InsaneJournal

WHO: Wanda Maximoff & Tony Stark
WHERE: Stark Tower & the Cronut Place
WHEN: {backdated} pre-Feb 13th
WHAT: A set up meeting to discuss scholarships.
WARNINGS: Tony being Tony (PG-13)
STATUS: Complete.

Wanda didn’t have a lot of nice clothes. Not ones that were proper interview clothes at least. She’d been a little bit surprised when she’d been told she’d been selected to interview for one of her scholarship applications, mostly because she hadn’t expected that they’d start the process right now, but apparently due to paperwork and allocation of class numbers, it had to be this early.

So Wanda had gone to lengths to make herself presentable; she’d pulled her hair into a tight plait, even if she’d threaded in some beads a few nights before, gone for a long black skirt with fewer layers and at least left her top layer a fitted red blouse, the sleeves not too flared to cause issue. Presentable and professional probably weren’t the same things, but she could work on that hopefully.

Making a point of arriving early, trying to keep her nerves down, with her portfolio of work and test results and the hope that she could keep moving forward with education, Wanda was half in awe of the place around her. She’d heard of Stark, of course she had, and all the work his company did. But it was something else to see it for herself.

Waiting in the area the receptionist directed her to, Wanda nibbled on the end of her plait while flicking through some of the magazines left out, stopping on an article that had been written about Stark.

---

The scholarship application pile was so large that Tony had an entire staff to handle it, along with tracking their other charitable projects. Sure, he always took care of the final interviews. Or almost always, at the very least. And he did hand pick the ones that ended up being selected.

But this had been a special case, one that he kind of hoped his big mouth didn't let on about while he was discussing it with Wanda. Because the truth was, he'd met her on the network. She'd seemed brilliant, and willing to stand up to people, and was an overall interesting young woman.

So he'd fished her application out of the pile on purpose. It wasn't a secret she was losing her scholarship soon. Situations like this were exactly why he'd come up with scholarship opportunities to begin with. But he didn't plan on being that formal.

The door to his office opened, and he poked his head out of it. Aside from wearing a business suit, his air was probably entirely too casual. "Are you nervous? We could grab a coffee and interview there if you like. Or do it in my workshop, or whatever. What are your opinions on cronuts?"

---

Compared to the picture in the magazine, a well put together, expertly trim and sophisticated businessman with a slight smirk on his face, this was a far cry. She probably looked a little like a deer caught in the headlights, trying to process the comments, since none of them were ‘step into my office for a stuffy conversation’. She was a little nervous, and that was maybe offset just by the hilarity of that situation.

“I… Do not have an opinion on them. What is a cronut?” She wasn’t sure if this was a test or if the rumours about Stark bucking all the trends were more factual than some people gave them credit for. “I don’t mind coffee, if you want, or if you have work to do.” It would be strange, but maybe that would be better.

Wanda felt like she did a little better with strange if she were honest. “I am curious about cronuts now though.”

---

"I'm trying to decide how surprised I should be that you've never had or heard of cronuts." Tony lifted the application up and started to take another look at it, his eyes quickly re-absorbing the information as he flipped through the pages. A little line twitched between his brows, and his arm dropped back against his side. "Okay, I am not at all surprised. But I think you deserve about a dozen cronuts, assuming you end up liking them at all."

Tony stepped through the door, then, and shut it behind him. Stuffy interviews might have been his thing at some point, especially when he didn't already know the applicant in question. But it was more fun to see who they really were, anyway. And that rarely happened on the other side of a desk while someone asked pointless questions.

He walked over to Wanda and held his hand out. "I'm thinking you weren't expecting this at all, but let’s shake hands, and then go for a walk. I'm gonna introduce you to cronuts, and we're going to play twenty questions where we can be a little more real."

--

She had to assume that a cronut was a very American thing, something that maybe they took for granted was a thing that existed -she’d discovered that football was one of those things too, everyone just assumed she knew the difference between football and soccer when she really didn’t.

Mr Stark, Tony… Mr Stark’s offer of a hand was met with hers, slightly hesitant but the nervousness ebbing out of her at the friendly tone and the casual approach. “I don’t think I knew what to expect.” This certainly wasn’t it, but she supposed maybe that was the point? When did Tony Stark do what was expected? According to the news outlets, very rarely.

“But I think you’re idea sounds very good.” It involved food and maybe Wanda would be able to fully relax, which would undoubtedly help make things go smoother. “I am doing my best to try new things after all.”

---

Tony's handshake was just firm enough. He didn't really need to intimidate Wanda, and he definitely want to come across friendly enough. He motioned towards the bank of elevators that lead to the ground floor of the tower and the treats that lay beyond. One of the elevators was set apart from the main three, and Tony approached that one, talking while he punched the down button.

"This is a new thing that I'm really hoping you like. Not that your application status really depends on it, because that would be- well, it'd be pretty ridiculous. Also I'm sure someone in legal or human resources would yell at me for that. I get a lot of memos."

He made that confession to her as the elevator doors opened and he stepped inside. No one was waiting inside to come out, and the interior seemed less worn down. He waved Wanda in, and waited until she was inside and the elevator was in motion before speaking again. "I own this whole block, so I had one of my favorite local coffee shops open up a chain nearby. A lot of the research teams and interns depend on it. Do you think you'll want to intern here eventually?"

---

As much as it was probably a joke about liking cronuts, Wanda at least understood the appeal in sharing something -coffee, baked goods, a break, just some time to sit and converse without it feeling like a formal setting or looking for something else to talk about. She appreciated that things were fairly casual, that Mr Stark -Tony- was taking the time to do something different.

“That would make quite the story, splashed on tabloids, my scholarship depends on liking cronuts. I mean, it’s probably a lot below some of the things people might be expected to do.” Even just looking at Tony, in the small elevator, she couldn’t really see something as trivial as cronuts bothering him entirely. Unless he manufactured them.

Rocking on her heels, Wanda threaded her fingers together as the elevator descended. “I can imagine that coffee and sugar keeps a lot of people going, I know it’s gotten me through many study nights,” because of course they would, who didn’t need a good boost now and then. And it made sense to have some nice places close to the business so that staff could get their snacks in. “Oh, I would be very honoured to get to intern here,” and that wasn’t even just sucking up, “I’m not sure that there is a more innovative company than Stark Industries, honestly it’s just mind blowing to be here at all.”

And not something that Wanda took lightly.

---

There was also Future Industries, and Tony knew that he and Asami often fought over the brightest candidates when it came to interns. But he didn't mention that to Wanda as the elevator came to a stop and he ushered her out. Not that he would argue with her or strip any funding if she chose to go with his current rival, of course. It just never hurt to have a head start.

It wasn't a long walk at all to the shop in question, and Tony didn't even bother calling up any of his drivers, or hailing a cab. Stark Industries really did take up its own city block, but on the corner of it was nestled a charming little shop with amazing smells wafting from it. It was busy for that time of day, but Tony always had a more quiet table waiting in the back.

Cronuts and other things were ordered - Tony encouraging Wanda to order whatever she wanted - and then they were seated, with drinks and a big plate of cronuts. Tony's was gigantic and iced, with a lot of whipped cream on top. "So. Have a cronut, and then tell me why you chose Science. Because... you're brilliant, you could have chosen any math career, anything in engineering. You chose what you chose, I want your motivations."

--

She was starting to wonder if green tea would go with a cronut, but she’d made that choice already and it was time to bite the bullet, so to speak. Since she was to have a cronut and then explain how she’d ended up in a science course instead of something easy, something that might not have her looking around for scholarships or facing years of debt to get through the rest of her education without a way to pay for any of it.

The cronut wasn’t bad, it was a lot like a donut, but with that hint of softness like something else -breakfasty, but in a treat kind of way. “I like this,” it was light and not heavy like donuts tended to be, Wanda was one of those types who ate half a donut and felt the dough was too heavy to finish it in one sitting, like small children and tiny tummys. She didn’t even mind the cream inside these.

Brushing her face with the edge of a napkin, Wanda tried to piece together the correct English terms for how she ended up in the field she did. “Maths has always been easy to me, for a long time we were taught at home, by my mother, and then we went to school and our teachers believed we would be stupid, because we were not taught like other children.” Learning had been fun with her mother and the other parents on the road, they’d done it like games and through chores, not sitting in classrooms and reading off boards. “When I came to America I believe they expected the same, offering me classes during my rehabilitation, I got to pick whatever I wanted, and I chose maths and physics. It was during an open day that I talked to one of the molecular engineering professors, and he talked to me like I would understand everything he said, all the terminology and the maths, he didn’t act like I would be too dumb to know. It made me feel valued, and I enjoyed what he was teaching, he taught like my mother, engaging us. And then I learned how it could be applied, how I could help to reshape functions in the world through engineering.”

Wanda was aiming for nanotechnology because she knew how it could be adapted into medical processes, how it could assist in techniques and equipment that poorer countries couldn’t yet get access to. And given what took her to America, she hoped she could be part of that for her country. “I suppose I picked it because it was challenging in new ways, not proving myself, just… learning.”

---

That Tony was pleased with Wanda's reaction to the cronut was only displayed by the smile on his face. He didn't want to interrupt her. This was the important stuff, after all. Everyone in science had a motivation for it; Money, influence, the prospects of better living, the thrill of discovery.

Tony paid as much attention to Wanda as he was capable of, only really breaking eye contact occasionally. Mainly to pick up another cronut or quietly fidget with his cup. It was rare these days to find someone involved in science that wasn't already either corrupted by its near limitless potential or jaded by the system, and it was thrilling to take in Wanda's humble enthusiasm.

When she was done, he nodded his head a few times. "Learning, and a challenge. That's pretty admirable, and really? It never gets old. When that's your motivation, you'll always find a new challenge, always learn new things. Never lose that focus. When you do, it honestly gets kinda sketchy. And you're way too nice for sketchy."

---

Wanda could only imagine how sketchy some people within the science community could get. Given the depth of possibility, and what all relied on the expansion of science these days, it was probably important that people had the right outlook before going into the process -she couldn't imagine people would use it just to get rich, when there were so many ramifications on people and the world in general. Science could be used in so many ways, and not all of them were good.

"It is how I ended up in molecular engineering, for more challenges, and to broaden what I learned." And it was why nanotechnology appealed to Wanda, because it was always expanding, learning was always possible. And sometimes things got boring for her, purely because things might come easier than others, and Wanda didn't like just coasting through things.

Picking at one of the cronuts, chewing somewhat thoughtfully, Wanda considered Tony for a moment. "Do you think being 'sketchy' is a danger? Have you ever gotten bored?" It seemed like when you were typically smarter than most other people in the room, it would get to the point where challenges weren't what they were.

---

"For me, you mean? Eh, it probably was when I was younger. And I know it was for my dad. Especially in our dream universe, he came up with some really crazy ideas. The things you make just because you can, without thinking it through, and then suddenly realise they could destroy the planet. It’s probably good that he realised quickly enough what kind of things were bad enough to lock away somewhere."

Tony squinted a bit, looking back on his life. Boredom was definitely an issue for anyone smart enough, and he didn't want to lie about that.

One of his hands reached out and he shook it back and forth. "I'd say, sure, I've gotten bored before. It's a struggle, you know? I definitely wasn't challenged enough as a kid at first. Went through a few crazy phases growing up, too. But the thing is like - as smart as I am, there's someone smarter. And that person's discovering new stuff every day that I have no clue about, and instead of sitting around my workshop bored out of my mind it's better to go learn the things I don't know. I mean, better for me, and better for everyone else in the building too, probably. I'm a handful, I'm sure you figured that out. Nanotech is one of those areas that's developing SUPER fast and even I can't keep up with it. But that's awesome, because I'll never run out of new things to tinker with or problems to solve."

---

Most people with intelligence like Tony Stark wouldn’t have admitted that other people were smarter than them, and Wanda felt like it was a good view on just how aware of his own capabilities that Tony was. Something that very few of the magazines or articles would express either. A relatively humble if slightly eccentric billionaire tech genius? Hardly going to sell issues.

“There is always something we don’t know, it’s true.” There were things to learn in every area, and it was good to know that others felt the same way about wanting to learn a little more each day.

“I find that most interesting about nanotechnology, it seems endless at the moment. The applications and advancements could be astounding for so many different industries.” The potential was still so wide open, since every day there was something else they were discovering they could do, and Wanda was just as fascinated by that too. “In so many ways, science seems full of ever endless advancements.”

---

"And that's the magic. You know. The endless wonder and discovery, the advancements that feel like they have no ceiling and are full of potential. It's a trap, too, but I already talked about that." Tony helped himself to another cronut, chewing on it thoughtfully before nodding his head.

"Okay. I'm not allowed to say this, but you're golden. Like, there's red tape and paperwork but you already did most of yours. I'll have to go back there and do my part of it when we're done here."

There would be official offers made with statements of monetary grants and all of that, but Tony already knew he'd make sure they were generous enough to keep Wanda in school for as long as she needed. "You just do your part in school, yeah? Don't get lost and get into trouble. I'd probably bail you out anyway, but I think there's rules about grade point averages and stuff."

---

Wanda had a cronut halfway to her mouth when Tony told her she was golden, although it wasn’t officially official, just semi-official, she guessed because he could have the final say in some things? It sparked a deep well of gratitude, a man who barely knew her taking a chance on her and offering the opportunity to expand and further her learning. She felt the grin splitting her face before she’d properly finished chewing the piece of cronut.

“That is just… You have no idea how happy that makes me.” He probably had an idea, if he was telling her now rather than letting her wait to stew about her potential chance to carry on learning or not. “I do not think you’ll have to bail me out at all.” She wasn’t entirely sure if she really broke rules at all. Ever.

Wanda was nothing if not predictable in that regard. At least she could be predictably focused on her studies now, moving forward and, hopefully, one day even making breakthroughs in her field, and she was sure she’d do it under the banner of Stark Industries, if only to repay the kindness Tony showed.