The Next Day — Tony's Mansion
Roy arrived at Tony's Malibu mansion the following morning—
—or what remained of it.
The living room was half-destroyed from the Tony–Rhodey fight, furniture overturned, shattered glass everywhere. Roy stepped over a broken table and made his way into the lab.
Inside, Tony was hunched over holograms and the 3D Stark Expo model, muttering to himself while Jarvis projected data streams at high speed.
Roy simply leaned against the wall, quietly drinking his smoothie.
After a few minutes, Tony suddenly froze.
His eyes widened.
He had found it.
A new element.
He spun around, spotting Roy.
"HOW LONG have you been standing there?" Tony demanded.
Roy took another calm sip.
"Around the time you started working. And… congratulations on finding the new element."
Tony grinned. "Thanks, man."
Before Tony could say anything else, Jarvis interrupted:
"Sir, you have visitors."
Tony groaned. "It's too early for this…"
Roy and Tony walked to the living room.
Waiting there were a man in a black leather coat—stern, one eye hidden by an eyepatch—and Natalie Rushman, but now wearing a tactical suit.
Roy greeted her first.
"Good morning, Natalie."
She smiled weakly, eyes filled with a sadness Roy instantly understood—
She wanted to confess her feelings, but she had been exposed…
and now didn't know what to do.
The man stepped forward.
"Nick Fury. Director of S.H.I.E.L.D."
Tony blinked. "Shield? What the hell is that?"
Fury ignored him and pointed at Natalie.
"And this is Natasha Romanoff. Her real name. She's a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent… and she was assigned to observe you."
Tony stared at Natasha, betrayed.
"You're fired."
Roy blinked.
Even Natasha looked offended.
Fury sighed.
Nick, Natasha, Tony, and Roy sat in the living room.
Fury then turned to Tony.
"Your father, Howard Stark, was one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D."
Tony froze—completely shocked.
Then Fury slowly turned to Roy, narrowing his eye.
"And now… the bigger question."
"Who are YOU, Mr. Roy?"
Tony and Natasha both turned toward Roy as well.
Roy raised an eyebrow.
"My name is Roy."
Fury tapped his finger impatiently.
"That's not what I'm asking.
Every time S.H.I.E.L.D. tries to investigate you—government archives, royal family records, corporate databases… we get shut down.
Orders from multiple governments, corporations, and even a few… foreign realms."
Tony's jaw dropped.
Natasha was speechless.
"Who exactly are you?" Fury repeated.
Roy placed one finger to his lips.
"It's not time yet.
You'll understand in two or three months."
Fury stared for a few seconds, then finally sighed.
"…Fine. I'll take that answer for now."
He called Natasha, and both left.
But Natasha didn't walk out immediately.
She stepped closer to Roy, gripping her hands nervously.
"Do you… have anything to say to me?" she whispered.
"I lied to you. About who I am. About everything."
Roy gently flicked her forehead.
Then he leaned down and kissed her forehead.
In soft Russian, he whispered:
"I knew from the first moment.
You're an agent… but you were also a girl who wanted to feel normal around me.
I didn't mind."
Natasha's breath trembled.
A blush spread across her cheeks.
She kissed Roy on the cheek—soft, warm, lingering for just a moment.
"Спасибо…"
"…Thank you."
And she left, her heart beating faster than ever.