Work Text:
Maria had been told when she was a kid that she had a face like an angel. These days, she had a face of steel. She'd finally gotten a job as a personal assistant for a CEO-- Hammer Tech, not the most prestigious among tech companies, but the benefits were incredible and it was the exact position she wanted-- only to get fired after a month. Hammer was a creep like most of her bosses had been, apparently thinking that her pencil skirt was an invitation. Either that or he was too horny from daydreams of midday trysts to remember that she hadn't signed up for this.
The severance pay would cover her for a little while, but she started applying for jobs the next day. Nothing as ambitious of course, only to find that she'd been blacklisted. It took her another few days to make sure, but she figured out that she couldn't get a job as an office intern right now.
Her phone started ringing, and she answered with a measured, "Hello?" even as she wondered what the hell this was about. She hadn't started applying to other areas yet, so it's not as if this was for work.
"Hello, I'm Bethany Cabe with Stark Industries. I'm looking for Maria Hill?"
"Speaking."
"Miss Hill, I'm a head hunter for Stark Industries, and I was hoping I could talk to you about a job opportunity with us if you are available."
Was this really happening? "Of course."
"Excellent."
Was it Maria's imagination, or did she actually sound pleased?
"We're looking for a new PA for Miss Potts, and we've heard that you have experience with being a CEO's assistant."
"I'm afraid I only worked for Mister Hammer for a month."
"Yes, I see that here, however, given the details on your termination with Hammer Industries, we don't expect that will be a problem. Your resume is quite impressive, and if I'm being honest, I'm curious as to why you haven't sent in an application with us."
Ah. That wasn't quite as easy to answer as someone would assume. She'd known Tony back before she transitioned, and it had been easier to stay away than explain and hope he was as cool with it as he'd appeared to be. "Mister Stark and I knew each other when we were in college; I didn't want to risk any personal feelings to come in conflict."
"I see. Well, that will no longer be an issue since Miss Potts would be the one you're working for. If you're interested, I would like to have you come in for an interview."
"Absolutely," Maria said immediately.
"Are you available tomorrow? Maybe at eight in the morning?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Great," Ms. Cabe said, and she shared the details for where to be and who to expect.
It took a few weeks before she ever ran into Tony-- not that she expected for him to remember her, what with it being so long ago and her looking like a completely different person.
"Miss Potts, if you want to make those dinner reservations, we need to leave now."
"Right," Miss Potts said with a tired nod, writing the date next to her signature out of habit because she was still used to be the assistant rather than the CEO. "Will you text Tony and remind him that he's supposed to be there?"
"Of course." Maria tapped out a quick message with the important information and hit send. She loved her job. Really, she did. Organizing and planning was fun, and even though she spent quite a bit of time in an office building, Miss Potts traveled often enough throughout her day that she didn't feel cooped up. The risk of seeing Tony and him saying something was enough to get an uncomfortable buzz under her skin. There wasn't going to be any avoiding this though; it was a work meeting over dinner, and Maria had to be there to keep notes and trade information with the other PA's as needed.
Pepper greeted Tony at the restaurant with a kiss on the cheek, then turned and introduced her. "Tony, this is Maria Hill, my assistant. Maria, I'm sure you already know, but this is Tony Stark."
"Of course," Maria said, tone even and a pleasant smile on her face as she held out her hand.
Tony shook her hand automatically, and she started to think she was going to get away with it. Then he tilted his head as his hand went back to his side. "You look familiar. Do you have a brother?"
"Two."
"Either of them go to a Boston college in-"
"Tony, stop bothering her."
"I was trying that small talk thing you're always going on about. And here I thought you'd be happy with me for trying to act normal."
"Try to act normal in a way that isn't bothering Miss Hill. She's too good at this job for me to risk losing her."
"I'm flattered that you think so, Miss Potts," Maria said.
Tony rolled his eyes but let it drop.
Maria wondered how much Pepper knew about her to step in like that, or if it was that she didn't trust Tony fishing for information, no matter how innocent it might seem.
Over the course of dinner, she came to an answer: she was going to tell Tony. Waiting around was only going to make her nervous, and he'd been plenty trustworthy back when they were at college. Not to mention that she had only heard good things about his work with the queer community. She'd liked him enough back then to tell him that she liked men without a hint of worry; she'd be able to do this too.
Miss Potts was in the ladies' room, and Maria and Tony were waiting for her to meet them in front of the building. "You asked about my brothers," Maria said.
"Yes, but I also don't want to have Pepper yell at me for harassing you again."
Maria smirked at him. "My brother's didn't, but I went to Harvard. It was the same time you were at MIT. We met a few times." At a gay club. It was weird to think about now.
Tony opened his mouth to respond, then paused, looking at her as he tried to match that up with his memories. "What did you say your last name was?"
"Hill."
His face cleared, and he nodded. "I remember you. Your hair's a lot longer now," he said, which was easily the most diplomatic way someone had ever told her they knew her from before.
"It is," she agreed. Learning how to deal with her hair had been annoying, but she liked bangs now-- not something she'd ever thought she'd say.
"So correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember you agreeing to a date that I never got." He was giving her an out. Say no and he'd drop it. Say yes, and they'd go on a date almost as if nothing changed.
One corner of her mouth lifted. "I think you're right."