Chapter Text
Tony pulls his sports car up to the security checkpoint. A guard clad in black technical gear and a big gun appears. “I need to see some ID sir.” The man speaks, voice monotone.
“I’m supposed to meet with Agent Phil Coulson,” Tony responds, a little annoyed as he pulls out his license. The guard scans it, before nodding to a college. The big gate slowly opens, and Tony drives forward, onto the private SHIELD area.
If Tony wanted to know more about his father’s research, this was the place to be. He hadn’t known it as a kid, but this had been Howard's first big thing. He’d helped form what was now known as SHIELD. Had done research that only SHIELD had access to, stuff hidden from the world outside. And by extension, Tony too.
It had been a while since Tony had visited Washington DC. The place hadn’t changed much. And Coulson said this was where Howard’s research would be stored. The Triskelion, on Theodore Roosevelt Island. The SHIELD Headquarters.
The tower that Tony was driving up to was massive. Separated from the rest of the world by a single bridge, was the only building that ever beat Stark Tower on scale. If Tony had to guess, he’d need to combine the Tower and his Malibu mansion to get anywhere close to what the Triskelion was. White walls, massive. Windows at the top floors. Glass elevators, that Tony could see even from his car as he got closer and closer.
The road leads into a big, underground parking lot. Tony gets out of the car, locking it. Coulson is already waiting at the elevator doors. “You better have a good reason to call.” Agent Coulson comments. “We’re in the middle of digging out one of the best fossils we’ve ever seen.”
“Fossil?” Tony asks with a raised eyebrow, confused as he shakes Coulson’s hands. “I thought SHIELD worked security for humanity, not… archaeology.”
Coulson shrugs, guiding Tony into the elevator. “We do what the world needs us to do.”
The agent scans his ID card before pressing a button and the elevator starts moving upwards. Tony studies the elevator. It didn’t just have a lot of floors above ground, it also had a lot of floors below ground. Tony couldn’t help but try and imagine what those floors might contain.
“No one has ever done an inventory on your Howard’s research,” Coulson explains as the elevator raises upwards. Soon they’re above ground, looking out from the elevator. Out over the water and the island. The view was nothing, compared to what was at Tony’s lab back home.
Tony nods slowly as Coulson speaks. “I imagined as much.”
“Everything we have is what we call the vault.” Coulson goes on. “Together with research and discarded tech from a handful of different people. Dr. Pym, for example.”
Pym Technologies. Tony remembered that company name. Though he hadn’t heard about it in ages. Henry Pym must have been a member of SHIELD too, just like Tony’s father. If he closes his eyes, he can see them both before him. Loud voices carry through their own, arguing about science and technology and their ethical uses.
Tony had always wondered what kind of technology the two worked on together.
Coulson nudges Tony softly. The elevator has come to a stop, and the doors are now open. “Sorry, I must have gotten stuck on thought.” Tony hurries out after Coulson as they start making their way through the headquarters. The specific floor they’re on is filled with labs and testing areas. Scientists in their white lab coats, work at each station.
He tries to catch a good glimpse of what they’re actively working on. Maybe new peacekeeping weapons, or green energy, or maybe SHIELD was trying to replicate the Iron Man suit too.
“If you don’t mind me asking.” Agent Coulson smiles at Tony with an expression that can’t quite be read. Too bright to be genuine. “What exactly are you hoping to find in your father’s research?”
Tony shrugs. “I don’t know. I mean, I’ve heard stories about the things that he did. A lot of technology has never reached the public eye. A flying car.” Tony chuckles. Because he’s seen the car. He knows that Coulson uses it. Maintains it.
“Coulson, you saw what happened the other day. You’re SHIELD. I know saw. Peter can’t keep doing this on his own anymore. He just doesn’t realize it himself yet.” Tony stresses.
Coulson nods in understanding. “Believe me, SHIELD is keeping a close eye on him.”
The agent says it as if Tony didn’t already know about it. As if Coulson and Agent Natasha Romanoff hadn’t shown up at his door, days earlier, because Peter missed a therapist appointment.
It didn’t always seem like that was the truth though. Tony had been alone fighting the US government, to keep the Iron Man name and the suit and its pilot, safe.
“How is Peter anyway?” Coulson asks as they move to a stop outside a soldier's metal door. “I heard you all had quite the scare.”
Tony forces his breathing to remain calm, as Coulson reminds Tony of how close they’d gotten to something irreversible. Tony had done CPR on the kid, for god's sake. Had seen the state of the reactor. That’s what scared him so much. Whatever… whoever… that… that living energy had been, Peter didn’t stand a chance against that. How do you defeat something, you can’t touch?
Something that can take control of the technology around you? Destroy the Iron Man suit, from the inside?
“He was released from the med bay last night. He’s sore, but he’ll be okay long-term. He’s supposed to meet with Rhodey today.” Tony shrugs. He hadn’t heard about the meeting from Peter, he’d heard about it from Rhodey. He didn’t like it. Not after Rhodey finds out about their secret. Was this Peter’s way of leaving Iron Man behind?
Coulson scans his badge once more. Types in a code on a pad. Scans his eye. The security is top-notch.
“Welcome to the Vault, Agent Phil Coulson.” A computer voice speaks. “Mr. Tony Stark is not cleared for entrance.”
“Override, code 437,” Coulson says, completely unfaced.
“Override successful. Welcome Agent Phil Coulson, and Mr. Tony Stark. Please stay clear of the vault doors as they open.”
A loud click rings out from the metal door before a green LED glows. The door slowly starts to open, the movement heavy and slow. It makes it look as if it was a billion tonnes. Coulson Pulls Tony a step backward as the door opens further, keeping him at a distance.
Inside the vault, is what Tony can only describe as a mase. Massive floor-to-ceiling shelves, filled to the brim with brown boxes. Some are marked with a black marker, others not.
“Remind me to get a vault like this,” Tony says under his breath and he and Coulson enter.
The door slowly falls shut behind them, before a second click echoes. Tony can see the locking mechanism as it shuts the door. Keeping them inside. And everyone else from coming in. “Don’t you have one for the suits?” Coulson asks with a half-smirk.
“Touché.”
Tony walks over to the first shelf of boxes. There aren’t some alphabetic systems like at a library. There isn’t an AI like at Tony’s lab. There’s no beginning and no end. There are just boxes, and boxes and boxes.
The first few boxes are filled with old file folders. SHIELD’s logo is printed in black, against a soft yellow, or cream. The next handful is old weapons, guns, and rifles that haven’t been used for over five decades. Then a box filled with Pym tech, and lawsuits.
“Does Peter know who is responsible for the attack?” Coulson’s voice echoes behind Tony.
He pulls out another box, finding a bunch of old journals. Scrims through them. “Author Parks. Peter’s dad knew the guy.”
“Hm.” Coulson huffs. “Not a name SHIELD has in their system.”
Tony stiffens as he skims through the text. He knows this handwriting. It’s the same handwriting that decorates the back of the photo he’d looked at last night. These boxes held some of his father's work. Research journals and sketches.
On one page there’s a drawing of a massive machine, that looks almost like a coffin.
He pulls the box off the shelf, then another and another. Until there’s nothing more of Howard’s work in the vault. There are close to twenty cardboard boxes. But there’s no guarantee that that the answer will be in any of them. He can hope that it is.
Coulson and a team of agents help carry the boxes out of the security vault, and down into Tony’s car. The backseat and the back of the car are filled.
“You’re going back to the Malibu mansion?” Coulson asks as Tony slides into his front seat.
Tony shakes his head. “Kids in New York. So that’s where I’ll stay too. I need to be ready if he needs me.”
***
“Mr. Rhodes is in the elevator.” Jarvis's voice echoes through the lab, where Peter is working on the damaged Iron Man suit from his fight – a fight he lost – against the living laser. “He’ll enter the lab in approximately thirty seconds.”
“Thanks, Jar,” Peter responds, not looking up from his chest.
Peter’s chest where still sore from the burned-out reactor. There were deep bruises coloring his skin from the CPR he’d been told about. Still burns linger across his body. Bruises and pain.
Rhodey knocks softly on the Glassdoor of the lab, before entering. The New York lab wasn’t as big as the one in Malibu. But Peter didn’t want to be around Tony right now. Wasn’t sure if the older scientist understood, why Peter was so… anxious. Because Peter wasn’t angry.
“Hey, Rhodey.” Peter greets, finally discarding his tool onto the workbench and getting up.
Rhodey offers Peter a hand in greeting, smiling at him softly. Peter didn’t talk much with Rhodey if Tony wasn’t around. Not that the soldier wasn’t a good guy, because he was. But because Peter hadn’t known how to be around Rhodey after the whole Otto Octavius thing. The man hadn’t known that Peter was in the suit, and therefore, didn’t know that it was Peter’s fault Michelle was gone… “Hey, Pete. Got your text. It sounded urgent.”
Peter shrugs. “Not that urgent.” He confesses, sliding into a seat in one of the many chairs Tony kept around the lab. Feeling a little out of breath.
The soldier before him follows suit, taking a seat before Peter. Getting to the same level.
“Tony thinks I need more backup out there. That, I’m putting myself at risk. Maybe he’s right.” Peter rushes, rubbing his forehead with his hands. A tension headache sneaking up on him. Settling just behind his eyes.
A hand settles against Peter’s knee, squeezing it softly. “Iron Man is doing great work out there. Don’t go doubting yourself now. Tony said it himself, the longest period of peace, it’s not even a lie.”
Of course, it wasn’t a lie. He knew that. Better than anyone.
“ESU called,” Peter says slowly. “I can only be on medical leave so long. The semester ends soon… and if I don’t return after summer break, I’m out.”
The other day a journalist had asked Peter if he was returning to ESU. He’d claimed that he wasn’t sure, that nothing had been officially decided yet. But that wasn’t the truth. Because Peter had already made up his mind.
Rhodey nods. “You’re going back. That’s great Pete. I’m sure Tony is thrilled.”
“Look… it’s not like I ever wanted to become a hero. Hell, I didn’t wanna go to Tony’s weapon demonstration in the first place. May just convinced me that I had to do it.” Peter explains. Remembering that day, it wasn’t even a year ago, but it felt like a lifetime.
They’d celebrated that day…
… And then they’d grieved.
“I always wanted to change the world for the better. With science. That’s what I promised Ben I’d do. It’s what I owe to my parents.” Peter goes on. “I’m not a hero.”
“Okay.” Rhodey nods, smiling at Peter softly. Squeezing a little tighter. “Have you talked to Tony about this? How does it make you feel? Or, maybe more importantly, have you talked to your therapist about it? I’m not saying going back to school is bad, if it’s what you want to do, you should. But a lot has happened this last year. Nobody would blame you for needing a break.”
“I didn’t bring you here for you to talk me out of it,” Peter says getting back to his feet.
His hands a shaking. He can’t sit still anymore, his head pounding. The headache growing. Putting pressure behind the eyes as if they’d pop out any moment. His body filled with nervous energy, that seemed ever-present about the attack in Afghanistan. Since Otto.
Rhodey gets up too. Trails behind Peter through Tony’s Tower lab. “Then why am I here?”
Peter comes to a stop before a new project. It’s covered by a white sheet, stained with oil along the edges. “I never wanted to be a hero… but you already are one.”
“What do you mean?” Rhodey asks, stopping next to Peter. Studying the sheet.
Peter shrugs, waving at the sheet. Silently permitting Rhodey to remove it. So, the soldier does. Fingers grasp around the fabric and pull it off. The sheets hitting the floor with a thud echo through the small lab.
Underneath is an Iron Man suit. It’s much bigger than the ones Peter uses. The shoulders are wider. The metal is thicker. The silvery color, of stainless steel glitters under the harsh lab lights. “I call it, War Machine.”
Rhodey stares at it for a long while. The glowing eyes, and the arc reactor powering it. “Let me get this straight… Tony has just spent months protecting Iron Man. Keeping the suit out of the hands of the US government… and now you’re just handing it how to the military. Just like that?”
“No.” Peter shakes his head. “I’m handing it over to you.”
“To me?” Rhodey asks confused, raises an eyebrow, studying the massive suit before him. It truly looked like something that belonged to a military. Powerful beyond measure. “Why me?”
Peter lets hour a soft chuckle, that sends pain through his ribs. “What? You’re gonna tell me you haven’t secretly been dreaming about taking this bad boy on a spin? How many pages was that report again?”
Rhodey rolls his eyes, letting his fingers brush against the War Machine suit. His body language confirms what Peter already knows. “What’s the weaponry like?”
“So… I don’t know a lot about weapons. That’s, Tony’s Domaine. You’ll have to find a weapons specialist to install whatever weapons you see fit in the suit.” Peter shrugs, leaning against a nearby work desk. “Which shouldn’t be hard. The court case proved how many people are eager to work on this technology.”
Peter doesn’t mention that Otto had been eager about the technology too. Tries to forget about it. The real reason he isn’t the one installing weapons into the War Machine. Because Peter hated weapons, more now than he’d ever done before.
First Ben… then Michelle…
And for some odd reason, he couldn’t help but think Flash might be next.
“For some reason, I always thought you had something against the military.” Rhodey comments after a long moment.
“I don’t,” Peter assures. Hesitating. “Rhodey, if it weren’t for those guys giving up their lives, I would have been dead now… hell, one of my old classmates is in the military. Uncle Ben always wanted that too, before my parents died. Surprisingly, I didn’t go that path.”
Rhodey looks at Peter surprised. “I thought you said you weren’t a hero.”
“Yeah.” Peter nods. “Look, the powers, the abilities that we have… that doesn’t make us Heroes. The path we choose makes us heroes. And I’m taking a left turn. Getting as far away from it, as I can.”
***
“It was confirmed just earlier today, that after almost half a year of Stark Industries trying to protect the Iron Man name and technology behind the suit, that it has finally been handed over to the US military.” The journalist on the screen speaks, and Tony goes blanket.
Handed over? When? How?
On the screen footage of Peter’s latest project appears on the screen, as the larger suit comes to land outside one of the Air Force military bases that Tony knew Rhodey worked at. Had worked at. Stationed at. Before the suit opens, and Rhodey himself steps out. Waving at the cameras, smiling. Medals on his military uniform glistering under the warm sunlight.
“Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes himself will be the main piolet behind future versions of the Iron Man suit.” The journalist goes on. “And to help make the Iron Man suit, or War Machine as this version is named, be as strong as possible, the US military has hired Justin Hammer himself as not just an adviser, but the man to make it happen.”
Recordings from the attack at the restaurant just a few days earlier appear as the journalist goes on. “Rumors say that the prior Iron Man pilot got seriously injured. And is unable to return into the suit anytime soon.”
A picture of Justin Hammer appears. “Mr. Hammer originally started as a member of AIM back when he was 25. In connecting with his new project of working on the War Machine, Mr. Hammer will together with AIM help to create the next generation of soldiers. Promising that no more human lives will be put at risk for the greater good of humanity.”
Tony blinks at the screen before it jumps to the next new article. Jarvis mutes it a moment later.
Peter wasn’t stupid enough to hand over the suit’s technology, was he? After what had happened to Michelle earlier that year because Dr. Octopus had stolen the technology. And especially not to the military, where Peter knew it could end up in Hammer’s hands.
And yet, he had. Tony was looking at it, right there on his TV screen. Peter hadn’t even told him.
“That’s the last of it.” Pepper comments, dropping the last cardboard box on the Malibu lab table. “All the boxes have been retrieved from your car. What exactly are you looking for?”
“To invent,” Tony says hesitating. Thoughts still on War Machine; the name was good. “Uh, to reinvent.” Tony corrects. Then looks up at Pepper who’s standing with a brown paper bag in her hands. “Are those cheeseburgers?”
The paper back thuds onto the coffee table, next to the scientific journal that Tony had been reading. His father's handwriting was rushed and messy on the pages. But readable if Tony takes the proper time.
“Have you seen this?” Tony pulls the paper bag open, stuffing his mouth with a big burger bit. Perfectly prepared meat, with cheese and tomatoes, and crispy bacon and ketchup and pickles. “Handing the suit over to the government. Who does he think he is?”
Pepper shrugs. “The creator of the suit?”
Tony swallows. Takes a second bite. “Sure. But he wasn’t alone about it. I’ve spent all my-“ Tony stops himself. “Sorry… I’m just worried about him. The kid.”
“Well.” Pepper chuckles softly. “You have one less thing to worry about now.”
For a long moment, he thinks that over. Pepper wasn’t wrong. Peter not being in the suit, meant Living Lazer, or Author Parks, couldn’t get to him anymore. Not as easily. Because Peter wouldn’t be in the suit, saving the world, keeping the peace around.
But the Author knew who Peter was. So, Peter wasn’t ever truly safe.
That was why Tony was doing this. Digging through documents, videos, sketches, journals. Trying to find the missing pieces, the key that his father had left behind.
Teaching him, from beyond the grave.
“Hammer requested presentation time at the expo,” Pepper informs Tony after a long moment. The burger was forgotten between his fingers. “There wasn’t a reason not to accept. He’s part of the scientific community, and with him working the military. It’s good press.”
“And what exactly is he presenting?” Tony asks with a raised brow at Pepper. “Last I checked, Hammer couldn’t make anything useable.”
Pepper shrugs softly, heels clicking against the stone floors as she heads to leave the room. “I didn’t read the details. Something about military tech. Maybe the armor.”
“Hey, Pepper!” Tony calls after her. “Cancel my birthday party. I’ll be busy.”
And with that she’s out the door, leaving Tony to dwell in his thoughts. In his work.
Tony finishes the cheeseburger – the melted cheese nice in his mouth – because Pepper knows him so well. He’d eaten so many cheeseburgers during her years as Tony’s assistant. It was Peter’s favorite too. The two would scarf them down in the lab with ease.
Food gone; Tony moves on to the next cardboard box. A few old tapes that he’ll have to watch later. A name on a medical document, Steve Rogers, a less worn version of the photo Tony had himself. A copy most likely, from before it had faded under the sunlight in Howard’s lab.
And then… glistering blue, red, and silver…
***
“You bailed on me,” Ned says, standing at Peter’s apartment door. For the second time that week.
Peter looks at him for a long moment before stepping aside. Letting his friend invade him, yet again. Secretly, Peter loves it. He’d lived with his parents, then Ben and May, and then just May, and then Michelle. He’d never lived alone… until…
So sure, Ned showing up unannounced was a little annoying. But it was also great.
“I was attacked.” Peter points out, following his friend to the kitchen. When Ned pulls out seasoning pasta and milk, and an array of colorful vegetables. Carefully cupping them into cubs, that he mixes into a pot. “I was attacked, and almost died. What did you want me to do? Send a text?” Peter asks, pretending to be angry. And failing hard.
Ned gives him a look that softens after a few seconds. “I was talking about before you got attacked. You left the table when I brought up Tony. You talked to Hammer!”
Oh…
Peter had done that. He wasn’t sure what to think of Justin Hammer. But he’d seen a little of his tech, and the US government trusted him, so slowly the man was growing on him. Probably much to Tony’s dismay.
“Sorry…” Peter rubs his neck sheepishly. “I uh… was going through a lot.”
Ned stirs the pot for a long while. “I talked to Tony you know, after the attack. I didn’t know if you were okay, or…” Ned shakes his head, “But he said you were fine. So, that’s good. And you seem okay, too.”
“Is that why you’re here?” Peter asks, leaning against the kitchen table. He can’t resist, picking off a piece of carrot from Ned’s cooking. “Checking in on me?”
“Nop.” Ned pops the P. Sprinkling a dark red powder into the pot. A nice scent spreads through the apartment. “I’m here to cook you a homecooked meal. Sit down with you and talk about why you’re so angry with Tony.”
And just like that, Peter bursts out laughing. Ned is also so direct. Cutting right to the meat on the bone.
“I’m not angry.” Peter gets out once the laughter dies down. “I thought you’d talked to Tony.”
“Oh, I did,” Ned confirms. “Showed up at the tower, saw you at the Med bay while you were still asleep. Then saw Tony digging through cardboard boxes earlier today-“
“Cardboard boxes?” That catches Peter’s attention.
“- And okay, you say it’s all because of Parker Industries that you were supposed to run but lost. And that’s it’s about Author Parks. But you and I both know that’s not the whole story-“
“Ned. Why was he digging through cardboard boxes?” Peter asks again, almost instantly.
“- huh? Oh, just, looking for one of his dad’s old inventions or something. Pepper brought Cheeseburgers.” Ned shrugs and Ned fills two bowls with the finished meal. A mix of vegetables and pasta and a creamy sauce. It smells good enough that Peter suddenly remembers that he hasn’t had a homecooked meal in a long time.
He doesn’t like cooking for one person, because he can never get through all the food in time. And Pepper’s food is good, but not as good as May’s. Or maybe that’s just childhood nostalgia.
Ned guides Peter to Peter’s kitchen table. It’s small, just enough for one, and two if you squeeze. Because Peter never eats food at this table, opting for chilling on the couch with a laptop or table. Or staying at Tony’s lab or massive kitchen.
“It’s good, isn’t it?” Ned asks after a while of the two eating in silence.
Peter nods slowly, swallowing a bite. “It is… I didn’t know you knew how to cook.”
Ned shrugs. “Lola taught me. Remind me to make her famous bread for you sometime. It’s to die for.”
“Lola?” Peter asks. “Your Nana that believes your family is magic right?”
His friend nods across the table. “Enough about me. What is going on between you and Tony?”
Ned wasn’t wrong. There were a lot of things going on between Peter and Tony. Or maybe, more just with Peter alone, that made him so scared of the title of Heir. After the attack, it had just been easier to brush Tony off with the Parker Industries story and Author Parks and leave it at that. It had seemed to satisfy the billionaire. But Ned wasn’t giving up.
“I’m not angry.” Peter started. Because he wasn’t angry, thank you very much, and he’d keep telling people that until everyone… including himself… believed it. Whenever that might be.
Ned snorts out. “Sure you aren’t.”
“I’m scared.” Peter goes on, ignoring Ned’s comments. “About, a lot of things…”
His friend pretends to check the clock on a watch around his wrists that isn’t there. Tabbing his skin, pretending that it’s glass. “I’ve got all night. You choose, chronological order, or order of importance?”
“I’m not sure there is an order of importance,” Peter says.
Ned stares at him across the table. Hands folded. The fork and knife were discarded on the half-eaten plate. Peter knows that Ned knows that those expected eyes will break him. They always do.
Michelle had taught Ned that.
“Fine.” Peter sighs. Slumping in the chair. “The most important thing is about Parker Industries.” Peter says truthfully. “It feels like I’m betraying their memory. Everything that they stood for. They wanted to create technology to help the world-“
“Which Tony does too.” Ned points out.
“- But Stark Industries… they do good things now, but they didn’t always. Not even six months ago, I got shrapnel from those weapons in my chest.” Peter reminds.
Talking about it, his chest aches. The sound of the arc reactor doing its work it’s constant. He’s learned to ignore it, but sometimes it’s nearly impossible to push it aside and focus on the important parts of life, or conversations, or the people around him.
… If he’d been more focused, maybe Otto wouldn’t have chosen the path he did. Michelle would have still been alive. Instead of a burned skeleton, so destroyed no DNA test could confirm if the remains were hers.
Ned reaches for Peter’s hand. “But there’s more to it. Right?”
Peter nods slowly. “Did I ever tell you that Otto wanted me to take over his lab when he couldn’t work anymore?”
“No.” Ned shakes his head surprised. “No, you didn’t. Is that what’s making you hesitant?”
“I got angry that Tony didn’t talk to me. Being an heir, that’s a big thing. And I do feel like it betrays my parents…” Peter bites his lip hard enough to draw blood. A metallic taste lingers on the tip of his tongue. “Otto did, good things… I trusted him, and he betrayed me… Tony’s good now, but he acted like an asshole when we first meet. And when I was saved what he cared about was his image.”
Ned nods softly as Peter speaks, understanding dawning on him. “You’re scared Tony’s gonna turn his back on you too.”
Peter just nods, gluing his eyes onto the kitchen table. He doesn’t dare say it, but he can picture it before him. A stolen suit, broken glass in a lab somewhere, pain and blood. An arc reactor was deactivated. Or Jarvis taking control of the suit, to hurt Peter, to control him… He knows it’s unlikely. His therapist says it’s him being hyper-vigilant because of PTSD…
“Peter, Tony isn’t Otto,” Ned speaks softly. “He did some stupid stuff, but Tony has proven he’s changing. He fought for you for so long, so keep Iron Man safe. He hasn’t made a weapon since he closed it down. You know that, right?”
“I do,” Peter confirms. “But that doesn’t make the anxiety any less real.”
Ned gives him a long glare. “You see him as a father figure, don’t you? Like Ben? Like Otto? And you’re scared of getting too close again…”
***
He’d seen it in pictures of course. Heard stories about it stopping bullets like no other material on earth could. It had been the first time he heard of Vibranium. Tony had always imagined it would be heavy. Too heavy to carry for any normal person.
Steve Rogers had been a normal person. A person is chosen for something incredible. Only for a hammer to fall out of the sky, instead of a serum being injected into his body.
When Tony stands there now, shield in hand, his heart flutters. Pounding deep in his chest.
My greatest creation is you.
Those were the words his father had written on the back of that photo. A child with a dream smiling back, faded, and old. Trying to live up to a son that wasn’t a son. A soldier that wasn’t a soldier. A God.
Because that’s what Steve Rogers had become. Not just to fellow soldiers, but to all of humanity. To all of Walhalla.
Tony lets out a shaky breath. “I’ll protect him.” He promises under his breath, “With my life.”