Training Exercise

by Kathryn Claire O'Connor

Coulson orders the Avengers and their significant others to do a training exercise for going undercover - dancing with someone you'd rather not - and it's harder for some to look smitten with their dance partners than others. Canon pairings plus Loki/Darcy, Steve/Maria Hill, Loki/Natasha, Clint/Jane, Thor/Maria Hill, Steve/Pepper, Tony/Betty, Bruce/Darcy. *crackish. seven drabbles*

6. Tony and Betty

"Are they really bothering you that much?" Betty asked carefully, glancing first at Pepper and Steve and then at her dance partner, Tony.

"Yes," he ground out, glaring at his girlfriend and the super soldier over Betty's shoulder with sparking brown eyes. "Look at them! Wouldn't that bother you if it were your girlfriend?" Betty just stared at him with upraised eyebrows until he realized what he had said and he whined, "You know what I mean!"

"Yes," Betty agreed. "I do know, but I also know that Steve is an actor and Pepper likes to get under your skin. Which is exactly what they're doing right now, am I right?"

He switched his gaze to meet her eyes and glared unhappily.

"They're only doing this training exercise like Agent Coulson asked us too. The same as you and I should be doing so quit glaring at Steve and dance with me."

"I can dance and glare at the same time."

"Tony, please," she pleaded. "You know how to seduce a girl, so convince Phil that's what you're trying to do."

"Fine," Tony huffed. "I will be so caught up with Betty Ross that I won't pay any mind to Steve Rogers putting his hands all over my girlfriend."

Betty snorted. "Steve would never – not really. He's acting, and it's your turn to do the same."

"As you wish," Tony said with a soft sigh before he forced himself to smile charismatically, pulled her flush against him, and turned his full attention to her and the dance that they were doing, remarking, "You know, you're really good at calming people down when you want to; has anyone ever told you that?"

She smiled, a shy blush heating her cheeks – right now she was just supposed to be a silly girl caught up in the excitement of having the Tony Stark's undivided attention – and answered with a small laugh, "I've had plenty of practice at it."

"I'm sure," Tony replied. "Which works out well, because it makes us look good right now."

It really wasn't all that hard because, truth be told, Betty could see how a silly little girl might truly get caught up in Tony Stark's big, expressive brown eyes and even bigger smile.