I ran to my father's study. I readjusted the hand painting I had made so I could knock on the door. I eagerly bounced on my toes. Jarvis had told me it was a great work of art.
"Come in," my father yelled. I beamed and opened the door.
"Daddy! Daddy! Look at my painting! Jarvis told me he thought it was great!" I ran up and dropped it over the paperwork he was signing. I grinned and bounced on my toes.
"Anthony, I have told you this one too many times. Do not put any crap on my desk, or worse on any paperwork I was signing!" He grabbed me by the ear and dragged me to the front of the desk. He threw onto the floor. My head hit the ground and I passed out.
35 years later.
I woke up and groaned. I got off of the bed I was in. Wasn't I in Daddy's study? I looked around. Why is there a blue light? I looked down at myself. I felt my eyes widen. The blue lights's from me! And. I'm tall! I nervously walked out of the bland room that is so not mine. Okay a hallway. I'll just find the exit and get home. Window! Where are we? I ran over to the window.
"Woah," I giggled. There were practically lights everywhere.
"Tony? What are you doing up? I'm here for a snack and you're giggling over there," I heard a voice. I whipped around and blushed at getting caught. I looked closely at the man. He had dirty blond hair and grey eyes. I didn't recognize him.
"I'm-I'm sorry, but I'm not supposed to talk to strangers," I murmured.
"Tony, we're teammates. Tell me you're not drunk," he raised his hands and laughed a bit. I was even more confused.
"I can't drink, I'm four? And I've never seen you in my life," I firmly told the man. He paled.
"J-JARVIS wake up Bruce. We have an emergency," he looked to the ceiling.
"J-Jarvis? My butler? Where is he?" I brightened.
"I am right here sir," I jumped. I looked around to see if he was hiding.
"Jarvis, come out. I can't see you."
"You can't see me sir, I am an AI built into your house." I furrowed my eyebrows.
"An AI? What's an AI?" I looked to the man in front of me.
"You don't even remember your AI? Dude, you-can you not? Stop pretending Tony. This isn't funny," the man frowned.
"I'm not pretending. And you're not my mommy or daddy," I pouted and crossed my arms. Another man ran into the hallway.
"What's wrong, Clint? Tony?" This man and curly dark brown hair and brown eyes.
"How do you know my name?"
"Tony's acting like he has amnesia. It's weird because his eyes are perfectly clear," he talked over my question. My eyes flickered to him in confusion. The newcomer walked over to me.
"Tony? What's the last thing you remember?" he said it softly and the other man scoffed.
"Um. I had just finished a finger painting that Jarvis had complimented and was showing it to Daddy! But he got really angry and threw me-" I cut myself off. "And sent me away. I fell down the stairs," I corrected. The nicer man nodded, looking down and back to me.
"And how old were you when this happened, Tony?"
"I'm four years old right now!" I grinned and bounced on my feet. The nice man's eyes flashed green and he closed them, breathing funnily. I looked to the other man in confusion. He looked angry. I took a step away from him, fearing he might be angry with me.
"Tony, would you please come with me. I just want to make sure you're feeling better after that fall you took," the brown eyed man spoke softly. I nodded and followed him to an elevator. We waited in it until we stopped and the doors opened. The man grabbed my hand gently and led me to a table. I sat down immediately and started to swing my legs. He flashed a light in my eyes and checked my ears. He frowned and led me to a big machine.
"Tony I need you to lay down on this and stay completely still until I tell you, okay?" I nodded and lay down. I was moved inside the big thing and I stayed still. After a minute or two I moved out and was able to move again. The man sat down next to me.
"I'm Bruce, Tony," he stuck his hand out for me to shake. I shook it and smiled at him.
"So can I go home now, Brucie?" I asked.
"I'm sorry Tony, but you can't. You're in, well, a difficult situation right now. It seems that for the past 30 years, a different man has been using your body as its own. As of right now, you are currently a 4 year-old in a 39 year-old body. And I'm sorry but your parents, they're dead," I stared at him and he hugged me. I relaxed and cried into his arms. He rubbed my back and let me cry. I heard a door open and Bruce tell them to go away. My tears soon subsided and I pulled back.
"Do you want breakfast?" he asked.
"Pancakes?" I asked hopefully. He nodded and led me to an empty kitchen on the same floor. He led me to a chair and started to make a pancake. I smiled as he put one down in front of me and started to eat his own. He smiled back and I started to eat the pancake.
"Thank you, Bruce." I smiled at him. I yawned.
"Time to get back to bed I think," he smiled at me. I nodded and stood up. He led me to the room I woke up in and tucked me in. I thanked him again.
I shakily grabbed the nuke and redirected it to the portal. I was awed by the beauty of space but was scared of the ships. I told JARVIS to call Pepper and my heart broke when she didn't answer. Distantly I heard a young child screaming. A few thoughts went through my head. One was that nobody would find my body. A second was that I was going to miss everybody. The last one I had before I felt my arc stop was that I was sorry for taking that 4 year-old's life. I just didn't want him to suffer anymore at the hands of Howard. I gasped for air as I lost it and scrambled for the arc reactor to try to get it working again.
I woke up screaming, sweaty, and tangled in the bed sheets. I stopped screaming and curled in on myself. I cried again after feeling how it was like to die, even if he survived. I shakily tried to calm myself and try to get back to sleep. It didn't work. I got up and walked to the elevator.
"Um. Bruce's floor?" I nervously asked JARVIS. The elevator started moving. I shifted nervously from foot to foot. The doors opened and I scrambled out, nearly running for Bruce's room. I didn't know how I knew where it was but I entered it anyways. I crawled into bed with the man. He woke up startled.
"Tony?" he rubbed his eyes and turned to me.
"I had a nightmare," I snuggled up to him and fell asleep again, thinking of how nice it felt to have Bruce's arms around me.
In the morning.
I woke up feeling confused. Why am I in the wrong bed? Whose with me? I peeked open one eye to see a sleeping Bruce snuggling me. I was pressed against him and he was holding me protectively. I frowned.
"Bruce," I whispered.
"Go back to sleep, Tony," he murmured and moved closer.
"Bruce. Why the hell am I in your bed? We didn't get drunk did we?" I whispered again.
"Hmm? What? Tony?! How old are you?" The hell?
"Bruce, I'm 39? Did you forget my birthday already?" I teased. Bruce tensed up and pushed away.
"No. You had an accident last night and was 4 again. The reason you were here was that you had a nightmare. That's what happened. I need to use the bathroom real quick," he ducked his head and fell out of the bed. I looked over to see him blushing. He scrambled to the bathroom and I heard a click. That was weird. It was like he didn't want me to see his face.
Another 35 years.
I woke up again confused.
"Bruce?" I asked the empty room that was supposed to be mine.
"Dr. Banner is currently in your kitchen, drinking tea and reading the morning's paper."
"Thank you!" I stood up and walked over to the kitchen. I sat down next to Bruce.
"Good morning Tony," he spoke in a monotone.
"Can you make pancakes again, Brucie? The ones yesterday were yummy!" I asked, leaning forward. Bruce's eyes snapped to mine.
"How old are you, Tony?"
"4!" he smiled goofily. I smiled back at him and he stood to make pancakes. He set one down in front of me and kissed my head. I smiled at him.
"I love you Bruce! You're the best!" I cheered and hugged him. He chuckled.
"I love you too, Tony," he replied, rubbing my hair. I sat back in my chair and ate the pancake. I yawned.
"Time for bed?"
"Why am I tired? I only just got up," I frowned.
"I'm tired too. Come on," he grabbed my hand and we went to his room. We crawled in and snuggled in together.
In a few weeks.
"Bruce Banner and Tony Stark died peacefully in their sleep. I thank you for coming to their funeral," Steve Rodgers, the last Avenger alive, said softly. He turned around to look at the two scientist being buried right next to each other. The room of people stood to say their goodbyes to the two men who were in love but didn't know. They all smiled sadly as they acknowledged that they at least died together than to have to live without the other.
Up above, Bruce and the two Tonys were watching their funeral and holding hands. They smiled softly to each other and turned around, walking off.