Whiplash
Six Months Later
April 2009
WASHINGTON, DC- Senate Armed Services Committee
“Mr Stark, could we pick up where we left off? Mr Stark. Please.” Senator Stern speaks into the mic with this condescending smile on his face that Tony just wants to wipe off.
Knowing this guy is Hydra only made it worse but Tony keeps his press smile in place. Pepper disagrees with him from her seat next to Rikki, who’s grinning at his antics. At least his girlfriend gets where he’s coming from.
”Yes dear?” He answers as he turns away from the two important women in his life.
“Can I have your attention?”
“Absolutely.” Not.
“Do you or do you not possess a specialized weapon?”
“I do not.”
“You do not?”
“I do not. Well, it depends on how you define the word weapon.”
“The Iron Man weapon.”
“My device does not fit that description.”
“Well… How would you describe it?”
“I would describe it by defining it as what it is, Senator.”
“As?”
“It’s a high-tech prosthesis. That is… That is… That’s actually the most apt description I can make of it.”
“It’s a weapon. It’s a weapon, Mr Stark.”
“Please, if your priority was actually the well-being of the American citizen…”
“My priority is to get the Iron Man weapon turned over to the people of the United States of America.”
Horseshit. You want it for Hydra. You want it to terrorize and intimidate the people into submission. Tony wants to shout it to the world, wants so badly to rip off the farce this rat and his pals is playing. But he can’t. That’s fine, though. Tony can play the long game.
“Well, you can forget it. I am Iron Man. The suit and I are one. To turn over the Iron Man suit would be to turn over myself which is tantamount to indentured servitude or prostitution, depending on what state you’re in. You can’t have it.”
“Look, I’m no expert…”
“In prostitution? Of course not. You’re a senator. Come on.”
The journalists and the rest of the audience laugh. Tony grins back at them and waves. Still, Pepper looks like a disapproving parent. She shakes her head and it almost makes him want to sigh. But Rikki holds up a piece of paper, its regular printing paper with a giant “10” written on it. The smile Tony gives her oozes with joy. His girlfriend probably should not be encouraging him to bad mouth the committee but having her support means too much for him to just turn it away.
“I’m no expert in weapons. We have somebody here who is an expert on weapons. I’d now like to call Justin Hammer, our current primary weapons contractor.”
Here we go.
Although, he feels a little bad for the Senate. If Justin Hammer is their primary weapons contractor, it's no wonder they’re being such assholes. Still, you’d think that pissing off the primary defense contractor would be a bad idea. It’s like they completely forgot Tony agreed to keep those contracts active. Nothing wrong with making better armor after all. In fact, the new line of military body armor is set to release next month.
Pretty gusty to subpoena Tony right before they’re set to go.
“Let the record reflect that I observed Mr. Hammer entering the chamber, and I am wondering if and when any actual expert will also be in attendance.”
“Absolutely. I’m no expert. I defer to you, Anthony. You’re the wonder boy. Senator, if I may. I may well not be an expert, but you know who was the expert? Your dad. Howard Stark. Really a father to us all, and to the military-industrial age. Let’s just be clear, he was no flower child. He was a lion. We all know why we’re here. In the last six months, Anthony Stark has created a sword with untold possibilities. And yet, he insists it’s a shield. He asks us to trust him as we cower behind it. I wish I were comforted, Anthony, I really do. I’d love to leave my door unlocked when I leave the house, but this ain’t Canada. You know, we live in a world of grave threats, threats that Mr Stark will not always be able to foresee. Thank you. God bless Iron Man. God bless America.”
Hearing Hammer talk has to be a form of torture. Really, who the hell thinks Hammer knows a damn thing about weapons or his father? In fact, what does Canada have to do with keeping you door unlocked? There are just...so many things wrong with what Hammer just said. Did he really ask ‘God’ to bless his rival? Tony wonders if he realizes that’s what he said. Honestly, he cannot believe the committee thought this guy is anywhere on Tony’s level. In any capacity.
Apple can do better than this guy if they went into weapons manufacturing. No doubt FRIDAY is already making the necessary waves to have Hammer ripped to shreds in the media. Seeing the senator clap at the weasel’s speech just irritates him. Seriously, this guy was starting to annoy him.
“That is well said Mr Hammer. The committee would now like to invite Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes to the chamber.”
“Rhodey? What?”
Tony turns around as he spies his friend walk in from the back. He gets up to meet his friend part way down the isle.
“Hey, buddy. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Look, it’s me, I’m here. Deal with it. Let’s move on.” Well, his platypus looks as annoyed as Tony feels.
“I just…”
“Drop it.”
“All right, I’ll drop it.” Definitely annoyed.
Rikki slips Tony a small note on his way back to his seat. It’s one of her favorite quotes and it’s not something he thought of the entire time he’s stuck sitting here. From the grin on her face, Tony knows she’s thinking more along the lines of causing mischief than anything long term. But, now that Tony has taken it completely out of context, he can’t unthink it. In fact, he can use this and utterly wreck the rest of the hearing.
“I have before me a complete report on the Iron Man weapon, complied by Colonel Rhodes. And, Colonel, for the record, can you please read page 57, paragraph four?”
“You’re requesting that I read specific selections from my report, Senator?”
“Yes, sir.”
“It was my understanding that I was going to be testifying in a much more comprehensive and detailed manner.”
“I understand. A lot of things have changed today. So if you could just read…”
Oh, yes, please, make yourself look even more like an asshole. It just makes Tony’s job ten times easier. Especially since he’s being an asshole to a military officer, a black officer at that. Oh, FRIDAY will have a field day with this in the media.
“You do understand that reading a single paragraph out of context does not reflect the summary of my final…”
“Just read it, Colonel. I do. Thank you.”
“Very well. “As he does not operate within any definable branch of government, Iron Man presents a potential threat to the security of both the nation and to her interests.” I did however, go on to summarise that the benefits of Iron Man far outweigh these liabilities and that it would be in our interest…”
“That’s enough Colonel.”
“…to fold Mr Stark…”
“That’s enough.”
“…into the existing chain of command, Senator.”
“I’m not a joiner, but I’ll consider Secretary of Defence, if you ask nice.”
He enjoys the laughter coming from the audience behind him. It reminds him of who else is sitting exactly behind him and why he’s taken this route. There’s a woman sitting at his back that he needs to protect, even if she’s more than capable of holding her own.
But not like this. Not in politics.
“We can amend the hours a little bit.”
Not like he can.
“I’d like to go on and show, if I may, the imagery that’s connected to your report.” Senator tries to take control of the room which is hilarious in it’s own right. The man never had it in the first place.
“I believe it is somewhat premature to reveal these images to the general public at this time.”
“With all due respect, Colonel, I understand. And if you could just narrate those for us, we’d be very grateful. Let’s have the images.”
Tony feels a little bad his best friend is caught in the middle but the rest of him is more annoyed the rat in a suit is trying to make them break up. Really, if Tony in his MIT days couldn’t scare him off, a Hydra spy moonlighting as a senator definitely won’t.
“Intelligence suggests that the devices seen in these photos are, in fact, attempts at making manned copies of Mr Stark’s suit. This has been corroborated by our allies and local intelligence on the ground…”
Tony pulls out a nifty little toy he made to play around with other’s tech. He designed it to be discreet and compact so it wouldn’t be taken by security. Pretty handy in this hearing being run by a Hydra plant.
“… indicating that these suits are quite possibly, at this moment, operational.”
“Hold on a second buddy. Let me see something here.” Time to save his best friend from embarrassing himself on TV. He connects to the screen showing the pictures. If this Senate wanted to play ball, they’d had better be ready to play in his game and by his rules. “Boy, I’m good. I commandeered your screens. I need them. Time for a little transparency. Now, let’s see what’s really going on.”
“What is he doing?” Stern’s expression twist and Tony isn’t ashamed at how good it feels to see it.
“If you will direct your attention to said screens, I believe that’s North Korea.” A video takes over where the pictures once were. It’s a suit, bulky and absolutely trash by Tony’s standards. It falls over and is clearly not up to anyone’s operational standards.
“Can you turn that off? Take it off.” Stern looks like he’s starting to sweat a little. Let’s see if we can’t make him sweat a lot. Of course, now Hammer gets up to try his hand at it.
“Iran.” This suit can fly for a little before crashing. It looked like it was on fire, since it was trailing smoke. And oh, look, now Hammer is trying to find an off switch to the screen. As if that will work. “No grave threat here. Is that Justin Hammer? How did Hammer get in the game?”
Tony can’t help but take a dig at the man. The new video is with Justin Hammer. With a suit. Another one, that also doesn’t work. Really you’d think people would get the memo. No one can compete with Tony freaking Stark.
“Justin, you’re on TV. Focus up.”
The version of Justin on the screen starts to curse when the suit begins to malfunction. Tony barks out a laugh as Hammer finds the plug and takes out the screen.
“Wow. Yeah, I’d say most countries, five, ten years away. Hammer Industries, twenty.”
“I’d like to point out that that test pilot survived.” Justin pastes a press smile for the cameras but he’s sweating like the senator he decided to get in bed with.
“I think we’re done is the point that he’s making. I don’t think there’s any reason…” Oh no, no way is Tony going to let Stern try and wiggle his way out of this.
“The point is, you’re welcome, I guess.” Tony waves his hand with a grin, his edges becoming a tad sharper.
“For what?” The senator actually looks baffled. How cute. Time to make heads spin.
“Because I’m your nuclear deterrent. It’s working. We’re safe. America is secure. You want my property? You can’t have it. But I did you a big favour.” Tony plays it up a little, plays the arrogant billionaire. “You should be glad I’m not charging you. I mean, come on, you couldn’t afford me! And if you can't afford me than you definitely can't afford my suit.”
Tony leans back in his seat and lounges like a king on his throne. He shifts from playful to something darker, fiercer. Tony makes himself every inch the ruthless businessman.
With a smile on his face.
“You can’t afford to cough up 6 billion dollars for a single suit and the public isn't going to be okay with you giving half our military personnel pink slips in some half cocked idea that you’ll manage to get not only the plans to my prosthetic but the materials to build it and get it manned by someone who won’t go rogue at the first opportunity.” He slips a bit, lets his smile turn a little bloodthirsty. “Of course, you’d still have to contend with all those people you fired and all the military retirees who won’t get to see their pensions or the funding needed in other areas of the military because that’s the only way you or anyone in the United States will come close to even being able to afford to build one.”
The cameras flash even faster but this time they’re aimed not just on Tony but on the entire Senate panel. There’s a familiar murmuring in the crowd behind him, reporters whispering to themselves, each other, and their phones. They’re taking in every detail now of everyone in the room because they know, like sharks, there is blood in the water.
Because if it's one thing Tony’s learned, it's that you don’t come between the people and their money. Never mind several billion dollars worth of it and the livelihood of their military. That is more than enough to get the Left and Right of both parties in this country up in arms. Fortunately, Tony has just given them a convenient target for that aggression and on Live TV, too.
Tony’s grin stretches just a little too close to maniac for public and figures it's time to wrap this up.
“Like I said, I did you a big favor.” Tony stands up, buttons his jacket and puts on his sunglasses. “Smart people don’t throw big favors back in someone’s face or try to trample over the Second Amendment on Live TV.”
Isn’t it interesting how many shades a person’s face can turn? Stern must have gone through half the rainbow. Any more and Tony might get worried the man will kneel over. Of course, if he did, he certainly wouldn’t mourn the loss.
If Tony had been a little more reckless, if he’d really gone out of his way to ignore boundaries and international terrorist investigations, he wouldn’t have had a leg to stand on for his last statement. As it stands, he’s been on point and reached out to the United Nations as a sort of freelance superhero. He’s respected borders and other nation’s request he not enter their airspace.
The only exceptions he’s made are where Stark weapons were clearly being illegally used and presented before a UN panel before he started in earnest, gained him huge brownie points. Tony may not be able to do anything about the weapons bought and being used legally but those in the hands of terrorists? Those were free game and Tony hunted down his pound of flesh.
As everything stands though, Tony has capital and placing the suit in the category of both prosthetic and a firearm, gives him even more. There are plenty of people who get a firearm for protection and in the United States that isn’t an over reaction. So for Tony Stark, who was held captive by terrorists, arming himself for his own protection, even if that firearm is considered ‘overkill’ isn’t illegal.
Hell, he wouldn’t be surprised if people chalk it up to his PTSD. (A little tidbit he had JARVIS leak along with confirmation he’s seeing a therapist.) And who is going to argue against him protecting himself after such a traumatic experience? Well, no, some would, the really stupid would. And the really arrogant who think they can use his PTSD against him. Tony is just waiting for Fury and his rats to face him.
But back to Stern, the little Hydra beard who thinks Tony isn’t ready for him. Who thinks Tony hasn’t been planning this since Rikki spilled everything she knew. Red? Purple? It really is a terrible look on the guy. Funny but there’s no way anyone is going to believe that forced smile for one second.
“We’re adjourned. We’re adjourned for today.” He can imagine what the senator really wants to say.
Tony’s grin grows wider and he sends the Senate panel a two finger salute. Rhodey stays in his seat, his expression hard to read, mostly because it looks like his buddy can’t decide if he’s annoyed with Tony’s antics or put off but his rapid mood change. Pepper looks about the same only she’s a little better at hiding it, having seen Tony pull the same stunt with the board before. Rikki has both eyebrows raised, no doubt beyond surprised that he’s made such a bold change, but she was also grinning. Praise Newton but this woman got him, made him feel like he wasn’t a failure at being human and he lov-
“Nice talking to you!” Tony calls back and makes his way out, taking Rikki’s hand on the way.
She slides right out of her seat, like she wasn’t surprised he reached for her. Best if the public saw them together a lot more often. He’d been so busy with the arc reactors and the clean energy contracts he’d barely been out and about to the public. Rikki had also finished another book and spent several weeks touring China as part of her exhibition tour which kept her away but not out of touch, thankfully.
Still, he’s making a statement.
One he’s sure will make Fury want to rip his hair out, if he had any.
But with what he knows of the director, this won’t deter the man overly much. The man is going to be so confident his pet spider will be able to seduce Tony Stark even while he’s obviously in a relationship. As if the papers not covering him being Iron Man weren’t speculating on the status of his relationship with Rikki. It didn’t make as many headlines as him being Iron Man but it made enough that it sure as hell wasn’t a secret.
Tony mentally scoffs even as he smiles for the cameras. The Widow won’t take Rikki as a serious challenge because Tony Stark is a ‘playboy’ and can’t say no to a pretty face. Shame that. They really don’t know him at all. Tony Stark isn’t anyone’s scapegoat, especially not for some honeypot.
When they get back home, Rikki leads Tony to the kitchen. Not that he puts up much of a fight.
“What is...what is all this?” Tony gestures to the counter and the sink, which is set up with food. He did not leave anything out or order anything to be taken out.
“This is you taking your jacket off.” Rikki tugs at his collar. “And helping me make cheeseburgers.”
“You can make cheeseburgers?” Tony doesn’t need more incentive. He chucks his jacket off and throws it over one of the stool chairs.
“Homemade burgers.” She corrects. “Instead of those disgusting things you stuff down your throat.”
Rikki scrunches her nose, clearly having issues with American fast food.
“You like the fries!”
“Not all of them!” She gently tugs on his cufflinks before going to wash her hands and quickly drying them to keep from transforming. “Not all fries are made equal.”
Tony eyes the bag of potatoes on the counter, having an idea of what they’re going to do with those now. He folds his shirt up to his elbow and washes his hands before helping his girlfriend cook. It's easy, doing this with her. He peels the potatoes while they talk, about this or that. Nothing about business.
It’s nice. He doesn't even argue about the smoothies or the lettuce and tomato she makes him slice, he likes them on his burgers anyway.
“Sir, Ms. Potts has arrived.” JARVIS announces just as they sit down, table set and everything laid out.
“Tony?”
Pep looks concerned like she did at the hearing. But she also looks stressed, the lines on her pretty face just a tad more pronounced.
“Here,” He waves her over, “pull up a chair. There’s plenty to go around.”
Which is true. There’s no way he and Rikki will be able to finish all of it. He’s slightly suspicious Rikki knew Pepper was going to stop by but considering the hearing didn’t go as planned, it isn’t too much of a surprise.
“Tony, what was that?” Pepper stands on the other side of the island, frowning.
“What was what?” He takes a big bite and moans, delicious.
“You know what, the hearing Tony!” Her eyes pinch, that’s stress alright. “You alluded to the United States government willing to misuse funds to get an Iron Man armor, even if it means making half the army homeless!”
“Yeah?”
“Made sense to me.”
Tony isn’t sure but he’s confident his girlfriend is being a little shit. He can’t complain. Tony can be one, too. But based on the glare Pepper levels at her, he can guess it isn’t doing her any favors.
“Listen, Pep,” Time for damage control before Pepper snaps at Rikki and then Rikki will snap back like viper. That fight is something no one wants to see. He’s willing to admit to being bias and Rikki winning that verbal thrown down. Which lead to Pepper being made speechless and crying in that glassy eyed kind of way. He cannot handle that. “They wanted my tech and I sure as hell wasn’t going to give it to them. You have any idea the trouble the senate would get into with my suit?”
He takes a few bites of his burger and watches as she sighs before taking that seat. Pepper looks indecisive before he can see her mentally saying ‘fuck it’ and loading a plate with a burger and fries.
“Yes, I can see what trouble they would get into. The bloody kind.”
“The kind Stark Industries is no longer in the business of.” Rikki adds her two cents as she pours Pepper a glass of her smoothie.
“Yes.” Pepper agrees, exasperated. “I know.”
“Look,” Tony takes a few gulps of his yummy delicious blueberry smoothie, so yummy. He’s sure Rikki only cooks as an excuse for something. He has no idea what but Tony will bet his company it is working. “I said what I did for a couple reasons. The first is to obviously keep the suit away from the government and the second is to get the public on my side in the argument. What better way to do that then to imply the government threatens to take their money and compromise our military?”
Pepper stares at him.
He stares back. “What?”
“I think she’s in shock.” Rikki needles with a grin. “Not sure why, you are kind of a genius.”
“Oh, so now I’m a genius.” Tony mocks outrage. “What happened to me being a nerd, huh?”
“That hasn’t changed. You’re still a nerd but you’re my nerd, so get used to being a genius to everybody else.”
Tony burst out laughing. He can’t help himself. To Rikki that is high praise. It’s actually a badge of honor because to the rest of the world Tony Stark will always be a ‘genius’ with a side serving of ‘madscientist’ and too much of ‘somethingelse’ that makes him other. Not quite good enough to be included but not bad enough to left out in the cold. Rikki just wants Tony to be hers, good and bad be damned. She just...doesn't care about all the extra bits.
Because she’s been there. The outlier. The outcast.
If Tony were anyone else, if he’s experienced some other life, he’d be worried about how clingy she is for someone so independent. But he really can’t because Tony is the exact same way. He’s been on his own for years and having the option of keeping someone for himself, well, Tony has never been accused of being entirely selfless.
“What are the other reasons?”
“What?” Tony blinks. He forgot about Pepper for a second.
“You said there were a few reasons, what are the rest?”
“Oh, right.” Tony wipes his face and his hands. He knows that look on her face now. It’s her getting down to business face. “The other is to put the spotlight on Stern, since he’s a terrorist.”
“What?” Pepper stares. Yikes, too much?
“Stern, you know the Senator?”
“Yes, I know who he is. How is he a terrorist?”
“Oh, the deep and dirty secrets he has.” Tony grins. “I was looking into what kind of friends Stane had and an ugly little pattern formed. But what do you know, a bunch of other people fit that same pattern.”
“You’re not going to share that with me are you?”
“Not yet.”
“Or the FBI?”
“I plead the fifth.”
Pepper groans as she gets what that means. Yes, well, it’s not like he can admit his girlfriend is a dimensional traveling mermaid who told him their lives play out like a movie over there. The part about the pattern is true though. It was a bitch to figure out but he has it. So, legally they’re all covered.
“Really Tony?”
“Can you blame him?” Rikki turns her sharp eyes on Pepper. The last thing he wants but, gratefully, he doesn't have to worry.
“No.” The red head sighs. “No, I can’t.”
He hates that Stane reminds him and those around him that his family is a little bit more broken now. The one person he thought was really on his side, who would never turn him away, sold him to terrorist organization. It stings, even now.
“Besides all that,” Tony shakes off the melancholy. “Congratulations are in order.”
“They are?” Pepper looks baffled.
Rikki grins and sips her smoothie, looking like someone who knows something. She’d be terrible at poker. Or really good, if she can keep that up an entire game.
“Yeah, your promotion.”
“Promotion?!” Pepper completely abandons her food this time.
“To CEO.”
“I-what?!”
“Hello stranger.”
Rikki calls out as she walks into the training room. Tony throws a grin her way as he watches Widow watch him watching her. Pepper rolls her eyes but smiles at having back up.
“Finally, Tony’s better half, come to save the day.” Pepper answers just as Tony opens his mouth.
“Well, you’re not wrong.”
Rikki reaches them and takes a seat on Tony’s lap, since there is obviously no room. She gives her boyfriend a kiss before getting up and sitting on the other chair.
“Hey, no, come back.” He whines, keeping his arms open.
“Take a shower and I’ll think about it.”
Tony groans because he knows she won’t budge and he refuses to even play with the idea of risking her secret with an audience she isn’t comfortable with. Specifically, Romanoff. Tony just had to plant himself on the seat next to Pepper and three water bottles on the table.
“How about a bath with you instead?”
“Sounds like a fun time.” Rikki shares her secret smile. Praise Newton but she is gorgeous.
She gestures to her very silent shadow. Tony blinks at the woman who had come in behind Rikki, not that he was actually paying attention once Rikki stepped into the room. The woman was a brunette with brown eyes. Her straight hair went well with the bangs that covered her forehead. It shined in a pretty sort of way, glossy and healthy. But what really drew his attention is the way she walked. There wasn't any seduction in it, just a self assured confidence.
This is a woman who knows herself. Like Rikki and Pepper.
“This is Andrea Sachs.” Rikki grins. “I grabbed her from a showcase in New York.”
“Which one?” Tony asked even as he pulls up her profile alongside Romanoff’s cover.
“The New York City Operations Challenge.” Sachs answers even as she looks over at the ring where Happy and the Widow are squaring off.
Tony glances the redhead's way, and if he wasn't looking for it, he’d have missed the way her eyes narrowed on her competition. That’s exactly what Sachs is to the spy, an obstacle in her way to her target. The Widow would never really know that Sachs is supposed to be interviewed for Pepper. But suddenly, he can see so many alternatives to keeping Widow too close.
Fun alternatives.
“That’s not all,” Tony raises an eyebrow and looks over at his girlfriend. “Worked at Runway for a time, as personal assistant to MirandaPriestly, the she devil herself.”
“Mhmm.”
His girlfriend looks every inch the fat cat who got all the cream, the bird and the fish.
“Really?” Pepper gives Sachs a more critical look over.
Which, no, big no. Tony already called dibbs.
“Nope,” Tony cuts in even as he pulls up the rest of her resume. Mostly work with humanitarian magazines and other news companies. “I’m calling first pick.”
Pepper, to her credit, didn’t roll her eyes like she obviously wanted to. Of course, it’s at this moment that the Widow lays her trap and pins Happy to the ground. He sees the moment Sachs jumps back, like a normal person, and how she looks to Rikki for direction. All perfectly normal for an assistant who has worked for someone they know and experiencing something new on the job.
“Woah! KO!” Tony throws the woman a wink and hurries to the ring.
He plays the flirty billionaire and let’s her get his attention. Tony fights not to cringe when she tries to hand him the folder for his print. Shit. His print. Why the hell did the other him not think about a spy having his impression after the fact? Seriously, this is a honeypot from a super spy organization, why would she not take the chance to get his prints for something else later? Shit, shit-
“I’ll take that, thank you.”
Rikki smiles like she wants to rip her face off. It’s hot. Like, really hot. It should not be because of temptations. Mostly, it is a fucking relief from the momentary flash of terror he just experienced. Rikki takes the folder and holds it out for him. Once his impression is there, he takes the folder from her and turns to the ring. Tony pointedly ignores the red head holding out her hand for it back.
“Happy, loser takes this to legal.” The folder slides across the mat and then turns back as his bodyguard lifts himself off the floor with a groan.
“Mr. Stark-“ She gives him bedroom eyes. Sweet Einstein, on the first day and with his girlfriend standing next to him, she’s making sex eyes at him.
“That’s your cue to leave.” Rikki cuts her off and Tony isn’t really interested in stopping her. His heart still needs a minute to get back in his chest and out of his throat. “Now.”
“Of course.” The Widow turns docile or contrite or something that’s supposed to be subservient but doesn’t quite hit the mark and strides out. “Have a good day, Mr. Stark, Ms. Potts.”
Tony watches as she leaves. The woman has the audacity to ignore his girlfriend and walk away while swaying her hips, with emphasis, and he would know. He knows the difference. How could she think he wouldn’t suspect her of duplicity? Or being anything but another gold digger or something? Or did she and her bosses think the poison made him more susceptible to manipulation? What a fucking mess.
Once she’s passed the doors, he counts to ten, completely still and silent. Once he mentally reaches his goal, Tony exhales loudly and slouches against the ring.
“That one’s a piece of work.” Rikki says as she runs a hand through his hair. Sweat isn’t an issue for her thankfully but he puts his grape power water to the side to be safe.
“Yeah.” Tony leans into her. “Yeah.”
The moment is broken by Pepper.
“What’s going on?” She’s making a frowny face at them and Sachs is as still as a statue. “That-whatever that was, Tony, what is going on? Is this-is this like the hearing?”
“A little.” Rikki answers for him. Bless her. “We figured out someone would try to infiltrate the company after the hearing. Considering who the senator is and all.”
“So she’s-“
“-yeah.”
“She’s a honeypot, Pep.” Tony sighs as he stands up. “The reason she was sent here is to get in my bed, my head, and my wallet.”
“That’s why you pretended to like her.” Pepper realizes. “So she wouldn’t suspect you were on to her. Happy, get those documents to legal, now.”
“Right.” Happy snaps up the folder and stumbles his way out of the room. “We’re gonna have words, Boss!”
“Looking forward to it.” Tony calls back.
“You cannot be thinking of hiring her.” Pepper steps up to the couple, stress already starting to form on her face.
“Of course not!” Rikki rolls her eyes. “That’s why I brought Sachs. Tony needs a personal assistant and she can handle it.”
“I knew that.”
Pepper and Rikki both give Tony a look. They recognize that tone of voice Tony uses to make himself seem on top of things when he actually has no idea what’s going on.
“Sure, Tony.” Rikki raises an eyebrow. Pepper sighs and raises a hand to her forehead.
“Okay, so, we keep her in legal. We keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn't get access to anything she shouldn’t.”
“Finish interviewing Andy, that’s why I brought her and SHIELD will have to pull their spy. They wouldn’t risk a high profile agent like her sitting at a desk for half a decade or more.”
“Making a Widow actually work a day in her life?” Tony slowly grins, “Instead of letting her get her way and grinding on her nerves? Hell yes.”
“In that case,” Pepper turns around to the other woman in the room. “Ms. Sachs, let’s get you caught up so you can get started.”
Despite what they might have insinuated before, there is no actual bath sex to be had. His girlfriend grows a tail whenever she gets hit with water, so bath sex is completely out of the question. In fact, it would be downright weird. It’s been said he’ll fuck anything with a hole but this would be pushing it. He does have standards, thank you. Not to mention, Rikki would utterly slap him with said tail and that thing can pack a wallop.
He’s seen this first hand when a bull shark got a little too frisky with him during one of their swims together.
Instead, a bath with his girlfriend is just that. Taking a bath with his mermaid girlfriend with her laying between his legs and lush bath bombs. They would take turns using the him & her loofah sponges to clean up before just...lounging in the bath.
“Well, this day wasn’t so bad.”
“Mmhm.” Tony runs a hand over her shoulder. He keeps an arm around her waist, idly caressing the lines of jeweled scales. “Could be better but I can’t complain.”
“Wash my hair?”
“You know I will.”
Tony leans back and grabs the shampoo, pouring some in his hand before massaging it into Rikki’s hair. He starts at her scalp, gentle working her roots and making his way to her ends before going back again. She tips her head back, trusting, so trusting, and Tony takes the decorative cup he got just for this to rinse it out of her hair. He’s careful none of the shampoo gets in her eyes and repeats it with the conditioner.
He loves doing this. Just the two of them, Rikki’s tail a little too long for the tub, but Tony could care less about the water mess. Taking care of each other, intimately and tenderly. How had he lived so long without this kind of...of...affection? Tony hopes he doesn’t do anything to fuck this up because he’s addicted to it. To what they have.
There’s just something magical about seeing someone put that kind of trust into him. After his time in Afghanistan, saying water was an issue is an understatement. But there Rikki is, asking him to wash her hair. Having his trust in water abused, especially considering his girlfriend is a magical mermaid, and then having someone else give that back, is...kind of empowering.
“How are the suits doing?” Rikki ask after the last of the conditioner is washed out.
“Better than I expected. JARVIS is a little too happy to build them.”
“Considering what he knows, are you really surprised?”
“Not in the least.” Tony smiles as he kisses her cheek. “Makes me feel good, having so many good things and good people in my corner. I’m more than happy to let FRIDAY and JARVIS have all the fun they want.”
“Why does that sound so ominous?”
“Because it is.”
“Oh brother.” She laughs but turns her head to give him a kiss. “I want front row seats.”
“You get a backstage pass.”
“Sweet talker.”
“You love it.”
“For some strange reason, yes, I do. It must be because it feels good on the ego.” Rikki gives her boyfriend another kiss.
Her first assignment is unlike anything Andy has ever had to do. She helps her former boss, Ms. Chadwick, draw henna lines on Tony Stark’s skin. It’s nothing elaborate, mostly lines made with a special metallic blend, to make it shine a bit. The idea is to make Tony seem to be suffering from heavy metal poisoning. Which she is a little scared to know the reason behind but she has become familiar with looks of mischief and mayhem. Andy is also familiar with gazes full of vindication and plotting. Her new boss has these a plenty and it gives her pretty good idea of what’s going on.
Andy’s job, besides the usual scheduling and management, is to touch up the henna lines.
Ms. Chadwick had to leave for her tour in France yesterday, a full two days after the incident in the gym. Which leaves Andy to prep for the trip to Monaco and silently worry about the assassin in legal. The assassin who is very much still there and who was sent to entrap her new boss, who is in a very happy and committed relationship that’s lasted a full year since his kidnapping.
It’s sick that an organization set to help “protect” the people, is spending money and time trying to blackmail Tony Stark.
The same former weapons manufacturer who is making waves in clean energy and environmental conservation. Andy has never met anyone like him. The only similarity between working for Tony Stark and working for Miranda is that they are in high demand. Only the volume for Tony’s attention is simply bigger, with not just celebrities vying for a piece of him but congressmen, senators, and world leaders.
So, she treats all inquiries like she’s learned from experience, as if they were all telemarketers. She checks to see if they were on the ‘approved list’ with help from her new boss’ A.I. and then offer them an open slot. If those slots just happened to be in two or three months instead of next week, well, no one needs to know. Besides, Mr. Stark was very clear he was going to be in meetings with Mr. Ganelli and Ms. Potts on the direction the company was heading, especially now that she is CEO.
The trip to Monaco for the Grand Monaco Racing Track is “spontaneous” and a “reckless” change in the itinerary. Or well, to those that matter, that’s what it looks like. Andy had already made contingencies for other changes in the schedule just in case the race needed to be swapped for something else. So far, this job isn't so bad. Like Miranda, Tony is in high demand but he is very clear on having free time for the lab and his relationships, few as they are.
And then, Tony gets into the race. Unseen to spectators, the car he’s driving is modified. By that, Andy means she is aware that the car has a suit armor stashed inside and in easy reach.
Except, she didn’t think he’d need it.
A man steps into the track with whips on his body and arms. The whips cut through the race cars like a butcher knife through butter. Tony Stark’s car is cut at the front and flipped. He steps from the wreck and pulls out his suitcase. The armor slips on like paint on a canvas.
It’s the most beautiful and terrifying sight in her life.
They clash like vicious titans in light and sound. A whips manages to wrap around Dr. Stark’s throat and Andy feels her own tighten in fear. She shouldn’t have been. From the sky another suit appears and fires on the man from behind. It’s another suit. It’s silver and plain compared to Iron Man but looks just as capable. They work in tandem, cutting off the the attacker from retreat and attack.
Iron Man emerges triumphant.
The man is taken into custody. Ms. Potts is furious and anxious to leave. Even knowing there was a plan in place in case of something like, this makes Andy jittery. She really cannot blame Ms. Potts for losing her composure. So, it really is a relief when the phone call finally comes and she answers on the second ring.
“What. The. Hell?” The words are said with such controlled fury, Andy is only too happy to serve Rikki’s boyfriend up on a gold platter.