MHA: UltraMan

The sky stretched endlessly above them, the city lights dwindling into a soft glow below as Jackson soared through the air, Uta cradled securely in his arms. Even through his armor, he could feel her warmth, steady and real. He held her close, wishing this moment could stretch on just a little longer. But a warning flickered in his HUD—his energy was depleting fast.

With a quiet curse, he tightened his grip and angled downward, beginning their descent. landing softly on an empty beach, the sand cool beneath their feet. As soon as he set Uta down, she hesitated, her cheeks tinged pink. "Thanks for… back there," she murmured, her gaze flickering away.

"No problem," Jackson said, shaking off his helmet and letting it drop onto the sand.

They stood there in silence, staring out at the horizon. The sun dipped lower, its golden light melting into the sea, waves rolling in with a gentle hush. The wind tugged at Uta's hair, sending strands dancing around her face. Jackson watched her, his heart pounding in his chest, words forming in his mind—but he couldn't bring himself to say them.

Instead, he exhaled and said, "We should head back to the hotel. You've got a flight tomorrow."

Uta turned to him, her expression unreadable, then gave a small nod. "Yeah… let's go."

After saying his goodbyes, Jackson walked away from Uta's hotel, but a weight settled in his chest. Regret gnawed at him, a silent frustration simmering beneath the surface. Why couldn't he just say it? The words had been right there, but fear—of rejection, of change—held them back.

With a heavy sigh, he sank on the cold curb, elbows on his knees, staring at the empty street ahead. The night stretched quiet and still, the distant hum of the city feeling miles away. He pulled out his phone, scrolling aimlessly, anything to distract from the nagging thought that he might've just let something important slip through his fingers.

Then, a distant roar cut through the silence—a sound like a rocket igniting. Jackson's head snapped up just in time to see a figure streaking through the sky, a trail of energy glowing behind it. His heart skipped a beat.

With a flawless, effortless landing, the red and gold armor touched down in front of him, the metal gleaming under the streetlights. The faceplate hissed open, revealing none other than Tony Stark himself, smirking like he owned the world.

"Hey, kid," Tony said casually.

Jackson blinked. "You've gotta be kidding me."

Tony gestured to Jackson's suit. "So, how's the new seat treating you?"

"It's been great! Seriously, thanks again—that suit saved my ass last minute," Jackson said, still catching his breath.

Tony smirked, crossing his arms. "Yeah, yeah, I saw the whole thing. Not bad, kid. Been cooking up some new nanotech—way better, way sleeker. You'll love it."

Jackson raised a brow. "Tony, not that I don't appreciate the surprise visit, but why are you actually here?"

Tony clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, right. Almost forgot. Avengers mission. Big one. And guess what? You're on the roster. Suit up, Junior."

"I hate to break it to you—I've been running on low fumes for a while now," Jackson admitted, his eyes dimming with exhaustion.

"Oh, right!" Tony's faceplate slid open as he snapped his fingers. "Jarvis, hit it."

High above, deep in space, a Stark Industries satellite shifted its mechanical parts with a series of precise movements. A compartment opened, launching a small, high-speed object toward Earth. It streaked through the sky, cutting through the atmosphere like a meteor, before landing right in Tony's outstretched, armored hand. As the metal casing peeled away, it revealed a gleaming arc reactor.

Tony held it out with a smirk. "Here you go, kid."

Jackson blinked. "You have arc reactor express delivery now?"

Tony shrugged. "You never know when you'll need a little extra juice."

Without hesitation, Jackson grabbed it, removed his depleted reactor, and swapped it out. As soon as it clicked into place, a surge of energy pulsed through him, reigniting his suit's systems. His HUD flickered back to life, and he exhaled, feeling the power return.

"Jarvis, how much energy did you just redirect to the kid?" Tony asked, his arms crossed.

"Fifty percent, sir. Enough for him to make it to Avengers Tower," Jarvis responded smoothly.

Tony nodded before turning to Jackson. "Alright, once we get there, you're taking all the rest you need to rebuild your bio-energy. You can't keep swapping out arc reactors like they're candy—they're not cheap, kid."

Jackson smirked. "Alright, try to keep up."

With a burst of energy, they shot into the sky, the wind roaring past them.

"Jarvis, give me something with a little kick," Tony said.

"You got it, sir. Playing Shoot to Thrill by AC/DC."

The electrifying guitar riff blasted through their comms as they ripped through the clouds, the sonic boom echoing behind them. City lights flickered below, a blur of neon and headlights. People on the streets craned their necks, pointing in awe as two streaks of red and silver cut through the night sky.

They weaved between skyscrapers, dipping low enough for Jackson to catch flashes of traffic, the rush of the world moving beneath them. Each state blurred past in a streak of lights and landscape until the unmistakable silhouette of New York's skyline came into view.

And there, standing defiantly against the night, was Avengers Tower—its bright logo glowing like a beacon, welcoming them home.