AN: First Avengers fanfic. An alternative reality where Tony Stark unknowingly obtained the title of Merchant of Death with the blessing of Mistress Death herself.
Full Summary: A title is a silhouette, an indistinct yet clear description of a person, it could come from something as simple as friend, father, or assistant, some on the other hand held intricate titles that is filled with pride and at the same time a burden that could drown anyone. Tony knew this, he held a lot of titles in his life, most of his...associates knew the most basic, genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. There are less known titles, which are mostly insults, some were praises and on rare moments an endearment. Nevertheless, Tony had one title, one silhouette, that he both hate and love. It was the first one that he achieved by his own doing and it happened the moment he made minute corrections in his father's weapon blueprints at the age of seven.
I do not own Avengers.
"Anthony? What are you doing?" Howard's voice echoed in the air with heaviness that made Tony's hairs at the back of his neck stand up.
Quickly hiding the pencil in his long sleeve, Tony turned around and looked up at the frown marring his- Howard's face. "I'm looking...?" he timidly asked and lightly berating himself at the tilt in his voice.
Howard only rose a brow at him and Tony fidgeted. It was something of a norm in his character when Howard returned home, despite being a blood relative, Tony only saw his biological father as a...rarely home relative, nothing more, nothing less. So it was not surprising that he got nervous when they're in the same room.
At first he looked at the man like what most children do when they look at their parents, assurance, need of affection, attention and some kind of acknowledgment that they are loved. Tony worked, or rather learned hard in the past five years in order to get even a mere nod from Howard. It was hard, especially when the man always arrived in their mansion in a drunken stupor, there were rare occasions that Howard arrived with an intact line of thought but the only thing that came out of the man's mouth, was along the lines of comparing him against Captain America and sometimes science.
Tony was jealous of course, no child could not feel that way after hearing a three hours worth of Captain America this, Captain America that (though while discussing about science, which on hindsight was kinda weird how those topics bounce back and forth). But still...Tony persevered until a little...incident happened last year that just sealed off the route of any father-and-son bond that he hoped to create with Howard, it was crushed the moment his circuit board was broken.
In the end, Tony just decided to distance himself as much as he could away from Howard. The first few months was a bit hard, after all when most of his days were motivated by his need of acknowledgment, and finding that he won't get that for a long time, like never, Tony got into a bit of stump, an early life crisis, much early considering that he was still six that time.
The first two weeks were filled with nothing but staring at a drying paint on the wall or something as boring as that...well, Tony might be overexaggerating that part. There was still Maria who had enough time away from lavish parties and shopping to spend a walk in the garden. It took thirty minutes at most, not enough love but Tony appreciated the woman enough to tell an update about his daily life. The family butler, Jarvis, was someone that Tony looked up as a father figure...or better yet an exasperated uncle when Tony decided to run into a mischievous streak, the man was enjoyable to be with. Aside from those two, Tony spent the rest of the day being tutored in different subjects.
The following two weeks, Tony had enough and decided to return to doing what he loves most and that was doing science. With his limited yet still growing knowledge, Tony spent a third of his day slouching before his study table doing calculations and sketching whatever idea his imagination lead him to. He did small projects in Howard's workshop when the man was away, his output was not the best but learning from failures was something of a must when concerning science. He did adjustments, recalculated numbers and even started to get interested in other areas of science.
He got back on his game and while he was no longer vying for attention like a needy child, Tony still kept up with the Stark name (it did help that being a genius just made everything...smooth). Expectations of the public was high and the media was a raving woman on her period, a scary enough description that Howard added another tutor to his schedule, this time it was all about business. Nothing short of basics for what were the dos or don't's, he's still seven but Obadiah -his godfather- gave hints on future lessons that Tony pocketed enough patience to wait for it.
The following months went with routine, coming nicely along with his plans of putting enough distance between him and his parents- oh, they do meet on the rare dinners and even luncheons but as the time passes on, Tony could only see his parents as acquaintances at best.
"Looking?" Howard's brow rises a millimeter, a scoffing sound in Tony's ears. "Don't tell me that you'll be using that 'reference' excuse again, Anthony." the man added this time with a chiding note.
Ironically, this distancing he had done had made Howard looked at him more closely -hah, talk about reverse psychology- the man had been updated about his studies and while he was still in the stage of comparing him against Captain Spangles, Tony saw enough difference that something changed. It was not better nor worse, it was something neutral in a sense that nothing changed.
Yeah confusing but it kinda explained the thought.
Tony was still jealous of course, a childish part of him still resent Captain Spangles but the relationship he has with Howard was tethering between unbearable and bearable.
"I was curious." Tony answered with a shrug. "Uncle Obie told me a...detailed explanation of Stark Industries and I'm curious about...the products."
He was past the curious stage, really, Tony was not ignorant and he knew that he'll get the company in the future and time could only tell when he's going to start making his own weapon for mass production. So, as secretly as he could, Tony started dabbling in the art of weapons mostly in the 'boom' department. Chemistry came into his life and Tony decided to mix it along with the current technology of the Stark weapons. Whether the little additional element in the formula on the blueprint would be ignored or not was the only question in his mind right now.
Howard gave him another one of those undescribable look and Tony stilled, staring back at the man with a version of his own. Which was trying not to look cross-eyed.
The man blinked and moved away, Tony watched Howard pull a bottle of whiskey and poured the golden liquid in a glass. "Well, what do you think?"
Tony blinked, a mixture of surprise and disbelief in his chest. Howard was not looking at him like a son but there was some sort of acknowledgment in the man's gaze that Tony had to repeat the question in his mind.
"It's...destructive, I guess...?" he answered unsurely. He honestly doesn't know what to think up about this conversation and for once his genius of a mind was left boggled.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Howard's gaze turned into the familiar disappointment that Tony was comfortable with. As unfortunate as it was, Tony would rather be looked at with that kind of stare than the recent one.
Howard shook his head and sighed, murmuring something beneath his breath that Tony could not decipher. The man frowned and placed his whiskey filled glass on a nearby desk. "Your tutor arrived, you better get to your study, Anthony."
Tony could only nod and walked towards the door. He spared a glance back to see his father looking at the blueprints and Tony hesitated in his steps. It was only a second but his heart started to beat faster. If Howard saw the slight changes in the blueprint then Tony was sure that he'll be hearing a scolding in the next hour.
Fortunately, Howard rolled the pages and Toy quickly hasten his steps. He exited the workshop before Howard turned around.
The next month, news reached their mansion about the result of the recent weapon testing. Tony calculated the percentage and found that the slight changes he made was forty percent more destructive than the previous designs. Howard got the credit of course but Tony was fine with that, it was his first step in helping the company and if his idealistic musings that Howard could acknowledge his existence, not as a son but as a fellow weapon designer then Tony was fine with that.
It was better than being ignored.
The following week, Tony started to hear whispers, it happened one night when he was tinkering with Howard's designs again. He didn't hear the words but within the silence of the workshop Tony was sure that there was a voice that joined along with his mutterings.
Years passed and life started to get...interesting. His relationship with Howard didn't change much but the acknowledging gaze that Howard gave him during their meetings lingered longer. Maria was still living her lifestyle and Tony still had time to run around when he's feeling mischievous, dragging along Jarvis into the mess.
The only change, the most defining change, in the passing time was that he had started to converse with the disembodied voice that only he could hear. The volume had grown loud enough Tony could not ignore it anymore. It was weird -he really did freak out when the voice replied- at first and he even tried psychoanalyzing himself if he was starting to get insane or not.
He was sane, that much he could tell.
"My, you are quite deep in thought, child."
"You're the one who has been killing my genius of a brain with this-" Tony muttered and gesture wildly in the air. It was a nonverbal description he could only give with his current situation. "I've been hearing your voice since I was seven, it's my right to even get lost in- whatever this is. It's been five years already and I have still no idea what your name is."
Tony sighed through he nose and returned to his work. His progress in his studies and the designs he made had progressed so fast that Obadiah could not stop himself in bringing him along the the R&D of the Stark Industries. The scientists in the area were not as surprised as he expected when he presented his works, he was wary at first but the feeling of camaraderie when it comes to science was far too tempting not to fall into. In the end he got a place in the R&D, not high enough in the rank for Howard to notice but high enough that he had his own side projects work on.
It was a temporary, that much he could tell.
"You already knew my name, child. After all you've kept me busy."
"Busy? How did I made you busy?" he asked.
"You'll know soon enough..."
Tony waited for the voice to continue but the silence kept on and he knew that he won't be bothered throughout the evening. Combing his hair, Tony grumble complaints beneath his breath and idly turned the nearby cd player on and allowed the lyrics of AC/DC blare loudly in his ears.
"Hey- uh, voice?" Tony asked, wincing a bit at how weird it was to talk in the bathroom by himself. He might be filling up the 'eccentric' part of being a genius but he was not way off his rockers to start questioning the disembodied voice he familiarized with in the past years.
But the reason why he was questioning his-whatever she is- was because he didn't heard the voice in the past two months. It coincidentally matched when he started attending MIT and he placed most of his focus on studies, vices -yes, he started drinking, Starks always fall in this pit called alcohol- and on now more frequent subject, girls.
Playboy. The title was starting to grow on him if the pleasures he get was this nice.
Still, the lack of daily conversation he has with the voice even if it was a sentence or two, discerned him. The female voice had been a constant and the dead silence in his ears was starting to make him uncomfortable.
The voice still has no name, but their relationship over the years transformed into something of a bantering sibling, there's still formality in their dialogues but Tony had gotten comfortable enough to speak out his woes. People sometimes forget that he was still human and not even a genius could get out from the clutches of stress.
Tony waited and when the silence continued on, he sighed and started to dry himself. He placed this problem (?) at the back of his mind and nudely walked out of his bathroom. His eyes lingered at the pair of sleeping girls on his bed and a smirk formed in his lips.
"A fun night." he mused and walked to his closet to put on some clothes.
He ignored the pair of females and went to his workshop, meeting Jarvis in the hallway.
"Morning, Jay." Tony greeted with a wave.
The man raised a bemused brow, eyes looking pointedly at his bedroom.
Tony smile smugly and brought up two fingers. "Wake them up in an hour or so."
"Are they decent?" Jarvis asked brow still not dropping.
"...You better knock." Tony grinned and patted the man on the shoulder.
"Very well, your breakfast is ready in your workshop, sir." Jarvis announced.
"Thanks." The answered and languidly walked, humming a tune of his favorite band along the way.
The first thing that Tony did when he entered his 'office' was to grab his coffee and dump his ass in front of his computer. He opened his e-mail and found numerous entries from the R&D, a notification from his school, a greeting from Rhodey and the rarely seen message from Howard. The man was busy but Tony's creations were a blessing to the company that Howard begrudgingly gave him the position of consultant.
It was strictly business. And Tony didn't have the energy to pursue his childish needs to demand for more, this type of relationship had at least gave him attention even as little as it was.
Tony clicked open Rhodey's mail first and rolled his eyes at the message. Honestly, his friend need to get priorities straight. A copy for they mythology assignment? Really? Nevertheless, Tony sent the sites -Rhodey should do his own work- and added a meeting time for this night's party- hey it's Saturday night.
The next thing, Tony opened was the mail from the school, Tony quickly ignored it when it only has the schedule for the upcoming exams.
Which leaves him to choose between Howard's message or the ones from the R&D. Tony pursed his lips as a debate started but in the end he opened Howard's file. The cold sentences greeted him and Tony rose a brow when he saw the additional documents attached.
He quickly opened them and saw the errors in the design. It took him an hour to fix and improve the design, writing his sentences as formally as possible and sent the file back to Howard.
Now the emotionally draining part done, Tony started with the files the R&D sent. A lot of them were related with programming be it either the software or a new coding for a customize weapon, others asked for a review of their work and the rest were filled with nothing but elementary worth problems that the sender could work the problem out by themselves.
He ignored the last ones and started on the first two.
Jarvis had once called him workaholic with the numbers of projects he did. Tony fully agreed, it's not that he won't stop, it was because he can't stop. His love for science had grown over the years that sometimes Tony forgot to eat. Like this instance.
"Are you planning to give me a vacation?"
Tony blinked. Who- "Ah there you are." he mumbled, unconsciously toning down the volume of his favorite band. "And what do you meant by vacation?" he ask, half heartedly knowing that the answer would be redirected again.
"Oh, I was sure you mentioned that word before, the one with 'Having a relaxing week of drinking and lazing around' or was it the 'beach' thing?"
Tony couldn't help but smile at the avoiding response. "Both actually." he answered. "So..uh what happened?"
"The usual, child."
Tony shrugged, not minding the evasion. "Well, I was thinking- well not so much of thinking but working on...The thing is, I made a program for an AI -Artificial Intelligence. I finished the the codes and I got the design already, that leaves the actual creation."
"And...?"
"I need a name." Tony answered and heard a hint of chuckle in the voice.
"You're quite...imaginative in names, child. You don't need my input for this."
Tony pouted. "I would have congratulated you for the sarcasm but- fine." he muttered petulantly and turned half of his attention back to last two projects he made. The background noise of AC/DC drowned the silence but the comforting knowledge that he was not alone was a peaceful feeling. No matter how creepy that was.
He was on the last coding when the voice spoke again.
"You should eat, child. Our meeting would be soon if you keep this style of living."
"Uhuh, what time- oh, three?" Tony blinked at the numbers. "Whoa, I didn't eat since yesterday's breakfast."
"With only caffeine and alcohol in your system if I might add."
"That too." Tony agreed and turned his head away from the computer screen and let his eyes land on the small counter/bar he had at the wall and saw the now cold lunch -with his phone beside it- that Jarvis must have delivered while he was in the zone. "...Wait what do you mean meeting soon?"
"It is what I said."
Tony blinked as he processed the word and came up with nothing. "Of seven years of talking to you and I still have no idea what you're trying to say- and I'm a genius."
"Coming from a person with such a hubris, I will take that as a complement."
"You're welcome." Tony chuckled and with one final press on the enter, he finally sent the last file in his mail and stretched.
A groan of relief escaped his lips at the refreshing movement and he stumbled his way towards the counter. He picked up his phone and saw the affirmed reply of Rhodey, he grinned and gave a short reply. He glanced at the collection of alcohol behind his counter and grabbed the most expensive one. In no time, Tony was eating a late lunch with a disembodied voice for company.
It was weird as much as talking to the air but at least he got a reply.
"So any plans in the future?" he mused while he filled his glass, lunch already eaten.
"The usual I presume, unless you have plans of your own."
"I still don't get what you mean but does your job kinda coincide with mine? As enjoyable as talking to a disembodied voice -no offense- but don't you have a...day job or something like that?"
"None taken. I always work, child, even at this very second."
"Does that mean I am part of your work?" Tony asked unsurely with a raised brow.
"You are more of a catalyst."
Tony pursed his lips and tried to think of something logical...nadda, nothing. If he start with the prospect of hearing disembodied voice, nothing made any sense, the hows or whys was turning into nonsense. He could take the route of other worldly beings, but as a scientist he's a solid atheist despite the presence of the voice in his life.
The voice had become something unquestionable through his life, he accepted that he's hearing a sentient being but the existence of it was something he -still- cannot comprehend. All of his variables he thought up were useless and the only thing left in his arsenal was to go with it.
Not a smart thing to do but Tony didn't see any bad thing that could happen.
"I would like to know what your job is, but I got the feeling you're going to evade again. So a hint? Something I could work on my own?"
The was a silence and Tony was sure that the voice was already gone. A bit disappointed, Tony drank the remaining whiskey and leaned back on the counter.
"Very well."
"Are you serious?" Tony's eyebrows reached a new record as his disbelief formed in his features.
"Yes, I am."
"And the hint?"
"598,234."
"That's...a pretty...big hint there." Tony muttered, inwardly groaning at another illogical answer. "Okay, still no sense to me, so how about a meeting, face to face and not voice to face kind of meeting."
There's another pause of silence and Tony poured another shot to kill the time. When the voice finally answered, he could clearly hear the somber tone.
"...Tonight, child...we would meet tonight."
"Should I re-schedule?" Tony asked unsure of the sudden change in heart of his companion. He once again waited but minutes passed and Tony knew he was alone.
"...So much for being organized." he muttered with a exasperated note.
AN: Well what do you think? I changed a lot of aspect in here from the tidbits I read in the MCU world, so there's a lot of difference from what some of you would usually expect. Anyway, this chapter is on experimental stage, whether you readers would be interested in continuing this or not is all up to you, just drop it in the reviews.