Chapter Text
Tony Stark was many things. A father is not one of them.
At least that’s what he tells himself. The hospital that called him says the kid is his. Confirmed with a dna test and everything. The mother died in childbirth, and there's the sad thing. The mother had a living relative. Keyword: had. They died a month before the child was born, now Tony is the only living relative for the child. He thought about putting the child up for adoption, but his best friend Rhodey shut that down quickly. If he was anything like his father, he would be a genius. The woman was also under the same category, he didn’t know that at the time though. She apparently was a leading researcher in cancer research. Not anymore, cause she’s dead now.
Something he feels awful for on top of everything. She never told him about the child, even after he wanted to ‘catch up’ as he called it. She never did accept that however, now he knows why. She was carrying his kid, and didn’t want to freak him out. Good that did right? He’s freaking out right now. He decided he would take this child, and no one will know about him save for very few people. People he actually trusts. At the hospital he had the staff sign NDAs, no one was to mention anything about this unless he makes a public statement in the future and even then they probably won’t anyway. He doubts he’ll make any public statement though. He also named Rhodey the kid’s godfather. Rhodey’s Mom also came with, she naturally filled the roll of God.. grandmother? It’d be easier to call her the grandmother in all honesty. And Rhodey just.. Uncle? Happy also came with, being his personal body guard. He wasn’t known for liking kids, but he’d have to make an exception.
They were surprised when he told them Stane can’t know about the child. Who he still has yet to come up with a name for. They understood that Stane is a bit much and likely would rather have Tony give the kid up. Kids are distractions and Stane can’t have Tony distracted. Stane was already upset he was locked out of the workshop at the Malibu home and any workshop Tony worked at. Stane can deal with it. The kid was small, he also had heterochromia. Like his mother, something he actually remembered about her, and why he wanted to ‘catch up’. Her eyes were beautiful, and he has inherited that. The left was green, while the right was blue.
He settled on a name, Peter Anthony Stark. His mother’s name was Mary, he had to honor the woman somehow and this is how. Maybe if he decides the public is worthy of knowing of his existence, he would make a foundation as well. The obvious choice would be to help her life’s work. Cancer research. He’d come up with stuff later. Rhodey liked it, but also knew he had picked that order so it would be PAS. He didn’t deny it, he knew he’d get bullied about it if someone found out. Then those bullies will get a stern talking to by his uncle, and Rhodey rolled his eyes. He still had a smile on his face.
They took him back to Malibu. One of the guest rooms that were never used would be converted into his room. He was glad it was sort of out of the way, not near the master bedroom, but still close by. JARVIS ordered new furnishings for a nursery, it would arrive in a few hours. While the kid was asleep, also hooked a security panel onto the door. Normally, it wouldn’t be necessary. All the bedrooms could be locked down and this would help with that. He opted also to make it so only Tony, Rhodey or Happy could enter the room. Biometric locks and codes, along with overrides in case of emergencies. JARVIS also was updated to give any alert on the baby. Rhodey demanded it be called the Baby Monitor Protocol . Tony agreed , albeit reluctantly. He also had Peter in the system as Underoos . Flagged as a higher priority than himself, and the doors would only open if the threat was neutralized (killed) and with at least 2 clearance codes from the 3. It’d help if there was a 4th option, but for now it’d have to do. A few days later the room was a high tech nursery. Luckily Happy was convinced to stay at the house for the first few years. Till he was at least old enough to talk, and could ask JARVIS for stuff instead. School was another issue. He wanted this kid to have a normal life. Perhaps a fake name? Peter Anthony Parker would be his cover. Any teachers would sign NDAs and what not. He likely wouldn’t go to the school, and just have Happy pick him up instead.
Either way, Tony would burn the world for this kid. He knew it now. He refused to be like his own father. Distant, cold, unloving. No. He would tell this kid he loved him everyday for the rest of his life. He started this tradition after the nursery was complete. JARVIS would remind him as well, in case he forgot. Something he hoped he would never do. Maybe that should indicate to him he is a father. He’d drop the playboy title now, but wouldn’t squash anything indicating he did.
The first few years were fine. Peter was 4 now, and would start school soon. He couldn’t think about that right now. Tony was more impressed that this receptionist informed him that he’d make a mistake.
“What do you mean?” He questioned her, holding his hand out to stop Happy from dragging her away.
“In this statement, you added a few extra zeros. Would've cost the company thousands.” She explained. She said it with fire, with confidence. He liked that.
“I see, Well thank you Pepper.”
“It’s Virginia.” She started walking away.
“Wait.” He demanded, she stopped and turned around. “Where do you work?”
“I’m just a receptionist.” She said curiously
“Yeah. Not anymore.” He stated
“What? Are you firin-”
“Nope. You’re my new personal assistant.” He interrupted her
“No.” She said, exasperated.
“No?”
“No! Everyone- Everyone knows you sleep with every PA.”
“No I don’t.” He shrugged. “They just say that after quitting. They hardly stick around for a week before quitting. No one has the guts to come in here and say I made a mistake.” He pointed at her “You did, I need you. I don’t care what anyone says. You ignore them, it’s not their business.”
“I’ll… Think about it.”
“You can make me get things done. Expect an email.” He shrugged and sat back down. She left after that. Happy was upset. Then he explained why he needed her. “She would’ve had this in her hands for a few seconds. Tops. I noticed the error and decided to inform me. She said it would cost the company thousands. But looking at it again, it's more like millions. We’d have to let people go. Families would lose a good source of income. It’d be a domino effect. I might get kicked off the board for such a mistake, and lose my rights as CEO.” He explained. “She saved the company, possibly hundreds of families and me. Tell me you aren’t a little impressed?”
Happy sighed, “Okay yeah, I’m impressed. Still, are you sure about her being your PA?”
“I need her. She saw an error, and opted to go directly to the source. She could’ve gone to her boss, she chose a direct approach.” He looked impressed, and maybe Happy was a little too. Tony started sending forms for her to sign the next day. He constantly bugged her for about a month straight before she finally agreed. She got into the job easily, making him do stuff he normally wouldn’t do. Like going to meetings. He wasn’t always on time, but he at least started to show up now. He informed her that it was a win. She said it would be if he got there on time. Like she set a goal or something. A thing to strive for, get Tony to a meeting on time. Seems like a big ask, but eventually it might happen.
Tony Stark is many things, a father now appears to be one of them. His son will start school soon, and he is terrified. Terrified that if the world knew of him, they would hurt him. Or use him to hurt Tony. He settled on a cover name, Peter Anthony Parker. Happy, Rhodey and himself are listed as emergency contacts. The school can’t say anything. Agreeing to sign NDAs, a whole process he didn’t want to do. He did it anyway, for his son is everything to him. Weird right?
Unfortunately for him, he didn’t realise it at the time, but he was slowly pushing his own son out of his life. He didn’t notice, no one really did. He still cared, sure, but it wasn’t the same. He spiraled. Reminders of his father, what he was told. How he acted, how he perceived himself shifted. He never noticed. Something he’ll regret later. Rhodey was busy on missions, Happy couldn’t stay around much. Tony? He was losing focus, Obediah was trying to get him back to work. He didn’t know how long it’d last.
Years later, Peter is 7 years old. His dad is THE Tony Stark. A very busy man. Peter knows that of course. His “friends” don’t know about Tony Stark. Why would they? He is a multibillionaire that makes weapons for a living. The only mentions of him are of his grandfather, Howard Stark who only comes up in his history class. (Boring!) It is his worst subject after all. Why bother with the past? Even then, it's very briefly brought up. Kids learning about WWII is probably not a good thing in 2nd grade after all. Either way, Peter is bored. School is boring. Life is also boring. His dad doesn’t show up often anymore. Only Uncle Happy. Happy is a very unhappy man. Which he guesses the name is chosen by his dad for irony’s sake and nothing more. Uncle Rhodey comes by sometimes too. He is cooler than Happy, as he tends to take him for ice cream or donuts. Rhodey makes him try a new flavor every time they get ice cream, in hopes he will abandon his favorite, mint chocolate chip. Everytime they get donuts, he always asks if they have made a mint chocolate chip yet. The answer is always no, because people are cowards.
He doesn’t call people cowards of course, that would be rude. He does say it to his Uncle Rhodey every time though. Who always laughs and agrees. He suspects he doesn’t actually agree, but loves the joke instead. Maybe when he is older he will open his own donut shop and make it himself. He tells Rhodey this, who laughs and says he’d make his dad proud and his grandfather pissed. That makes him giggle, because everything he’s heard about his granddad makes him upset. He’s glad he’s never met him. He may be smart, but going to MIT at 14? Not something he wants to do. He likes going through every grade, even if he knows everything already…. Expect english and history. But history is dumb, and English is.. Well he speaks it! Why must he learn about it? Whatever. Rhodey helped him learn Spanish (enough to understand it at least) and some Italian, he can understand some of it and make basic conversation. He was hoping to learn the rest from his dad, but he is busy so Rhodey helps him whenever he comes over.
Speaking of, Rhodey was supposed to pick him up today. Instead it was Uncle Happy. “Wheres Uncle Rhodey?” He asked with a frown on his face. “I wanted ice cream today. He said he’d make me try pistachio.”
He got a raised eyebrow from the rearview mirror. “Rhodey had some sh- stuff to do with your dad today. He was waiting at the airport for nearly 2 hours.”
“When will he learn to get the schedule from Auntie Pep? He gives him the wrong time all the time!” He giggled.
“Does he really?”
“Yeah, but you can’t tell him!” He laughed. “Its supposed to be funny. That’s what dad says anyway.”
“Alright. I get it. Anyway we can get Ice cream real quick. Then I’ll get your dad and we’ll come home.” Happy gave a smirk in the rearview mirror, then changed course toward the ice cream shop on the way home. Peter frowns when he spots the Mansion. He remembers seeing a lady talking to Auntie Pep.
“You must be the famous Pepper Potts.”
“Indeed I am.” She smiled.
“After all these years Tony still has you pick up dry cleaning.”
“I do anything and everything that Mr. Stark requires, including occasionally taking out the trash. Will that be all?” She gave her signature fake smile. The one given to every lady like this along with angry execs and military personnel (never rhodey though) He remembers laughing when that lady got in the car.
“That is the best one yet, Auntie Pepper!” He informed her.
“It was, wasn't it?” She smiled. “Come on, your dad was waiting to say bye before he left.”
“Okay!”
When they got home, he had finished his cone and left to find his dad. He assumed he’d be in his workshop, but he saw Pepper on the couch, her eyes were red. Her face is puffy. Not a good sign.
“Auntie Pep? What’s wrong?”
She was startled, but still spoke up. “Your uh, your dad is missing. He was taken today in Afghanistan.” She was still crying a bit. Peter didn’t know what to do. How to react, he simply shut down. He doesn’t even remember Pepper calling for him before he hit the floor.