Hey! Sorry it's been so long. Anyway, I'd just like to detail that 'my' Toni is a lot more agreeable, at least to certain characters, right away. For example, she has good relationships with Coulson, Natasha, Thor, and...Bruce Wayne! Yes, I know thats a DC/Marvel crossover. This Toni is definitely everything that the canon Tony Stark is, just slightly toned down.
- C
"Make it quick, Captain. I've got a thousand things to do today and listening to you stammer and try and be polite is not one of them."
Steve blushes. It's not his fault that Fury doesn't appreciate his good manners, he tells himself. "I was going through the files you gave me- those ones about the team- and I had a question. I'm just confused, I guess. It says Iron Man, um, Iron Woman was a yes for the initiative, but that Antoinette wasn't recommended."
"She'll kill you if she hears you call her that. Anyway, Rogers, the suit's quite useful to be honest. As is Toni, but I'd rather not have her treating weapons like playthings. She's dangerous, impulsive. I think the exact words used to describe her are volatile, self-obsessed and textbook narcissistic. That seems pretty accurate to me."
The captain can't hide his frown at that. "But the suit and Antoi- Toni are one. Without Toni, that suit's nothing."
"You and Stark will get along just fine, Cap," Fury says darkly, "Stark often expresses that same sentiment."
With that, Fury sweeps away, leaving Steve alone in the hallway. As if she'd been summoned by their conversation, Toni appears out of nowhere. "Hey, Spangles!"
Steve smiles weakly, "Hello, Miss Stark."
The petite woman groans, reminding him of a petulant child. "Lose the title, babe. Toni is fine."
He stiffens at the term of endearment- or mockery- and instead stares down at the inventor. He has close to a foot on her when she doesn't have the suit on, and it gives him the perfect view of her large, attentive eyes. Steve finds he can't look away. Luckily, they're interrupted by a booming Thor. "Antoinette Stark, I apologize for causing you harm. Being around Loki often makes me irrational. I thought he was lost forever, and the Allfather-"
"Ok, ok. It's cool, big guy," Toni says as she reaches up to pat Thor's head amusedly.
"Many thanks, Antoinette," Thor rumbles as he bows slightly.
Steve can't help but grin as he takes in the scene. He jumps when he hears Agent Coulson say, "Everyone on the bridge, please."
The agent had somehow managed to sneak up on him, and it was downright scary. "Right away, agent."
"Thanks, Capt-"
"Coulson!," Thor and Toni chorus, drowning him out.
"My favorite! I've missed you," Toni whines, throwing herself at the agent.
They talk to each other in hushed exclamations, exchanging quick banter. Steve can't stop himself from staring at the pair. Thor slings his arm around the captain, directing him rather forcefully towards the bridge and bringing him quickly back to reality.
"I'm just saying...Portland one of these..."
Bits of Toni and Coulson's conversation trickle towards Steve as they approach. The agent simply gestures towards the table and gives Toni a pointed look. She smiles innocently. "As I was saying, Loki needs iridium to stabilize the portal. That way it can stay open as long as he wants and get as big as he wants. That's what our little hawk will be looking for."
Bruce nods sagely, "There's a good chance that's what Agent Barton has his, um, eye on."
Toni snorts quietly at the man's wording. "Unless Selvig's figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect, he'll need to heat the cube to a hundred and twenty million Kelvin- that's really, really hot, Point Break- just to break through the Coulomb barrier."
She extends a hand in Bruce's general direction. "Brucey."
He grabs her hand and shakes it enthusiastically. "Toni."
"Your work on anti-electron collisions in unparalleled. And I'm a big fan of the way you turn into a big green rage monster."
The man seems confused as he mutters, "Thanks..."
"Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you'd help him out, Stark," Fury calls from his position at the head of the table.
"Anything for you, darling," Toni replies, her tone laced with a hint of mockery.
Fury just glares. "I'll take you to the lab," the Black Widow says before Toni can continue.
"Thanks, Tash. Pepper misses you, you know."
"Why, because I can keep you in check, Stark?"
"Only because I let you. I don't play well with others, remember?"
"Toni, I-"
Toni rolls her eyes. "You know words can never hurt me. To the lab, Tash, the clock is ticking."
It's a bold-faced lie. Toni is as vulnerable as any of them, especially to well-worded criticisms. No one calls her on it. Natasha brushes past her, and her flaming red locks whip Toni's face. Wordlessly, the doctor follows. Toni hangs behind and bites her lip in fake deep thought. "Fury, if I'm helping you out, do think I could have access to...your entire database?"
"Not a chance in hell, Stark. And we'll be watching."
"What, me successfully bypassing your wimpish firewalls and breaking down your pathetic attempts to ward me off?"
Silence. "Can I at least get some free coffee?"
She breaks out another bag of freeze dried fruit in an attempt to keep her hunger within semi-reasonable parameters. She'll binge on cheeseburgers later. "You should come by Stark Tower sometime. Top ten floors, all R&D. It's Candyland."
"I'm sure it's great, Toni, but I don't do well in big cities."
"I promise a completely stress-free environment."
The young woman prods Bruce in the side with a pointer of some sort that lets out a little shock, causing the man to yelp. Steve makes his presence known by blurting out, "Are you crazy?"
Toni turns towards Steve, her grin simpering. "Jury's out, sweetheart."
"Is everything a joke to you?," the super soldier snarls.
"Funny things are."
He just sighs, more exasperated than he should be. "Threatening the safety of everyone on the ship isn't funny- no offense, Doctor."
Toni's grin suggests it really is funny. At least to her. Bruce quietly interjects," It's ok, Cap. I wouldn't have come aboard if I couldn't handle pointy things."
Steve's scowl says it all, and he removes himself from the conversation before one of them says something they'll regret.
He hates this. That she's provoking him, baiting him. That she's pushing him away. Even if Toni is purposefully trying to ruin their team camaraderie, they should be able to work together for a few days. He hopes.
"Is it true you know Bruce Wayne?"
"Well, yeah. Pretty boy is actually a good friend."
Bruce seems awed by Toni's answer. "Wow...," he breathes.
"Tell you what," she says as she smirks sideways at him, "When this is all taken care of, I'll have him stay at the Tower with me for a few days and you can meet him."
Steve has his arms crossed, and is leaning against a table like a teacher supervising his students. Toni rolls her eyes. "I'm a big girl, Steve. I promise no more pointy things. In Bruce's side, that is."
Steve cocks his head, his eyes meeting Toni's. "Yeah, ok," he mutters and exits the lab in a daze.
