The Younger Agent - Natasha Romanoff x OC

Chapter 82 - Different Pages

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honour, which is one more than you have", Rhodey was arguing with Sam behind Steve who was reading through the hefty book of the Sokovia Accords. They had already been arguing for a few minutes now, and Eleanor was already done with their bullshit. She couldn't care less if Secretary Ross had some fancy medal, the only thing they should be focusing on is the route to take in this situation.

She looked over at Tony who was leaning back into another sofa, resting his hand over the entirety of his face, clearly also done already, though her attention was snapped back to listening. "So, let's say we agree to this thing, how long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?".

"A hundred and seventeen countries want us to sign this. A hundred and seventeen, Sam, and you're just like 'No that's cool, we got it'", Rhodey continued, and Eleanor rolled her eyes for what felt like the hundred and seventeenth time this conversation. Nat was also fed up, so playfully squeezed Eleanor's thigh to try and lighten both of their moods. It worked. Eleanor nuzzled her head more into Nat's shoulder and the older woman smiled as she looked down at her wife, listening to the room simultaneously.

"How long are you gonna play both sides?".

Vision didn't give Rhodey a chance to respond, however, and leaned forward in his position next to Wanda, "I have an equation". Eleanor's face scrunched up ever so slightly, it was barely noticeable. Vision's monologues tended to be complex. Almost like a riddle. Not that she didn't think that the vibranium man was nice, he was just too... robot-y for her to completely zone in on everything that he had to say.

"Oh, this will clear it up", Sam exasperated.

"In the eight years since Mr Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially. During the same period... the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate". Complex.

Steve had looked up from the accords when Vision had started speaking, and he didn't look all too impressed by what he had said, "Are you saying it's our fault?".

"I'm saying there may be a causality. Our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict... breeds catastrophe. Oversight... oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand".

"Boom", Rhodey put himself back into the conversation again, Eleanor flitted her eyes briefly at the man before her gaze rested upon the connected hands in her lap again.

"Tony", Nat started in a somewhat hesitant tone, which piqued the interest of the woman in her arms, her gaze now resting on Tony who didn't look happy to be disturbed. "You are being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal". Eleanor once again took note of just how exhausted the man looked compared to normal. And this was a guy who could inhale six coffees and work until 4 am, and be awake for any morning group training sessions with zero eyebags. A thing that she was jealous of. Even if she got a full eight hours she still looked like a raccoon unless she covered it up with some concealer.

"It's because he's already made up his mind", Steve concluded.

"Boy, you know me so well", Tony stood and massaged the back of his head and moved to the open-plan kitchen, "Actually, I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache. That's what's going on, Cap. It's just pain. It's discomfort". Eleanor and Nat made awkward eye contact before looking back to Tony who was at the sink. "Who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?".

There was a moment of silence before Tony placed a device down which projected a hologram of what was on the screen for everyone to see, it showed a photo of a young boy smiling. He looked happy. Though Eleanor gulped, already sensing that something bad had happened, Tony wouldn't randomly show them a photo of some person in this context if it wasn't relevant to keeping the Avengers kept on a leash.