A little bit of everything Multi Fandom Imagines

An old adversary - Part 2 - Tony Stark x Reader

"And who do we have here?" Tony purred, as he looked at the form of the woman that stood next to Bruce. The billionaire deciding that if the front of the woman looked as good as the back, then he definitely wanted to get to know her better.

"Er.......Tony. I think I need to tell you something." Rhodey began. The Colonel glaring at Clint, Sam and Bucky, as all three men began to laugh again.

"Oh, I would have paid good money to be here for this. Go on Rhodey. Tell him." Clint managed to remake, as he tried to get his breath.

"Ok. What is it with you three? What the hell is going on? Rhodey?" Tony asked, as he finally moved his eyes from the woman with Bruce.

"Tony.........I er...........the CEO of Pandora. It's well.........its"

"Is me." A beautiful voice suddenly declared. Tony's eyes growing wide as they fell on the woman that he hadn't seen since they had been teenagers. The attention of every single Avenger present, turning to the pair as they waited to see what would happen next.

"I would say that it was nice to see you again, Stark. But we both know that that would be a lie." (Y/n) chuckled as she came to stand before him. The professor crossing her arms and waiting for a suitable retort.

"Dear god! Anthony Edward Stark actually lost for words. Well, there's a first. Although I must admit that it's a pleasant change. You always did have a habit of talking too much. Engaging mouth before brain. But given that your brain has always been inferior to mine, I shouldn't expect anything less."

"Inferior!?" Tony interrupted with a low growl, as he moved to stand toe to toe with his old nemesis. Rhodey rolling his eyes as he felt like the years had rolled back in an instant. And he was once again going to have to play peacekeeper.

"Who you calling inferior. Bookworm!? I'll have you know that I designed my first circuit board when I was four. I built my first V8 engine when I was just seven. I hacked into the Pentagon when I was at high school. And I beat you at the fourth annual MIT robot design awards, if you haven't forgotten." Tony barked. Neither he nor (Y/n) noticing the subtle sparkle that had come to their eyes as the verbal stoush became more heated.

"Oh no. I hadn't forgotten any of those things. I'm just not interested or impressed. You won that award because daddy bought it for you. Everyone believed that then, and I still believe it now. And I am more than sure that I could have done those things too, if I had had a nanny looking after me until I was fourteen and didn't have to live in the real world. But while you were still having your nose wiped by your nurse maid, I had already been at MIT for two years. I have forgotten more things that you will ever know, Stark. And I didn't need my father's name or money to achieve it. I wasn't given a company when I was twenty one. I actually had to build mine up from nothing. And it now makes Stark Industries look like a backstreet mechanics." (Y/n) retorted. Her and Tony now standing almost nose to nose.

"Wait. What? You.......Pandora? Oooooooooh no! This isn't happening. I am not working with her." Tony declared as he turned to look at Rhodey. Not noticing that the entire party had now gone quiet. And all eyes turned to the host.

"It's Professor (Y/l/n), not "her". Thank you. And I think that you will find that you have no choice, Stark. You see, my company has offered its assistance to not only the government, but also S.H.I.E.L.D. Both of which have more than gratefully accepted. And I also seem to remember a letter that said that you were interested in Pandora's advances in nanotechnology and our use of EEG systems. And that you were more than willing to share technology and ideas. Well, Stark. Guess what. You get your wish. And you are stuck with me. I am going to enjoy once again being able to prove that the great Tony Stark, is nothing more than a bag of hot air." (Y/n) replied, as she smiled at Tony. The billionaire growing more irate by the moment.

"Oh please! I was just being nice. The work you produce is nothing........."

"Ha! Now I know your lying. No, wait. That happens every time you open that big mouth of yours. I know all too well that unless something strokes that already huge ego of yours then you aren't interested. And you couldn't be nice if your life depended on it. The technology I produce far exceeds anything that you have at the moment. And I know just how to prove it! Call one of your famous suits, Iron Man. If you control it, I will take back everything I have ever said, and bow down to you fabled superiority. If on the other hand, I can control it. Then you will accept that I am in fact, the better. And you won't get in my way when it comes to working with either Stark Industries or the Avengers." (Y/n) dared loudly, as she circled him. Tony knowing that he couldn't do anything but accept the challenge. Especially as he had just realised that every single person was watching him and (Y/n).

"You're on. This is gonna be fun" Tony huffed, as he retrieved a headset so that he could call a suit.

Despite his bravado, Tony was worried. He had seen some of the amazing advances that Pandora Enterprises had made in nanomolecular technology, and the use of brainwave controls. He had been impressed with the work the company had done with artificial limbs. And their use of nanobots in not only robotics, but also medicine. Also, he knew (Y/n). He would never have admitted it when he was younger and wasn't about to admit it now. But he had always secretly admired her. She had come from nothing. She had achieved what she had with an understated brilliance, never boasting or needing to be told how wonderful she was. And he also had to admit that all those years of hating her was due to his jealousy of her, more than a dislike. But as a murmur went through the party goers as one of his suits appeared, taking pride of place in the middle of the crowd. Tony knew he couldn't back out.

"Very pretty, Stark. I would say that I was impressed, but we both know that your head would inflate to such a size that we wouldn't be able to get you out of the building." (Y/n) chuckled as she examined the suit. Her hand lightly brushing over the chest and head of the armoured suit. Tony not noticing a subtle glow that came from her palm as it touched the metal.

"Well. Make it work, Stark. If you can." (Y/n) continued. As she stood, waiting patiently. Tony coughing uncomfortably as he began to try and make his own suit move. The armour doing nothing but stand in front of its creator.

"Maybe there's something wrong with the system. I'll get another suit. Another headset." Tony said, giving the suit a subtle kick as he moved past it.

"Even if you called another suit, Stark. I assure you that it wouldn't work. I think that you will find that the fault is with the designer, not the design. Now, let me show you how it's really done." (Y/n) told him as she stepped forward and looked at the suit. The armour instantly springing to life as it began to dance around the room. Tony looking between the suit, (Y/n), and Rhodey. The colonel unable to do anything but shrug as he too wondered how (Y/n) was controlling the suit. The armour suddenly coming to a stop in front of Tony and bowing respectfully before it powered down completely.

"Well, now that is settled, I believe that it's time for me to leave. Stark can only handle being made a fool of so many times in one evening." (Y/n) announced as she stepped around a dumbfounded billionaire and made her way over to where Rhodey and the Avengers stood, open mouthed.

"Rhodey. It was a delight as always. And it was a pleasure to finally meet the Avengers. I look forward to getting to know you all better in the near future." (Y/n) continued, as she kissed Rhodey on the cheek.

"Oh, and Stark. I will see you bright and early on Monday morning. It's obvious that we have a lot of work to do." (Y/n) told him, as she straightened her suit and made her way over to the elevator. Rhodey joining Tony as (Y/n) disappeared behind the doors.

"How?..........How did........she?" Tony spluttered, as his eyes stayed firmly locked on the elevator doors.

"I don't know, pal. But one thing's for sure. It's gonna be interesting finding out." Rhodey chuckled, as he slapped Tony on the back. The suit in front of them suddenly falling apart. Leaving nothing but a pile of metal and an even more confused Tony, to pick up the pieces.