A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! This chapter's written in Jared's POV. enjoy.
There's a million cameras flashing at them and suddenly he just wants to go home. He wants to get away from all the people and all those reporters shouting his name. He hates that everybody knows him, that everybody wants to know what it's like being the son of Ironman. There isn't a doubt in the world that he doesn't love his father because if anything he loves his father and his mother very much. They're the best parents he thinks a kid could ever have because they always let him have ice cream every night. But sometimes he just wishes they were a normal family.
Sometimes he wishes the world didn't know his name and he wishes his father didn't have to fly off into battle every other day. He hates that his mother is always sad when his father leaves and he really just wishes they could all have a little vacation. That maybe just for one day his father wouldn't have to be Ironman and his mother wouldn't have to be CEO. He wishes that they were just ordinary people that could walk in a supermarket without being followed by a dozen body guards.
His father always tells him not to worry about it. That eventually in time he'll get used to all the cameras and all the people always shouting his name. His mother often tells him to just ignore them because sometimes that's all you can really do. She always told him to look the other way or pretend he didn't see them at all. But he thinks it's not that easy because he can't focus properly when his name is being shouted all the time.
They're attending the Stark Industries Christmas party and as excited as he was to eat the Christmas cake, he really isn't looking forward to an evening of complete and utter boredom. He's sure his father and mother will be busy with talking to a dozen people and his Uncle Happy will be busy dancing with Natalie. His Uncle Rhodey will probably be doing the same thing as his mother and father and there really isn't anybody else he thinks he can hang out with.
"Behave okay and be polite to people if they talk to you," she says softly as she neatens the tie at his neck. He squirms a little because he really hates wearing the tie.
"I need to use the bathroom..." he says softly.
"Pepper, can't we just go home...This is all so tedious," his father grumbles beside his mother.
"I don't mind if we go home now too," he adds and winces when his mother throws him a very pointed look.
"I thought we already discussed this," his mother protests quietly.
"It was two against one and you still beat us," his father grumbles, "It was hardly fair to begin with."
"Well, you made me boss so."
"Sometimes I wonder why I fell in love with you, Pepper."
"Because I was all you had," his mother replies coolly.
"Touché Pep."
"I try," his mother smiles and he's sure he's missing something entirely.
"Well...you go mingle, I'll take him to the bathroom," his father says softly to his mother.
He watches as his mother nods and adds, "If you absolutely insist."
"I insist," his father says with a smile. He feels his father's hand as his father added, "We'll see you in a bit."
"Behave," his mother pointedly told his father and this time he smiles as he turns away when they kiss because he thinks it's really disgusting.
They make it to the toilets in less than two minutes. He briefly catches a glimpse of a twinkle in his father's eye and he suspects they won't be returning to the ballroom to join his mother any time soon. He's partly grateful for that but partly not because that would mean he and his father would get a hefty earful later.
But ten minutes later his father and he are sitting on the sink counter heavily engrossed in hacking into Stark Industries mainframe.
"Better than talking to boring people?" his father asks softly.
He nods and smiles in return. "But mummy's going to scold us later."
"I know, but she doesn't stay angry for long..."
He smiles.
It wasn't going to be a boring evening after all.