Primadonna Girl (Tony Stark) Chapter 1
A/N: The prologue wasn’t an absolute disaster! Huzzah! I’m so so excited for sassy Olivia, y’all don’t even know. It’ll be a long road for my (our?) dynamic duo, so buckle up, pals!
As well, I’ve been plugging away at this every so often, since it’s midterm season and I’ve got lots of projects going on, so I’m so very grateful for your patience!Â
Summary: Tony Stark grows up lonely. Ignored by a father who only wants to see improvement and who seems to remain eternally disappointed, he builds himself a protective shell and vows that no one will crack it. In 1991, it is a shock when his parents die in a car accident. The funeral is a small affair, and it is where he first meets the young, vivacious Olivia Lee-Walker, seven years his junior, utterly charming, and irresistible. She is an heiress with an intellect that matches his. They don’t see each other again until much later, in early 2008, when Olivia hosts a funeral for her own father as she steps into the role of CEO for her own company.Â
Based on Primadonna by Marina and the Diamonds
When Tony touches down in Miami, it is just after 10 am on January 2nd. J.A.R.V.I.S. had ordered a car to be at the airport at his time of arrival, and Happy, who traveled with him, opens the door for him before slipping into the driver’s seat.Â
He sits in silence on the way to Olivia’s home. He recalls what had come up when he’d looked into her before getting on the plane - because of course he’d looked into her. If she is serious about becoming business partners, he wants to know what her company even does.Â
And Tony is, despite everything, impressed with her. Olivia has unofficially been running the company for the last few years as her father’s health has been in decline. Her genius-level intellect has been instrumental in keeping the Walker Corporation from bankruptcy while she has been caring for her father in his last years. Now that she is becoming the true CEO of the company, it is only a formality.Â
Happy is pulling up when Tony pulls himself from his thoughts. Somehow, Olivia is standing at the front steps of her mansion (because it definitely is one) as Happy slows the car on the long driveway.Â
Tony gulps. He’s looked her up, and known her when she was much younger, but it’s different to see her in real life.Â
She’s gorgeous. She has her chestnut hair pinned up, and the rest flows halfway down her back in a tumble of waves. She’s a little bit pale, but her light grey eyes still sparkle with intelligence and mischief. Her lips are drawn in a perfect pink pout.Â
He gets out of the car, smoothing down his sports jacket and raising his red-tinted sunglasses to his hair, and notices her height. While her willowy limbs and stiletto heels make her seem tall, she can’t be more than five-foot-two.Â
He strides toward her and she meets him halfway, drawing him into an embrace. He inhales the scent of vanilla and cinnamon, but can’t help but notice her almost-unhealthy thinness, and silently resolves to make her eat a burger or two during his stay.Â
When they part, he can see her mouth has drawn up into a soft smile, and he forces himself to look her in the eyes. She’s not a conquest, he tells himself stubbornly. She’s a potential business partner.Â
“You’re earlier than expected,” she comments needlessly.Â
Tony smirks. “What can I say? I like to keep people on their toes.”
“Of course you do,” Olivia replies easily. She turns to Happy, still sitting in the car, and addresses him. “You’re welcome to park in the garage; it’s a little bit down the drive, just behind the house.”
Happy nods in acknowledgement, shifting the car into gear and driving off to park.Â
Olivia turns back to Tony. “And you’re staying with me, of course?”
It’s not really a question, but Tony easily acquiesces.Â
Olivia’s smile widens. “Excellent. Please follow me.”
She turns and the big doors open as she approaches them, sweeping into the grand entrance hall.Â
“You’ll be able to stay in the West Wing. My rooms are in the North Wing, and please just call for Louisa if you need anything.”
Tony stares at the grandeur of her home. It’s still just as opulent as his mansion in Malibu, but it’s much less modern - Olivia’s home is much more classically designed, with its chandeliers and grand marble staircases. Then he catches up to what she’s just said. “Who’s Louisa?”
Olivia shoots a smirk at him. “She’s my artificial intelligence, of course. How could someone function without one?”
Tony grins. “One couldn’t, dear Olive.”
Her nose scrunches up. “Hm. Needs work, Mr. Stark.” As his grin widens, she calls to the A.I. she has just bragged about developing. “Darling?”
“Yes, Miss?” The disembodied voice is smooth and feminine, a slight accent that Tony can’t quite place, but thinks may be Scottish.Â
“Will you show Mr. Stark to his rooms please? You know the one.”
“Of course, Miss. I will inform Mr. Hogan of his room as well; he is making his way back up the drive.”
“Thanks, Lou. Also, will you let Anton know that we will be dining in the casual dining space this evening?”
“It is already done, Miss.”
“You’re wonderful, Louisa.”
Olivia turns to Tony, who has a broad grin on his face and one brow raised.Â
“What is it now?” she prompts, and he chuckles at her.
“Nothing, Olive,” he reassures her. “I just want to know how much you copied off of my algorithms for J.A.R.V.I.S., that’s all.”
“Oh, only the basics,” she promises, not even attempting to lie about it. Honesty is the best policy, after all. “Only the framework was necessary; the rest was all me. I didn’t want a J.A.R.V.I.S., after all. I find myself quite content with Louisa.”
“You flatter me, Miss,” Louisa comments, and Tony thinks that she seems very tickled for a mere AI.Â
Olivia laughs and waves him off. “Oh, go to your room and prepare for dinner. Mr. Hogan will be up soon, I suspect, with the bags. Amenities should be in the room Louisa shows you to.”
She turns on her high heel and moves to stride deeper into the house.Â
“Hey, Olive!” Tony calls after her, and she pauses for him.Â
“Yes, Mr. Stark?” She arches an eyebrow.Â
“Thanks for being so hospitable. I... know what it’s like.”
She smiles a little. “It’s a pleasure. And a surprise. I didn’t expect the illustrious playboy Mr. Stark to be so sweet.”
Tony almost chokes. “Sweet?! Olive, darling, you clearly haven’t spent enough time with me. And don’t be so formal - we’re going to be business partners - Tony is fine. In fact, I prefer it. Mr. Stark was Howard, after all.”
Olivia nods. “Of course. See you at dinner.”
Tony lingered there in the entrance hall for a few minutes, before he was surprised by another voice.Â
“Mr. Stark? Your room is right this way.”
He claps his hands together. “Right, right. Lead the way, lovely.”
Lights up the stairs become a little brighter, and he dutifully climbs them to follow the pathway Louisa sets out for him, leading him to a pair of double doors at the end of the hallway that must be Olivia’s West Wing. They’re wide and glamorous, and open by themselves just as Tony arrives at the doors.Â
The room is massive. It’s got dark, polished hardwood floors and a steel-toned shag carpet is laid beneath the monochrome four-poster bed. Silver curtains frame the many windows that provide natural light, but there is still a smaller crystal chandelier hanging from the centre of the room. A wardrobe and set of drawers line one side, and a desk lines the other. Two single doors are paired together on one wall, likely leading to a walk-in closet and just as considerable bathroom. He takes a peek inside one of them and is proven correct: the bathroom is done in black and white swirling marble, fluffy dark blue towels hanging from silver bars.Â
He retreats to the room and reclines across a perfectly clean ivory chaise. It’s a beautiful soft leather, and he pulls a tablet from his sports jacket so he can send Pepper a text about buying one for his lab in Malibu.Â
A knock sounds on the double doors of the guest room. “It’s Happy. Your bags are just outside the door.”
“Thanks, Hap!” Tony calls, getting up from the chaise, and when he opens the doors to drag his bags inside, Happy is entering a barely-smaller room across the hall.Â
Once he situates himself, Tony flops back on the bed. It’s only about eleven now, and dinner won’t be until much later.Â
“What is there to do around here?”
Oh my god this is so exciting; I have a tag list now! Hopefully this works.Â
dailybridgerton
kianamaiart
yousharknotpass