This chapter is based in one of RDJ stories and also based on Iron Man comic book about Tony's past.

I don't own anything.

Hope you like it. ;)


Being the youngest kid in Philips Academy School, and also the smartest Tony was constantly bullied. He was often with bruises over his body, being chased and insulted. Being so young as he was and alone there, he did the only thing he thought he could do: he complained with the Principal.

But that didn't help. If anything, it made it worse! Tony tried to talk with his father about it once, during the holidays that he was back home, only to be disappointed and hurt by his words. According to Howard being bullied was a "good thing", and he should "take advantage of the situation" since it builds character and Tony needs to "man up", face his bullies and stop being a "sissy" about it.

Of course that's what Howard told Tony. In his mind, if he didn't make a big deal out of it, then Tony wouldn't either. It will also give him time to call the Principal and demand some explanations.

However, after he heard that, Tony thought he was on his own and tried to deal with the problem the only way that he could: he build something. To be more specific the build a catapult out of the spiral from his notebook. The catapult could be trigger by a nylon wire, and he left it in a strategic place so he could hit his bullies.

So one day, the teenagers were chasing him and he run away leading them to where he had hidden his "gun". He triggered the catapult and intended to run away, until he saw that one of the kid was hit in the eye. Feeling guilty, Tony came back to try to help him. But the older kid refused his help, he run to the Principal's office and told his version of what happen. Blaming only Tony and conveniently forgetting to tell him that he was chasing the younger genius.

As a consequence, Tony's parents were called in to discuss "Tony's violent behavior". When his parents arrived, his mother came right next to him and gave him a strong and warm hug.

"How I miss my little boy" she spoke while she hug him tight. "You okay?"

"I'm okay, mom" he spoke with a muffled voice due to his mother hug. Howard was next to his wife in an angle where Tony couldn't see him since his mother body was blocking his view. The older Stark let out a smile at the vision of his son and wife.

When Maria let Tony go to take a better look at him and the kid saw as his father pass through him walking straight to the building not bothering, in Tony's perspective, to send him a look or question if he was okay. Seconds later, Jarvis was also next to Tony.

"Look young master, I brought your favorite cookies". Tony smile a little as he took the cookies from Jarvis.

"When Anna knew we were coming to see you she started to cook non stop dear". Spoke Maria as she run her hand through her son's chocolate hair before they walk trying to catch up with Howard.

Of course Tony wasn't' allowed in the room while the adults were talking, he was waiting outside sitting on a chair next to the Principal's door with Jarvis by his side. Howard didn't saw Tony as he open the door to walk out and murmured:

"…stupid child, making me waste my time with nonsense". When young Tony heard that, he felt a sharp pain in his little chest and felt like crying. But he hold his tears knowing that it would only make things worse if his father sees it.

What Tony didn't know is that Howard was actually talking about his bully. Cursing and blaming the older kid and the school incapacity to deal with the problem. Howard had spent the last hour defending his son and blaming school for not taking actions against the bullies as he had requested many times before. Their omission in take actions against the older kid lead Tony do what he did. And Howard wasn't blaming his son to try to defend himself.

But Tony never got to know that.

-o-

During his first vacations back home in LA, Tony spend his time reading books or with his mother. He loved music and so did she. Maria was teaching him how to play the piano. As she expected, Tony was learning fast!

It was during that vacation that Tony got his first "non educational" toy. So far, every toy or game that he had, had to "teach something", it was Howard's demand. That year was the first time that Tony won a remote control car as a toy. It was a present from his father long friend Peggy Carter. The woman was so pleased to see Tony's happy face with her simple and silly toy that she spend more than half hour playing with him before go inside the house searching for Howard.

Tony being Tony made modifications on the car to make it go faster and on the remote control to increase the distance and potency and he was very pleased with the result. He spend the whole weekend with the toy on his hand. Until one afternoon, his mother was out doing her philanthropy work; Tony was playing with the car in the living room when Howard step out his home office.

The older man was nervous because some contracts were not going the way he wanted. He was focus, trying to think in a way to get his rivals out of the game. He didn't saw the car and step on it almost causing his fall on the ground.

Getting more nervous by the second, Howard look at the toy on the ground and take it on his hands. He saw Tony at the end of the hall and walk to him with a furious look.,.

"I take this is yours" he showed the kid the car on his hand. "Is this how you spend your vacation time?" he yelled at his son unable to control his rage.

"Dad I-" Tony try to explain himself.

"A waste of time!" yelled Howard as he hit his son's hands that were holding the remote control, making the object drop on the ground. "I don't need to deal with this nonsense Tony! Do you understand me?" he yell even louder.

Still feeling the pain of his father hit on his little hands Tony run away from him. The second he saw his son running Howard started to feel guilty but he didn't make any movements to stop the kid.

Tony was silent crying in the garden wishing he could go back to school as soon as possible. School sucks but it was better than his home when his mother wasn't around. Jarvis came next to him.

"Master Tony, do not take his outburst to heart".

"Leave me alone Jarvis" yelled the young man holding his knees to his chest and lowering his head to hide his tears.

"He is a complicated man, but he loves you very much".

"No he doesn't. He never wants me around. I'm just a useless kid". He cried.

"That is not true. A father and son relationship… sometimes is complicated. But give it time… time will heal everything".

Would that be true? Tony question to himself. Maybe if he was smarter, if he do things like Howard would do, then maybe, in time, his father will love him too. All I have to do is to prove myself to him. He thought still crying.

-o-

As the time goes by the school subjects were no longer a challenge for Tony. Since he didn't have any friends at school, he spend most of his time at the library, therefore he already had learn what he was supposed to learn for a High School education and started to read more challenging, advanced books and researches.

When he wasn't on library Tony was skipping his classes in the Music Club. He already knew how to play the piano, therefore he learn how to play drums and guitar and also sing.

When he was 11 years old, it was already his last year of school; he was supposed to graduate in a few months. A holiday was approaching, although Tony didn't look forward to go home he did missed his mother and was anxious to see her and spend some time with her.

That day, however he was called in the Principal Office. The man had his files on his hand as he spoke with Tony.

"Look I'm looking at your records and this is no good". Tony frowned ready to bet that his grades were the best in the entire school. "You have the grades Mr. Stark but you don't have the frequency in class" explained the Principal, "so, here is what we are going to do: you are going stay in during the holiday and we are going to work something here to make this happen okay?"

"No. I don't see that happening. I wanna go home".

"If you go home you won't graduate".

"I have the best grades of this entire school. You can't stop me from graduate" spoke the kid not understanding the real problem. So what if he wasn't on class, he did learn what he was supposed to anyway right? His grades were a proof of that.

"Look, I'm going to call your father and let him make this decision okay?"

Tony shrugged imagining that the Principal wouldn't be able to speak with his father since he was "always busy". But he did. The Principal explained to Mr. Stark his son's situation and Howard demanded to speak with the boy.

"Tony I don't have time for this! I have more important thing to deal with. What do you want to do?"

"I wanna do my application for MIT" spoke the kid firmly.

Both adults were in silent for a moment. Tony couldn't see his father face but the Principal's was showing a surprised expression.

"You think you are capable to keep up with that?"

"Yes".

"Okay. Do what you gotta do".

He did. Even if a lot of people told him that he was "too young to go to MIT", "you won't survive a day", "college is not easy". At the age of 12, Anthony Stark was living his first day as a university student.


Love it? Hate it?

Let me know ;) send me your review!