"If I don't pay you a salary, then it doesn't count as working for me, right?"
Homelander laughed at that.
"Hah? Dream on, Mr. Stars and Stripes."
Tony dramatically spread his hands, nearly knocking over the iced coffee in front of him. "You want me, Tony Stark, to work for Vought for free? My time is billed by the second. Even if I'm doing charity work, I still need naming rights."
"Of course, you can refuse."
Homelander shrugged, picked up the tablet on the table, and opened the public relations assessment report on the "Avengers Rampage Incident."
"However, given your 'outstanding performance' over the past forty-eight hours—including, but not limited to, trying to turn Manhattan into ruins with a large number of missiles and rockets, as well as illegally feeding the Hulk unauthorized drugs—the federal government and the Security Council are taking a very hard line now."
Homelander swiped his phone and projected a document onto the wall.
"They're demanding mandatory psychiatric and psychological evaluations for you. The process will take at least three months."
"Three months?" Tony raised his brows and widened his eyes. "Sorry, I don't have time. I still need to go to Saint-Tropez for a yacht party..."
"You're not going anywhere, Tony." Homelander cut him off, his tone calm but indisputable. "You need to give the public an explanation. Prove that your brain has completely broken free from that Asgardian Enchantress's control. Prove that you won't suddenly start firing repulsor blasts at innocent pedestrians in the street."
"And..." Homelander paused, his eyes glinting. "You can't eat and stay here for free, either."
"So?" Tony narrowed his eyes warily.
"So, you need to work." Homelander spread his hands. "You need to provide Vought with technical support. Comprehensive technical support."
"Of course, for free," he added.
"This is