Work Text:
Tony was a mix of nerves as he keyed in the code to his workshop. He and Steve had been in and out of the tower for the past few days now and hadn’t seen the bots in all that time, so he was both nervous and excited to check on how his robot babies were doing…
He looked back at Steve and the tiny, tiny, bundle in his arms.
…especially since he and Steve now had a real, real baby of their own.
And it wasn’t like Tony didn’t trust his bots. He did. Of course, he did. With his life. Had trusted them numerous times. JARVIS too. But this was different. Tony’s workshop was already a hazard zone on good days and his bots, though loved and cherished, were still cold machines. (As in literal, machine, steel kind of cold, okay? Because nothing in this world would convince Tony that his bots had no personality or warmth, and that was that!)
So yes Tony was nervous, because this was a tiny, tiny, human that couldn’t protect itself, couldn’t understand what was happening around it, could hardly move even, especially at only a handful of days old.
This was his baby, his and Steve’s baby.
“It’ll be fine, Tony,” Steve said, cutting through his thoughts. He smiled gently, leaning forward to kiss Tony’s cheek and press their little bundle of joy between them. “We can trust your bots, and JARVIS will be there to help us out. Right, JARVIS?”
JARVIS answered promptly. “Of course, Captain. I shall be with you every step of the way.” His usually crisp voice sounded pleased, excited even, and filled with purpose. It helped calm Tony.
Tony nodded, pressed a kiss to Steve’s lips and then another on the head of the tiny, tiny sweetheart between them.
“Okay then.” He pressed another number on the door’s keypad. “JARVIS, how are the boys?”
“They have been informed of your arrival, Sir, and that you and the Captain have brought a delicate package with you. They’re excited to see you both, and I have warned them to be careful.”
“Good. Good. Thanks, Jay.” Tony pressed the last button and sighed when he heard the soft click of the locks sliding open. That sound was like coming home.
He pushed the door and, on instinct, stepped forward first, shielding Steve and his baby from the room. The room was far more orderly than he had left it a few days ago. He and Steve had been hanging out at the time, Tony with his soldering iron and Steve with his sketchbook, when they got the call from the birth mother that her water broke. They high-tailed it out of there like their asses were on fire. It was unexpected. Their baby was a few days early. Steve claimed their baby no doubt inherited Tony’s impatience, but for Tony it was all about Steve’s preference on arriving early.
Yeah, this was definitely their kid.
But the room was neat and orderly – most likely by Pepper’s hands and JARVIS’s guidance – and the three bots in question were by their charging station. They weren’t charging though and even Tony could see the subtle vibrations of sheer excitement going through them.
“Hey boys, Daddy’s home,” Tony called out, grinning.
There were beeps and tire squeals all around as DUM-E, U and Butterfingers immediately reared up and wheeled their way. Before Tony could warn them though, the three stopped a good distance away. DUM-E started going around in circles, like a dog chasing its tail. U was waving a video camera in his claw (where did he get that?). Butterfingers was waving his arm up and down vigorously. They were so excited.
Steve chuckled in amusement. “Hello, DUM-E, U, Butterfingers. We’ve missed you all.”
In reply, the three started moving even more frantically. But they still kept their distance.
Tony looked back and saw the amusement and sheer joy on Steve’s face. And was once again reminded of the many, many, many reasons he loved the man. Because Steve never thought of Tony’s bots as mere machines or as JARVIS as just an AI. They were part of Tony – practically Tony’s children, which was kind of ironic at this point in time – and Steve knew that and treated the bots with care.
Tony waved a hand at Steve, keeping him back, and stepped forward so he could give the terrible trio cursory checks and pat them calmer.
“Hush, hush.” Tony rubbed DUM-E’s arm and Butterfingers’ left hydraulic cylinder. “And where did you get that, U? What’s up with that?” He raised an eyebrow at the camera U was pointing right at his face.
“U probably just wanted to capture the moment,” Steve said chuckled, watching them fondly as he cradled the bundle to his chest and did that cute side-to-side rocking motion.
U and Butterfingers nodded, moving their arms up and down with their claws twirling round and round. DUM-E was pushing his claw into Tony’s face, beeping excitedly and impatiently.
“Okay, okay,” Tony said, waving his hands at them. “Come on and meet the new addition to the family.”
Steve moved, sinking down gently and gracefully onto the couch. He arranged the bundle against his chest, tucking blankets into place. Tony turned back to the bots and gave them a stern look.
Tony had tried to explain the baby to the bots a few months ago. JARVIS obviously knew what was up. He was the one who compiled all sorts of information on adoption, surrogacy, agencies, laws specifically for gay parents, etc. for Tony and Steve the moment they decided they really, really wanted a child of their own. So Tony knew JARVIS probably imparted the knowledge (a.k.a. data) to the other bots sometime along the way. But Tony still felt the need to explain it to them and to JARVIS. More than just his attachment to and affection for his creations, Tony felt he needed to say it out loud too, so that it would also really sink into him that he, Tony Stark-Rogers, and his husband of two years, Steve Stark-Rogers, were going to have a baby.
Steve had actually walked in on that conversation and instead of laughing it off, he had been mildly upset and accused Tony of giving them ‘the talk’ without him. But since Steve was perfect and ridiculously patient and wonderful, he forgave Tony and held his hand as they both talked to the bots. He even included JARVIS, even though JARVIS was always listening in, and it was both hilarious and ridiculously heart-warming listening to Steve explain that the baby was theirs, his and Tony’s and the birth mother’s; no, the birth mother was not going to take the baby away at any point; yes, the baby was going to take up much of their time, but that didn’t mean Tony and Steve loved the bots and JARVIS any less, and they were always welcome to talk to them if they needed anything.
Had Tony mentioned how much he loved this perfect, perfect man?
So everyone was as prepared as they were going to get, and Tony decided not to delay the inevitable.
“DUM-E, don’t get too excited, okay?” Tony said, leading them slowly towards the couch. He ignored Steve’s amused huff. “We talked about this. You’re the oldest, so you need to set a good example for U and Butterfingers.”
DUM-E chirped, his arm see-sawing up and down so fiercely.
“U, just make sure not to smash the camera on the baby’s face, and mine and Steve’s for that matter,” Tony said. “Butterfingers, no, you cannot hold the baby. Not yet. Ok, boys?” He waved a hand towards the ceiling. “JARVIS, they good?”
“Yes, sir. They know to be careful.”
“Good. You have the helm, Jay,” Tony said. He sat down beside Steve and wrapped one arm around the other man’s back and the other hooking below Steve’s so they were both cradling the baby.
“Here, we go.” Steve smiled at Tony and gave him one last kiss before turning to the baby in his arms. He pulled away the edge of the soft, fuzzy blanket, and revealed their newest guest to the three attentive, now-quiet bots.
“DUM-E, U, Butterfingers, meet Juliana Stark-Rogers.”
JARVIS had dimmed the lights a little in deference to brand new, sensitive eyes, but Tony had a crystal clear view of every detail of his daughter. She was tiny, so tiny, with the smallest hands and feet. There was a tuft of dark hair on her head and she had the chubbiest cheeks and roundest little tummy. She had been sleeping since the moment they left the hospital, but now she was stirring awake, and Tony was absolutely transfixed as she blinked her eyes open slowly, looking up at them with dark blue eyes.
She was letting her little tongue out and her gaze, unable to focus yet, passed over the three bots peering at her.
The bots chirped softly, watching her. U moved the camera over their heads but not closer.
Steve smiled, reaching out to pat each of their claws. “This is Juliana, and she’s going to be your new baby sister.”
Tony had to stifle a too-happy, too-loud, too-giddy laugh against Steve’s neck.
Again, Steve was just… he was too perfect.
“Remember what we talked about?” Steve asked, not even the least bit awkward at talking to the bots as if they were real. “Juliana is just a baby and she’s still really small and really fragile. So you guys can’t touch her or carry her yet.”
(Yet. Yet! Because Steve knew, had said it himself even, that he knew the bots would end up playing with the baby anyway.)
“JARVIS, can you see her?” Steve asked, looking up at the ceiling on habit.
“Aside from the fact that I had already seen her through the hundreds of photos and videos on Sir’s phone, I can see her perfectly well. Thank you, Captain,” JARVIS answered primly, but Tony could almost hear the appreciation in his English voice.
“Don’t exaggerate,” Tony scoffed, trying not to melt against his husband in a mush of love. “It’s not that many.”
“Two hundred, twenty-three pictures and videos over the past few days, to be exact, Sir,” JARVIS said. “And that’s not counting the Captain’s own collection.”
“Oh, shut it,” Tony said, glaring weakly at the nearest camera, while Steve only laughed.
“Well, we couldn’t resist. She’s a beauty,” Steve said, lifting her up a little so the bots and JARVIS could see more of her.
Juliana twitched a chubby fist at the bots’ direction. They chirped back at her, claws and camera vying for the best position. Juliana then opened her mouth a few times and her face scrunched up a little.
“Uh-oh,” Steve pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, “you got her bottle, babe?”
Tony took out the green bottle in his jacket pocket. It was part of a set of the most adorable colorful newborn baby bottles from Rhodey – one among Juliana’s many, many, many presents from her many, many, many godparents, aunts, uncles, and admirers. The bottles were small and carried only a few ounces of milk, perfect for small tummies. Each one came with a cap and a long, stretchy cord because Rhodey knew Tony was probably going to lose them unless they were attached to his person.
The birth mother, Gail, had supplied them with more than few bottles of breast milk ready in the fridge and freezer. Gail produced a lot of milk and while Tony wanted to stockpile, both Steve and Gail had patiently told him there were too many babies out there who needed breast milk, so they also donated a few.
(A lot of people thought Tony or Steve would be squeamish about it, but it was so much different when you had a child on the way, ya know?)
Tony strung the cute green bottle around Steve’s neck and then gently pressed the end against his daughter’s waiting mouth. She took it and slowly settled, letting Steve show her off again to their enraptured audience, blinking slowly.
“She’s fine, guys, just hungry,” Steve said. He talked to the bots in soothing tones, explaining that what she needed mostly was to sleep and drink a lot to grow big and strong. He then took one small fist gently, so gently, and showed it off as her tiny, tiny fingers curled around his thumb.
Tony was just taking it all in, looking at his husband and daughter(!) and bots.
One of the things Tony and Steve had talked and fought about long and hard was on who their child was going to be genetically related to. Tony insisted Steve was the better sperm donor, because heee-lloooo? Peak of human perfection, enhanced abilities, accelerated healing factor; enough said. Steve, on the other hand, thought Tony should be the donor, mainly because he didn’t know what the serum could do to their baby.
Pepper knew better and didn’t choose a side, simply saying she’d love their baby no matter who was the genetic donor. Happy, always so jovial, simply said the same as his wife. Rhodey hung up the phone the moment Tony asked, while Bucky slammed the door in Steve’s face in much the same way. Clint had said they shoot in a cup without labels and let Fate decide. Thor offered to ask his mother Frigga if it was possible for Midgardian men to conceive, which scared Tony badly, so they immediately dissuaded him from making the trip. The others only offered their opinion because they were sick and tired of all the questions and arguments. Natasha suggested twins, while Phil said they could have two children at any point anyway if they didn’t want two kids right off the bat. Nick simply said that ‘he didn’t fucking care whose damn kid it was going to damn well be.’ Maria just looked at them like they were crazy.
In the end, Bruce had helped with the decision when the scientist, after weeks of listening to their talking and fighting, called Jane and together presented a neat, surprisingly objective, well-researched, and definitely well-referenced paper, wherein the most intelligent people they knew offered their hypotheses on how the super serum would affect their offspring. They even got Reed Richards’ opinion, which Tony didn’t read and insisted almost made the whole paper null and void, but they did get Dr. Helen Cho’s incredibly detailed hypothesis. Tony greatly admired her, so that made up for it.
Tony and Steve’s conclusion: They were going to adopt.
(And had to endure everyone’s dirty looks at having pestered them all only to make a different decision. At least Bruce didn’t mind. He filed the paperwork away, saying they might need it when the desire for another kid came calling.)
Before they could even start another round of fighting and decision-making though (cue groaning and growling from the Avengers), they found the perfect baby. Or rather, their baby found them.
Juliana sucked her bottle slowly and lethargically. DUM-E almost reached out, but stopped himself in time and clicked his claws in concern. Tony reached out and patted DUM-E on the arm approvingly. U kept the camera trained their way, moving it this way and that in a way that was probably going to be dizzying once they watched it later.
“He’s fine, DUM-E,” Steve said, shifting the bottle. “She’s just too little so we have to be careful not to let the bottle press on her. See?”
Butterfingers suddenly perked up and slowly, almost comically wheeled forward inch by inch until his claws caught on the end of Juliana’s blanket by her tiny, tiny feet. He held on lightly, beeping excitedly. DUM-E and U immediately started beeping in low tones, and rounded on Butterfingers. Apparently they didn’t think of that.
“You’ll get your turn, DUM-E, U. Don’t jostle the baby,” JARVIS said. Tony knew his AI could just easily communicate to them through the network, but it was also most likely a way to show Steve and Tony that he was on the job.
Chastised, the two quieted, beeped once, and let their arms dip down in a show of sadness.
Steve chuckled. “JARVIS is right. You’ll all get a turn soon, okay?”
Juliana turned her head towards them lazily, sucking her bottle peacefully.
Juliana’s mother’s name was Gail Antera. She was a Stark Industries Biotech intern and had been talking to Pepper the day Steve and Tony happened to drop by. Gail was confident, beautiful, and immensely brilliant, and Pepper already had an offer and a recruitment packet ready for her on the last day of her internship. Tony had even readily signed all the forms, already certain he was going to bring her into the fold of his top and trusted scientists once she gained more experience.
Apparently, Gail was also pregnant.
Gail already knew she wasn’t going to keep the baby, but she was concerned over the effects her work at SI would have as the baby developed. She had been ready to drop out of the internship if necessary, but Pepper reassured her that SI would still welcome her after the pregnancy and they had policies to protect single mothers from losing their jobs.
Tony had turned to Steve to see his husband already staring back at him.
It was Fate.
Gail and her child were their miracle.
Gail was perfect for them. She was in her mid-twenties, petite, with straight, dark hair and brown eyes, and matched Tony’s brilliance, brightness, and confidence. She was also a health nut. She jogged every morning, did yoga, played volleyball, and even drank the same health smoothie as Steve at that hippie place close to the tower. She didn’t tell them who the father was, only that he was a fling by the name of Noah, but she did manage to provide them basic health records, enough to appease even Bruce, who had been keen to make sure their child wasn’t going to have any medical surprises.
Gail was also an easy birth mother. She was calm, confident, and endlessly patient at all the hovering, calling, guarding, and constant visits to her apartment. She only had five conditions – one, that she name the baby; two, that she was not going to move into the Avengers Tower; three, that Tony not spend too much money on the baby or on Gail; four, only the Avengers, Pepper, Rhodey, Happy and Phil were allowed near her. SHIELD and any other superheroes were not invited. And five, everybody could come to the hospital, but no one was going to come with her inside the delivery room when she gave birth.
All of her conditions were doable, though Tony had to be consistently told off on splurging on everything his baby’s mama could want, and Steve had to hold back from punching the doctor that reminded them that they weren’t allowed into the delivery room.
“She’s brave to go through it alone,” was all Pepper said, before she and the Avengers commandeered Tony and Steve’s attention to stop their fretting.
Now here they were.
This tiny, tiny child was finally here, finally home. This child was going to grow up surrounded by heroes and robots and… and a lot of bad things Tony wasn’t going to think about right now. But good things! Yes, a lot of good things! Think of the good things!
Their tiny bundle of joy had two of the world’s greatest superheroes for fathers, and had Pepper, Rhodey, Happy and the Avengers as her godparents, aunts, uncles and role models. She had the world’s most advanced AI and the three most protective bots as her guardians and brothers.
Juliana had Steve.
And Steve had Juliana.
And… and Tony had them both, his husband and his child.
Oh god, he kind of wanted to cry.
Tony pressed his face to Steve’s hair and kissed his ear. Steve leaned back against him, as if knowing his thoughts.
There was a soft cry and their little bubble was broken when Juliana started fussing even more.
Immediately, all three bots wheeled back, claws clicking and beeping in low volume. Butterfingers had dropped the edge of the blanket in his claws and kept waving his arm.
“She’s fine, boys. She’s probably just a mix of hungry and sleepy,” Steve said as Juliana wiggled in his arms, the bottle’s nipple slipping from her lips as she let out a cry.
Tony reached out for the cord and capped the bottle.
“JARVIS–”
JARVIS was prompt. “Miss Potts already had the baby bag sent to the baby’s room, and the bassinet is in the penthouse. Everything has been ready, Sir, as it has been for weeks now.”
“Good. Thank you.” Tony knew JARVIS was feeling just as frantic going by the fact that the elevator had already dinged open and was ready and waiting.
“Okay then, kids. We need to get the baby settled in her room, okay?” Tony said, standing up and helping Steve get up slowly as he shushed Juliana sweetly.
DUM-E clicked his claws and U waved the camera. Tony patted them on the strut distractedly, answering in automatic.
“No, you can’t see the cameras in our room. Let us get her to sleep first, okay?” Tony answered. “Jay, bring up the baby pics and videos from my phone. They can watch that for now.”
“Yes, Sir.” JARVIS immediately opened a hologram screen near the charging station, which made it easier for Tony to usher the bots back and for Steve to move towards the elevator.
“See you later, guys,” Steve called back. “Give her a few weeks and then you can all even come up to see her.”
“You’re such a pushover,” Tony said, poking his husband lightly on the back. “You’re going to let them get away with everything.”
“Not everything,” Steve said. “They can go up one at a time.” He cooed at Juliana. “Oh no, my darling. Calm down. We’ll probably need to burp you or change you. And then get you to bed.”
“See you later, kiddos.” Tony waved at the bots, pleased when they waved back. They immediately crowded towards the charging station, watching the slideshow and videos JARVIS had brought up.
Tony followed his little family to the elevator, his heart and stomach warming at the sight of them. His other family was left in the workshop, but he had JARVIS keeping them all connected, so that was enough. Besides, Steve was right. They could have the bots come up when Juliana was ready.
For now, he had a hungry, fussy baby and an even hungrier supersoldier to feed.
The rest of his life could wait.