Step Into Action

Tony Stark had a son.

Years back, about eighteen years ago actually, during peak playboy days, Tony met a genius scientific couple at another one of those fancy events. 

They were kind, and kept his mind stimulated, unlike the other guests, who all seemed brain dead in comparison. And well, Tony liked talking with them.

They never felt the need to schmooze, kiss his ass to get in his good graces. No, quite the opposite in fact. The couple proudly declared their research status at Oscorp, the inferior company in Tony's own opinion.

They were a breath of fresh air.

One thing led to another, and Tony fell in their bed. It was supposed to be causal. He had plenty of men and women lined up at his door, and plenty of them were supermodel status of beautiful.

But Mary Fitzpatrick and Richard Parker weren't supermodels, just nerds in lab coats.

And yet, Tony fell into a casual relationship with them. He visited their home to watch movies, casually drank with Richard while Mary had long nights, which led to sloppy make out sessions in the couple's bed. Made pasta with Mary that led to soft kisses over wine. Read books in their bed, snuggled by either of their sides.

It was this small gap in his playboy days where he wasn't actually a playboy.

Things came easy with the couple, so he didn't want to give it up. They expected nothing from him. No money, fame, anything. Their entire relationship wasn't ever intended to be sexual in the first place.

Still, that's where they ended up. 

And it was peaceful. And then something unexpected happened.

Mary got pregnant.

One issue though, Richard was sterile.

Not long after meeting Tony, the couple got married, which tiny supported all the way. Hell, he helped arrange the gorgeous venue. One of the reasons Tony was so enthusiastic about the idea was because the couple wanted kids. They had always dreamed of having kids, so they were ecstatic when the test came back positive, but they knew it wasn't Richard's.

So, hesitantly, while Tony was over, the couple sat him down. And his first thought was a obvious, 'this was it, this was the breakup.' But when he learned Mary was pregnant, his world flipped upside down.

"But Richard's sterile," he reminded, dumbfounded. It was one of the first things the couple had admitted to. After all, Tony wore protection when Richard didn't. And as the couple remained silent, the pieces clicked into place. "It's mine?"

"We don't expect you to raise the baby, but you have a right to know," Mary paused, one of her hands reaching over to hold onto Tony's. "We wanted to know."

The couple expected him to leave, but Tony didn't. Hell, he had been the most straight laced during Mary's pregnancy than he had been for the last decade. He helped get the couple groceries, helped them move into a bigger house, everything he could imagine.

And then, Peter Benjamin Parker was born.

After nine months of helping around the house, Tony got to hold his son. Richard and Mary were soft at the sight of the stubborn man they knew, melting over his child. And Peter knew. He knew somehow that Richard and Tony were both his dads, because with his tiny little hands, he at gripped at their pinkies. 

And Tony became a father that day.

The couple's relationship was secret, and they never minded, because when they got home from the hospital, and Tony was right there with gifts for Peter and this giant grin on his face... everything was perfect. 

He put aside an account for Peter, one he could access when he turned eighteen, to use for college, anything really. And he gave money to the couple to spoil Peter, most of which they put away for the future.

And Tony was there for Peter's firsts. 

His first word, which was a bubbly "hero!" And the world had left the three in stitches for weeks.

His first crawl, and walk, his first bath and sprint. He helped change diapers, and watched Peter when Richard and Mary needed extra sleep.

For three years, everything was perfect.

Then Tony spiraled.

His drinking got worst, and he knew he wouldn't be safe around a kid. He didn't want to repeat the mistakes of his father. The idea shook him to his core, and so, he made the difficult decision to leave. And Mary and Richard understood. 

So Tony left, still sending money, and gifts. And Mary and Richard sent pictures of Peter's life.

So despite not being there anymore, Tony still got to watch over Peter. Watch him grow up.

And each year, he looked more and more like Tony. This little brat waddling around would inherit his company someday, if Mary and Richard allowed.

And just as Tony was recovering, after getting help, pushed for by Pepper, Rhodey, Jarvis, Happy, he even planned to get back with the couple.

But that was when everything fell apart.

A little after Peter's sixth birthday, Mary and Richard got in a plane and never came back. Their bodies were found in Russia, and they had been killed.

Murdered

Tony didn't cry much, he was adamant that he never cried, but when he found out, he shut down. He locked himself away in his room, and cried until his lungs were sore. Until his face stung and ached. 

Mary and Richard...

Dead

And Peter...

He couldn't claim him. When Tony left, they agreed Richard's brother would take him in, if anything happened. 

Ben Parker.

And Ben Parker was the perfect fit. Put together, kind, caring. The right role model for Peter. And though it hurt, Tony gave up on his dream of being Peter's father. Of having him stay in the tower, running around the lab, the building. 

This was for the best.

And when the funeral rolled around, every nerve inside of him wanted to go, but he couldn’t. No one knew about him. And if he saw the couple being buried…

He sent flowers, and paid for everything. All anonymous. They’d have the best funeral money could buy. 

He never realized it, not when they were alive, but he knew now. He loved them. He could’ve spent the rest of his life with the couple. He would’ve been happy being with them, because he loved them.

And he loved Peter. He wanted to hug his son close and promise everything would be better. Promise him that he’d show him three times to love to make up for them. Because he knew that no matter what, Richard and Mary loved Peter too. 

So he had to give him up. He’d get no more pictures of his son, no videos of him running around Richard legs, or being read a bedtime story by Mary.

No. He had his Aunt and uncle. They’d love him just as Richard and Mary had. And he’d send money, anonymously of course, to help ease any financial issues that might come to pass. 

Besides that, Tony accepted that Peter would never be his son, and he’d never get the chance to see him again.

And he’d suffer with the secret until he died.