Ultimate Iron Man-Chapter 125: A moment with Yelena

Chapter 125: A moment with Yelena

AN: Time to aim for above rank 10. Today, there will be 2 Chapters.

If we cross 600 PS today, I’ll release another bonus Chapter.

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[HORIZON ISLAND – 9:00 AM]

After weeks of war, blood, and global tension, Tony finally gave the order no one expected.

"Everyone gets 24 hours. No calls, no alerts, no suits. If something goes wrong, Hermes and Elena will handle it. Let the bots earn their upgrades."

There were no arguments. Not even from Natasha.

With that, the core team scattered, leaving the battlefield behind for something far more rare... rest.

[NEW YORK CITY – LATE MORNING]

Sue stood at the corner of 56th and Lexington, coffee in hand, sunglasses on. She wore jeans and a hoodie, hair pulled into a loose ponytail.

The city felt... slower. Like it knew what had just happened. Everyone walked a little lighter, spoke a little softer. The massive screens that had replayed the Stark-Skrull War now displayed news montages of survivors being reunited with their families.

She wandered through Central Park, watching kids play, couples walk hand in hand, and street musicians sing about the stars. She stopped at a food cart and bought a pretzel. No one recognized her. Or maybe they did, but respected the space she clearly carved out with her body language.

It felt good to blend in again.

She sat on a bench for almost an hour, doing nothing. Just breathing. The way normal people do.

[SOMEWHERE IN BROOKLYN]

Johnny Storm had found what he called a "perfectly normal date." Jane, one of the Widows, had agreed after threatening to dislocate his knee if he made a single flirtatious comment during training.

Now, they were walking side by side down a quiet street, sharing a bottle of mango soda and talking about things that had nothing to do with war.

"I’ve never dated a human flamethrower before," Jane said with a smirk.

"Technically, I’m a controlled thermonuclear miracle," Johnny replied.

"You’re lucky I find that funny."

He laughed, and for once, it wasn’t for show. It was light. Honest.

They found themselves at a rooftop bar in Queens, sharing sliders and watching the skyline come alive with the colors of the setting sun. He didn’t mention his powers, and she didn’t bring up her missions. Instead, they simply talked and shared a single, careful kiss.

[DOWNTOWN – STADIUM DISTRICT]

Ben Grimm sat in the front row of a packed stadium, arms crossed over his chest, sunglasses and a hat. He was in his normal human form, which not many people had seen. So, he blended in perfectly.

He chewed a hot dog, nodded along with the chants of fans around him, and let the energy wash over him. No reporters or flying cosmic girl throwing energy blasts. Just football.

When his team scored, he stood up with the rest of them and roared.

[HORIZON ISLAND – NATURAL SPRING]

Natasha floated on her back in the warm mineral pool, arms spread out, eyes closed, letting the water cradle her. She was naked. A soft towel rested nearby. Birds chirped overhead. The waterfall in the distance created a steady hum that drowned out the last week of hell.

Several Widows lounged on the flat rocks nearby. Some read, some napped, some swam and surfed, and others dipped their feet in the spring. A few were playing volleyball on the other end of the beach.

Melina sat at the edge, eyes closed, meditating in complete stillness.

...

[SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS – 2:13 PM]

Tony Stark was not a man who feared war, death, or cosmic firestorms. But staring up at the narrow mountain trail, carrying a full pack of gear, and realizing there was no internet and he wasn’t allowed to use his gadgets? That got a very specific groan out of him.

Yelena turned back and smirked.

"Keep up, Stark. This is your idea of a date, remember?"

He adjusted the straps on his pack. "I said dinner. Somewhere with chairs. And maybe a bottle of wine not filtered through a sock."

"Boring. Save that for Nat."

They continued upward. The wind was cold and clean. Snow still clung to the higher peaks, but here, it was just rocky trails, stubborn trees, and long silence.

Tony could barely remember the last time he went more than two minutes without checking his HUD.

Yelena noticed.

"Don’t even think about pinging Hermes. He’ll survive without you for one day."

He sighed. "You sure this isn’t some elaborate Widow punishment? Drag the billionaire up a mountain and break his legs?"

Yelena looked over her shoulder with a crooked grin. "Don’t worry. The punishment hasn’t started yet, and you are lucky, it doesn’t involve breaking legs. Just kisses, tongues, and hours of riding."

Tony’s imagination ran wild as he vividly imagined Yelena riding him wildly as he squeezed her boobs. He quickly pulled himself back to reality and cleared his throat.

"I guess I deserve that," He walked closer and whispered beside her, "I’ll make it up to you with my tongue."

Yelena blushed slightly and picked up her pace without a word.

By the time they reached the plateau, the sun was dipping low behind the ridge. The view stretched forever. Miles of untouched land. A horizon so quiet it felt like another planet.

They dropped their packs beside a flat outcrop. Yelena started setting up the tent. Tony also helped her.

"Do you do this often?"

"Every month. Or I used to. Then things got messy." She paused, then looked at him. "This clears the head. Forces you to feel small. In a good way."

After setting up the camp and a little fireplace...

Tony sat on the edge of the plateau, legs hanging off the side, wind tugging gently at his shirt. The sun was a slow-burning disk behind the ridgeline, casting gold across the landscape. He watched the horizon in silence for a long moment before speaking.

"I forgot what this felt like," he said, almost to himself. "Just being... still."

Yelena stood beside him, arms crossed, eyes scanning the view.

"Most people forget. That’s why they lose themselves."

He glanced at her. "You think I’ve lost myself?"

She shrugged. "I think you walked through hell and came out the other side. But parts of you didn’t walk out with you."

Tony looked back at the valley below. "You saw it. All of it. What I did."

Yelena stepped closer. "I did. And I was there with you."

"You don’t think I went too far?"

She knelt beside him, resting her elbows on her knees. "You went far. Maybe too far. Maybe not far enough. That’s the curse of people like us. There’s no clean line. There’s only what you’re willing to live with when the dust settles."

Tony breathed in the cold mountain air, then slowly exhaled.

"I keep seeing their faces," he said. "Even the ones I never met. The kids, families, ones who never had a choice. I gave them 24 hours, then... Well... But it doesn’t feel like a victory. It feels... unfinished."

Yelena’s voice softened. "Because it is. Justice and war don’t end at the same time."

They sat like that for a while, the sun finally vanishing behind the peaks. A few stars started poking through.

She leaned against him. Her shoulder touched his. Her warmth matched the fading heat in the sky.

"You saved this world, Tony. You did what no one else would. That doesn’t make you a monster."

Tony turned to her, his voice quieter. "It doesn’t make me a hero either."

"No," she said. "But it makes you human."

He looked at her for a long second. Then leaned in and kissed her, slow and steady, not out of fire or impulse, but out of something much rarer: peace.

She didn’t pull back.

When they finally parted, she smiled.

"Now help me start the fire. I’m not freezing my ass off because the genius forgot how to strike flint."

Tony stood, rubbing his hands. "Please. I’m about to ignite the best campfire this mountain’s ever seen."

"And if you cheat with your repulsors..."

"No tech. I know the rules."

Soon, the fire crackled between them, casting orange light across their faces.

"So, tea or coffee?" She asked as she brought out two boxes.

"I’ll go with tea tonight."

..[A few hours later]..

The fire snapped and hissed, throwing up tiny embers that danced into the night. Cold air, warm firelight, and the scent of pine mixed with smoke filled the air.

Tony crouched beside the fire pit, hands working with surprising care as he laid out skewers over the flame. Thin rods of metal held cubes of marinated meat glazed with oil, sprinkled with dried herbs, and bright flecks of seasoning.

"I know what you’re thinking," he said as he turned one of the skewers. "Genius billionaire cooking meat over a fire like some glorified caveman."

Yelena sat across from him, legs stretched out, her blanket draped around her shoulders. She held a tin cup of tea in one hand and raised an eyebrow.

"I was thinking if you burn it, I’m throwing you off the cliff."

Tony grinned. "So supportive."

"I’m Russian. We don’t hand out gold stars for half-cooked pork."

"It’s lamb, actually."

She sniffed theatrically. "Still smells like meat."

The flames popped as the juices sizzled and dripped onto the embers. Tony leaned back slightly, watching them sear.

"You know," he said after a pause, "when I was a kid, I used to watch my father work late. Lab full of smoke, radio static humming, scotch in one hand, soldering iron in the other. And sometimes, after midnight, he’d cook something. Late-night cravings."

Yelena took a sip of tea. "Let me guess. You learned from him."

Tony shook his head. "Oh, hell no. The kitchen smelled like hell after he was done. Once, Mom got so angry that she kicked him out of the main house. Still, he didn’t give up and tried to grill meat with his custom-made grill that night. He burned down those nice meat slices. That’s when I decided to learn how to cook properly just in case."

Tony flipped the skewers, checked the sear, and gave a satisfied nod.

"Alright. Moment of truth."

He passed her one of the skewers on a flat metal tray. She took it, blew on the edge, then took a bite.

Her eyes narrowed as she chewed. Then, slowly, she nodded.

"...You get to stay on the mountain."

Tony laughed quietly, took a bite of his own, and made a face.

"Not bad, huh?"

"It’s actually good. I hate that it’s good."

"I accept your reluctant approval."

They ate in silence for a few minutes, the fire crackling between them. The cold air made the meat taste sharper, more grounded. Yelena leaned forward to adjust her blanket and caught Tony watching her.

"What?"

He didn’t look away. "Just... this. It feels right."

Yelena shrugged, but there was a faint softness behind her eyes.

"Moments like this don’t come often. Doesn’t mean they last forever. But it means they matter."

Tony set his skewer down, wiping his hands.

"I don’t know what’s coming next. I’ve built suits, systems, networks... armies. I’ve vaporized threats from space and stood toe-to-toe with gods. But the unknowns out there... It scares me sometimes."

Yelena leaned back on her hands and looked at the sky.

"Don’t shoulder everything alone. You’ve got people behind you. Me, Nat, Melina, Widows, Sue, Ben, Johnny, Mr. Howard. Whatever comes next, we’ll face it together, like a team." She looked down at him with a smile.

Tony stared at the fire for a moment longer. Then he looked up at the stars. He took a deep breath before looking toward her, "Yeah. Together." He moved his hand and placed it over hers.

---[SPOILERS> Click to read]1---

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[Read 17 advance Chapters] <No double billing>

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This vol is almost over. Next volume, I’ll shift the attention toward Mutants and put focus on the harem. This is the final list unless something changes on the way> Sue will be next. + Polaris, Raven/Mystique, Wanda, and Rogue.

Next Ch: 126 [Camp sex with Yelena]

Ch: 127 [Two Minutes to Impact]

Ch: 128 [The Thing Is...]

[Vol-3 END] Ch: 129 [The Ultimates]

[Vol-4] Ch: 130 [Wanda’s choice]

Ch: 131 [Hank Pym & Janet]

Ch: 132 [RAGE]

Ch: 133 [Hulk vs Iron Man]

Ch: 134 [Model 51]