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.
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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.
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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.