Summary: Bruce isn't sure he wants to use a credit card Tony gave him. Steve isn't sure he even knows how.
Brooklyn Cats (ao3) - SushiOwl
steve/tony
E, 29k
Summary: (No Powers AU)
Steve Rogers is an art student who is comfortable being depressed and alone. Tony Stark comes along and messes that all up.
buy the brooklyn bridge (ao3) - plingo_kat
steve/tony
G, 3k
Summary: It’s a whole new world, and Steve finds himself fitting in pretty well. Especially with Tony Stark as a guide.
Can’t Stop Us RoboDads (ao3) - justanotherpipedream, rebelmeg
T, 13k
Summary: The story of how a genius rich kid from New York and a poor military-bound kid from South Philly meet, get into shenanigans, birth a few bots, and forge a life-long friendship.
Discretionary Spending (ao3) - midgetnazgul
G, 7k
Summary: Fill for a prompt on the Avengers kinkmeme.
Original prompt: Tony really enjoys buying/building the other Avengers things they mention wanting or needing. Natasha mentions this obscure brand of expensive chocolates she once enjoyed on a mission and can't seem to find? Tony orders some in bulk. Bruce misses a certain tea, or mentions in passing that he wants a piece of lab equipment? Already bought it, and here I made adjustments so the equipment is even better than it was! Steve wants a really old film that's only on VHS and is really hard to find? Oh, I just had it in storage… Clint likes perching up high, but lacks enough places to do so in comfort? Was just about to remodel the place anyway. Thor mentions some obscure Nordic food that he misses? Tony knows just the place…
Point being, they eventually catch on to the fact that Tony notices things, and proceeds to do what needs to be done to get those things for them. No matter how often he stays in his lab for three days in a row, or how much he throws sarcastic comments, or acts just plain rude, he cares a lot. This leads to the entire team being nicer as a whole to Tony.
Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend (ao3) - camichats
wanda/tony
E, 14k
Summary: Wanda ends up as Tony Stark’s sugar baby to help get her through college. Getting into that relationship was the last thing she expected and falling in love came as a surprise to both of them.
Down On The Farm (ao3) - tellxmebby
steve/tony
E, 7k
Summary: Tony laughs, throwing an old rag at the blond man, who bats it away in the air. "Fuck you."
"Mm," Steve rolls back under the car with a newly fitted socket, "maybe later."
Steve grins up at the chrome above him at the lack of response. It must take Tony a minute to recover, but when he does Steve hears him huff.
Faithless (ao3) - TheZev
mary jane watson/tony
E, 7k
Summary: While living in Stark Tower, Mary Jane decides she’s had enough of being Peter Parker’s broke wife. Now she’d rather be Tony Stark’s rich sugar baby.
Living ain’t cheap (ao3) - Strength_in_pain
N/R, 2k
Summary: “I thought our utility bill would be lower. Shit shit shit.” May cried, running a hand through her hair.
Or
Peter is worried about May because their financial struggles have gotten worse and he ends up needing Tony Stark.
people like you must be the world’s loneliest creatures (ao3) - avienexjel
bucky/tony
N/R, 96k (WIP)
Summary: Tony Stark is rich, popular, and an arrogant asshole. In other words: his IQ rivals Einstein’s, he’s slept with most of his friends at least once, and he’s so fucking lonely that sometimes he wakes up in the middle of the night in the dark and cries into the cold sheets on the other side of the bed.
It’s no different at his new boarding school called SHIELD, at first. Half of the students love him to death, the other half want to murder him, nothing new. That is, until Tony accidentally breaks James Barnes’s prosthetic arm and he finds the most vulnerable pieces of himself crawling their ways to the surface whether he wants them to or not.
Summary: Steve and Peter lose their apartment and are kicked out on the streets. Steve has to juggle between jobs to earn whatever money he can, take care of his son while resfusing to let him realize how much they’re trouble in, and keep them warm and safe on the city streets in winter.
So, he really doesn’t have time to date the billionaire that flirts with him everyday as he buys his cup of coffee. Even if he did, he can’t let himself fall for the man. Because if he knew that he lived from a backpack and showered in a public bathroom there’s no way he’d still want him…right?
Rich Man, Poor Man (ao3) - sassyfangs13
steve/tony
G, 1k
Summary: Steve grew up in a time when sharing what little you had was the norm so when Tony starts buying him rediculous gifts he doesn't really know what to say.
the weight of water (ao3) - citsiurtlanu
steve/tony
M, 31k
Summary: Tony Stark is a rich socialite who’s reached a dead end in his life. Steve Rogers is a poor artist who works from job to job. Both of them are passengers on the biggest ship in the world. Yup, it’s a Titanic AU.
To Destroy a Legacy, to Ruin a Legend. (ao3) - AniAuthor
N/R, 1k
Summary: Tony Stark doesn't need his armor or even to fight Steve Roger's team to destroy them. He just needs what he always had: his empire that he and his father built, his wealth, and control over the media. After all, you don't take a multi-million empire and turn it into a multi-billion empire by letting others walk all over you. Read to find out how Tony Stark destroys Team Captain America without even fighting after T'Challa uses his influence to pardon them in the States.
Trophy of a One Night Stand (ao3) - BurdenedWithPointlessPurpose
tony/stephen
E, 35k
Summary: Becoming a professor had never been on Tony’s dream list. As a single parent with a child though he is hoping it will provide everything they need in their life. Stability. Structure. Satisfaction. It all sounds plausible in theory, at least until he really gets there and an Alpha uproots his plans. Although it’s actually debatable in the best way. He may have not sought his son’s birth Alpha out, but apparently life has its own plans after all.
This was given to me as a prompt in my asks. Here is the original prompt: click me
So this is a no powers au. Tony is in his thirties, while Peter is in his twenties.
This wasn’t supposed to have more than one parts, but, as always, I got lost in descriptions and stuff, and I want to try to not post too long texts on tumblr.
Sadly, nothing really happens here. I mean it, this is the boring part. I will try to get the next part out real soon.
The Art of Science and the Science of Art
The thing is, it's not enough to just be rich and famous. There is a certain song and dance that forces itself into your life and before you know it, you move your legs and swing your hips to it's rhythm.
You don't serve your business partner a glass of a 'good' wine.
You serve them a glass of an 'expensive' wine.
The richer and more important the person opposite you, the more expensive the bottle of wine, even if that person can't really tell what it is specifically, that makes this one bottle more valuable than the cheap one at the liquore store.
Your suit is bespoke, there isn't even a question about that. And it better be from a prestigious tailor.
You can wear comfortable clothes, if they are from the likes of Dolce and Gabbana, or Hermes.
Your cologne? Killian will do in a pinch, but it is better to have a little flacon of Tom Ford or Creed in your bathroom cabinet.
If the watch on your wrist costs anything less than 30,000 dollars, you might as well leave it at home.
Tony has been born into this world of luxury and thrived in it. He knows how to hum this song and dance this dance. And over the years, he has become rich and famous and successful enough to allow himself some leeway.
Despite the various scandals of his youth, and the eccentricities of his more mature years, Anthony Edward Stark is still a true pioneer in his field, admired and envied by his peers and competitors, as well as the most sought after bachelor for years now.
If anyone specially invited to a high society event arrives thirty minutes late and in less than stellar clothes, they will become the laughing stock of the circle.
If Tony Stark is three hours late and dressed in an untucked shirt and jeans, he is congratulated for his confidence and boldness.
If anyone else is caught having one affair after the other, their social standing will plummet.
If Tony Stark is in the news with another man or woman on his arm every other week, his companies stock value is either unaffected, or will rise even more because of it.
It is the rich and famous that get to see the first performance of a high grossing musical, or opera.
It is the rich and famous who are invited to theaters for a first viewing of a new play.
The audience for a fashion show of a high profile designer is mostly comprised of those that can afford the price tags.
If you aren't invited to a red carpet event? Well, then you simply aren't worth the invitation.
If you are invited but then fail to show? You just committed social suicide.
If you are Tony Stark, however, those rules are out of the window. Because Tony Stark has to cater to no one.
So unlike pretty much anyone else, Tony could get away with not visiting the grand opening of the very first art exhibit of a new, but already incredibly popular, young artist. And if it weren't for his very persistent personal assistant and good friend, Pepper Potts, he would have.
“Would you stop scowling already? I'm making you attend an exciting art show, not a firing squad. Jesus. Has it ever occurred to you that you might just enjoy yourself?”
The question earned two raised eyebrows and a scoff.
“Okay, first, there is nothing exciting about art. Period. It's just a bunch of lines and paint on a canvas, or your run of the mill sculpture, depicting someone long dead, and usually nude. And don't get me wrong, because I am without a doubt a great admirer of the naked human body, but that doesn't mean I feel in any way drawn to or aroused by a block of cold clay. No matter how much detail is put into making the nipples look like they just puckered up, or how smooth the curves happen to be. And second, if you were actually taking me to a firing squad, that at least would be exciting. Guns I know. Guns I understand. Art is just... there.”
Pepper gave him a very unimpressed look, from where she was sitting opposite of him in one of the company's spacious town cars.
“Please keep comments like that to yourself when we get there. Consider it an early birthday gift to me.”
“...Wasn't your birthday last week? I'm pretty sure I sent you a cake.”
“My birthday is in two months. But yes, you did send me a cake. A strawberry cake.”
“Which you love.”
“Which I'm allergic to.”
“Oh...Well, at least I remembered that strawberries held significance to you. I feel like I should be getting points for that.”
A moment of awkward silence spread between them, in which the redhead treated her boss with the most cynical stare in existence, before Tony threw his hands up in the air.
“Fine, fine. I promise to walk around a boring room and look at boring paintings on boring walls and talk to boring people and keep all of my very true, but possibly degrading comments about the unimportance of art to myself. Happy?”
“Delirious.”
She even smiled as she said it. Then she slipped her hand in her ridiculously small designer purse (honestly, why even bother with these things if you can't fit anything practical in them? Like your phone. Or a screwdriver.), and pulled out a folded flyer.
“Here, that's the theme of tonight's exhibition. While the artist is pretty new to the scene, he has already made some noise in the community. Many think he is going to be the Van Gogh of this century.”
Tony accepted the flyer, but rolled his eyes.
“Van Gogh... isn't that the one who cut off his ear? That kind of comparison doesn't exactly ignite a whole lot of trust in me, concerning the next sure-to-be-a-waste-of-my-time hour of my life. I'm not exactly squeamish, but I'm really not into gore.”
He unfolded the piece of paper and read the caption with an almost sneer.
'The Art of Science and the Science of Art'
Great. So the artist was one of those pretentious 'art is everything and everything is art' snobs. He was not looking forward to meeting... what was the guys name, anyway? He scanned the paper quickly and found the name at the bottom, underneath a short introduction text to the kind of display that awaits the guests.
See? I told you this was the boring part. Well, hope you liked it anyway. As always, anyone who comments will automatically be put on the tagging list. If you don’t want to be tagged, but still with to comment, just write ‘no tag’, at the end.
Now, remember to have fun and enjoy what you love, and ignore any nay-sayers. Life can be short, don’t bother yourself with toxic people.
Okay. Gotta be honest, this part isn’t that much more interesting than the first part was. But I did some actual research for this one and most of the artworks described in the text were inspired (or unashamedly stolen) from this site: https://theartofeducation.edu/2017/10/26/11-fascinating-artists-inspired-science/
So, let’s get this done!
The Art of Science and the Science of Art
While self-satisfaction might not be very virtuous, Pepper couldn't help the proud smirk that spread over her face, as she watched Tony all but fawn over the different artworks.
“Are you seeing this, Pep? This is a glass model of a magnified virus cell. They installed tiny light sources in specific places and angles to show how and where the cell interacts with the human body. And then there is a whole other set of lights and mirrors that indicates which parts are targeted and gradually destroyed by an antiviral drug. Actually, the way the mirrors are positioned here... yep. If you go around the pedestal and look at it from the different angles, it's like a little movie. First you see the lights indicating the parasitic effect of the virus on the body, then the way the drugs counteract the effects, and once you reach full circle; Ah, see here? Now the lights and the mirrors and the shadows create the effect that the virus evaporated. Damn, that's clever.”
Tony walked around the pedestal once more, trying to make out the positions and calculate the angles of all the lights and mirrors used.
Pepper's previous gleeful smirk softened, as she watched her boss move on to the next exhibit, a gorgeous piece created with metals and specially coated glass. The reflected images and light created 'Sun Drawings', that moved and changed in response to sunlight and the passage of time.
Having been Tony Stark's personal assistant for almost 8 years now, Pepper had learned much about the inner machinations of the man.
And at his very center, Tony Stark was an engineer. A mechanic. He could talk theoretical physics with the best of them, but he preferred practical results. Tony's work had a purpose, a direct impact.
Which was one of the reasons why he wasn't normally swayed by art.
“Okay, this here? Classic movie effects. Chemical reactions used to visualize the images of a nuclear explosion, but it all happens under a microscope.”
While the billionaire could certainly appreciate beautiful art, something that was nothing more than 'nice to look at' held no value to him. It was the same reason why he had tons of one night stands, and hardly any actual relationships in his life.
He was at first attracted to a person's physical beauty, which usually led to sex. But when the sexual need had been sated, mere physical attraction wasn't enough to keep him interested in the person he had bedded the night before.
“Now this, this is art. Applied physics at its finest. Do you see how the magnets interact with and against each others polarity? This is a perfect demonstration of the symbolism behind the theory of gravitational forces.”
It was why Pepper had jumped on the chance to get her hands on the tickets to Peter Parker's first ever art exhibition. He had been steadily making a name for himself over the last two years, and the redhead had seen some of his early works while she was on vacation in Europe. The young man had been set up in a corner of a street market in Marseilles, and with the help of various visual and practical effects, had explained the complex mechanics behind aerodynamic principles, to his wide eyed and utterly fascinated audience.
“A model of Nikola Tesla's early design for a solar collector made by modern computer code. See this section here? That's programming code for data extraction. In this context, it translates to Tesla's attempt to convert the energy of solar rays into electrical power. It serves as a parallel between combining old and new resources. See? This is the kind of art one can actually talk about. Not a painting of a stupid fruit bowl.”
Whereas Tony used his genius and understanding of different areas of science to create and improve, Parker used his to teach and inspire. Parker's art was something that Tony could not only relate to, but also admire, because it had purpose beyond it's beauty.
The hour that Tony had initially given himself to suffer through the showcase had long since passed, as the billionaire found himself unable to curb any of his enthusiasm, as he grew ever more fascinated with every new piece of art. Other people milling about the rooms 'oohed' and 'aahed' as they inspected the different works of the artist, sipping on their glasses of complementary champagne. But Tony doubted they could truly grasp the idea; the genius behind it all.
He was going to buy it all.
The whole exhibit.
Everything.
He wanted those pieces in his company, in his home, in his workshop.
He wanted to have the computer coded Tesla piece in his office, as a symbol of Stark Industries work on renewable energy.
He wanted to gift the glass model of the virus cell to Bruce, to celebrate the biochemist's latest break through in the field.
He wanted both the magnetic force field work and the microscopic chemical reactions in his workshop, as a source of constant inspiration. His fingers itched with the want to create, the need to pour his skills into his work.
He wanted... He wanted to meet the artist.
When they had made their way almost full circle around the exhibit, they stopped at what appeared to be the last of the show cases. This one was different from the rest. For one, it was made out of Play Dough, though that was a fact Tony only realized by reading the description. How the hell this Parker guy had managed to form a completely genuine looking circuit board out of such an inferior material as children's clay, he could only guess.
He wanted to talk to the artist.
Another thing that struck Tony was that this circuit board looked somehow familiar.
He leaned in closer.
“This one section here looks like a rather awkward welding job. The connections between the wires seem a bit clumped. I would put it down to the use of Play Dough, but the other details on the board are so clean... You know, this looks almost like-”
“-the circuit board you built when you were five years old.”
Both surprised by the new voice, Pepper and Tony quickly turned around. Just a step behind them stood a young man, dressed in a casual but nice enough suit, with deep brown eyes, fluffy looking chestnut hair and a shy smile. Pepper recognized the man she had seen in France right away, and held out her hand to him.
“Mr. Parker. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Virginia Potts. But please, feel free to call me Pepper. Everyone does.”
The artist took her hand with a pleasant smile.
“In this case, I insist on Peter. And the pleasure is mine, Pepper.”
Tony could hardly wait for the handshake to end, to insert himself into the introduction.
“So you are the surprisingly gorgeous face behind all these beauties. I'm-”
“Tony Stark. I know. I'm a big fan of your work, Mr. Stark.” Parker smiled brightly (and blushing heavily) at him and eagerly reached for his hand. Then he shyly nodded to the pedestal display. “Your earliest work included.”
He wanted...
“Just Tony will do. One question, though. Why Play Dough? I may not have been very skilled with the welding equipment back then, but I do remember using the actual parts needed.”
Peter turned to his work, a helpless sort of smile on his lips, as he explained.
“When I was in my last year of highschool, and it was time to make a decision regarding college, I felt helplessly defeated. Was I supposed to attend one that focused on all the things that fascinated me about science, or one that focused on all the things I loved about art?
I didn't know if I would ever be able to meet the expectations others had placed upon me, and the ones I had placed upon myself. I became wary and anxious about every choice I made. Constantly questioning myself if it was worth it to try to combine the things I loved, or if I wouldn't be able to hold on to both at the same time.
Science versus art. Wanting to pursue such opposite things seemed ridiculous.
But then my teacher gave us the task of writing a paper about a person that had greatly influenced our society and progress.
I chose to write about you. And during my research, I found an old newspaper article, front page, about the young Stark prodigy, who was already showing the whole world how smart he was.
The ordinary 5 year old makes crayon drawings and forms simple shapes out of Plasticine. A few can already read some of their children's books, but many are still more focused on the pictures in them. But the 5 year old you broke out of the limitations perceived for kids, and defied expectations.
And I thought to myself ‘Hey, if Tony Stark can build a circuit board at such a young age, then maybe I can find a way that doesn’t mean I have to give up on one of the things I love.’
So, I guess I used the clay to symbolize what was expected, and your final design to show how you rose above.”
That shy little smile again. He wanted...
“In fact, you have done nothing but risen, Mr.- Tony. You have been a great inspiration for me, over the years. Quite possibly even a bit of a muse, if you will.”
Tony was a bit stumped, honestly. He had never been lost for words before. Thankfully he caught himself quickly.
He wanted...
“So, philanthropist, billionaire, genius, muse.” (Had he just replaced his usual playboy title with ‘muse’?) “I like that.” (He did.)
Peter.
“As your muse, I get dibs, right?”
A confused little head tilt.
Cute.
“Dibs?”
On you.
“On the art pieces.” Tony elaborated with a sweeping gesture of his arm. “They are up for sale, right?
“Oh, yes. It’s uhm... we will hold an auction in a bit, after I have officially introduced myself to everyone here and said a few words.” Peter looked distinctly uncomfortable with that bit.
Tony was just opening his mouth to say something else, when suddenly Pepper inserted herself back into the conversation. (He had admittedly forgotten that she was there.)
“Peter, I think the woman over there is trying to get your attention.”
They turned to see a middle aged woman in an elegant dress, subtly gesturing to him. Peter grinned a bit ruefully as he turned back to his two companions.
“That’s my aunt, and also kind of my manager. I guess it’s time for my big entrance.”
He offered his hand once more first to Pepper, then to Tony.
“Pepper, Tony, again, it was a pleasure meeting you. Since it’s an auction, I can’t exactly grant you dibs, as much as I would like to.” He grinned at Tony. “But about 75% of all our revenues tonight will be donated to The Future Hope Foundation, which is a research center focused on developing cures for different diseases, speacially in children. I will be talking a bit more about that one in my speech, provided my severely repressed stage fright doesn’t hit me in a few minutes. So just know that whatever you decide bidding on, it will be worth it.”
Tony wanted to keep holding on to that hand. A hand that was just as calloused as his own, but still somehow softer and more delicate.
“I’m sure it will be.”
You will be worth it.
Just as Peter turned to leave, he cast one last look at the Play Dough model.
“Take a look at the note beside the general description before things start going, would you?”
Then he and his aunt vanished out of the room, to prepare for Peter’s introduction.
Curious now, Tony and Pepper turned back around to the pedestal and found what Peter had been talking about.
‘Of all my works, this one is my favourite, not only because of what it represents to me, personally, but also because of the person who inspired it.
Unlike many of the other pieces, that are named after that which they represent, for this one, no other title than
Indomitable
could have ever come to mind.
This is the only piece in the show case that will not be part of the auction. As this one already belongs to Anthony Edward Stark.’
“Pep.”
“Yes, Tony.”
“If I win every single auction bid, which I will, I would be entitled to a date with the artist, right?”
“You are probably still going to have to ask him the old fashioned way.”
“Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you all for coming tonight. Without further ado, it’s my sincere pleasure to introduce you to the man whose art work has brought you all here.”
Thanks to everyone for reading and liking the story! I hope you all enjoyed it, even though the story ends before Tony and Peter’s relationship really begins.
Thanks to the original prompt giver as well, due to the research I did for this story, I was able to see quite a few amazing art works.
Tagging: @unicornpower5301 -->why isn’t this stupid tag working?
Peter is an artist holding a new art exhibition and rich! Tony is in love him
Thanks so much for the prompt! It’s the next on my list and I already have the basic outline for this. It will just take me a bit to write it up. One of the drawbacks about not being a native english speaker, is that you have to check your works over multiple times and employ the help of a dictionary a lot. :-)
Ps: I really hate that one can’t attach tags right away when answering a question. Or is that actually possible and I’m just too stupid to do it?
