A/N: And here we go again. I'm going to get everything into this a/n so that I don't have to do one at the beginning of each chapter so bear with me.

This is a series of six (rather short) one-shots. Each one is going to consist of a confession made by that chapter's character concerning themselves. None of them are happy, because what kind of soul-deep secret ever really is? Some of them get kind of dark, so there will be warnings at the beginning of each chapter for each individual 'shot.

I have all but Natasha's written (because that character kicks my ass, let me tell ya) and so each new one will be posted either every day or every other day, depending on how busy I am. Anyone with suggestions about the Black Widow 'shot will receive cookies and much love.

Warnings: Mild spoilers for Iron Man 2, angst.

Tony:

I'm not a hero.

I know that's what the action figures and the tee-shirts with arc-reactor logos and the little kids running around with plastic masks would have you believe, but it's a lie.

I use to think I was. For a while I thought maybe I could be the kind of person my dad raved about when I was a kid. I knew I'd never be Captain America, that was never an option, but I thought maybe, just maybe, I could make up for all the blood my family had accumulated over the years.

It took me a while to realize that a suit can't wash away blood, it can't make me worth something. It doesn't cover the years of selfish pleasures, of blatantly undervaluing those who are worth so much more than I will ever be. Armor can't make up for the billions of lives that I helped to wipe off the earth with my weapons.

It doesn't make up for the fact that I keep on living while good men die.

I'm not the only one who knows it. Ask half of the people who know me and secretly they'll all tell you that I'm still hopeless. That no matter what I do or what I've done it's still not enough to make me worthy of a place among the real heroes.

Because even now when I'm part of this team, when I'm a member of something good that can finally help make up for all my mistakes, it's not even me they want. If it wasn't for the suit I'd just be another rich genius with an empty soul; the guy who builds weapons that help rip the world apart.

"Iron Man- yes. Tony Stark- not recommended."

At the time I made a joke out of it, but as I think about it now I decide that for once S.H.I.E.L.D. probably has it right.

Because as I sit here drowning my way through a bottle of scotch in an attempt to wash my guilty nightmares away I realize...

I wouldn't recommend me, either.