"Bruce, we're going to Tennessee. now. get up." Tony said. something was wrong.
"Tony?" Bruce ask sitting up. "why are we going to Tennessee?" Bruce ask.
"we're going to Rose Hill Tennessee now. a friend of mine just lost his family and he needs a place to stay." Tony said. "he called me. I told him we'd come get him." Tony added.
"friend?" Bruce ask.
"just get up." Tony said. Bruce nodded and got up quickly getting dressed. Tony headed down stairs.
"Tony you're up early." Steve said.
"friend emergency. me and Bruce are gonna go pick him up." Tony replied. "plane leaves in twenty." Tony added. they all seemed shocked.
"Tony? you care about someone other than yourself?" Natasha ask.
"he's special. reminds me of myself." Tony muttered. Bruce came down and Tony left with him quickly.
*Rose Hill Tennessee*
Bruce barley had time to step out of Tony's private plane before Tony started walking off.
"Tony where are we going?" Bruce ask.
"just come with me." Tony replied. he had a car waiting for them. Tony didn't even wait for Bruce to buckle up, he simply took off.
"Tony what is the rush?" Bruce ask.
"his family's been dead for three days, he probably hasn't eaten in three or so days." Tony replied, speeding down the roads. Bruce sat back in his seat to watch the trees pass, soon he realized they were in a poor area.
"whats his name?" Bruce ask.
"Harley. Harley Keener." Tony replied.
"should I be worried about him taking you?" Bruce teased.
"that shouldn't be a problem. also be careful he'll talk about things that make you anxious and nervous just to see the reaction it gets from you. sent me into an anxiety attack once, don't know if he really meant to do it but he did." Tony said pulling up to a shed. he stopped the car and got out. "Harley!" Tony shouted, heading inside. Bruce followed quickly. the boy was sitting on the couch holding his potato gun and his sisters Dora watch. "hey Harley." Tony said. the boy looked at him.
"they're gone. just like my dad." Harley muttered.
"I know kid." Tony sighed. Bruce cleared his throat. "Harley this is Bruce. we've come to take you to live at the tower." Tony said. Bruce waived. Harley nodded.
"I know who he is." Harley said quietly.
"go get your stuff. come on. lets get out of here." Tony said. the boy nodded and headed to get his stuff.
"Tony when you said we were coming for a friend, I thought you meant an older friend." Bruce said.
"he's thirteen and he saved my life a couple years ago. I stayed right here in this shed, I don't remember how long." Tony said. "he helped me work on the suit." Tony added.
"he's a child. we can't just take him." Bruce said. "thats kidnapping." Bruce added.
"adoption papers will go through in the morning." Tony replied. Harley came back with a few things. "come on. you'll love the tower, all the best science toys. we can fix up that potato cannon to shoot more than one potato." Tony said.
"sounds good." Harley muttered. "you still have those anxiety attacks about the black hole?" Harley ask.
"panic attacks and anxiety attacks. just choose a day of the week." Tony replied. "and don't worry about Bruce, people make him nervous." Tony added. Harley looked at Bruce.
"hello Dr. Banner." Harley said. Bruce looked shocked.
"uh, Bruce is fine." Bruce replied.
"you're surprised I know who you are?" Harley ask with a smile.
"he's smart and tech savvy." Tony muttered as they got in the car.
"do I get to meet the other Avengers?" Harley ask.
"kid, you get to live with the Avengers." Bruce said.
"awesome." Harley replied. "so you're the Hulk right?" Harley ask. Bruce tensed slightly, but remembered Tony's warning.
"yup thats him. can't you see how big and green he is?" Tony ask.
"thats not what I meant." Harley huffed. Bruce chuckled softly.
"yes. I am." Bruce replied.
"I have a question for you." Harley said.
"I will probably have an answer for you." Bruce replied.
"I've heard all the stories done all the research. I know others opinions, I want to know yours. what is Hulk? hero or bad guy? I heard about what he did, he caught Tony when he fell from the black hole. I've also heard stories about things he's destroyed. so which is it?" Harley ask. Bruce didn't answer.
"see, Harley, thats an anxiety question. we don't ask things lke that remember? and stop bringing up the damn black hole." Tony glared at him in the rear view mirror. Harley nodded slightly. "so lets settle some things before we get to the tower, cause you'll be in for one hell of a shock." Tony said.
"lay it on me." Harley replied.
"I'm gay Bruce is my boyfriend." Tony said.
"you guys are always all over the news in New York, I knew that one." Harley said rolling his eye's.
"okay, Steve Rogers is gay. he and his boyfriend Phil Coulson live at the tower." Tony said.
"Captain America's gay? wow thats something they never put in the comic books." Harley said. Bruce chuckled as they boarded the plane.
"Natasha and Clint are a couple. don't mess with them. they're not fond of people." Tony warned.
"totally knew it, Black Widow and Hawkeye." Harley laughed. Bruce smiled.
"Thor lives at the tower, Loki does too. Loki was brain washed, now he's not really a bad guy he's more of a nuisance." Tony said. Harley nodded. "I've adopted you so you can live at the tower with us. papers will go through in the morning. I'll have your room set up by tomorrow. tonight you'll be sleeping on the couch, super comfy don't worry. Jarvis will assist you with whatever you need and help you order things to personalize your room. Pepper Potts, you know who she is, she'll take care of you and cook for you." Tony explained.
"how have you planned everything I just called this morning." Harley said.
"I saw it in the paper yesterday. I was checking up on you guys. I've been preparing I knew you'd call." Tony said. "Happy will drive you any where and every where you want to go. tomorrow when you've settled in, Bruce and I will take you up to one of the less dangerous labs and let you check things out." Tony added.
"oh and Tony didn't tell anyone he was bringing a kid home." Bruce said.
"nope. I left this morning saying I was going to go get a friend." Tony shrugged.
"they'll be cool with me living there though right?" Harley ask. Tony nodded and waived it off.
"my tower they get no choice." Tony said. "there are certain floors you will not have access to. the only people in the tower who have access to every floor are me and Bruce. you won't have access to other peoples bedrooms, certain labs, Hulks floor, my testing floor, or the sparing floor. well, an argument can be made for you to be on the sparing floor so you can watch." Tony said.
"what about school?" Harley ask.
"as soon as your ready, you can pick a school of your liking." Tony replied.
"seriously?" Harley ask.
"within reason yes." Bruce muttered.
"anything else I should know?" Harley ask.
"nope. thats it. hey this is our stop." Tony said as they plane landed. they got out and headed for the car.
"Mr. Stark. Dr. Banner... small... child..." Happy said. "Sir there's a child following you." Happy said worriedly.
"Happy this is Harley." Tony said. Harley waived at him and got in the car.
"we're not going to find out he's actually your kid are we?" Happy ask.
"no he's not my kid." Tony glared, getting in. Bruce snickered and followed him.
"I've never been to New York." Harley said.
"well, welcome to the Big Apple kid." Tony muttered. Harley looked around watching the buildings pass by.
"so what ever happened with you and Pepper?" Harley ask.
"we just didn't work out." Tony replied with a shrug.
"Mr. Stark, Peppers alerted me of press waiting outside of the tower. someone leaked you were picking up a friend." Happy said.
"great. when we get there, stay between me and Bruce, keep this on and keep your head down. you'll get used to the press eventually." Tony said, handing Harley his jacket.
"Why do I need to put this on?" Harley ask, but did it anyway.
"because I said so. Bruce give him your sunglasses." Tony said. Bruce nodded taking them off quickly and handing them to Harley. "we're gonna get you in as quickly as possible. Happy you bring his stuff in." Tony said.
"of course sir." Happy replied as they pulled up to the tower. Tony stepped out, Bruce and Harley followed. he made sure Harley stayed between them with his head down.
"Mr. Stark! can you tell us who that is?!" one of the news ladies ask.
"he's a guy who helped me a few years ago. he's had a family tragedy and lost all his living relatives. he'll be staying with the Avengers until we find some where for him to go." Tony replied as they walked. he opened the door and let Bruce guide Harley in.
"I thought I was living here?" Harley ask.
"you are for now. when you turn eighteen, I expect you to move out and get a job." Tony replied.
"who is that?" a voice ask.
"Pepper, great to see you, this is Harley, take him to the kitchen and get him something to eat he probably hasn't eaten in a few days." Tony said.
"no I'm good." Harley replied. Tony shrugged and led the way to the living room.
"hey Tony, where's that friend of yours?" Steve ask.
"this is Harley." Tony said waiving the boy over. Harley waived excitedly at the team. "he helped me a couple years ago when the house blew up. I landed in Tennessee and crashed at his place. he's the friend Bruce and I went to pick up. he knows who all of you are, except for you, thats Phil." Tony said, looking at Harley. Harley waived at Phil, who waived back hesitantly. "this couch will be his bed just for the night, so no sleeping on it. have fun. I'll be right back." Tony said, turning to go after Pepper. Bruce sat and motioned for Harley to do the same.
"so you helped Tony?" Phil ask. Harley nodded.
"yeah, he and Jarvis kinda took over the garage." Harley said. "speaking of does he still say the wrong word at the end of his sentences?" Harley ask with a grin.
"they do not know what you're talking about." Jarvis answered. Harley laughed.
"of course they don't." Harley grinned. Tony walked over to Pepper.
"he's living at the tower now. I need you to go out and get a bed and some clothes. kid didn't have much to begin with, so just get some stuff." Tony said. Pepper seemed shocked.
"Tony you're not serious. you can't keep a child." Pepper said.
"he's like twelve. it's fine he pretty much will take care of himself once he gets used to being here." Tony shrugged, getting a cup of coffee he went back to the living room. "Peppers gonna see if she can't get you that bed today." Tony said. Harley nodded slightly.
"thank you for letting me stay." Harley said.
"yup. welcome to your new home kid." Tony said getting in the elevator. he flashed a small smile at the elevator doors closed. things would be fine.