Under the night sky, Manhattan was ablaze with lights...
The crisscrossing network of highways stretched like glowing rivers, weaving through the dense forest of steel and glass.
Sean leaned against the railing of the observation deck, a glass of champagne in hand.
Through the transparent glass wall, he watched Tony, who was brimming with confidence, stand on stage and expound on his grand vision for new energy... a revolutionary masterpiece that could change an era, one worthy of standing alongside Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
Tony's signature dry humor had the audience in stitches. Most of them might not understand the technical jargon or the production structure of the new energy, but that didn't stop them from eagerly investing in Stark Industries.
When Stark shut down weapons manufacturing and pivoted to the energy sector, the majority of outsiders had predicted doom for the industrial giant. They believed the company which was once a titan of the military-industrial complex would crash and burn due to its playboy CEO's reckless whims.
But reality proved them wrong...
Tony wasn't just a scientific genius, his business acumen was just as sharp. By abandoning Stark Industries' past, he had uncovered a new goldmine and firmly planted his flag, expanding his empire relentlessly.
Sean exhaled, feeling the cool night breeze against his face. He tilted his head up, eyeing the massive glowing letters atop the tower, and couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Tony.
This newly erected skyscraper would likely need another round of renovations soon...
"What are you thinking about?" The question came in a sultry voice.
Miss Scarlett, draped in a figure-hugging red dress, sauntered over. Her slender sinuous waist and the generous swell of her décolletage had already scorched the gazes of nearly every man in the room...
"Sorry for leaving you alone back there," Sean said, taking a sip of champagne, "I needed some air. I figured if I kept rambling about boring lab stories, you'd probably lose interest."
"That's not true at all." Miss Scarlett batted her long lashes, her eyes shimmering like pools of liquid temptation, "Most of what I know about you comes from newspapers and magazines. Honestly, I love hearing about the little things in your life… It makes you feel more real."
Sean's expression flickered with just the right amount of touched gratitude before he quickly turned away, as if hiding his flustered emotions behind another sip of champagne.
Gone was his usual composed demeanor... right now, he seemed almost boyish, like a high schooler at prom...
...
"I never knew New York's genius had better acting chops than brains!" Tony, now seated on a couch with Pepper after his speech, widened his eyes in exaggerated disbelief.
Sean was doing his best impression of an awkward, inexperienced fledgling... a move Tony had last pulled in college, one he usually reserved for outgoing upperclassmen.
"The ever-experienced Mr. Stark is undoubtedly far more skilled than Sean in this regard," Pepper immediately countered.
She has handled enough of Tony's one-night stands to know that New York's top playboy could write a bestseller on seduction techniques.
Tony coughed, glancing toward the observation deck where the pair was now standing dangerously close.
He sighed and shook his head, 'Couldn't they at least keep it subtle in public?'
Turning back to Pepper, he steered the conversation toward SHIELD. He had agreed to provide Nick Fury with design concepts and technical support for the Helicarrier.
Things like anti-gravity metal and aircraft carrier engines were Tony's personal inventions. Though he and the one-eyed director were on decent terms, as a businessman learning the ropes, he wasn't about to work for free.
Fortunately, SHIELD had deep pockets. They hadn't batted an eye at Stark Industries' hefty price tag, cutting the check without hesitation... the perfect client.
"What have you and Mr. Richards been working on lately? Susan has complained to me more than once." Pepper tilted her head.
She usually didn't pry into Tony's projects, but lately, things had been unusual...
Reed had practically moved into the basement of Stark's mansion. The two had been burning the midnight oil, buried in data and programming.
According to Susan, she was starting to doubt Reed Richards even existed. Honestly, if Pepper weren't absolutely certain of her employer's sexual orientation, she might've suspected something beyond friendship between Tony and Reed.
Of course, in private, she and Susan (both self-proclaimed fangirls) occasionally joked that Sean and Tony would make a better pair...
"Just upgrading JARVIS. Nothing major." Tony waved it off.
The Ultron program wasn't progressing as smoothly as expected. Too many hurdles remained, and even with Reed's help, they'd only just scratched the surface.
"A shame Sean is no help with this… Wait, where'd he go?" Tony turned, only to find the observation deck empty...
...
In a dimly lit meeting room around the corner, the door swung open before being nudged shut by a foot...
In the darkness, a man and woman tangled in a heated embrace.
Truthfully, Miss Scarlett's mind was spinning. Her initial plan had been to coax more information about Umbrella and its highly classified research projects out of Sean.
But somewhere along the way, the atmosphere had shifted. He had edged closer, his breath hot against her skin.
This wasn't her first rodeo...
Normally, she would play hard to get, maintaining just enough ambiguity to keep him hooked. Seduction was like fishing... a back-and-forth battle of attrition, where patience usually won out.
But things had spiraled faster than she had anticipated...
First, Sean suggested finding somewhere quieter, a blatant hint. Natasha had meant to play coy, feigning reluctance before finally surrendering to a passionate kiss, neatly wrapping up the evening.
Instead, everything had escalated like a sudden tornado. After the kiss, Sean, acting like a hormone-drunk teenager, had dragged her into this empty conference room.
Now, the red-clad beauty was pinned against the hard table, engulfed by the raw intensity of his presence. His movements were rough, almost clumsy, like an overeager kid at prom, as if completely bewitched by her charms.
But… 'Why is he so damn good at undoing my dress?'
"Sean… we… mmm–!"
His mouth sealed over hers again, the kiss deep enough to steal her breath.
"Wait… slow down… ah–!"
Warm hands roamed freely, charting every curve as if memorizing terrain.
Miss Scarlett fought to keep her rising desire in check. In her original plan, she might've let him taste a little victory... but not at the cost of her own body.
Just as her hands braced against his shoulders to push him away, a low murmur grazed her ear: "Miss Scarlett… you really are quite the actress…"
Her body stiffened. Had he figured her out?
"What I mean is… you're intoxicating. I'm going mad for you…"
The sweet nothings poured out, and she relaxed, only for desire to flare hotter than before.
By the time her back hit the table, the sharp-witted spy still hadn't pieced together how this had happened.
One thing was clear, though... this bastard was no amateur...