Aaliyah Aviva Cohen is Tony Stark's best friend, their dads worked together on the Super Soldier program in WW2 and their mother's were nurses, that's how Tony and Aaliyah's parents first met.
Tony Stark x OC (Aaliyah Cohen)
Started: 02/06/2024 (Jun...
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BERN, SWITZERLAND. 2001 NEW YEAR'S EVE
Twenty one year old Aaliyah Cohen was sitting at the bar taking a sip of her scotch when someone came up behind her, grabbing her shoulders causing her to elbow whoever it was. "Ow, Liyah!" a highly drunk Tony exclaimed.
Aaliyah stood up and faced her friend. "Tones, it's called karma, you abandoned me the second you entered the party." she said crossing her arms over her chest, she saw there was a brunette standing beside Tony.
"Why am I surprised?" Aaliyah drawled glaring at Tony, why did most of the women he have one night stands with be brunette's, that's what confused Aaliyah the most. "Liyah, this is Maya Hansen." said Tony.
Maya, the woman beside Tony locked eyes with Aaliyah, who offered a warm smile and shook the woman's hand. "You attended MIT, I've read some of your work." Aaliyah said, Maya smiled tightly. "Why does he call you Liyah?" Maya asked, for once it was a question that didn't involve if the two were in a relationship or de factos at the very least.
"It's his personal nickname for me, I never knew why and I doubt that I will, he likes to keep things to himself, now if you don't mind, I think I'll retire to my room." said Aaliyah to Maya who nodded, she didn't need to say good evening to Tony, there was no point he wouldn't even notice she'd disappeared until later.
"Aaliyah, you know there's only one lift." said Happy, Aaliyah winced as she clambered into the lift with Tony and several other people, when someone else managed to get through. "Aaliyah, Tony." the voice said.
Causing the the pair to turn around a short blond man with a bit of a hunch to his back stood beside them, a nervous smile on his lips, Aaliyah shook the man's hand. "Uh, hello?" Tony questioned.
"Aldrich Killian! I'm a big fan of your work, your designs are amazing" he directed that to Aaliyah, who smiled slightly. "Why does everyone like her more than me?" whined Tony. "Shut up, you like her more than anyone else, hell you love her, why don't you tell her?" Happy hissed into Tony's ear who waved him off.
"You're great too," Aldrich turned towards Maya after speaking to Tony nonchalantly, causing Aaliyah to chuckle. "Ms. Hansen, my organization has been following your research since year two of MIT."
"Which floor you going to?" Happy asked, slightly annoyed at Tony and Aldrich at the same time, Tony for not telling Aaliyah that he's in love with her and at Aldrich for making his way into the lift.
"Oh, now, that is an appropriate question. The ground floor, actually. I've got a proposal I'm putting together with myself. It's a privately-funded think tank called, Advanced Idea Mechanics." said Aldrich, he held out two cards to Aaliyah and Tony. "She'll take them both." said Tony waving to Aaliyah.
"Okay." said Aaliyah grabbing the two cards while evil eyeing Tony, it was times like this she wondered how Maria had stayed married to Howard but then remembered he changed his ways for his wife.
"One to throw away and one not to call." said Tony nonchalantly, "Advanced Idea Mechanics," Aldrich reiterated, not seeming to care for Tony's constant comments belittling him. "AIM for short, actually."
Aaliyah sighed sadly for Aldrich and the way Tony was treating him, her father, Adam had often told Aaliyah of the way Howard was before he met Maria, Maria, his wife had changed him but then Tony came along and Howard became emotionally distant, reasons that Adam wouldn't reveal and reasons Dalia and Maria knew the answers to, it had something to do with Howard's father.
The lift doors dinged open as Happy stepped out. "Ladies, follow the mullet." Tony said as everyone to exit together. "Thank you, I'll call you." said Maya to Aldrich as she stepped out the lift. Tony stops Aldrich from leaving by placing his arm in front of him.
"I'm titillated by the notion of working with you." Aaliyah wanted to open her mouth but Tony waved her off, miffed at the rudeness slipped under Tony's arm and went to the stairs that headed to the roof wanting air.
Aaliyah knew Aldrich didn't notice her as he stood on the roof walking towards the edge. "If you get any closer, you're gonna fall off." she said, causing Aldrich to turn around. "Did he send you up here?" Aldrich asked.
"No, I came up for air and the city looks really pretty from above." said Aaliyah leaning on the rail. "I'm sorry about him, he's his father's son through and through but I don't know whether Howard would've done that to you." Aaliyah glanced at Aldrich, he was staring at the world below.
Because he wasn't focused Aaliyah managed to sneak off to her own room, she laid down on her bed at the fireworks went off signaling the start of the new year, 2002 and Tony Stark was breaking her heart without him even knowing it.
