Chapter 4
“Tony, I was there in your late teens when you went through your ‘drunk whore’ stage, you were not well. It sounds like Steve was justified with freaking out, especially if she’s only sixteen,” Rhodey said as they two drank afternoon coffee out on Tony’s balcony.
“Yeah can you not refer to me as a dirty whore when my three year old wakes up from his nap?”
“No, I think I’ll let the internet do its job when he’s old enough,” the man teased back.
Tony took this opportunity to glare at his old friend, who had long since been unaffected by his angry face.
“I still drink,” Tony started to explain before Rhodey interrupted him.
“Oh I am well aware, still got the burn marks to prove it.”
“What if–” he asked loudly, brushing past Rhodey’s point, “–he dumps me for drinking? I would never do it around Peter, but the way he judges people who drink alcohol?”
“He met you when you were a drunken horn-dog and still managed to call you to see you again,” Rhodey said pointedly. Tony felt his mouth open and close in response, actually considering that.
“It’s not just that, it’s also the way he parents her…like he won’t listen…”
“So Mr. Perfect isn’t as perfect as you thought, huh?”
“I never said he was perfect!” he said in defense.
“You literally called him ‘perfect’ like, two days ago.”
“No, I called his cock ‘perfect,’ get your facts straight. I thought that’d be easier for a hetero…” Before Rhodey could retaliate, the pair heard tiny footsteps approaching.
“Unca Rhodey!!” Peter shouted as he toddled his way to his favorite uncle.
“Peter Pan!” the man shouted just as excitedly, throwing the three year old up in the air a few times. “Did you have a nice nap?”
“I don’t like naps.”
“And yet you always wake up happy,” Tony countered, smiling at the adorable pout his son gave in response.
“I agree Peter, naps are gross,” Rhodey said with Peter on his hip – just to be obnoxious.
“See?” Peter said, sticking his tongue out at his dad for good measure. Tony, always the mature one, returned the favor as Rhodey laughed at the two.
“Say, Petey-pie, now that you’re up…wanna show Uncle Rhodey all the songs you can do on your guitar?” He laughed when his friend’s eyes went wide in panic as the boy cheered in his arms. The toddler squirmed his way down and took off running as his oldest friend glared heavily at the man.
Tony just kept that shit-eating grin on his face, wiggling his eyebrows as his friend groaned loudly before following him back inside. As they sat together on the couch, Tony found himself thinking about Joey and what she was doing today. He knew Steve had a 24 hour shift, so she must be bored out of her mind stuck at the apartment. He pulled his phone out to text Steve, not remembering if she was still in trouble or not.
He got a text from him a few minutes later, around the time of the end of Peter’s first song – making sure to clap loudly before checking his phone.
[Yeah sounds like fun! I still have her cell, but call the house phone]
Tony scoffed, wondering who on Earth still used land lines. Steve, obviously. He was about to run the idea by Peter – as he knew his friend was just being polite at this point; Rhodey may have mentioned when he first got there that he couldn’t stay long but could never say no to Pete…which Tony of course took full advantage of to exact some revenge.
Buuuut, before he could run the idea by Peter, he had to ask Joey if she even wanted to hang out with them today. He had learned the hard way when it came to disappointing a toddler.
“I gotta make a quick phone call, if you two will excuse me,” Tony said getting off the couch and ignoring the desperate look Rhodey sent him. He stepped into the nearby library, able to drone out most of Peter’s ‘music.’ He dialed the number Steve gave him, only now wondering if this was really a good idea as the phone clicked.
“Yellow?” the teen said in greeting, Tony feeling himself already smile at the dork.
“Hey kiddo, it’s Tony.”
“Yeah, we have caller ID. My uncle may be a 95 year old grandma but he’s a reasonable 95 year old grandma.” Tony laughed into the phone, smiling harder when he heard her return the laughter.
“You know what the sad thing is? Peter’s actual grandmother has a smart phone, granted…she’s only in her late 50s but still…”
“You should introduce Ruth to Steve one of these days, they can drink Earl-Grey tea together while they crochet in rocking chairs!” Tony laughed, heart filled with warmth at both her impressive memory as well as her wit. He selfishly hoped she’d say yes.
“Oh god please don’t encourage him, I am literally seven years old than him but it feels like I’m the one grave-robbing,” pausing to hear her laugh. “Hey, so I was calling cause I was wondering if you had any plans today?”
“Oh no, did you run this by Steven? Cause if it’s a no from him…”
“Yes, I asked your neurotic uncle first,” he replied, easily agreeing with her.
“Oh, well in that case it depends on what you had in mind. Cause I’m going to start charging the going babysitter rate if it’s just hanging with Pete –”
“No no, I was thinking the three of us go out for the day. There’s museums, a nearby carnival, whatever fun we can do that’s 3 year old age appropriate.”
“Wow I haven’t been to a carnival since…yeah Tony. That sounds really fun! What time do you wanna pick me up?” Tony kept the squeal to himself but did do a little dance, she can’t see him over the ancient phone.
“Twenty minutes?” he asked, hoping it wasn’t too soon.
“Fuck yeah! And…I will work on not doing that in front of Peter.”
“Oh honey, do you know who his father is? It was his fourth word,” he admitted, laughing with her. “But yes please try, see you soon.”
“See you soon!” she said before the line clicked. He put his phone in his pocket, excited to go tell the news to the easily excited toddler…and release his friend from his temporary prison.
After one more song, of course.
He pulled up exactly twenty minutes later, smiling as Pete cheered from his car seat in the back as they saw Joey locked the door behind her. She walked up to the Cadillac Escalade, crossing her arms as she mocked glared at the car; arms unfolding as she opened the door to get in the passenger seat.
“Hey Petey!” she greeted the toddler first, reaching back to grabs his hands.
“Hey Joey!” he greeted back, slapping her hands until they were both high-fiving each other.
“Buckle up, buttercup,” Tony interrupted, smiling as they both groaned in protest. She reached back to do as requested, finally turning to Tony in greeting as he began driving.
“Hey Tony…I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear a baseball cap…” she said staring at him. He wore a cap and sunglasses to look less conspicuous, along with his Black Sabbath t-shirt and jeans.
“I’m trying to lay low, obviously,” he teased, smiling at her unimpressed look.
“Yet you plan on pulling up in a Cadillac Escalade? Don’t you have at least one normal people car?”
“This is the most ‘normal people car’ you’re going to get out of me. Normally I drive a two-seater but the Escalade comes out whenever I have Petey.”
“I can ride in dem when I’m older, right Daddy?”
“Right Petey,” he said in confirmation.
“Okay, but what if the car isn’t as conspicuous as you think it is and people take a million pictures of us?”
“Oh I already have a restraining order against the paps for both of you, effective until you’re 18,” he said as he pulled into the carnival parking lot – glad to see several nice cars in the lot. When he parked he glanced back over at the teen just staring at him.
“You did that for me?” she asked quietly. He nodded in response, not thinking it was that big of a deal at the time that he did it.
He had suggested it to Steve, who immediately agreed – and didn’t know that was a thing you could do for kids of famous parents. But here she was looking at him like he’d just announced she was in his will.
“Yeah, it wasn’t a big deal. Kids deserve normal lives, regardless of how incredibly rich and handsome their father is…” he said, glad to see a smile instantly reappear on her face. Peter made it clear he was getting impatient, so the two quickly got out of the car and helped Peter from his seat.
“Do you have any extra sunglasses?” Joey asked before he shut the car door. Peter’s face lit up at the prospect, even though it wasn’t a particularly sunny day. He held a finger up at the two, reaching into the backseat where Pepper insisted he keep ‘emergency bags’ and yup! Sure enough, another pair of Tony’s Ray Bans and one of Peter’s adorable child-size ones. He pulled them out and handed them to the two, smiling when Joey’s jaw-dropped at the Ray Bans.
He nodded to her when she looked back up at him, smiling with her as she put on the glasses.
“Ready?” he asked the two practically dancing on their feet. Peter quickly grabbed his father’s hand in excitement, reaching over to grab Joey’s with his other one. She smiled as she complied, not even grimacing at the always somehow sticky fingers of a toddler.
He got a few looks, but thankfully no one throughout the day interrupted the little family. Peter rode the marry-go-round so many times that even Tony had to take a break, enjoying taking pictures of the two and grateful for the teen who simply switched to sitting on the same horse as Peter; clutching him close and laughing merrily with him.
It turns out with a quick handful of cash, your 3 year old can fairly easily win a large toy from the impossible games – an adorably giant Winnie the Pooh. Though the cash wasn’t apparently necessary for the 16 year old and the shooting game. She decided on one of those giant inflatable plastic hammers, immediately handing it to the requesting toddler who then loudly declared he was Thor, the god of thunder.
He stayed back with Peter as she rode some of the scarier rides solo, actually glad for the excuse rather than he was too scared for most of them. They got cotton candy and funnel cake before Tony realized they hadn’t actually had lunch, which prompted the vote for corndogs and sodas.
Jo suggested the hoop competition, agreeing easily as Pete cheered from the sidelines. Not a lot of people knew this, but Tony was an excellent point guard and loved playing the game. This however, did not stop the teenager from whipping his ass. He tickled Peter to get him to stop gloating on her behalf, hoisting him onto his shoulders as he led the three away to the ferris wheel, already done with this game.
Peter sat in between the two, smiling gleefully even as the carnie asked the brunette – again – if the height was too scary for the three year old. He assured him he loved heights as the boy whined in impatience. The older gentleman finally stepped back and started the ride. He squealed along with the kids, loving that they were seeing the setting sun when they stopped at the top.
“Why do I feel like you were a carnie in a past life?” he asked the teen, whose cheeks immediately blushed at the question.
Her face scrunched up before she answered, “my dad was for a few weeks.” When she finished she refused to look at him, which was fair because he was gawking at her.
“What? Steve never told me that!”
“Yeah well,” she said finally looking at him, “it’s not exactly something you brag about.”
“Yeah-huh,” he said back dumbly, glad the ride started moving again. “Well, I think it’s cool.”
“Yeah well, I wish you could’ve come to my 4th grade class and tell them that,” she said as they got off the ride. Peter threw his hands up, yawning as he wanted to be picked up by his dad. His attention taken, he noted he’d respond to her later; while his back ached at the prospect.
“Hey Pete, come on, I’ll give you a piggy back ride to the car,” she offered the toddler; impressing the genius as she simultaneously ended their day without fuss and took some of the weight off Tony’s back…literally. The boy squealed in response, grabbing onto the teen as she squatted down to help him. The three walked quietly back to the car, Tony only having to help Joey a little with the buckling up of Pete’s car seat – as the unconscious toddler always made it a tad difficult. The ride back was long, as there was an accident up ahead on their route, though neither of the two seemingly minding as the radio played.
“Do you want to stay for dinner?” he offered as he turned the radio down a little.
“Depends on what you’re having,” she countered with a smile.
“Whatever you want kiddo, except maybe a home-cooked meal.”
“Steve’s a great cook, I get plenty of home-cooked meals. What I don’t get enough of is Chinese take-out,” she said as they finally passed the wreckage.
“Easy peezy lemon squeezy,” he said, laughing along with her at his expression.
She offered to carry the boy up the elevator, where Tony legitimately offered her a well-paid babysitting position. She looked like she was considering it as they made their way to the living room, laying Peter down next to them to let him sleep a few more minutes as they ordered food together.
“Can you tell me more about your dad, if that’s okay I mean.”
“It’s fine, he was a great man. He was smart and kind, funnier than I’d ever admit to him,” she stopped to smile fondly at the memory. “He was a mechanic, owned his own shop up until I was about 10. And then…something about the economy and he had to sell the shop. So then he had to work odd jobs – thus the carnie – until he ended up in construction.”
"Yeah, for the record, I would've happily gone to your class to show those little shits what's cool. Like actually winning the prizes without bribes." She smiled but remained silent.
“You miss him?” he asked as she smiled at him.
“Not as much as I should, I think…”
“What do you mean? One, you get to decide your own grief, and two, I catch you thinking about him a lot. Nothing wrong with that.”
“What do you mean? When are you talking about?”
“Oh, um…remember when you correctly identified me as the Cher in the relationship?” he asked, smiling as she laughed at the memory. “When Steve referred to Sonny's death…I saw you both look away – both of you thinking about your dad.”
She looked at him confused a moment longer, face forming into a smile.
“Oh, I wasn’t thinking about dad…I was thinking about Steve. It was bad enough when I lost my dad, but if I lost Steve too?” she looked away and cleared her throat, upset at even the thought of losing her uncle. The only family she had left.
“Sorry…” Tony trailed off, unsure what to say to that.
“It’s fine, not like Steve’s going anywhere anytime soon. Even with his job he’s still the safest safety man around.” Tony smiled at that, thinking about the man he’d chosen to love.
“I lost both my parents when I was 20,” he found himself confessing, “they also died in a car accident.”
“Wow…I’m sorry,” she said as Tony waved her off – long since over the deaths. “I can’t imagine losing both at the same time though. I never met my mom, officially I guess. But if I lost dad and Steve at the same time…I can’t even imagine.”
“Well, my father was an abusive asshole, so I really only mourned my mom. And I was twice your age,” he said, smiling as she smiled and nodded in response.
“Well…at least it sounds like you and your dad were close,” he said with a smile.
“Oh yeah,” she said with a laugh, “two peas in a pod, partners in crime and all of that.” Peter stirred a little as they waited for the food to arrive, the two focusing on him in silence before Joey spoke in a hushed tone.
“You know, it’s funny. When I found out you were dating Steve, I felt like you were intruding on us. Until I realized I was the intruder,” she finished sadly and quietly, staring at her lap.
“You’re not an intruder, Jo…”
“He never wanted kids, did he ever tell you that?” she asked him with watery eyes. “He told me when I was younger, said ‘being an uncle was enough for him’ when I asked about getting cousins. And then life threw us all a curve ball and he ended up stuck with me.”
“I used to say the same thing,” Tony answered before gently petting the boy by his side. “People change Joey, it doesn’t always happen until…it happens. Doesn’t mean Steve doesn’t want you…”
“Yeah, I guess so, I was 8 when he said it. But he also gave up art school to be a paramedic for me…”
“Every parent makes sacrifices for their kid,” Tony said with confidence as she shot a little smile his way. “It’s pretty obvious how much Steve loves you.”
“Didn’t say he didn’t love me,” she muttered with a smile. He laughed with her at that, thinking about her father again.
“So mechanic, do you remember anything your dad taught you?”
“Yeah, I taught Steve how to change the oil in his SUV.”
“Wow,” he said genuinely impressed. “I really think I would’ve liked him.”
“Oh you’d love him,” she said with a laugh, “he was quick to put Steve in his place. It was hilarious, he always pulled the big brother card…”
He nodded and smiled at that.
“He would’ve loved you too,” she said to Tony. “You’re good for Steve.”
His smile spread wider across his face, “I hope so.”
“You are! Before you, he was so far in the closet Narnia declared him a citizen,” she said as Tony bellowed in laughter at that. The laughing woke up Peter as Jarvis alerted them the delivery person had arrived.
As they were eating, something magical happened.
Tony watched as Joey helped a still sleepy Peter eat, freezing when she held some peas to his lips. Maybe it was because he was tired…but Peter ate the peas without protest.
Or maybe it was all the amazing sixteen year old before him.
Tony was actually starting to get really behind on work, so he finally relented calling Ruth to watch Pete for a weekend. Steve texted him while he was saying goodbye to ask if he wanted to see a movie together tonight. He smiled at the text, despite his doubts, feeling those damn butterflies flutter whenever he knew he was going to see Steve.
Tony picked him up in his favorite Jaguar, the two doing minimal groping on the way to the theater. However, in doing so, Steve only realized he forgot his phone as they stood in line for popcorn.
“I’m sure she doesn’t need you for two hours,” he assured the blonde, who interlocked their fingers together in response.
Of course, the universe often liked to prove him wrong.
Like in this case.
As they drove back to Steve’s apartment, they saw flashing lights.
Two cop cars and an ambulance were parked outside the place, along with a red truck parked half way on the sidewalk.
“I know that truck,” Steve muttered, waiting for Tony to put the car in park before finding out what happened. Officer Hill – who Steve knew threw work and Tony knew threw charities…and one drunk arrest – greeted them as the two men approached.
“Where is he?” the blonde growled out, startling Tony who’d never heard him that angry before.
“He’s in custody Rogers,” she reassured, “Joey’s safe inside with the medics as a precaution.”
Steve looked at Tony, a silent plea to check on her as the policewoman explained the situation. The brunette nodded with a small smile, walking past him to check on the teen inside. There was broken glass in the entrance-way, signs of a scuffle as he made his way to the voices in the living room.
Joey sat between two medics, the male of the two with an arm wrapped around her as an officer squatted near her with a pen and pad of paper.
“Jo?” he asked gently. The teen looked up at him, throwing herself up off the couch and into the brunette’s arms. He easily caught her, kissing the top of her head as he saw just a few scrapes on her, still wondering what the actual fuck had happened.
“An old homophobic coworker of ours came to visit…apparently got upset when he couldn’t find Steve,” the male paramedic explained as Tony kept his hold on the shaking teen.
“Jesus, you okay Joey?” he asked as he pulled the teen back to look into her eyes. She nodded yes, though her eyes told a different story, which brought her right back into the genius’ clutching embrace.
“Yeah, but we’ve taught JoJo well, apparently she gave him a bit of an ass-whooping,” said the medic with “Barton” written on his uniform.
“Sorry Clint,” the teen said against Tony’s shoulder, “but Natasha taught me how to properly kick a man in the balls.” The red-headed medic looked pleased, Tony able to read her last name “Romanoff” on her uniform. Before Clint could counter, they heard Steve walk in to join them as the officers bid them farewell.
Joey extracted herself from Tony to run to Steve, who stretched his arms and embraced her with a “hey baby girl.” He rubbed her back as she began to calm down. Steve eventually looked up at Tony with a small smile.
“Tony, would it be okay if we crashed with you tonight?” he asked, both smiling when they heard the teen sigh with relief.
“Yeah of course.”
“Why don’t you go pack an overnight bag?” Steve asked the teen who nodded and left to do as asked.
“So you’re Tony, huh?” Clint asked with a smile and his arms crossed.
“Clint, right?” he asked as he extended a hand in greeting. “Sorry we met under these circumstances.”
“Actually it’s about damn time, I’m Natasha,” the beautiful red head assured, extending her hand in greeting as well.
“It’s nice to finally meet the guy Steve’s been doing the dirty with,” Clint teased.
“And you wonder why it took you so long to meet him?” Steve asked unimpressed.
“Well, it’s nice to meet the friends of the guy I’ve been doing the dirty with,” Tony countered, ignoring Steve’s eye roll and playful shove. Joey rejoined them, small bag in tow as she smiled at the people in the room.
“We should get going, happy to house you whenever you need it JoJo,” Clint offered, smiling at the teen as he and Natasha made their exit.
“Got your meds?” he asked the teen after throwing an arm around her.
“Yup,” she said as they walked out, Steve assuring they’d leave the mess for now. “Thanks Tony,” she said as she slipped into the backseat.
“Of course honey,” he said as he smiled back at her in the rearview mirror. He then smiled over at Steve when the man gripped his knee in gratitude.
Steve made hot chocolate as the teen showered in one of the guest bedrooms, Tony not helping but providing company.
“What all are the cops charging him with?” he asked as Steve handed him a steaming cup.
“Breaking and entering, assault of a minor, driving while under the influence…I don’t know…Hill said she’d send me a copy of the police report,” the blonde said.
“So this is the guy who got into a fight with Sam, right?” Tony asked for clarification as Steve nodded in response.
“Apparently his next Captain ended up firing him and his wife left him,” Steve said, remembering what Hill had told him.
“Not an excuse to assault a teenager,” Tony muttered.
“Agreed,” Steve said with a sigh. They turned when they heard Joey join them a moment later, running her hands through her wet hair and accepting the cup Steve handed her.
“How are you feeling?” Tony asked her again.
“Better,” she replied honestly as she sipped her cup.
“You think you’ll be okay to sleep in the guest room?” Tony asked. She only shrugged in response, causing the two men to share a look of concern.
“Well,” Tony offered, “I do have a Californian King should you need some company, kiddo. I promise Steve and I will be fully clothed and everything.” She smiled as Steve rolled his eyes heavily.
“Thanks T, I think I’m going to go try and sleep in my guestroom first,” she said after she finished her cup, taking it over to the sink and accepting the hug Steve was reaching out to her for. Tony smiled at the sight, wondering if taking a picture of the two would be weird.
“Night Jo,” Steve said after kissing the top of her head and released her. She walked over to Tony, looking a little shy even though they hugged earlier, making Tony smile as he grabbed her arm and brought her back into his chest.
“Night sweetheart,” Tony said before letting her go.
She bid them both goodnight, walking away as they watched her leave; Tony wondering if she’d ever feel comfortable enough to take him up on his offer.
Turns out she was, Tony surprisingly waking up first and smiling when he noticed a mop of brunette hair between him and the blonde. Heart also aching a little at the thoughts that had plagued her over the night.