Finding a New Normal

[runs_on_batteries]

Who: Tony + Gladio, Tony + OTA
Where: His office, the gym, anywhere but the kitchen
When: Egret 22-24
What: Tony dealing post-breakup

[For Gladio: Egret 22, evening]

He left the quiet room they'd been talking in and headed down the hall. It was late enough not too many people were around but not quite so safe as the middle of the night. His expression was hard. Anger and hurt were turbulent inside him for however long they'd been in that room. Now things were starting to just feel numb. He paused at the door to his office before he shook his head and continued on to the standard car where the store was. Damn party draining him of all his- what had Ignis called it? His vices.

Just as he picked the bottle up, he straightened and inwardly cringed as he stood face to face with Gladio. He took a ragged breath. "You should go find Ignis. He's going to need a friend."

[OTA]

There had been friction often in his relationship with Ignis. There had been many high points, but also some impressive lows. None so much as the other night. He sighed as he poured himself another glass. The details didn't matter really. He still cared deeply for the younger man and that wouldn't change. The simple fact that it became apparent they couldn't agree on some very fundamental things made them realize this wasn't working. So now he had a fresh bottle of bourbon and his ring back.

The first day was mainly spent in his office drinking and watching the Void till it gave him a headache. The second, he hit the gym. Wrapping his fists, he pummeled one of his dummies he'd made till his knuckles split and then switched to a sword.

That evening, he requested from one of his friends to get dinner delivered to his office so he wouldn't have to deal with Ignis' domain (i.e. the kitchen).

[OOC: Come bug him anywhere along this timeline.]

Comments

[dredefulchilde]

The first knock on the door that evening isn’t dinner.

“Stark?”

Joscelin peers in, glasses hanging off his nose. He hasn’t quite mastered the art of getting them to stay put. For once, he isn’t pretending to be anything but a child, concerned about a parent’s wellbeing.

“I heard.” Of course he had; it’s not a large train.

“How are you holding up?”

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony looks up as Joss comes in. He's been enjoying how cute Joss has been trying to figure out glasses and being human. The glasses in particular were amusing. He tried to find the humor in it today and found it much harder. This wasn't his first breakup though, so he knew it wouldn't be too long before it was back.

He lifted the bottle so Joss could see it was half gone. "Super." The buzz in his brain was helpful. He knew it was cushioning the pain well enough for now. "For the record, don't start dating a roommate. It gets awkward."

[dredefulchilde]

“Duly noted,” Joscelin remarks, clambering up next to Tony. He reached for the bottle out of instinct, forgetting momentarily that he is a child and that alcohol actually affects him now. One swig leaves him gasping, eyes watering. That taste! How is something he enjoyed so much before so disgusting to him now?

He splutters for a few moments, then calms enough to speak again.

“But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, is it?” Belatedly, he realizes how that sounds and adds: “In the long run, I mean. You’ve a wife and child back in your world. Maybe this is the impetus you need to get back to them.”

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony was about to stop Joss from trying the booze, but he just couldn't help himself as an ornery grin crossed his lips. He waited. The reaction made him laugh. It wasn't quite as full as it usually was, but it was there.

By the time Joss could talk again, it had quieted and some of the cold was seeping back in. The situation sucked. He looked up curiously at where Joss was going with this. "Perhaps, but as soon as I go back there, I die. So I'm not really ever seeing them again." Although maybe there was a way to go back to them? If he could somehow channel May's timeline or Happy's.. hm.

"There's nothing that says we have to return to our time is there?"

[dredefulchilde]

Joss takes off his glasses and wipes his still-watering eyes. At least Tony is doing him the courtesy of not calling him out on that mistake, though the shit-eating grin is enough indication of what he thinks about it.

“I don’t believe there is,” he agrees readily. “And also, I am quite literally living proof that the train can neatly circumvent the laws of mortality.” He still isn’t sure what to think about that. He has nightmares more often than not, remembering his death.

“...I have no intention of returning to my own home, at any rate. And I cannot follow Romeo back to his heaven, because he is dead and I am not.” He’s quite for a moment. “No, the only solution is for me to take you up on your offer. I should like to see your world.”

[runs_on_batteries]

Laughing, yes. Calling him out, no. They both knew what Joss had forgotten. No reason to belabor it. Plus, Tony just couldn't find enough strength to keep that up.

"I wonder how it would work if I came to a timeline I know I already succeeded in killing Thanos." The thought was intriguing. He hadn't had any hope left that he might actually go home. What if he really could go back to his family?

However, before he could think too far along those lines, Joss was speaking again. He frowned in sympathy hearing Joss and Romeo wouldn't be in the same place. He knew how much that would hurt the boy. He was just about to say something- though no idea just what- when Joss dropped a bomb on him.

He stared for a moment in shock before slowly his lips curled. "Really? You're sure?"

[dredefulchilde]

“Perfectly sure,” Joss says levelly, looking Tony straight in the eye. He’s being deadly serious. “Tony, I have no money. I left behind considerable fortune back in Islington, gained through through centuries of wicked and avaricious living—er, undeath, but I cannot collect it without returning to a world that will kill me as I am now. I find myself a completely average, if somewhat undersized, ten year old human child. I have no ability to care for myself anymore. Everyone who has ever professed to parent me is either long dead or in the same unreachable heaven that Romeo must return to, so I am an orphan. Given that fact, I have no desire to live the life of some poor Dickensian waif or wind up in care. But you.” He smiles shyly. “You offered me care, and protection, and affection even though I did nothing to earn it. You’re a far kinder soul than you pretend to be, Tony Stark. I should be honored to accept. Now more than ever. Though...”

He trails off and the ruthless practicality of a moment ago turns into something far more becoming of a child his age.

“You’ll forgive me if I have to work up to calling you ‘Dad.’ Still not quite used to the concept.”

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony listened, finding the information very bizarre when it was laid out in such a cold, logical way. He was beginning to feel like Joss was picking out the next best pair of boots to buy rather than adoption, at least until that last part. He would've honored his offer either way, but Joss would get the satisfaction of seeing Tony's resigned expression slowly change to surprise and then to a smile and soft laugh. The process took a few extra seconds than usual, thanks to the booze and the heartache.

He shook his head and gave a short laugh again. "You can keep calling me Stark, you know that doesn't matter. Just get over here, kid." This time when he was opening his arms to Joss, it was because he needed the hug. He pressed a kiss to the top of Joss' head and held him tight.

After a moment, he said with a sigh. "I'm sorry kid. You almost had two dads, not just one."

[dredefulchilde]

Sometimes, Joss needs the cold, ruthless logic. It’s safer. Emotions are messy and complicated and irrational. It’s why he had been rehearsing that exact speech for more than twenty minutes before he’d had the courage to knock on Tony’s door just now.

But he’s said it, and it feels like an enormous weight has been lifted. He’s relieved. Scratch that—he’s elated, but he won’t let Tony see it. Not when he’s gladly returning the hug and not even squirming away from the kiss.

But he’d also come in here to cheer Tony up, and he can’t help but feeling like he’s failing at it. “I know,” he says softly, “but you’re quite enough for me.”

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony didn't think Joss was failing. He knew being a comfort and emotional support weren't exactly the kid's strong skills. However, he was being kind and he'd just handed Tony a huge gift. There wouldn't be a way for him to explain to the former vampire what this meant to him.

He now had a son.

"God, are you getting soft on me?" He teases and smiles. "Look, I know this is going to be strange for a while because of the breakup, but he's still a good man with a lot of integrity. It's just sometimes love isn't enough." No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get their core values the same. "Just try not to be mean to him, okay? I know you and how ornery you are. It's how we get along so well." That last part was said with some humor and a quick ruffling of hair.

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin just looks at Tony. Of course he’s gone soft. He would never have countenanced this if he hadn’t. But his little speech before had been right: he is no longer capable of taking care of himself. And he can’t go back to his own London, not if he wants to survive to any sort of old age. He’s earned himself far too many enemies to go waltzing back to the Islington Nest as a mere human child.

He sighs, allowing his hair to be ruffled. It’s gotten so long in his months here, without a haircut. Tony’s ruffling makes his cowlicks stand on end even worse than before.

“I’ll behave, just as long as he doesn’t try to claim joint custody.”

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony breathed a bit of a laugh. "I'm sure he'll leave that alone. Although if he adopts Romeo are you going to suddenly switch on me?" He was teasing. He knew that wouldn't happen. If anyone was adopting Romeo, it would be that damn book anyway.

"We need to do something about that hair. It's cute but you're starting to look like that urchin you don't want to be."

[dredefulchilde]

“Romeo belongs to Elfnein,” Joss points out. “Their existences compliment other, as god and shinki. I’m rather the third wheel now.”

He still doesn’t know how to feel about that. He was going to leave Romeo behind. He’d grow up, and Romeo would be the one eternally small. Unchanging.

“Is barbering amongst your many skills, then?”

[runs_on_batteries]

He felt bad for the boy. It seemed pretty clear that Romeo had a destiny somewhere else and the kid in his arms knew it. "Well, he belongs to you too. Friendship is like that. I doubt Romeo would want it any other way, even if eventually he'll go home with her. When and if that happens, you'll be okay. You'll be going home with me and living in luxury."

He laughed and shook his head. "No, but how hard could it be?"

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin had thought he’d made his peace with it, but the thought of potentially being separated from Romeo brings a lump to his throat that he’s currently doing his best to ignore. There’s time. They needn’t be separated for a long time yet.

“Joscelin Stark,” he says, trying the name on for size. “It sounds a bit silly, doesn’t it?” He’s been Fitzthomas for centuries. Anything else sounds strange. “I confess that it will take some getting used to.” He grins suddenly. “Though taking your name means I’m no longer a bastard.”

He pushes the dark curls back from his forehead. They really are a pain, getting in his eyes and blocking his glasses.

“I don’t want to be bald, you know. I’d just like to see a little better. I don’t think my hair had been this long since, oh, 1885 or thereabouts.”

[runs_on_batteries]

"It has a nice ring to it," Tony countered with a smirk. "You could always hyphen the names. That's fairly common in my world. They wouldn't need to know the details." Pause. "And you're still a bastard." Of course that was meant in the 'you're a little shit' kind of way, not in the insulting way. To drive that message how even further, he ruffles that cute cowlick a bit more.

He thought about that for a moment before deciding someone else might have more experience. "I'll bet May cuts Peter's hair. If not now then when he was growing up."

[dredefulchilde]

“My world is fundamentally the same as yours,” Joss points out, trying to escape Tony’s hand, “except that in mine, vampires and werewolves are real but superheroes are fictional, and in yours it’s rather the opposite.” But hyphenating sounds reasonable. As does making “Fitzthomas” his middle name. He’s never had a middle name before.

“Yes, yes, I’m a little shit. But I meant legally. If you’re my father, and you’re married, you legitimize me. Not that it matters in 2019 or whatever year you’re from, but it was quite important back in my day.”

He pushes his mussed bangs out of his eyes again. “I’ll think about it. I’m rather particular. I’m old; I suppose I’m allowed to be, even if beggars can’t be choosers.”