ＩＭＰＥＲＩＡＬ ◼TONY STARK◼

prologue

Audelia Motter, though she begs to just be called Deli, is arguably one of the smartest women alive today. She's a tech genius and a part-time professor at Columbia University in New York. In an exclusive interview with Clover Magazine, the tech super-genius opens up about love, business, and all things surrounding her best friend: Tony Stark.

As the most sought after tech freelancer in the world, Motter has made quite the name for herself by only selling her creations and working for one company: Stark Industries. She's had a hand in design of some of their most lethal weapons and awe-inducing technology, but it's impossible not to talk to her about the heir to the Stark empire!

Motter and Stark grew up together, even attended MIT together and lived in an apartment with one another. The pair have obviously been close, as Motter only lends her genius brain and ideas to Stark and his company, but is there more than just a friendship there? We know that Motter is currently engaged, but we can't help but think that maybe-

The soft slam of the magazine hitting the chestnut coffee table echoed around the room, one of the only sounds in the entire home as channel 11 news played on volume 10 in the background. 

Audelia Motter ran a hand down her face, legs crossing as she leaned back against the cushions of the couch. She had already given up on reading the excerpt that Clover magazine had done on her.

"You seem stressed," a low voice cooed into Audelia's ear, hands moving to her shoulders as they rubbed them. Deli let out a content sigh, leaning back into the feeling as she let her eyes shut.

"The first time I do an interview in two years and all Clover wants to do is insinuate a forbidden love story between Tony and I," she grumbled, eyes opening as they peered up into the ones that belonged to her fiance, Nathan Porter. "Remind me to call Pepper later and ask her to blacklist them for the future."

"Between both your hectic life and Tony's, I'm truly surprised the poor woman hasn't quit yet," Nathan joked with the woman, removing his hands as he vaulted himself over the back of the couch, sending her a cheeky smile as he landed beside her.

"I hope she never does, Tony would fall apart without her,"

The pair shared a laugh, their hands intertwining as they sat together, falling into one another in their spot on the couch of their Malibu home. Conveniently, the large home was only a twenty minute drive away from Tony Stark's rather large Malibu mansion. Nathan sometimes loved to joke with his fiance that her and her best friend truly couldn't be separated from one another.

"I'm thinking we just order in tonight, maybe call it a celebration of Clover getting added to your extensive blacklist," Nathan joked, getting a humorous eye-roll out of the woman on the couch. He rose from the couch, moving toward the kitchen. "What do you think? Pizza? Chinese?"

"JARVIS, order our usual from China Garden," Audelia called out to the AI that ran through her home.

"Of course, I'll ask them to deliver at your usual time,"

Deli smirked as she looked back to Nathan's retreating figure, a laugh bellowing out of her as she watched him flip her off before completely disappearing into the kitchen.

The room fell silent once more as Deli pulled her legs under her on the couch. Her eyes fluttered over to the picture frame that sat upon the coffee table. Gently moving the magazine out of the way, Audelia enveloped the frame in her hands as she placed it in her laugh, a small smile stretching across her face.

19 year old Tony Stark had his arm around 16 year old Audelia Motter. The woman held a gentle smile on her lips with Tony held the all too familiar Stark smirk on his. The photo was taken weeks before Audelia's graduation from MIT, the woman having entered the institution just a year after Tony, the pair becoming some of the youngest to ever graduate from the prestigious school.

Placing the picture frame back on the coffee table, Audelia's eyes drifted up and landed on the TV screen for a second, before looking away. Her brows furrowed as she looked back to the screen, the familiar photo of none other than her best friend flashing across the news channel with a 'BREAKING NEWS' headline overhead.

Deli's hand reached out for the remote on the table, turning up the volume as her legs came out from under her, feet placed on the ground once again.

"...yes, that's right John. If you are just tuning in, we have breaking news tonight. Tony Stark, head of Stark Industries, has been reported missing in Afghanistan. The billionaire was at a testing site for his brand new Jericho missile when the were ambushed. Authorities are currently trying to track them down, but no one has been able to..."

Audelia Motter was sure the wind had just been knocked out of her.

The remote fell from her hand, crashing to the ground as the back component popped off and the batteries inside rolled across the floor. Her hands shook violently as she brought them to her lips, covering her mouth as involuntary sobs wracked her body.

Nathan quickly exited the kitchen at the sound of her sobs. He rushed to her, pulling his fiance's body back into his as she fell apart in his arms. He stared down at her before looking back to the television, the color draining from his face as the reporter reiterated the breaking news for the audience once more.

The sleek, black cell phone sitting on the edge of the coffee table began to ring, a familiar ringtone that Deli knew well. She held back her sobs for a moment as she shot out, answering the call without hesitation as she brought the phone to her ear, her eyes trained on the photo of her best friend on national news.

"Pep...Pepper please, please tell me this is a joke. Tell me this isn't real, tell me he's okay,"

"...I wish I could,"

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Thought I'd give you guys just a little sneak peak into the story with chapter one real quick! I'm honestly so excited to write this story, but I will say that my main priority right now is going to be finishing and editing Slate since I have entered it into the #Wattys2019!