Changing My Life [Book 1]

Chapter 16

Tony's POV

"Hey, Stark. We were all going out tonight and we were wondering if you wanted to come with?" Wanda asked sweetly from her spot across from me on the couch.

"No thanks, guys." I declined and felt a bit guilty when all my teammates faced morphed into a disappointed frown.

"I can't believe it. The Tony Stark is declining a party and a night out? Wow," Clint snickered.

He was sitting on the floor and within kicking distance. He whined after my foot collided with his back causing me to laugh.

"Maybe he just needs some time away from the you," Wanda joked at Clint.

"I agree!" Tasha and Pietro said simultaneously which caused everyone in the living room to laugh and Clint to pout.

"Well, we should get going then. I'm looking forward to experiencing what Midgardians do for fun," Thor boomed.

I smiled as he got up and fixed his long, burgundy blazer. We convinced him to wear 'mortal clothes' so he won't attract as much attention.

He straightened his gray shirt underneath and had his boots tied up by the time the other Avengers where headed for the door.

I tried to avoid eye contact with Steve as he looked back at me but failed. He looked worried, about me maybe, before turning back around.

They waved bye to me as they departed. When everyone was gone, I smiled because I had the whole place to myself.

I descended down to the lab, searching for something to do for the next few hours.

I pulled out a couple blueprints for some projects that I never finished but quickly lost interest and began searching again. When I opened my third drawer, I discovered a small, metal key.

"Jarvis, what does this go to?"

I waited a second for Jarvis to scan it and read me the analysis.

"It seems to have been your father's. It opens the locked drawer of his old desk."

I furrowed my brow at the key before turning to face the old desk in the corner. It was given to me when my Dad passed away but I refused to use it.

Slowly, I made my way over to the corner where the old desk with hidden secrets awaited me.

I searched the desk before finding only one drawer with a lock. I inserted the small key into the lock of the bottom drawer and turned it until I heard a satisfying click.

I pulled the drawer out and found thick, manilla folders lying horizontally in the drawer. Curiously, I pulled them out and inspected each title.

Super Soldier

Hydra

Tesseract

I glanced back in the drawer and noticed that there was more than just folders in there. I cautiously pulled out six VHS tapes and examined them.

"Any idea what these are, buddy?"

"My calculations are saying it is an old collection of your father's," Jarvis responded cooly.

"Well do we have somewhere to play them?"

"You installed a tape player in the main living room for Captain Rogers, Sir."

"Oh! That's right. Well, what are we waiting for?" I asked a bit anxious to see what the tapes withheld.

I carefully shuffled the folders together and stacked the tapes on top of them before standing to my feet. I picked up the ancient items and struggled a bit trying to navigate myself back up to the living room.