Hello and welcome to Short Circuit, my newest Ebony Maw x OC fanfiction.
Disclaimers: I don't own anything Marvel-related, the only rights I have are to my oc Eliza Chesterfield.
Please read and review, I would absolutely love to hear any and all feedback!
Also check out my tumblr blog under the username CallieCrossroads, I'll be posting updates there as well, and a bunch of Marvel and Ebony Maw goodies.
Thank you and enjoy!
"Eliza! Venti Cinnamon Almond Milk Macchiato and a Grande White Chocolate Mocha!" Letting out a sigh of relief, I pushed my way through the mid-morning crowd and carefully grabbed my over-priced coffee drinks.
"Thank you!" I shouted over my shoulder before making a dash for the door.
Once outside in a much less-crowded area, I clicked my heels together like Dorothy did in the Wizard of Oz and I lifted into the air. As I zoomed over the streets of New York City, I couldn't help but sigh again, but this time it was a sigh of content,
"I love being Tony Stark's intern."
././././.
I landed at Stark Tower around 11:30am, and the building was buzzing with activity. Men and women sped past me in sharp business suits carrying various paperwork and folders, stark contrast to my jeans and bright blue hoodie, no pun intended. I still felt underdressed after working here for two months, but Tony assured me that it was fine to wear whatever was most comfortable for me. He once told me,
"Fashion is important and all, believe me, but there's no room for stuffy Versace suits and cocktail dresses in a laboratory." I didn't mind this at all. In fact, I loved Mr. Stark's way of going about things. But I still loathed the looks people gave me.
They treated me like I was some lost delivery girl, not the personal intern for the guy who signs their paychecks. Eh, screw 'em, I guess.
././././.
Walking through the doors of Stark R & D, I looked around for Tony, only to have him literally fly past me and steal the coffee from my hands.
"Good morning Tony!" I yelled, hoping he could hear me wearing the newest suit-in-progress.
"Morning Short Circuit!" He yelled back, calling me by the name he so proudly came up with. He thought it would be funny considering I was only 5'2", and worked with technology. Well, that fact, and the one about me being able to control technology with my mind.
A few months ago, billionaire super hero Tony Stark heard about me through sources he still has yet to tell me. He was so interested in my abilities, that he proposed a deal. I would fly all the way from Minneapolis to New York City, and work with him at Stark Towers. He said he wanted my help in developing a more intuitive suit, one that could literally read your thoughts and react even before you did. Apparently, my powers would help a lot if he found a way to emulate them in other technology. Other than that, I was free to work on my own personal projects. I couldn't believe this was happening, since I was just a normal-ish girl of 23 from the suburbs of Minnesota. Needless to say, I accepted his offer immediately.
"You got this with almond milk, right?" Tony landed the suit and stepped out of it, taking the coffee out of the suit's hand.
"Yes, sir," walking over to my desk, I shifted through various holograms of projects and data from all of my many projects. "So, how is the flight response now that we've nailed that coding down?" He gave me a quick thumbs-up,
"Works like a dream, doll." I notice him take out a bottle of bourbon and pour it into his coffee and give him a look, but he just shrugged,
"In the immortal words of Mr. Jimmy Buffett, 'It's five o'clock somewhere,'" He stops and takes a sip, "Besides, it helps me think." I can't help but roll my eyes and chuckle.
He suddenly set his cup down and quickly walked over to me,
"By the way, I wanted to tell you that I'm holding a banquet tonight for a bunch of big-wig investors, and I want you to come with. It's just an event announcing my newest green-energy project. You can be the person I throw at the rich guys when I'm sick of them talking to me." I pretended to act offended, holding a hand dramatically over my heart,
"Why, Tony, if I didn't know better I'd say you're just using me!" He played along, crossing his arms and standing tall,
"Well I am sorry young lady, but that is what interns are for." We held the poses for a few moments before bursting out in laughter,
"Yeah, okay I'll go. I will need a new dress though."
./././././.
I walked into the crowded penthouse banquet room later that evening, tugging at the edge of my blue velvet cocktail dress that I insisted to the designer was too short.
"Live a little, Ms. Chesterfield! Showing a bit of skin never hurt anyone, especially a young thing like yourself." I scoffed at her words, but took her advice anyway, she was the expert after all.
Glancing around the room I noticed Tony surrounded by a crowd and Pepper Potts on his arm. It always made me smile seeing those two together. It seemed as though she was the only person in the world who could make Tony behave. Pepper looked my way, smiling and waving me over to them. I was never really one for social situations, but I did enjoy the atmosphere events like this had.
Luckily for me, there were waiters everywhere serving champagne, and I gladly took a flute for myself. Liquid courage, after all.
"Eliza! It's so good to see you again, I'm glad you could make it." Her warm smile gave me a sense of confidence.
"I couldn't resist after Tony promised there would be free food! How could I say no to that?" We all laughed and Tony proceeded to introduce me to the man who was currently discussing the state of the micro economy. He proceeded to introduce me throughout the night as his personal intern, just saying that I was helping him with an important project.
Not once did he mention my powers, which he explained earlier was for the best. He said that this world was full of people who would do anything to get their hands on such a gift powerful enough to destabilize a country's whole foundation. I didn't doubt him, and I've known this fact my entire life.
For the next few hours, I just stood there and smiled, like a good normal girl.
././././././.
It was only 10:30pm and the event didn't even seem close to being finished. I finished two more glasses of champagne before switching over to a very light vodka lemonade. After losing interest in the mundane conversations of stocks and bonds and the economy, I wandered over to a smaller sitting area with a beautiful view of the city. It was nice and secluded and I felt very peaceful, even with this darn velvet dress trying to climb up my thighs as I sat down.
I felt a small buzz flow down my neck and could sense there were cords for the security cameras hidden in the ledge below the windows. I decided to get a bit nosey and gently placed my hand over the location of the wires. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the flow of information and soon the darkness behind my eyelids bloomed into a bird's eye view of the banquet hall. I flicked through a few different camera feeds, one in the busy gourmet kitchen, one in the west-most hall of Stark Tower, and the one that was facing me.
I was about to remark once more on my short dress, but I could see that someone was approaching me. I opened my eyes and spun around, to find the mysterious person much closer than I had last seen through the camera, as if they just popped up right behind me. I let out a small gasp and put my hand on my chest, trying to soothe my now-frantic heartbeat.
"I do apologize, miss, I didn't mean to startle you." He was a classy man, dressed in a tux like most other men at this event. He spoke in an eloquent and calm tone that immediately put me at ease. His figure was tall and slender and he had slicked-back silver hair, though it almost seemed beyond his age, he himself only appearing to be in his late 40's. But what stood out the most was his bright blue eyes. They were unnaturally blue, and I never wanted to look away, my attention captured by their almost alien appearance.
The man walked around the couch I was on and gestured to the spot next to me,
"Do you mind if I sit? This spot has such a lovely view of the city." It took me a moment to collect myself, and with my usual elegance of a Central Park pigeon, managed to stammer out,
"Um, no! I mean, no as in 'no one is sitting there', so you can go ahead and sit there! If you'd like..." I proceeded to mentally smack myself. The man merely smiled politely and sat down, raising his wine glass to his mouth and taking a small and somehow sensual sip. I forced myself to look away and back out the window.
"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" he asked lightly. I nodded in agreement but frowned,
"It really is, it's just a shame you can never see any stars in the city though. Not like my cabin back in Minnesota," my smile returned with my fond memories,
"It was so far north that you could see every star in the sky, and the Milky Way looked more like a glowing cloud than a bunch of stars." I felt my face warm up when I realized how closely he was paying attention to me, almost with an air of scrutiny.
"It sounds wonderful. I, too, have seen the stars. Their true grandeur and glory could never be fully appreciated from so far away," I turned more to him, questioning what he meant by that.
"They have the power to simultaneously make you feel alone in this vast universe, and at the same time, eternally loved by it." Those words struck a chord inside of me, though I didn't exactly know what it was.
'He must be a writer.' I thought to myself.
"May I ask what your name is, Miss?" Anxiety suddenly washed over me, similar to the feeling of speaking in front of a crowd.
"My name is, erm, Eliza Chesterfield," I bashfully held my hand out for him to shake,
"And may I ask yours, Sir?" Instead of shaking my hand, he wrapped his long and elegant ringed fingers around mine and, to my utter disbelief, proceeded to gently kissed the top of it.
It may had been the drinks or my nervousness, but when he made contact with my skin, I could have sworn that his entire being seemed to…glitch. Almost like when a computer screen goes fuzzy if there's a sudden increase or decrease in electricity.
I honestly didn't know how to explain it.
He looked up at me slowly, his eyes now most certainly glowing blue.
And with a silken tone he answered me,
"You may call me Ebony Maw."