Archaic Kinds of Fun

“Oh, good! You’re all here!”

“You called us here,” Natasha pointed out.

“Yeah!” Clint added unhelpfully. Natasha is sitting in a chair, and Clint and Jo are spread out on the couch. Jo is absently massaging Clint’s bare feet, which got her a confused look from Tony as he sauntered across the room to sit on the arm of Natasha’s chair. Natasha’s green eyes looked up at the billionaire, but the assassin didn’t comment on Tony’s choice of seating.

“Why did you call them here?” Jo asked. If she didn’t ask, Tony would just sit there and let them all stare at him. He likes being stared at. (Sometimes.)

“Well, funny you should ask.” It’s not funny at all; it’s a very practical question. “I bought a house.”

“Another one?” Jo blurted out. The guy already has several, in several different locations. Why does he need another one?

“Did you invite us over to impress us with your wealth? Because we get it. You’re filthy rich,” Clint said with an unnerving smirk. Jo dug her fingers into the soft spot of the archer’s arch and smiled innocently as he glared at her.

“It’s really big, like really big, and I thought you might want some input on your rooms. Of course, you can always just give me free creative license,” Tony said with a slow smirk at the dumbfounded archer. Jo’s jaw dropped as she realized what was going on, and she let her hands fall lax against Clint’s feet.

“Did that last mission knock out the memory of you asking us to move in with you? Because I would remember you asking us that. Tasha?” Clint looks so lost, and Jo would normally be laughing if she wasn’t completely lost herself. How did this brilliant plan of Tony’s slip right past her?

“No, Tony has already assumed that we’re moving in and is showing kindness by letting us design our own rooms,” Natasha said and looked up at Tony.

“What she said.”

“Oh, hell yeah! When can we get started?” Clint asked and rubbed his hands together. Looks like he’s over that whole shock thing. Jo’s still trying to process.

“Wait. Where is this really big house?” Natasha asked.

“Manhattan.” Of course it is. Tony is still having random nightmares about what happened in New York, so he just has to go back. Masochist much?

“I’m still in,” Clint said after a beat of silence. Tony smiled, Natasha crossed her arms, Jo sighed, and Clint started rattling off his future plans.


Tony was finally alone in his lab again, because Clint wandered off about twenty minutes ago, and he was taking the time to just enjoy the silence. He may, possibly, consider the three people in his home as friends but…he has limits. Sometimes he needs to be surrounded by things that aren’t alive to feel comfortable. JARVIS informed him that the three of them are watching The Hunger Games, so he should have had hours to himself without being disturbed. At least, he wasn’t supposed to be disturbed for a while. Unfortunately, nothing goes Tony’s way anymore.

“Are you sure you want to go back to Manhattan, Tony?” Cool green eyes were looking straight at him, and Tony gently placed a hunk of metal back on his work table.

“Are you suggesting that I can’t handle living in New York, Natasha?” She locked her knees and crossed her arms, and the stance made his spine tingle. That’s how Jo stood right before his, uh, awakening.

“I’m just concerned. I know you haven’t had an…easy time lately.” Yep, he’s already done with this conversation.

“I’m fine now. I’ve got an insane bodyguard that protects me from soap scum, so there’s nothing to worry about.” He was fiddling with his precious metal, but Natasha’s hip pushed it out of the way as she sat on the table in front of him. Tony paused, took a breath, and then looked up at the assassin. “What?”

“I don’t like her.” Natasha’s face was just as unreadable as ever.

“Who? Jo? I hadn’t noticed.” He watched Natasha shoot Jo, in the head, at their first ever meeting. Yes, Natasha did it to prove a point. You don’t shoot people in the head if you like them though, point or not.

“You don’t know her like I do. Has she told you anything about her past?”

“Have you?” Natasha smoothly crossed her legs as she looked down at him, and Tony leaned back in his chair as he crossed his arms.

“I’m not the one assigned to keep you alive. You two are getting closer, and I think you need to know who she really is before you let her in too much.” Her usual mask slipped just enough for him to see just how concerned she really is, and Tony thought it over.

“Trying to protect me?”

“Something like that. You might be the world’s biggest egotistical asshole, but I don’t want to see you hurt.” Natasha slid off the table, squeezed his shoulder, and started walking away. Tony spun around on his stool and watched Natasha slowly saunter away.

“You think Jo’s going to hurt me?” Natasha stopped at the door and looked over her shoulder at him.

“Ask her about how we met and decide for yourself.”

Tony sat in the same position for the next several minutes, warring with himself over what to do. When he asked Jo about herself, they kept it light. Well, light-ish. She talked about her parents, who are both dead, and told him about where she’s from. He knows that she’s worked for SHIELD and that she’s very good when it comes to violence, so she’s obviously got some darker stories to tell. He can avoid having an awkward conversation by hacking into SHIELD, which always brings him a small measure of joy, but…it doesn’t feel right. He’ll have to talk to Jo.


“Bye, guys! We’ll call ya when Tony gets everything set up! But you can still visit before then! Drive safe!” Jo called as she hung halfway out the front door. Natasha didn’t even turn around, and Clint is walking backwards so he can blow kisses at them. Tony pulled Jo back into the house and let the door close, and Jo continued to laugh as they walked through the house. Tony walked right on past the living room, because it smells like the cheddar popcorn Jo and Clint were munching on. “Where are we going?”

“I don’t know. Bedroom?” Jo stopped in the hallway, blinked at him, and started smiling like a madman.

“I think you need some fresh air. Come on!” Tony let Jo pull him through the house and up the stairs leading to the roof, and she kept her grip on his hand as he looked around.

“What the hell is this?” There’s a big cushioned lawn chair on top of the roof, with a big table that’s got a wireless radio on it and a colorful umbrella. There’s also a rolled up yoga mat under the chair, and it’s Jo’s favorite resting spot.

“It’s my go-to place. JARVIS helped me set it up about a week after I moved in,” she shrugged.

“The traitor,” Tony grumbled. Jo was busy fluffing up the chair, but she did take a moment to glare at him. No one should insult JARVIS. Not even his creator.

“I like the sky; I like the sun, I like the stars, and JARVIS is the best.” Jo plopped down in the chair and patted the spot between her long spread legs. With an eye roll to show his disgruntlement, Tony dropped down into the proffered seat and slumped boneless against his bodyguard. The back of his head is pillowed against her breasts, and her strong but still soft thighs are cradling his hips. Jo laced her fingers right under the arc reactor, and Tony reached up to cover his hands with hers.

“I’ve never had a girlfriend before,” Tony said quietly.

“I find that really hard to believe, boss,” Jo said with a quiet chuckle. It’s like neither one of them wants to disturb the peacefulness of the moment, but Jo can feel Tony’s mind moving. She’s not picking up any thoughts, but something feels a little…off.

“A friend that’s a girl. Like, I know that you’re hot and totally fuckable, but I don’t want to sleep with you. Unless we can cuddle.” He tilted his head so that he could flutter his eyelashes at her, and Jo reached up to flick the end of his nose.

“I don’t know if I should be grateful or offended,” she mumbled. Tony made an aggravated huff that made Jo want to laugh, and she wiggled one of her hands free to reach up and twirl some of Tony’s hair around her finger. She took a tiny peek into his mind, just to see his surface thoughts, and her own thoughts were confirmed. “You recognize the fact that I’m a female, but you don’t see me that way. You just see me as…me. As Jo. As a friend.”

“Yeah, as a friend.” Jo brushed her cheek against the top of his hair and made a quiet humming sound in the back of her throat. Something’s not right. She can feel it.

“Alright, boss, what’s going on? Did something happen?” Tony shifted against her, which only proves that there is something.

“Can you hear my thoughts right now?” So he doesn’t want to actually say it. If it was anyone else, she’d give a good glare and tell them to just spit it out. This is Tony though, so she can look inside.

“Yeah, Tony, I can hear ‘em,” Jo whispered. Her arms loosened a little, the one in his hair dropping back down to below the arc reactor, and Tony stroked his fingertips down her forearm. Like he’s trying to soothe her.

“She doesn’t trust you.” It’s not a question, because it’s clear that Natasha doesn’t trust her after that little convo. Huh, and Jo thought she was making a little progress with the pretty assassin.

“No, I guess not. I’m guessin’ you wanna know why.” Her voice is a little thick, because this isn’t something that she enjoys talking about. She saw the end of the earlier conversation, and she knows what question that Tony wants to ask. How did Jo first meet Natasha?

“It’s only fair. You know all of my fears, right? Every single thing that makes me tick? You held me while I was naked and freaking out in a bathtub. I’m starting to feel a little unbalanced here on the secret trade.”

“Secrets for secrets, huh?” It makes sense in Jo’s mind, and she knows that it’s the ultimate sign of trust. Hell, she knows all of Tony’s darkest fears and insecurities. It’s only fair for her to lay herself bare too, right? Right?

“Only if you want to.” The self-proclaimed narcissist actually means that too. If she’s uncomfortable, he won’t push. She can also tell how tempted he is to get information the old fashioned way, which is by hacking into various systems.

“I told you that my dad passed away, and it was just me and mom for a while. When I was two, this mutant was looking for him and found us. He’d lost a lot of his memory, so when he heard about a mutant with similar abilities to his, he went looking. Ma was the tender-hearted type, so she talked him into staying since he didn’t have any place to go. Name’s Logan, or Wolverine. Heard of him?”

“Isn’t he an asshole?” Oh, so he has heard of him. Figures.

“You’re one to talk. When I was ten, Ma was worried about my strength and the healing. She didn’t think it was a good idea for me to be in school with humans because I might’ve accidentally hurt someone, so she wanted me to go to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Logan tagged along, somehow became a teacher, and was appointed my legal guardian after Ma passed.”

“Where’s this going, sweetheart?” Jo pinched Tony’s stomach, which made him yelp but kept him quiet.

“Patience. I finished at the boarding school when I was eighteen, and I decided that I wanted to travel a bit. I wasn’t really close to anyone, except for Logan who was staying on as a teacher, so I went out on my own. I know most people do that whole college thing, but it just wasn’t for me. I’ve never been much for academics.”

“You? You should’ve been a natural.” Jo just blinked down at him as he tilted his head to look at her, because he’s lost it. “Because of the telepathy. Couldn’t you just pick up things from other students and the teachers?”

“I wasn’t always a telepath. Nope, don’t say anything. Let me tell my story. Now, where was I?” She knows right where she is, but she can feel Tony’s questioning mind. It makes her want to run, but she’s not going anywhere. “I was in South Dakota when they found me. They had people in hospitals as lookouts for anything abnormal, and I walked into the road while chasing…that’s not important. What’s important is that I got hit by a truck. I normally avoid hospitals, for obvious reasons, but I was knocked unconscious for a little bit. When I came to a few hours later, everything was healed. Broken bones gone overnight? Disappearing concussion? It raised some red flags, and I didn’t get out of the hospital in time. Like I said, that’s when they found me.”

“Who’s they?”

“ROSE. It stands for the four doctors that ran the organization; Rickard, Orlin, Serrens, and Edmonds. They did research, mostly on mutants but some humans too, and I was one unlucky mutant. I’m not going into details, because it doesn’t matter. Serrens was all about finding ways to increase powers, and that’s how I wound up as a telepath. He’d been waiting for someone like me, with regenerative powers that could withstand the procedure. So, there was experimentation, or torture, depending on how you look at it.”

“How long were you there?” Tony is oddly still and just gripping her wrist with white-knuckled fingers. Jo placed her hand over his and started moving her fingers over his knuckles.

“A little over a year. Logan came looking when I disappeared, and he somehow knows Fury. He got back his memories when I was twelve, but he’s never been very forthcoming on what happened to him. SHIELD was already monitoring the place, with Natasha and Clint taking point. I was sprung about three months after that. I, uh, was a little crazy when the rescue went down. The whole place was a madhouse; mutants and agents were running around everywhere, and there were a few accidents.”

“A few?” Jo is smiling weakly and taking slow measured breaths. She really hates talking about that place.

“I might have stabbed Natasha with a chair leg, in the leg, and she might have shot me in the head. So I stabbed her with some pens and then Clint shot me.”

“Clint shot you? The same Clint who spent several hours tonight sitting with you throwing popcorn at my big movie screen?”

“Yep, with an exploding arrow right to the throat. I told you I’ve been blown up before,” Jo shrugged.

“That’s why your voice is rough!” Tony exclaimed and twisted around to look at her. Jo blinked, once, twice, three times, and then started laughing. Her arms twined around Tony’s shoulders as she laughed, and his face was pushed into said throat.

“Yeah, Tony, that’s why my voice is rough. No one is really sure why my throat didn’t heal right, and it bothers Clint sometimes. Then he thinks about the scars I left on Nat and doesn’t feel so bad anymore,” Jo grinned.

“So, Natasha doesn’t like you because of some accidental stabbing?” Tony flopped over to lay back against his favorite body pillow, and Jo grunted at the impact.

“After the rescue, I went against Logan’s advice and stayed on with SHIELD. I was a little…I wasn’t myself after what happened at ROSE, and I made a reputation for myself. It wasn’t a good reputation either. Natasha and I didn’t get along, for obvious reasons, so I can get why she’s worried. I’m not known for being caring, or gentle, or anything else remotely nice. I’m good at killing people, Tony. Not protecting them.”

“I’m still alive.” Tony smiled up at her, and Jo felt herself relax against the lawn chair.

“For now anyway,” she teased.

“You two are friendly enough now, except for the shootings.”

“Clint is a surprisingly good mediator.” Jo feels like a weight has been lifted, and she can tell that Tony feels the same.

“So, are those two really, you know?” She almost felt like crying at the question, because she’s so grateful for what Tony is doing. He isn’t dwelling on what she’d said and asking for specifics (but he’s definitely going to think it all over later, when Jo’s not around). Instead, he’s gossiping with her like they’re teenagers at a sleepover.

“What? Together? No, not like that. They’re definitely life partners, that’s for sure, but not like that.” Tony crossed his arms, and Jo massaged her hands against the lightly shaking muscles of his biceps. The shakes are mostly gone, but they still crop up every once in a while.

“Are you sure? They’re really not involved?”

“Really. Not that their private lives are any of our business,” Jo said in her best authoritative voice.

“So you don’t read their thoughts?”

“Are you kiddin’? Like Nat needs any more reasons to shoot me?” Tony and Jo shared a grin before they both went boneless, and their fingers interlocked over Tony’s stomach. There are things in the lab that Tony needs to work on and Jo is itching to exercise the recently recalled memories away, but they’re both content with just relaxing and looking up at the stars. For the moment.


“I don’t like to be handed things because…” Jo slowly stopped chewing on her chicken sandwich and looked up at her boss. They’re eating dinner in the lab, because the only way to get Tony to eat is to literally bring the food to him, and he’s been quiet for the past five minutes while absently chewing and writing in midair.

“Tony?” She doesn’t like where this is going. Tony’s got his serious-time face on.

“I don’t like to be handed things because, because, of my dad.” He’s giving her a pointed look, so Jo pointedly put down her plate and gave him her full attention. Their eyes stayed locked as she looked into his mind, and she picked up on a few images.

A tiny little Tony standing next to his father, trying so hard to be noticed, only to get handed a bottle and pushed away.

A young Tony trying to talk to his father, to tell him about his day or what he’s working on, only to get handed a bottle and pushed away.

An older Tony, still not old enough to drive, standing next to his father’s chair and not saying a thing. He’s given up, and he’s still only given a bottle and pushed away.

“They shaved my head and cut open my brain. That’s why my hair is so long.” Tony grabbed her hand and placed it over his arc reactor as he bent down to press his forehead against the top of her head.

“So! What do you think about having a movie theater in the new house?”


“Jo! Come in! How are you?” Jo shuffled a bit on her feet just inside the door, and she had to resist the urge to twist the bottom of her tank top in her fingers. She already has enough frayed hems in her closet. Instead, she hefted the bag on her shoulder a little higher and met cool blue eyes with her own.

“I’m good, but I’m not staying long. I was just doing some last minute shopping and thought I’d stop in,” Jo said quietly. Stark Industries was actually out of the way, but whatever. She’s still surprised they let her in the building, because she definitely got the same confused looks as last time. Yeah, she’s confused about why she’s here too. The bundles of fabric in her arms feel like they weigh a ton, but that’s just the guilt. She shouldn’t be here, but here she is.

“Is everything okay?” Jo can read the look in Pepper’s eyes without looking into her mind, and she knows that the other woman is worried about Tony. She’s worried, because…she knew. Pepper knew how bad it was going to get when she left, but she left anyway. Jo’s not sure if what she did was right or wrong, but that’s not why she’s here.

“Yeah. Tony said he told you that we’re moving out to Manhattan?” Pepper nodded stiffly, which actually relieved Jo. When Tony told her that he’d called Pepper, she didn’t really believe him. Tony is safely locked away in the house while she’s out running errands (JARVIS has her on speed dial), but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she needed to do this one last thing before they leave.

“Was there anything else you needed?” It’s a dismissal, not as direct as Tony’s are, but a dismissal all the same.

“I know it’s none of my business, but did you really have to leave him? You don’t have to answer, I was just wonderin’.” Pepper’s blue eyes shuttered against the world, and Jo felt a little bad about asking. Jo doesn’t hold Pepper accountable for Tony’s breakdown, his amazing talent for repression and denial gets all the credit for that, but it’s something that’s bothered Jo for months.

“I know it might not seem like it, but I did it for him.”

“He fell apart after you left, and I didn’t know what to do.” Pepper must have heard something in her voice, because she smiled and brushed her bangs away from her eyes.

“He told me that he’s stopped drinking. That’s something I’ve been trying to do for years,” Pepper explained. Huh, and all Jo had to do was goad Tony into beating the hell out of her to make him horrified with himself. It’s not exactly a healthy strategy. Jo couldn’t help it; she took a tiny peek. Just enough to really understand. Then, just like that, she understood Pepper’s reasoning. As long as Tony had Pepper, he didn’t need to face the darkness. Why should he when he had his own sun? With Pepper gone, he was forced to really process everything. It was something that he needed to do, and he couldn’t do it with her there. So she left.

“I understand, Miss Pepper, and I think Tony does too.” Since becoming sober, Tony has actually thought about everything that’s happened in his life instead of burying it deep down. His thoughts on the breakup are very similar to Pepper’s, and Jo felt a small measure of peace.

“Will you take care of him?” Jo nodded at Pepper’s words and turned to walk away.

“Of course. That’s my job.”


“Been waiting long, Nat?” Jo’s back was facing the majority of the room as she dropped her bags onto the bed, and she bent over to pull off her sandals as she waited for an answer.

“Long enough. Did he ask you?” Jo peeled her pants down her legs, tugged them off her feet, and then sat down heavily on the edge of the bed. Natasha is leaning up against her dresser with her arms crossed, and Jo feels like she’s being interrogated. Probably because she is.

“About how you and I met? Yeah, he asked.” Jo smoothed her hands over her knees and glanced down at her attire. She hates pants with a passion, so they had to go. Besides, her cute little blue and white striped panties match her tank top. Hey! She’s sailor themed today!

“And did you tell him the truth?” Two pairs of green eyes caught and held, and Jo took slow deep breaths.

“I told him the truth. Told him all about how you botched up a simple rescue mission,” Jo shot off. She knows how much Natasha’s hates being called incompetent, and it was a botched up rescue mission. If Jo had been anyone else, she’d be dead. The delicate skin around Natasha’s eyes tightened, and Jo smiled. “Oh, calm down. I told him about being kidnapped and experimented on, that the telepathy is an implant and not natural, and that I attacked first. I also told him about how I killed people for SHIELD after I was rescued. That’s what you wanted him to know, right?”

“I just wanted him to have all the facts.” Natasha shrugged and straightened up, and Jo watched the way her hips swayed as she started for the door.

“I’m not going to hurt him.” Natasha froze and glanced over her shoulder, and Jo tried to meet her eyes but the assassin wouldn’t let her.

“What are your intentions with Stark?”

“I’m not looking to be the next notch on his bedpost, if that’s what you’re asking. I care about him and want to keep him safe. Isn’t that enough?” Natasha finally met her eyes, but Jo couldn’t read her.

“For now.” Natasha left the room, and Jo spent the next minute just looking at the empty doorway. She likes Nat so much better when Clint is around to temper her a little. Jo fell back against the bed with a groan and slowly emptied her mind of everything that’s happened. Once she felt a little better, she pulled herself back into a standing position and stretched out her taut muscles. What can she say? Her body’s all tense because of her long and stressful day. Leaving the house had been a little nerve-wracking, since she was constantly worried about Tony the entire time, and her little side-trip to Pepper’s office didn’t help her frayed nerves any. Then there’s the Natasha convo as a cherry on top, and…it doesn’t matter. She’s back now and everything is all good.

“JARVIS? Is Tony down in the lab?”

“Yes, Miss Jo. He hasn’t left since the last time you asked.” Jo grinned up at the ceiling, because JARVIS is a secret sass master. Well, maybe not that secret. Jo twirled into the kitchen, literally, and then danced her way over to the refrigerator. She made a giant turkey sandwich for Tony, snagged two bottles of water, and carefully wiggled her way down into Tony’s not-so-secret laboratory. He was surrounded by several holograms of the interior of their soon-to-be home, and Jo walked right through a staircase to snag a chair and drag it over to Tony’s side.

“Still workin’ hard, I see. I’m not gonna have to throw you into a shower later, am I?” Jo placed the plate in Tony’s lap, because there’s no way she’s going to forget that little conversation, and she put the water bottles on the floor between them.

“You know you love my manly smell.”

“Mmm, grease and pit sweat, that’s what gets my pantin’ at night,” Jo drawled out. Tony smiled at her with his mouth stuffed full of turkey, and a piece of tomato poked out between his lips. Oh yeah, he’s definitely a super suave playboy.

“Uh, should I go?” The sound echoed in the room, and Jo clapped her hands in excitement.

“Hey, Doc! Haven’t heard from you in a while! How are things?” Tony just rolled his eyes and grabbed one of the bottles to wash down the bread stuck to the roof of his mouth.

“Things are fine. Tony has been filling me in on the, uh, new living situations?”

“Ah, yes, the new Stark mansion. Are you gonna come live with us, Doc? I could use the help.” Jo leaned back to prop her elbows on the table behind her, and she grinned at Tony as he glared at her. The angry look was canceled out because of his chipmunk cheeks.

“He’ll come around eventually. I’m making a room for him anyway,” Tony shrugged.

“Of course you are.” Jo lightly patted the boss’s shoulder, and this time Tony didn’t even bother to look over at her.

“Right, well, I need to go. It was nice talking to you again, Jo. Tony, we’ll talk more later?”

“Yeah, you bet.” Jo let them say their goodbyes while she inspected the house, and her own goodbye sounded spacey even to her ears. Tony really has been busy; the new place looks amazing.

“I like the Doc. Will I ever get to meet him?” Jo asked after Tony finished swallowing another bite.

“Yeah, he can’t hide away forever. The idiot’s still trying to atone. For a genius, he’s really stupid when it comes to himself.” Like Tony’s one to talk?

“Atone for what?” Dark green met dark brown, and Tony blinked slowly as he chewed. Jo’s starting to get a little bit confused, and Tony’s mind is spinning too fast for her to pick up on anything coherent without really honing in.

“You do know that you’ve been talking to Dr. Bruce Banner, right?” Huh, she doesn’t remember ever hearing the Doc’s last name. She let that thought process and then shrugged.

“I guess that makes sense. You two did fight together, and I guess Dr. Bruce should’ve been the tip off.”

“You don’t seem too worried about talking to the Hulk.” Tony took another huge bite of his sandwich, and Jo gave into her urge to poke one protruding cheek.

“I’m not the judgy type, and I’ve actually seen the Hulk in action.” Tony raised a brow to ask for more details, and Jo was in a good enough mood to oblige. “I was in Harlem during his fight with Abomination. I kept to the rooftops for most of the fight. Fuck, Tony, you should’ve seen it. It was somethin’ else, watchin’ those two go at it. Breathtaking.”

“I’ve seen some footage, but I’ve also seen him in action. Nothing compares to the real thing, huh?”

“Too true, my friend. Now, about this fireplace…”

“How about we discuss your lack of pants?”


“Wise men say, only fools rush in. But I, can’t help, falling in love, with you. Shall I stay? Would it be, a sin? If I can’t help, falling in love, with you.” Tony froze in the doorway leading to the den and tried to process what was happening. All of the furniture has been pushed back against the far walls, and two slow-moving figures are dominating the center of the room. Clint is only a few inches taller than Jo, and her curvy body complements the archer’s lean form just right. The two were dancing lightly across the carpet, like they were moving across air.

“Like a river flows, surely to the sea. Darling, so it goes, some things, are meant to be.” Tony felt a presence at his side, and he glanced down at the top of Natasha’s head. She was watching the dancers with an almost gentle smile on her face, which was something she never directed towards Jo. As the next verse began, Clint fluidly dipped Jo into a graceful arch. Jo looked completely at ease in Clint’s strong arms, and Tony was looking at the way Jo’s loose hair just barely skimmed the carpet when he realized that Clint was looking right into Jo’s eyes and singing quietly.

“Take my hand, take my whole life too. For I, can’t help, falling in love with you.”

“Like a river flows, surely to the sea,” Jo sang quietly as Clint pulled her back upright.

“Darling, so it goes, some things, are meant to be,” Clint picked up as he spun Jo away from him. Jo did a full circle on her own and then outstretched one hand as she mimed a deep curtsy.

“Take my hand.” And Clint did so he could pull her back to him. As Clint started the next line, he dropped his hands to Jo’s shapely hips and lifted her into the air with ease. “Take my whole life too.”

“For I can’t help,” Jo sang as her arms went around her partner’s neck and she slid down his body. “Falling in love with you.”

“For I can’t help…falling in love…with…you.” They finished the song in the center of the room, with Jo’s arms around Clint’s neck and his hands placed respectfully on her waist, like they were at a sixth grade dance.

“Peace up, A town down!” A heavy beat pumped through the air, and the intimate atmosphere was destroyed under a symphony of “yeahs!”

“That was…” Tony wasn’t sure how to finish that sentence. Beautiful? Yeah, he knows Jo dances all the time, but there was something real sweet and innocent about how she’d danced with Clint. As for the archer, Tony had never seen him look so peaceful. Unexpected? That’s a given. He thought spontaneous dancing like that only happened in overproduced romance movies.

“That was Clint and Jo,” Natasha said. The two of them are dancing around like they’re high on acid now, and it’s such a change from the gentility of their earlier dancing that Tony can actually feel a headache starting at his temples.

“They’ve never?” Natasha looked up to meet his eyes, and a secretive smile curled her lips.

“No, they haven’t. They’re just…hmm.” Natasha turned back to watch the two of them, but Tony is watching Natasha now.

“And you and him have never?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” At his disbelieving look, Natasha licked her lips and tried to answer in a way that made sense. “What Clint and I have is stronger than friendship and more than what exists between lovers. We just…are.”

“So, what are him and Jo?” Jo is wrapped around Clint like a belt at the moment, and Clint is balancing on his hands. Make that one hand.

“I know you’ve read Clint’s private file, so you tell me.” Natasha had a brow quirked in his direction, as if she was challenging his genius. Well, alright. Tony’s mind flicked back to the file he read months ago and tried to call up the facts. Since joining SHIELD, Clint has only been close to Natasha and Phil. Phil because that was the only handler that could put up with his insubordinate ass, and Natasha because she’s Natasha. So, something before SHIELD then? Clint was raised in a circus, an orphan, but…Tony’s mind clicked, and he looked down at the assassin.

“Back in the circus, Clint adopted another of the little carnies as a little sister. The file never said what happened to her.”

“Died of pneumonia. Clint only knew her for two years, but Jo reminds him of Lily.”

“You could’ve just said they have a sibling bond,” Tony huffed. Spies and their damned secretive ways.

“Now, where’s the fun in that?” Natasha asked with a smirk.

“Iiiiii’m! Gonnnna! Huuuurl!” Jo squealed as Clint spun her around. His hands had a strong grip on her ankles, and Jo’s body was perfectly horizontal as they moved.

“Suck it up, Josie!” Clint called as he released her. Tony watched as Jo flew the air and managed to crash into one of the couches. The force of the landing immediately had her shooting forward, and she rolled to her feet with ease.

“You are so gonna pay for that, Tweety!”

“How is this my life?” Natasha made a sound that was similar to a snort and crossed her arms.

“Just imagine what they’ll be like once they’re living together.”


“What have I said about pants in the lab?” Jo crossed her arms and scowled at the back of Tony’s head, because he didn’t even bother to turn around and look at her.

“Nice try, jackass, but I’m actually wearin’ pants today.” Tony spun around at that and let his eyes rake over her. Sure enough, Jo is wearing a pair of gray skinny jeans that have seen better days and a rare black tee shirt that says “Bite Me” across the chest. Her hair, which he now knows reaches her hips, is down too.

“Why are you dressed?”

“Are you askin’ me to get naked?” Tony scratched the side of his head and let his eyes slowly move over her again. Jo rolled her eyes, because she knows his thoughts about her and none of them involve the two of them naked. “Whatever. We don’t have time for this. Have you seen the news?”

“Are they talking about me?” He looks positively gleeful, and Jo rolled her eyes. (If she rolls them one more time, they’re gonna fall out.) Tony may have come a long way, but narcissism is more than just a lifestyle. It’s a deeply ingrained personal trait. Or is that personality disorder?

“JARVIS, can you please turn the news on?”

“Right away, miss.” An image instantly popped up, and Jo jumped up to sit on a clean space of table at Tony’s elbow. Tony moved to prop his elbow on her thigh instead, and they both looked up at the images flashing in the air.

“That’s definitely Thor, right? I mean, it has to be,” Jo said. The images are coming out of London, where all kinds of shit is going down. Jo had been at a coffee shop just a few minutes away when she looked up and saw what was happening. She rushed back to the house as quickly as she could, so of course Tony didn’t even know what’s going on.

“JARVIS, get me Fury.” A moment later, there was a quiet click and Fury’s voice echoed in the room.

“I don’t have time for you right now, Stark!” Jo could hear a flutter of movement coming over the line, and she could easily picture all the of the spastic agents rushing around. Yeah, Fury is definitely not having a good day.

“What’s going on in London?” Tony asked quickly.

“It’s being handled. Eris, do not let him leave.” Jo’s back straightened at the sound of her actual codename, and she nodded her head even though Fury couldn’t see her.

“Yes, sir.” The line went dead with a quiet click, and Jo looked down at Tony.

“Are you actually going to follow his orders?” Callused fingers gently ran through his hair and a strong calf was pressed gently against his ribcage; it’s how she gives comfort.

“Yes, but not because he gave me an order. I’m not a SHIELD agent, remember? I’m going to do what he said because you’re not ready to rejoin the fight. I mean…fuck, Tony, you haven’t even rebuilt a suit.” As Tony closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against her thigh, Jo caught flashes of what he was seeing. Working all hours and not sleeping to build more suits, to make them better, to make him better, and then watching them disappear in the fire. “Yeah, I know, I know.”

“We shouldn’t have to fight alone,” Tony mumbled into a denim encased thigh. Jo just kept petting his hair and tried to ignore the way his hands were shaking. He’s been doing so well lately, but they’re still not out of the woods yet. The shakes only start up whenever he’s stressed, or to be more specific, whenever he really wants a drink.

“You’ll never fight alone again, boss,” Jo whispered. Sticking by his side is her job. And maybe, just maybe, it’s her privilege too.