Far From Normal (Peter Parker x Stark!OC)

VIII: Homecoming Part 2

10/12/18

"...my reputation's never been worse so-"

Julia switched off her music and looked at herself in the mirror. She tilted her head to one side, watching the ponytail fall, deciding it was pretty, she liked it. So why was she so nervous? She looked good, she always looked good. She had her signature red lip on, a slightly bolder eye look, one of the prettiest dresses she'd ever worn, she had no reason to be nervous.

Oh, but she did.

"Where you going?" The voice stopped Julia dead in her tracks. Now of all times, her dad decided to ask questions. Julia took a breath. She was maybe five feet from the elevator, this had to happen now? She slowly turned in her pretty black heels towards her dad. Her eyes scanned the living room, usually Pepper would be here as a buffer, and Julia really wished she was right now.

"I thought you had bigger things going on tonight," Julia said, trying her best not to be too bitter about it. But when he wasn't here, he tended to be at that new "upstate" compound. It mostly explained his absence from her games this season, which she also tried not to be bitter about.

"Mhm," he nodded, eyeing her skeptically. His arms crossed over his casual attire. His stupid band tee, so typical of him. "Answer the question," she didn't like that. She'd felt like things, for a little bit, had been better. But with just one sentence there was a tension in the room you could cut with a knife.

"Homecoming," she answered him honestly, waiting for his reaction. Tony leaned back a bit, looking at her. It certainly made sense with what she was wearing. But he still didn't like it. She'd had less than a good time last year, he knew about that. A lot of his Julia information he had to get from Pepper, but she'd told him at least a little about the dance last year, and he was well aware of the ex boyfriend who had made the experience so bad. He'd offered to have some strings pulled and get him kicked out of school, but Julia had insisted that wasn't necessary.

"Oh," he said. "I didn't think you'd be going this year since-"

"Yeah, well I am, and Happy's waiting can I...?" she gestured to the elevator, and started walking towards it.

"Hold your horses, little Stark," he put out a finger, gesturing for her to wait. Julia made a show of being frustrated, tilting her head back dramatically. "Who you going with?" he asked. Julia blinked. This was a question where the honest answer would land her in mega super huge trouble.

"Just friends, Emma," she said quickly. Maybe too quickly. She saw her father's eyes narrow, and she wondered if he believed her.

"Okay," he said, putting out an arm, like he wanted a hug. Julia breathed out and went over to him, giving him a quick hug, feeling him kiss the top of her head.

"Careful, hair," she pulled back, making Tony roll his eyes. He made a move like he was threatening to make it worse, like he'd run his hands over her perfectly slicked back hair and she swatted his hand away, laughing.

"Be home by twelve," he requested, but Julia rolled her eyes as she backed towards the elevator.

"After parties!" she reminded him, though she doubted she'd be going to any. Tony groaned exasperatedly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You're so your father's daughter," he grumbled. "One," he offered, but she just shrugged like it may or may not happen. The elevator doors opened and Julia waltzed in, making her father sigh. "Love you, be safe."

"Love you!" she called, just as the elevator doors closed, then she let out the breath she felt like she'd been holding for years. She opened her phone camera, making sure her hair was in fact still intact. Her heels clicked briskly on the sidewalk before she got in the car, and Happy instantly picked up on the urgency.