It was a standard briefing after a mission. Tony had been sent to Middle East to check if their intel on The Ten Rings highly weaponizing was good. It was. They were packing really heavy. He needed to return to HQ and report on the situation.
So now he was sitting in the briefing room, where director Fury was debriefing him.
"You sure of what you saw? I mean, when you cut Stane's business with them, and Hammer's in county, where are they gettin' that kinda firepower from?" Fury asked.
Tony scratched the top of his head.
"I don't know, director, but they are packing like they're about to start WW3. Got some scotch around here?"
The gaze of Fury's eye hardened a bit on Tony.
"No, stay serious for a second, just this once, Stark. What else did you see?" Maria Hill spoke for the first time. Until now she was just standing two meters behind the director's chair little to his left. Tony had a feeling she was always losing her patience when he was around. Of course he liked that. He could behave like a 16 year old sometimes.
"Well, Agent Hill, all I can say for sure is that, that tech is not mine. The Russians maybe. Total guess." He answered looking at her with that playboy smirk of his.
Fury didn't say a word. His face was one unreadable mask.
Tony cleared his throat.
"Well, if that's all, I'll just…go."
"Yes, you're dismissed." Fury said.
Tony got up from his chair.
"Director" he said nodding his head to him. "Agent Hill."
She barely nodded in a goodbye. Tony sent her a wink. She rolled her eyes a little.
Tony smirked to himself how easy that was and walked out of the room.
Maria stood at ease after Tony left. "God, he can be annoying at times" she thought.
Then director Fury spoke.
"Agent Hill, I want you to send Romanoff to Russia to see if the weapons are coming from there. Put Barton as her back up."
"Yes, sir."
After that Fury made his way to the door.
When the door closed behind him, Maria let out a little sigh. She grabbed the walkie talkie on her left thigh.
"Hill to Romanoff, come in."
There was a short buzz of static and then
"Romanoff here."
Maria pressed the button again.
"Get to the debriefing room asap. Get Barton in here too."
"Roger that. On my way." Natasha said.
"Roger. Hill out."
After five minutes Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff were both standing in the room opposite Maria.
She started the briefing.
"Alright, here's the deal. Stark was doing some recon on the Middle East to see what The Ten Rings are up to. They've got some serious stash of weapons and they're not Stark's or Hammer's. We are trying to find out where are they coming from, so we can cut the head. We're sending you to Russia to check on their black market suppliers. You go in, find the source of the weapons and call for reinforcements. Don't play hero. Any questions?"
"I got one." Clint said. "When do we leave?"
Maria set her eyes on him.
"The chopper is being prepared as we speak. Anything else?"
"That'll suffice." Came Clint's answer. He looked at Natasha. "Another fun trip. You ready, Nat?"
"When wasn't I?" was all she said before she turned on her heel and left the room to go pack.
"You're dismissed. Be careful out there, Barton."
"When wasn't I?" he smirked.
When he left as well, Maria closed her eyes and took a deep breath. First Stark, now also Barton was beginning to behave like a teenager. Great.
Maria walked the hallways of the helicarrier on her way to her office.
To her big and not very welcome surprise, Tony Stark was standing before her office door, leaning on his shoulder against the wall.
"What do you want, Stark?" Maria asked. She really wasn't in the mood for games. Especially not his.
"I've noticed you've been kinda stressed lately." Was his response to her.
No shit. She thought.
"So?"
He pushed himself off the wall and straightened his pose.
"So I was gonna ask you to have a drink with me."
Maria smiled a little. Typical Stark.
"Common, you shouldn't be this tense. It doesn't suit you. Plus it's bad for your health."
"These lines may work on those bimbos you have your one night stands with, or perhaps little, innocent miss Potts, but not me." Maria said.
Tony had to smile at that.
"Who's saying I'm trying to pick you up? I'm just asking you to have a drink with me. Offering a helping hand."
A hint of smile appeared on her face.
"Well, if you actually were truing to pick me up, this certainly wouldn't do the trick."
"I like a challenge." Tony said.
Maria thought for a second. Sure he could be annoying and a little childish, but he was also charming when he wanted to be.
Finally she spoke.
"Fine. I'll have that drink with you. But if I feel that helping hand anywhere on me, I will shoot you in the knee."
Tony couldn't help, but smile.
Maria spoke again: "Be in the hanger in thirty. And stop smiling like an idiot."
Tony gave her his most serious face and said "Yes ma'am." And with that, he walked always to get dressed properly.
Maria looked at his back as he was walking away. When he passed the corner, she walked into her office and closed the door behind her. She smiled to herself and slightly shook her head, as she couldn't believe what she just agreed to.
"Well, this is gonna be fun." She said out loud and walked to her wardrobe to pick a proper outfit for the evening.