No-One But You (The Star Child's Eclipse)
Chapter 18: Soldier Boy (Part 8)
Now, before we take things any further, I understand the set up for this story revolves around a certain "Star Child," but… best believe everything in this story is deeply intertwined and connected.
Sofia Strange isn't the only "Star Child" in this story, in case you weren't aware, so… for now we're going to divert our attention away from the realm of "magic," Doom Bots, and all things related to the Mystic Arts.
…
We're mentally taking a short trip back in time, thanks to Tony Stark's ability to manipulate something called the "Mind Stone."
Steve Rogers had to blink a number of times before his mind could truly focus on what was in front of him, and he found himself looking around the enormous home that Tony more or less grew up in.
The "Stark Mansion" was Howard Stark's home back when his son was sixteen years old.
So, this means a sixteen-year-old version of Tony was seen dragging his luggage in through the left side of the home in that moment.
Steve just about choked when he saw him, then he glanced down at his own body to double check if he could be seen.
HOLY COW. Tony always looked cute, but he looked very young and adorable as Steve watched him make his way through the giant living room.
Tony was on a break from attending MIT, or the "Massachusetts Institute of Technology" during this part of the story, and he was picked up from the airport by a man named Edwin Jarvis.
Jarvis told him that he had to carry his own luggage to his own bedroom, and Tony's reaction to that was pretty chill. Whatever dude…
Steve actually heard him say that, and he watched a younger version of the Tony he knew as he entered the space and made himself at home.
Tony dumped his stuff off in his bedroom, then he checked in with his mother first, naturally, because the smell of food lured him over in that direction.
He interrupted whatever she was doing with a hug, but Maria cut the interaction short.
She told Tony that his father was waiting for him, and he needed to head to his office. Pronto. Now. Get going. Young man.
…
"Will he shit a brick if I dip?"
…
"Yes, he will, so off you go…"
…
Hah. Tony had a giant smile on his face before he rolled his eyes and glanced toward the door.
He tried to snag some food too before he took off to speak to "the man,"… but his mother was onto him.
She gave him another hug before she kicked him out of the kitchen, then Tony gave her a passive shrug as he headed toward his father's dungeon.
Steve noticed the way Tony carried himself in that house as he wandered off to talk to his father, and he seemed very at ease and almost gleeful.
He was practically prancing around as he ventured. Tony touched everything on his way to his father too, then he started hopping his way down the steps.
Down…
Down…..
Down he went, and it didn't seem like Tony had a care in the world.
There wasn't a careful, cautious, protective bone in his body in that moment, so Steve took a second to look at the person who was standing directly beside him.
The Tony Stark that he was in a relationship with was staring at the same exact scene, and he didn't budge from what he was seeing at all…
He watched himself head down to his father's office, and the feelings he had in that moment were very surreal.
His heart stopped for a second there too… because he remembered exactly what Steve was about to see.
…
Tony picked that precise moment for a specific reason, because his father had a little seating area just outside the door to his fancy workspace.
His younger self reached that seating area at this point in the story, and Tony watched himself smile at someone who was patiently waiting to speak to his father.
…
Obadiah Stane was there in the flesh, and Steve Rogers got to witness Tony's innocent looking smile as well.
His smile was wide when he saw Ezekiel's father, and the younger Tony sort of hopped his way down toward the bottom of the stairs.
…
"Hey Obi, how long have you been waiting?"
…
"Only an hour, and I thought you were coming in next week?"
…
Meh. Tony playfully shrugged off his answer, because he couldn't possibly care any less about next week's schedule. Yawn.
Yawnville. Tony's boredom clearly dominated the moment, but he only received a small laugh from the man who worked for his father.
Obadiah Stane seemed… amused, but his demeanor was also a bit disinterested as well. Steve even watched him shrug up his shoulders.
…
"I'm here now, so, you're wrong… and your secretary needs to be fired."
…
"I'll keep that in mind. How's school?"
…
"Boring. I'm bored most of the time…so I ditch."
…
Ah. Obadiah took in that response, and he kept studying the way Tony was moving around and pressing his foot against the bottom step of the stairs.
Stark's son was hyper-active to the max, and a trouble-maker for sure.
Ezekiel's father wasn't surprised to hear that Tony was "bored" while he was supposed to be studying and "making a difference" at MIT.
Obadiah said nothing to Tony at first, then he took a moment to look at the door to Howard's office…
The guy was in some sort of phone conference, or whatever, so Obadiah almost gave Tony's confession a second of his time..
…
"Don't tell him I said that, okay? My dad would flip if he knew that…"
…
Uh.. Tony didn't mean to say that to Obi, but he did, so suddenly shit felt awkward.
Obadiah was cool and all, but... he didn't know if that was something he'd immediately tell his dad.
Would he narc on him, or what? Tony felt super nervous about it, and someone could tell.
I mean, Obadiah Stane could tell Tony's father about him "ditching" one of the most prestigious schools in the world and get him in trouble, but nah.
He wasn't going to say anything, because "Obi" actually didn't have time for petty nonsense like that.
…
"How about I level with you instead, Tony, because I've heard being bored is your punishment for being too smart."
…
Oh? Wait what? Who told him that?
Tony had to do a double-take on that comment, because what he heard was pretty unexpected.
So… Obi thought he was, smart? That was…
He kinda wanted to ask Obi more about what he said, but his father opened the door to his office before Tony could respond to that random compliment.
Obadiah was already gone and in the room before he could even look at him too, and that was weird.
…
I mean, what's the rush?
…
Chapter: END
Thanks for reading.
