Title: Name Game
Author: S J Smith
Rating: K+
Summary: Tony just has one question for Nick Fury.
Disclaimer: Just playing paper dolls, here.
"I do have one question," Tony Stark said, raising that imperious finger.
Nick Fury counted to three before turning his attention to the man. "Only one?"
"Well, for now." Stark shrugged, tucking his hands under his arms. "I mean, I'm sure I can come up with others, but for now, I just want to know, why 'Avengers'?"
Fury squinted at him. "Come again?"
"Avengers." Starting to pace, Stark used his hands to talk. Right now, one of them was spinning lightly in the air. "Avengers implies 'to avenge', and implies, additionally," he tilted his head to look at Fury, "that there is something that needs avenging. Or, in other words," the corners of his mouth pulled down, "'to inflict punishment on'; 'to take revenge.' All I wanna know," he hooked his thigh up on the corner of the desk, and folded his arms again, "who we're avenging."
"What about the entire human race?" Fury asked, folding his own arms.
Stark considered it, his head tilting from side to side as he considered, "Yeah, no. I mean, I'd go along with it if you'd said you were a fan of that British television series with Dame Diana Riggs. And while Ms. Romanoff definitely can pull off a leather cat suit, I don't see anyone," he glanced around the room, "carrying an umbrella and wearing a bowler." Wagging a finger, he added, "I'm not volunteering for that, either."
Fury stared at him for a split second, before shaking his head. "Does anyone ever know what you're talking about?"
"Jarvis, Miss Potts, Rhodey – well, Rhodey sometimes, he doesn't always keep up."
"You really like to hear yourself talk, don't you?"
A corner of Stark's mouth quirked up. "I do have a melodious voice."
"You're a boil on my butt," Fury said, pointing at him.
"Probably the most attractive one, too."
"Get out of here."
Stark shrugged. "It's my house."
Fury wished he could smack Stark around, but it really wouldn't be worth the trouble. "All right. I'm leaving." He turned with a swirl of his long jacket. Hoping he'd get in the last word before Stark piped up again. And even if he did, Fury was ignoring it. For now, at least.
- end -