Howard once told Tony that the only good thing in life that a man will ever really get is his father. He also told Tony that he was lucky, because he basically won the jackpot in that aspect, so he better thank God.
Howard would talk about his father, about how he never once cared for his children and how cruel he had been. He wasn’t a good father and never made it to be a grandfather, too many enemies to make it that far. The curse of the Starks, it seemed.
Depending on who you are and when you asked Tony about his father his answers would range from faux admiration to devastating silence. No one got a word out of him about his father’s behavior in his younger years other than, “he loved work with all his heart, he breathed captain america, he adored his company, and he truly believed those 3 things were his biggest accomplishments.”
Now, Tony never said that word for word or all at once, it was scattered but even still, he’s never said anything more about Howard Stark. He’s said those words to varying degrees and countless times- but never has he ever said more than that. Howard was assumed to be a great father, Tony smiled when he was brought up and looked off a lot like he was remembering his old man. Of course when there was sadness in that look people just “knew” it was because he was still sad over Howards death and he’d never truly get over it.
Tony knew very well what kind of man Captain America was, what kind of morals he had, and exactly how he’d see Stark as a man so when the Great Captain was found Tony hid. He took the Iron Man suit and flew far away, he didn’t need to meet the man greater than him in every aspect. Tony was trying to not do so many self-destructive things anymore because he knew sooner or later it would lead to something even worse than what he’s already going through.
Luckily Steve was nothing like how Howard had visioned and although he didn’t know anything about Tony he also knew that the Stark’s heir was the only connection to his past he could find anymore. He was concerned that every time he asked for the younger Stark why he was always in some business meeting or other. The man never got a break, it seemed. But the day came when Tony couldn’t avoid Steve anymore without making it obvious to everyone involved.
Captain got released from the hospital a week after being found with no physical problems whatsoever and his mental state was better than what any therapist could’ve guessed after waking up to… nothing. But Steve took that information in stride and said he’d try his best to fit into society now.
Tony started him off with a place to stay, his tower was big enough. He had every artifact his dad had ever saved of Captain America and every belonging of Steve Rogers he could find shipped to the captain's new room. Even though Steve still hadn’t met Tony he was incredibly grateful, this was more than he could’ve ever asked for and Steve truly thought the Stark lineage was the most wonderful family of people he’d ever met. They’d given him so much and so willingly without ever expecting anything in return.
But Steve had only met agents of SHIELD to this day and hadn’t had the chance to read up on the rest of the world so when he woke up in the middle of a nightmare and couldn’t see or think straight all he could do was ask the figure holding his hands and looking him in the eye, “Howard? Howard, they said you were dead. Thank god you’re not dead. Howard, help me. Please Howard.” and he weakly whimpered in “howard's” arms until he fell back asleep.
To say Steve was upset the next day would be playing into his faux happiness, he never could lie. Everyone knew he was upset but that was more than an understatement, Steve was devastated and it was finally hitting him that he could never walk back into his home and hug his mom and raid the town with Bucky and Peggy… he never got to see her get married. He’d always regret not being there but he had to hope there was a reason for that, he had to be here for a reason.
Tony kept his eye on Steve, he couldn’t bring himself to go up there in case Steve still thought he was Howard, he couldn’t trigger another panic attack, but he could send other people to check on Steve when he was going too far into his own nostalgia and sadness. He knew Steve would be upset for a while, possibly inconsolable but he could at least be there for him when he was too scared from his nightmares to think straight. Besides, Tony knew he didn’t really look like Howard. (No, really, there’s not that much of a resemblance.) He just… couldn’t bring himself to meet Steve.
He was so afraid of Steve Rogers that he’d “been on a business trip” for a month now which was the only reason he “couldn’t visit Captain America” yet. He could only hold onto that lie for so long, especially when Pepper was involved. She never had time to go with Tony’s lies and today wasn’t any different.
Steve woke up as usual in the mornings feeling uneasy and warily looking at his surroundings only to realize that it hadn’t been a dream and he really was in the future. He’d get up slowly, in a way that screamed “I don’t really want to get out of bed today” and he would go to his kitchen which looked just like the one he had back home, Tony had tried to make him feel as comfortable as possible. He turned on the gas stove and would make himself breakfast, he almost always nearly cooked too much as if he was cooking for 2 and he always sighed sadly when he realized he was about to crack one too many eggs before putting it back in the fridge.
He wasn’t a stalker, no really, Tony was just curious because the Captain never complained. Not once, he only ever sighed sadly and Tony didn’t know what to do about that so he started sending newspapers and magazines he could find from back in the 1940’s. Steve never questioned the random magazines that appeared around his home and when he turned on the tv he never questioned seeing the tv shows he grew up watching on the same 3 channels he had before he would go to work- which currently was only reading up on the future and SHIELD.
Tony knew that buying out a tv station that connected only to Steve’s home and programming the shows and times to be exactly has Steve remembered them wouldn’t help in the long run, but he was trying. Tony was so, very afraid of Steve hating him but it’d been so long since Steve had been found and he really couldn’t excuse his absence any longer. So that morning he called Pepper, he told her what he’d been doing and asked her (really, he begged her) to pretend he’d just gotten back from a meeting in Taiwan or Egypt or something to cover up the fact that he was hiding all along. Pepper, knowing how Tony might be feeling right then decided it was okay because he was trying to fix it now.
So Pepper walked in that morning with Tony right behind her spewing random things about business meetings and this person and that person who want to schedule meetings next week and bla bla bla, Tony took of his suit jacket and loosened his tie and said, “Pepper, honey, I just got back from a long business trip. Can we do this another time?” Pepper sighed and replied, “Fine, but I’ll be back tomorrow with Happy. Be ready by 10, we have meetings and you owe me.”
Tony flinched, he knew it was coming but he didn’t want to think about the boring meetings he would be forced to endure on his best behavior for this. He sat on the communal room couch and sank in, all the tension flooding out of his body as Pepper got back in the elevator. Steve stared at the place Tony had been standing not even a minute ago before his brain caught up and he cleared his throat.
Tony jumped up and immediately after seeing Steve he became animated again, “Captain America! Hi, I’m Tony Stark, Howard’s kid. Though, I’m guessing you knew that. How’s the tower treating you?” He spoke increasingly faster as he walked over to Steve and held out his hand to shake. Steve shook back slowly, a little startled (you can’t blame the guy) and spoke, “Steve, actually, the towers… great… a lot more like home than I could’ve hoped for so thank you for that.”
To say Tony was pleased that Steve didn’t immediately jump on a topic about Howard would be a huge understatement. He was genuinely about to cry, he was so happy, but he wasn’t going to avoid his father either because that’s all Steve’s got left. So Tony steers the conversation that way, anyway, “don’t thank me, Howard was the one who collected all your belongings. I just happened to be the one able to give it back to you.”
Steve smiled softly, “you Starks have always been so good to me. I am forever in debt and grateful to you both.” and Tony couldn't breath momentarily, that was too genuine and Tony wasn’t used to people being genuine with him. He froze for a moment, a moment long enough that even Steve caught on but Tony quickly put himself back together, “you’ve never been in debt to us, we’re glad to help. Have you met Jarvis?” and Tony knew he hadn’t, he told Jarvis to not introduce himself just yet, in case Steve got too freaked out.
“Jarvis? I don’t believe I have,” Steve easily went with the new topic. “Oh, yeah, he’s my Artificial Intelligence, he’s everywhere in the tower and can help you with anything. If you haven’t met him he might’ve just been trying not to startle you,” Tony smiled softly at a camera.
“Good Morning, Sirs, it’s been a pleasure meeting you Captain Rogers,” the Al introduced himself. “Were you the one leaving me magazines and programming my channels Jarvis? Thank you so much!” Steve smiled, looking in the direction Tony had looked. Tony only subtly flinched, ‘he would never believe you were a good enough person to do that for him.’ Tony gave Jarvis a thumbs up behind his back and heard, “Of course, Sir. It was my pleasure.”
“Well, Steve, it’s been lovely meeting you but I think I’ll be heading off to bed soon. It’s been a long trip and I’m really glad you’re here now,” Tony gently smiled over all his painful thoughts. “Yes! Sorry for keeping you! Sleep well, Tony, it was nice meeting you, too,” they smiled at each other. It took a few seconds for Tony to get his feet to move and by the time he was in his work shop he’d realized how royally screwed he was, Steve Rogers was better than any man Howard ever said he was.