Natasha walked with measured, easy confidence, heels barely making a sound on the polished Stark Tower floors. Pepper's clipped, efficient steps led the way, her tablet hugged against her chest as she spoke about upcoming meetings and board approvals Stark Industries needed Tony to sign.
"Tony's been busy overseas," Pepper was saying, her voice edged with irritation that she tried to keep professional, "and now he's asking for the R&D budget to be expanded without telling me why, which—"
Natasha tilted her head, hair swinging over her shoulder, her expression politely neutral. She had seen the reports: Tony Stark had been in the UK repeatedly, then he's been working with Doctor Jane Foster of all people, lawyers in tow, and SHIELD's satellites catching strange energy flares near Stonehenge, the Scottish Highlands, and somewhere in Scotland near a destroyed castle they could not breach with their drones.
Fury wanted to know what Stark was up to.
And then there was the kid. Harry Potter. An orphan. No records except a sealed case in the UK, a child Stark had taken an interest in, though SHIELD had found nothing on why.
She would find out.
They reached the glass doors of the main office, which slid open with a soft sigh.
Inside, Tony Stark was waiting, seated casually on the edge of his desk, a coffee in hand, holographic screens flickering beside him showing blueprints, energy readings, and something that looked nothing like she ever seen before.
He looked up and smiled. It was genuine but sharp, his dark eyes glittering with a knowing mischief that made Natasha's instincts sharpen.
"Ladies!" Tony greeted, his voice warm but carrying that Stark energy that filled the room even in silence. "Pepper, always a pleasure to see you not dragging HR complaints in here. And you must be Natalie."
Natasha, playing the role of Natalie Rushman, smiled. "Mr. Stark."
Tony hopped down from the desk, crossing the room with smooth confidence. He was in black slacks and a dark band tee, boots, arc reactor scar now a thin pale mark on his chest, visible where his shirt dipped at the collar.
"You're taller than your file said," he quipped, taking her in with a look that was calculating despite the playful tilt to his mouth. "You know, most people would be intimidated coming to meet me. But you're not. I like that."
Pepper rolled her eyes slightly but said nothing, glancing down at her tablet.
Tony walked around Natasha slowly, circling her like a shark, his eyes flicking to her posture, her stance, the faint outline of muscle beneath her blouse. She didn't shift under the scrutiny.
"And you're here because… what was it, Pepper? Legal wanted me to sign off on your paperwork, right?"
Pepper cleared her throat. "She's the new legal liaison. HR says she's perfect. Harvard Law, languages, a black belt. I thought she'd be a good addition."
Tony's smile widened, slow and sharp. "I bet you did."
Natasha tilted her head slightly, eyes calm, smile polite. "I'm looking forward to working with you, Mr. Stark."
Tony's eyes glittered, and he stepped back, hands in his pockets. "Yeah, I'm sure you are."
There was a charged silence before Tony clapped his hands lightly. "Alright, Pepper, give us a minute, will you?"
Pepper hesitated, her gaze moving between them. "Tony—"
"It's fine," Tony assured, giving her a small, soft smile that was just for her.
Pepper sighed, nodding. "Okay, but don't sign anything without me."
As she left, the door sliding shut behind her, Tony's smile dropped.
He turned back to Natasha, folding his arms. "You know, you're good. You had Pepper wrapped around your finger. You had HR wrapped around your finger. But you know who you don't have wrapped around your finger?"
He stepped closer, invading her personal space.
"Me."
Natasha's smile didn't waver, but inside, she prepared herself.
"Mr. Stark, I don't know what you're implying—"
"Oh, drop it, Black Widow."
Her smile faltered for half a second before she masked it again.
Tony chuckled darkly, pulling up a screen, showing her her SHIELD file, flicking through it with a swipe of his fingers, holographic images of Natasha Romanoff, assassin, SHIELD operative spinning in the air.
Natasha's eyes narrowed. "That's classified."
"Not to me," Tony said lightly. "See, I have a problem with people poking around in my company. My life." My family.
He leaned in closer.
"I don't know what Fury wants, or why he's suddenly interested in me visiting the UK, or the kid I'm protecting, but here's the thing, Natalia Alianovna Romanova—I don't play well with people who sneak into my house."
There was a moment of silence, Then Tony leaned back, shrugging, the mask of easy-going billionaire sliding back into place.
"But hey, I'm a reasonable guy. You wanna play assistant? Fine. You can start by getting me coffee. And tell Fury—"
He paused, his dark eyes locking onto hers, all humor gone.
"—if he wants to know what I'm doing, he can come ask me himself."
Natasha held his gaze, her blue eyes cold but calm.
"Noted," she said quietly.
Tony grinned. "Great! Welcome to Stark Industries. Now get out of my office."
Natasha turned and walked out, her mind already calculating how to report this back to Fury. Stark was dangerous.
Not because he was unpredictable.
But because he was prepared.
And he was hiding something. About the kid. About what's in the UK. About Harry Potter.
She would find out.
Tony scowls as she leaves and grab his phone to make some calls, He should secure some things before she reports back, He didn't wanted to tell her he knows but he's getting very pissed off. The lawyers were prepared, He was gonna make sure none of these crawling agents ever come close to Harry.
No one gets away pissing off a Stark.