Three days later—
A gathering of scientists.
"Leon!" The moment Leon Ragnell stepped in, Dr. Ho Yinsen spotted him and came over with a warm greeting.
"Dr. Yinsen, great to see you," Leon said with a slight smile. "You're here for the conference too?"
"Yes. With Stark Industries pivoting, I'm assisting Mr. Stark," Yinsen said. "Leon, I have to say—your paper was superb. It inspired me greatly."
"My paper?" Leon rubbed his temple. "What paper?"
"Mine," Tony Stark said, walking over with a glass and handing Leon another. He grinned. "I compiled our discussion into a paper and got it published through MIT. Leon, you're a genius—and the world should see it."
"Well then, thank you kindly," Leon said, not fussed.
Tony added, still smiling, "Also got a doctorate lined up for you. From today, you're Dr. Leon."
"Wait, seriously?" Leon blinked. "Capitalism just… does that?"
A complete ghost with no official records, never set foot in a classroom—and Tony could conjure up a PhD?
Forget it…
This was the Marvel world. Don't take everything too literally.
Tony treated Leon with genuine respect. First, the man had saved his life. Second, his power was undeniable. Third, his knowledge—so broad even Tony was impressed.
Tony made the rounds, introducing Leon to the scientists one by one.
Leon's attention snagged on a researcher named Dr. Helen Cho.
In his memory, she shows up in the Avengers era—once quipping that Tony's original armor line was clunky and due to be obsolete, then forecasting that nanotech was the future… which Tony later proved out. She also pioneered the Regeneration Cradle.
Frankly, she also stood out because—well—she was easy on the eyes.
"Dr. Cho," Leon said pleasantly, "Mr. Stark's just set me up with a lab. I'm planning to run some research there. Would you be interested?"
Helen glanced at Tony.
Tony beamed. "Right—did you see the MIT paper? Leon's the most encyclopedic scientist I've ever met."
"If timing works, I'll consider it," Helen said with a cordial smile.
Leon didn't press the point.
He turned—only to collide with someone soft.
Very soft. Very… plush.
"Oh—sorry!" a woman's voice murmured by his ear.
Leon looked down.
A pale spill of neckline. Bright, immaculate.
"No problem," Leon said, recognizing her at a glance.
Black Widow…
In an instant he knew this wasn't random. S.H.I.E.L.D. had eyes on him.
They'd sent their best to get close.
The innocent act was part of the play.
"Sir, your jacket's wet," Natasha Romanoff said gently. "Would you like a change?"
"I'll head back to my room to switch," Leon said.
"Mind if I walk you?" Natasha offered with a smile.
Leon nodded. "Sure."
She slipped her arm through his, and they headed off, chatting along the way.
She probed—subtly. Clearly, S.H.I.E.L.D. had tried to map Leon's tastes. The problem? For days he'd barely left his place.
He trained. He ate. He slept. Routines so disciplined they bordered on ascetic.
If Tony dropped by, Leon talked tech. That was it.
None of which…
…Natasha could meaningfully follow.
So, with rare alone time secured, she gently tested for preferences.
Inside the room, Natasha turned proactive—helping Leon with his jacket. In her palm, a tiny sample-extraction patch waited; a light nick of a fingernail would lift a cell sample, leaving nothing more than a fleeting, mosquito-bite tingle.
She moved—
And Leon's hands closed over hers, firm.
Too firm to slip.
He locked eyes with her. "What's your name?"
"Natasha," she said—heat coloring her cheeks under that steady, scorching presence.
"Then, Natasha—do you like me?" Leon asked.
"I… I…" At this point, "no" wasn't an option. She bit her lip, acting shy. "Y-yes."
Leon didn't stand on ceremony. He scooped her up and set her on the bed. "Since you like me, I won't be shy either."
The lights fell to a soft glow. Breath mingled with breath; the hunter's honey trap twisted into something far less certain—for the hunter. What began as an operation settled, instead, into a quietly mutual, decidedly adult understanding.
(We fade the details here—both are grown, both consenting, and the night speaks for itself.)
(End of Chapter)
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