Tony Stark (notyourplayboy) wrote in somerealityrpg, @ 2019-11-02 21:04:00 |
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Current mood: | loved |
Entry tags: | !ageplot, !gamewideplot, active: morgan stark, active: tony stark |
Tony & Morgan
cuteness overload
His heart sank when he realized young Morgan was clearly from a time in which he was already dead. The poor girl couldn’t believe it, but how could he blame her? He assured her as best he could and then took off in his Iron Man suit. He dismissed it once he reached Ostrich’s Villa and raced upstairs. He couldn’t be bothered waiting for an elevator. He steadied his breathing before he let himself into their apartment.
“Morgie? Sweetheart?” He called. “It is Daddy, honey.”
When Morgan woke up in a strange room, panic had set in. She immediately thought to talk to F.R.I.D.A.Y. and was relieved to discover that she was with her in this strange place. The A.I. told her she was in a place called Goodland, and that she could reach people through the city’s network.
She was, of course, skeptical. How many times had she vividly dreamt things like this?
Morgan found more relief when she got confirmation that her Mommy was there too. The girl clung to Pepper like glue, and very rarely went anywhere without her, but then her father’s voice came through the voice post, and she was convinced this was all a dream.
Tony had been gone for nearly two years, and she was only able to see or hear him through the hologram she kept in her top-secret make-shift lab. But, dreams were different, right? They were supposed to be anyway. Hers though? They didn’t work like that. She always woke up right before she saw him. Why would this be any different?
Don’t wake up. Don’t wake up. Don’t wake up. She kept repeating that over and over until she heard his voice ringing through the apartment.
“DADDY!?” She yelled from the strange bedroom that she was pretty sure was supposed to be hers.
Tony headed in the direction of her voice. It wasn’t hard to follow in the small place. He, for once, didn’t miss his old spacious digs. “Baby,” he said as he opened her door. He hoped he didn’t frighten her. It was hard enough understanding Goodland as an adult; he couldn’t imagine how a young kid felt. Not to mention he was gone in Morgan’s time. He was well aware it was like seeing a ghost. “Hi.” He spoke softly, but couldn’t help grinning down at the small girl. She looked just like her photo, yes, but Tony saw the older girl she’d turn into immediately. “I kept my promise, hm?”
Morgan’s eyes widened when he walked through the door. She was sitting at the desk in the room, snooping through the things that were scattered across it- trying to make sense of everything.
She couldn’t help the hard gasp, or the stupid tears that were making her eyes blurry. “How are you here?” Her tiny brain was going a million miles a minute. He looked so much younger than she remembered, but he was undoubtedly her daddy. She was afraid to touch him though, because of the two years of dreams where he disappeared.
He moved closer, but slowly, still trying to gain her trust. He kneeled down in front of her. It was instinct, really. What kid wanted an adult towering over her? “We are in a different place than home,” he explained. “Something called an entity chose us to live here. I think it might like you a whole lot since you are here. I know I sure do.” It was amazing seeing his little girl, but he couldn’t help thinking of older Morgan too. It was like a loss in one way. However, there was no denying he loved the beautiful child in front of him too. “Do you want a hug?” He wouldn’t force it. He’d let her come to him when she was ready, but he needed her to know it was okay.
“An entity,” she repeated with a nod- but she wasn’t sure what to make of it. “It chose me, and you, and Mommy. That means it’s not bad, right?” Morgan was still trying to process; everything about this was foreign and weird.
When he asked if she wanted a hug, her eyes widened. “Shit,” she muttered under her breath then bit her bottom lip. Of course, she wanted a hug. Morgan had missed him so much. She tried not to remember what it was like when he was alive, though, because then she would get incredibly sad, and she couldn’t get sad. If she did, it would worry everyone. So, it was easier to pretend.
Moving to hold her arms up, she hesitated for just a moment, then fully stretched them out. “Don’t disappear.”
Tony chuckled at the swear. Yep, definitely his kid. “Mommy’s word,” he teased before scooping her up and standing with her pressed firmly against his chest. “I’m not going anywhere,” he swore. It didn’t matter how old she was or how old she’d be tomorrow or the next day; he’d love his daughter no matter what. He rubbed her back. “I love you, Morg.” He wanted to tell her how sorry he was, but felt it too much for such a young child. He fought his own emotions. There was time to process how he felt later. Morgan was the most important thing just then.
“My word too,” she replied arching her eyebrows before being scooped up. Morgan nearly cried when he didn’t disappear, and with that reassurance, she wrapped her tiny arms tightly around his neck. “I love you, Daddy.” She never thought she would actually get to say that to him again, and her heart was so full she thought she may burst. Pulling back after a long moment, she looked at him with a tilted head. “You look different.”
He rocked her slightly as she held on to him. Her grip was surprisingly strong, but he didn’t mind. He kissed her cheek when she returned his “I love you” with her own and stroked her hair. He thought, briefly, of his own parents. Had they ever felt the same? He couldn’t recall his dad ever holding him like he was holding Morgan. His mother was more demonstrative, but even so…
He pushed the thoughts away. The moment belonged to him and Morgan, not them. Especially not Howard.
He chuckled when Morgan broke the silence with a remark about his appearance. “Do I?” He winked. “Am I still handsome? Like a prince?”
Morgan wiped at her eyes with one hand while he held her. She was so thankful this wasn’t just another dream, but she didn’t want him to see her cry either. The girl had become a pro at keeping all of her emotions bottled up, that it was hard for her to let them go- even the happy ones. And this? Was the happiest she had been in a long time.
She giggled loudly when he asked his question. “Even better than a prince!” With her head still tilted, she touched his face. “You look younger than my hologram of you,” she said leaning in to whisper. “I keep it in my super top-secret lab.”
Hologram. It killed him knowing that was what she had left of him. His poor baby. His headache was long forgotten as he focused on making her smile. “Top secret lab,” he repeated. “Oh, my! Better than a prince? Thank you.” He lifted her a bit higher so he could twirl her around above his shoulders.
“Even Mommy doesn’t know about the super duper secret lab?” He asked as he settled on the chair with Morgan on his lap. He thought about all the things he withheld from Pepper when they first dated. Knowing how things turned out, it almost seemed comical. Why had he been so afraid of letting her in? “I have secret labs too,” he whispered. “Our secret, okay?”
Except, this time, family knew.
Morgan’s giggles filled the room as she was spun around. He had done things like this with her before, and it almost felt like the last two years had been the bad dream she was waking up from. “Daddies are better than princes. Princes are yucky.”
She shook her head, then laid it against his chest. “No one knows about it. Or that I stole the hologram, or that I have one of your Ironman helmets in there. I thought about showing Peter, but I don’t want any of them to know I’m sad.” Or mad. Or guilty because of those feelings. “Our secret,” she whispered hooking her pinky with his. “Pinky promise.”
“Can I see your super secret lab?”
“Princes are definitely yucky,” he agreed. “Always thinking the princess needs him. Psh.” He rested his chin on her head and listened as she spoke more. Her later words stung, but he didn’t let on. “I’m sure Mommy and Peter would want to know so they can help you feel better,” he said gently. She reminded him that he had no idea how old Peter was in Goodland now. James, Laura, and M.J. were all older. Maybe Peter was too? Or maybe he was younger like Morgan. Tony suddenly felt panicky on realizing he couldn’t be in multiple places at once. What if the boy was young and scared? Damn Goodland. Really, just damn it sometimes. He forced his mind back to the moment.
He hooked his pinky in hers. “Pinky promise,” he replied despite his assurance that Pepper would want to know. “And I’d love to show you,” he said. “How about now?” He could look for her brother on the way. There. He was a dad who solved problems.
“The yuckiest! Mommy calls me ‘princess’ but I don’t need a prince.” Morgan sighed and snuggled closer to him. “But I don’t want to make them sadder, that’s why I pretend. It’s better, and I’m not always sad. I have hugs and lots of love from the best Mommy ever. I have tea parties with Nebula. Uncle James makes the best ice cream mountains. Happy lets me get away with things. Peter builds LEGOs with me. Aunt Wanda always comes when I ask her to. Uncle Thor has the bestest stories and I think he may take me to space soon- but that’s another secret.” She didn’t know if she was trying to convince him or herself. “I love them all. They make me happy. But it’s my birthday soon, and I’ve been wishing to see you, so maybe the entity made my wish come true?” She looked up at him and smiled. “I missed you so much.”
“Oh! Yes please,” she said in excitement.
Tony blinked quickly so she wouldn’t notice the tears welling up in his eyes. He was both happy and sad to hear about his friends showing up for his family. He should have been there with them, but it meant the world that they cared about his wife and daughter. He did, however, wonder about Steve. No one ever seemed to mention him, but Bucky (when in Goodland) told him that Steve survived Thanos. Had he been protecting Tony from the truth? Did Steve not even know of his future? Or had tales of their reconciliation been exaggerated? Tony didn’t like thinking about a future where Steve might still have hard feelings.
“Well! You have lots of people who love you because you are a special little lady,” Tony told Morgan. “So special, in fact, I bet your birthday wish did bring you here. Thank you for making that wish, sweetheart. I miss you when you are not here.” It was true too. He missed the daughter he didn’t know the moment he learned he had one. It had been an instinct intensified with the photo he got from the entity. And now he missed his older daughter, but had her younger version with him. He wondered if his teenager was gone for good. He didn’t like the idea, but he didn’t want to let his little girl go either. Still, there was something comforting about Morgan knowing him no matter what age she was in the city. He could never fully lose her, could he?
“It is a date,” he declared. He finally placed her back on the floor, but took her hand. “Ready to go, my little science warrior?”
She smiled brightly when he said she was special. “This is the best almost birthday ever!” Leaning in, she kissed his cheek and then looked at him curiously. “When I’m not here? Am I here but different,” Morgan asked- looking around the room. “There are books and notes that all have my name on them.” The girl had snooped thoroughly. “There’s even a motorcycle helmet that says ’Morgan’, and some holograms.” She felt like she already might know the answer to her question, but she wanted confirmation.
She happily took his hand. “I’m ready! Can we get juice pops too?”
She was one smart cookie. Tony laughed as pride washed over him. He tugged her hand and reached over to open the bedroom door. He led her out and called to Pepper that he was taking Morgan for some fresh air. He knew his wife was already busy organizing things on the network; he loved a woman who took charge. “Yeah, we can get juice pops on the way.”
He fell quiet for a second, but guessed his daughter wasn’t one to let things go. He knew he needed to answer her questions. “Yes, you are here, but older sometimes. We always have fun together though no matter how old you are.”
“Bye, Mommy!” Morgan called out as they left the apartment, her hand holding fast to Tony’s and her feet skipping as she walked. She considered what he said carefully, and gave a nod. “I knew it,” she whispered triumphantly. Hearing this gave her hope, because if she was here when she was older? Well that meant she would see her father again and a lot from the sound of it. Sure she would have to wait awhile, but at least she had that little piece of hope.
“I think she has fun too.” The almost seven year old may or may not have read some of older Morgan’s journal. “She’s happy here.”
Tony raised his eyebrows at the pint-sized detective. “Hmmm?” He was so proud of the kid, even if he knew some of that curiosity would undoubtedly cause her trouble somewhere down the line. Life wasn’t worth living without getting into a little trouble, right? He had no doubt his daughter would, in turn, charm her way out of whatever pickle she landed herself in. “And how would you know that?” He grinned, showing her he wasn’t mad about, well, obviously snooping on herself. Was that even considered snooping?
He pointed toward a small store. “Hey, look. Popsicle time.”
Morgan’s face turned damn near angelic before the tiniest hint of a smirk crossed her features. “I read some of a journal,” she said while putting her hand up against her mouth as if she were telling him another secret. She giggled again, knowing that she probably shouldn’t have snooped that much. “But she’s happy and never wants to leave,” her nose scrunched up then, and her tiny eyes narrowed. “Even though she has a yucky prince.”
“Juice pops,” she squealed and rushed toward the store as fast as she could while still holding his hand.
Tony was happy to hear that older Morgan never wanted to leave although it made him feel guilty that he was spending time with her younger self. No, it didn’t make sense, but that was Goodland for you. He, nevertheless, felt elated knowing his teen daughter had been happy. However, he caught on to the “prince” bit a little too late. He opened his mouth to ask Morgan about it, but the girl was already tugging him toward the store. He probably shouldn’t pry into her business anyway. Morgan would tell him in her own time. Yeah. If she returned. Right. He was perfectly calm about the whole thing. Not worried at all.
He pushed aside his mental list of Morgan’s potential suitors when the little girl squealed. “I’m coming,” he said as she pulled him along. “What kind are we getting?”
It hadn’t even occurred to her that in order for older Morgan to be here, it probably meant that she had to leave. The realization hit her, as she stopped just shy of the shop’s door. She was too intrigued by the thought of a teenage version of herself being in Goodland living a happy life to even think of the fact that she would have to go home. A bit of sadness washed over her, but she pushed it back down.
There wasn’t time for any of that. She didn’t know how long she would be there and she wanted to focus on the now.
Morgan could hardly believe she was going to have juice pops with her father again. They had always shared one late at night when neither of them were able to sleep. “Apple,” she said firmly, but then didn’t seem so sure. “Or cherry, or strawberry, but not orange or grape.”
“How about all three?” He knew it would likely spoil her appetite for a real lunch, but he didn’t care. Morgan wasn’t the only one thinking about how short or long their time together might be. He only hoped, in the end, he’d have some version of his daughter in Goodland with him. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing her.
“All three!?!?” Morgan’s eyes widened with delight. “You know they have watermelon too,” she said with a bat of her eyelashes followed by an arch of her eyebrow. “You can have three too!”
“I’ll make you a deal,” he said as they stood near the counter. He was sure the person behind the counter was giggling over how cute his daughter was. “We will get all four, but you have to share with me.” He could just imagine Pepper’s face if he bought eight popsicles. Well, okay, the buying wasn’t the problem. She’d probably dislike the eating of all eight. Or maybe she’d just be pissed they didn’t share. Tony made a mental note to pick up something nice for Pepper when Goodland settled down. That woman was a saint for putting up with him. “So, what do you say? Four different ones, but we share?”
Morgan tapped her finger against her lips and made a ‘hmm’ sound. She was considering this deal very carefully. “Well could have four each, but then they might melt before we could eat them all. But four each.” She thought about it for a few more moments, before making up her mind. “Not melting is better than four by myself!” Plus she was pretty sure her mother wouldn’t be too happy about her eating all of them by herself.
Now he was certain the worker behind the counter was laughing over Morgan’s adorableness. Tony threw his head back and laughed too. “Morgan, sweetheart, you are the best negotiator I’ve met. Even better than your daddy.
He squeezed her hand and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “C’mon, ice pops await.”