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Pepper’s on a warpath because it’s Tuesday; and Tony might have told the CEO of Roxxon to “take his massive drilling rig and put it to better use as a sex toy” on national television. He’s neither apologizing nor taking it back. No take backs. Everyone knows that.
Tony increases the security in the garage of his New York home to Def Con 2. No one comes in. No one goes out. He spends the afternoon fiddling with the engine in Howard’s 1940 Oldsmobile. How on Earth Howard thought this beast would fly is beyond Tony’s comprehension. (Though, he never could figure out his old man.)
“Sir, young Master Stark demands an audience with you.”
Why oh why did he program his A.I. with sentience and sarcasm? He knows that tone. Yes, J.A.R.V.I.S. has a tone, all stuffy and impatient and disapproving. Tony knows he shouldn’t ignore the kid – only he wouldn’t put it past Pepper to use him as human decoy. He thinks.
“J.A.R.V.I.S., open communications,” Tony says. He’s still hunched behind the massive car.
“Yes, sir.”
A young and vibrant voice reverberates through the garage. “Dad, Dad, Dad—”
Tony will never get used to that.
He had it all planned out six years ago. Blaine’s mother – a woman Tony met only once and boy did he make it count – had agreed to sign a non-disclosure form and take the ten million dollar trust fund. And that was supposed to be that.
Her doctor found an inoperable brain tumor two weeks into her third trimester. She lasted just long enough to put her baby boy in Tony’s arms.
“DAD! DAD!”
“Blaine,” Tony says, “what have I told you about being in the garage unsupervised?”
“I’m not in the garage, I’m outside of the garage, and Dad, Dad, Dad, let me in, c’mon, Dad, I have something soooo cool to show you!”
“Is Aunt Pepper with you?”
“Nope!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yup!”
Tony peeks his head over the hood of the car. No Pepper. (Doesn’t prove anything; she could hide at the top of the stairs.) He does see his boy dressed to the nines in a Captain America costume. His old Captain America costume.
“J.A.R.V.I.S., let the kid in.”
The garage door swoops open. A four-foot terror bolts over to Tony and zeroes in on his legs. “Look!” Blaine wildly gestures to the costume as he jumps up and down. “Look!”
“I’m looking,” Tony says. “I’m looking.”
It shocks him the costume isn’t in rags and threads.
He only wore it every day from the age of three to the age of six. His parents used to go fifteen-rounds when he refused to take it off for one of Mom’s fancy parties. His old man just laughed and always let Tony keep it on. Thinking about it, last time Howard smiled at him was the last time he wore the costume.
“Where’s the shield?”
“Where’d you get that?”
“Found it! Where’s the shield?”
“Found it where, Blaine?”
Blaine looks down at his feet. “Nowhere special.”
“Uh huh.”
“Where’s the shield? Captain America has a shield! I need it if I’m gonna do the routine!”
“The routine?”
“Been watching all the videos! Look!”
Blaine stands at attention. He puts one hand on his hip and salutes Tony with his other. A goofy, toothy grin plasters upon his face. Lord, he looks like he stepped out of a propaganda poster. Blaine pivots and pretends to punch an imaginary figure (whom Tony can only guess is Hitler). “I even know the song!”
“Captain America never sang.” Tony crosses his arms.
“Sit!” Blaine jumps up and down.
“Excuse me?”
“Sit, sit!” Blaine tugs on Tony’s shirt until Tony gives in. He sits on the floor. Blaine runs over to the large boom box and tries pushing it over to Tony. He struggles but does not give up.
“Need any help?” Tony offers.
“Nope!” Blaine beams. “Captain America can push the boombox!”
“Captain America had help. What about his Howling Commandos?”
“Oooh.” Blaine stops and really thinks that one over. “Uh. You could be Bucky!”
“Or I could be Howard Stark, the genius who supplies Captain America with all his toys.”
That seems to give Blaine an extra burst of strength and excitement. He plows the boom box over to Tony and sits on it. “Grand-Dad knew Captain America?!”
Tony leans in. “He made Cap’s shield.”
“Really?” Blaine’s eyes widen.
“Really, really.”
“So where is it?”
“It’s with Cap. The real Cap.”
“What about the one you had?”
“I thought you found that costume nowhere.”
“Imightafounditinyoursecretcloset.”
“Uh huh.”
“Please don’t be mad!”
“I’m not.”
“I just –”
“I said I’m not.”
Blaine’s shoulders sink with relief. Before Tony knows what happens, Blaine flings his arms around Tony in a massive hug. Tony returns it. He pulls the kid into his lap. “So you gonna show me that song and dance number, kiddo?”
“You gonna build me a shield to do it right?”
Tony ruffles the cowl on Blaine’s head. “Duh.”
“Sir, Miss Potts is at the door.”