ablaze

Chapter 2

"No no wait, hear me out!" I huff, following behind my annoying ass brother...who was technically my cousin...but actually completely unrelated to me.

"Whatever it is, I know it's going to be stupid. Last time I stopped it was about using the S.H.I.E.L.D database to pre-purchase concert tickets before the general public, and the time before that was you wanting to buy the Hohenzollern castle to wear ball gowns and "run through the halls."'

I grab Tony's arm and tug him back; "Oi, the castle was a genuine request. It'd feed my dark royalty aesthetic very much...something I can't get in this stupid high-tech building!"

Tony lets out an exasperated sigh and flicks my forehead, "wake up to reality Yrsa, nothing ever goes as planned in this accursed world."

Did he just...my in-pain forehead wasn't even as big of a concern to me right now as Tony quoting Naruto was. When did he even get the time to watch it?!

"Hold on you told me you didn't have time to watch Naruto with me and isn't it do-able for you? You're Tony Stark after all!"

"It's truly a shock that you're a Stark. I probably got the brain cells you lost. It's in Germany, that's foreign land. Pick something in America," he explains and continues walking, taking his phone out to start texting. "And I made the time. All those board meetings are boring so I watched it then."

How the hell is he a multi-billionaire....

"First of all, I was adopted. We don't even share a parent so that's not possible," I correct, "and America is boring...."

"Try being around someone who constantly praises it since it's his entire hero personality...freaking alarm is the Star Spangled Banner..." Tony complains under his breath, most probably referring to Steve; "anyways, I'm off; Point Break wanted to meet up to talk about something."

I jog up to Tony and grab his arm again, "invite him to dinner! It's been so long since I've seen him! He's always busy with Asgard or doing things for Fury."

From all the avengers, Thor was the one I got along with the most. At first I didn't understand why everyone seemed to fall head over heels for him but after a few meetings I understood. He was just one of those people that lit up everyone's lives. A genuine person—that's also stupid—with a pure heart. He was also easy to mess around with due to his lack of Earth knowledge....

"Finish my article and I'll think about it," he responds, flicking my forehead.

My eyebrows furrow from glaring as my mouth twists into a scowl, I hated that stupid flicking habit...

"My deadline is in three weeks."

"But the product launch is next week. That two week time gap will allow enough opposition to release their articles to change the flow of the public to their favor. Not to mention your standing and your words hold good power. 'Phantom Writer', that's what the blogs call you, right? If your article is released first, then more people will support then oppose because they're exposed to your information first.

Not to mention the serial-position effect also pulls through. The first and last things are usually remembered; in the media there is no last article, paper, word, so you have to strive to be the first. If your article—which is in Stark favor—is out first, it'll be remembered. Articles that come out after, whether they're opposition or support, won't be unless it's another big shot."

Scoffing, I flick his forehead back; "don't lecture me on my own field know-it-all! A good work isn't just pulled out of the creator's ass, it takes time and research. I simply have the advantage of getting early access so I get my data faster.

If I write something under a week about a company so huge and intricate then it's obvious there's a connection between you and I which could lead to my real identity being figured out. My pen name separates my work-self and actual self so I have to pretend I'm just like any other writer who has to follow the process.

You've hired 'Morrigan Drawd' not Yrsa Stark; and Morrigan is a big shot so it doesn't matter when I release it, it'll have it's fair impact"

I could see where he was coming from, but the risk of being found out was greater than the benefits of having the first release. In my field of work, I'm known as a freelance writer who gets hired by big shots to write articles in their favor.

Sure there are rumors that come with it, my favorite being that I'm actually some rich couple's child who gets customers through my high society parents; but the reality is that I wrote a few in favor of Stark Industries which got me requests from other companies as well.

Tony purses his lips as we maintain eye contact, a visual battle to see who'll back down first; "alright fine. But I want to see the draft when I come back."

With a firm nod, I turn on my heel and head to the sofa, not bothering to see Tony out. Did I have the draft ready? Absolutely not. Procrastinating but always getting stuff done before the deadline was a terrible habit but Tony didn't have to know that.

"Jarvis, play my music," I say out loud, pulling my laptop onto my lap. Getting into work mode requires good music along with it.

"Which playlist would you like? Your recent ones include: Dancing with the Ghost of your Dead Lover, Waltzing with Death, and You Marry the Villain to Save Your Kingdom," Jarvis lists.

Every playlist was so valid. But if I chose one of them then I'd end up daydreaming about cascading down the palace steps to hold the hand of the hot morally-gray prince with ebony hair as we end up waltzing around the ballroom whilst shooting daggers into the other's eyes but also fighting against our growing feelings for the other.

"Uh...none of them. Play the one hour loop of Hisoka's theme," I tell him. I remember I had once read a comment on social media claiming that playing his theme helped to get your work done faster. I had tried it out as a joke...but it wasn't a joke anymore...

The music starts and I crack my knuckles, giving my arms a good stretch afterwards to warm up; "alright Morrigan....."
———
Guys I'm like so tired. You'd think having 4 classes where only 2 are major related would give me time to relax but no...ya girl is on a few hours of sleep and 2 cups of coffee. If there's grammar or spelling mistakes im sorry, I'm dozing off even as I write this. Also, It's baffling how much work professors assign, acting like I don't have other assignments to do as well 😭😭😭 Anywaysssss you'd think one of the MAIN characters would be introduced in the beginning but man's does not show up for awhiiillleeee. I know y'all will love him tho (his visuals are a mix of Riftan from "Under the Oak Tree" and Fredrick from "Serena"; if you can't tell I also have a thing for tan characters). Also also the Hisoka thing works.....I managed to once complete a 5 page paper in an hour bc of it.... Ahem- Uh- That's all for now 😮‍💨♥️ gotta go back to doing hw 🫠