Hey guys... I am planning for this to be a slow burn CapxOC but tbh I might change the pairing. How about you let me know. Anyway... my first Avengers fic. It's gonna be mostly extremely cheesy I think for the most part. It begins right after the first Avenger's movie with the Chitauri and the Battle of New York.
Rosie loved everything about New York City. She loved the sounds, the smells, the sights; it was all just so breathtaking. Every morning, she'd sit on her fire escape for just a minute to take it all in. Everything about this city was everything to Rosie.
After the alien attack on her precious city, she loved her neighborhood more than anything (or anyone) she's ever loved. But now, she learned that what she loved about the city wasn't the city itself, but the people who lived in it. Rosie remembered how after the threat of alien world domination had passed, New Yorkers of every kind came together, resilient as ever, to rebuild the city to its former glory.
It's for that reason that Rosie quit her job shuffling papers at the local law office to start an internship at the Stark Relief Effort, a faction of Tony Stark's charity fund. Rosie figured it was the least she could do to simultaneously thank the World's Mightiest Heroes, and also somehow satiate her desire to serve the people she loved so much, in the city she loved so much.
In her year as an intern, she was able to work with amazing people and amazing technology to do what she set out to do; help people. She loved her new job. Sure, sometimes her manager made her do menial tasks (coffee runs, data entry, cover phones), but when they stuck a hard hat on her and carted her off out into the field, she fell in love with non-profit work. IT was never backbreaking labor, but it was enough to make an impact. She helped clearing out rubble, helping families pack up broken homes, and even helping in soup kitchens, which were unfortunately full these days.
She only saw Tony Stark a few times during her year and although she was a little resentful that he wasn't more involved, she did understand that he was a busy man. After all, he did save the world by nearly martyring himself. When he came around the office, it was mostly to talk to Ed Matthews, the Head Coordinator and Director of Stark Relief Foundation.
Ed, in all of his balding glory, was one of the best people Rosie felt she could have worked for. He was kind, understanding, and relentless in his work. He was almost as passionate for people as Rosie was, working well beyond his hours to get the job done. He was innovative too; always coming up with new ways that Stark Industries can get involved in different charities. He was the man behind the mask when it came to all of Tony Stark's charity work. Ed also worked directly with the corporate office, acting as a liaison for the company. And Rosie was his favorite intern.
He was beyond generous in showering her in the most important tasks as well as allowing her to accompany him to important meetings with the corporate office to aid him in his liaison duties. If you asked him, she was the real muscle behind all the magic that was happening. She inspired him to come up with new ideas, helping him to complete his thoughts, as well as acting as an assistant at times. So when Tony Stark called in to the office that one fateful day asking Ed to choose someone to endorse for his replacement after he retired, he didn't hesitate when he said, "You must consider hiring Rosie Hart."
"Rosie Hart, you say?" Tony mused out loud, "I don't remember that name being on payroll."
Ed beamed, "That's because she's not on payroll. She's just an intern,"
Tony, baffled, chuckled, "You seriously want me to make an intern in charge of the most important project this Foundation has ever done?"
Ed's beaming smile became earnest. In truth, he would never in a million years find himself endorsing an intern to become a director of an entire foundation, but Rosie was so innocent, and pure of heart, and had a real knack and desire for serving her community. She made it look like she was born to be a public servant. And maybe she was.
"Tony, you want her on your team," Ed said, the gleam in his eye shining brighter, "this girl is unlike anything you've ever seen. She's been at my right hand this whole time. She is partly responsible for all the work that we've got done so far. She's organized, she does well in a crisis, she's a quick study, and she loves people and she loves this city. What more could you want?"
Ed watched the computer screen as Tony sat back in his desk chair. Tony scratched his chin. He was sad to see Ed go, but Ed was well into his late sixties, he couldn't be doing this work forever. He's been working for Stark Industries for as long as he can remember, and each year he's been able to make the company more and more generous. It's why Tony admired the man's opinion on who the new hire should be. Perhaps Ed's suggestion has some merit despite its absurdity. An intern? As director? Yeah, right!
"Alright, Ed," Tony sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I'll have JARVIS contact her to set up an interview. She better not disappoint me,"
"Trust me," Ed promises, "you will not be disappointed."
Rosie got the job of course, and Tony was beyond pleased with his new hire. He was looking forward to a younger approach to the way the foundation spent its money. He was also looking forward to Rosie's excellent ideas for speeding up the city relief project. He was shocked that he hadn't come up with most of those ideas himself. He decided to start getting more involved in the city relief effort, especially now that he had to see what Rosie was capable of.
"Mr. Stark," Rosie said one morning, stepping into his office.
"Rose I told you to just call me Tony for god's sake—"
"Right, Tony, my bad, listen I have a great idea for you to get involved that will also involve great press considering half the city is kind of still blaming the Avengers for the destruction—"
Rosie was interrupted by Tony holding his hand in the air, "I'm gonna stop you right there, kid. I know you want the Avengers involved in the relief project, but it's not gonna happen. Our… handler wouldn't be pleased in any kind of publicity stunt."
Rosie, exasperated, slouched into one of the chairs in front of Tony's desk. It was no use! The relief project is way behind schedule, they should be over halfway done but the team is running on fumes. There has to be a way to pick up the pace without spending any more money. She didn't want to dip into the foundation's savings any more than she had to. She was really looking forward to setting something up with the local homeless shelters, as there had been a recent influx of people looking for a place to sleep. If she took that money to spend on the city relief effort, she would have to wait until the next fiscal year when Tony replenished the foundation's budget.
"But Tony, there has to be something you can do! Maybe invent something to help clean up and rebuilding go faster? We're running out of time and money, and you know the homeless shelters need our help, and I don't want to risk spending that money and having to wait to help these people."
Tony couldn't help the smile that crept on to his face. He loved Rosie's eagerness to help other people and her desire for him to be involved. She always told him that it was his name on the foundation and that when people see his name anywhere, they expect to see his face sometime too. Maybe there was a way that Tony could help out without having to put on his Iron Man suit…
"Rose, you know what, you leave the scheduling to me, and you just keep doing what you're doing. Keep up the good work, kiddo, you really are doing great things."
Rosie rolled her eyes but got up from her chair to resume her work in her office. One of the foremen who was working in Times Square was injured on the job, so she had to finish filling out paper work for that. Not to mention that the teams of volunteers were becoming smaller and smaller with each day that the city remained in shambles. There had to be something else that she could do to inspire more volunteers to join the ranks in helping to rebuild the city. Why couldn't the Avengers just… record an ad or something? Or what if Tony hosted a banquet in their honor?
Hm… that could be an idea.
Maybe hosting a banquet for all volunteers involved would be interesting. Inviting all benefactors and contributors to the foundation would stir up donations as well. It wasn't a half bad idea. She couldn't see Iron Man not making an appearance, and she was glad for it too. That would surely remind people of the sacrifices that Tony made while he was flying around in that suit. More donations for the foundation. She wrote down her thoughts in an email, and sent it on its way to Tony post haste.
She resumed the paperwork on her desk, filing away the schedules of her volunteers and interns when her computer dinged on her desk.
Good idea. Start planning. I have something in mind. T.
Smiling to herself, Rosie took a long sip of her coffee before googling how to throw a banquet for a thousand people.
This is just an idea that I had... Idk what will become of it or if it will turn into anything. If you like it, let me know!