14774/The Spider and the Billionaire

The Spider and the Billionaire
Date of Scene:	10 March 2023
Location:	Bunker - Stark Tower
Synopsis:	Tony and Natasha catch up a little after her long vacation out of country.
Cast of Characters:	Iron Man, Black Widow (Romanoff)

---

Iron Man has posed:
    << A Natasha Romanoff is in the elevator, sir. Do we know someone by that name? >>
    The room was brightly lit and there was a hiss and crackle as several spidery drone arms reach around from behind a heavy hydraulic armature that hung from the ceiling. There was some sizzling as light flared and welding flame flashed onto several twisted pieces of circuit infused metal, all of those arms seeming to follow the movements of the man in the sleeveless t-shirt and jeans, holding the welding goggles to his face in one hand, and a laser heightened plasma torch in the other.
    As the light flashed off his face his lips twisted into a half smile. "Hah, classic." Tony's voice was amused as he set the torch down right in the instant the express elevator opened...
    And there was the Widow, in all her shortish glory.
    Tony stepped away from his work dais, hopping down one step, then the other. "I don't know, Jarvis? Do we know someone by that name? When was the last time in your records that we had contact with someone going by the name of Romanoff."
    As the Billionaire Playboy walked across the room he grinned, "What was it six months ago, seven?"
    << I was nearly about to purge the files from my memory banks, sir. >>
    "Wise, good economy of space."
    He stops, grabbing a glass of some caramel liquor that had been left on his work bench and then /leeeeeaning/ against it. He folds his arms over his chest. Leans over to sip his drink.
    "We're mad at you. In case you hadn't noticed."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"I didn't know that JARVIS could get mad. Good information to have," Natasha muttered as she glanced up toward the ceiling as though that was where the AI in question might reside. Of course, JARVIS was not that limited. He was everywhere. Another good reason to know if he had a temper.

Natasha was dressed casually. Jeans, a nice blouse, a lightweight jacket over that in black leather. Her hair was cut short, almost boyish in style, easy to wash and go in the mornings.

"Sorry, JARVIS." She looked pointedly at Tony but didn't offer any apologies his way. Instead, Tony got a pseudo explanation. "Had an unexpected trip out of country. Took the scenic route back."

She glanced around at his work area, taking in the various things then looking at the armature he had been closest to upon her arrival. Though he had moved away. "New project?"

Iron Man has posed:
    << Of course, Ms. Romanoff, rest assured that no umbrage nor feeling of neglect truly registered. I hope your vacation went swimmingly. >>
    "Long vacation, I should take one of those some day." Tony says as he sips his sixty year old Scotch in his personally appointed workshop bunker that has been lovingly crafted to match his every wish and desire. For a workshop.
    The glass is set down, then he lifts a finger and points it upwards. "Trying a few new things with JARVIS. You know, little things, the Id, the Ego, the Superego."
    << I delight in my new role as electronic guinea pig, sir. >>
    "Extra sarcasm." Tony says, then points at the spy, "So everything alright? Everything squared away?" He starts to walk past her, his sneakers squeaking a little on the immaculate floor. "You know sometimes when stuff goes down it's good to call on friends. They can help you. Even if they're. You know, seemingly busy running a mega-corporation."
    He turns around walking backwards to the large wall-sized data display and makes a casual hand gesture causing the screens to wink out and then the metal and plastic of their forms sliding back like the flow of water revealing the beautiful windows and view behind. The skyline of Manhattan, the handful of other nearby skyscrapers.
    "Something to drink, something to eat? JARVIS did we get that grocery delivery?"
    << In two hours, sir. >>
    A nose crinkle, "So what happened? I've been inconsolable could barely function." Though considering the state of the penthouse and the bunker it looks at least like... some people were indulging themselves. For there are still old discarded drinks, a few empty bottles scattered about, and...

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"You're running a mega-corporation? Here I thought that was Pepper's job. You just sign papers when required, no?"

Of course, he does run the business but he does rely heavily on his assistant. She is one of the few people who seems able to keep him in line and focused. Or at least enough to keep him getting business taken care of. "A drink. Vodka." Nothing shocking there. "No food, thank you."

She started to make a circuit of the room, stepping over bottles and things. Then she paused as she pulled a pen out of an inner pocket of her jackt and used the tip of it it catch a little wisp of material which she held aloft. "Inconsolable? Not for lack of trying, I see." She let the panties fall back where they were...then eyed her pen. And dropped it atop the panties. It was just a cheap ballpoint anyway. She could get another one.

She continued her circuit. "Some things are better left done alone. Or without friends who are not so...morally ambiguous?"

Iron Man has posed:
    "Ah," Tony sees the aforementioned panties and then gestures at them, "There was a celebration. My head wasn't in it. Those aren't mine though, in case you were wondering."
    He steps around behind one of the few things in the room that was wooden which was an old draftboard with a chalkboard on the other side. He pushes it out of the way so he can get behind the bar.
    He disappears for a moment, behind Natasha the spider-waldo unit touches its welder to a portion of the metal sheets causing a crackle and a spark to sound. He rises up and points across the way, "Hey. Wait for me." The multi-limbed unit twists all of its limbs to 'look' over at Tony.
    "I still don't trust you to work alone since the stingray incident."
    He eyes the drone distantly, then looks back to Natasha as he apparently holds an unmarked bottle of clear vodka he keeps around the apartment for such drinkers of that so very dangerous alcohol. He grabs a cup and pours, listening to her words about some things better left done alone.
    "You realize you're doing that scary thing you do right? Where you are all cold war spyey." He looks up at her from under his brow then pushes the drink to her. "You okay though? Things alright?"

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"You sure? I thought the color would go well with your eyes," Natasha quips as she glances to the abandoned silky material then back to Tony as she closes the distance. She stops at a polite conversational distance from Tony so she'll be able to accept that glass of vodka.

At mention of her doing that scary thing, she had to smile. "There is nothing scary about what I'm doing. I answered your question. I mean I can go all Widow on you if you want but most people don't like it."

She leaned casually against the bar, glancing back to the robotic welder then over to him again. "I shouldn't ask about the stingray incident, should I? And yeah, I'm great. Alexander and I are doing well. He was with me on the trip so we had several wonderful months at sea. You'd have appreciated the yacht we bought. Now I'm just back at work. SHIELD decided I was worth having on the payroll despite my..." She considered the phrasing. "Unexpected departure with some of their assets. And I'm back on the roster for watch duty at the Mansion starting this week."

Iron Man has posed:
    "Old car, beautiful finish, clumsy drone." Tony says in that short sharp rapid-fire way of his as he tilts the bottle back and takes a sip of the vodka, eyebrows rising a little. He then grabs another glass but this one is for himself.
    "But no, no need to go all widow on me." He leans against the bar opposite her in that time immemorial way that bartenders have used for ages and ages as they listen to one of their patrons. His eyebrows rise, however, at one point of admission.
    Not having a problem with her disappearance for such a long time. Not having a problem with her making shadowy mention to unspoken events. No what catches his attention?
    "You bought a _yacht_?" Tony's eyebrows rise as he rapidly blinks, as if truly perplexed. "I did not know you wanted a yacht. It was not on any of your letters to Santa."
    "JARVIS?"
    << Yes, sir? >>
    "Do I own a yacht?"
    << Several sir, if you recall your birthday was on the one you christened the Stark Raven, sir. >>
    "Ah."
    << Indeed, sir. >>
    "Is my yacht better than hers?"
    << Most likely, sir. >>
    He looks back to Natasha, sips his vodka. "I worry about the important things."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
The question of if he owned a yacht had her smirking. Then the more important question, if his yacht was better than hers, had her rolling her eyes. "It isn't my yacht. It is Alexander's yacht, bought with funds set aside by his father. I think it was for education or something like that. Better life." She shrugged. "We bought the cheap one. I'm sure it is no where close to yours. You don't have to feel threatened and go buy one to prove yours is bigger." She had to smirk again.

"What about you?" Because now it was time to turn the tables on him. Natasha took her glass and sipped the vodka, lifting her eyebrows in surprise as it was the good stuff. Nothing cheap on his bar apparently. "What have you been doing? Acquired any businesses? Built any new suits?"

Iron Man has posed:
    "_Alexander's_ yacht." He shakes his head slightly, eyes still widened, "Does he make that much money on his newspaper route?" Tony tilts his head to the side, "Or did he pick up a part time job down at the malt shop?"
    But then his smile sneaks out as he holds up his hands, "Joking. Just joking. But..." Stark takes a sip of his vodka, then holds it at chest level, one hand serving as tray. "That sounds like a nice thing. Take some time away from everything."
    He points at her several times, his hand bobbing a little as he makes the point, "Good for you. I'm glad."
    He turns, "While you were gone, however!" Stark gestures toward the window, "I had been toying with a few concepts. Not necessarily armor focused. I sent a note to Thor asking him how hard it was to get Uru metal. He hasn't responded." He looks to the side, rubbing the back of his neck. "There was a small thing with some guy who claimed to be a time-traveler but think he just picked up some of the Fixer's old gear and was trying to run a con on some local tech conglomerates."
    He clucks his tongue thoughtfully. "What else, what else? JARVIS what am I forgetting?"
    << Of interest to Ms. Romanoff sir? Very little."
    Tony gasps a little then says, "Ooh, ouch. AI burn."

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
The comments on Alexander's age had Natasha just staring at Tony. Long moments of silence which the billionaire was only too happy to fill with the sound of his own voice a moment later as he smiled and professed it was humor. Yet she still stared an extra few seconds, to be certain, before returning the smile.

She took another sip of her vodka as she nodded to the 'getting away'. But then the last exchange had her smirking.

"Was that a ding at you or me?" Natasha asked. "Because either it's at me since I wouldn't find what you do interesting. Or it's you cause you are only doing...Tony stuff." That was a good term for it! Tony Stuff. Creating reactors, building armor, making tech that other people couldn't imagine. Tony Stuff.

"I am going to say I'm not sure that you should be given Uru metal. That stuff has magical elements to it. Do we need your tech with magic too?"

Iron Man has posed:
    "Maybe both of us?" Tony says as he looks at Natasha. "JARVIS?"
    << I assure you nothing of the sort, sir. >>
    "Alright, but..." He points two fingers at his eyes, then points those two fingers up toward one of the cameras that the AI uses to _SPY_ on them. He smirks sidelong at Natasha.
    He takes a deep breath and tilts his head at the Widow, "I was thinking about it, there are forces out there that are particularly strong and only have a vulnerability to magic. I was hoping to get some of the metal, isolate aspects of its molecular structure, maybe see if I can delve into its composition. If nothing else make, I don't know, anti-magic bullets. Something." He takes another sip of his vodka as his eyes distance for a moment.
    Then he seems to recover with an abrupt shake of his head, "In any case, did you need something? Any particular reason you chose to come by beyond that gut-wrenching guilt you must have been feeling for having abandoned me to a life of drudgery and work while you rushed off to galivant and cavort around the world?"
    He tries to carry that off, but he ends up smirking.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Just giving you the word I'm officially back on Avengers duty roster and seeing if there was anything I needed to know."

That was the official answer. Natasha gave the info over with a polite smile then sipped her vodka again, glancing away at the welder 'bot that seemed to be waiting patiently for Tony to get back to work.

Then she drops her gaze down before peeking at him sidelong. "And say I'll try not to just disappear in the future without more than an "I'm alive" message next time. Though it's been years, this whole...teams and friends thing is still sometimes a little challenging. Old habits and all that."

Really old. Oh the comments that she would get if Tony knew her actual age.

Iron Man has posed:
    "Aww." Tony says as he looks at her, as if she were a clip of a puppy playing in the snow on the youtubes. "Who are you and what have you done with Natasha?" But before she can answer he holds up a hand, "No wait, it's alright. Just..." He smiles and takes a sip of his vodka, then sets the glass aside. "This calls for a hug, but not like a normal hug. Like a Thor hug. But I'm not big into that... so just..."
    He points at her as he walks backwards, "Consider yourself the equivalent of Thor-Hugged, just, you know, from me." He motions with a thumb over his shoulder, "I need to get back to this but. It's good to see you, Nat. Talk to Pep and see if we should do a thing."
    He claps his hands, "You can even bring along whatsisname, we can go down to Chuckie Cheese, get some pizza, give him like 20 tokens, he'll love it." He quickly turns around and heads back to his terminal dais...

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
At mention of the hug, she immediately take a step backwards even as she finishes off her vodka. Though it turned out there was no danger as Tony wasn't going to do it anyway. A relief to them both to be certain. Or at least her. He knew he wasn't going to hug.

The Chuck E. Cheese comment got a roll of the eyes and she headed for the elevator. "Just remember, Stark." And she stepped through the open doors into the lift before turning back to look at him. "I'm not above shooting friends." And she was smiling as the doors closed behind her, cutting off their view of one another.