Sliding Doors ⧨ Peter Parker

5 | Stark's Assistant

Y/N

_

Here I am, standing in front of a building most people would kill to be able to go into, yet I can't figure out how to move my legs.

Unlike those other people, I actually can go in, I'm just freaked out I'll screw up the second I do. I could see my timid reflection in the glass, my jeans cuffed and a crappy science t-shirt that read 'I lost an electron; are you positive?' in worn lettering.

Once again, unless I wanted to show up in a floor length ball gown, I had nothing professional to wear to this job. Note to self, go shopping.

Taking a deep breath, I swung open the glass doors and walked inside. I had been given a security badge the day before, which I had proudly clipped onto the loops of my jeans. Spotting Happy lingering by the elevators, I inched my way over to him.

"H-hey Happy!" I stuttered, my legs shaking with nervousness, "I'm here?"

"Are you?" He said, glancing at his watch, "or are you asking me a question?"

I winced, unaware that my apprehensiveness was affecting my grammar. The man nodded towards the elevator behind him, and pressed the button. The doors slid open almost instantly, and I followed him inside.

"Normally interns are in charge of coffee runs and small repairs," Happy explained, "but Tony wanted you to work directly with him."

"I-I'm sorry?"

"Why are you sorry?"

"No, I'm not sorry!" I fumbled, "I just wasn't sure I heard you correctly?"

"Listen, junior," he sighed, "it takes guts to work for Stark, and if you're not up for it, there are plenty of people that will happily take your spot."

"No, I'm full of guts," I said, clearing my throat, "I'm up for this."

"Good," Happy said, watching the doors slide open, "because we're here."

Stepping out of the elevator, my mouth dropped open when I saw where I was. Tony Stark's Laboratory. Machines were buzzing everywhere, lights blinking, and the smell of oil wafting through the air.

For an engineer, this was heaven.

"Follow me," the man said, snapping his fingers.

Pressing his hand to the door, it scanned his fingerprints before letting him in. I slipped past the security screen, hoping they didn't close on my face. Mr. Stark had his back turned to us, drilling a piece of metal onto one of his suit prototypes.

It was like he could sense our presence, because he set down his drill the moment we walked in.

"Kid," he said, wiping the grease off of his hands, "good, you're here."

"Yes sir," I nodded, trying my best to seem confident. I really wasn't confident at all, but Happy's warning scared the daylights out of me.

"Call me Tony," he yawned, "I don't care about politeness here, which you will find out sooner or later."

He picked something up from off of his workbench, before tossing it at me. Seeing it fly at my face, I widened my eyes and caught it wildly in my hands.

"Nice catch," he grinned, "can you tell me what that is?"

I stared at the object in my hands, it's cold exterior pressing into my palm. It was a sleek metal bracelet, the outline of a circle engraved on the top. Out of curiosity, I pressed down on the button, watching as a swarm of particles began to form around my hand. I let out a surprised yelp as it snaked around my wrist, before settling into a metal glove.

"Nano-technology..." I mumbled, dumbfounded, "how did you get this?"

"Picked it up in Wakanda, and made my own version."

"You went to Wakanda? What was it like?"

"No more questions," he said, popping a stick of gum into his mouth, "let's get to work."

"Yes sir- Mr. StArk," I stuttered, before regaining my composure, "Tony."

Taking the glove off of my hand, I set it down on the table. Stark began to swipe through his holo-screen, until he came across a blueprint similar to that of a football game.

"You see these circles?" He asked, pointing to the left side of the diagram, "those are the losers who decided to go renegade."

"Losers?"

"Yeah," he scoffed, "Steve Rogers and his team of criminals. They decided to form thier own team, isn't that just peachy?"

"I though Captain America was an Avenger-"

"Yes, not a thing anymore, don't use that word Melnitz."

"Melnitz? Isn't that a character from ghostbusters-"

"You talk a lot, kid," he pointed out, snapping the gum in his mouth, "don't."

I shut my mouth, watching the man continue. Just being in the same room as him was frightening, since the level he was at was a billion times greater than mine. And literally, he is a billionaire.

"So here's what we're going to do," he continued, "start our own team. But we're outnumbered, so what the hell are we going to do?"

"Recruit more people-"

"It was a rhetorical question. But yes, that's where you come into play. I took a look at your work, and you're smart, kid, but most importantly, you know him."

He tapped on the screen, and a spinning picture appeared. It was the boy from the train station.

"You," Tony said, pointing at me, "are going to figure out a way to get him on our team."

"But I don't know him-"

"Then figure out a way to," he smirked, "simple as that."