Chapter 4: Mansion Life, Quirky Friend, and a New Landlord
The Malibu mansion was less a house and more a monument to Tony Stark's ego and genius. Glass walls overlooking the Pacific, sleek minimalist furniture, and enough tech to launch a small country. Adam found himself inexplicably there, having been swept up in the post-rescue whirlwind. Tony, too exhausted and bewildered to question the presence of the "weird guy from the cave," had simply waved him in.
"So, you're just… hanging out?" Tony asked, later that day, as Adam lounged on a ridiculously expensive sofa, sipping a drink that tasted suspiciously like fruit juice, despite being poured from a whiskey decanter. Tony's brow was furrowed, a mix of exhaustion and irritation. "You're not, like, a government agent, are you? Because if you are, I'm going to need a full psychological profile and a list of your favorite breakfast cereals."
Adam took another sip of his now-definitely-fruit-juice. "Nah, just a guy. You know, the one who saw you almost get blown up multiple times. Thought I'd stick around to make sure you didn't, you know, spontaneously combust. And for the record, it's Frosted Flakes. They're grrrreat."
Tony stared at his decanter, then back at Adam. "Did my whiskey just… turn into orange juice?"
Adam shrugged innocently. "Maybe you need new taste buds, Stark. Or a better palate."
[WISH GRANTED: TONY STARK'S SMART TOASTER BEGINS PLAYING "I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU" WHEN TOAST POPS. COST: 8 WISH DAYS.]
Suddenly, from the kitchen, a loud DING! was followed by Whitney Houston's soaring vocals. Tony jumped, spilling a little of his (actual) coffee. "JARVIS, what the hell was that?!"
"Sir," JARVIS replied, his calm, British voice now overlaid with a distinct, gravelly pirate accent, "I believe that was… shiver me timbers… the toaster, playing a romantic ballad. Arr!"
Tony rubbed his temples. "Okay, something is seriously wrong with my AI. And my whiskey. And my life. You're a bad influence, you know that?"
"I try," Adam said with a genuine smile. He was having way too much fun.
The press conference was a circus. Obadiah Stane, looking like a vulture circling its prey, watched with barely concealed fury as Tony, still in his "I don't give a damn" phase, announced the closure of Stark Industries' weapons division. Adam, standing subtly in the back, felt a surge of satisfaction. The timeline was bending, but in all the right ways.
Later, as the dust settled, Tony approached him, a strange look in his eyes. "Look, you're… weird. But you were there. And you didn't try to steal my tech, which puts you ahead of 90% of the people I know. So, as a gesture of… gratitude? Or maybe just to keep an eye on you, I don't know. I had Happy draw up some papers." He handed Adam a thick envelope. "It's a property deed. An apartment building in Queens. Consider it… a thank you. And a way to ensure you have a place that doesn't involve my constantly malfunctioning toaster."
Adam took the envelope, a casual "Thanks, I guess," on his lips. He opened it, scanned the address, and then his eyes widened. Queens. An apartment building. A specific apartment building. The one. The one where…
"No. Way."
His heart did a little flip-flop. This was it. This was his in. This was… destiny. Or just incredibly good System-assisted luck.
[DAILY WISH DAYS ACCUMULATION: +1]
[OBSERVATION: POTENTIAL ROMANTIC INTEREST DETECTED. AUNT MAY PARKER. AFFINITY BOOST RECOMMENDED? Y/N]
"Affinity boost? You really are a cosmic dating app, aren't you, System? And yes, a thousand times yes, you sarcastic digital matchmaker."
A few days later, Adam found himself standing outside a modest, but charming, apartment building in Queens. He smoothed down his shirt, suddenly feeling a nervous flutter he hadn't experienced since high school. This wasn't a cave. This wasn't a billionaire's mansion. This was… home. Or at least, it was about to be.
He met Pepper Potts first, who eyed him with a mixture of professional politeness and sharp suspicion. "Mr. Stiels. Tony said you'd be… taking over. Please tell me you're not going to turn this into a giant laser tag arena."
"Only on Tuesdays," Adam said with a charming smile. "And only if the tenants approve."
Happy Hogan, looking perpetually bewildered, just grunted. "Just try not to break anything, kid. Tony's already got enough on his plate."
Then, a door opened. And there she was. May Parker. Warm, kind eyes. A gentle smile. She looked exactly like he remembered, but somehow more… real. More vibrant.
"Oh, hello!" she said, her voice soft and welcoming. "You must be the new landlord. I'm May Parker. It's so lovely to meet you."
Adam felt a genuine, un-sarcastic smile spread across his face. "Adam Stiels," he said, extending a hand. Her touch was warm. "And it's an absolute pleasure to meet you, May. I think we're going to get along just fine."
"Oh, we are definitely going to get along just fine," he thought, his internal System practically cheering. This was going to be fun.