A MINUTE FROM HOME BUT SO FAR FROM IT

He knew it was coming but that still didn’t make it any easier to see Nick Fury’s name light up the screen. He contemplated letting it ring through until Fury gave up.

Who am I kidding? He’ll send Coulson barging in here before that.

“Yes, Anthony Edward Stark at your service.”

“That would be a first,” Nick said dryly, “I bet you think this whole situation is hilarious.”

“I am finding the humor in it. I won't deny you that.” His tone, no doubt, giving away his delight at irritating him.

A deep sigh followed with dead air.

“We need you to make a comment.” A beat. “We have press out there asking about you and your business. Anything at this point just to get them to focus on the actual result of this match.”

“Oh, don’t tempt me.”

“Forgive my poor choice of words but my point stands.” Shuffling over the phone before a muffled back and forth followed. “I need to know if you’re going to speak or not. Give me something to tell them.”

Ah. There it is, no doubt the PR department was hassling upper management to release a statement. The only reason Nick would even attempt to meddle in whatever was going on.

“No. Actually put me on speaker with Leslie so she can hear it too. Nooo.” A bit uncouth and unprofessional for his first month on the job but needs must. “You know as well as I do that the last thing we do is give in to these rabid dogs. They’re going to tear this apart with or without my input. I am withholding from making a statement.”

Silence followed before another sigh came through tinny and tired.

“Hear you loud and clear. Put Ward out front. He changed the whole game and he’s not gonna put his foot in his mouth.”

A muffled acceptance before Nick tuned back in.

“Thank you.”

“Ah no don’t thank me. This means you’re on your own with whatever shitshow comes up from this. Your mess, your problem Stark.”

“Yeah I figured.” Tony peeked out from the boots closet, to see a mass of people waiting in the hall. “See you tomorrow.”

“Can you at least organize that mess while you’re in there?”

Not bothering to dignify that with a response, Tony hung up. He glanced around the room and grimaced.

Hiding in a room while the press hounded the hall outside. This was not how he saw his first day on the pitch going.