Starks Apprentice

Chapter 1

"You interrupt my reading one more time and I swear I'm going to start putting stickers on your suits"

Tony's light snickers sounded through the phone as I put my book down, leaning back into my sofa.

"I need you to come in, I have some new ideas about Underoos suit"

"Right now?"

"You're not busy" he was right, I wasn't. I let out a dramatic sigh, standing up with a stretch.

"I'll be there in ten"

"Great, don't forget your keys this time"

"I won't, bye" he hung up and I began gathering my things, shoving everything into a backpack, including my keys.

Sometimes Tony sent Happy to pick me up if it was late or dark but most of the time I walked to the Tower.

I could drive, having learnt over in England before I moved, but there was no point having a car in the middle of New York. Plus, I didn't go out much.

I began working with Tony about 5 months ago, after I won a competition at college for Graphic Design. The prize was that your work got sent to the one and only Pepper Potts and you got to have a session talking to her, which, let me tell you, was awesome.

Pepper was so lovely when we first met, having flown me over to America just to sit and talk, not only about my work but a possible future with the company. It'll always be one of the best days I ever had.

We arrived in America about 4 hours early and the security guard, Happy, was to escort me to wherever I wanted until I was needed for my appointment. I wasn't entirely sure where to go so I asked him if there were any quieter yet cool places to go, much to his pleasure.

Happy wasn't the type for large crowds, especially when looking after people, and I didn't want to make his job any harder than it already was.

The places we went to were as beautiful as they were interesting, he took us to the Smithsonian and a really cool theatre which was a library. It was truly magical.

When the time came to meet Pepper, I was practically buzzing, of course I was nervous, but I figured with the day I had had, there was no point festering with nerves.

She was an absolute gem, really friendly and nice, even laughed at some of the pictures I had taken of Happy throughout the day, which perked the interest of Tony.

I had found out later that he watched us through the security feed, which I let him know was incredibly creepy, although I am now happy, he did, because otherwise I wouldn't be where I was today.

After Tony came up and introduced himself, the three of us talked for a long while, about next steps and opportunities I had at the tower.

Tony had offered me a sort of internship/ apprenticeship to help with designs in the building, and the possibility of one day helping to design the suits of the team.

It was the deal of a lifetime.

But a few things were in the way, for instance, living situation. I had grown up in a small town in the west of England, and I couldn't exactly fly back and forth each time I was needed so Tony suggested the idea of an apartment, one that he would pay for. Pepper had taken the initiative to mention my parents and asking them first, rather than just springing the idea on me.

And so, Tony showed me around for the best part of an hour whilst she cleared his schedule so they could fly back to England with me to discuss everything with my parents.

I was all for the idea, being the oldest of two I was pretty independent and had been ready to break into my own life for a while. America had never really been on my list but now I couldn't think of anything else, the city was a bit intimidating, but I knew it would grow on me eventually.