[Have an intrigued sort of eyebrow raise. That's new, and really rather interesting. And then it inevitably turns into a smirk, because- well, you've met him, right?] See something you like, big guy?
Verily, Metal Man. [He's not afraid of appreciating another man, especially one like Stark.] You are used to being admired, or so I have come to understand.
It's been known to happen [Someone tried to explain the concept of 'modesty' to Tony once. He decided he didn't like the sound of it] I also know how to appreciate a nice view when I see one.
Re: Tony Stark | Iron Man/Avengers | OTAusedtoberussianJune 8 2012, 01:42:37 UTC
"You would." Natasha rolls her eyes. "Slut."
Though that's not, strictly speaking, true. Natasha spent ages profiling Tony for SHIELD. One of the first things she learned was how greatly exaggerated his man-whoring ways are. Once upon a time, they may've been true. But in all the time that she's known him, he's been all talk.
"Me?" He lays a hand on his chest, affecting an expression of wounded innocence, but he can't quite suppress a smirk. Okay, so maybe he does play up the 'playboy' thing. It's mostly diversionary. He's pretty sure she knows that.
"You know what you are, Stark," Natasha shoots back with a teasing grin. Oh, she knows the 'playboy'-thing is an act. She just figures it's to cover just how deeply he has changed. By all accounts (including Pepper's), Tony is not the same man now that he was before Afghanistan. Before then, evidently he gladly screwed around. But he had a -- no pun intended -- change of heart, and now he doesn't. And Natasha has her suspicions as to why. "Don't play coy. It doesn't suit you."
She leans back in the plush and comfortable sofa and raises her bottle of beer to her lips. As she drinks from it, she gives him a slow once over. "I suppose I would," she says as she lowers the bottle. "Hit that."
"Yeah," he agrees, "I do." He'd be the first to concede that he has a great many flaws. But self-delusion isn't one of them. He knows exactly who and what he is, and, well...he's come to terms with it. At the accusation of coyness he just smirks.
He pauses with the bottle not quite at his lips, tilting his head thoughtfully as he considers her. "Huh," he says, but doesn't elaborate.
When Tony smirks, Natasha rolls her eyes, leans forward and sets her beer down on the coffee table. Leaning back, she gives him an honestly surprised look.
"That can't be a surprise." She raises an eyebrow at him. As they've established, he knows what he is. And one of those things is very handsome. Another that he's damn good at what he does, and competence is always a turn-on. Plus, there's a rumor that he's fantastic in bed. Though Natasha is disinclined to believe rumors in general, something tells her that Tony lives up to his reputation.
"I would've slept with you as Natalie. If you'd gone for it. But you never did..." Of course, her willingness to sleep with him then had more to do with the mission than being attracted to the fucking mess he'd been then.
He raises an eyebrow right back. "I kinda always thought you couldn't stand me," he says, since apparently they're being honest tonight. True enough, actually liking someone has never really been a prerequisite for sleeping with them, but- it still comes as a surprise. He can't help but make a face at the reminder of the whole palladium poisoning...thing. He takes another drink, gives the beer a vaguely offended look, and stands with the intent of getting something stronger.
Natasha gives him a one-shouldered shrug. Back when they first met, she hadn't thought much of him, to be honest. All that talent and intelligence and he was wasting it on childish games and entirely selfish ventures. Plus, babysitting a self-destructing business man with delusions of heroism has to be one of her least favorite missions. And that includes that time in Buenos Aires when she had to hide out in a sewer for a day.
"You're an acquired taste," she quips, watching him move across the room. Then, because it seems they're being honest... "You're insufferable, and arrogant, and quite possibly the most childish man I've ever met." And she's best friends with Clint Barton. "But that doesn't mean I don't like you." She grabs her beer from the coffee table yet again. "Besides, I figured you sort of hated me after the whole Natalie-thing anyway."
That period is not up for discussion. He's not proud of how he behaved, but he refuses to apologize for trying to tick as many things off his bucket list as possible in the time he had left. He saunters over to the bar and pours himself a glass of scotch, nodding amiably in agreement with her assessment of him. Why not? Nothing she's saying is untrue or unfair. It's not the whole story either, but that's another matter entirely. "I like you," he says candidly. "I don't trust you, but I like you."
It's not only the bucket list, Tony. It's the choreographed Iron Man performance with background dancers in skimpy outfits. It's the hubris and how everything seemed like nothing more than a game to you.
"Huh." That honestly surprises her. She's not hurt by his lack of trust in her -- even though he has no true reason to distrust her, as long as his interests remain the same as SHIELD's he can trust her implicitly -- after all, she trusts exactly one person in the world; herself. (And, to some extent, Clint.) "Pour me one of those, will you?"
And what exactly has she gained from taking everything seriously? Of course he treats life as a joke. He'd go crazy if he didn't. Life is random and the universe doesn't give a shit, and once you're dead you don't get any second chances. How else are you meant to stay sane if not by treating it as the game it is, if you don't have faith or loyalty or anything else to shore you up? Anyway, he's going to have his every move picked apart by the tabloids no matter what he does. He might as well have some fun with it and play to his audience
( ... )
Natasha and Tony were raised so very differently. For her, everything has always been dead serious and the stakes have always been real. Of course, she's never had to live in the limelight -- until now, of course -- always doing her work in the shadows. Besides, she was brought up to think of the Americans as decadent, degenerate, capitalist pigs. And Tony? Tony reinforces that image like no one else.
If it comes down to it, if SHIELD sends her after him, Natasha won't hesitate. Afterwards, she figures that she'll feel bad about it. But, it won't stay her hand. She's a good agent and she follows orders. So, yeah, he's probably right not to trust her. But, truth be told, SHIELD wouldn't go after such a public figure as Tony Stark. Well, at least they wouldn't straight up assassinate him. They'd find some far more nefarious way to bring him down. Anyway, as of right now, SHIELD has no interest in alienating Tony Stark, and for the foreseeable future Tony and Natasha are on the same team, and she'd never betray a team mate
( ... )
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Though that's not, strictly speaking, true. Natasha spent ages profiling Tony for SHIELD. One of the first things she learned was how greatly exaggerated his man-whoring ways are. Once upon a time, they may've been true. But in all the time that she's known him, he's been all talk.
Reply
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She leans back in the plush and comfortable sofa and raises her bottle of beer to her lips. As she drinks from it, she gives him a slow once over. "I suppose I would," she says as she lowers the bottle. "Hit that."
Reply
He pauses with the bottle not quite at his lips, tilting his head thoughtfully as he considers her. "Huh," he says, but doesn't elaborate.
Reply
"That can't be a surprise." She raises an eyebrow at him. As they've established, he knows what he is. And one of those things is very handsome. Another that he's damn good at what he does, and competence is always a turn-on. Plus, there's a rumor that he's fantastic in bed. Though Natasha is disinclined to believe rumors in general, something tells her that Tony lives up to his reputation.
"I would've slept with you as Natalie. If you'd gone for it. But you never did..." Of course, her willingness to sleep with him then had more to do with the mission than being attracted to the fucking mess he'd been then.
Reply
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"You're an acquired taste," she quips, watching him move across the room. Then, because it seems they're being honest... "You're insufferable, and arrogant, and quite possibly the most childish man I've ever met." And she's best friends with Clint Barton. "But that doesn't mean I don't like you." She grabs her beer from the coffee table yet again. "Besides, I figured you sort of hated me after the whole Natalie-thing anyway."
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"Huh." That honestly surprises her. She's not hurt by his lack of trust in her -- even though he has no true reason to distrust her, as long as his interests remain the same as SHIELD's he can trust her implicitly -- after all, she trusts exactly one person in the world; herself. (And, to some extent, Clint.) "Pour me one of those, will you?"
Reply
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If it comes down to it, if SHIELD sends her after him, Natasha won't hesitate. Afterwards, she figures that she'll feel bad about it. But, it won't stay her hand. She's a good agent and she follows orders. So, yeah, he's probably right not to trust her. But, truth be told, SHIELD wouldn't go after such a public figure as Tony Stark. Well, at least they wouldn't straight up assassinate him. They'd find some far more nefarious way to bring him down. Anyway, as of right now, SHIELD has no interest in alienating Tony Stark, and for the foreseeable future Tony and Natasha are on the same team, and she'd never betray a team mate ( ... )
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