Natasha did not like Tony Stark; at the same time, she did.
It wasn't anything the man did, per se. And after the happenings of the Chitauri attack in New York, she would be hard pressed to not respect him, if just a little. It was a draw, really, on her feelings towards the billionare; she'd worked for him, and he made no real effort to hide his more offensive characteristics. It was that lack of effort that had her pausing, unable to decide if she disliked or appreciated the desperately flawed man, who knew he was flawed, and was too lazy to do anything about it.
Or believed it too late to do anything about it.
Either way, it made it exceptionally easy to dislike him some days... And exceptionally hard on others.
Natasha was not use to this sort of indecision. In her line of work, she'd be dead because of it. And that's just unacceptable.
But he's her teammate; just like Bruce is, just like Steve and Thor and Clint. They're all on the same side, all working towards the same goal. They don't need to like each other, they just have to tolerate each others presence, trust the others enough to watch their back, and trust them not to slit your throat while you slept.
It took her a week to really fall asleep in the Tower, but that's not the point. The point is, Natasha respects Stark, trusts him with her life, but she's apathetic(?) towards him otherwise. And Clint might be the one with bird vision, but he's not the only one who see's all. That's another thing that could get her killed; lack of vigilance.
She sees Steve in the early mornings, destroying punching bag after punching bag with the kind of muscle that could break down buildings and very, very important people. It's that vigilance though that shows her the light bags under his eyes that even the serum can't get rid of, and the way his shoulders bow as if he's carrying the world on his shoulders. It shows her that under all of that sheer brute strength is a man who believes in his country and the people in it, and is ready to defend it all to the end. Again.
She sees Thor and Clint late in the nights, heads bent together and half asleep and snoring watching Disney movies on replay, but she sees the way Clint had to put on subtitles because Thor talks along with the movie, his lips still moving every now and then even if his eyes are closed and his head is drooping, and that Clint is actually falling asleep in the presence of someone he has known less than three years.
She sees Bruce and Tony working so hard for days on end, running on coffee fumes and bits of granola and trailmix, driving themselves to the edge and putting themselves on the line just so they can finish whatever tech or experiment they're working on. Vigilance grabs her attention on the blueprints for an upgraded bow for Clint in the corner, stealth knives for her, more durable armor for Steve-
-and damn it, she didn't want to like Stark. She didn't want to like any of them. She barely liked Clint. In her line of work...
...Well. What did it matter? Nearly everything was reason enough for her to get killed; all that mattered was that she avoided the dying part(and found whoever was foolish enough to accept the task of trying to end her). And if she had a few people at her back who would help her with either(if not both) of those tasks, well... Who could blame her for the instant thought of disbelief?
It was that disbelief that has kept her alive. It was that disbelief that made it very easy to believe Tony was full of himself.
Natasha is very rarely wrong. Ever.
It's not that she believes Stark incapable of caring for anyone other than himself-indeed, Pepper, Happy, Rhodey, they're all testaments to the heart he claims he doesn't have. It's just that they-or anyone, really- can't compete with the mans own affection for himself, the intensity of which is only challenged by his self loathing.
The shrinks down at S.H.I.E.L.D. would have a field day with him.
As it was, another division of S.H.I.E.L.D. has a field day with something that isn't him, but might as well have been. It's not S.H.I.E.L.D.'s first mistake, but it very well might be that divisions last. There's really no reason that she shouldn't have heard of this before it happened, even if she didn't live in the S.H.I.E.L.D. dorms anymore, which means that it was either a very tight-knit group with very tight knit mouths, or someone is missing their tongue. She takes it as a personal offense she is the second to know anyway.
They're in the middle of a debriefing. The Captain is standing front and center, firing off his report of the battle and doing his best professional tone. Clint is beside her, murmuring quietly out of the corner of his mouth to her. Thor is off in a corner, apart from them but only just, watching. Bruce is a little unsteady on his feet, but he's upright; which is more than she can say for Tony, who is slouched and looking the very embodiment of unconcerned and lazy.
He doesn't move, but suddenly something is inexplicably off, and she tenses.
"Is there a glitch in the Matrix, JARVIS?" He says normally, cutting Steve off and getting a surprised-quickly-turned-offended look in reply.
There's a pause, and even she's surprised at how fast he's moved without the suit.
"Stark!" Fury shouts, eye narrowed dangerously, having stood up so fast his chair is teetering dangerously.
"You better hope you're not behind this, Fury," is the only reply the Director gets. The silence is heavy and a little pressing. No one says a thing, not when Fury slowly lowers himself back into his chair, and not when his narrowed, thoughtful gaze snaps to them and hardens.
"I'll expect a written follow up of the rest of the events, Captain. Dismissed."
They leave.
By the time they get to the Tower, Tony is no where to be found, and JARVIS refuses to answer any of their inquiries. A quick call to Pepper confirms there are no immediate threats, but that the AI had been compromised, and Tony would most likely be down in the workshop fixing what needed to be fixed and, no, maybe he shouldn't be bothered quite yet.
"You don't think... we need to... Do... Something?" Bruce asks hesitantly, off to the side with his hands folded demurely in his lap, having collapsed into a chair only moments before. His gaze is on his hands, but Natasha-ever vigilant-sees his jaw clenching periodically, the way his fingers twitch, and his eyes glance up sharply before fluttering down.
"...No," Natasha decides. "This is Starks area. His tech, his problem."
Even Clint begins to protest. She holds up a hand. "His tech. His area. On this, we stand down."
"That would be best for now," JARVIS interrupts calmly. "Thank you, Miss Romanov."
She doesn't reply, but instead inclines her head. The rest of the team grumbles-Steve, especially, they're a team aren't they teams work together this is just... Just... Crap-but go back to their normal routine, albeit reluctantly.
It's nearly a week later when she catches sight of Tony again, looking normal and none the worse for wear dressed in a crisp looking suit. It's early, Steve is out for his usual morning jog and Thor, Clint and Bruce haven't even bothered to wake up yet, so it's just her standing in the kitchen drinking coffee when he walks in.
She's seen that look in his eyes before; the look parents of dead and abused and kidnapped children have. That look of absolute rage, the fury that makes their very soul thrash at the injustice. The distant ice of an executioner speculating its latest kill; and below it all, the heart-wrenching grief and protective instincts that rear up and bite at any who pass.
"So," he says casually, leaning against the counter. She keeps her stance deliberately relaxed. "You've heard?"
"Yes. How is he?"
"Good. Better. Metric fucking tons better." His head tilts to the side, and that falcon-study of the field mouse look takes over in his eyes. Instead of a sharp stab of irritation, she feels respect. Not many had aimed that particular look at her once finding out who she was. "So... Am I correct in the assumption that you're not a part of this?"
And because she couldn't fault him the legitimate disbelief that has kept her alive for many, many years, she says, "Вы меня кормить. Приют меня. Поверьте мне, с вашей жизнью." Now, in English, "I have not betrayed what you've given me here."
For a moment, neither of them said a word. And then Tony inclined his head. "Just checking. I've got a spontaneous meeting to get to." His lips quirk, but it's a smile meant for the dying who deserve to be dead. "Gotta go."
"Раздавить их ниже вашего ботинка. Оставьте только эхо их террор в пути." She raised her mug for cheers. "Good day, Mister Stark."
"Good day, Agent Romanov."
When she's sure he's left the building(Happy phones her after she quickly shoots him a text with the request to do so-the man could take a beating, she would give him that) she vaults over the bar and drags a bedraggled scientist, archer and god to the living room with just the threat of her company in a room where they're asleep. Bruce is yawning wide, Clint and Thor playing tug-of-war over the last box of poptarts when Steve walks in, panting lightly.
"Just in time, Captain." She quirks her eyebrow at him, then directs her attention to the ceiling. "JARVIS?" She asks quietly, and everyone snaps to attention. "If you're feeling up to it."
"Of course, Miss Romanov." The AI sounds almost insulted, and Natasha smirks.
On the screen, the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility is shown, quickly cutting to a hallway where a nonplussed Agent Hill is giving an offended stare to the back of Tony Starks suit.
"Hello, children." Tony says to the room.
"Tech?" Clint asks quietly. Thor hushes him, and earns an insulted look in reply.
And then Tony starts in, going so far as to bring mothers and possible prostitution past-times into the conversation as he casually rips every single person in the room a new one. Steve, standing slackjawed as he stands and listens to the words pouring from Tony's mouth, edges away from her a little when she instinctively smiles when Tony snaps at a woman who had tried to get a word in edgewise and had her crying immediately afterwards.
"Your credit scores are ruined, ladies and gentlemen. Don't bother getting that mortgage or that schnazzy new car, because trust me, you will get laughed out of there. Also, as a parting gift, here's a fun guessing game; one or more of you are now registered sex offenders in a large number of states! Now, here's the fun part-you all get to figure out which one of you it is, which and how many states it is I'm talking about." His smile is only a few degrees shy of her own.
A woman in the back and a man open their mouths to protest, but don't get very far, or sound very convincing.
"That's what I thought.'
His sunglasses slip down a little as he casually turns towards the security camera. "And to you all-yeah, that includes you, Popeye-" Bruce snorts out a surprised laugh, quickly smothering it. "If any of you attempt anything again on any of my 'bots or technology, I'm going to personally make sure that none of you are legally able to set foot in Columbia again."
"Oh my god," Steve mutters, eyes huge. "What is he doing?"
"He's defending what's his." Natasha murmurs back.
"And then send you to Columbia. Do you know what they do to you in Columbia? Absolutely fucking nothing that could hope to compare to what I will do to all of you if you go near what is mine again. This is nothing. You should thank me for only going as far as I did. Because I promise you, if this happens again, which I know it won't, this place will burn." Seemingly satisfied, Tony left. The TV went black.
"The Man of Iron is a worthy foe indeed!" Thor throws his head back and laughs loudly. When he next speaks, his voice is full of pride and maybe just a bit dark as well. "Guarding his wondrous creatures as a mother dragon guards her eggs! Sir JARVIS, you are truly lucky to have such a warrior as your protector, going against even those who claim to be his Masters."
"Quite right." JARVIS agrees readily.
When Natasha's phone rings, she flips it open without hesitation and smirks. "Director," she says airily. "What a lovely surprise."
"Just come and get this motherfucker before he makes good on his threat and channels his inner pyromaniac." Fury says warily.
If Stark's display hadn't already done it, Fury's obvious discomfort would have. Hell, it was official; she liked Tony Stark, man who claimed to have no heart to speak of even if she had just that morning seen it broken just a little in his eyes over something that others wouldn't have given a second thought about. It irks, just a bit, knowing that she was wrong, but she'll let it slide. This time.
"With pleasure, Sir."
First of all? I totally didn't plan to expand on this. I mean, I just really, really wanted to contribute to the squishy adorable over-protective botfics out there where Tony goes Terminator and stomps on all the itty bitty people trying to eff with his 'bots. I got reviews though saying how they think it'd be cool if I showed the Avengers/Fury's reaction... And Natasha just sort of slipped out as narrator. So enjoy that.
Second of all, here's translations;
Вы меня кормить. Приют меня. Поверьте мне, с вашей жизнью You feed me. Shelter me. Trust me with your life.
Раздавить их ниже вашего ботинка. Оставьте только эхо их террор в пути. = Crush them below your boot. Leave only the echo of their terror in your wake.
Please be aware that this might not be entirely accurate, as I used Google Translate, and that fucker is unreliable as all hell. If I got anything wrong, I blame Natasha. Ahaha, no, just kidding. She'd punch me in the face.
I might write Fury's reaction. Maybe. Maybe. Possibly not, but hell, you never know. I hope you enjoyed.