Prompt: Shift & A/B/O AU with Good Father Howard: Tony's a white panther, his father a lion and Howard set up an arranged marriage between Tony and T'Challa because he wants his Bambino (Bambi) to be taken care of and have the best of everything

Combined with

Tony and T'Challa meeting for the first time when Howard invites T'Chaka to discuss the possibility of vibranium access. T'Chaka has no intentions of such a thing, obviously, but T'Challa pays attention to the news and has a [really-quite-obvious] crush on Howard's teen-aged son who will be home for the holidays.

Warning: Minor Character Death

Howard Stark, billion dollar CEO of the greatest weapon manufacturing company in the world, a proud lion shifter was now a single alpha father. His beautiful wife Maria, was shot and killed by a mugger in the park trying to protect their son. Anthony, the five year old omega was traumatized. He used to be so bright and happy, now he was scared all the time and had stopped speaking all together.

It broke his heart to see his little Bambi this way, standing there, holding his crying son as they lowered his wife's casket into the ground, Howard swore he would do anything to protect his child.

After the funeral things were hard at home, Tony struggled to keep food down, his nerves would make him queasy and the nightmares had him throwing up at night. He also spent more time in his shifted form, often hiding under his office desk while he worked on paperwork. Those few months after the funeral, it was rare to see Tony in anything but his white panther form, hiding in corners and always so quiet. But Howard refused to give up, he got a therapist to come visit them, he spent all his free time with Tony. Sometimes reading to him or just talking about simple things in his human form. On really bad days, when it seemed like Tony couldn't stop shivering, he would change into his lion form, curling up around his cub and comforting him.

After a lot of counseling and patience, Tony started to get better. His nightmares lessened, he started walking around on two legs again, it was so nice to see his little boy again. One afternoon when Howard was running around the house, trying to get ready for a meeting he was already an hour late for, he stumbled and fell, dropping all his papers in the process. Luckily he hadn't hurt himself but this was the last thing he needed. But then he heard it, childish giggles coming from the couch had him whipping his head around.

Tony was on the couch, hands held over his mouth trying to hold in his giggles but when he got caught it seemed like he couldn't hold them back anymore. Completely ignoring the important documents around him he ran over and scooped Tony up into his arms, tears streaming down his face.

"Daddy, what's wrong? Why are you crying? Are you sad?" Tony was looking at him curiously, little hands patting his damp cheeks.

"No Bambi, I'm just so happy to hear you laughing again." Howard held Tony up with one arm, bringing the other one up to help rub his face clean.

Tony giggled some more, "You're silly daddy." Howard just laughed through the tears.

-x-

That wasn't the only time Howard cried. When the school district told him that he and Tony should be considering boarding school for advanced placement he tried fighting it but eventually Jarvis had to talk to him. Explaining that it would be better for Tony, he was so smart and so ahead of the public and private school curriculum that boarding school was really the only option. Also taking time to remind him that they could get a house by the school so that they could see Tony on weekends and then he would be able to come home during all the major holidays and during the summer.

Grudgingly he accepted and when he told Tony his baby boy was exciting. Getting to go live in a dorm with other boys and girls, taking classes that would provide more of a challenge for him, he couldn't wait.

So when Tony left for school Howard worried, he called daily and tried to see his baby every weekend (sometimes it was hard with being the CEO of such a big company) but Tony said he understood and didn't want his daddy to worry, he's a big boy.

Then time started to fly, his little boy was graduating high school. Top of his class even though he was the youngest, a full scholarship to MIT waiting for him that he earned all by himself. Howard was so proud, he clapped and shouted when his little Bambi crossed the stage, Jarvis getting the whole thing on tape. After the ceremony he gave his son the biggest bear hug, congratulating him and then treating him to burgers.

That summer he took two weeks off from work to go on vacation with Tony before he could run off to college. They went to Italy, spent the first week there and then toured other places in Europe for the rest of the week. They had fun together, checking out all the sites, being tourists and taking a thousand pictures.

Before he knew it, school was starting and it was time to send his baby packing again. And if he cried, Tony didn't make fun of him for it.

Tony's MIT years were hard, his boy was swamped with work, pulling a triple major that kept him busy 24/7 and Howard had contracts rushing in that kept his schedule packed. But they were still able to chat at least once a day, they had an ongoing text conversation going and if they were able, the would video chat once a week.

Tony kept him updated on his school work and life on campus. Thankfully he had made friends with a James Rhodes that kept Tony out of trouble and Howard from having a heart attack. His holidays were split, Thanksgiving break he would go to the Rhodes house in Philadelphia while Howard put in over time. Busying himself with charity galas and press work so that he was able to have off for all of Winter Break so that he and Tony had that whole time together.

Suddenly it felt like in the blink of an eye Anthony was graduating Summa Cumme Laude with three degrees under his belt, all at the age of 17. After Tony presented his Master's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering and Business, he asked if he could go back to school for two more degree's in biomedical engineering and environmental science. Howard just wrapped him up in his arms and told him he could do whatever his heart desired.

That summer they spent time talking about the future. Tony was happy to take over the company but expressed his desire to take the company in other directions. He wanted to get in the clean energy business and possible start working of prosthetics. He present an idea folder that he had built over that past few years. Even though he didn't have time to act of any of his ideas he had written out some well thought ideas that could do a lot of good.

So Howard got busy opening up new divisions in Stark Industries, presenting ideas to the board and opening up a whole new job market for young engineers. Using the Maria Stark Foundation, they put more work into the recovery and employment aid of returning vets.

Things were great for the Starks, their relationship was strong and their company was at the top of the market. But Howard couldn't stop this growing anxiousness, Anthony is his world and he wanted the best for his omega son. It terrified him that some alpha could and would take advantage of him due to his inheritance.

He knew if he didn't do something soon something would happen, he could feel it, this bad feeling that he wasn't going to be able to stop unless he acted now. He was stressing himself out trying to come up with a solution to this problem, when suddenly, one presented himself.