Work Text:
When Pepper mentioned that Tony hadn’t been to an interview in a while, he’d sighed and resigned himself to attending another invasive interrogation that made him want to jump from the roof of his own tower.
He never expected that an interview could change his life so drastically. For the better, even.
Tony had groaned and whined with the force of a toddler denied candy, refusing to leave his lab when the dreaded day came. It took Rhodey and Happy’s combined force for him to get to the interview on time and look presentable. Tony’s threats fell upon deaf ears, and there he sat, waiting for his interviewer with a mug of coffee warming his hands.
Someone entered the room, and Tony sighed quietly, his momentary peace disrupted.
A hand entered his line of vision, followed by a voice that said, “Hi! My name is Peter Parker. I’ll be interviewing you today.”
Tony grasped the soft hand to give it a polite shake and looked up from his coffee, his voice catching in his throat and stealing his words from his mouth. Warm chestnut eyes met his own and softened the longer Tony remained silent, slight unease creeping into them. Tony admired the rosy swell of his cheeks, the ruffled eyebrows that stubbornly reached for the sky, and the sharp jut of his jawline, so prominent that he ached to trace his fingers along the bone and see if it could cut.
This was easily the most gorgeous person Tony had ever laid eyes upon, and he’d done a lot of that in his time. One could say he was a bit of an expert.
“Is everything okay?” Peter asked uncertainly.
Tony’s throat relaxed, releasing his voice into the air, which seemed to be increasingly warmer. “Everything is just fine.”
He gave Peter an obvious once-over, allowing the meaning behind his words to register in Peter’s brain, who flushed a deep red.
Peter graced him with a small smile that he was clearly trying to contain. It felt like a victory. Tony leaned back in his chair and relaxed. Suddenly, coming to this interview didn’t feel like the worst thing in the world.
“If you’re ready, we can get started with the interview,” Peter said, his face having returned to its usual color.
Tony grinned cheekily. “I was born ready.”
Peter alerted the crew that they were ready to film. When the cameras started rolling, he introduced himself and Tony to the viewers, all the while maintaining a smile that gave Tony chest pains. They got started with the questions.
“Which industry trends are you most excited about right now?” Peter asked. His hands were free of cards, his questions either memorized or made up on the spot.
Tony laughed, throwing his head back. “I don’t follow trends. I set them.”
“So, which of your trends are you hoping others will follow?” Peter questioned once his own laughter died down.
Tony steepled his hands. “I’m very big on clean energy. Everyone else may be behind on that, but if they could try to keep up with me, that would be great. We’ve only got one planet.”
Peter nodded in agreement. “What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned throughout your career?”
“Don’t use your interns for coffee,” Tony joked. “Well, maybe sometimes. But that’s a lot of wasted potential.”
As Peter continued to pose his questions, Tony gave him his answers on autopilot. He’d been asked everything under the sun in all the interviews he’d gone to, and he had a response prepared for it all. Instead of putting thought into his responses, he allowed himself to get distracted by Peter, the way his hands waved about animatedly as he talked, and the gleaming curls Tony was tempted to tug at.
He wondered how soft they were. His fingers twitched, and he forced them still, gripping his mug tighter. Peter was too delicate for him, too easy to ruin, but something in Tony rebelled at the mere idea of staying away.
Tony tuned back in just in time to hear Peter say, “Now, on behalf of all the ladies wondering, I’d like to ask: is there a special someone in your life?”
“No,” Tony said simply, “but there can be.”
He gave Peter a suggestive look, leaving no room for doubt as to what he was implying.
“You don’t mean…” Peter trailed off, disbelieving.
Tony was caught off guard. How could Peter ever doubt his own beauty? It seemed impossible to Tony, who was all too aware of his own looks but even more so Peter’s.
“I do.”
Silence stretched on for an eternal moment, Tony’s heart pounding fiercely, the thunderous beats echoing in his ears.
“Let’s start with dinner first,” Peter said, flustered. “If that’s okay.”
Tony’s heartbeat eased. “That’s more than okay.”
Tony had picked the place. Of course he did. He always had impeccable taste, especially when it came to impressing someone. The restaurant was modern but intimate, with dim lighting that cast soft shadows over the sleek decor. Tony didn’t care much about the atmosphere—he was too focused on Peter, seated across from him, looking like something out of a dream.
They’d ordered drinks before Tony even realized he was staring at Peter again. His eyes traced the curve of Peter’s lips as he took a sip of his wine, the way his fingers gripped the stem of the glass so delicately. Tony’s mind wandered, his thoughts a mix of admiration and desire, and before he knew it, he was lost in the quiet space between their conversations, the comfortable tension.
Peter, meanwhile, was trying to hold it together. His palms were a little sweaty. Was it the nerves? Or maybe the fact that Tony Stark, the infamous genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist—had just asked him out on a date? He kept catching Tony’s eyes and finding it hard to look away. Tony was... well, Tony. He was sharp, confident, and clearly well aware of the effect he had on people. And yet, here he was, being kind, patient, and even a little soft.
“So,” Peter said, trying to steer his thoughts away from dangerous territory, “You’ve worked on some pretty crazy projects. I mean, who else can build an AI-powered suit of armor that’s practically invincible? What’s the next big leap for you?”
Tony raised an eyebrow. “You want to talk about the next big leap after I ask you to dinner?” He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping a little lower, more intimate. “That’s some pretty advanced multi-tasking, kid.”
Peter swallowed, feeling a warmth spread over his face. “I—uh, well... just... curious, I guess?”
Tony laughed, the sound like music in Peter’s ears. “That’s what I like about you, Parker. Always curious.” He took another sip of his wine, eyes lingering on Peter. “The next big thing? Well, you’re looking at it.” He gestured to the two of them with a quick flick of his hand. “Right here. Right now.”
Peter blinked, unsure if he’d heard him correctly.
Tony’s smirk was playful, but there was an undeniable sincerity in his eyes. “I don’t make moves on just anyone, you know. But you? You’re something else.”
Peter’s chest tightened with a mix of excitement and anxiety. “I’m not... I’m not sure I deserve all this attention.”
Tony leaned in even closer, making Peter's heart race. “Let me make it clear, Peter. You’re the only one I’ve been thinking about all night.”
Peter could barely process the words as they hit him. He was pretty sure his brain had stopped working entirely. “You really mean that?”
Tony’s smile softened. “I do.”
They fell into a comfortable silence, the weight of their shared moment filling the space between them. Peter’s thoughts began to spiral again, and he reached for his water, taking a long sip just to give himself something to do with his hands. When he lowered the glass, his eyes met Tony’s again. There was no more hiding it now.
“Tony,” Peter said, almost shy, “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.” Tony’s voice was light, but there was a knowing glint in his eyes.
“What... what if we did this again? Not just dinner. Maybe... something more?” Peter’s voice trailed off, unsure if he was being too forward.
Tony leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful look on his face. “You mean a date?” he asked, teasing, though the warmth in his voice was unmistakable.
Peter nodded, his heart hammering in his chest.
Tony leaned in, lightly brushing his fingers against Peter’s hand, his touch sending a spark through Peter’s body. “You’re in for one hell of a ride, kid.”