Proud
For a while, after Tony stormed out Howard stood there dumbfounded. He didn’t know what to believe anymore, it appeared he had time traveled and his son, the very one who seemed to be sleeping his way through the country, his rude ill-behaved menace of a child was… a hero? It just didn’t make sense. But that would have to be put away for now because down came freaking Steve Rogers In casual 21st looking of all things sheepish and as forward and rude as it may come across Howard couldn’t help himself
“Did you really almost kill Anth- Tony?” He blurted out
Reluctantly Steve sighed. he knew there was no stopping the man once he got started and he probably deserved this but he at least wanted to speak privately before he opened that box “ I promise I’ll answer all your questions, can we just go somewhere more private first?”
“Okay” Howard replied and rushed out before he realized he actually had no idea where to go this is gonna be a long day Steve thought to himself before leading the way to the guest room Pepper had set up for the two Starks. As they walked his thoughts were a bit of a mess. Will he ask about Siberia? Of course, he will idiot you basically attempted murder on his son. Yeah well, what do I tell him? The truth. But won’t he hate me then? Yes, yes he will as he rightfully should. But I was just protecting Bucky. You protected your friend by betraying half your basically family almost killing one of them defying the government and making the whole world lose faith in the avengers and for what? So you could be the hero? So you could cause major destruction to do something Tony was probably already working on fixing, something Natasha could have fixed by simply hacking their servers? Wanda literally could have just erased Bucky from all of their memories and that would have fixed the whole damm thing and then you could go off with him to stop more brainwashed soldiers from being made but no like Natasha had told him just because it’s the easy way doesn’t mean it’s the wrong way. He was an absolute idiot
He’d been having this mental argument, if you could it even call it an argument with himself ( minus the Howard part) for months, ever since the rouges moved back to the compound, it was always the same thing. He’d pretty much excepted by now he was very in the wrong and what he did was unacceptable but it was for his best friend so he wasn’t sure to what extent he was wrong. Oh, who was he kidding he was probably the biggest A-hole in America. Oh, the irony. As they neared the room he braced himself and the second they were in the room Howard started his many many questions “ well did you really try and kill him? Is Tony really iron man? How are you still alive? Did you guys really fight aliens with wizards and gods ? Did my work with S.H.E.I.L.D succeed? Seriously how the hell are you alive-“
“Yes I really did try and kill Tony- let me finish, yes I did almost kill Tony. I was preserved in ice somehow, Yes we did fight aliens with gods Thor the god of thunder, and Loki the god of mischief who actually, we fought Loki and wizards like Dr. Strange who is actually when we get in contact with will be able to send you home. I can’t tell you about your work at S.H.I.EL.D because I don’t know. Anything else?”
“… yeah, how can I believe you I mean you’ve gotta admit it’s a pretty far stretch. Do you have any proof?”
“Well I think we have clips from the news and videos people recorded I could show you those”
He said and walked over to the tv even years later he was still amazed by little things like these, he flipped to the collection of news clips and pedestrian’s videos. “Here, any proof you need should be here” and with that, he left Howard alone with the tv and went to go get some water. He knew he would probably have to come back and answer the questions Howard would surely have after watching but right now he just needed a little break
Peter had decided he wasn’t gonna hurt Howard but he just wanted to talk when he found him in his room the tv was turned off, Howard was staring almost in a trance a sorta Stunned look on his face, rigid as if anyone would jump the corner and attack at any second but he’d already given up on escaping. Peter did really know how to approach the man he’d always been a little low on confidence when talking back to adults but now or never I guess, “Howard?”
“ huh?”
“ you okay?”
“Yeah yeah, yeah just a lot to take in. Um, it’s just I always thought I’d failed as a parent. But basically raised a hero.”
“ no offense Howard but you did fail at parenting.”
“What?”
“Well you never gave him love scolded him for every little thing made it extremely known he was a huge disappointment-“
“ but he’s a hero and I raised him I made him a hero” Howard was starting to get that entitled look in his eyes again like at any moment he was gonna say, your just a kid how do you know any better? Peter needed to shut this down immediately
“No. Don’t try and take credit for something Tony worked his ass of for”
“ but I put him in the best schools I sent him to MIT I-“
“ he didn’t want that he didn’t want any of that he wanted was parents love Howard, Tony’s a genius he would have gotten to the top no matter what but all he ever wanted was for you to be proud of him, even when he rebelled out of spite even when he despised you with every fiber of his being all he wanted was to hear you say you were proud.”
“I didn’t know”
“No of course you didn’t know, of course, you didn’t know because you never paid attention, did you? Tell me did you ever just ask Tony how was school? Ever just ask him if he was okay? Remind him he was loved? Do absolutely anything to make him feel like he wasn’t a waste of space? When was the last time you hugged him? Yeah that’s what I thought” Howard wasn’t able to come up with an argument for that
“ Imma terrible father and person”
“Yeah, I hate to say it but yeah you are. Now I’m gonna go to dad because as much as he says he doesn’t he probably needs me right now, but I just have one thing to ask of you. Before you leave, before strange sends you back to your time just tell him once even just once that your proud of him, and mean it I don’t know how you couldn’t be proud of the Tony Stark but just tell him you please?”
“O-Okay, yes. Yes, I will thank you.”
“Alright, bye” and with that Peter left to go get his dad maybe have a movie night.
Tony had been sitting on the floor for what felt like hours staring blankly at the floor as if it would give him the answer to life his one thought he needed Peter but Peter was at the cabin and he didn’t wanna make him come All the way over here this late so he would have to settle for calling him
“Hey Peter”
“Heeeyyyyyy Mr. Stark wassp?”
“Well I was just calling to check and make everything was okay but it’s clearly not you haven’t called me Mr.Stark in ages, what did you do?”
“Don’t be mad-”
“Peter”
“Okay so I may have sorta kinda possibly maybe”
“PETER”
“Okay okay I left Morgan with May and Happy because God knows they could use the supervision”
“And?”
“Look behind you?” And there he was, Sticking to the window in his hello kitty PJs, a teddy bear and gummy’s in one hand movies in the other looking for all the world, like a hopeful puppy “I just thought you could use some company…..please don’t be mad I promise I won’t kill Howard, just maybe severely injure-“ he cut off at Tony disapproving gaze. Tony really wanted to but he couldn’t be mad at his kid he just looked so adorable and his intentions were too pure he made a note to sue puppy dog eyes, it really should be illegal. He caved, sighing he said
“ fine come here but next time use the damm door”
“Where’s the fun in that dad?” Peter sassed. He should scold him for being so cheeky But, he can’t find it in himself, it worried him greatly about the power Peter has over him, he would jump into a fire for that kid. Instead, he smiles as they head to his room where they proceeded to argue over which movie to watch, and who was hogging the teddy bear(Peter won) and everything was right in the world again, even if it was just for a little while.