Howard Stark stared at his old friend who he thought long dead. Steve looked like he was about to be sick.
He never wanted to be the one stuck with explaining to Howard how it was possible that he was here, let alone explaining to him that he is about to meet his son, just a much older version. But alas here he was.
"Before you say anything let me talk first." said Steve taking a deep breath, Howard narrowed his eyes.
"I guess I should start at how I'm here." said Steve after a short pause "well the truth is I didn't really die in that crash, I just became a capsicle" he started laughing, so did Tony who heard that through the intercom.
Howard just stared at him like he was insane. "And here comes the most shocking thing" a pause "I woke up in 2011." If before Howard was looking at him like he was insane, now he looked right about ready to admit him to a psych ward.
"Hurry it up, Cap, I'm getting bored here." he heard Tony's voice in his ear. Steve sighed, not believing how Tony could find this whole ordeal amusing.
"Okay, I know how that sounds, but it really is the truth. When I woke up, the world had already changed so much. For example, I wasn't the only hero anymore. So me and five more of us became part of the Avengers Initiative, and one of those five was Stark, I mean Tony Stark, your son."
Howard just kept staring at him, his expression unreadable.
"Go on, he believes you," said Tony, then scoffed, "of course he believes you." Steve stilled at his tone. He sighed again "I'm actually here thanks to him, you really have one smart son, I mean time travel, he really did outdo himself this time."
At that Howard's eyes widened.
"Time travel?" Howard finally spoke, his voice a low rumble. He ran a hand through his perfectly coiffed hair, a gesture of clear agitation. "Are you suggesting... you've come from the future?"
Steve nodded slowly. "That's exactly what I'm saying, Howard. It sounds impossible, I know. Believe me, when Tony first explained it, I didn't think it was real either. But we are here, and we need your help."
The door to the lab hissed open, and Tony stepped in, looking far too casual for the bizarre situation. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips. "Took you long enough, Cap. I was starting to think you'd lost your touch with the dramatic reveals."
Howard's gaze snapped to Tony, his jaw dropping. He looked from Steve to Tony and back again, his mind clearly struggling to process the impossible. "Tony?" he breathed, his voice barely a whisper. "Is that... really you?"
Tony pushed off the doorframe and walked towards his father, his usual swagger momentarily subdued by the weight of the moment. He stopped a few feet away, studying Howard. He looked younger, healthier, oblivious to the future that awaited him. A pang of something akin to sadness, mixed with a familiar resentment, hit Tony.
"In the flesh, old man," Tony said, trying to keep his tone light, but a sharp edge crept in. "Though, last time I checked, you were significantly older, and, well… less alive."
Howard took a hesitant step forward, his eyes still fixed on Tony. He reached out a hand, then seemed to think better of it, letting it drop to his side. "It… it can't be." He shook his head, a disbelieving laugh escaping him. "This has to be some kind of elaborate prank."
"Believe me, Howard, I wish it was," Tony said, his voice hardening. "But we don't have time for pleasantries or family reunions. We need the Tesseract."
Howard's confusion deepened. "The Tesseract? Why would you… why would you need that?"
"Long story," Steve interjected, sensing the tension building between father and son. "A very long and complicated story involving a mad titan, some missing stones, and the end of the world as we knew it."
Tony scoffed. "Cap's trying to keep it PG. Let's just say we need it to fix a colossal screw-up, one that wouldn't have happened if certain people had been a little less… preoccupied." He shot a pointed look at Howard.
Howard frowned. "Preoccupied with what? I'm working on groundbreaking technology, trying to secure a better future for this world!"
"Right," Tony said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Securing the future by neglecting your own son. Brilliant strategy, Dad."
The air crackled with unspoken words. Howard's face tightened, a flicker of hurt crossing his features before being quickly masked. "That's not fair, Tony. You wouldn't understand the pressures I was under."
"Oh, I understand perfectly," Tony retorted, stepping closer. "The pressure of being a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. The pressure of saving the world while simultaneously being emotionally unavailable to your own child. I know all about that pressure, Howard. Because I lived it. I lived with the ghost of your expectations hanging over my head my entire life."
Steve shifted uncomfortably, recognizing the familiar pattern of their arguments, even decades before Tony was truly an adult. This was the confrontation he hadn't wanted, but perhaps it was inevitable.
Howard’s voice rose, matching Tony’s intensity. "I did what I thought was best! I was building a legacy, something for you to inherit!"
"A legacy of emotional baggage?" Tony shot back, his voice laced with bitterness. "Because that's what you left me, Dad. A company I had to fight to keep, and a whole lot of questions you never bothered to answer."
"Tony, please," Steve tried to intervene, but Tony waved him off.
"No, Steve, let me have this," Tony said, his eyes locked on his father. "For once, let me say what I've needed to say for years." He turned back to Howard, his expression a mixture of anger and pain. "You were so busy trying to save the world, you forgot to be a father. You taught me how to build arc reactors, but you never taught me how to catch a ball. You gave me Stark Industries, but you never gave me your time."
Howard looked taken aback, the anger draining from his face, replaced by something that looked like genuine surprise. "Tony… I… I didn't realize…"
"Of course you didn't," Tony said, a humorless laugh escaping him. "You were too busy being Howard Stark. The great Howard Stark. Well, guess what, Dad? I'm Tony Stark. And I managed to save the world without turning my son into a science experiment."
The silence in the lab was thick and heavy. Howard looked lost for words, his usual confidence completely gone. Steve watched the exchange, a knot forming in his stomach. This was more intense than he had anticipated.
"Alright, Tony," Steve said, placing a hand on Tony's shoulder. "We've made our point. We still need the Tesseract."
Tony took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. He glanced at Howard, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "Yeah, Cap's right. Sentimental family reunions will have to wait for the apocalypse."
He turned back to Howard, his voice now more businesslike, though the underlying tension remained. "So, Dad. The glowing blue cube. Where is it?"
Howard, still reeling from Tony's unexpected and emotional outburst, looked from his son to Steve, clearly struggling to reconcile the man standing before him with the child he remembered. "The Tesseract… it's… it's secure. In a secure location." He stammered, his usual smooth demeanor completely gone.
"Shocking," Tony muttered under his breath. "You mean you actually secured something properly?"
Steve shot Tony a warning glance. "Howard, we don't have time for games. We need it now. It's a matter of… universal importance."
Howard seemed to finally grasp the urgency in Steve's voice, despite the lingering shock of Tony's appearance. "Universal importance? What in God's name is going on?"
"Like I said, long story," Tony replied, though his tone was less confrontational now, more resigned. "Just trust us. We wouldn't be here, messing with the space-time continuum, if it wasn't absolutely necessary."
Howard hesitated, his eyes darting between the two men. He could see the sincerity in Steve's expression, and despite his disbelief, there was something about Tony's intensity that felt… real. "Alright," he said slowly, a hint of his old authority returning. "Alright. But you're going to tell me everything. Every single unbelievable detail."
"Deal," Steve agreed. "But first, the Tesseract."
Howard nodded, a sigh escaping his lips. "It's in the sub-level vault. Only I have the access codes." He looked at Tony again, a new emotion flickering in his eyes – something akin to curiosity, mixed with a touch of apprehension. "And you… you really are my son? From the future?"
"Afraid so," Tony said, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "Get used to it, old man. You're going to be hearing a lot about the future very soon."
Howard led them through the lab, his steps a little unsteady. The weight of the revelations seemed to be settling on him. They descended several levels, passing through layers of security that even Tony had to grudgingly admit were impressive.
Finally, they stood before a reinforced steel door, humming with energy. Howard entered a complex code on a keypad, and the door hissed open, revealing a brightly lit chamber. In the center of the room, encased in a protective field, sat the Tesseract, glowing with an otherworldly blue light.
Steve felt a surge of relief. They had it. One stone down, five to go.
"There it is," Steve said, stepping forward. "Thank you, Howard."
Tony, however, wasn't looking at the Tesseract. His gaze was fixed on his father, who was watching him with a mixture of fascination and unease.
"So," Howard began, his voice hesitant. "In the future… what am I like? Am I… am I a good father?"
The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken longing. Tony hesitated, the easy sarcasm gone. He looked at the Tesseract, then back at his father. He thought of all the years of resentment, the missed opportunities, the words left unsaid.
"You… you try," Tony said finally, his voice softer than before. "You try, but… you don't always succeed."
Howard's face fell slightly, but he nodded slowly, as if accepting a truth he had long suspected.
"Alright, Cap," Tony said, turning to Steve, a familiar glint returning to his eyes. "Let's grab the glow stick and get out of here. Wouldn't want to bore dear old dad with the details of how we're about to erase this whole awkward encounter from his memory."
Steve nodded, understanding the need to move on. He approached the Tesseract, ready to secure it.
"Wait," Howard said, stopping them. He looked at Tony, a strange expression on his face. "Before you… before you erase everything… can I… can I ask you one more thing?"
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Shoot."
"What… what's my grandson like?" Howard asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Tony's breath hitched. He hadn't expected that. He thought of Morgan, her bright eyes, her infectious laughter, her unwavering love. A small, genuine smile spread across his face.
"She's… she's amazing, Dad," Tony said, the bitterness completely gone from his voice. "She's the best of us."
Howard's eyes widened, a look of profound emotion washing over his face. It was a look that Tony had never seen before, a look of pure, unadulterated hope.
"Amazing," Howard repeated softly, a single tear tracing a path down his cheek.
Steve cleared his throat, breaking the poignant moment. "Tony, we really need to go."
Tony nodded, snapping back to the present. He gave his father one last look, a look that held a strange mix of sadness, understanding, and maybe, just maybe, a hint of forgiveness.
"Alright, Cap," Tony said, turning towards the Tesseract. "Let's do this."
Steve carefully retrieved the Tesseract, its blue glow illuminating the chamber. He looked at Tony, who nodded, a silent confirmation. It was time.
"Alright, Howard," Steve said, his voice firm. "This is going to feel a little strange." He activated the Time Stone, a faint green glow emanating from it. "Just… try not to think about it."
As the green light enveloped Howard, his eyes glazed over, his expression becoming blank. The memories of the past few minutes, the impossible revelations, the emotional confrontation with his future son, began to fade away, leaving behind a clean slate, ready to be filled with the mundane realities of 1990.
Tony watched the process, a strange feeling in his chest. It was done. The encounter, the confrontation, the brief glimpse of connection, would be erased. Howard would go back to his life, oblivious to the time travelers who had briefly disrupted his reality.
He turned to Steve, a sigh escaping his lips. "Well, that was… something."
Steve nodded, holding the Tesseract securely. "Yeah. Something." He looked back at Howard, who was now staring blankly at the wall, a slight frown on his face, as if a fleeting thought had just escaped him.
"Come on, Tony," Steve said. "We have more stones to find. And a universe to save."
Tony nodded, pushing aside the lingering emotions. "Right. On to the next impossible mission."
As they turned to leave, Tony couldn't shake the feeling that even though Howard wouldn't remember, something had shifted, something had changed, even if only for a moment. And maybe, just maybe, that moment was enough.