Ron and Hermione had listened to Tony complain about having to do something for work.
"Bring back something British," Ron joked.
Clint raised a brow at his boy. "We're going back to Britian in a few week. Why are you asking for something British?"
Ron shrugged his shoulders. "He's rich."
"I have taught you well," Clint responded sagely.
"Circus clowns," Tony snarked back, "Always ripping you off."
"See you when you get back Tony," Bruce said civilly as Hermione waved him off.
The flight had been simple enough. His private jet always did make it comfortable.
The British though, Tony had just about had it with them. When he had landed and went to speak with the head of Grunnings, he had been turned to speak with some sales representative who wasn't even there. Didn't they know who he was? He was Tony Stark! Iron Man! CEO- Former CEO of Stark Incorporated. He shouldn't have to set up a freaking meeting with this Doody man or whoever he was.
Well he wasn't going to waste time here. He'd find Mr. Doody and tell him what he thought of their company. Who needed their drills anyway. He could build better drills with his eyes closed than they could ever sell.
But he would do it in his usual fashion.
So he had Jarvis find this guy's address and decided to pop on in. House number who cares, house number not that one, house number-
"We're here sir."
"Thanks Jarvis," Tony said stepping out of the car andbegan walking up the cookie cutter walkway to the door. He ignored the cars in the driveway and gave hard knock to the door. His face held a devil may care. He tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the door to open. It was quiet until he heard the door open.
A thin faced gaunt woman with dark hair in a summer cocktail dress. It kind of reminded him of Doctor Strange if he decided to shave and dress in drag. He raised a brow and her nostrils flared as if he were a filthy rat.
"Can I help you?" she asked in a sickeningly condenseding voice.
"I doubt it. I'm just here to speak with whoever here works for Grunnings."
He pushed past the twiggy woman and he could practically feel her rage pour off her in waves.
"How- Wha-"
He could hear a young person's gasp.
"Mum! Dad! That's Tony Stark!" a large balloon of a possible child called out from the table. His eyes were wide in wonderment. He stood from the table and waddled over. Tony didn't think the kid could even really move. "It's an honor."
"I'm sure. I'm just here to talk to whoever works at Grunnings."
"Well I'm sure this can surely wait-"
"Oh my the Iron Man himself," the woman at the table acknowledged. "I didn't know you were doing business with him!"
There was a glint in the large mustached walrus's eyes.
"Why yes of course! I am so sorry it completely slipped my mind. Mr. Mason I hope you don't mind but Mr. Stark is not here in the country long."
"Not at all. It's an honor and a privledge to meet such a hero," the far skinnier man commented with a bright smile. Tony wasn't entirely sure just what was going on now as he was led to the table by the piggy boy and anchair brought up and settled between the boy and the skinny man.
He could only think that it was situations like this Pepper must be reffering to when saying he needed better impulse control.
Dinner was awkward and he had trouble gaining control of the conversation and he was never going to tell anyone the details of this day. Including learning that they apparently owned a loud and noisy ass of a cat and that they liked to hide it upstairs. He thought houses with pets had more unsightly animal hairs.
He was somehow led into their living space listening to dumb jokes and being asked to regale tales of being Iron Man.
He blamed their British accents. It reminded him too much of the original Jarvis.
During one of the boring jokes something interesting caught his eye. Over from the counter was some large chocolaty dessert covered in cream and something sugared just started floating.
He watched in intrigue as it began floating over slowly in the air.
He glanced over at the porker kid but didn't see anybindication of it being his doing. He had seen Ron cast and Hermione on rare occasion, but this kid clearly wasn't doing it.
He looked back at the dessert and noticed half hidden was a boy in rather worn clothing with messy and shaggy black hair. He took slow and controlled steps behind the dessert with his hands held rather steady as though moving with the dessert.
No one seemed to have noticed him yet. Did he live here? If so wouldn't he have been there for dinner? Then again what did he know about family dynamics. His dad was hardly a good example. But if he went off Clint and Bruce with Hermione and Neville then... it was weird. Was the kid grounded or something- oh.
Tony felt a smirk come to his face. Revenge for being grounded. This should be entertaining.
It was with this though he looked away innocently, watching as now, the skinny Strange in drag noticed the treat and tried to hide her horrified expression.
"Petunia, why don't you tell them the joke about the American plumber-"
Splat went the dessert. All over the head of Mrs. Mason.
New World Crafting: A First hand account of wand crafting. It's a new story from Mysticarts. Should take a look at it if you want an idea of some of the background I don't cover.
Mysticarts: And no this wasn't my secret project.
I never said it was sister dearest.