Chapter Text
“Let’s just get this over with, Fury. Why are we all here?” Tony complained, slumping down onto his chair tiredly. “I have, like, a bajillion things to do.”
Bruce looked slightly amused, while Steve furrowed his brows. Natasha rolled her eyes at his dramatics. “You handed the reins of Stark Industries to Pepper. What could possibly be so important?” she pointed out. Tony opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by Fury, who was thoroughly done with all their squabbling.
“You’re all here because I want to introduce you to the new manager of the Avengers,” he said, taking his seat at the head of the table, getting straight to business.
“We don’t need one,” Tony protested. “Pepper will do just fine.”
“Unless you want Pepper Potts to be very overworked, I suggest you keep that suggestion to yourself,” said Fury, glaring at the billionaire. “Potts is already CEO of your company, Stark. She can’t babysit the six of you twenty-four-seven.”
“We don’t need to be babysat!” objected Clint. “We can manage on our own just fine.”
At that, Natasha raised an eyebrow. “Don’t lie, Barton. Just yesterday, you almost burned down our kitchen while trying to operate a toaster,” she said, daring Clint to respond. “Stupid Stark and his future technology,” Clint muttered under his breath.
Unfortunately, Tony heard him. “I literally just added a voice command function, Barton. Still don’t know how that turned into a fire hazard,” he said. Clint just glared at him and pouted, smartly electing not to say anything more.
“Anyways,” Fury said, getting the team back on track. “As I’ve just said, you’ll be getting a manager.”
“Who’s up for the job?”Natasha asked. “Hill? May?” Fury shook his head. Natasha narrowed her eyes, studying his expression, hoping to find something that would give the answer away. She must have found what she was looking for, as suddenly, she leaned back and groaned.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You’re joking.”
“I’m not.”
Steve looked back and forth between the two, confused. “Umm… am I missing something?” he asked. Natasha neglected to answer him, instead choosing to bury her head in her hands and groaning. Clint, who also seemed to realise who they were going to be introduced to, looked terrified. The archer looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here, and seemed to be three seconds away from bolting.
“Ok. Back up, back up,” frowned Tony. “Why do Red and Katniss look like they were just told it’s the end of the world? And why does Katniss look like he just pissed his pants?”
Just then, a brunette woman walked through the doorway, the click-clack sound of her heels echoing across the room. Her hair was half-up, half-down, held together with a black bow that matched the one on the front of her blouse. Stopping at the end of the table and putting the files she was carrying down on the desk, she smoothed down her pencil skirt, unfazed by the curious gazes of half the people in the room.
“Everyone,” said Natasha with a sigh, resigning to fate. “Meet Briar Thornfield. Head of PR at SHIELD, half sweet, half savage, fully terrifying.”