My name is Valeriya, more commonly Valerie, my mother and grandmother emigrated from Russia when I was an infant. Grams always insisted that I called her babushka at our home, but in public I adopted the affectionate name of Grams; it's what I call her in any conversation she's brought up in. It saves me the explanation of the whole "my family moved from Russia" thing. We lived in a moderately sized town in southwestern New York, where there was absolutely nothing to do… The biggest attraction the town had was its mall, and even that eventually had limited options. I grew up there, graduated high school with a rather small group of my peers, one hundred and fifty kids tops. I stuck around for a year or so, trying to decide what I wanted to do with my life. Grams always had this dream for me; I'd go to a big city and get out of the town we'd settled in. I'd meet a nice young man, Grams would prefer a nice Russian man, and we'd have a long courtship, no joke she used "courtship" and eventually marry and have children. She wanted me to have a version of the "American Dream" what I did between meeting a nice young man and arriving in the city was entirely up to me. She had high hopes for me, she believed that I could be a famous writer, so she could write about me to the people she left behind. Mom was too caught up in work to be around for much. Grams had my mother young, and my mother had me young. It's a cycle I fully intend on breaking. Not that I don't like children, but I'm not ready.
I never actually knew what Mom did for a living, but it kept our family running. It allowed me to learn to play the cello and piano. Grams always loved when I played for her. It would bring a wide smile to her face.
Grams would look at me sometimes and say "My sweet, you look so much like your grandfather. He'd have been so proud to see you. You have got his wise eyes…" in her warm Russian accent. Grams practically raised me. In a town that sized I don't know what job my mother could hold that would keep her away for days at a time. I never questioned it; truthfully I was too scared to ask. Mom always seemed cold and distant when it came to me.
But I followed Grams dream for me. After that first year out of high school, I went to New York City. It felt like it was calling to me. When I moved, it was like I belonged there. Every part of my soul sang with joy.
But then came the matter of getting a job, I didn't want to work at Starbucks or any clothing store. I'm not much of a people person. So when there was a PA opening at Stark Industries, I applied on a whim. No prior experience, no nothing. All I had under my belt was a high school diploma and a lifetime's knowledge of the Russian language. But I got a call for an interview, something must have impressed them. I couldn't tell you what it was though.
When the day of my interview came, I dressed to the nines. Nice hair and makeup, I wore sleek heels and a nice dress. But that couldn't help how nervous I was. I didn't know who would be interviewing me, but I sincerely doubted it would be Tony Stark himself. I brought several copies of my deplorable resume in a folder in my purse. I hadn't even started at college yet, but I figured I could always go online or with night classes if I got this job.
I sat, waiting for my turn, with my legs crossed at the ankles and my copy Anna Karenina on my lap, reading silently. My dark hair hung like a curtain, separating myself from everyone else. Not even twenty years old and I actually had a shot at this job.
A receptionist tapped up to me in her stiletto heels.
"Val-…" She said, clearly struggling at the pronunciation of my name.
"If it's easier for you, you can call me Valerie." I said, and stood with a warm smile.
"They're ready for you then, Valerie." She said and smiled back at me.
My heart sped up to an alarming rate as I entered the conference room, but I still managed to smile as I entered the room.
"Hello." A pretty blonde woman greeted me.
"Hello, I'm Valeriya." I responded as I shook her hand.
"Pepper Potts, this is Tony Stark. Please, have a seat." She said and we both sat.
"How old are you?" Tony asked as he leaned forward.
"Nineteen, sir." I responded politely and he looked only a little shocked.
"Only nineteen, really, you seem much older." He said to me and I chuckled.
"My grandmother always tell me that I much wiser than I should be at my age." I responded with a smile.
"Your application said that you're fluent in Russian." Pepper stated and I nodded.
"My mother and grandmother emigrated here from Russia when I was an infant. I learned Russian before I learned English." I stated.
"And it also said you're conversational in French?" She asks and I nod.
"Throughout middle school and high school I took five years of French. I'm not quite what can be considered fluent, yet." I responded lightly.
"Would you be willing to learn more languages?" Pepper asked me.
"Of course, I love learning new languages. It helps create a better understanding of people from the country that you're learning the language. Also, I've found that citizens of those countries appreciate it when you attempt to speak their language when you're in their country." I said.
"Have you been out of the United States often?" Tony asked and I shrugged,
"Only twice. Once to Paris with my high school and another time when my mother, grandmother, and spent the holidays in Russia." I responded, "So I've only been to the countries that I could actually speak their language."
"Do you have any self defense experience?" Pepper asked.
"Very little. I know bits and pieces that they taught us in school and also a few things a couple of my cousins taught me when I was in Russia a few years ago. I know enough to defend myself or someone else if I had to." I stated.
"Can you shoot a gun?" Tony asked and in the back of my mind I wondered about these questions.
"Yes, where I grew up there wasn't much to do, so I did attempt hunting." I responded.
"Thank you for your time today, Valeriya. We'll give you a call if we chose you." Pepper said as we all stood. I shook both of their hands.
The next few days following the interview were anxiety riddled. I was concerned that I hadn't gotten the job, and I had to admit that I had gotten my hopes up. But there had to have been someone way more qualified than I for the job.
But on the third day, my phone rang… to say the least, I was ecstatic when I learned they had chosen me.
Of course, one of the first days I was there as Pepper's assistant she let it slip they she and Tony had a thing. I would like to believe that I got the job because they were impressed and impressed alone, but I know it's because at the time I was still practically a child.
Of course, that was nearly two years ago now.
"You're turning twenty-one soon, aren't you Val?" Happy asks me and I roll my eyes.
"Yes I am. But it's not a big deal." I respond.
"Twenty-one is a big deal, Val." Pepper says and I roll my eyes again.
"It's not for me, okay. So what if I can legally drink now, it's not like I'm going to go out clubbing and get black out drunk. So seriously, don't make it into a big deal." I state, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Don't make what into a big deal?" Steve asks.
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Nothing is happening. Let's keep it that way." I state.
"She's turning twenty-one on Saturday." Pepper tells him.
"Exactly why it isn't a big deal. People turn twenty-one all the time." I say with a casual wave of my hand.
"What if we already have something planned?" Pepper asks.
"I won't show up." I respond, trying to sound dead serious.
"I'd send someone to drag you here kicking and screaming." Pepper says and I sigh.
"Fine. You win. I'll show up to whatever it is you have planned Pepper." I deadpan at her.
"Sometimes I seriously swear that you can be worse than Tony." I state and merely rolls her eyes.
"We let you ignore last year's birthday." She reminds me and I groan.
"And the world didn't end either, now did it?" I ask.
"No it didn't, but you did almost die last year." She reminds me.
"First of all, that one wasn't even my fault. It's not like I was the overall cause of Loki's temper tantrum." I respond and she starts laughing.
"Wrong place, wrong time. We know." She says.
"You basically described ninety percent of my life." I chuckle as my phone starts buzzing. The screen lights up that it's Grams.
"Do you mind if I take this?" I ask and Pepper just stares at me.
"It's your grandmother it's not like I'm a tyrant of a boss and going to say no." She says and I nod as I hit talk.
"Hey Grams, uh I mean Babushka." I say, trying to decide if I should revert to Russian.
"Valeriya, your birthday is Saturday, yes?" She asks.
"Yes it is."
"And you'll be celebrating with your friends, yes?" She asks.
"Of course. It's not like I'm a total shut in." I say.
"Good, good. Your mother transferred you money, she said she wanted you to buy yourself something nice to wear. Have you met any young men yet?" She asks and I groan. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Pepper starting to laugh.
"No Grams, I haven't met any nice Russian men that will sweep me off my feet and ride off into the sunset with me. I promise, you'll be the first to know when I do." I state.
"Are you looking?" she asks rather bluntly.
"Not currently no." I respond.
"Too busy with your job? You're too much like your mother." She says.
"I've gotta get back to work. Talk to you soon Grams." I respond and hang up.
"Not a word anybody." I say slightly severely as I rub my temples.
"You should date, though." Pepper states and I slap a hand over my face.
"I've got this under control Pepper. And frankly how do you know I'm not dating? She asked if I'd met any nice young men. Most of them are pretty rude." I respond.
Saturday night comes on faster than I expected. I find myself standing in front of the full mirror in my apartment. The red halter dress I bought looks nice on me as I put in my earrings. My phone buzzes somewhere nearby as I grab my black clutch and black overcoat. The screen of my phone informs me that Pepper is calling me.
"Are you almost ready?" She asks.
"I'm putting my coat on right now." I respond as I turn the phone onto speakerphone.
"Good because we're on our way. Also Steve brought a, um, friend. Hope you don't mind."
"Pepper, I didn't even want to do this. What makes you think I'll be upset Steve brought somebody along?" I state as I button my jacket.
"Wow, aren't you just being a great sport." Pepper says.
"Honestly I appreciate this and everything I'm just not looking forward to a night of half drunk men trying to impress me." I say and she starts laughing.
"It'll be fine. I promise if you get rudely groped we will all back you up if you punch the guy in his throat."
"You just won me over. If I can punch someone in the throat and get away with it, I'm down." I say and I can hear a ton of laughter. "Listen, I can punch hard when I want to."
"But you also tend to punch incorrectly." I hear Steve pipe up.
"Listen here Rogers, just because I don't do it right doesn't me I couldn't hurt someone." I respond.
"But you could hurt yourself as well." He remarks.
"No pain, no gain." I state as I press the phone between my ear and shoulder as I shove one arm into my overcoat. In the moment of laughter I switch ears and get my coat on.
"Okay, Jesus Christ, how long does it even take to get here?" I say into the phone.
"Val, we're like a block away. Calm down." Pepper says laughing.
I grab my keys and jam them into my pocket as I walk out of my door and lock it behind me. Coming up the stairs I see Steve.
"Are you sure it's safe here?" He asks and I shrug.
"It's kinda expensive to live here." I say "So I had to sacrifice having a doorman." I finish, jokingly. Steve looks at me very apprehensively as we walk back towards the stairs.
"Nothing bad has happened to me yet." I point out.
"But it could." He says.
When we reach the ground floor, the door to the limo that was rented is flung open.
"You seriously live here?" Tony asks and I shrug.
"It's affordable." I say and then flinch when screaming erupts behind me.
"Okay that doesn't normally happen…" I say as I climb in.
They all kinda just stare at me for a moment.
"I'm fine seriously." I say as I settle into the seat.
The music is thumping very loudly as the crowd moves like a solid wave. I shrug off my jacket and toss it in the booth as I head for the dance floor. Pepper start grinning from ear to ear, seeing me get into it. I move in time with everyone else, letting everything go. I don't drink though; I don't really handle alcohol very well, not that I did a lot of underage drinking anyways. Tony and Pepper are very clearly flirting and I jammed right into the middle of the people dancing. To my right is a guy steadily getting closer to me so I edge away. Nightclub romances don't suit me either. I'm not very trusting of total strangers, I push my way out of the crowd as someone grabs my wrist.
"Where are you heading?" The guy that was heading towards me asks.
"Back to my friends." I respond pulling my wrist out of his grip.
"Can I buy you a drink?" He asks and I shake my head.
"Sorry, I don't drink." I respond, watching him as he rakes his eyes up and down my body.
"I don't believe you." He responds.
"You don't have to because I said no." I respond and continue walking back to the table. He grabs my wrist again.
"Hey now. You don't have to be rude."
"I politely declined your offer. I'm not being rude. If you don't mind, I'd like to get back to my friends." I respond, venom clearly in my voice. Even though the panic is rising high in my throat, almost choking me. I rip my arm away from him and send him the darkest glare I can manage as I retreat back to the table. There's angry red marks on my wrist as I try to rub them away before anyone notices.
"You okay?" Steve asks and I nod.
"Yeah, fine." I respond, still rubbing my wrist.
"What happened?" He asks.
"Some guy grabbed my wrist a little too hard. I handled it." I say as I sit down. Tony is borderline drunk, which is hilarious but also means that I am far too sober. Which is fine by me.
At about three in the morning I'm dropped off at my apartment and I fall face first into my bed still fully dressed.
Hey guys!
I realize that it's been nearly four months since I updated and I apologize. I've been so busy lately that I really haven't had time to breathe let alone write. Things are starting to calm down a nit so maybe I'll be able to update more, however it might take me longer to get updates out. They're longer than they were before, plus I'm trying to follow more closely to the plot line of some of the Marvel movies, it's more helpful that way! Anyways thank you all for your patience.
Sincerely,
WaywardSoulCreation