At Worlds End (Phase One Collection) | Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Part Three: Inventing And Test Runs

Warnings: Tony getting hurt, bonding, talks of mistakes, talks of war, Tony being an idiot.

Summary: Never in your wildest dreams did you think you would be bonding with Tony Stark, but here you were, caring about him and shit.

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"The future of air combat. Is it manned or unmanned?" Rhodey began. As he leads a group of airmen in between two jets within the hanger. "I'll tell you, in my experience, no manned aerial vehicle will ever trump a pilot's instinct. His insight. That ability to look into a situation beyond the obvious and discern its outcome or a pilots judgement."

"Colonel? Why not a pilot without a plane?"

"Look who I found," you said, waving your thumb towards Tony Stark, "He was looking for you."

"Look who fell out of the sky. Mr Tony Stark," Rhodey introduced the man, "Thank you, Sergent Y/L/N."

"Speaking of manned or unmanned, you gotta get him to tell you about the time he guessed wrong at spring break. Just remember that, spring break, 1987."

"Noted." You gave a nod.

"That lovely lady you woke up with-"

"Don't do that."

"-What was his name?"

"Don't do that."

"Was it Ivan?"

"Don't do that. They'll believe it. Don't do that."

"Well, I believe it, and you cant change my mind."

"See?" Rhodey said to the man, gesturing over to where you stood on the other side of the billionaire.

"Pleasure meeting you."

"Give us a couple of minutes, you guys," Rhodey chuckled.

With that, the dismissed soldiers walked past the three of you.

"I'm surprised."

"Why?"

"I swear, I didn't expect to see you walking around so soon."

"I'm doing a little better than walking."

"You're running?" you offered.

"Even better than that."

"Really?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "Rhodey, I'm working on something big."

You looked at the man sceptically at that, thinking that he had already gone back on his word so soon. Was it all some weird way to gain more publicity or something? I came to talk to you. I want you to be a part of it."

Rhodey couldn't keep the smile off of his face. "You're about to make a whole lot of people around here real happy, 'cause that little stunt at the press conference, that was a doozy."

"This," Tony began slowly, "Is not for the Military. I'm not. It's different."

"What?" The Colonel shook his head, disbelieving everything he was hearing. "You're a humanitarian now or something?"

"I need you to listen to me."

"No. What you need is time to get your mind right," he said slowly as if the man in front of him had a hard time understanding anything. He only just smiled at his friend in return, trying to hold his laughter in. "I'm serious." Tony nodded sarcastically. WIt's nice seeing you, Tony. Y/L/N, if you could escort him out."

"I suppose you feel the same way he does," Tony stated as you began showing him the way out.

"As a soldier, I understand where he's coming from. This is really bad for the Military. Morally?" You glanced at the man. "I think it's fantastic."