"So, when you guys do that undercover spy thing -- do you ever have to, like, pretend you're married?"

Natasha rolls her eyes.

"Why is our work of such interest to you, Stark? Especially outside your regular consulting hours?"

Tony isn't in the least defensive.

"I'm just asking because of those rings. They just kind of appeared. Can't blame a guy for noticing."

Natasha sighs, and makes a face as if he'd just pulled out a wisdom tooth by hand.

"Fine. Since you seem to care so much -- the rings are real. Clint and I got hitched yesterday. I'll scan and e-mail you the papers, if you'd like."

There aren't many people on this planet who have seen Tony Stark speechless. In fact, there is only one -- Pepper Potts. So when he stares at Natasha, his mouth open, the number has effectively doubled. Satisfied that her work here is done, Natasha turns on her heel and heads upstairs to join Clint, who is putting the final gloss on his mission prep.

She is still grinning when she walks into the JARVIS-proof room in her quarters that they use as an office.

"Guess what? I just made Stark believe that those rings were real. Nosy sonofabitch. Like I would disclose mission details to him just like that."

Something in Clint's face is off. For starters, he doesn't seem to be as amused as she had thought he would be.

"What? Something the matter?"

He stops staring at his smartphone screen.

"Houston, we have a problem."

"We do?"

Clint puts down the phone, leans back in his chair and runs both hands across his face.

"We do. Just had a note from Coulson. That guy, the one who did the fake wedding?"

Natasha frowns.

"Someone shoot him? Did he rat us out to Hydra?"

"Worse."

Clint gets up and heads over to the liquor cabinet. He comes back with two glasses and a half-empty bottle of Stolichnaya, and pours two sizeable portions.

"He was actually licensed to perform weddings."

He raises his glass.

"Have a drink, Mrs. Barton."



Edited 2014-09-14 07:43 pm (UTC)

Bwahahahahaha YES!!

Glad you liked! :-) I wasn't going to do another fake!married thing -- but what got to me was the "go!" ;-)

:snickers and giggles: Priceless.

Edited 2014-09-14 11:16 pm (UTC)

*bows* ;-)

:) This will get me through the week. Oh, it's brilliant! Ha! <3

It's like Natasha won two lotteries in a row -- made Stark speechless and married Clint! ;)