This final chapter I actually finished in 04/2020 of this year, so I think I meant that last chapter was written 2 years ago, whoops. This story is a series, it has and am adding more snapshots of things I couldn't fit into the story or prompts that things people wanted to see. Again that'll be on the archive, I'm not adding it here. So go check that out.
It was a couple days later, and a few hours after Bucky and Rhodey had put him to bed In his room, that Tony felt a little off. These past 6 months had been the best second chance at childhood he could have ever hoped for. And as much as he wanted it to continue, he knew it was time to go back. He could feel the gentle coaxing of Loki's magic In his limbs and he knew that by tomorrow morning, he would be an adult again.
He didn't know if he would remember the time he had as a child. But he didn't want to forget it, he didn't want to forget what it felt like to be loved. He hoped he retained his memories but he knew even if he didn't, JARVIS was here to show him hours and hours of video to bring the memories back. He took a deep breath and then another, still marveling at how incredibly good it felt to breathe so easily. His limbs felt extremely heavy, and he suddenly felt exhausted, even though his day hadn't been as busy as it could have been.
Both of his James's had spent the entire day with just him and he had loved it. He wasn't worried any longer about Bucky taking his spot on the team. The other man didn't want to fight anymore, and Tony could understand that even in his little struggled to keep his eyes open, as the healing magic of Loki's continued to lull to try to lull him to a deep sleep.
"Jay, I'm going to be myself tomorrow," Tony whispered out softly, finally allowing himself to speak it into existence, It was happening he could feel it.
"Sir, should I alert the Soldier and the Colonel?"JARVIS asked out quietly.
"No, I want to have this moment, I just wanted you to know," Tony said out quietly, before the little boy could no longer keep his eyes open. He opened them briefly once more, before they closed on their own accord as his breaths evened out as he felt into a deep sleep.
JARVIS kept watch his creator, making sure that his vitals were where they were supposed to be. It was fairly anticlimactic, as maybe 2 hours after his young sir had fallen asleep and his minders had checked on him, when he could see something happening. Gone was the little 4 year old child, and currently in his place was a boy around the age of 10. It made sense for the magic to age him up in increments as to not hurt the child. He was glad his sleep was so restful as he was going to be doing a lot of growing up tonight.
He watched as his creator, lost his baby face as he jumped to a fifteen year old boy, his features a mixture of childhood and on the cusps of adult hood. His legs were gangly looking even under the blanket, alluding to the fact that his creator's height was coming back. When the man hit 20 years old, JARVIS could see the young man he had first met, a wave of nostalgia swept through the Artificial intelligence, because there had been no physical harm to his creator here.
His vitals were steady, even as he aged up to 25 years old, his features turning into the chiseled one he was used to looking at. Only it was different, there were no years worth of bags under his creator's eyes. There was no dark circles, and JARVIS wondered how on earth the Johtun had done it. JARVIS didn't allow himself to get distracted for long, aware that another five years was going to be added soon enough.
He watched silently, as his creator breathed in and out as he slept, waiting for more changes, but nothing happened. JARVIS ran a scan over his creator, and he was in perfect condition for a man of his age, which was coming up at 25. What on earth? He said nothing as he continued to run scan after scan coming to the conclusion that this was going to be his creators new age. Unsure of how the man would take it, JARVIS knew he would have to be delicate in his delivery tomorrow.
~*~*~*The Next Day~*~*~**~*~*~
When Tony woke up the next morning, he didn't move right away just enjoying the sunshine coming into his room. He sighed softly before he brushed the hair out of his eyes with his hand and froze as he felt the callousness of his palm. It had been so long since his hands had felt like that, his child hand had been soft, but this hand felt like it had known work and he knew what that meant.
"I'm back," he whispered out, surprised to find tears pricking the corner of his eyes. He hadn't realized how much he had missed his adult self until just that moment. His heart thudded in his chest, but it wasn't painful, and he took a deep breath to make sure. The tears nearly threatened to spill over then as he realized that Loki had kept his word, that breath and every one after it and before was painless.
"Sir, are you alright? Do you want to get the Colonel?" JARVIS asked out in concern.
"I'm fine JARVIS, don't get Rhodey yet, just let me get my bearings first. If anyone asks, just tell them I'm asleep," Tony said out quietly, the tears deciding they were going to spill over at the sound of his deep voice.
He really was back, and god it felt so good to be him again. He wiped them away with a chuckle as he pushed the blankets back looking down at his pajamas that had aged up with him thankfully. He grabbed the Bucky Bear with his hand and rubbed the ear fondly, he was glad his memories were still there as well. He felt that he had done a lot of growing emotionally these past 6 months, and felt lighter then he had ever felt in a long time.
"Sir, there's something you should know," JARVIS said out carefully.
"What is it Jay? Is it something to do with the team?" Tony asked out curiously as he swung his legs over the side of the bed so he could stand up.
"Not quite. His magic didn't age you up to your rightful age, but the process is complete. You will age up with time, but you are no longer physically 40 years old," JARVIS said out carefully.
Tony had been about to stand up before JARVIS's words registered in his brain, what had his A.I. Just said? "Come again Jay?" He asked out softly, feeling like the air was getting sucked out of his newly healed lungs.
"Your physical age is no longer that of a 40 year old sir," JARVIS explained out gently.
Tony felt his stomach plummet because what the hell did that mean? "He made me older?" He asked out weakly, because that couldn't be right. Loki had promised he wouldn't make his life harder.
"No, he made you younger and healthier than you've ever been in your entire life sir," JARVIS admitted out.
Tony let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding with a whoosh, because that was good news wasn't it? "How old am I physically if I'm not 40 years old anymore?" He asked, because he needed to know.
"You are now 25 years old sir, and your health is immaculate. This is truly a second chance sir," JARVIS said out quickly before his creator could panic.
Tony was the furthest from panicking, as his brain repeated what JARVIS just said to him over and over in his head on loop.
"I'm 25 years old are you kidding me? I'm younger then Steve," he said with a dramatic sigh because damn.
He was secretly thrilled because this meant that he had so many more years left to figure out a way to save earth. Nothing was going to be able to hold him back..well except Pepper. Oh god Pepper, would she still want to be with him? He shook that thought away before he jumped out of the bed, grinning as he walked into his en-suite. He went straight to the mirror to look at himself.
He didn't say anything as he touched his wrinkle free face, taking that time to finally get a look at the reactor. He took a deep breath as he watched the reactor in awe before he grabbed it and pulled it out. He held it in his hand and looked back at his unblemished chest.
This device wasn't a part of him any longer, And that thought gave him so much more relief then he had thought it would have. He didn't see what was possibly holding it to his chest, but he stuck it back with a grin, as it reattached itself to his chest, like magic. He shook his head ruefully because that's what it was wasn't it? He was a product of magic gone right. Tony put his hand over his eyes as he struggled to rein in his emotions, he didn't think he would ever be able to pay the god back for this.
He hoped Thor was coming back today. Nodding to himself, and knowing his minders would be in soon and he wanted to surprise them, he went and got dressed. He put his hands in his pockets before he walked out of the bedroom. He was on the common floor, and simply walked down the hall quietly, noticing the the childish drawings taped to the wall the whole way to the kitchen.
As he passed the living room, he could see all the toys that had been bought for him taking up a section of the room, but other things littered the room to let anyone know a child lived here. Or used to live here, ignoring the sudden pain in his stomach at that thought he shook his head before continuing to the kitchen. As he neared the door to the kitchen he could hear voices and being who he was, he stopped to hear what they had to say.
"I'm surprise that bug isn't up already," Bucky said out thoughtfully as he got the table set up. Tony's plate was already ready and cooling down on the counter.
"He was exhausted last night, I'm not surprised he's sleeping in," Rhodey said with a grin.
"That's true, what's the plan for today?" Bucky asked out curiously.
"No clue, I think we're just winging it. Kids don't need structure all the time," Rhodey said out honestly.
"That's fair, let's have a chill day today, watch some movies and play in his playroom," Bucky said out eagerly. He didn't want to admit that he was pretty sure he loved Tony's playroom more then the child did. How could he not? It was crazy fun.
"Play room? Man it's a play floor, and I so want to do that, you know how much fun that place is? It's basically a trampoline park without random people," Rhodey said with a grin, knowing how Bucky was about the amount of money they had easily spent for Tony.
Tony swallowed thickly, wondering if surprising them was even a good idea even more. He was bound to disappoint the both of them, he was honestly just glad that the rest of the team was god knows where. It had to be done, no point in putting it off.
"I'm game for that, but only if we can play Mario Kart after lunch," he said out as casually as he could as he walked through the kitchen door before he could talk himself out of it. He had a full view of their shocked and silent faces as their eyes looked him over, unable to handle their dual gaze's he turned to look to see what was for breakfast.
"It's good to have you back Tones, but um why are you so young?" Rhodey asked out bluntly, the first to recover as he made his way over to his friend to give him a hug.
"Loki, I guess he thought I could do more good if he knocked off a few years," Tony said out weakly as he turned around to face his friend before he was suddenly engulfed into his best friend's strong arms. He felt himself starting to come undone again in the hug, but he didn't try to hold it in this time. He hugged his best friend back tightly.
"I got you buddy you know that," Rhodey whispered out softly as he comforted his friend. This he knew how to do, no matter what age his friend was, comfort was the same regardless of age.
Bucky was looking like a deer in headlights, and feeling like he was intruding on a moment between friends. He was unsure what he was supposed to do, especially because he was at such a loss of words. It had been a shock to see Tony Stark looking the way he currently did, especially when they were expecting a much younger one.
Well…not much younger to his current body actually. He shook his head, feeling like he might be unwelcome, and didn't that hurt. He didn't think on it, before he moved to walk around them, stopping as he saw the look and gesture that the other James was now giving him. He frowned but he didn't leave, he simply moved over to the counter to fiddle with the coffee pot.
Tony wasn't sure how long he cried for, but when the soothing words finally registered he knew that he was safe and that everything was going to be okay. "Sorry Rhodey Bear, I didn't mean to cry all over you," he chuckled out tearfully as he wiped his face on his friend's shoulder.
"It's fine, it's not the first time you've done that and I doubt it'll be the last," Rhodey said out playfully.
"Oh hush," Tony said with a laugh as he pulled back from the hug, his eyes red but choosing not to care. It wasn't like anyone would be making fun of him anyway.
"Now let me look at you, you look like jailbait, how old are you now?" Rhodey said out teasingly.
"Hey, I'm perfectly legal and I can drink if I wanted too but I don't. I'm 25," Tony said out a little proudly before he could stop himself.
"You're younger then Stevie," Bucky said out in surprise before giving a small smile, not sure how he would be taken now that the man of the hour was as aged up as he was going to get.
"I know," Tony groaned out dramatically as he dropped his head on his friend's shoulder.
"Well there's nothing to do about it, is this age permanent or will you age in a few days?" Rhodey asked out curiously.
"This is it, everything is healed and the reactor that Bucky thought was sitting directly on my chest, he was correct. I can take it off and on with no issue, it's no longer attached to me. I'll show you," Tony said out seriously as he pulled up his shirt.
Normally he would never do this but it was no longer a weakness or vulnerability so he had nothing to lose. Not to mention he knew the two people in front of him would never hurt him like that.
Rhodey's eyes widened as he saw his friend lift up his shirt before he shook his head. "You don't have to prove it to us, I don't want any setbacks for you mentally," he said out worriedly.
"There won't be any, he took my trauma and while I know it happened to me and I have the memories. The emotions and fears attached to it, are gone. I think I could dunk myself in water and be okay, I'm not that keen to try it but my PTSD is gone," Tony said out quietly as he pulled out the arc reactor so they could see his unmarked skin before he put it back.
Rhodey felt like an actual weight had been lifted off his shoulders because he was glad to hear that, but also a little confused. "How does it stay up there and stick?"
"Magic," Tony said out simply, because it was the truth.
Rhodey blinked at the casualness of his friend's tone, this was weird. Usually Tony would try to explain away 'magic' but He guess since it affected him personally he had no choice but to accept it. He shook the sudden thought away before he went back to his original train of thought.
"Well I'm glad you're okay, the world needs Iron Man," he said out seriously as he brought his friend into another hug.
Tony coughed as he glanced at Bucky before he turned to pull back from the hug. "I don't think the world does, Bucky and you have been doing a great job in my absence," he said out quietly.
He had so many thoughts last night, Bucky said he didn't like to fight but he still did each and every time. These past 6 months had really shown him that he wasn't needed on the Avengers. Surprisingly it didn't hurt as much as he thought it would have. He always knew he wasn't a real member of the team but he had always been okay with that. He suppose this was why acceptance came so easily. Tony had always felt like an outsider looking in when it came to the team.
"Fine, the Avengers need Iron Man," Bucky said out bluntly, when it seemed like Tony was going to dispute some more.
"Says who?" Tony asked out skeptically as he arched an eyebrow in disbelief.
"The Avengers stupid," Clint said out dryly as he walked into the kitchen and grabbed an apple from the fruit basket.
Tony was thrown at the sentence and at the owner of the new voice, his eyes going to search out Clint who was giving him a piercing look. Unable to take his gaze, he moved his eyes back to Bucky whose eyes looked kind but Challenging.
"All the Avengers aren't here, and in case everyone in this kitchen forgot my recommendation, I did not. I as a person wasn't recommended so I'm taking my whole self out of the equation. Besides War Machine is just as good if not better then Iron Man. I would say he's better, HE listens to orders," Tony said out quietly. What could he say, he was a glutton for punishment.
"Shut up bug you know damn well Natasha regrets what she put," Bucky said out pointedly, before Rhodey could start lecturing because he could see the appalled look on the Colonel's face as he geared up.
Tony flushed at the pet name and the scolding, turning his gaze away from the soldier and inadvertently meeting Clint's eyes. "You look a couple years older then my son, how old are you now?" He asked out curiously.
"I'm 25 and I'm way older then Cooper and I resent that," Tony said with an unintentional pout.
"Resent it all you want, when you start pouting you look even younger," Clint said with a grin. "Cooper is 16, so you're about 9 years older then him, like I said a couple years,"
"I told you that you look like jailbait," Rhodey said with a low chuckle.
Tony whined before he moved over to Bucky. "They're being mean to me," he pouted out childishly.
Bucky didn't say anything about the pout, but he was feeling a sense of déjà vu, he felt like he was gaining another little brother. He knew for sure in that moment, that if someone tried to hurt Tony in anyway, he would kill them, simple as that.
"Do you want me to get Stevie and Natasha and we can ask them if you're getting replaced?" He asked out honestly, trying to get get his train of thoughts back on track.
Tony winced at the bluntness of the word because while a part of him didn't want to blindsided the other part just didn't want to know. He knew it would hurt badly, no matter what he thought or said to make it feel better.
"Whose getting replaced?" Steve asked out cheerfully as he and Natasha both came into the kitchen as if they were being summoned. He hadn't heard all the conversation but he had heard replaced and Avengers and wanted to know what was going on.
"Speak of the devil and he shall appear, no truer words," Tony muttered out from where he had moved himself to stand completely behind Bucky. He wasn't hiding, he just blocking himself from sight. Hmm, so maybe that was hiding, he didn't care at this point.
"Tony is under the impression that Iron Man is replaceable and given his new state we thought it would be better coming from the Captain of the team as well as his peer," Rhodey said out casually.
Steve looked at Rhodey in confusion because of what? "We're all his peers, friends even," he said out honestly.
"Yes I know that, but he's referring to that fact that you and Tony are in the same age bracket now," Clint said with obvious glee on his face.
"Oh?" Natasha said out softly as she tried to get a good look at Tony from where he was hiding behind Bucky's frame.
"Mhm, Loki's magic healed him completely and aged him to 25, he's now the youngest member on the team," Rhodey answered out in amusement.
"Traitor," Tony grumbled out, though he wasn't upset at all.
"They were going to find out, they live with you, they're bound to notice it. One of them is a spy," Rhodey said out with a grin of his own.
"Also Natasha if you get a moment it would be great if you could tell Tony that your first recommendation is not what you actually think of him now. His self worth is still at an all time low," Clint said out quietly as he turned to look at his partner.
Natasha nodded out silently, she had been planning on doing that since the night she shared the beef stroganoff with child Tony. He was so far from what she had said, he had fooled her completely, had fooled everyone.
"Okay Tony let me see you," Steve requested out curiously.
Tony blew out an aggrieved sigh before he shook his head, only to realize no one could see him given his current position. "No way," he muttered back, has he unconsciously held onto the back of Bucky's t-shirt.
"Bug," Bucky said out quietly. "Let Stevie see," he said out seriously.
"No, he didn't ask, he's demanding," Tony retorted out, thanking everything Rhodey was choosing to stay silent. He knew his friend knew that he was defensive because he was scared of Steve's reaction.
"That's fair, ask the right way Stevie," Bucky prompted out.
Steve sighed before shaking his head. "Can I see you Tony?" He asked out a moment later.
Tony was once again reminded about how much power Bucky actually had over Steve and wasn't that amazing? Perhaps he wouldn't be going anywhere after all, team wise he meant. Because this was his damn tower and he would be damn if he moved out.
Shaking away the random thoughts that were starting to get him sidetracked, he released his grip on Bucky's shirt and stepped out from behind him, coming face to face with Steve. Tony stared at Steve as the Captain stared back at him.
Steve was floored, to be honest he had felt very hopeful when Rhodey had said that he and Tony were closer to in age now. Maybe now they could connect as people and be real friends. And looking at the other twenty something guy across from him, he felt a sudden sense of relief. He wasn't the only one like this, finally. To his utter embarrassment he felt his eyes prickling and he blinked hard before he turned away from Tony.
"Your spot on the team is fine Tony, you have nothing to worry about," Steve said out quietly before he moved to head to the refrigerator.
"Not so fast Stevie, what's the matter with you?" Bucky asked out gently as he grabbed the back of his friend's shirt before he could walk away from him.
"Nothing," Steve said out quickly, trying to get free.
"Liar liar, why do look like you're gonna cry then?" Tony asked out pointedly.
"I'm happy that someone else is like me, another person who is an age he's not supposed to be," Steve admitted out softly.
"Hello, Bucky is a man out of time too," Tony pointed out truthfully.
"Not really, he's good at adapting to the changing times and no one else sees him as 29 years old, the way he carries himself is much older then his current age. He doesn't see me as 27 in that same retrospect, I'm still Stevie to him, and I'm sure as you've noticed your bug to him," Steve pointed out honestly. "He's to me, what your James is to you,"
"So as my fellow little brother in the tower I was hoping that maybe we might be able to become friends this time around, real friends," Steve said out wistfully.
"I'd like that," Tony said out softly, surprised to find out, that really meant it. These past 6 months had shown him, that when he had friends and family around him all the time he thrived. They needed to be in this together if they wanted to continue to be a great team.
"I think everyone would like that" Rhodey said out softly, and he meant it.
Tony nodded out silently, feeling floored because never had he imagined that this was be the outcome of his deaging fiasco. But despite everything that happened, he wouldn't change it for a thing.