[Third person POV]
Tears streamed down Melissa's face, cascading over her cheeks and dripping from her chin. One hand was clutched tightly over her mouth, muffling her sobs, while the other gripped the fabric of her shirt over her heart, as if holding herself together by sheer will. Her body trembled with each shuddering breath, the weight of the scene on the screen crushing her chest.
"This… This is so unfair!!" she cried out, her voice broken with emotion. "They just reunited! He just got Peter back—and he has a daughter! A daughter, Tony! Aaahh!!" she hiccuped mid-sentence, overwhelmed.
Without warning, Melissa flung herself into Tony's arms, clinging to him with a desperate strength, as if he were the one she had just watched die. Her fingers curled into the back of his shirt, and she buried her face against his chest, soaking the fabric with her tears. Her cries were muffled but no less heart-wrenching.
Tony gently ran his fingers through her hair, trying his best to soothe her. As the scene on the screen played out, Melissa trembled harder, her breath hitching as the characters' final words echoed in her ears.
"We won, Mr. Stark… We won. You did it, sir… I'm sorry… Tony…"
"Tony… look at me… We're going to be okay… You can rest now…"
Melissa let out a pained wail and pounded her fists against Tony's chest. "I hate you! I hate you so much!" she cried, though her voice cracked with sorrow rather than rage. "Why would you show me these movies?! I can't take it, Tony—this is too much!"
She pulled back just enough to glare up at him, eyes red and glistening with tears. "You knew what was going to happen. You knew and still, you made me watch this! You're a monster!" she sobbed, hitting his chest again, though her blows were soft and filled more with anguish than force.
Tony's cheeks puffed slightly, trying to hold back the urge to laugh—an instinctual defense against the emotional storm engulfing Melissa. But before a chuckle could escape, Melissa looked up at him with such broken vulnerability that the humor died in his throat.
Her voice was barely a whisper. "Tony… promise me something."
"Eh? What is it?" Tony asked, still recovering from his near-laugh, though his amusement was fading fast.
"Please… don't ever do what he did…" Melissa's eyes squeezed shut, more tears slipping through the corners. Her voice cracked again, thick with desperation. "Don't you ever sacrifice yourself like that. I don't think I'd be able to live with it. Promise me, Tony. Please…"
Tony let out a long, heavy sigh as he gently cupped her face and wiped away her tears with his thumb. "I can't promise you that, Melissa."
Her expression shattered. "Tony!!" she sobbed, the heartbreak in her voice piercing.
"I'm sorry," he said softly. "But if it ever came down to your life or mine, I'd do it without hesitation. I'd give up everything for you." He kissed her forehead tenderly. "Gladly."
Melissa stared at him in shock and pain… then narrowed her eyes with quiet resolve. "Not if I do something about it first…" she muttered, her voice low and ominous.
Tony blinked at her, then sighed again, this time with a small smile. He continued to stroke her cheek, his tone soothing. "There's no need to worry about that, okay? You know I'm always thinking ahead—preparing for the future so things like that don't have to happen. So relax, alright? Lay those fears to rest."
Melissa didn't respond right away. Instead, she surged forward and kissed him, hard and full of emotion. All her love, fear, frustration, and devotion poured into that one moment. Tony held her close, lifting her gently into his lap as she wrapped herself around him like a blanket.
They watched the next scene together, Melissa curled up against him with her tissues close at hand. Her nose was bright red from crying, her eyes raw from wiping away tears. Despite everything, she didn't look away.
On the screen, the somber tones of Stark's funeral played out. The gathered heroes stood in silence as a holographic message from Tony played—his final words to his daughter and friends. A heartfelt goodbye to Morgan.
Tony leaned in and whispered softly to Melissa, "You see that kid over there? That's the boy from Iron Man 3. All grown up."
Melissa's lip trembled. "You just love breaking my heart, don't you?" she sobbed, watching the black casket float gently, the arc reactor resting atop it. The engraving read: "Proof that Tony Stark has a heart."
She burst into tears again and clutched Tony tighter as Morgan's voice rang out, "I want a cheeseburger…"
Tony chuckled quietly this time, unable to stop it. He rubbed Melissa's back, massaging her shoulders as she cried, offering what comfort he could.
The movie continued, shifting to New Asgard. Thor named Valkyrie the new king and chose to join the Guardians, following his mother's wisdom. Rogers, preparing to return the Stones and Mjølnir, bid farewell to Bucky.
Tony blinked as a thought hit him. He tilted his head. "Hey… I just realized something."
Melissa sniffled. "What?"
"In order for Steve to have gotten all the Stones," Tony said suddenly, a look of dawning realization crossing his face, "he would've had to take them off Stark's lifeless corpse."
Melissa slowly turned toward him, her expression a perfect mix of disbelief and exhausted rage. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying, nearly swollen shut, but they still managed to glare daggers at him. "What the hell is the matter with you? Seriously?" she snapped, voice hoarse and cracking. "You sadistic bastard."
Tony couldn't help it—he burst out laughing. Not at her pain, but at the raw, dramatic intensity of her reaction. He had clearly enjoyed her roller coaster of emotions a little too much.
Melissa shook her head in pure disappointment, muttering something unintelligible under her breath as she turned her attention back to the final scenes of the film.
On screen, Bruce Banner was unable to bring Steve back through the time travel platform. Confusion turned to curiosity as Bucky noticed an old man sitting peacefully nearby. It was Steve Rogers—aged, wise, and calm. He had stayed in the past, choosing to live a full life with Peggy Carter. With a warm smile, he passed on his shield to Sam Wilson, entrusting him with the legacy of Captain America.
"Awww!!" Melissa cooed with tears in her voice. Her lip quivered as she clutched the tissue box again. "He got his happy ending! He deserves it! I'm so happy for him!"
Tony gave her a sideways glance, a teasing smirk creeping across his lips. "So… what do you think? Did you enjoy it? The entire experience, I mean?"
Melissa hesitated, cheeks flushed from crying, but gave a small, shy nod. "It was beautiful," she said softly. "Definitely an emotional roller coaster. My heart's been pulled in every direction. It's insane to think there's a whole alternate universe where people like this… these characters… have stories that feel real. And we were part of it, even if just for a little while."
Smiling, both she and Tony reached up and removed their headsets, exiting the fully immersive VR system. The sudden return to their quiet room was almost jarring—no soundtrack, no battles, just the low hum of reality.
Melissa exhaled deeply and wiped her eyes. "Tony… I'm so tired. I'm drained, you have no idea…"
She slumped against him, wrapping her arms around his side and resting her head on his shoulder. Her eyes closed, and her voice was a whisper. "All those movies definitely rewired my brain chemistry. I can feel it. I'll never be the same again."
Tony chuckled, resting his chin lightly atop her head. "I'm honestly glad to hear that. Mostly because now, you'll finally understand all my Marvel references. No more weird looks when I say 'I can do this all day' or shout 'Wakanda Forever' at random."
Melissa giggled sleepily. "You're such a dork."
"And you love it," Tony said smugly, placing a kiss on her temple.
Arm in arm, the two of them made their way to bed. The outside world had been on pause while they spent days in their VR marathon. Every Avengers movie. Every heartbreaking moment. Every explosive battle. All of it experienced side by side.
And thus with Avengers Endgame over, the MCU marathon was complete and the Author could finally rest and put all of this behind him.
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