Carlos is perfect and beautiful (perfect_carlos) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-10-19 01:42:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | !complete, carlos, tony stark (iron man) |
Who: Carlos + Tony Stark
When: 10/19
Where: Stark Towers
What: Sorta interview
Rating/Warning: Low
Status: Complete
It wasn’t exactly that he was here for an interview. That hadn’t been his plan when walking into Stark Tower (...Industries?) today. No, he just knew that sometimes the science department could be observed -- and maybe he could go and stare and .. you know. Whatever it was that scientists did when they weren’t actually working, but instead watching other people work.
And then somewhere along the way, Carlos had started lecturing a junior lab assistant about how they were definitely doing it wrong, and look, molecular physics just didn’t work that way.
He was just trying to be helpful. How was he supposed to know that Tony Fucking Stark was standing right behind him?
He was supposed to have eyes in the back of his head. Obviously. That’s what Tony would have said, had he known what thoughts were running through this precocious young stranger’s mind. Actually, he’d gone over to tell the same lab assistant the same thing, but stopped when someone beat him to the punch.
Tony Fucking Stark waited for an appropriate moment to break in, but was very much enjoying the tirade. And the lab assistant looked horrified not only because he’d been caught doing something terribly wrong, but because he’d been caught doing something terribly wrong by a stranger and in front of Tony Stark.
It was actually really unfortunate for the lab assistant. Later on, Carlos would feel terribly about it. Right now, he was just feeling a little -- well. Awestruck wasn't exactly the right word but probably he could not think of anything better since his mind went a little blank when he realized Mr. Stark was behind him.
"Oh," he said, surprised and a little lame.
Awestruck worked. Tony liked awestruck. His face popped a grin when the guy turned around and caught him standing there. “All of that… about molecular physics. I take it you didn’t just google ‘molecular physics and elements of quantum chemistry’ and read up on the wikipedia page, did you?”
“Wikipedia is hardly trustworthy in terms of -- anything, really.” Carlos sounded slightly offended that anyone might even need to ask him that, but then shrugged it off because -- well. You didn’t get pissy with Tony Stark.
“It’s, uh. It was one of my focuses in school. I do some lab assistance work with it currently at a local college.”
The grin that’d come to Tony’s features melted away when the newcomer mentioned that he was working at a local college. “Pssh. What a waste.” He said, shaking his head. “You should turn in a resume here. I’m sure we can find something for you that’s a little more…” He hated to assume that the local college wasn’t stimulating for this young man, but … okay, he was Tony Stark. He did a lot of assuming. And he was seldom wrong.
“A little more?” Carlos prompted, but then smiled a little shyly. “Just more. I see what you’re saying. I -- uh. I can do that.” If Tony Stark told you to come work for him, you did not say no. Even Carlos was aware of that. “Where would I... turn it in?”
“Oh! Right.” Tony pulled out his cell phone and started to fiddle with it. It was one of those high tech things that honestly looked like it should be straight out of Star Trek. And not the William Shatner kind of Star Trek. But the new stuff. “You should have my contact information on your phone now. That’s my cell, work, email. Just don’t sext me.” He said, shaking his head. “Actually, just plain don’t sext. Ever. Ridiculous word.”
“Oh,” Carlos said, pulling out his phone and looking completely bewildered. “Okay. Yes. No. I mean, thank you. I won’t ‘sext’. I would never.” No really, he wouldn’t. That was just strange. He grinned then, and it was a sort of gummy and toothy smile, terribly pleased. “Thank you.”
“Hey, no problem.” Tony said, giving one nod and pulling his sunglasses out of his pocket. Yes, they were indoors, and yes, he was going to put them on his face. It was easier to nap when he had them on. “Just don’t tell all your friends all you have to do is wander through Stark Tower showing up the employees to get a job offer.”
“Oh,” Carlos said, grinning and repocketing his phone. “I won’t.” He did not mention that it was because he didn’t really have friends here yet, because one never made themselves look even more pathetic in front of Tony Stark. It would be...silly and repetitious. “Secret is safe, all that.”
Tony nodded, considering the other man. He could definitely use some more brains around this place. And normally he’d let the staffing gods in Human Resources handle something like this, but he actually had a couple of ideas where this kid could fit in. The thinktank. Probably the best place to be at Stark Industries. “Thank you.” He reached forward and clapped Carlos on the shoulder. “Good man.”
Come to think of it, he should probably figure out the good man’s name. It was sure to come in time.
“Carlos,” said the Good man. And it wasn’t really that he was a mind reader or anything, it was just that he didn’t want to send a resume out and not have his name ring any bells. That would be beyond embarrassing.
“Carlos.” Tony said, breaking into a little grin. So those forays into telepathy research must have been working. Either that or the Good man was smart, and wanted to make sure that Tony heard his name once before wandering off with his flask. “I’ll be hearing from you soon, Carlos.” Tony said, then released the Good man, and turned to head off toward the elevator. He had a bit of a dance in his step at the tunes coming over the sound system.
Carlos smiled after him, feeling abashed and a little stupid and more than a little pleased with himself. “Okay,” he said to no one in general, and didn’t quite realize the lab assistant he’d been yelling at was boring holes into the back of his head with a glare. That was okay. Really.