I wrote this due to an image I saw online. Now I'm fairly tired so if you no like, then rack off.
[Disclaimer]
Tony Stark always knew he would be different, when he was a little boy he could just feel out of place amongst the other boys and girls his age. Even with his superior intellect, which he now embraced as an adult, he knew it would simply make him even more different that he already believed to be. But as a child he tried hard not to be proud of his intellect but chose so hard to ignore it, due to being a 'genius', he felt alone, and being a lone as a child was painful. His father always working, barely having a chance to know his son as he spend his numerous hours searching for Captain America or developing God knows what in his string of labs. So as Tony was left alone as a child he barely had a friend to his name...he decided to make one. Not simply conjure a playmate from his own imagination and having to pretend to be running around in his adventures, no this was Tony Stark after all. No, he was going to make a friend. So as he set about on his quest to make a best friend he was determined to make them loyal, caring, and to always been to reassure him that he wasn't alone and that they would always be there. Well, only one thing came into mind a dog. As he set about, looking around the garage, for spare parts of machines that his father had long discarded, stripping them of metal and wiring that he deemed essential, he set up shop in his bedroom, being the only place he could keep his little idea a secret. As he worked away, designing his 'friend', he made sure to design him specifically for a purpose and this purpose was too simply stay with him forever. It made him smile each day as he designed and re-designed the blueprints for his creation; he wanted it to be perfect.
Once he has successful planned and calculated all that was needed for his 'friend', he set about on its built. Using the metal he previously stripped from the unwanted machines he used the tools that he received from his father on his 11th birthday, why a father would give his son tools he didn't really know, but the definitely came into effect for this. As he carefully, ever so carefully, cut out each individual shape and size to which he moulded and wielded together for each individual part, he smiled as his 'friend' was coming along nicely. After two weeks the mechanical piece were all constructed and ready to work but as he sat patiently as his work desk, carefully soldering the wires to the circuit board and apply an artificial power source that just happened to be lying around in the basement, no seriously his father had a huge supply of them on hand, he was ready. Slipping in the circuit board to the base of the mechanical 'friend', he looked down and smiled. Using the wireless remote controller he previously made he decided for the moment of truth. Holding his breath and praying this would work; he switched it to on and waited, looking down at the machine he huffed in disappointment when nothing happened. He tried, he tried so hard. He was just about to throw the controller across the room when a small beeping came from the screen that resembled the 'friend's' eyes. Looking down carefully he grinned with joy as the little robot turned to 'look' at his, following each of his movements. Tony screamed with joy as he built his first little robot, his little robot friend. Wrapping his arms around the little robot dog he held onto it dearly, treasuring its presence, he grinned even more as the mechanical creature seemed to nuzzle into the embrace. It was his best friend.
As he grew older Tony always kept his little dog, who he had named Circuit, with him at all costs, even when he was accepted into MIT at such a young ages he took Circuit with him knowing it would be weird and uncomfortable around older students. Even as he grew into a successful scientist and businessman, in his private home away from the cameras and the dazzling lights, he would sit and play with Circuit, giving him the warm feeling that he had as a child. However, after the events in Afghanistan, the ARC Reactor, and even Pepper, his time and memories of Circuit soon left to be forgotten, and as he developed a more romantic relationship with his secretary now CEO, he had all but replace Circuit with her.
Now as he was sitting in the living room of the newly developed Avengers Tower, which was reconstructed after the whole Loki Incident which he cleverly named 'Loki's Tantrum' he smirked as he heard Clint mumbling and swearing behind him as he rummage through a cupboard. Clint had pissed his off earlier this morning about the Iron Man suit and how he was probably compensating for something, so to annoy the archer...he took his bow and hid it somewhere in the tower and to his much joy it was definitely aggravating Clint. "I swear Tony, I'm gonna kill you in your sleep!"
"How you gonna do that...you don't have a bow?" he smirked as Clint simply swore his head off. This continued as the others in the Avengers Team including the newly recovered Phil Coulson, who had happened to live through his attack by Loki, looked down in confusion as Clint threw random objects over his shoulder.
"Stark...what did you do?" Coulson instantly glared at the genius who was grinning like a Cheshire Cat.
"Having fun with Legolas" he chuckled as Coulson simply rolled his eyes.
"I swear Tony I will break you if – Hey, what's this?" Clint's mood instantly changed as he pushed several items out the way and pulled out a small robotic dog. Tony instantly froze. "Does it work?" Clint shook the robot which began to rattle.
"DON'T DO THAT!" Tony instantly yelled, startling them all. Lunging from the sofa, sprinted to where Clint was kneeling and ripped the little dog from the archer's hands. "You'll break him!" he scolded Clint; the others were both confused and amused by Tony's attachment to a robot dog.
"Him?" Natasha raised an eyebrow and tried hard not to smirk at the genius who was now acting like a 9 yr old.
"Yes! Him!" Tony glared at her as he made his way back over to the sofa, brushing the dust from the surface of the metal and looked to see if the little dog would still respond.
"This may see a little old fashioned Tony, but couldn't you have just gotten a real dog?" Steve asked as he sat on the sofa opposite Tony, in interest as it seemed more logical than building on.
"No, because he will last forever" Tony sounded so small, as he rubbed his hand carefully over the metal back, caressing his long lost friend.
They all looked both concerned and lost as their fellow teammate seemed to look at this little robot dog with such love and care, treating it as if it was real. Tony didn't care if they thought he was being childish or crazy for having a metal dog but Circuit was special, and he thought he had lost him. The all moved gingerly around him, still looking at him like a child as the each left the room wanting to give Tony some time alone with the machine. However, one particular person came and sat next to Tony, giving him a warm smile. "What's his name?" Tony looked up as Phil gingerly stretched out his hand at 'petted' the top of its head.
"Circuit..." Tony smirked as he fiddled with the wires coming from the base of the dog.
"Very fitting" Phil gave a small laugh which Tony joined in; as he twisted a few more of the wires, he was delighted as a little light appeared, as it did when he was a boy, upon the screen of the little dog.
"I thought I lost him..." Tony said as he solemnly stroked the dog, who in turn responded to Tony's touches, moved around in his lap to get closer to his master. "I know, you're probably thinking 'Why couldn't have gotten a real dog' or 'It's just a toy' but Circuit is special, he's my best friend, my very first." Tony pulled Circuit to a hug, not caring if Phil was watching. There was a moment of silence with Tony simply holding Circuit close until Phil decided to speak.
"I think he's perfect..." he stated with a warm smile as he stroked along the spine of Circuit. Tony didn't know whether to be shocked, confused, or touched that Phil had somehow formed a bond with Circuit just as he did.
"You know, he can be your friend too..." he chuckled as Circuit jumped from his lap and bounced around in front of them.
Circuit was his first best friend but it wouldn't be that hard to let Coulson be his too.
A/N: To see image go to Deviantart to see image, search for artist FerioWind ;)