Evolution // An MCU Story (Book Two)

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I made my rounds, thanking people for coming and engaging in painful small talk with people I'd only met once, most of which I didn't even recognize.

A few claimed to have met me way back when Tony had first revealed himself to be Iron Man, but I was, like, nine at the time. Now they were telling me how big I had gotten since the last time they'd seen me, and I had didn't have the slightest clue who they were.

It was a nightmare.

I'd run into Tony a couple more times, but there was somehow always someone else right there that just needed to talk to him. Our interactions were shorter than I'd hoped, mostly consisting of eye contact, and I could tell he was trying to pretend he didn't notice the knowing look in my eyes.

It wasn't long before I'd had more than enough of the crowds and needed to get some air. I spotted Tony up ahead laughing with someone and decided against telling him where I was going.

I would only be a minute and doubted he'd notice anyway. I wondered if the strange look he would get when I went over to him was all in my head, but he seemed to be quieter when I was around.

I frowned at the thought, remembering how he had told me it was okay to stay upstairs. Maybe he was trying to tell me not to come.

I turned on my heel and headed for the back stairwell where I knew no one else would be, thankfully passing by our security without them asking me any questions. I followed the stairs to the roof, unlocking and opening the door with my abilities.

I felt like I was on autopilot as I made my way to the highest balcony. I climbed up the side of the wall with ease, making it onto the roof where I felt I could finally relax.

I took a deep breath, looking down at the city while I focused on the feeling of the wind. I slowly walked over to the side, sitting down on the edge and resting my head on my arms on the two-foot wall that surrounded this part of the roof.

Up here, I could let the light in my hands show. I was allowed to go on missions, but Tony didn't think it would be a good idea to let the public know about it. Glowing purple would make me stand out even more than I already did, and so I kept my focus and made sure I didn't slip.

It was a lot of pressure, and my emotions only made it worse. So I tended to just avoid the situation altogether.

I wasn't sure if I was meant to be as famous as I was. I didn't have the extraverted energy that seemed to carry my father through any social situation with ease. He didn't even have to do anything, and people loved him. They listened to what he had to say. I worked better on my own, or at least with people I knew.

But I hated parties, I hated being around so many people I didn't know. I hated putting on an appearance, it meant that I was being watched, being inspected. I had to be careful.

And I didn't have anything in common with any of these people. 

It was annoying. They were all so eager to talk to a child genius but they still treated me like a child, they didn't take anything I said seriously at all.

That's why I loved spending time with Tony. He didn't treat me like I was stupid, and he didn't talk to me like I couldn't understand. He was easy to talk to, and I didn't feel the need to explain myself around him. He just knew.

But he was distracted. Something was going on and clearly wasn't planning on telling me what.

I stared out over the city for a long time, thinking about everything and nothing at all. My eyes always wandered back to the direction I knew Peter was in.

I actively avoided that part of Queens, but I couldn't stop my curiosity. I checked in in him every once in a while, although obviously never in person. They still lived in the same apartment.