Henry had already reached the exit, his voice carrying from ahead.
"Let's go. Happy should be waiting for us downstairs."
Tony followed close behind, flanking the still-pouting Pepper and the ever-calm Natasha.
Natasha exchanged a subtle glance with Coulson before quietly leaving.
She had no words—after all, Tony was right. And she did think Nick Fury's shiny bald head was a little too conspicuous. Maybe a wig and a jersey would turn him from a reflective dome into a Los Angeles insider.
Escorted by a group of security, they quickly passed down the long corridor and reached the underground parking lot.
A black Audi A8 was already waiting, Happy's round, anxious face etched with concern.
"Bosses, finally!" he exclaimed, rushing up as soon as he saw them.
"I was just in the car listening to the broadcast—you guys…"
"I know, we looked awesome, didn't we?" Tony cut him off, naturally opening the rear doors for Pepper and Natasha.
"Now, don't act like a girl freaking out, Happy. Drive us home. I'm starving—I need a double cheeseburger to make up for all the energy I spent thinking too hard."
They all got into the car.
The Audi growled low, weaving expertly through traffic and shaking off any potential tails, merging into the glittering sea of Los Angeles cars.
Inside, the atmosphere was a bit tense.
Pepper still wore a stern expression, glaring at the two carefree men in the front seats.
Tony, as nonchalant as ever, tapped the steering wheel in time with the rock music playing from the car stereo, chatting casually with Henry.
"Honestly, Henry, your 'I am Superman' line lacked any oomph. You should've learned from me—build the tension, then explode with the declaration. That's how you make an impact. Right now, you looked like someone mumbling in his sleep."
"Oh? Really?" Henry glanced at him in the rearview mirror, returning the jibe without restraint.
"And you? That pose at the end—like a host trying to pitch a new product. Tony, are you secretly advertising our Arc Reactor?"
"That's called confidence! The aura of a king! You wouldn't understand, you brute-force Neanderthal!"
"That's called subtlety! Mystery! Unlike you, a narcissist who can't stop advertising 'I'm a genius' on his face!"
Pepper, hearing their increasingly absurd banter, finally lost her patience.
"Can you two talk about something serious?!" she snapped.
"What do we do now?! The whole world knows you're Iron Man and Superman! What about the government? The military? And the board of directors—I bet my phone has been blowing up non-stop!"
"Simple," Henry said lazily.
"Government? Let them come talk to me. Military? Let them talk to Tony. As for the board…" He paused, casually adding, "Tell them to shove it. If they're not satisfied, they can resign. When did Stark Industries ever need their advice?"
Pepper froze.
She realized she actually had little to worry about.
Because if the sky fell, these two had it covered.
"Alright," she sighed helplessly, feeling like her punch landed on cotton.
"So, where now? Home?"
"Of course home," Tony said matter-of-factly.
"And then a huge party to celebrate the official launch of our superhero careers! I'm inviting every Victoria's Secret model! The DJ has to be top-tier! Music cranked to max! Let all of Los Angeles hear our triumphant return!"
Pepper took a deep breath but said nothing.
Natasha remained expressionless, realizing she could never fully integrate with this group.
Her sense of humor was too limited; she cursed herself for not watching more comedies, maybe that one with Robert Downey Jr. in Chaplin.
"Your taste is still so mundane," Henry remarked, smirking.
"But speaking of parties, first, where's the burger you promised me last time?" Tony suddenly remembered.
"Burger? Again?" Henry rolled his eyes.
"Tony, my dear brother, can you aim higher? We just completed a world-changing feat. If we must eat, it should be a fine wine with a grand feast to cleanse our souls, not high-calorie junk food!"
"I want a burger," Tony said stubbornly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Superman's fist included?" Henry deadpanned.
"Fine, fine, you win," Tony sighed, giving up.
In the back seat, Natasha watched quietly and exchanged a glance with Pepper, both seeing the same helplessness.
Tony suddenly looked at Henry and winked.
"Oh right, you've got a date tonight. Still going to the party? Surely the whole city's women want to meet the legendary Superman now."
Henry leaned back, glancing at Natasha who pretended not to hear, thinking of Helen Cho waiting for him, a playful smile curling his lips.
"Not going. You already said I have a date tonight."
Tony chuckled, teasing, "Wow, Henry, you move faster than my cars get upgraded."
"Can't help it," Henry shrugged, wearing a mock helpless expression.
"Charm like this can't be hidden. Unlike some people who need parties to get attention."
"Hey! That's called enjoying life!" Tony immediately protested.
Pepper felt a throbbing in her head as she listened to their bickering.
She weakly instructed Happy, "Take Tony back to the Malibu villa. Then drop me at the office. I'll probably have to work all night again."
"And you?" she glanced at Henry.
"You're really going on a date? Do you realize the chaos you'd cause if you went out right now?"
"Relax, Pepper," Henry winked, "I've got my own car."
The car fell silent for a moment. Natasha's mind began whirring.
The Stark brothers—celebrated geniuses and playboys—were far more complex and dangerous than the dossiers described.
Tony Stark seemed impulsive, arrogant, and carefree—but beneath it, his mind held obsessive responsibility.
His public declaration as Iron Man might have seemed spontaneous, but Natasha sensed it was a calculated move.
Henry Stark, on the other hand, was even more inscrutable.
Powerful yet playful, his mouth always filled with trash talk that could infuriate anyone.
Yet his eyes were a deep, bottomless lake—calm, sharp, seemingly capable of seeing everything.
Especially his words to Coulson earlier:
"S.H.I.E.L.D. is one of the legacies left by my father, Howard Stark."
The information embedded in that statement was staggering.
He knew about S.H.I.E.L.D., Director Fury, and even its origins.
It was both a warning and a declaration of ownership.
Natasha realized that this time, Fury might have truly met his match.
These two were not assets to be controlled or exploited.
They were independent forces capable of reshaping the world order.
She resolved that when she reported today's events back to Fury, she would relay everything verbatim.
And at the end of her report, she would include her own assessment:
"As for the Avengers Initiative, I recommend upgrading the Stark brothers' evaluation from potential recruits to top strategic partners."
Though she suspected that Fury would inevitably classify them as the highest-level threat instead.
***
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