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The city never sleeps.
Even at 5 AM, New York hummed with life. I stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of the guest suite Tony had assigned to me, staring down at the streets below.
I hadn't slept.
The events of yesterday replayed in my mind like a broken record.
My first meeting with Tony Stark.
I had imagined a dozen different scenarios—some hopeful, some disastrous.
But the reality was… disappointing.
He hadn't rejected me outright. He hadn't welcomed me either.
I was an inconvenience.
I clenched my fists.
Fine. If he didn't acknowledge me as his son, I'd make him acknowledge me as something else.
The best way? Prove I was a Stark in every sense of the word.
A knock on the door broke my thoughts.
I turned, adjusting the oversized t-shirt I had borrowed from the wardrobe.
The door opened, and a woman walked in.
Tall. Elegant. Red hair tied into a tight bun.
And sharp green eyes that studied me like a hawk.
Virginia 'Pepper' Potts.
"Good morning," she greeted, her tone polite but distant. "I hope you slept well."
I met her gaze. "I didn't."
A flicker of something—pity? Amusement?—crossed her face.
"That makes two of us," she muttered.
She stepped forward, placing a neatly folded set of clothes on the dresser. "These should fit you better than Tony's t-shirts."
I hesitated. "Thanks."
Her eyes softened for a moment. Then, her CEO mask slipped back on.
"Tony wants to see you in his lab after breakfast."
I raised an eyebrow. "Lab?"
"He said, and I quote, 'If the kid is smart, let's see how smart.'"
I exhaled slowly.
So, this was a test.
Pepper must have noticed my expression because she added, "Don't take it personally. Tony tests everyone."
I smirked. "Good. So do I."
She tilted her head slightly, as if reevaluating me. Then, she gave a small nod.
"I'll have someone bring you breakfast in twenty minutes," she said, turning to leave.
Before she stepped out, I spoke.
"You knew about me, didn't you?"
She stopped.
A beat of silence.
Then—"I knew there was a possibility."
Her voice was quieter now. More human.
I studied her face, looking for any sign of dishonesty.
There was none.
I nodded. "Thanks for the clothes."
She gave me one last glance before closing the door behind her.
And just like that, I was alone again.
The Stark Industries R&D lab was exactly what I expected.
Massive. High-tech. Controlled chaos.
The walls were lined with holographic blueprints, robotic arms whirred as they assembled new prototypes, and engineers rushed from one workstation to another.
And in the center of it all—Tony Stark.
He stood with his arms crossed, watching as a robotic arm tried (and failed) to adjust the plating on a new piece of armor.
"Seriously, Dum-E?" he sighed. "You had one job."
The bot beeped apologetically.
I smirked. Classic.
Tony turned at the sound, raising an eyebrow when he saw me. "Look who finally decided to show up."
I folded my arms. "Didn't know I was on a schedule."
Tony gestured vaguely. "Everyone's on a schedule. I just ignore mine."
I rolled my eyes.
"Anyway," he continued, "Graves says you're a genius."
I shrugged. "Genius is a strong word."
Tony smirked. "Spoken like an actual genius."
I hid my satisfaction. Small wins.
He grabbed a tablet and tossed it toward me. "Let's see if you can keep up."
I caught it, glancing at the screen.
A complex circuit diagram stared back at me—one I recognized almost immediately.
My lips parted slightly.
This… is part of the Arc Reactor design.
I looked up at Tony, who was watching me closely. "You're testing me on your own work?"
He shrugged. "Best way to see if you're the real deal."
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to focus.
This wasn't just about proving my intelligence. This was my first step toward making my mark.
And I wouldn't fail.
The problem with the Arc Reactor blueprint wasn't obvious.
But it was there.
A minor inefficiency in the cooling system. Something Tony had probably overlooked in this older version.
I tapped the screen, zooming in.
"Your reactor is stable," I said, "but if you push it beyond 80% output, the cooling mechanism struggles."
Tony's eyes narrowed slightly.
I continued. "You could fix it by integrating a secondary cooling loop, but that would take more space. A better solution—" I glanced at the materials on the table, "—would be adjusting the heat dispersion pattern in the core."
Tony didn't say anything for a moment.
Then—he grinned.
"You're good," he admitted. "Not perfect, but good."
I crossed my arms. "I'd say the same about you."
A chuckle. "You really are my kid, huh?"
My chest tightened.
I knew he meant it lightly. A throwaway joke.
But still.
For a split second—just a second—I allowed myself to hope.
Tony sat down, tapping his fingers on the table. "Alright, here's the deal, kid."
I raised an eyebrow.
"You wanna stay here? Fine. But you earn your place."
I frowned. "You think I'd just sit around doing nothing?"
Tony smirked. "No. But I think you'll want more than I'm willing to give."
I narrowed my eyes. "And what do you think I want?"
Tony leaned forward, suddenly serious.
"A name."
I stiffened.
"A Stark name," he continued. "And let's be clear—I don't just hand out my legacy."
Anger flared inside me, but I kept my voice even. "Then I'll take it."
Tony blinked.
Then—he laughed.
A real, genuine laugh.
"You are so much like me, it's terrifying."
I didn't respond.
He studied me for a moment, then stood up. "Alright, genius. You want to prove you belong here? Design something."
I raised an eyebrow. "Design what?"
"Your choice," Tony said. "You're in a lab full of unlimited resources. If you're as smart as you think you are, you'll figure something out."
Then, he turned and walked away.
I exhaled slowly.
This was it.
My first real chance to prove myself.
No excuses. No second chances.
I looked at the holographic interface.
Time to create something that will make Tony Stark take me seriously.
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