Chapter 1
This was it, Tony finally did it.
He waited until it was late in the night, Not that you could see any of the stars from the city that he lived in. He had slipped out of his bedcovers and hastily grabbed a backpack. He threw everything he was sure he needed in it. Including a couple clothes, a little bit of money--not much, barely even sixty bucks, and a loaf of bread and a half empty jar of peanut butter he had snuck away while nobody was paying attention to him--which was often.
He slung the backpack over his shoulders and slowly creaked open the door.
Nobody was around. Jarvis was already in bed, and he didn’t know wherever his parents were--not that it mattered, as long as he didn’t get caught.
He crept through the house, quiet as a ghost, avoiding any sort of indication or physical evidence of himself. As far as anyone knew, he was sound asleep upstairs. With any luck, he’ll be far when morning arrives and they find the bedsheets abandoned and cold.
He rounded the corner to the doorway entrance, there he had a clear shot. Suddenly, his mind filled up with doubt. Was this really something he wanted to do? Wouldn't this just lead to trouble in the long run? How far could he get? How much time was he wasting asking these questions? His heart fluttered anxiously.
No, no turning back, he refused to do so anymore. He’d gotten as far as the stairs three times before, and halted on the edge of this corner only one other time before rushing back upstairs and pretending none of it ever happened the next morning.
He suddenly wondered if he should check the bread for staleness. The same exact loaf had accompanied him each time. It was probably just a little bad at least.
No , Tony shoved the thought out of his head, he was going to deal with what he had. He was right here and he was going to leave . He knew what the news was going to say. How Anthony Stark had gone missing and there will be ceaseless searches for them--until there's no new leads, until the next breaking news story slips Tony under the rug. He hopes.
He took a step into the front of the doorway. His knees were quivering, whether out of excitement or fear, Tony couldn’t tell. He knew this time around, this was the one where he would finally, finally , step out that front door. Or sulk back to his room in a final defeat.
His feet shifted from underneath him as he felt himself nearing the front of the door, as if in a trance. The cool handle of the doorknob struck him back into reality.
He could feel every nerve in his body screeching:
Now or never.
Now or never.
Now or never.
Tony let go of the long breathe he had been holding in. Opened the door. And was gone.
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Tony's heart was pounding out of his chest. He finally did it, he finally did it .
Was this a mistake? Should he turn back? What about Jarvis? What about Mom? What about Dad when he finds out what Tony has done?
He shook the thoughts out of his head and raced to the sidewalk. He had barely even noticed it was raining until he had ran halfway down the block. He was grateful to have decided to change into a hoodie and jeans before he left. And pulled the hood over his head. After he had managed to get onto a main street in the city that never sleeps, he looked just like another nobody you wouldn’t bother to give a second glance. Tony Stark had never experienced that in his life, and honestly, he was grateful for the lack of attention. Running away from home and all.
It didn’t take him long to find a bus stop and hop on. He paid the fee and stayed on going in whatever direction it took him. As long as it was far, far away, it was good enough for Tony.
After he got off the bus he hopped onto the subway, still no real plan in mind, he paid for a ride that seemingly kept going in the general direction the bus had chosen. He was nervous being alone, and he hadn’t had much experience on the subway. It was confusing, but he didn’t care where he was going so choosing one to get onto wasn’t as hard as it could’ve been. He breathed out slowly and slunked back into his seat, clutching the backpack to his chest. He tried to make himself as small and unnoticeable as possible. He checked the time, it was barely even 3am. Jarvis won’t be up for two more hours and won’t go to wake Tony up until around 8am if Tony wasn’t already awake. That’s five hours, give or take, to get as far away as possible.
This transportation continued until he ran out of money a long ways away from his home. And who knows how long until he reaches the end of the city. But Tony kept moving. Dawn was breaking out when he started to feel the ache in his feet. But he didn’t stop for a break. Now that it was morning, it means people would start looking for him. He quickened his pace despite his feets protests.
Somehow, after hours and hours of grueling step after step. Tony reached what looked like the start of a highway in the direction Tony had been going. He noticed there was another person up ahead. A man with a scrappy looking beard and worn down shoes was standing on the edge, everytime a car passed near him, he stuck his thumb out. Tony watched as a car pulled over to the side, the man and the driver seemed to have a small conversation, then the man got into the car. After he was gone. Tony walked over to around where he stood, and nervously did the same when he saw a car coming by. It zoomed past him and scattered water all over Tony's clothes.
Tony tried again, this time he got cussed at by an angry woman who looked like she was in her mid-forties, and soaked again.
As it was colder now with the jacket on, Tony took it off and wrapped it around his waist. He tried his best not to be disheartened.
Tony didn’t even try to look up this time. There was a small honk. He startled backwards.
“You’re new to this aren’t you?” the driver chuckled as they rolled down the window. “Hitchhiking isn’t something you’ve done before is it?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Lil bit, kid.”
“Kid?”
“You’re like what, 12?” the driver chuckled again. “Where ya heading?”
“Anywhere--and I’m 16.”
“16? Really? I would’ve never guessed.” The really seemed to like laughing a lot. “Well I’m heading on over to Boston, wouldn’t mind some company for some of the trip.”
Tony looked down. “I can’t pay you”
“Again, you’re new to this aren’t you? I’ll warn ya kid, hitching a ride can be a dangerous game. You’re lucky it was me who found you first. Now are you getting in the car or not?”
Tony shuffled his feet for a second before reaching for the car door. He opened it and hesitated before sitting down. “Sorry to get your car wet.”
“Kid, you looked half drowned when I pulled over, it was expected.” The driver pulled back onto the road. “Hope you like my kind of music, because I’m not turning it off no matter how much you complain.” As if to make a point, they cranked the volume up higher.
Tony tried not to smile. “I love AC/DC.”