Nervous doesn't begin to describe what Daisy's feeling as she parks her car outside the building. Terrified might be a more appropriate description of the tension running through her, fight or flight warring with each other and refusing to settle one way or the other. As she walks to the door, it takes every ounce of control not to lose hold of her powers — which is really saying something, considering the last time she completely lost her grip.
What if he turns her away once he finds out why she's here? Coulson's name had gotten her foot in the door but what if it just gets slammed in her face? She has a chance at something here that she's always wanted and—
What if he doesn't want her? That old fear of rejection rears its ugly head and she can't escape the black pit that wells up inside her, threatening to swallow up every hope and dream she's ever had. Despite knowing for years now that SHIELD had been the reason she'd never had a steady home growing up, that they'd just been doing what they thought they had to in order to protect her, she's still always wondered how far that really went. Was it every family that actually wanted her to stay, or was it just one? Did any of them really? Had anyone before her team ever actually wanted her in their lives?
But she can’t keep thinking that way. Standing there in front, she forces herself to take a deep breath and walk forward. Because, really, what’s the worst that can happen? Either she gets answers and possibly gains a new member of her family, or she doesn’t lose anything and simply goes on with the family she already has. There is only something to gain from this situation and she’ll be no worse off if nothing comes of it. So pull it together, Johnson.
The lower floors of Avengers Tower have grown quiet in recent days. With the building in the midst of changing hands, from Tony's to the new owner's, there isn't exactly much need for public-facing employees. The only people left in the building are on the upper floors, packing things away to get them ready to be moved to the new Avengers compound. The final clean-up before the big move. From one empty building to another.
Tony paces in the lobby of the building that he had once opened to his friends to use as a home, base of operations, lab, whatever they needed it to be. A building that had once stood as a monument to himself, he turned it into something better, something with more meaning.
Now the 'A' that adorns the top of the building just feels like it's mocking him.
Turning back around and starting to retrace his steps yet again, Tony rubs his eyes before he slips on his sunglasses. Outwardly, it's a simple but pointless gesture. For Tony, however, it's much more than that. It's an extra layer between him and the world. A little something to keep it out when he's feeling vulnerable (a feeling he's been becoming more and more familiar with lately). A barrier between Tony and those around him, to keep them from getting a proper read on just how he feels. They're there when he doesn't have his machines to hide behind. They're his armour when he otherwise has none.
Tony stops in his tracks when he sees a young woman standing out front. This has to be the young woman he's meeting with, right? One of Coulson's people. He inhales deeply and exhales slowly, continuing forward when she does. Tony shoves his hands into his pockets and tips his head up, gesturing toward the young woman with his chin. "Sorry, building's closed." He speaks loudly, his voice echoing faintly in the mostly empty lobby. "New guy hasn't taken ownership yet and the Avengers have moved on." All except for him.
"Unless you're my-" He looks down at his watch. "-Well I don't remember what time we agreed to meet so I'll assume now. So you're in the wrong place unless you're my two-ish o'clock." A big part of him hopes that he's right and she is who he's meeting with. He's not interested in waiting in this big empty space on his own for much longer. He's been alone with his thoughts more than enough already lately.
It's strange to be back at the Tower when so many years ago she'd spent hours standing outside it in a ridiculous costume, hoping to catch a glimpse at one of the world's superheroes. Now she is one of those heroes, someone who gets stopped for autographs and selfies, and meeting Iron Man wouldn't be anywhere near as nerve-wracking if it weren't for the unexpected possible personal connection between them.
Her steps falter slightly at the sound of his voice and she looks up with a deer in headlights look that she shrugs off after just a moment, straightening her spine and moving forward again with the confidence of an upper level SHIELD agent. She might not feel confident right now but, damnit, she'll fake it like a pro.
"I'm in the right place," she replies after stepping through the door that's been left unlocked for the workmen to use. "Agent Daisy Johnson. Thanks for meeting with me." She doesn't offer him a hand to shake because it doesn't seem like a Stark thing to do, based on the stories she's heard from Coulson. But she does try to keep her tone casual, her expression calm and neutral, not allowing either to betray just how ready she is to bolt right back out the door she'd come in.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
What if he turns her away once he finds out why she's here? Coulson's name had gotten her foot in the door but what if it just gets slammed in her face? She has a chance at something here that she's always wanted and—
What if he doesn't want her? That old fear of rejection rears its ugly head and she can't escape the black pit that wells up inside her, threatening to swallow up every hope and dream she's ever had. Despite knowing for years now that SHIELD had been the reason she'd never had a steady home growing up, that they'd just been doing what they thought they had to in order to protect her, she's still always wondered how far that really went. Was it every family that actually wanted her to stay, or was it just one? Did any of them really? Had anyone before her team ever actually wanted her in their lives?
But she can’t keep thinking that way. Standing there in front, she forces herself to take a deep breath and walk forward. Because, really, what’s the worst that can happen? Either she gets answers and possibly gains a new member of her family, or she doesn’t lose anything and simply goes on with the family she already has. There is only something to gain from this situation and she’ll be no worse off if nothing comes of it. So pull it together, Johnson.
no subject
Tony paces in the lobby of the building that he had once opened to his friends to use as a home, base of operations, lab, whatever they needed it to be. A building that had once stood as a monument to himself, he turned it into something better, something with more meaning.
Now the 'A' that adorns the top of the building just feels like it's mocking him.
Turning back around and starting to retrace his steps yet again, Tony rubs his eyes before he slips on his sunglasses. Outwardly, it's a simple but pointless gesture. For Tony, however, it's much more than that. It's an extra layer between him and the world. A little something to keep it out when he's feeling vulnerable (a feeling he's been becoming more and more familiar with lately). A barrier between Tony and those around him, to keep them from getting a proper read on just how he feels. They're there when he doesn't have his machines to hide behind. They're his armour when he otherwise has none.
Tony stops in his tracks when he sees a young woman standing out front. This has to be the young woman he's meeting with, right? One of Coulson's people. He inhales deeply and exhales slowly, continuing forward when she does. Tony shoves his hands into his pockets and tips his head up, gesturing toward the young woman with his chin. "Sorry, building's closed." He speaks loudly, his voice echoing faintly in the mostly empty lobby. "New guy hasn't taken ownership yet and the Avengers have moved on." All except for him.
"Unless you're my-" He looks down at his watch. "-Well I don't remember what time we agreed to meet so I'll assume now. So you're in the wrong place unless you're my two-ish o'clock." A big part of him hopes that he's right and she is who he's meeting with. He's not interested in waiting in this big empty space on his own for much longer. He's been alone with his thoughts more than enough already lately.
no subject
Her steps falter slightly at the sound of his voice and she looks up with a deer in headlights look that she shrugs off after just a moment, straightening her spine and moving forward again with the confidence of an upper level SHIELD agent. She might not feel confident right now but, damnit, she'll fake it like a pro.
"I'm in the right place," she replies after stepping through the door that's been left unlocked for the workmen to use. "Agent Daisy Johnson. Thanks for meeting with me." She doesn't offer him a hand to shake because it doesn't seem like a Stark thing to do, based on the stories she's heard from Coulson. But she does try to keep her tone casual, her expression calm and neutral, not allowing either to betray just how ready she is to bolt right back out the door she'd come in.