Locked Away

Penny knew that she was expected to go to MIT. Of course she would go to MIT. It was been mentioned in one of the first conversations she'd ever had with Mr. Stark back when she'd lied to him about what she was doing during the whole ferry thing (that hadn't exactly ended well but he'd never taken it back) and she had an internship at Stark Industries and working with robots and computers and her web-shooters was so much fun…she loved all of those things! They were things she was good at and had been since she was little and she new that those jobs, jobs in tech, were stable and paid well and Mr. Stark would probably hire her at SI if she applied for a job there after school.

So she had no idea why she kept her art supplies pristine…why she lost herself for hours while painting the images on her phone that she'd taken while swinging high above New York City, or why she printed out applications for art schools or checked out books about famous artists every week from the library or followed tutorials on Youtube to get better. It didn't make sense. She wasn't going to art school. She wasn't going to be a famous painter. She most certainly wouldn't choose art as a career, not when the money was in tech. Not when she was so good at coding and building things. And she couldn't do both, as much as she would like to, because May would never understand and Mr. Stark would be so disappointed…he'd think that she'd been wasting his time!

One more big painting. That's what she'd told herself. A painting of her and Mr. Stark taken at the end of her internship, based on her favorite photograph that had ever existed. She already had other paintings hidden in a portfolio in her closet…one of Ben, painted from a photo of him in his uniform. One of him and May on their wedding day. One of Happy, taken from a still of him in the video diary she'd done in Germany. One of half of the Avengers running towards her, painted from memory. One of Iron Man landing in front of her at the ferry, done from memory. She would never do anything with them…she just…she loved painting. It was hard! It took all of her focus and she couldn't think about anything else while she painted. So it was okay that it would never be her career, or that no one else would ever see her art. It was okay that Mr. Stark wouldn't know about one of her favorite hobbies…he would never be disappointed that way.

She was at the Compound on a Friday when he brought it up. "You finish your application for MIT?"

The deadline was in three weeks, but she knew both him and May thought she should finish it early. "Yeah…um…almost."

She'd filled out an application for a local art school that night, and she had no idea why. She should have been writing her essay for MIT. That's what May thought she was doing. Instead, she'd spent hours agonizing over which painting she would send into the art school if she ever actually applied.

In the end, she settled on the one of the Avengers rushing towards her…it was a painting no one else would be able to create. Of course, she'd just have to hope that no one started connecting dots about why she would be able to paint from such a perspective, but that was okay. She would make something up. Besides, she reminded herself, she would never be able to turn it in anyway because she wasn't going to art school. She was going to MIT. That had been the plan ever since she'd gotten her first A on her first grade science test…since her 1st grade teacher had written 'great job Penny!' in bright green ink in the corner of the page. Since she'd won a scholarship to go to science camp in 3rd grade where she'd met Ned and since she'd gotten into Midtown and gotten a scholarship with Mr. Stark…she was good at science. That was who she was. Chemistry, Physics, Robots, Engineering…they made sense to her and she enjoyed them.

But painting…drawing out a sketch of something and then portioning out the bright paints and dipping her brush in them and making mistakes and feeling frustrated and then, finally, like magic, she would step back and look at this thing she had created and her whole body would light up in excitement and she would feel like this was the thing she was supposed to be doing. It wasn't something she'd ever brought up to May or Ben though. She'd always known what they wanted for her. People who went into science made good money. They had stable jobs. Artists didn't. Not usually. Science was safer. So she would do science.

But she would keep painting for fun…couldn't even dream of stopping.

"If you want, you could bring it by…if you want. I'd be happy to look it over. And you know, I wasn't lying about having pull there."

"Yean…" Penny nodded, still lost in thought. "I will."

"Pen?"

She jumped a little, turning to find him leaning on the counter beside her, watching her closely. "Huh?"

"You okay?"

"Yeah…sorry. I was thinking about…" She gestured down to the paper in front of her, about to say her web formula, then realized that she'd flipped a page and had been staring down at a blank piece of paper. "...the application," she finished lamely.

"Yeah?"

"Mhm. I'll, uh…I'll finish it up soon and let you look at it."

"Okay." He nodded, crossing his arms. "You sure nothing's wrong?"

"No…nothing's wrong."

She knew he didn't believe her. She didn't even believe herself. But he let it go. He went back to his work she got started on hers and then Happy drove her home. And that night, she opened the MIT application on her laptop and she did the best she could to focus despite the art school application that sat beside her on her desk. She needed to throw it away. Hell, she needed to shred it before May found it. She didn't know what May would say…she was pretty sure her aunt would be supportive but she had no idea if that was actually true. He didn't think she would be mad, but she thought that she'd probably try to convince Penny that MIT was a better idea…that art was fun and she could always keep painting, but that MIT was her future. That she had always loved science and that she could work with Mr. Stark and that was what she'd always wanted.

And sometimes Penny felt that way too. How could she even argue with that? Tony Stark had given her an internship! Tony Stark would hire her if she went to MIT. She would lock all the rest away.

Pent went on patrols on Saturday, swinging through the city and stopping crime and texting with Ned. She hadn't told him about her application to art school…she'd wanted to, but he was set on MIT too and she knew he wanted to go together and part of her wanted that too! She'd met Ned at science camp! They'd taken all of their chemistry and physics classes together. How would he ever understood?

MJ knew. They'd talked about it, and MJ had urged her to submit her application. They'd spent hours drawing together and painting and watching Youtube tutorials and working from books they'd checked out from the library. She wanted to go to MIT…MJ was brilliant and she loved science and wanted to do both, but Penny had no idea how she could. How could she get an art degree and a degree in chemistry? Or engineering? Or physics? How could she afford both? And more, how would Mr. Stark feel if she tried to do both?

Penny couldn't bear the thought of letting him down. So she wouldn't. She would give up this one thing. That was fine. She could do that. After everything he'd done for her, she would do that one thing. No matter how hard it was.

May was at work, so she didn't think anything of staying out a little later than usual. So when she climbed in through her bedroom window, she didn't even think to check to see if anyone was in her room. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Mr. Stark standing at her desk, a stack of paper in hand, her painting of the Avengers laying on her desk. She screamed a little in shock, jumping back and nearly tripping on her own feel. It made sense, she thought absently…her senses only warned her about threats. Mr. Stark wasn't a threat. Still, she felt a hot flush of embarrassment as she yanked her mask off.

"Mr. Stark! What…" She froze then, eyes wide as she realized what exactly it was he was holding.

"I was hoping to talk to you…didn't want to do it over the phone. Thought maybe if I showed up at your place you might tell me the truth about what was bothering you. Sorry…I wasn't trying to snoop."

She shook her head. That didn't matter. She coldn't believe he was holding her application…that he'd seen her painting. He probably collected actual professional works of real art…art made by actual professionals who sold their paintings for millions or maybe billions of dollars and…and he was looking at her painting and the art school application she'd filled out even though she hadn't meant to.

"I wasn't going to send it…I promise," she blurted, ignoring the way his eyes widened. "I'm going to apply to MIT. I'll…I'll finish the application right now and…"

"Hey…look at me." She did, lips trembling.

"I promise. I'll finish it. I'll finish the application. I just…I'll do it now. And you can look it over and…"

He didn't look angry…bewildered, maybe, and sort of worried, but not angry. Instead, he held up the painting of the Avengers caught mid-stride, Captain America out in front with his shield. "Did you paint this?"

Hesitantly, she nodded.

"Pen, this is incredible," he told her with a shocked smile. "This…you didn't even take a picture! You just…you painted it? I had no idea you could paint!"

"It's just…it's for fun."

"You filled out an application to art school for fun?" he asked, skeptical, and she flushed.

"Yeah. I just…I…"

"Honey, do you want to go to art school?"

She shook her head. "No! I…I had an internship with you! And we built things and worked in the lab!"

"I could have gotten you an art internship…"

"But I loved working with you!" She blushed at how loudly that came out…at how he softened. "I just…I do love building things and…and robotics and engineering and…everything we did. I loved it. And I don't want to waste your time…"

"Hey, don't say that," he murmured, reaching out and gripping her shoulder. "No time I spend with you is ever wasted, you hear me? It couldn't be."

"I just wish I could do both," she admitted.

"Then do both."

Penny blinked at him, then shook her head as if clearing her ears. "Wait…what?"

"Go to art school first, then get a degree in engineering later. Or chemistry. Or computer science. Or whatever you want. You're seventeen, kiddo. You've got your whole life to try out different things and decide what you want to do. Plus, you won the Stark Industries Excellence Full Ride Scholarship which, incidentally, covers any degrees you want."

"That is not a real scholarship."

"It is," he told her with a smug smile. "It comes with a plaque and everything."

"And how does one win that scholarship?"

"Well, the official requirements are to have at least a 4.5 GPA, have completed the Stark Industries Internship, and be named Penny Parker."

Penny wanted to roll her eyes. She wanted to insist that he couldn't pay for her college. Instead, she felt tears well up in her eyes as she rested her head on his chest, an arm coming up to hold her. "You aren't disappointed?"

"That my kid is a fucking genius? Uh no. I'm not mad. I'm going to start commissioning you. Hell, can I buy this?"

She choked out a laugh, not able to stop smiling or crying. "You can have it."

His kid. He had just called her his kid. "Do you think May will be upset?"

"Doubt it. Hey, we'll talk to her together, okay? We'll show her your paintings. Has she seen this?"

Penny shook her head. "I mean…she's seen some of them. But…" she shrugged. "Art is a hobby."

"I know several artists that would disagree…"

"You have to be good. Like, really good."

"You are really good."

"But what if…what if I can't make a living as an artist."

"Then I guess you'll just have to come up with a backup plan. Not that I thought Stark Industries would ever be anyone's backup plan but…hey, that's on me for not thinking big."

She choked on a laugh, shaking her head. "It's not my backup plan."

"Ouch. My company isn't even good enough to be your backup plan."

She did roll her eyes then, making him laugh.

"I really like working in the lab with you," she whispered, and he nodded.

"I really like working in the lab with you too, kiddo. And we can keep doing that while you're going to art school. I promise."

"What if I don't get in?"

"Then I'll bribe them. Or…I'll donate a new building or something. Or you can try a different school or you can get another internship at Start Industries or go to community college or take online classes. You can do literally anything you want. You can do lots of different things. And whatever it is you want to do, I'll help you, okay? Promise. We'll figure it out."

Penny nodded, taking a deep breath and smiling.

"Now, how much for the painting?"

"You can have it."

"No way. Do you have more?"

Hesitantly, she nodded again.

"Can I see them?"

That night, he stayed late, ordering takeout for the two of them as he looked over her art school application and together, they chose which of her paintings she would send in. He had prints made of all of them, and the next time she went to the compound, they were hanging up in his lab.

And when she got her acceptance letter, he took her out to the nicest restaurant in the city to celebrate.