This fic follows the AU where Tony hides the fact that he is Iron Man, using the cover story that the armour is his bodyguard.


It's movie night with the team that starts it. Note, 'the team' not 'his team'; because it's not. Well, he provides their gear and accommodation, but it's not like he's on the team. Ok, actually he kinda is, but they don't know that; they only see Iron Man, supposedly just his bodyguard. Huh, Schrodinger's teammate. He both is and isn't on the team until he opens the faceplate.

Anyway. Movie night. It started as a way to get everyone on the same page re: pop culture references. Between Capsicle having been napping since the 40s, Thor being an alien god, and everyone else's decidedly non-standard lifestyles, the best way to kill a conversation is to drop an unprepared reference or two. Thus, group cultural education.

Tony doesn't often join Avengers' Movie Night, despite being welcome as either Iron Man or Tony Stark. It's too hard. If he goes as Iron Man, he has to stay in the suit. And sitting there, in full battle armour while the others are lounging in comfy sweats, is somehow more isolating that being excluded entirely. It is almost worse going as Tony Stark. Then, the barrier is mental rather than physical, and he has to force himself to keep it in place. He has to constantly remind himself that he is not Iron Man; not their equal, their comrade-in-arms. He is Tony Stark – genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist – and he has to keep those masks. He can be friendly, but not their friend.

But sometimes the lure of friendly human interaction is enough to overcome the pain of these barriers; he wants to be able to soak up the atmosphere even if he is not truly a part of it. So this time when Movie Night comes around, Iron Man makes his excuses (honestly, he can't even remember what he used this time. He has a list.) but Tony Stark joins the Avengers in the communal lounge room.

Currently they are working through the Harry Potter series. Tony approves. Partly because if you're doing an overview of modern pop culture, you can't really skip it, but also (sadly) for more practical reasons. With the way the last few months (years) have been going, subjects previously considered to be purely fantasy or sci-fi have developed a distressing relevance to their everyday life. At least this way, the next time Fate decides to screw with the rules of reality, they have a common frame of reference to use to discuss it.

They are half way through the third movie when it happens. He's been trying to keep the comments to a minimum, he really has. He knows that this is just fiction. He knows that it is only a family movie. He knows that there is a limit to the type and number of interjections his team mates will accept. But really…

"That's supposed to be a werewolf?" He glares at the screen as Professor Lupin finishes transforming into some sort of emaciated, bald, definitely-not-wolf-shaped thing, and stands on two legs (two!) to howl at the moon. "And really, he's supposed to transform at moonrise, not dramatic moon-comes-out-from-behind-clouds. If it was just the touch of moonlight that caused it, he could simply stay inside all night. Problem solved! It negates the whole point of his suffering –"

He is cut off as several pieces of popcorn bounce off the side of his head. He turns to glare at Clint, but is intercepted by Natasha, who nods pointedly at the enthralled god and supersoldier. As though feeling their gaze, Thor looks over.

"Friend Stark. I would happily discuss these transformation magics with you later, however for now I should like to see how the Night Dog survives the soul-eaters."

Tony huffs, and settles back into the arm chair. Fine. But really... Magic, he is willing to accept. He has proof of the godly and extreme-science varieties, and with the way his life is going, discovering a secret society of magic users would barely raise an eyebrow. But if they can't even get their own logic right…