Chapter 2
Tony never really liked children, always scandalous and dependent, the last thing he needed in life was someone who depended on him, Tony could barely take care of himself.
It was what he repeated to himself while waiting for the boy to wake up.
He woke up in 3 hours, around 5 pm, still too sleepy to realize as Tony picked him up, his heart sank as the boy rested his head on his shoulder ready to go back to sleep.
Tony went down to the garage taking a tall pillow with him as there was no booster seat for the boy, he put the boy in the car being careful not to wake him up and placed the pillow under him so the seat belt wouldn't rub against his neck. Upon arriving at the police station, Tony was sure that his heart had already broken more times than he could count in a single day. Steve had to deal with the guy who had run away and the team managed to track him out of town, so he brought him alone and was grateful when the kid acted naturally waking up as soon as Tony parked.
One of the police officers greeted Tony when he entered, letting out a low sigh when he saw the boy wrapped around him "They adopt these children because of the money, the government pays an amount to help take care of their needs but they always spend it on other things and then can't manage to take care of them... They should do a better screening before handing them over to anyone." The officer, Clark, according to the tag on his uniform, said as he took the boy from Tony's arms
Tony felt a bad taste in his mouth looking at those big brown eyes that looked at him with a look of betrayal "I found this little guy in the garbage this morning. Can you take him to an institution? Some place where you can adopt him?"
"Look Mister Stark, we're full of problems around here, it's already the 3 abandoned hybrid that arrives just today... they treat these kids like garbage, when they don't need it anymore, they leave them there." The policeman, who must have been 65 years old and had kind eyes, looked at the boy leaning on his hip in silence for a few seconds "We could do it like this, you take him home for today, just for today, and tomorrow morning I can call you and we'll see where to take him now."
"Is there nowhere for you to take him today?" Tony insisted a little more with the police
"It's more complicated than it looks, we need to find a shelter that has space for him, they're all full or without the infrastructure to receive more of them... Well, he could stay here at the police station but it wouldn't be at all comfortable to stay in a cold room until tomorrow"
"No, no, I'm taking him with me then. I'll leave my number." Tony decided and grabbed a pen from the counter to quickly write down his number on a piece of paper and then picked the boy up again feeling better when he had him with him and not in the arms of a stranger
The billionaire felt a little bad as looking at the boy who had a little frown on his face he knew that he understood perfectly everything they were talking about.
"It's going to be okay kid. Uncle Cap went on an errand, then" Tony sniffed the boy's soft hair that now smelled sweet and smooth "I guess it'll just be you and me for today, bud..." He didn't need to tell anyone but those eyes made his heart melt. Just a little bit.
//
The elevator stopped when they reached the main floor only to almost run into Sam who had a huge chicken sandwich in his hand.
"Damn Sam, are you starving?"
Sam barely heard Tony as his attention was riveted on the kitten in the billionaire's arms.
"Steve mentioned that you found a hybrid this morning, I thought you were going to take him to the police station or a shelter or whatever" He said gently touching one of the boy's little ears which twitched with the sudden touch but he didn't seem bothered as his eyes were on the man's sandwich "has he eaten yet, Tony?"
"Yes, but it's been a while." He said putting him on the ground leaving the boy a little confused if he should follow him or stay with the man who had a sandwich "And I took him to the police station but they won't be able to resolve anything today so he will stay here until tomorrow... By the way, didn't you go with the rest of the team?"
"Steve said he wouldn't need much backup so he just took Clint and Nat. The others are out there, it won't be long before they show up when they hear about the kid"
Tony frowned before heading to the kitchen "Well, just don't get too attached because he won't be staying long."
Sam sighed as he took a bite of his sandwich and the boy chased Tony like a duckling into the kitchen.
"What do you want to eat? I'm not as good of a cook as Steve but I know my way around" Tony asked the boy who was leaning with one hand on the counter playing with his sock-clad feet "a sandwich like Sam's maybe? Sound good to you?"
a nod
Tony smiled because the boy understood everything they said, maybe he knew how to speak too and just didn't want to.
He prepared the sandwich while the boy watched him patiently. Too patient to tell the truth
Tony expected children to be louder but since the kitten arrived, even though it hasn't been a day, he hasn't made a sound. Tony wondered if the boy's previous 'owners' had something to do with all this silence. He also made sure to let Friday let him know when the boy needed to eat again as he knew he would eventually forget as the boy wouldn't say anything.
"Tink, Shh. Stop playing!"
Tony sat on the sofa beside the boy while Peter Pan searched Wendy's room for his shadow but his own attention was completely on the boy who looked in awe of the drawing. From the way the boy was fascinated, it seemed that he had never watched a cartoon in his life.
"Help me to find my shadow"
"Shadow? Shadow?"
He wasn't the biggest fan of cartoons but the boy's mischievous smile as Peter's shadow scurried away was one of the best things he'd seen in his life.
"-Because I have to grow up tomorrow"
"Grow up??"
"Tonight's my last night in the nursery." Wendy said sadly
It was already past 9 pm and the man didn't miss the way the boy's eyes blinked almost shut.
"But that means... no more stories."
Tony got up, inadvertently startling the distracted kitten "Come on Peter Pan, bedtime. You can finish the movie tomorrow morning"
The boy got to his feet with a small frown interrupted by a huge yawn, the billionaire almost felt bad for pulling him off before Peter taught Wendy and her little brothers how to fly but the boy didn't even know this was about to happen so it wasn't too bad
"You'll be staying in one of the guest rooms. No more couches." Tony said expecting the boy to follow as his fluffy tail wrapped around his waist, he led the boy up to his floor and then to the guest room which was right next to his own bedroom.
In Tony's humble opinion, it was a simple room, with a king-size bed and a wide view of the city, without much furniture but it was enough for one night. He looked back when he entered the room and didn't hear the soft footsteps coming behind him, the boy was standing in the doorway almost asking for permission to enter the room that Tony had just said was his. Temporarily.
"Come on Peter Pan." Tony called sitting on the edge of the bed and patting the duvet. He felt a strange sensation inside him as the boy entered, stepping cautiously as if the ground was going to swallow him up, as if he were entering a place where he didn't belong.
Tony patted the comforter again encouraging him to climb into bed, he did, but not before a few long seconds of running his hand and appreciating the soft comforter that covered the bed. He sat stretching his little legs and looking at the huge windows that lit the room with city lights. A few more minutes and then Tony got him to get under the covers and snuggle and then he was out like a light.
//
"What's this?" Tony asked when he got out of the elevator and found a pile of children's clothes on the sofa where Sam and Steve were sitting.
"Clint left it here, it belonged to one of his kids, he said give it to the kid" Steve said
It was a considerable amount of clothing, some sweats and warm socks.
"Tell him to come up to my floor tomorrow to see the kid before I take him down to the station again."