Who: Tony Stark (Iron Man) and Amycus Carrow When: Sometime in May Where: A local food truck (?) What: Random run in Rating/Warnings: TBD Status: Complete with posted
Generally Rebekah made Amycus a lunch to take with him to work but last night, and this morning, had been a bit hectic so instead of whatever she’d been planning on sending with him, he found himself waiting in line to place his order at one of the area food trucks near his client’s office. He hoped that the crowd in front of the place was an indicator of the quality of the food and not just it’s proximity to local business making it popular. He glanced at his phone, sending a quick text to the girl working as his secretary - she might work out if he could just get her to quit with the baked goods on his desk every day - asking her to let his appointment know that he was running a few minutes late and apologized for the inconvenience. He hated being late this way. He was wrapped up in his phone and didn’t notice the line moving right away until he felt someone push him from behind, almost causing him to fall into the man ahead of him. “I’m sorry about that sir. Someone behind me must have tripped,” he said, turning to give the woman behind him a dirty look. “And forgotten whatever manners their mother tried to teach them,” he added, turning back around to face forward as he slid his phone back into his pocket.
***
Tony Stark loved food trucks. Whenever new ones came to town or started up, he always had to seek them out to try. This was no exception. The truck was walking distance from his office, so he wandered down that way, enjoying taking a breather from the hectic life up inside Stark Tower.
After waiting a few minutes in line, he was bumped into from behind. Tony turned and raised an eyebrow, seeing an apologetic man and an angry looking woman behind him. “It’s quite all right,” he assured the man, then frowned at the woman. “Sometimes mothers don’t even try.”
***
Amycus bit back a laugh at the comment the other man gave. Well he tried to anyway but he wasn’t entirely successful. “We can’t place all the blame on the mother. Some children can be very willful. My own daughters are a perfect example of that. They just refuse to listen and act like they know how to behave in public at times. All I can do is hope that they’ll grow out of it before they turn into adults. I would hate for them to end up embarrassed by showing everyone how little they think of other people,” he said, deliberately pitching his voice so that the woman could hear him. Petty? Maybe a little but he didn’t feel all that bad about it.
***
It was entirely possible that the woman behind the other man caught sight of Tony Stark, recognised him, and became all the more embarrassed because of it. Tony was a bit of a celebrity, he thought modestly. Or maybe not so modestly.
“Ah, you’ve got some at home? Good luck with it. I hear it’s a handful.” That whole parenting thing. Tony wasn’t sure if he was fit for it. “I’m sure you’ll do better than some.”
***
It had taken Amycus a moment to put a name together with the face of the man he was talking to but he had. Tony Stark - Amycus knew the name of course but he didn’t show that recognition. His entire life seemed to be taken up by dealing with celebrities, he credited his success in his career to not reacting to their fame. They were just people to him - people that were very well known and very wealthy, but still just people.
“They’re nightmares at times but I wouldn’t trade them for anything. And there’s probably some truth to the old saying about you pay for all the hell you gave your parents when you become one yourself,” he said with a small smile on his face as the line moved forward. “I hope so. The best I can do is try. And when they do act up, they know there’ll be consequences so hopefully that helps avoid their embarrassment as adults. Knowing they can’t get away with acting however they want. I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Amycus Carrow Mr. Stark,” he said, using the man’s name subtly, respectfully.
***
Tony would argue that he wasn’t just people, but the other man had a bit of a point. Most of the time celebrities weren’t extraordinary in any way--just in the right place at the right time, or worked hard, or started privileged, or any combination of the three.
He chuckled softly. “Just another reason I won’t be having any,” Tony confessed. He’d been a handful to say the least. His poor parents. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Amycus,” Tony said, and offered up his hand to shake. “Please, call me Tony.”
The woman who’d bumped into Amycus only moments before looked like she might faint.
***
“Nice to meet you Tony,” Amycus said, feeling a small stab of mean pleasure at the look on the woman’s face as she realized just who was standing in front of her. Hopefully it would teach her to be more considerate of others. Although if he was being wholely honest, he could have been paying more attention. Not that he’d admit it anywhere she could hear him. He gave Tony’s hand a firm shake, years of being taught by teachers at boarding school how to act when meeting someone coming to the front of his memory at the simple action.
The line ahead of them moved and Amycus changed his inflection just enough to make sure she heard him. “I think we’re moving again.” Reinforcing through showing them the right way to act towards someone was one of the ways he taught his daughters and he didn’t see why it wouldn’t work with this woman.
***
"Yes. Quite." Tony said, turning to take a step forward as the line moved up. It was his turn, so he ordered his coffee and danish, then paid for the man behind him in line as well--leaving a generous tip for the barista who took their orders. Then he wandered to the end of the bar to wait for his drink. (Skinny Latte. To balance out the danish.)
While he waited, he pulled out his phone to play Candy Crush check messages and nibbled on his pastry.
***
Amycus appreciated the gesture - Tony paying for his order that way, he’d have to make certain to do the same for someone later that day or the next if an opportunity presented itself. It was always nice to pass on those kind gestures. He could have paid for the woman behind him but he didn’t want to be nice to her. He did put a tip in the jar after placing an order for a cranberry scone and a hot tea. Some habits had never left him.
He walked over to the end of the bar to wait for his tea, pulling his phone back out of his pocket when he heard his notification going off. He sighed and closed his eyes, counting to ten. Maybe she wouldn’t work out as well as he’d thought. He’d asked her to let the client know he was running a few minutes late. She’d rescheduled the appointment for the next day. When he’d planned on working from home. He sent her a quick text reminding her to keep his schedule clear the rest of the day. “Thank you for paying for my order. You wouldn’t happen to have the name of a good agency that I can get a receptionist from?”
***
“Of course,” Tony said, and clicked a few times on his cell phone. He held the phone out to the other man, showing off the information for a temp agency that he’d used a few times to fill positions at Stark Industries. Of course, he wasn’t completely in charge of hiring and firing, but he’d done a few of each in his time.
“I’ve used this service a few times. They seem to be good at connecting employees with employers.”
***
Amycus had been half joking when he asked Tony if he knew of any good agencies in the area but he wasn’t about to admit that when the other man pulled up the information on his phone. He quickly pulled up his contacts to create a new one. Double-checking the number before putting his phone in his pocket. He’d call them as soon as he was on his way back to his car. See if they had someone to send by his office early next week. He could sit in his car while talking to them since he didn’t have to worry about making it to his appointment now. And he should probably call Rebekah to let her know he would need her to watch the girls for a couple of hours after all the next day even though he’d told her she could take it off. If she’d already made plans...he’d have to ask Alecto to watch the girls. Or maybe Nancy. The twins might like getting to spend some time with her. And he trusted his friend to watch them without making a huge deal out of it more than he did his twin sister.
“Thank you Tony. I’m going to be calling them today.” Maybe this new agency would have better luck at finding him someone that he’d actually be able to work with. He didn’t think he was asking too much - he just wanted a receptionist that would follow his simple requests and not decide he must have wanted her to do something else and was interested in a job not trying to find a husband. He wasn’t looking to get married again. Not anytime soon. If ever. He heard the girl working the counter call out an order and he gave the man a polite yet friendly smile. “I think your order’s up. It was nice meeting you,” he said, his tone was that measured level of polite and friendly professional that he’d mastered as an intern in college.
***
“A pleasure,” Tony said, giving the other man a nod. It was, too. Sometimes he had the misfortune to meet up with people who oggled all over him, or wouldn’t leave him alone without getting an autograph. Tony stepped forward to collect his order, and made a mental note to google Amycus Carrow when he got back to the office.