A HEART THAT THAWS
Summary : Whichever way you looked at it, one thing was for sure; it had not gone how you had planned. Granted it hadn’t been the best plan to begin with. Initially you thought you’d rock up to the Avengers compound, enlist their help to bring down the evil organization and then go, “Also I’m your daughter from a one-night stand you probably forgot about.” Yeah, that would have turned out great. Totally wouldn’t have been disastrous at all.
Pairing: TONY STARK x DAUGHTER READER
CHAPTER I
Meet the parent
You stood outside the doors of the giant facility and stared up its length right to top where the giant AVENGERS sign stared right back at you. Taking a deep you marched through lobby up to the front desk. A woman, pretty and blond, stood behind it and lifted a finger at you signalling for you to wait while she finished her call. You played with the handle of your satchel draped across your chest and bounced back and forth on the balls of your feet, your eyes fleeting across every person and surface of the lobby. It was very clean and futuristic, cold almost clinical, exactly how you imagined a high tec science facility would be.
“Hi, welcome to the Avengers compound how can I help you,” the blonde asked drawing your attention back to her now that she’d ended the call.
“Hello, I’m here to see Tony Stark.”
The probably plastic smile on her face (it was way too early on a Monday morning for anyone to be ‘not grumpy’) faltered and her grey eyes scanned you up and down, probably wondering what business a seventeen-year-old would have with the most well-known high-profile billionaire in New York, America and possibly the world.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No.”
“Then I’m sorry. Mister Stark is very busy and I’m afraid I can’t let you see him without an appointment,” she said, feigning a sympathetic look.
“Do you know when he’ll be free,” your voice was slightly strained and clipped. Katherine, you noted from her name tag, was starting to get on your nerves.
“No, I don’t handle his schedule,” she replied shortly, like it was something you should already know.
“Well, I’d really appreciate it if you talked to someone who does and find out for me.” She opened her mouth, probably to say something to deter you from your goal so you interrupted her before she could. “I’ll just wait over there.” And you walked over to the waiting area and took a seat before she could get another word out. You sighed and took your phone out of your satchel. You were going to be here for hours. Oh well, at least the chairs weren’t too uncomfortable and the WIFI was free.
_________________________
You’d been right. It was now after three in the afternoon and you’d been here since eight. Your phone was dead and even though the chairs were more comfortable than you’d expected from a waiting room your butt was getting sore. At least you had the sense to buy yourself some lunch and pack a snack and a book to keep you occupied this morning. Katherine had tried to get you to leave a couple times saying Mister Stark will be busy all day. To which you had replied, “Listen Katherine, can I call you Katherine, I have a very delicate, very urgent, matter that I need to discuss with Mister Stark. I can not leave here until I have talked to him.” You’d hoped that the desperation in your eyes conveyed the urgency of the matter and apparently it had because she came back half an hour later (Mister Stark will see you now) and escorted you to the elevator and up to the higher floors
It suddenly became harder to breath like all the air in the elevator had been sucked out by a vacuum. It was when you were five years old and your teacher told your class to make Father’s Day cards that you began questioning, you went home that day and asked your mother about him. She’d brushed you off, told you it wasn’t important and that you should ask her again when she wasn’t busy. Except she’d said it a lot less kindly. Wounded you walked away and only found the courage to ask again when you were thirteen. With tears in your eyes, sobs racking your body she’d had mercy and told you the truth. He hadn’t cared. He hadn’t wanted you and they’d both agreed to part ways and for him to not be part of your lives. She’d said it had been for the best.
Ever since then you had dreamt about this moment. What it would be like when you finally got to meet him. Where you would meet him. Would the connection be instant, like that missing piece of a puzzle slotting into place? Would he look at you and know instantly that it had been a mistake to walk away from you all those years ago? Take you into his arms and apologize for ever making you feel like you weren’t worth enough to stick around for? Or would he be reaffirmed in his decision to leave? Glad he got out while he still could? Look at you with distain or pity and then turn away from you once again?
Your mind was reeling, running almost as fast as Katherine’s brisk walk down the hall. You wished she would slow down, it would slow down. Give you a chance to catch your breath, change your mind, walk away and preserve your normalcy. You needed more time. You weren’t ready to have a life altering moment. You didn’t look the part. You should have worn a dress, something more formal than your white graphic tee and black tennis skirt. You definitely regretted the fishnets and doc martens. Would heels have been overkill? Maybe you should have styled your hair differently, in a nice bun instead of letting the bushy curls cascade around your face. You’d thought it framed your face nicely, made it look less round, but now you wonder if it just made you look unkempt. The soft e-girl makeup was the only thing you were sure about. There was just something about sharp eyeliner and dazzling highlighter that made you feel powerful, that felt like armour.
“Right through there,” Katherine directed, pointing at the double doors to your right. She turned, presumably returning to her post to continue politely sneering at people. You almost wished she’d walk in with you.
You could make a break for it. You’d make it out the lobby in less than ten minutes.
You sighed. You really couldn’t. This was bigger than you. If you didn’t do this no one else would. No one else could. It had to be you.
Another deep breath. You attempted to flatten your curls, calm the hum of nerves buzzing beneath your skin and then you knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
You pushed it open expecting to find a desk, maybe a couple of shelves, possibly rich people shit (you know like those golf thingies). Like a regular office. What you weren’t expecting was a huge lounge area and a bunch of the avengers sitting around like…well normal people.
As you walked in all eyes were on you. You froze. “Wow you’re all here.” You said it quietly to yourself. For a milli-second you stood there awkwardly but you swallowed your nerves and crossed the threshold. “Hi, I’m Amelia Harris,” you introduced out of habit and you swore internally. You’d planned to introduce yourself by your real name.
Before you could correct yourself however, Captain Rogers who, along with Thor, had stood up the moment you entered, smiled at you. “Steve Rogers. Good to meet you.” You held out your hand and he shook it. Calloused yet gentle and firm, and as warm as his smile.
“Good to meet you too. I’m here for Mister Stark.”
“He’s on a phone call, should be right out.” A brunette you didn’t recognize offered. “Maria Hill,” she prompted. You shook her hand as well.
Thor gave it a shake too and you tried hard not to swoon, you could barely meet his eyes. His handshake was firmer than Steve’s but no less gentle and warm. Dr. Banner gave you a wave from his spot, standing by the wall sized window.
You smiled and waved at Agent Barton, too intimidated to go any closer. The frown on his face and arrows in his hands didn’t make him look too friendly. Yet he looked far more approachable than Agent Romanov who was laying on the couch laid back and casual but somehow still the picture of grace and elegance. She gave you a nod in acknowledgement and you’re surprised you didn’t faint. Black Widow had just acknowledged your existence.
Before you could fangirl uncontrollably, the man of the hour Tony Stark walked in. Your heart hammered in your chest, all the blood rushed down your body and pooled at your feet, air left your lungs and all you could do was stare.
Please don’t barf all over his undoubtedly expensive, probably Italian leather shoes.
As soon as the thought occurred to you, your stomach lurched and you doubled over emptying the contents right onto said leather shoes with a horrific “grrhhh.”
Fan-fucking-tastic. Just awesome.
In a second, Steve was at your side, making sure you were okay but you couldn’t respond to his kindness, being too preoccupied resisting the urge to sink through the floor with embarrassment. The look of thinly veiled disgust on Tony Starks face was just the icing on top of this beautiful moment.
Before you could apologize you felt a new wave of nausea rise and you heaved.
“Bathroom’s that way,” Dr Banner directed helpfully.
You stared at your reflection in the mirror. This hasn’t been a disaster at all. In fact, it was going extremely well. Apart from the fact that you just blew chunks all over Tony Stark’s shoes within the first two seconds of meeting him. Great first impression. Yeah, the Turkey sandwich had been a mistake. But at least it hadn’t been an egg sandwich like the lady at the sandwich shop had suggested.
You should probably get out of here and face the fallout of your poultry outburst. Standing in a bathroom staring at yourself, wishing you had the power of invisibility so you could walk out without anyone seeing was unproductive. With one final look at the mirror to ensure that there weren’t any chunks in your hair (there weren’t) you walked out. Only to find the room slightly more crowded than when you left it. Two security guards posed at the door and a nervous-looking Katherine standing in the middle of it. To be fair to her, she was being reprimanded by her boss.
“It’s too early in the year for meet and greets,” Tony was saying.
“She said she had something important to tell you-,” Katherine tried to explain but you interrupted her before she could finish.
“I’m not a fan,” everyone turned to look at you, you flushed, “I mean I’m not not a fan,” a few eyebrows raised (from Tony, Agent Barton and Maria Hill). “Look I’m not here on fan club business or whatever, I’m here because I need your help.” You walked over to the satchel you had tossed on the floor in your haste to spare Tony Stark’s suit from a new vomit coloured dye job and pulled out a flash drive. “A few hundred lives are at stake and if we don’t put a stop to it the whole world could be in danger.” Even if it might be too late.
With the attention now off of her, Katherine took this opportunity to slink off out the room, the two guards behind her.
“We,” Steve questioned? You ignored him.
Dr Banner walked over and held his hand out for the drive. You handed it to him. “It’s all encrypted and I’m not a techy person,” you shrugged, apologising for your own incompetence.
“They’re a group called Allaxis. They kidnap children and experiment on them.” That last part did what you hoped it would. Suddenly everyone sat or stood a little straighter, and listened more intently.
“Experiment?” Agent Romanoff probed, an edge to her voice.
“Genetic modification. They’re trying to make- “
“-Super soldiers?” The original super soldier sounded tired. You imagined he would be. The number of times you’d overheard whispers of a new super serum, or plans to replicate the first one. A super army was the cool new toy all the baddies wanted to have. There was something else in his voice though, unwavering determination. You’d only just met him but you imagined defeat was a suit he rarely ever wore. Suddenly you were more confident in your decision to come here.
“Something like that, only with kids as guinea pigs. As far as I know they haven’t been successful. But that was a couple of years ago. A lot could have changed since then.”
“Did you go to the cops with this?”
You were hesitant to say no lest you disappoint Captain Rogers by not following proper protocol. “No. I don’t trust the cops; I only trust you. You’re the Avengers. Earth’s mightiest heroes. You stand up for what’s right because-“
“Because that’s what heroes do,” Thor boomed. You’d almost forgotten he was there. How you could forget the presence of such a captivating and alluring being was beyond you. (Okay, so you had a crush on Thor? He’s a god and he looks like one. And seeing as most of the teen girls and some teen boys on the internet sites you frequent shared your feelings, it wasn’t out of the ordinary. It was actually, unfortunately, the most normal thing about you.) To be fair, he had been content nursing a pint of beer and watching the back and forth.
“Yes,” you smiled dopily (He’s very dazzling).
“Alright kid, we’ll look into it.”
“Thank you, Mr Stark.” You were being sincere. “Thank you,” you said looking at Steve.
“It’s what we’re here for ma’am.”
With all that settled, you excused yourself and started the long trek home. That could’ve gone better, but on the other hand it could’ve gone worse. The barf could’ve hit his face instead of his shoes. So small wins, you guess.
Whichever way you looked at it, one thing was for sure; it had not gone how you had planned. Granted it hadn’t been the best plan to begin with. Initially you thought you’d rock up to the Avengers compound, enlist their help to bring down the evil organization and then go, “Also I’m your daughter from a one-night stand you probably forgot about.” Yeah, that would have turned out great. Totally wouldn’t have been disastrous at all.
You’ll tell him the truth eventually, you reassured yourself, for now that was enough excitement for one day.
