Spoilers: Spoilers for Iron Man 2, but no real spoilers for the Avengers.
Disclaimer: I don't own Iron Man or the Avengers, but Clint and Natasha are still hanging around, and I'm quite happy to let them.
A/N: School has started again so I have less time to write for fun, but I finally had the chance to see both Iron Man movies. Unsurprisingly, lol, my mind went right to Clint and Natasha. :) I have seen a few fics about Natasha's time as Natalie Rushman, but hopefully this one is a little different.
As always, I thank my Lord Jesus Christ for his incredible mercy and grace, and his many blessings.
I hope you enjoy this, and please let me know what you think!
Photo-Op
Stark Industries was in a state of organized chaos the morning after Stark's very public - and destructive - melt-down at his birthday party. Everyone who could be pulled from their usual duties had been tasked with damage control.
Natasha had been one of them, until she was told that Pepper Potts wanted to see her - immediately.
It wasn't difficult to guess why. Potts was clearly suspicious of her, and more than that, jealous. That jealousy had been useful originally, as had Stark's blatant flirtation, but now, Natasha needed the other woman to trust her.
She knocked on Potts's office door to announce her arrival, then stepped inside. "You said you wanted to see me, Ms. Potts?"
Potts looked up, her eyes frosty. "Yes. Sit down, Ms. Rushman."
She motioned to one of the chairs in front of her desk, and Natasha did as she asked, taking a seat and folding her hands in her lap.
"We didn't get to finish our conversation last night," Potts began.
"No, we didn't. You started to address your concerns about my intentions towards Mr. Stark."
Potts's eyebrows raised slightly. Obviously, she hadn't been expecting the direct approach. "That's one way of putting it, I suppose," she allowed evenly.
Natasha didn't answer, just took out her phone, typed in a few quick commands to pull up the picture she had saved there, and then pushed it across the desk so that Potts could see it. The other woman stared at it for a moment before glancing up, silently asking permission. Natasha nodded, and Potts took the phone in her hand, studying the picture more closely.
"Your boyfriend?" she asked.
"Yes."
"How long have you two been together?"
"A few years. We took that in Paris when we visited there last summer."
"I take it that things between you are serious, then?"
Natasha met her gaze steadily. "I can't see myself with anyone else."
Potts nodded slowly and set the phone back down on the desk, her movements a little subdued. "So, your interest in Mr. Stark…?"
"Entirely professional."
That much was true.
Potts watched her for a long moment. Her expression was still wary, but the jealousy had mostly faded.
"In that case," Potts said at last, "you have my apologies, Ms. Rushman, for the…assumptions I made. But, until further notice, I think it would be best if you answered directly to me. Mr. Stark and I have some things we need to discuss."
"Of course, Ms. Potts."
Potts clearly sensed that something wasn't quite right about Natalie Rushman, and she was cautious enough to keep an eye on her, but Natasha wasn't worried. If Stark's breakdown and his impending conflict with the U.S. military were any indication, this mission wasn't likely to last much longer.
"Will there be anything else, ma'am?"
Potts's scrutiny lasted another minute before she finally shook her head. "No, not right now. Thank you."
Natasha stood, offering one last respectful nod before she retrieved her phone and headed to the door.
Almost of their own volition, her eyes found the picture still filling the phone's display. She and Clint really had taken that in Paris last year, when they'd been posing as a happy couple on vacation.
She usually deleted the photos on her phone once a mission was complete, but she'd kept that one. She could have used a different photo, of course - S.H.I.E.L.D. had a massive index of pictures with alterable profiles for just this type of situation. But the picture with Clint had seemed more convenient. After all, if "Natalie's boyfriend" needed to make an appearance, it would be easy enough to arrange.
Natasha's thumb brushed the screen unconsciously as she studied the scene the camera had captured.
Clint had his free arm around her shoulders and she was leaning into his side, one hand resting on his chest. The Parisian skyline filled the background, and Clint had been wearing his sunglasses, so his eyes weren't visible, but they were both smiling.
Her conversation with Stark flitted through her mind unbidden.
Can I ask you a question, hypothetically? Bit odd. If this was the last birthday party you were ever gonna have, how would you celebrate it?
I would do whatever I wanted to do. With whoever I wanted to do it with.
Natasha stared at the picture on her phone a moment longer, then closed the file.
Convenient, she repeated silently. Nothing more.
Fin
A/N: I hope you enjoyed it, and please let me know what you think!
Take care and God bless!
Ani-maniac494 :)