If You Had This Time Again

Either Tony Stark or Taylor Swift

Natasha surreptitiously glanced back at Stark as they shuffled into the conference room at Stark Tower for a much needed debrief after the events on the rooftop. Stark was tapping away on his phone, falling to the back of the group and staying silent.

One by one, they settled into the plush chairs wordlessly, a tense quiet broken by Fury clearing his throat and firing off the first round of questions. 

Stark answered them succinctly, eyes straight ahead and posture rigid.

There was something off about him, Natasha was certain, something that couldn't be explained away by mere trauma.

Where Stark was once excited energy, he became reserved. Where he was once talking small to sound big, he spoke little. Where he was once almost desperate to prove her assessment wrong, he seemed unconcerned. Even stranger was his aversion to Steve, irritation with Clint, and distrust toward her. Stark masked it well, but the evaded eye contact, terse responses, and hesitation to turn his back sparked her suspicion and interest.

If not for the arc reactor shining through his chest, Natasha would have said this man sitting across from her cannot possibly be Tony Stark.

Perhaps Loki had compromised him after all. Granted, the Scepter was in her custody and the arc reactor had resisted the mental manipulation before, but Loki likely had other tricks up his sleeves. Other ploys and plays that did not require the use of magic or artifacts, only a well-timed glance and a lightly bitten lip.

Stark's playboy history indicated attraction to both genders and he admitted to sharing a drink with Loki, where Loki had apparently confided in him about Thanos' involvement and Loki's loss of agency. When Steve incredulously demanded to know why, Stark waved it off and cited the need to honor his words.

Natasha knew for a fact that Stark never felt this compulsion to keep his promises before; she had worked for the man for months and witnessed him blowing off more meetings than attending them. When she had pointed out this inconsistency, Stark had shrugged and mumbled some generic nonsense about turning over a new leaf after a life-changing experience. Another attempt to rationalize the severe changes to his personality. Natasha would have pressed further but Banner silenced her with a green-tinged glare.

Banner's protectiveness toward Stark was not entirely unexpected but definitely inconvenient. It was not uncommon for a rescuer to develop attachment to the rescuee, having invested in the other person's wellbeing by the act of saving it. The Hulk's anguished roar still rang clearly in her memory.

There was something off about Stark, but Natasha would let it slide for now as long as it did not interfere with Iron Man's performance.

After all, Tony Stark was not recommended but they would need Iron Man for when Thanos comes.

*

Jane stared at the text from an unknown number lighting up her phone.

Thor back in Asgard, thought you'd like to know. Visit New York sometime. For science! – T.S.

"Darcy?" Jane called, staring disbelieving at the succinct message. "Darcy!"

"What?" Darcy shouted, voice rough with interrupted sleep. "I need my beauty sleep."