Just like dad
Addy woke with a start glancing around the darkened room frantically as her sleep addled brain attempted to understand her, still unfamiliar, surroundings. She climbed down carefully from the tall mattress digging her bare toes into the plush rug. "Hey Mr. Jarvis?" The girl whispered into the dark room.
"Here miss Addy," the AI replied instantly.
Addy jumped despite herself, "could you turn on the lights please?"
The lights flickered on immediately, "will that be all miss?"
The girl shook her head, wondering as she did so if the AI had a means to see the action. She laughed lightly realizing he must have since he could inform Mr. Stark who was at the door. "The time please?"
"It is 3:00 am miss Addy."
"Thanks Jarvis." Addy responded creeping quietly out of the bedroom and down the stairs.
"I'm no expert on children but uh aren't kids your age meant to be asleep at this hour?" A deep voice questioned from the kitchen.
Addy squeaked, flinching back in shock. "You scared me I didn't realize anyone was up!" The pair started at each other, Tony's expression questioning Addy's puzzled. "Oh right, 'why'm I up', I couldn't sleep-thinking-you?"
"I'm an adult I don't need a reason to be out of bed, I do what I want." Tony replied snidely. "Seeing as you're already up-drink? I'm having one."
"Uh, sure, milk please?" The girl mumbled inching hesitantly towards the breakfast bar to wait.
"Milk-pretty basic staple-yeah....uhhhhh...I'm sure we uh have milk somewhere..." He trailed off rummaging around his kitchen, finally placing a scotch glass full of milk in front of her.
Addy raised an eyebrow skeptically eyeing the cup in front of her.
"What it's milk, you wanted milk." Tony snapped becoming frustrated.
"I'm just not certain I trust your milk, considering you didn't even know you had milk." The girl made another face sniffing suspiciously at her cup. "I'm just wondering how long it's been sitting in your refrigerator..."
"Fine you don't want it," Tony snapped reaching towards the milk to take it away.
Addy blocked him quickly picking up the glass, "no I want it! If I get food poisoning though it's your fault."
"I'll try to survive the guilt," the billionaire replied sarcastically. "So why're you here?"
"When two people let their hormones-"
"-not that smart ass." Tony interrupted quickly. "Why're you with me? I looked up your mom, I vaguely remember her, she mentioned a sister?"
"Aunt Dotty, she's in Ganna they haven't been able to reach her in over a year." The girl shrugged. "Apparently her relief group was ambushed or something, she's presumed dead."
"Fantastic," Tony sighed in frustration earning a disgusted look from the child seated in front of him.
"I didn't exactly pick you either you know. Father you've never met with attitude issues or a group home aren't exactly the best choices." Addy informed him in an annoyed tone.
"Good we're agreed then, I don't want you, you don't want me but we're apparently stuck together for the foreseeable future, or until I keel over." He shrugged, "how bout, until that happens we agree to avoid each other as much as possible hm? You stay in your corner I'll stay in mine?"
Addy scoffed, "that's going to be a bit difficult seeing as I'm a child. I typically require help with certain things, food being the most important thing coming to mind."
"What you can't make yourself cereal?"
"No I am capable of making myself cereal I simply would prefer not to survive on cereal for the next few years." Addy replied injecting every ounce of sarcasm into her voice that her seven year old self could muster.
The duo glared at each other over their scotch glasses before Tony sighed, rolling his eyes. "Fine we'll see each other for meals or I'll give you take out menus and a credit card. You aren't allowed downstairs unless you're on fire. Anything else?"
Addy visibly flinched as he listed the conditions which allowed her access to his workspace, before curiosity got the better of her. "What's so special 'bout downstairs? I've already seen it once you know. It's not like I'm gonna hurt your precious suits."
Tony eyed the child skeptically, "you might, never know, kids have grubby fingers. You're probably a destructive little hellion."
Addy responded with an eye roll as she hopped down from the bar stool to place her glass in the sink. "Anything else Mr. Stark?"
"Yes, go to bed. Apparently we have meetings tomorrow and I'm not letting you make us late because you stayed up all night."
The girl saluted sarcastically as she climbed the stairs back up to her room. Burying her face in her pillow Addy screamed in frustration. I don't care! I don't want him to like me I don't like him! She shouted in her own mind. What would be the point anyway? Mr. Stark, dad, is so self absorbed he'll never see me as anything but that kid he got stuck with. A small part of her, quiet but notably stronger and more persistent than the first voice disagreed, you do though, you want him to like you. You've always wanted a dad. You can yell and cover with sarcasm and attitude all you like but deep down you can't lie to yourself. You're dying for him to like you, for a relationship like Cammy's, you want him to love you. "Shut up!" Addy mumbled aloud burrowing further into her blankets as exhaustion once more caught up with her. "I don't care, I really don't."
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Tony watched as the little girl, his little girl, stomped up the stairs and out of sight. "Well that could've gone better," he mumbled into his scotch. "Jarvis what's the kid doing?"
"She appears to be arguing with herself sir."
Tony chuckled lightly, "of course. Hey Jar if I go to bed now how many hours can I get before Pepper yells at me to get up?"
"Approximately two hours ten minutes sir."
"No point to that then, start some tunes Jarvis." He instructed on his way to his workshop.
Hours later Pepper came storming down the stairs, "what are you doing? Why aren't you ready? Tony you know we have places to be we have to leave now!"
"Calm down Pep I've got like twenty minutes I'll be right there." Tony replied casually.
"No you've got about two come on let's go." The redhead responded on her way back up the stairs. "Where's Addy? Did you even bother to check on your daughter?"
"She's upstairs somewhere," Tony guessed rolling his eyes, "the kids like six Pep I don't have to follow her around."
"She's seven Tony, and 'the kid' has a name. Regardless, however, she doesn't need to be left to her own devises indefinitely." Pepper scolded pulling a yogurt from the fridge and heading for the stairs.
"Why? I was." The man defended earning an exasperated look from his assistant turned, soon to be, CEO.
"Are you honestly defending yourself with that? 'It's how I was raised.' Really Tony?"
Stark threw his hands up in defeat, "What?! it is!"
Pepper walked back down the stairs approaching him slowly, "and how many times did you wish it were different? How many times did you feel unwanted? How many times did you try to convince yourself you didn't care if Howard wanted you around or not."
"It's not the same Pep," Tony began attempting to justify himself.
Pepper shook her head, "no it's exactly the same, except with Addy it might actually be worse. No matter how much Howard pushed you away at least you didn't have the threat of an orphanage in the back of your mind. You're all that little girl has left. I'd have thought, all things considered, how you felt growing up, you'd have tried a little harder."
Tony stared after the woman, as she ascended the stairs, feeling rather small. It's not like I'll be around that much longer if I can't figure out this stupid reactor soon anyway. He reminded himself, checking his blood toxicity levels as he did. "40% damn."
He hurriedly placed the device in his jacket pocket as Pepper and a sleepy looking Addy descended the stairs, the latter half heartedly eating the yogurt Pepper had given her. "Alright I've got both my Starks now, all set you two?" Pepper questioned cheerfully nudging Tony towards the girl.
"Let's go kid, places to be." Tony ordered ushering the women in his life out the door.