Big Brother

Teddy groaned when he left his shower. Stretching his arms and feeling his tired muscles soothed by the water's comforting warmth. It had been a long, hard day at work. It didn't matter that he was a new recruit. Study hard. Work harder.

Dressed in slacks and a shirt he fell down onto his couch and told his TV to open YouTube. He had half grown up in the muggle world and there were some things he just wasn't prepared to get rid off. Especially not with his Dad being the CEO of the world's biggest Tech company. So yes, he chose to live in an apartment, talk to his muggle neighbours on a regular basis and take his bike to work instead of apparating.

His new apartment was a hit with his friends, both muggle-born and from a wizarding family.

The doorbell rang just as Teddy was making his way through the American late night shows from the day before.

He sighed and got up and walked into the hallway to press the intercom.

"Hello?"

There was a short pause.

"Hi Teddy. It's your Uncle. The cool one. Tony."

Teddy froze, his breathing hitched.

"Teddy… I know you are angry at me, but… I brought Pizza."

Teddy didn't answer, but pushed the button anyway. He leaned onto the door and closed his eyes, waiting for his uncle to get there. He opened the door, when he heard the elevator arrive.

Uncle Tony looked… different. He was wearing jeans and a hoodie, carrying two pizza cartons. Teddy let him walk through the front door wordlessly and closed it behind him.

"Tuna.", Tony declared and awkwardly but his things down on the small table next to the front door, "And pineapple."

Teddy still didn't say anything, staring at the uncle he hadn't seen in months in disbelieve.

"I would… you know… ask for a hug, but I am guessing I won't get one."

Teddy blinked. He was angry. Angry at his uncle. Angry and mostly hurt.

"Jimmy told me what you said to Dad."

"I know. It's why I am here."

"I am kinda angry."

"I get that."

"You really hurt Dad. And me."

"I know that, too. It's why… why I came to you first. Your Dad and I… that's another story. But I never… I never wanted you to get hurt in the crossfire. You know that, right? You, Emmy, Jimmy, Alec and Lily… you guys are the single most important people in my life, well… you guys and your Dad. Of course."

Teddy knew that, but it was nice to hear. Uncle Tony's remarks about his Dad only being adopted had hit a very raw nerve with Teddy. He knew his parents loved him. He knew they never looked at him differently. But… but…. He was. He wasn't even fully human.

"I get it… if you don't want to talk to me, but I haven't seen you in months and I just… I miss you."

"Do you really think Dad is ONLY adopted? Less of a Stark?"

"No! I just… I wanted to hurt him like I felt I had been hurt and I knew it would do exactly that."

"No. You don't just come up with something like that! Your first thought to hurt Dad wouldn't be adoption, if that thought wasn't already there. Maybe not in the forefront, but it was there or you wouldn't have said it!"

"Teddy…"

"And I don't know what to make of that. I don't understand. Mum and Dad CHOSE me. They chose me and I was there's. Why couldn't you? Do you think I am… less?"

"No, of course…"

"And Dad… even if they hadn't adopted him, he'd still be your nephew. Biologically. But me? I am… nothing. An imposter. I shouldn't be anywhere near you. I am…"

Teddy didn't even notice the tears streaming down his face. Only adopted. It was his worst fear come to life.

And then Uncle Tony was standing in front of him, his arms engulfing him. There was that familiar smell of something smoky and just… Uncle Tony, all around him.

"No, Teddy, no! From the moment I first saw you, I knew you were mine. My family had grown from only Harry to Teddy and Harry. This was never about you. This fight was never about you! Please… I am going to tell you this now and I know you'll think badly of me for it, but please, please, please give me a chance."

Uncle Tony's voice was heavy with tears, too. Teddy couldn't see his expression. On instinct he had buried his face into Uncle Tony's shoulder. Like he used to as a child, when he had hurt himself or simply felt like it. Uncle Tony's arms were still… safe. Even now, that Teddy was taller than him.

"I DO think of your Dad as my brother. He is. There is no debate, no question. But… as a kid, as a teenager… I was jealous. I was jealous of him spending all that time with our Mum, when I'd had nannies. I was jealous of him and Dad getting along so well. Of their understanding. Of Dad having so much time. So yes, sometimes I would tell myself: It's because his REAL parents are dead. It's because they don't want him to feel less loved, because he was adopted. I knew it wasn't true, but I just… needed to believe it sometimes. Because I didn't want to start resenting him."

Teddy didn't know what to say to that. Was there something he could say?

He raised his head and took a step back from his uncle, angrily brushing the tears from his eyes.

"Did you try telling Dad that?"

"Yes, in a way. But… they were so different with Harry, it is hard for him to understand. He only saw how I interacted with Dad long after it had all become so complicated."

"I… I don't think badly of you for that, Uncle Tony. I think I… get it, in a way."

"Can we maybe sit down and talk for a little? Eat that pizza?"

Teddy stared down at the pizzas his uncle had brought.

"How did you know I'd be off work tonight?"

"I didn't. I was here yesterday. And the day before that. I rang the doorbell and when you didn't answer I went back to the hotel and ate my pizza. And then your disgusting one."

On impulse Teddy just hugged him again and heard his uncle whisper carefully: "I missed you, little bear."

Teddy actually choked up a little at his uncle's words. No one ever called him that anymore. No one but Uncle Tony, now that his Mum was gone.

30 (totally not tear-filled minutes) later, the two men were sitting on Teddy's couch, each with pizza on their lap and some music video on TV.

"How is everyone?", Uncle Tony asked quietly.

"Mostly okay.", Teddy shrugged.

"Mostly?"

Teddy sighed, "Emmy seems to be a bit unhappy at Hogwarts. I don't know… she's been all moody about going back. Picking fights with Dad and Jo… we'll see."

"She is not being bullied or anything, right? Because I don't care if they are magical kids or not, I will beat them up myself."

"No. Not that we know. Dad… Dad was so worried, he actually asked Neville, if he had heard something. Jimmy said he didn't notice anything... now Dad doesn't really know what to do and Jo decided to just try new stuff. She is doing lots of stuff with Emmy and Wanda, like…"

"Zumba.", Tony interrupted him.

"Yeah, seems fun.", Teddy told him non-committedly. He didn't know what really to say to that. And he didn't want to discuss Emmy. It felt like a betrayal to talk about her too much to the uncle she wasn't really talking to at the moment.

In an attempt to change the subject, Teddy got up and walked towards the kitchen, returning with a bottle of firewhiskey and two glasses. It was, he knew, his uncle's favourite.

"Oh, not for me, thanks.", Uncle Tony waved the offered glass away.

Teddy looked at him in surprise, before simply accepting his uncle's choice and returning with butterbear instead.

They drank in comfortable silence for a bit.

"So, tell me, young man, how is the new job?"

"A lot of work."

"The good kind?"

"Yeah, I like it. I love learning."

"You always have.", Uncle Tony agreed.

"It's a little annoying. People seem to feel the constant need to tell me how great Dad was at his job."

"Circle of life. They did that to your Dad, too. And to me. Somehow they always think it will please you."

"It doesn't bother me, per say. But… Uncle Tony, do you think Dad might be disappointed in me for choosing the career he left?", Teddy asked, the fear that had been on his mind ever since he told his Dad he'd been accepted for the Auror training.

"No."

"Just no?"

"Just no. I am fairly certain that you could NEVER disappoint your Dad. Not really. He might be worried or concerned or any number of things… He might even be disappointed in something you do, but YOU he will never be disappointed with."

"Semantics."

"I don't think so. Right now I wouldn't want to presume what your Dad is thinking, but… if this truly bothers you: ask him. I wasn't exactly happy with him becoming an Auror, back then he told me he didn't have a choice. Do you feel like you had a choice?"

Teddy pretended to think about that for a moment, although he knew the answer and had done so for years: "No. I never had a choice."