Avengers Imagines (Part One)

Boss!Tony Stark X Reader - Killing In The Name

A/N - This chapter is based on the song 'Killing in the Name' by Rage Against The Machine. I started writing this chapter when I was pretty sleep deprived and anxious the other day and I thought it was a good premise, but then I came back to it this morning and it wasn't great, so I attempted to salvage what I could. I hope you all enjoy it.

Turning to the good side had been the obvious choice. Life had gotten a little haywire and you'd allowed yourself to get out of control, but the Avengers had given you a chance to do the right thing. You could save lives. You could protect the planet. Hell, you could have a hand in saving the universe. 

Of course, there was the little issue of having to do as you were told without argument. You had always struggled with listening to instruction. In school, you had spent most afternoons in detention for breaking rules or refusing to hand in homework. At home, you were grounded most weekends for talking back and causing general chaos in the house. 

You had assumed that when you became an adult you wouldn't have to do as you were told anymore. You would become your own boss and make your own rules. Unfortunately, the world didn't quite work that way, and one person in particular had taken to handing out orders whenever he got the chance.

Tony could be a really sweet guy when he wanted to be, but most of the time he entertained himself by pushing buttons. Each and every person he came into contact with became a new game to play, and you were a favourite of his. 

During missions, Tony enjoyed throwing out little directions. Tiny things you had already planned on doing, really. But he loved watching as you attempted to find a new way to complete your task, avoiding taking the order as well as you could manage. 

Back at the Avengers Facility, he would drop paperwork onto your desk with a smile and give you some ridiculously short deadline to have it finished by. Or, he would tell you that you had to attend compulsory meetings that he had planned intentionally to bother you.

At first, you had attempted to grin and bear it. You would simply nod and get on with the tasks ahead of you. But eventually even his lighthearted ribbing had begun to bother you. He would make some snarky little comment about how you were doing something wrong, or should be doing something else, and you would spend the next hour or so fantasising about all of the things you would say to him if he wasn't technically your superior. 

Eventually, something had snapped in you. Tony had thrown down a file on your desk, giving you a wide smile as you glanced up at him. "You need to fill out the details on the last mission. Have it back to me tomorrow morning."

Your brow furrowed slightly as you flipped the file open, revealing at least three hours worth of work, which would have to be completed in your own time. You quickly flipped the file shut again, gathering it up as you stood. "No," you uttered, throwing the file against his chest and watching as he scrambled to keep it all bound together. "I'm done for the day; I'm going home," you added, giving him a smile that was practically begging him to disagree with you. 

"But-"

"No, Tony," you interrupted, pushing your chair back under the desk as you continued with your end of the day routine. "If you wanted it done by tomorrow you should have brought it by earlier. It's not my fault that you were running late."

Tony raised his eyebrows in surprise, letting out a snort of laughter. "Wow, someone's grown a back bone, huh?"

You fixed him with a stoney look, knocking the smile off of his lips. "Don't push me; I'm not in the mood for your games." 

"Don't get all riled up; I'm just-"

"Don't tell me what to do." The seriousness in your voice left him stunned for a moment, his mouth opening and closing as he searched for something to say. "I'm so fucking tired of being bossed around all the fucking time," you added, releasing a short sigh before making for the door. 

"Hey," Tony finally managed, pausing for a moment as you turned to face him, your cheeks red with embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I didn't realise it bothered you so much."

"Yeah, well it does," you uttered, swallowing deeply as you lowered your eyes to the floor. "So cut it out," you added.

Tony nodded, shifting uncomfortably on the spot. You don't think you had ever seen him uncomfortable before. Tony walked like he owned the world, because God, he did own a large chunk of it, and never before had he seemed out of his element. It seemed that his so called weakness was chats that got too deep too quickly. 

"I get why you might not like me," you started again, releasing a sharp sigh. "I get that it's difficult to just forget that I used commit crimes to get my kicks, but I am trying so hard to put that behind me."

Tony looked a little lost. "I don't care that you used to do bad stuff-" He paused for a moment, brow furrowed as he watched you carefully. "Hell, Y/N, I used to sell weapons of mass destruction to all sorts of bad guys around the world. At least what you did was local." 

"Then why are you such a dick?" you spat out quite suddenly, surprising even yourself. "You give me twice the work load of everyone else and you expect me to get it all done twice as fast. Half the deadlines you give me are impossible. I spend my nights staying up getting shitty paperwork done for you because I'm terrified that one day, I'll fuck up and you'll have me back on the street."

"I-" Tony swallowed, losing his ability to speak for just a moment. "I would never just put you out on the street like that. I know I can be a dick, but I would never do that to you." His tongue darted out to wet his lips, his eyes locking with yours as you lifted your head. "If I give you a deadline you can't meet, tell me. Please." You nodded, bringing a small smile onto his lips. "But be warned, if you call me a dick again, we may have a problem."

A small chuckle pulled it's way out of your throat, surprising you both. You bit down on your bottom lip, giving a short nod. "You'll get that work back tomorrow afternoon," you told him, your voice softer than he had ever heard it before. "See you later, Tony."

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