Hello, ducklings! Have been a while since I posted my last Iron Man one shot, (even I have not promised another one) , but when something comes up I need to write '-' Well, this new one shot is a sequence of "I Wanna Fly" , and hope you enjoy. (I recommend you read my first 3 one shots to understand this one) Please, remember Portuguese is my first language, soooooo don't be mean to me :[ But, I would be glad for anyone who revise my grammar (to me reform after). Thank you to much! Happy reading!
One shot – That's my boy!
The noise of car engines could be heard through the largest London karting circuit. The place was full of screaming kids, desperate parents looking for their children and everything was muffled by the noise of eight karts on the track, now ready for the race.
"Brake?"
"Ok"
"Accelerator pedal?"
"Ok"
"Steering wheel?" the automatic answer "ok" was not heard by Tony, making him look in the eyes of his son who already had his helmet.
"Really, Dad?" Luke said sarcastically looking at the steering wheel in his hands. Tony just looked him naturally, giving him an understand that he would be waiting patiently for the answer.
"Okay", Luke replied, rolling his eyes.
"Everybody ready?" The man responsible by the race, Jack Ribbon, walked among them, looking his karts drivers and obviously waiting for their parents' confirmation.
"Don't forget, enjoy the curves," Tony said quickly before he could be kicked out of there, he was literally the last parent missing off the track for the race to begin. "But be careful, these guys are experienced"
"Right" Luke replied showing his thumb up with his right hand.
"Bring it on boy," Tony said with a genuine smile on his face when leaving the track and staying in a private booth for 'supporter' parents. Despite the overall Luke's safety and reliability, Tony couldn't help but be worried. It was the first time he attended a kart race, and despite Luke has practiced the sport since 4 years old, he was competing in a tournament for boys 8-12 years old. Yes, Tony bribed the head of the tournament so he let his 6 year old son join in.
Nothing was planned, he and Pepper were on vacation, and they were showing the most beautiful cities in Europe to Luke, when he noticed a large poster in Paris showing: "London Kart Tournament", his enthusiasm was such that both could not say 'no' to the firstborn.
As Tony was the one responsible for Luke in the race, he shared space with only 7 other parents who were also being responsible for the kart of their children. On the floor above, the audience could watch the race safely. Pepper was there, and with her great charisma and good mood, obviously will be talking to others during the race, unlike the billionaire, who was alone in a corner watching the first lap of the race as all parents talked amongst themselves.
"Too young, right Stark?" He heard the annoying Taylor Martin coming to him, the man who looked have his 35 years old was slim, blond and had hair that looked more a wig; was not up to snuff. The guy just couldn't leave him alone since the announcement of the 'youngest driver in the tournament in 20 years'. "You know, my son never even lost a race since he began to drive", said proud, and in Tony's way, full of himself.
"I think his day could change today" Tony replied rudely, making all parents look at him in surprise.
"Oh, Tony Stark, always a jokeman, as well as the media tell us", Martin placed a hand on Tony's shoulder, "I think it's recklessness on your part put such a small little boy in the middle of experienced big boys. Let's face facts, you are preparing yourself psychologically for your crybaby." Martin laughed, and some parents there followed his laughter. Tony didn't hold himself, and laughed even louder. Despite being the leading teasing man, the image of Luke crying over for losing a race was ironic. Luke never cried, nor was sad when he lost something. Luke always won everything he did, and when he lost, he took the defeat, but always ran after the loss to not lose again. Luke was a persistent kid who didn't admit defeat. This was a side of Luke that Tony understood very well.
Tony's laughter made Taylor angry, "Do you really think your child can win, Stark? Derek is part of tournaments since his 5 years old, and never lost any race" said boastfully , "I think...", he was cut off when loud screams could be heard from upstairs, followed by shouts of enthusiasm by the other parents there, making both Tony and Taylor pay attention to the TV on the center of the kart track, which showed an overshoot in the eighth curve very well made by a blue kart leaving the yellow kart in the dust.
"Hey, look! I think my son broke yours Martin" Tony said excitedly, but with a twinge of sarcasm in his voice. Taylor Martin gave him no more word since the overshoot in the first lap. The man was steaming.
The enthusiasm was not lost since then, as downstairs as floor above, no one could take away their eyes off the exciting race that whole curve shifted the position of the first three placed. Always ranging from: Derek Martin, Pietro McClark and Luke Stark.
After years of a boring race where Derek and Pietro always dominate the first places, people were excited to see someone else do the older boys become desperate for the first time on a race. And it wasn't only that, don't forget the fact that the boy was giving work to the 'experts', and he was only 6 years old.
Not forgetting that as well... He was Tony Stark son.
On the last lap, everyone was counting victory on Luke, who got the 1st place again in the 3rd curve and was still relatively far from the second and third place.
"Keep it up, Luke!" Cried Pepper totally ignoring the mothers of the other kids who looked her with contempt and anger.
"It's easy win when you're cheating", one of them said loudly on purpose, to Pepper hear, "That explains the delay of Tony Stark to leave the track", Pepper could not hold more their dropping hints, that started since the second lap when Luke took first place for longer, she blurted out, "It must be awful make excuses to explain the failure of herself child."
"What did you say?" Replied Melinda Martin approaching Pepper with one hand firmly holding her bag on her shoulder and the other with clenched fists. Her friends by her side showed shock at Pepper audacity, their mouths moulding 'o'.
"Exactly what you heard", she replied firmly, without imagining the fight that would ensue from there.
Downstairs, things weren't too calm. While Tony was jumping for joy, Taylor Martin was across the track, rudely shouting all the time for his child to enjoy the curves.
"What a change", someone approached Tony," Your boy rock it", Tony turned his face to the right to see who was addressing him. He didn't recognize him immediately, but after a brief look he noticed that it was Frank McClark.
"I expected it", Tony said full of himself.
Frank laughed, but it wasn't a fake laugh. Actually, it was a pleasant laugh. "You know, I'm really impressed, all the drivers are always on Pietro and Derek back, it seems as if there are no other competitors. Your child balanced well the tournament today", said the redhead man.
"You seem quite happy for a loser", Tony continued defensively, but that has not shaken Frank.
"I don't teach my son to win, Mr. Stark, I teach him to have fun", Frank replied with a smile, indicating with his head to Taylor Desperate Martin still yelling at his child. Tony, at that moment, smiled back at him, nodding in response.
At that moment a loud thud was heard, and the TV showed a large smokescreen that had a shadow in the background, apparently a kart, the little car hit against the tire-edge of the track.
At the same time, the checkered flag swayed in time when the first driver passed the finish line, followed by the second driver.
It was still impossible to see who was in the kart stopped on the last corner of the track, but judging by the first placed, Tony thought about Luke.
While other drivers passed the finish line, Tony entered the track without thinking and without caring that he was in opposite direction and a kart could hit him. His heart was pounding, and the despair barely left him breathing when he came across the empty blue Kart.
"LUKE!" Tony shouted hoarsely. Before he could scream again, a little person appeared by the tires.
"Here, Dad," Luke replied heading toward the father, his helmet in his right hand.
"Are you okay?" Tony almost cried when put both hands on his son's face and noticed two deep cuts on his face, one on the forehead and one in the right corner of his right eye.
"Yeah, my face is just aching a little", he answered putting his free hand on his face and see blood on his hands, making him look his father with scared face.
"What happened?" Tony asked aloud, taking his helmet and throwing out to the side. Tony took Luke in his arms and walked away from the smokescreen, coming back to where he was before.
"That idiot, Derek, stepped in front of me in the last curve, and I had no choice but try to divert. Then I lost control of the kart" Luke replied angrily,"I could have won". Before Tony could answer, someone interrupted them.
"Is everything okay?" Tony heard a child's voice coming from behind him. He looked down and saw a red-haired boy, he had his 11 years old, holding a blue helmet.
"Yeah" Luke said, smiling at the boy who until then, had helped him to withdraw from the kart after the crash.
"Good", replied the boy, and then looked totally surprised to Tony, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Stark."
That's when he realize that beside Luke's kart, a light blue kart stood to the side, apparently the kart of the boy in front of him. He could read his last name from the side of the kart. Even Tony didn't knowing his last name, he would recognize him for being so much like his father.
"Pietro? Is that your name?" Said Tony making the boy get surprised. Iron Man knows my name, thought contain his joy.
"That's right", he managed to say despite the enthusiasm consuming him.
"Thanks for helping Luke", Tony said giving a smile to the boy.
"No problem, sir—" and then he heard his father voice.
"Pietro", Tony heard Frank McClark running behind him and saw him stop to get their hands on Pietro's shoulders, "Are you all right, big boy?" he asked worried.
"Yes, I am, Dad. I just stopped the kart to see if Luke needed help," the boy replied innocently.
"Thank God", said relieved, and then turned to look at Tony and Luke,"Thank God nothing serious happened", and then he looked at Luke's face, "My condolences, I hate medicine" he told playful to Luke; He laughed.
"Mom will not let me drive for a long time huh, Daddy?" Asked Luke looking Tony in the eyes like a puppy.
"LUCAS! TONY!" Both heard Pepper voice and they stood on alert.
"That answer your question?" Tony replied almost laughing, but looking in a frightened way for Luke. The boy didn't look happy. "What mom doesn't know, doesn't hurt her", Tony winked at him, making him give him a huge smile.
"She never dreams what we do without her consent", he said laughing.
"That's my boy", Tony said ruffling his hair and leaving the track.
"Hey, Stark", Frank stopped him by the shoulder, "I don't know how long you and your wife planned stay in the city, but you know, tomorrow will have a formal dinner at home, just friends and family, I am inviting you and Mrs. Stark, and of course, this little one", said while noticed a certain blonde woman desperately trying to pass through the crowd, "Oh, and I think my son would have a attack if he told for all his school friends Iron Man dined at home".
"Thanks for the invite, I'll check with my wife", he replied, and taking one last look at Pietro, he went towards Pepper.
"My god, Luke! What happened?" Pepper shouted touching his bruised face, and then her gaze went to Tony.
"He's fine, just a few cuts—" Tony stopped his explanation while looking closely at Pepper's face. Her hair was in a ponytail, and now was totally messy, as if someone had pulled it. Her left cheek and her neck had scratches he thought was nails-made. He can't help noticing her arms scratched too. "Pepper—"
"Mommy, did you fight again?" Luke asked, his face showing indignation; a pouting face.
"Wait—What?" Tony said exalted while Pepper threw a glare at Luke.
For the first time in his life, Luke was in trouble... alone.