Finding Family | Fanfiction

The alarm clock wouldn’t stop ringing. Tony laid there already awake, trying to drown out the incessant noise. It was 7 AM. Far too early to be awake if you asked him but Steve was insisting on being at the orphanage early. Tony had been awake all night trying to get some elusive sleep but all he could think about were the worries that had been plaguing him ever since he and Steve had first started talking about adopting a child. What if he was a shitty father? What if the child hated him? What if he couldn’t pull himself away from the workshop enough and his child resented him for it? He hadn’t had a drink since he and Steve got together but what if he relapsed, got wasted and hit the child? There were endless amounts of worries he had that all boiled down to, what if he was like Howard? Tony had promised himself he would never be like his own father but if he was honest with himself he was similar in many ways. Every time he would share these insecurities with Steve the blond would smile at him telling him that the fact he was so worried meant he had already surpassed Howard as a father. That Tony would do great and that their child would adore him. That always helped for the moment but then the self-doubt would come back. With the worries of his own failures also came the worries of his and Steve’s rather dangerous career choices. What if the Avengers were called and they had no one to watch the child? What would they do then? What if some villain found out about the kid and….

“Tony I know you're awake.” Steve said, leaning against the bathroom door. Tony turned his head to take his husband in, always appreciating the view of Steve in nothing but a towel. “Did you get any sleep?’

“Not really.” Tony mumbled starting to get up. “How are you not worried?”

“Of course I’m worried. We’re about to take in a small child as our own. I’m terrified.” Steve replied, walking towards the dresser.

“It’d be nice if you showed it.” Joked Tony. “How long have you been up?”

“About an hour. There's already coffee for you.”

“That’s why I love you so much.” Tony leaned up on his tiptoes to kiss his massive husband. Steve smiled and indulged him the way he always did.

“Go have a cup and then have a shower. You don’t want to smell like engine grease when we meet our future child do you?” Steve turned him towards the bedroom door and gave his rear a swat, prompting Tony to get a move on it. As Tony walked out the bedroom door he glanced back at Steve and smiled, watching as his husband started rummaging through the dresser for something to wear.

Stumbling from the bedroom through the living room into the kitchen, Tony looked out the massive windows of the tower penthouse. He hoped their child wouldn’t have a fear of heights because he loved being able to look out over New York. Of course they would put up blinds to shield the view if the child found it scary though. Once in the kitchen Tony grabbed a mug from the cupboard and filled it with coffee the way he always drank it. Black like his soul.

“You gotta hurry up I wanna get there early.” Steve told him, walking into the room fully dressed.

“Fuck off Steve it’s not even 7:30. You know I don’t function this early.” Steve just smiled indulgently at Tony and shook his head. Tony finished downing his coffee and after placing his cup in the sink went to take his shower.

“So we’re in agreement that we want a boy right?” Steve asked, keeping his eyes on the road while driving.

“Unless there’s a little girl that we fall in love with ya. The thought of having a girl scares me.” Tony replied, watching the buildings pass by through the car window.

Steve laughed. “Ya, I wouldn’t know what to do with one.” Steve grabbed Tony’s left and with his right, entwining their fingers together. "I can’t wait to have a family with you.”

Tony looked at Steve and smiled. “We’re gonna have the best kid. He’s gonna be super athletic after you, and he’s going to be a genius after me. He’s gonna be adorable too. All the old ladies will wanna pinch his cheeks!”

Steve laughed. “Even if he’s not perfect in every way he’s still going to be perfect to us.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Well, ya obviously. But he’s going to be ours so he’s gonna be perfect.”

They pulled into the orphanage driveway, driving up to the front of the building where an older woman was coming out.

“Welcome. You must be Steve and Tony. We talked on the phone. I’m Angela. All the paperwork needed beforehand is good so once you guys find a match you’ll just have to fill out the paperwork for that child then you’re all good.” Angela was a stern-looking no-nonsense type of woman who both husbands agreed they didn’t wanna cross.

“Great. Let's check out the Gremlins and get going.” Tony exclaimed walking up to the building with Steve following him.

“Mr. Stark children are not gremlins.” Angela scolded, leading them through the building into what looked like a playroom.

“Of course. My apologies.” Tony replied, rolling his eyes at Steve who was trying to muffle his laughter. Walking into the room they were greeted with children running around screaming and laughing.

“Ah yes. Not gremlins at all. Perfectly respectable mini people.” Tony drawled while looking around the room. Angela shot him a nasty look.

“Talk to the children and try to find one you have a connection with. I’ll be in the office for now.”

“Do you wanna talk to them together or split up?” Steve asked.

“Let’s split up. It might be intimidating talking to both of us. If we find a munchkin we think is a fit we’ll call the other over to meet.” Tony replied, walking into the room.

Tony talked to child after child. A few of them he liked and had good conversation but none of them felt right to him. After talking to about five different boys Tony came across a little boy playing with a child’s chemistry set.

“Experimenting there?” Tony asked the little boy, crouching down to get closer.

“I’m trying to make it turn purple.” The little boy replied, looking up at Tony.

“Why don’t you try adding this to it.” Tony suggested pointing to one of the liquids. The little boy added it to the mixture he already had and the mixture turned Green.

“No that’s not right.” The boy grumbled glaring at Tony.

“Sorry. We’ll just have to keep trying. I’m Tony.” Tony laughed, smiling at the boy.

“I know. You’s Iron Man.” The boy replied picking up different liquids to decide which to try next.

“You got a name kid?” Tony asked him, watching the look of concentration on the kid's face.

“Of sorry. It’s Peter.”

“You like science Peter?” Tony asked him.

“Ya. I like exp, exp. I like playing with this set.” Peter replied, stumbling over the word experimenting before giving up.

“How old are you?”

“Five”

“Do you mind if I experiment with you?” Peter shook his head no and so Tony and he sat there, trying different solutions and seeing what happened to the mixture. After a while, Steve approached them.

“Hey. Who’s this fella?”

“Steve. This little guy is Peter. Peter, this is my husband Steve.” Tony introduced them.

“Heya Peter!” Steve smiled at them.

“Hi.”

“Peter here is pretty smart. Aren’t you Peter?” Tony asked.

“I guess.” Peter mumbled.

“Do you like it here Peter?” Steve asked him.

“Not really. I miss my aunt and uncle.” Peter told them.

“Not your mom and dad?” Tony wondered.

“My parent’s died when I was a baby. My aunt and uncle raised me.” Peter responded.

“What happened to them if you don’t mind my asking?” Steve asked the boy.

“A bad man broke into our house and did something bad to them.”

“I’m sorry Peter.” Tony told him. Steve and Tony looked at each other after that, having a silent communication between the two of them as Peter continued to play with the chemistry set.

“Would you like to come home with us Peter?” Steve asked the boy.

“And be a family?” Peter asked them.

“Ya. And be a family.” Tony replied to the little boy.

“I wouldn’t be alone anymore?”

“No Pete. You wouldn’t.” Steve said sadly.

“Ya. I think I would like that!” Peter exclaimed giving them both a huge smile.