Galas are the worst, Tony Stark thought as he shook yet another damp hand, fake smile firmly in place on his face.

He took a sip from his glass — dammit Pepper, sparkling water really? — and walked towards a spot that seemed hidden enough behind a pillar and pretty far from the crowd. He just needed to be really stealthy and make sure no one noticed him on the way.

"Um... Excuse-me, Mr. Stark?"

Crap!, Tony thought as he froze in place before turning towards the voice. He found himself facing a young man. Very young it appeared, his face wasn't as sharply defined as an adult's would once puberty was done with them. Tony sighed when he noticed over the brat's shoulder how far he'd managed to slip from the guests. (So close!)

"Yeah kid, sorry no interview tonight you'll have to arrange something with my assistant—"

"Oh no, it's not about an interview! I was just hoping I could use a moment to talk to you?" he said with the tiniest smile on his lips.

"Sure, what's it about? You'll have to make it quick though, I have a lot of people to suck up to tonight!" Tony answered while glancing at his watch in a mere show of impatience. In truth, he was in no hurry to go back to the wealthy sharks- sorry guests.

"I'll try to make it short then. I wanted to tell you how much I admire you and what you've done. You're an inspiration to me" the kid rushed out — seriously, he couldn't be over 20! And the cheap tuxedo didn't help him look older. He seemed very shy. Perhaps he was starstruck!

A little smirk made its way to Tony's mouth. So he was smug, sue him! (You'd be sure to lose.)

"Really? And what is it about me that inspires you so? Are you an aspiring engineer? Or just a wannabe playboy?"

At that the teen — that's it, he would settle for teen, seemed like a safe bet! — scrunched up his nose. He looked mostly taken aback, a little amused and, dare Tony say (of course he dares) kind of annoyed.

"Wha- no, none of that! Um..." he trailed off.

Tony was about to try to encourage him when he picked up.

"Back in 05... my sister, she was in the army... she was sent to Afghanistan..."

Oh no, Tony did not like where this was headed. The smirk slid off his face as soon as he caught the tone and the past tense.

"She was injured on a mission by talibans, and not long after that she- she died" his voice was starting to tremble.

It wasn't often Tony Stark was left speechless. This was such an instance. Condolences and other platitudes seemed incredibly inappropriate. He had no idea what to say. Which was a good thing since the kid clearly wasn't done.

"See the thing is, these "rebels"? They had Stark weapons they had supposedly stolen."

It was like getting punched in the gut. Tony hated having to remember that part of his life (the biggest one), but every once in a while, too often, something like that happened, and he was harshly confronted to it. He was trying so hard to somehow compensate for all the harm he'd caused (however indirectly that might have been) and be remembered for something better. But if JARVIS's latest analyses were to be believed, there was a good chance he'd run out of time before he could make a big enough difference.

He took a moment to really take in this child whose life he'd ruined (yet another one).

He looked about 5'8. Copper blond hair a little too long for him, with strands falling into his eyes before he chased them away with slender, shaking fingers. Ears slightly too big for his head. And his eyes - God his eyes! Tony feared they would join all the horrifying images of his life and haunt him as soon as he stopped working. Dark green eyes full of so much grief, unshed tears close to rolling down his still round cheeks.

He had no idea what to expect now. Had this young man come to get vengeance? Tony couldn't see any sign of a weapon on him and he was having trouble imagining this kid resorting to any sort of violence. But loss could lead people to crazy things.

He wasn't afforded anymore time to ponder the question as the man carried on :

"I hated you so much you know! With a passion! Not just because you had made the weapons that killed her, and not even just because you'd made the equipment that was supposed to protect her, to- to keep her safe..., he took a deep breath and carried on. But also because after that, nothing changed for you! You were still the same and were facing absolutely no consequences, you just kept living your extravagant life... I sent you a letter once to tell you how much I hated everything you represented. I figure you never read it, or maybe it didn't register amongst all the others — you know how many people hated you back then. But the point is, I hated you, detested you. I carried so much anger in me...for 3 years... And then you were taken."

He paused for a bit and Tony took a breath for the first time in what had felt like hours.

"You were taken in Afghanistan! And as far as I knew, it could have as well been by the same monsters who killed her. It felt like justice! Finally, after 3 unending years, you were getting what you'd deserved... But you survived...I was so mad. Why did you get to stay alive and not her! Why-... When it was announced that you were being brought back healthy I hated you all over again. I insisted on watching your press conference even though my parents said it couldn't do any good."

Tony stood immobile he felt like a deer in headlights, contemplating his oncoming death and waiting for the hit.

"But they were wrong!" the kid smiled, one tear running down to his jaw. Then it was like the floodgates opened because he was suddenly weeping. "What you said that day? They were the words I'd wanted to hear from you all this time without really knowing it! You knew! You knew what you'd put us through, not us personally but everyone else who'd- who had lost someone like we had! You finally understood how much it hurt and you were going to stop it. For good... And then you did. You kept your word. You really stopped making weapons. Even better you became Iron Man, someone who could protect people."

Tony was stunned. The look in the kid's eyes...it almost looked like gratitude.

"So this is why I snuck in here today" he said, wiping his eyes. To tell you, that even though I still hate your old life, I forgive you. You probably don't care, what does it change for you, but I needed to know that I did this. I forgive you and... I want to thank you-"

At that Tony took a stumbling step back and found his voice shaking when he asked :

"What? What could you possibly have to thank me for after that?!"

The sting in his eyes that had been increasing at each of the kid's sentence became too strong and he needed to blink it away. But it only allowed traitorous tears to escape.

"I'm thanking you for what you've been doing since. I think you're really honoring her memory now" he paused to take a breath and straightened himself up. "I'll leave you now, so you can go back to your sucking up" he finished with a smile.

He was silent now. Apparently he'd said his piece.

"It's alright" Tony said after a few seconds. He'd needed the time to pull himself together and be able to resort to his usual evading techniques. Method number 1 for when things get too real : humor. "I didn't really feel like kissing ass anyway."

As the young man was turning around to leave, Tony caught his arm. He saw the other's look fall to his hand before coming up and piercing his own eyes, and asked :

"Could you tell me your name? I want to- I don't-" he didn't know what he wanted but he had to know who this kid was.

"Radfield. My name's Connor Radfield... My sister was Emily. Thank you for honoring her memory."

Tony's hand drop from Connor's elbow. He walked away as Tony muttered under his breath, too low for him to hear :

"I'll try to live up to it."

A few weeks after the Chitauri invasion, Tony received a letter. All the envelope contained was a small note that read :

You definitely live up to it. - Connor R.

Well, Tony thought as he lifted his eyes from the small piece of paper in his hand, a tiny smile growing on his lips, maybe I won't only be remembered as a monster.