"Anyway, even if I wasn't the one who invented it, I was the first to actually apply it to something that works."
Tony delivered the line with the same tone as someone slapping down an ace on the table and already reaching for the chips.
Nick Fury, on the other hand, stared at him with the expression of a man who wanted to respond… but whose brain was still loading the next line like an old computer.
He blinked slowly, took a deep breath, and finally spoke:
"You're good at bragging, Stark."
Tony flashed a cocky smile.
"Oh no, I don't brag. I simply state facts… with style."
Fury lifted his chin, ignoring the remark.
"His father, Anton Vanko, worked with your father, Howard Stark."
Tony frowned.
"Wait… you knew my dad?"
"I knew him. Oh, did I know him…" Fury replied.
"Your father was one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D."
Tony blinked several times, trying to process it.
"Founder of the biggest espionage agency in the United States?" He paused, tilting his head.
"That explains why he'd vanish for days and come back with weird excuses. I thought he was having an affair with one of those Russian dancers… but fine, espionage works too."
Fury raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying the joke.
"In the beginning, Howard wanted to start a technological revolution. But he discovered that palladium could poison the user. The Arc Reactor wasn't perfect and—"
"Wait, let me guess." Tony cut in, raising a finger like he was about to call the next card in a magic trick.
"He left behind a new element no one could create back then. Am I right?"
Fury narrowed his eyes.
"That's right… How do you know that?"
Tony placed a hand on his chest, pulling his shirt slightly to let the triangular light shine through.
"Because I already created it. And yes, I know that's amazing."
"You… already created it?" Fury repeated, folding his arms.
"And you didn't think to tell S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"Tell S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Tony smirked.
"Oh sure, because I just love handing over my secrets to a shadowy organization run by a guy who walks into my house without knocking."
"Stark…" Fury's tone dropped a level, heavy.
"Go ahead, Egghead," Tony replied casually, as if asking for more ice in his drink.
Fury took a long breath, clearly counting to ten in his head to avoid saying something he'd regret.
"We still have your father's original notes."
"That's great," Tony said flatly, waving a hand.
"You can use them to write a memoir, sell it at a convention… maybe even turn it into a Broadway musical."
"I'm being serious."
"So am I," Tony replied.
Fury clenched his jaw.
"The material will be delivered to your house. And I want you to consider the Avengers Initiative."
"No."
"Think it over."
"Still no."
"You're wasting your potential."
"And you're wasting my patience. But if you want, I can write 'no' on a card and autograph it so you can keep it as a souvenir."
A loaded silence hung in the air for several seconds. Then Tony pointed at Natasha, who was sitting on the couch watching the whole thing.
"And you… you're fired."
Natasha raised an eyebrow slightly, as if she had been expecting it.
"Before you go," Tony continued.
"Tell Pepper everything and say goodbye to Happy."
She stood, grabbed her holographic communicator, and replied in a tone that was almost playful:
"I will, Tony Stark." She walked out as if it were just another day at the office.
---
S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
The projection vanished and Nick Fury slammed a fist onto the table.
"Son of a…!"
He stood there, breathing deeply.
"Cue ball… Egghead," he muttered to himself.
"That bastard is going to drive me to an early grave."
It wasn't just the nickname. It was the fact Tony already knew too much, too soon.
"Who told him?" he growled.
"There's no way he figured it out alone."
"Agent Hill!"
"Sir?" Maria Hill stepped in, alert.
"Find out where he's been, who he's talked to, down to what he had for breakfast if you have to. I want a full report."
"Understood," Hill said, leaving with firm steps.
---
Arthur's House
Far from all that intrigue, Arthur was swimming peacefully in the pool with Gwen and Jean. Laughter mixed with the sound of splashing water. After a few minutes, Arthur left the pool to prepare something in the kitchen, leaving the two women alone.
Without him there, Gwen cast a sidelong glance at Jean. She wanted to say something but didn't know how to start. Jean noticed immediately but, out of respect, didn't read her mind.
"What are you thinking about, Gwen?" Jean asked, swimming over and resting her hands on Gwen's shoulders in a reassuring gesture.
Gwen sighed.
"I was thinking about the girls Arthur left behind in that other world."
Jean raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"Eh?"
"You know… he practically abandoned that Selina right after spending the night with her. That was… kind of a jerk move."
Jean opened her mouth to reply but thought better of it.
"At least he showed us some pictures of them… and, well, I can't deny they're beautiful."
"Yeah…" Jean agreed with a faint smile.
Silence lingered for a few seconds until Gwen broke it with an unexpected question:
"Jean… don't you ever feel… tired?"
"Tired…?" Jean looked confused for a moment, then understood.
"Oh! You mean… our nightlife."
"Exactly," Gwen said seriously.
"He's always teasing us… and neither of us can beat him one-on-one. So…"
Jean's eyes widened.
"So…?"
"So we should go two-on-one."
If Arthur had been there, he probably would have choked on his own saliva. It was exactly the idea he'd had for ages—he just never found the right moment to suggest it. Hearing it come from Gwen was… surreal.
Jean's face turned red.
"Gwen… are you suggesting a threesome?"
"Exactly. Or he's going to end up breaking me at some point."
Her expression was so serious that anyone would think she was talking about combat. Honestly, the comparison wasn't too far off.
Jean hesitated, but when she thought about the countless times she had been the first to give in, something else stirred in her chest—something competitive. She looked at Gwen with determination.
"Okay. Tonight, the two of us will—"
Before she could finish, Arthur appeared at the pool's edge, smiling.
"What are you two talking about? Ready to try an authentic Themysciran dish?"
The two women exchanged glances… and smiled. Moving in perfect sync, they climbed out of the water and together shoved Arthur into the pool. Gwen even sat on him, laughing.
"Arthur… tonight, you're the one who's going to surrender to both of us."
---
(End of chapter)
I almost forgot about the bonus for reaching 100 power stones.
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."