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

Part Seven: I Am Iron Man

Warnings: Nothing. Just canon.

Summary: The truth is... I am Iron Man.

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You had a full two hours of sleep.

So, you were just loving life.

You were also loving coffee. Very, very, much.

A sip from your mug sounded through the room as you watched Colonel Rhodes speak at the press conference happening just in the other room.

"You've all received the official statement of what occurred at Stark Industries last night. There have been unconfirmed reports that a robotic prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the arc reactor. Fortunately, a member of Tony Stark's personal security staff-"

"'Iron Man'." Your eyebrows raised momentarily at Tony's voice, turning to see Pepper dabbing makeup over his bruises as the man read the paper. "That's kind of catchy. It's got a nice ring to it. I mean, it's not technically accurate. The suits a gold-titanium alloy," he explained, wincing slightly as his assistant pulled the strip from his nose.

"Oh, I'll inform the press immediately."

"Someone's grumpy."

"I'm always like this."

"Yes. But I just wanted to point out your tiredness."

"Asshole."

"Grumpy." You shot him a look. "Anyway, it's kind of evocative, the imagery, anyway."

"Here's your alibi," Phil said, handing the man a few blue slips of paper.

"'Kay."

"You were on your yacht. We have port papers that put you in Avalon all night," he said. All the while, Pepper continued pottering around Tony, "And sworn statements from fifty of your guests."

"See, I was thinking maybe we should say it was just, uh, just Pepper and me alone on the island."

"Thank God, I wouldn't be there." You shuddered.

"That's what happened," Phil said.

"All right."

"Just read it word for word."

Tony flicked through the cards. "There's nothing about Stane here."

"That's being handled. He's on vacation. Small aircrafts have such a poor safety record."

"But what about the whole cover story that it's a bodyguard? He's my body-? I mean, is that not-? That's kind of flimsy, don't you think?"

"Oh, I agree with that."

"See, thank you." Tony turned, nodding at you graciously.

"This isn't my first rodeo, Mr Stark."

"No. It's your second," you said, gesturing your cup to the man.

"Just stick to the official statement, and soon, this will all be behind you. You've got." He checked the television. "Ninety seconds." And then he left.

"Bye, bye, secret agent man!"

"Oh, Agent Coulson?" Pepper called after the man before he walked through the door, "I just wanted to say thank you very much for all of your help."

"That's what we do. You'll be hearing from us."

"From the Strategic Homeland-"

"Just call us S.H.I.E.L.D.," the man said.