#orphan peter

Like most things in his life, it began as one of Pepper’s ideas. But this time it went too far. Her response was to throw the words back in his face. “This is a direct retaliation to what the press is printing about you, Tony.” She said, also adding she held no interest in whether what the press was saying was true or not. It wasn’t her business, she claimed. Though Tony noted her hands fisted at her sides.

Pepper relayed the plan with a casual indifference that left Tony itching to yell he would give her the business and everything along with it if she wanted. He was tempted to tell her everything and promise to never take a drink again, but instead he stayed silent. He’d listened as she explained they were inviting, fostering was her exact word, a child for the holidays and ‘maybe longer’ she added with a mysterious smile. The child was to come as soon as possible after the paperwork was filed.  

Tony’s job started the moment the orphan showed up. He was to be waiting with open arms and a smile, and from there on out the kid was to be showered with gifts. They were to go on outings always making sure the press, and therefore the public, would see how generous he was. The throne they so foolishly tried to cast off of his head would be cemented and at the end, mission succeeded or not, the kid would be sent back. Tony’s life could go back to the way it had been, Pepper promised. He sighed running a hand through his hair.

How was that fair to either of them?

The first surprise will be Pepper’s, he thought. There was not a single bone in his body that wanted to be home tomorrow. He certainly wasn’t going to be there when the child was brought back to Stark House. His stomach had been in a constant state of turmoil since Pepper informed him of the plan, one he didn’t think would be cured by the presence of said child.

No, it was for the best. Obadiah heard the tail end of their conversation and with a parting look of thinly concealed disgust from Pepper they were left to their own devices. He poured them drinks under his friend’s concentrated eyes. Tony felt them as he often did with his friend. Their warm constancy was a balm compared to the acquaintances he was surrounded with for business. Obadiah’s been a family friend since he can remember. His presence has always lingered on the pages of his life.

His friend leaned back in his seat, hands resting in a casual manner on the armrests of their seats before he spoke.

“I suppose I should offer you congratulations.” Obadiah tipped his glass up before draining it with a flick of his wrist. Tony hoisted himself out of the seat and went to refill the glass leaving a quirk of his eye as indication for the other man to continue. “I hear you’re going to be a father. How sweet and so in line with the holiday season, too.”

The man smiled into his glass when Tony scowled at him from his seat. Tony shifted, crossing his legs before moving to sit against the back of the seat. His eyes focused on his fingers playing with the leather divots on the armrests. Of course, he heard. Obadiah had a knack for being in the right place at the right time; always knew the relevant information. It never failed to lodge itself under his skin when they were younger and his father would tell Obadiah something before him. Not a twitch or grimace betrayed him today. Tony had long learned to accept his friend’s charming persuasion and on occasion be thankful for it. The bastard’s smile had gotten him out of enough trouble over the years.

He frowned at the pointed comment. The addition of a child, one he neither wanted nor accepted, would pair disastrously with his life. It would be best, he thought staring at the bald head of his friend, if they spent as much time at the club as possible. This way the child could have run of the estate and he would be preoccupied elsewhere. He laughed off Obadiah’s teasing and the afternoon faded into a blur of alcohol and gossip.

A burst of wind brought his wandering thoughts to a head. Tony turned the corner and sped up his walk at the sight of the townhouse. The change in wind left the clouds scattering across the dark mass of sky away from the now naked moon. He stopped to catch his breath. His hands clutched and twisted the lapels of his coat without thinking, pulling them away from his throat in a poor attempt to relieve the strange pressure building in his chest. An image of a smooth, icy pond entered his mind sending a spiral of tingling in his fingers and toes he’s certain had nothing to do with the cold. Wobbly legs carry him forward as fast as possible in a sad attempt to get to the door quickly. Weight compressed, weighed against his chest. Tony couldn’t breathe. His vision swarmed. Sidewalks became a sheet of ice and he was almost lost in the despair until his hand grasped onto the door knob.

Tony closed it behind him with haste locking out the cold and everything along with it. Friday hadn’t made it to the door yet and he was grateful to have a moment to compose himself. He tried to even his breathing and unclenched his hands but the pressure in his chest, the almost manic expression remained in his eyes for hours to come.

Tony managed to straighten his coat and scarf when Friday arrived up the stairs.

“Good Evening, Sir. May I take your coat?”


Friday ignored the silence and stepped forward, taking his coat and outer things in hand. Tony stuffed his hands into his pockets to warm them, not because they were trembling. He clapped Friday on the shoulder before heading to the stairs. It wasn’t until he arrived at the first step, Tony turned around. Friday was hanging up and brushing down his outerwear with the precision and snap of his wrist well practiced.

“Friday,” He cleared his throat. “Thank you again, for staying the holidays. I know you normally go stay with your sister.”

“Anything to help, Sir.” He said with a nod. It was said in such a way Tony wasn’t sure if he was just talking about the extra hours. Friday smiled at his obvious discomfort and wished him goodnight. With a pivot around Tony made his way to his office.

Once situated in the leather chair by the fireplace, drink in hand, Tony withered. His back drooped and his eyes freed from observation, expressed their full state of anxiety. Who cared if he poured himself another drink? Who cared if his eyes, unfocused and hazy one moment focused too sharply and tunneled the next? He was safe in his office, this chair. Safe from the vicious rumors and lingering gazes. Safe from his always far too kind staff and their pitying expressions. Ensconced under the light of the fire, all he had to worry about was himself.  

Friday knew him. Brought on before Tony was a child, since his mother married into the Stark name, Friday knew him possibly better than anyone. He’d watched and raised Tony, instilled in him kindness and goodness. So, it he knew what Tony had become, how far he had fallen. Tony scraped his hand along his face.

As the night wore on he sank deeper into the chair. His thoughts spiraled around themselves, circuses and snarls take over before he knows it. His cheek stung with a phantom memory. Tony stumbled to the fireplace, wrenching himself out of the chair and hurling his glass into the flames. The amber liquid sputters in the fire and drips off the glass pieces before smoking. Starved for a full, satisfying breath, he leaned against the mantel. An errant, curious thought about the child who would be staying with him for the foreseeable future.

-

A headache bloomed and ripened startling fast at the onset of fierce knocking. Unlike her usual knocks, Pepper was pounding at his door with no appearance of mercy being granted. Tony groaned at the newly christened sun of the day and pushed himself from his desk.

“I’m coming.” He said loud enough for her to hear and smoothed his hair back where it had fallen in sleep. With a grin, no it was not forced, he opened the door. “I’ve had many pleasant awakenings, Ms. Potts. This would not be counted among them.” Her scowl was diluted by a pretty blush at his words which made her scowl that much more at him.

“I don’t have time for your maturity, or lack thereof today. You did get the letter I sent right? I left it on your,” She rummaged around a pile of papers until, with a click of her tongue, she held up the unopened letter, “Desk.”

Pepper shook her head. “Never mind. I don’t have time to be annoyed.” She looked him up and down, focusing on the wrinkles on his shirt. “You don’t look the best but it will have to do. Let’s go.”

Tony stayed frozen where he opened the door. Unbeknownst to him the schedule for the day lay forgotten at the corner of his desk under the newspaper.

“Go where?”

“We’re going to Midtown Orphanage today, remember? Pick up your charge for the holidays.”

At a young age, one of the first things he noticed about Pepper was she lacked the ability to be still. He watched as she grabbed an emergency tie out of one of his drawers and threw it at him remembering the way she would run about the garden even under their parents disapproving gaze. How hours later they would enter the dining room for dinner with creased clothing and muddy shoes, smiling for days no matter the pointed comments they were thrown at the end of.

Tony hung the tie to the back of the chair and stands there regarding her – he thought the word friend but it feels lacking somehow - while she cleans up after him. He can’t remember a time where she wasn’t moving, wasn’t pushing herself to do better; be better. When they were kids she would goad him out of his moods and into the garden, older and wilder they would explore their estates free from duty for a few more years, and when Tony was sent off to college, Pepper worked that much harder at Russel Sage.

There was never a time where she hasn’t had some touch in his life. Disapproving though Pepper is much of the time she has never stopped believing in him and that was why Tony had begun planning.

“Look, I’ve decided I’m not going with you.”

She stopped moving and looked at him, eyes drawn together with a frown lacing her face. There was disappointment in those eyes, an expression he’d seen all too much recently and Tony swallowed back an apology. This was for the best.

“Tony…”


“I’m not going today. I’ll go along for the rest of it but today this person, kid, deserves to have a nice holiday. They won’t be able to do that with me hanging about like a grumpy old… well, like my father.”

Pepper tensed her shoulders.

“Tony, you’re never in the way. You need to come.”

He waited until her shoulders fell then he walked to his desk, taking his pocketbook out.

“I appreciate what you’re doing for the company and in extension, for me. I Just want you both to have a nice day. Here’s some money, go buy the kid something nice. Whatever you want.”

“This is ridiculous, Tony. You said you would be there.”

“It doesn’t count if you used that look you have. The one where you scrunch up your nose.”

Despite the pit growing in his stomach he laughed unbothered at the way she crossed her arms in front of her.

“That pout right there. It normally works wonders and I would be persuaded to sell my right arm but I am, unfortunately, firm in my position.”

Pepper ignored him and stuffed the money into her purse after grabbing her coat. She walked to the door, only looking back when she’d crossed the threshold.

“And don’t forget you have meetings early tomorrow, I wouldn’t want you drinking so much you were unavailable. Again.”


Pepper’s heels click against the floor as she stormed out punctuated by the slam of his door. Tony winced. There are papers she had thrown down in random order on his desk. Thankful for once she didn’t read through them, Tony sat down again and got to work. The time had come to reward her ambition, her dreams. He was vastly aware of his own limitations and shortcomings, in most respects, but this was something he could do for her. With the business on shaky ground because of his latest stunt at the club, it was the perfect time to begin.

They would both be busy today.

Russell Sage is a real women's college in New York that started in 1916, which is crazy to think about it being so recent.

Hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you think! Our two characters will meet soon, never fear.