Your Little Stark

Ch•5-You don't want to be like Me

      I balanced along the edge of the sidewalk beside Dad, making sure to avoid that cracks. We strolled together along the sidewalk in the Malibu beach city. He wore one of his favorite rock band shirts and dark jeans. A typical fit that he wears around the house. I wore a dark pink tank top with blue jean shorts, a pink head band and converse. In my hand were the final bites of a glazed donut which we had just picked up.

      Several people had passed by us on our outing, and would recognize my Father and I. They would stop for pictures and ask me to take them. I could never get the angle right. However the street was less dense and it made it easier for us to travel without being bombarded. I'm pretty sure paparazzi were still around thought.

Dad carried all our bags. He bought me a new pair of sunglasses for Monaco, or Morocco, whatever it is, and also a dozen donuts from Randy's. Some of those were for Pepper, like the Boston Cream. She's lucky, I wanted that one but they only had one left.

      My arms were outstretched at my sides to help with balancing on the curb. I kept my eyes focused on the ground "How's school going, is it getting better?" Dad asked, taking a sip of his green juice water bottle. He's been drinking that odd looking liquid for awhile now.

"I guess" I shrugged, not taking my concentration off my feet "Got one friend, the rest are still trying to accept that I'm a superhero's daughter"

"That'll take time, you know. Can't help the fact that your dad is awesome-"

I narrowed my eyes to him "-and so are you" he added quickly.

      "That Expo Marker thing you did in New York was cool-" I continued "-everyone at school was talking about it"

      "Let's not talk about that. Let's talk about you. Still doing well in all your classes?" he returned the subject back to me.

"Of course"

"Why did I even ask?" he sipped his coffee contently.

"Okay, Dad, I have another question"

"Shoot"

      "Oh... uh" I suddenly remembered something, but then quickly shrugged it off because it was immediately relevant. He'd find out soon enough. I jumped away from the curb and landed next to Dad "about that whole thing in Washington. What did that Justin Hammer guy mean? That people in other countries have the suit technology? Is he being serious?"

"No" Dad shook his head, plain and simple "None of those countries are close to having our technology"

"Our?"

"Yes, our" Dad lifted his sunglasses to look me in the eye "You helped me create, it in some ways. You're my daughter, ours"

"Will you ever let me fly it?"

"Absolutely not!"

"But you said ours!" I pointed out. I've had dreams about me flying the suit around, saving lives, blowing things up with the plasma blasts "If it's ours, why can't I fly it around?"

"It's dangerous, hun" Dad looked straight ahead, waiting for the red crosswalk signal to turn to green. He seemed to notice everything, every movement, every person on the street. It's like he's looking for a threat, any threat "it's too dangerous"

"I'm not scared" I grumbled "I was kidnapped by a bald guy, held in a closet, and then was chased by a Mega suit that said bald man was in Also, I blew up a building with an ARC reactor, and I-"

"Jessi, you've had to do things that no kid should ever have to do. I didn't even live like this at your age, I wouldn't have had the guts to do that. I would have run away. Listen" he sighed, bending down so he was at my height "you are incredibly strong, and intelligent, and brave, and just... everything"

"Then why won't you let me take on the suit?" I asked, meeting my bright blue eyes with his dark brown ones.

      "Because if anything ever happen to you. I... I it'd be my fault and/ I would lose it. It would break me, call me sentimental"

"But I want to be like you" I whispered.

He smiled sadly, pulling me against his chest. I felt the metal reactor against my chin. The light flowed through his black shirt "you don't ever want to be like me" he whispered back.

Then the cross-sign shined green and we crossed the street, not bringing the subject up again.