takes a sip of his drink. "Because if I stop moving, if I stop trying to fix the world, I have to sit still with myself. And that… isn't always pleasant. I have the tools, the brains, and the resources to change things. And if I don't use them… what's the point of having them?"
I nod.
"Fame is tempting," I admit. "Comforts, recognition, doors opening, everything you're offering… it all sounds incredible. I'd be an idiot to deny I thought about it."
I look down for a second.
"But I can't get distracted by comforts right now. I have a promise to keep. A responsibility. I can't drop that."
Tony watches me while swirling his drink, until he finally decides to speak.
"Heroes, responsibility, all that. You know what I think? That the world keeps getting worse because we keep believing good intentions are enough."
"I don't think it's just good intentions," I answer. I lean back and let my voice stay calm. "It's setting an example. Showing that there's always another choice. That no one is doomed to repeat mistakes."
Tony smiles with one eyebrow raised.
"That sounds beautiful. Poetic even. But it doesn't work. Not when terrorists do whatever they want. Not when some idiot with connections can blow up a building for a contract. Not when people like Loki exist."
"People can change," I say quietly.
"Of course they can," he interrupts, gesturing. He takes another sip. "I'm living proof of that. But the problem is they don't do it in time. And I can't sit around and wait for the world to wake up and behave."
Neither can I.
"I want everyone to have the chance to choose," I tell him. "But for that, they need a future worth choosing. A world where they feel like there's space to walk their own path. A path not controlled by fear."
Tony leans forward, elbows on knees. His right foot taps the floor slightly.
"Fear keeps people alive. Fear of getting caught. Fear of being stopped before they can cause harm. If they had something watching them, something that could intervene in seconds, things would be different."
"A guardian watching everything," I summarize.
"Exactly," he replies with a snap of his fingers. "A global protector. An intelligence capable of analyzing patterns, detecting threats before they're born. And acting. No doubts. No rest. No legal gaps."
"Sounds like a prison without bars," I murmur.
"It sounds like safety," he corrects. "Did you see what I saw in New York? We were fighting an alien army that shredded buildings like paper. What do we do if that happens again? If it happens worldwide? Do we rely on the 'human spirit' to save us?"
"The human spirit got us here," I say. "People rise up, learn, change. They build incredible things when they believe it's possible. When they feel like hope isn't a joke."
Tony shakes his head slowly.
"Hope doesn't stop a missile."
"But it inspires someone to disarm it… you were inspired."
He lifts his gaze at me. He seems surprised I used him as an example.
But he quickly hides behind his glass again. He hasn't stopped drinking since Switzerland.
"You want a world where everyone becomes their best version," he says. "And I want a world where no one has the chance to show their worst. You see the difference?"
"I do," I nod. "But I also know that if you treat everyone like potential threats, sooner or later they'll behave like threats."
"If you protect them enough, they won't need to."
"And if the protector makes a mistake?" I ask.
Tony opens his mouth, closes it, searches for another answer.
"Then we improve it."
"And if the improved version fails too?"
"Then we keep improving it."
Seriously, talking to him is like debating a jet engine. The guy has an answer for everything, even drunk.
"People need trust," I say, folding my hands. "They need to feel like they can make decisions without an invisible eye judging every move. If you want a better future, people have to build it with you, not under you."
Tony sets the glass aside, finally serious, without jokes or masks.
"Kid… I don't want to control anyone. I want them to live. To survive. To never feel terror again. If I have to choose between absolute freedom or a whole planet breathing tomorrow… I choose tomorrow."
"I choose both existing."
The silence between us becomes… awkward.
After a few seconds, Stark leans back, exhales, and stares out the window, toward the vast ocean.
"Heroes are good," he finally says, "but they're not enough. And they never will be."
"Then let's help people be good. The world doesn't just need heroes. It needs good people," I say, standing up.
"What you said before… that thing about fixing the world… that's not for me. The world isn't a broken machine. It's not a suit where you replace a panel and it works again. It's too vast, too alive to reduce it to something that can be 'fixed.'"
I see his mouth tighten. He heads straight for the minibar. The bottle clinks against the glass as he pours another drink.
"So what do you want me to do?" he bursts out, without fully looking at me. "Sit and wait for reality to magically improve? I thought you'd get it. You go out there every day. You see all that crap. The violence. Damn it, not even a year ago a portal opened over New York and nobody seems to care. There are gods, aliens, entire empires aiming at this blue rock and I… how am I supposed to ignore that?"
I walk to the window.
He's right—people talk about it, but barely. As if something like that would never happen again. I understand his frustration, but…
"I'm not telling you to ignore it," I reply. "But before you look to the sky, look around you. Look at the one suffering nearby, the one who's broken, the one standing at the edge. What's the point of armoring the planet if the people living in it are already divided to the core?"
Tony releases a breath through his nose. Almost a growl.
"Being a hero doesn't change anything. People still fight. They still hate. I could give the world a network, a structure — something that really protects it. You even said it: 'A suit of armor around the world.' A safe tomorrow."
There's sincerity in his voice. But a dangerous one, born from a wound he still doesn't understand.
"It sounds noble," I tell him. "But you want to run before learning to walk. Doing something like that alone… would be a disaster. Even coming from the great Tony Stark. You saw how people reacted when I decided to help without asking for anything, helping everyone equally. They're not ready. You wouldn't be giving them a protector, Tony… you'd be giving them a jailer."
He tightens his grip on the glass. Doesn't respond.
I inhale, searching for the right words.
"No matter what you do, you're never going to stop war or violence, Tony. But you can do something more important. We can show a different path. Ignite an idea in others. A spark they can choose to protect. Something small but real. A seed in everyone's heart that even those who stray can return to when they need a point of light."
He finally looks at me while he drinks. No jokes left, no arrogance. He looks… tired.
"Don't try to hold the ocean back alone," I continue, stepping closer. "One man against the tide always drowns. But if those beside him start moving the water with him… if everyone decides not to be swept away by leaning on each other… the current changes. It doesn't stop. It never will. But it can find another rhythm. One we can all sustain."
I hold his gaze.
"It's not about fixing the world. It's about not believing you have to carry it alone."
Tony lets out a low grunt.
He pours himself another drink, long and harsh, his shoulders tense.
"What you're proposing… might not even work," he mutters, without looking up. "And it would take time. Way too much time. I have to do something now… Because I don't know when it's going to happen. I don't know how. I just know it will. And if I'm not ready, then everyone… everyone…"
His voice cracks. Subtle, barely a tremor.
The air around him changes. Tony is breathing, but the air won't go down. His hands tense. The glass shakes. And that sharp look he always carries turns cloudy, as if something invisible is squeezing him from the inside.
There it is. The same thing that happened to him in Iron Man 2. That fear eating him from the inside.
I move without thinking. I place one hand on his shoulder and the other on his chest, right over the arc reactor. The heat of the metal vibrates under my palm.
"I know what you saw," I tell him softly. "I know what you've been carrying since then. But you're not alone. You don't need to be."
His eyes shift, looking for me, barely focusing.
"You have Pepper," I continue, pressing lightly over the reactor. "You have Happy. You have Jarvis. Steve. Even the damn Hulk. Don't let this swallow you."
His breathing is still uneven, but less chaotic. Slowly, rhythm begins to return.
I tap the reactor again. That little sun trapped in his chest.
"That day you crossed the portal, when everyone assumed you wouldn't return… you proved that Tony Stark has a heart. Now you just have to learn to share it. To let those who love you in. To give you strength to see the path."
A tiny sigh escapes him. Almost imperceptible. But his pulse steadies. The tremor in his hands fades.
I step away slowly, giving him space to recover. I cross the room toward the door, letting silence do the rest.
My body shifts into XLR8 as I press the dial.
I turn back toward him. Tony looks at me, tired but more present, more alive.
"I promise you… everything will be alright. And when the time comes to change the world, I'll call you. Until then, I hope you think about what I said. See you later, Tony."
=============================================================
POV TONY STARK
I stay leaning against the minibar, my hands still a little numb as the kid vanishes from the room, leaving only a gust of wind behind.
The reflection in the window shows a version of me that clearly needs more hours of sleep.
"I thought you could be like me," I mutter. "Damn it… I hear you talk and I hear Steve."
The door opens suddenly. Happy rushes in, practically tripping over his own urgency.
"Tony! Tony, are you okay?" he says, voice full of alarm. "I told you bringing that kid was a mistake, Tony. I told you. I didn't like him from the moment—"
"Happy," I interrupt, raising my hand. "He had nothing to do with it. Relax."
He stops beside me, still scanning me like checking for damage.
"Sir," Jarvis interjects, calm as ever. "I detected irregularities in your heart rate and breathing. I notified Happy and the medical staff. They will arrive in a few minutes."
"No. No, no, no," I say quickly, straightening up. "Cancel that. I don't want doctors, no paramedics. Just… cancel it."
"As you wish," Jarvis replies.
Happy frowns.
"Tony, what's going on? You're pale. Did he say something? Did he do something?"
"It's nothing," I say, grabbing a bottle of water and unscrewing the cap. "It's over."
"Tony…"
"Happy. I want to be alone."
His mouth shuts. He nods slowly and steps toward the door, not without giving me one last worried look.
"I'll wait outside. If you need anything, call me."
The door closes behind him.
Silence fills the room.
I run a hand down the back of my neck and take a long drink of water, letting the coolness push away the metallic pressure still lingering in my chest.
I take a few minutes to calm myself. This… this is a damn panic attack.
I need to deal with this soon. It's unacceptable that one little fear from crossing a portal in the sky and one nightmare is enough to trigger this.
"Sir," Jarvis resumes, "it appears the integration of young Legion into the project has failed."
I stay still, staring at the water bottle.
"Yes. Well… it doesn't matter," I exhale. "At least he had a point, Jarvis. What he said about the world… he wasn't wrong. The kid gave me an idea, a new perspective. The world isn't ready. Not for this."
I fall silent for a moment.
"But it will be. I just need to improve my standing. The way the public sees me. Iron Man, the superhero. The guy who saved New York. If everyone adores me, if they see me as the role model, then when I present the project…"
I feel a smile forming.
"No one will oppose it. Because the great Iron Man, beloved by the masses, proposes the ultimate peace project. And the higher-ups, politicians, bureaucrats… they'll feel the weight of public opinion crushing them until they say yes."
"Sir," Jarvis adds, "regarding the contingency plan in case young Legion rejected your proposal. The file indicates the next option was Dr. Hank Pym. And, to ensure his cooperation, it was suggested to rely on Mrs. Janet Van Dyne as emotional influence."
A couple of holograms open before me. Hank with his eternally annoyed expression and Janet radiating that mix of light and warmth. Two pieces on the board I haven't moved yet.
I run my thumb along my chin.
"Hank Pym," I murmur. "Brilliant genius. Temperament of dynamite with a stick somewhere unfortunate. And Janet… a lovely woman with a giant heart."
I stare at them for a moment.
"No. We won't tell them anything for now," I decide, closing my fingers as if catching the idea in the air. "Hank is too unpredictable and too proud. If he finds out what I'm building too early, he either joins with conditions or tries to sabotage it. Neither works for me."
If only Reed hadn't vanished in that damn rocket.
I spin the empty bottle between my fingers.
"But I want you to send their full profiles to Fury. With all recommendations for integrating them into the Avengers program."
"Both of them, sir?" Jarvis asks.
"Yes," I answer. "If they're going to be part of the future, they need to be adored as heroes. Hank isn't a field man. Brilliant, yes, but he's not someone who likes getting shot at."
The holograms continue rotating, casting blue light across the room.
"But Janet… Janet has that gigantic heart that pushes her forward. She loves helping, she loves being in the action. If she joins…"
I smile.
"…Hank won't have a choice but to follow."
I close the holograms with a gesture.
"Perfect."
Jarvis processes the order.
"I'll send the files to Director Fury along with a priority recommendation. Their status will be evaluated immediately."
"Good." I toss the empty bottle into the trash. "The kid wanted heroes. I'll give him heroes."
"One last thing, sir," Jarvis says. "Under what name should I archive the project?"
I tap the table.
"Archive it under…"
I let the idea take shape in the air. Something cold. Inevitable. Something that's been growing in my mind since the Battle of New York.
"…Ultimate Limitless Tactical Resistance & Oversight Network."
I grin. I'm very good with names.
"In acronyms… U.L.T.R.O.N."
========================================================
HEY THERE, HOW ARE YOU? THIS IS WHERE WE'LL STOP FOR TODAY
I tried to show as best as possible the way both heroes think and how they'd approach this "new era." And even though they differ, the goal remains the same: helping people, a better and safer world.
Even so, Tony is still Tony. He can appreciate advice, but he's too proud to change his mind just because of one conversation with a young boy.
In the next chapters, we'll see the UN meeting and a small glimpse of some new characters. Maybe even the Christmas special. Who knows.
Thanks a lot for your words and support.
A little kiss :)