Chapter 3: Marcus’s Personality and Values

Marcus had always been a man of few words, but his thoughts were constant. As the glow from his screen reflected off his glasses, his fingers typed out commands, running diagnostic after diagnostic on the company's servers. He liked it that way. Orderly, structured, a puzzle where each piece fit into place if you just knew how to approach it.

It was the quiet moments that suited him best. Not the chaos that followed someone like Tony Stark. In those moments of solitude, Marcus could retreat into the world he knew and control. His work allowed him to stay in the background, unnoticed, fixing things without anyone realizing something had gone wrong in the first place. There was a certain comfort in being invisible.

While Tony Stark thrived on innovation and risk, Marcus thrived on stability and predictability. He wasn't a fan of unnecessary risks, nor did he have the bravado to stand up and pitch revolutionary ideas. For him, life was more about functionality. He had bills to pay, responsibilities to manage, and in his mind, the safest way to avoid failure was to stay within what he knew he could control.

Responsibility was something Marcus had grown up understanding from an early age. As the youngest of two in a family that had to scrape and save just to make ends meet, Marcus had learned that life didn't always give you what you wanted. You had to work for it, quietly, and without complaint. His parents had instilled that in him, his mother working long hours as a nurse, and his father doing back-breaking labor on construction sites. Watching them had molded Marcus into someone who didn't expect things to come easily, and who believed in quiet perseverance.

It wasn't that Marcus lacked ambition. He was deeply ambitious, but in his own way. He didn't crave fame or glory. What he craved was mastery. He wanted to be the best at what he did, but he didn't need anyone to see it. It was enough for him to know that his work mattered, even if no one else noticed.

Yet, despite his reserved nature, there was always that nagging feeling in the back of his mind, a whisper that told him he wasn't pushing himself enough. That he could be more. He felt it most strongly when he watched people like Tony. People who commanded attention without effort, people who could make their mark on the world.

Marcus didn't believe he was capable of that. He lacked the confidence to push forward, to demand a seat at the table like others in Stark Industries did. While Tony Stark was fearless in his pursuits, Marcus constantly second-guessed himself. He doubted whether he'd ever make a significant impact, or if his quiet work would always just blend into the background.

And that fear? That fear kept him where he was. Safe. Stable. But stuck.

Marcus was good at what he did. Great, even. But he was also careful. Too careful. He avoided the spotlight because he was afraid of failing under it. What if he took a risk and it didn't pay off? What if his desire to step up ended in disaster? It was this fear of the unknown that kept him in his lane, content with just maintaining rather than building something new.

He preferred the quiet corners of the company, the places where people didn't need to interact with him beyond a quick system check or a troubleshooting issue. Marcus valued his independence, his ability to quietly solve problems without interference from others. It was easier that way. No complications, no unnecessary risks.

But even as he continued working, a thought began to creep into his mind.

What if he was holding himself back?

The question had been gnawing at him more frequently these days. Stark Industries was a place of limitless opportunity, full of people doing extraordinary things. What was Marcus doing? Keeping the lights on? Making sure the servers ran? While others were innovating, building, and creating, Marcus was... maintaining.

He couldn't remember the last time he felt challenged.

It wasn't that Marcus was unhappy. His job at Stark Industries was stable, and it paid well, better than anything he'd had before. But in the quiet moments, when the hum of servers became the only sound in the room, he couldn't help but wonder if this was all there was for him. If the potential he'd once seen in himself had slipped away because he was too afraid to reach for more.

The truth was, Marcus didn't think he had what it took to be anything more than he already was. He wasn't Tony Stark. He wasn't the type to change the world, or even make a dent in it. He was the guy who made sure the systems were running smoothly so that others could do that.

But the thought of being stuck in that same role, year after year, began to feel... suffocating.

He sighed, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes for a moment. Maybe he was overthinking things. Maybe the comfort of his current position was enough.

Still, something deep inside him -a small, quiet voice- kept asking,

"What if?"