Marvel: As Security Guard

After taking a few gulps of drink, Shane finally joined Natalie on the dance floor, responding to her enthusiastic invitation.

As he watched Natalie playfully flirting in front of him, the intentional yet casual touches of their bodies as she turned made Shane start to feel a bit hot under the collar.

What a siren!

However, it was precisely because of Natalie's seductive dance moves that several men with ill intentions gradually gathered around them.

One of the men, an older tall guy, sized up Shane and felt he could easily handle him. So, he confidently moved forward, preparing to make unwanted advances on Natalie.

Natalie, with her back to Shane, smirked. Yeah, this was just right. And so, the show began.

Just as the man reached out, Natalie angrily slapped him and quickly stepped behind Shane.

The slapped man froze, staring at his outstretched hand. "What the hell? I didn't even touch her!"

He looked up and saw Natalie tightly pressed against Shane, looking pitiful as she clung to him. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, and he threw a punch at Shane.

'Hey, bro, are you out of your mind? She hits you, so hit her. Why are you hitting me?!'

Shane sighed as he saw the punch slowly coming toward him. He knew it: the saying "beauty brings disaster" wasn't without reason.

A few minutes later.

The passionate music and lights in the bar continued, and the crowd surrounding the dance floor still had no idea what had happened, continuing to move their bodies to the beat.

Shane stood there, glancing down at the several men sprawled across the floor. "Did I hit them too hard? Did I kill them?"

After scanning the area and confirming they were all still breathing, Natalie rushed over to pull him away, looking convincingly shaken. After leaving the bar, Natalie, still somewhat nervous, held Shane's hand.

"Hahaha, that was so exciting! You're pretty impressive!" Natalie gazed at him with stars in her eyes.

"It was okay," Shane replied, gently squeezing her hand. Only then did Natalie seem a little shy, letting go of his hand.

By the time they returned to the apartment, Natalie was looking at Shane with almost molten eyes. She crossed her legs as she stood at the hallway entrance, tilting her head slightly and pointing toward her room, hinting, 'Want to come to my place for another drink?'

As Shane contemplated whether to spend a passionate night with her, the sound of a door opening suddenly came from behind.

"Shane~, you're back- Hey, who's this?"

Shane and Natalie turned around to see May, who had just opened the door, holding a bag of trash.

May had recently found out that a new neighbor had moved into the apartment, and it turned out to be someone who made all the men in the building unusually excited.

"Hello, I'm Natalie. I just moved in recently," Natalie said, sensing a hint of hostility in May's gaze, and took the initiative to introduce herself.

"Hi, I'm May." May also wore a fake mask before introducing herself. They then exchanged a brief handshake.

"What's going on here?" May asked, observing them both, sensing the telltale signs of a night out from their appearances.

"Turns out, Natalie is from Stark Group's Legal Department. What a coincidence, huh? We just had dinner together and then grabbed some drinks at the bar," Shane said, shrugging.

"Really? A coincidence?" May looked at Natalie in disbelief. Natalie's looks and figure were already striking, and now, with this new connection, May started to feel a little uneasy.

On the other hand, Natalie was also cursing her luck. With May's sudden arrival, Natalie felt uncomfortable continuing to invite Shane over. After a brief goodbye to both of them, she returned to her room.

Shane, listening to Natalie on the phone as she reported on her tasks, exchanged a few casual words with May before heading back to his own apartment.

May looked at the empty hallway after they left, glancing at both Natalie's and Shane's rooms. Holding her trash, she turned and went back to her home.

"Aunt May? Didn't you go take out the trash? Why are you bringing it back in?" Peter, who was getting a drink from the fridge, asked as he looked at the trash bag in May's hand, his mind full of questions.

"Have you finished your homework!? Go to bed already! Do you want to be late again tomorrow!?"

Peter looked at Aunt May, who had just unleashed a triple-question outburst before bolting into his room without another word. He had no idea what he said wrong this time.

---

The next morning, as Shane stepped out of his apartment, he ran into a barely-awake Peter and an expressionless May. He greeted them cheerfully.

"Hey~ Peter, hey~ May."

"Hey, Shane." That was Peter.

"..." That was May.

"Peter, hurry up, or you'll miss the school bus."

Without a change in expression, May grabbed Peter by the collar and started dragging him away.

"Uh… huh? Bye, Shane—" Peter barely managed to wave before realizing his feet were almost off the ground. Since when did Aunt May get this strong?!

"Bye~" Shane watched them leave, scratching his head in confusion. He had no idea what was going on.

---

Life as a security guard was uneventful. Shane stood at his post under the sun, lazily soaking up the warmth while feeling the energy flowing through his body. Nearby, he overheard a few Stark Industries employees whispering among themselves.

"Hey, did you hear? The board of directors is having a meeting today."

"So? You think you're gonna be a board member?"

"Screw you. I'm saying something big is happening. Don't you think the company's about to change?"

"Relax. It's got nothing to do with us low-level workers. We're still just corporate slaves, aren't we?"

---

"Obadiah, why did you bring that up!?"

Pepper had been holding back her emotions ever since leaving the conference room, but now, standing on the helipad, she finally couldn't contain her anger anymore.

"What else did you expect me to do? Did you not see the looks on those shareholders' faces? Tony's decision doesn't just hurt the company—it hurts their personal interests too. If I don't do something now, they'll unite against us, and then the company will truly fall apart," Obadiah explained, using the excuse he had prepared in advance.

Pepper understood that Obadiah had a point, but the fact that he was trying to push Tony out still felt like a massive betrayal.

And standing nearby, Shane witnessed the whole exchange.

"Hey, Pepper."

Obadiah, waiting for his helicopter, turned and frowned at the security guard who had the audacity to speak up. Him again?

"Hey, Shane…" Pepper responded half-heartedly. She wasn't in the mood to chat.

Obadiah, however, kept his eyes narrowed, studying Shane closely. He suddenly recalled the way Shane had smiled at him—so inexplicably—during the press conference.

'What the hell are you looking at, you old bald f*ck?'

Shane, seeing that Pepper wasn't interested in catching up, went back to enjoying his sunbathing. He completely ignored Obadiah's scrutinizing gaze.

"You're Pepper's friend, aren't you?"

Pepper suddenly remembered that she had told Obadiah something along those lines before—back when they had to keep Tony's rescue mission a secret. But she wasn't worried. Shane didn't get this job through connections; with his qualifications, he was more than competent for the role.

"Yes. He passed the company's hiring process and is now a member of the security department."

Obadiah shot Shane a dismissive glance and immediately lost interest. Once Tony was out of the picture and he had full control, he'd see if this guy still had anything to smirk about.

"Pepper, you have to understand—Howard and I built this company together. Do you really think I'd do anything to hurt Tony? I only made that proposal to temporarily appease the shareholders. You've seen the damage Tony's statements have done to the company. My hands are tied."

Obadiah played the emotional card again. He wasn't ready to turn on Tony just yet—he still had his sights set on the Arc Reactor.

Pepper's emotions gradually settled, and after a brief hesitation, she followed Obadiah onto the helicopter bound for Tony's mansion.