While Nick was sitting in a comfortable armchair, drinking a glass of whiskey, his mind started wandering. The avengers initiative worked, it was messier than he planned it to be, but it was the proof he needed. Still, that wasn't the subject his thoughts had settled on, it was the one and only Tony Stark. It was hard to admit and he'd never say that to anyone, but that crazy kid surprised him. Not like he didn't know that he had it in him, but seeing that happen, positively shook him. He was going to visit Tony and reassure himself that he was alright, despite the reports he got. Something in his memories stirred and he found himself reminiscing.
Nick could count on his fingers on one hand, the times Tony hugged him and something about the recent events and the kid's struggle (of course he was calling him a kid in his mind) made him itch to check on him and try to see the remains of the kid he was in those big, brown, puppy eyes he had.
*****
He was walking side by side with agent Carter and was carefully listening to what she was explaining. The agent was incredibly intelligent and more than skilled for the job she was doing, yet he felt like she wasn't appreciated enough. Mr. Stark had some new updates to share with them, some new inventions or theories, the man was clearly a genius although his mission to find the captain weighted heavy on him and was threatening to reach an almost obsessive level. Nick rarely talked to him, slowly getting to know him, he tried to put his hard learned lessons to work, with the intention to read everyone around him, for all he knew it might turn out to be the skill that could save his life some day. So, he mostly observed and learned as much as he could. They weren't even close to the door of their headquarters, when a cry pierced the air and stopped them in their tracks. He had enough time to watch the figure that was speeding towards them, before it clashed into agent Carter’s knees. When Nick’s gaze fell on the kid that was hugging the agent, he didn't know what to do.
“Agent?”
But, he was ignored and surprised when she kneeled to properly hug the kid with gentleness only aunts and mothers showed. The kid's big grin and overjoyed voice told him that the little one was someone close to the agent. While he was wracking his brain to remember the agent’s relatives and whether the kid was a part of them, agent Carter interrupted his train of thoughts.
“Agent Fury, I'd like you to meet someone special to me.”
When he didn't react, not quite certain what was expected from him and painfully aware that he wasn't the best with kids, the agent chuckled and said,
“Well, don't just stand there gaping like a fish, come and meet my dearest friend.”
He crouched to be the same height as the both of them and said,
“I don't think I've met your friend before.”
“Tony darling, this is agent Fury, whose name is Nick.”
The boy was really young and by the looks of it, Nick assumed that he was around four years old.
“Nice to meet you Tony.”
Agent Carter discreetly took in his stiffness and with a cheerful voice, she stage whispered,
“Tony, sweetie, uncle Nick looks like he's a bit sad, how about you give him one of those big, warm and comforting hugs that only you can give? That should cheer him up.”
Tony's eyes for a moment lit at the suggestion, before he turned his gaze towards the ground like a kicked puppy and whispered,
“But what if he…dad says not to bother…”
Nick’s heart clenched at those words, feeling a sudden urge to pull the kid into his arms and protect him from the world.
“Ahh, Tony, Nick wouldn't mind, would you Nick?”
“Of course not.” then he leaned forward and said with as much seriousness as he could pull off,
“I'm not supposed to say that, but a hug will help me a lot.”
“Really?” his eyes widened in surprise and he gave him a shy smile, before he threw his arms around him and almost knocked them down, by how enthusiastic his hug was.
Nick with certainty could say that he had never been hugged like that before and he returned it with as much gentleness and warmth as he could, hiding his smile in Tony's hair when he felt the kid completely relaxing in his arms.
From the corner of his eyes, he noticed agent Carter’s smug smile and he ignored it.
*****
He didn't need to be told twice that his priority was to get the kid back, nor he needed extra convincing to completely put every resource he had, use every connection and every little skill he'd learned through the years. Young Tony Stark was kidnapped three days ago and both the Starks and agent Carter were livid and determined to get him back. While Mr. Stark was less than polite in his demands, Mrs. Stark prayed only for her boy to be found and brought back home. Nick would lie if he said that he didn't expect for something like that to happen, after all Tony was the son of the famous inventor and weapon designer, who had more than enough enemies who waited for a chance to harm him. Poor kid, he was only nine and despite how smart and unexpectedly sneaky he could be, he was no match for criminals who apparently knew what they were doing. He could see how worried the agent was, but she hid it well behind one of her expressions that promised physical harm to whoever dared to cross her path.
After ten hours spent trying to find out a lead that would at least be worth checking out, Nick stumbled on agent Carter, who looked as tired as he felt, but kept on working while drinking cold coffee.
“We'll find him… “ he caught himself saying.
“Of course we will. I'm not letting Tony in the hands of those bastards.”
It took them half a day more, but they finally got the place, the strategy was set and in no time they had the place surrounded. Unable to explain to himself let alone anyone else, Nick was there, next to agent Carter and was more than ready to do everything he could to help. Righteous fury was running through his veins, but he had complete control over his emotions, the only thing that mattered was Tony's wellbeing, as for the kidnappers…well he'd turn his head when the agent would give them the treatment they deserved. Everything went according to plan, but as always something had to go sideways, a newbie agent’s mistake was Nick’s guess and just like that everything escalated. Despite the chaos, that was mostly the product of panic and lack of organization, he never took his eyes of the building and the moment he saw an opening he took it.
He wasn't the only one who did, agent Carter was close behind, deadly and dangerous moving with a speed and grace most of the agents would be jealous of. In no time, he found Tony and after knocking out the idiot that was guarding him, he called the kid’s name. Instantly he found himself with an armful of distressed and crying nine year old, who was gripping his coat with an iron grip while constantly whispering ‘Uncle Nick’ in his stomach.
“It's alright, kid. You're safe now.” and despite the fact that he wasn't the hugging people type of person, he wrapped his arms around him and did his best to comfort him during the shock. For a second he got a wild thought of carrying the kid in his arms, just to shield him from the chaos he knew that was outside, but luckily agent Carter took over the situation with ease and sent him a grateful smile before she turned all of her attention on Tony.
Nick was grateful everything ended as well as possible, if he still felt the kid's warm tears on his shirt and silently promised himself that he'd look after him, well…it was nobody's business but his own.
****
Cursing the incompetent idiots he worked with, wouldn't help him not a tiny bit, but damn did it feel good. Scaring the crap out of them was even better, but for that he needed both a good plan and a good strategy, not to mention a damned good coffee. That's how he found himself wandering the smaller streets, drinking a hot cup of coffee while practicing his scowl on anyone unfortunate enough to pass him by. It was quite therapeutic to see that he was able to appear both intimidating and dangerous at the same time, for his line of work it was more than welcomed.
It was late afternoon, the sun was slowly setting, shadows started appearing around corners, giving him the perfect chance to walk around almost unnoticed, to walk the shadows as he liked to joke. His ability to move silently and his nose for sensing trouble, both helped and had a tendency toput him in trouble, but he wasn't gonna complain.
Pretty soon he was walking down a cobbled road that lead to a quite pleasant looking park and in an instant the atmosphere shifted. Everything turned brighter and louder as both children and adults enjoyed the remains of the lovely sunny day. He usually wouldn't stop and pretend he gave a damn about the whole ‘being in nature is kinda relaxing’ crap, with him being suspicious of almost everything and everyone, but this time he did. He, of course, ran his gaze over his surroundings, making sure everything was ordinarily normal and slowed down his pace.
Just as he was on his third point of his ‘teach the dumb assess a lesson’ plan, Tony Stark appeared out of freaking nowhere. It wasn't actually nowhere, since Nick heard him before he saw him, but the next part came out of nowhere. All he was able to notice was that the kid was breathing fast and that his whole appearance screamed trouble, before he heard the annoying ‘uncle Nick’ that he didn't think he'd hear ever again and got pulled in a hug.
“Just go with it. “ was whispered in his ear and he immediately started searching for the possible threat. He instantly spotted it, three teenagers around the kid's age were looking around like a pack of hounds, but dumb ones. He almost growled at the bullies, but settled for a tired sigh instead.
“What did you do this time? “ he whispered back, his arms loosely returning the hug.
“I swear on aunt Peggy, that I didn't do anything. Could you keep me company for a bit? Until they're gone.”
The kid was telling the truth, he could hear it in his voice, also he never swore on agent Carter only because he cared about her too mich, so that was both a proof of his honesty and a sign that he actually needed help.
“I haven't seen you in a while kid. How about we go and treat ourselves?” he said, loud enough to be heard, before he pulled back and chuckled when he realized that Tony was standing on his tiptoes just so he could reach his ear.
“That sounds great uncle.” of course the kid smoothly picked up on his plan.
To add on the whole family image they were trying to present, Nick threw his arm around Tony's shoulders and guided him to walk pass the three morons that didn't know how to act at the sudden change of the situation.
Just as they were close enough to be seen and heard quite clearly, Nick sent them his patented ‘don't tempt me, you'll regret it’ glare and with a smug smile he said,
“Have a nice day, gentlemen.” and when the teenagers almost tripped over their own feet in an attempt to get out of their way, he couldn't stop himself from chuckling and looking at Tony, he couldn't either.
****
That was the last time they hugged, not too long afterwards, a few years later, the Starks died in a tragic accident and Tony closed himself off, bearing the weight of his father's company on his shoulders.
He became more than anyone expected, while at the same time troubled and a troublemaker. Fury kept a close eye on him, even if it was from afar, he had a feeling that things were going to get not so good for him and as always his gut feeling didn't fail him.
That's why he found himself sitting in Tony's workshop, in the dark planing to startle him and check up on him. After all the kid flew a damned nuke into the sky.
When the moment came he stepped out of the shadows and said,
“Good to see that you're still kicking Stark.”
The yelp he got in return was so worth the trouble he went to convince JARVIS to let him in. Tony turned around with one hand on his chest, and the other one in front of him, and if he was wearing his suit, Fury would probably have been blasted.
“Give a man some warning, damn. Why are you here anyway? J, what the hell is he doing here? Sneaking in the dark like a serial killer.”
“I believe director Fury only wanted to see you, sir.”
Those intelligent eyes narrowed in suspicion before he exclaimed,
“Whatever you think I've done, I haven't done it. Scouts honor and all that.”
“Ohh, feeling guilty aren't we?” and he stepped closer to him.
“Not at all.”
After a quick observation, Nick came to the conclusion that Tony was as good as he was ever going to be, so there was no need for worry, not as if he did worry.
“You'll be expected with the other members of your boy band at SHIELD headquarters, tomorrow, agent Hill will send you the details.”
He turned around to leave, but then he thought about something, there was one more thing to be done.
Quickly he grabbed Tony by his shirt and pulled him into a hug. Since it was completely unexpected, the genius froze on the spot for a second before he opened his mouth to say something snarky, Nick didn't need to see it, to know it was there. That's why he interrupted the whole thing.
“Glad to see that you made it, kid. Knew you can do it. Now shut up and hug me before it gets too awkward.” and to his surprise he obeyed him for once and hugged back. When he decided that it was enough, he pulled back, gave him a final pat on the back and walked away, ignoring Tony's watery eyes. Just as he was about to walk out through the door, he yelled,
“And don't be late. You're still not of the hook.”
“You can't tell me what to do.” was yelled back, making him smile at the genius’ childish tone.
Yes, he was the same kid, he met all those years ago and that was a comforting thought.