No More Hiding [Tony Stark x Daughter Reader]

Chapter 9

It's here.
~~~

~~~Pepper's P.O.V.~~~

Anthony Edward Stark was a bit confusing at times. God knew he was also aggravating, with clear, apparent uncaring for everything other than women.

    At least... that's how he was before the "incident". After the whole Afghanistan fiasco, I found that the certain Stark I was sure I really knew began to change before my eyes. He never told me exactly what had happened in Afghanistan, but to be fair I never felt the need to press and ask. He made it clear that it was a subject he wanted to stay clear of by the obvious changing of the certain subject whenever someone brought it up. The only thing gained from the footage that I saw on Obadiah's computer was that it was bad, and it wouldn't do well to push him on sharing what happened. So, I never did; I didn't need to know what happened to him, I was just happy he was alive and back.

    ...but... it was like what Stane had said: he never truly came back. Tony left some part of himself in that cave in Afghanistan, and there was no way to get that part of him back.

    He no longer cared lickity split about doing the 'devil's tango' with as many beautiful women as he could until he was exhausted from dancing. He still had the same recklessness, but it was directed at something else. He directed his whole attention to something else, something that I couldn't guess in a million years he would do. Tony always was sort of invested in his engineering, but it wasn't ever this total, complete focus.

    At first glance, some would say that it was a good thing. Being like that to women was sort of obsessive, caring for the thrill of having sexual activities with a beautiful stranger. It was like he didn't want to be familiar with any of them. He learned what he needed to, did them, and moved on, never staying with the same person. Being used to it, I was fine with it. And, to be completely honest, there was nothing wrong with it. Some people did like only having sex with people that were strangers to them. However, for Tony, at a closer glance, it was like he was... afraid of forming close, personal relationships with people. I guessed it was the reason why he didn't have many close friends. And so, once this went away, I was completely fine with its disappearance, hoping that he got past whatever he had been dealing with.

    But it was then I realized how that obsession turned to engineering. I always noticed how, when he was feeling sort of down or frustrated, he would vanish to his little garage down below and start building. However, it had never been as bad as it had gotten after Afghanistan. He was down there for hours, days even. And it was only when I came down to find bullet holes in a suit he was wearing that I figured out where this new obsession had gone.

    He was now into the "Hero Act".

    One would say this is good, incredible even, but for Tony Stark? It was frightening. Here was someone who often got fixated unhealthily on things easily, going so far as to forsake his health to get those fixations done. Here was someone who was cocky, reckless, and did not care about themselves at all unless it was in some snobbish, egotistical sense. Here was someone who didn't care for their health, having to be reminded to eat at times or sleep, someone who didn't care in the slightest if they lived or died. Here was someone who kept going even if they were half-dead living off coffee for days. And that person was now on a battlefield, bullets racing towards him, aiming to kill him, not holding back on him at all.

    It didn't help that he almost did die in that fight against the Iron Monger.

    I'm so, so worried for him, but he won't listen to me. He thinks he has to do this to redeem himself for his terrible actions, and he doesn't care if he dies along the way.

    It's the reason why I'm always so terrified when I find him missing.

      If he doesn't care for himself, then someone has to. He always cares for others, it's time for someone to care for him.

Happy does, but he doesn't care about correcting his damaging habits. Rhodey of course does too, but he's barely around anymore. I'm here all the time. I'm his assistant for goodness sake!

       I'm just... not sure how exactly. I know I remind him to eat and drink and sleep, but he barely listens to me. I just feel like I'm not... right for the job...

    I sighed heavily and silently padded barefoot into the living room, frown dripping downwards more and more as I started to realize that he was probably in his garage tinkering again instead of actually taking care of himself. When was the last time he got some sleep? He probably didn't do it himself since he's been alone for three days on a mission.

    I stopped short as I entered the room, green eyes widening with disbelief.

    There he was, sleeping on the couch with that small girl he adopted in his arms. Recalling our past conversation, it occurred to me that he did seem tired, but for him to actually act upon it by himself was unthinkable.

    I turned my gaze upon the girl— Y/N I think he said she was. She was odd. Not in the supernatural sense, but in the way she seemed to influence Tony. If anyone had told me about two days ago that Tony Stark was going to come home with a girl he adopted, I would have gave them a professional smile and asked if they would kindly leave, then laughed about their ridiculousness once they left.

    For Tony to willingly adopt a young girl was... unlikely to say the least. However, seeing that moment when he gently reassured her and even offer to carry her was... even more unexpected. And for him to actually want and go to sleep was just impossible! If not for Happy gruffly explaining how he came across the situation, I would have thought I was dreaming or just going plain insane.

       Honestly though, talking with Happy didn't help that much! He got me confused at the fact that he drove Tony home. Tony usually never lets anyone drive him; he drives himself. The only time he doesn't is if he has something more important to do. Or in this case, someone more important to him; someone who he thought needed his attention more. This was so unusual, that I swore right in front of Happy and threw my hands up into the air like a maniac.

    But...

    My eyes flicked up to Tony's face, observing his relaxed muscles, his peaceful expression, the slow rise and fall of his chest, and the steady glowing light blue beam coming from his reactor. It was a sight that I normally never saw.

    ...It seems maybe this is for the best; Y/N Stark is having a pretty good influence on him.

    And... it would be nice for another person to show care for him.

Maybe... he'll finally learn to care for himself too.

      ...

      ...

       Maybe Y/N Stark is the right person for the job.

~~~

So how did you guys like it? 😏

I really loved writing this chapter. It came so naturally to me and it was just so fun.

So I hope you guys enjoyed it! :)

Also have any of you guys read Tony Stark 616 comics? Because can I just say that this guy is WILD. Like bro I was shocked at how this man was in the comics. I much prefer MCU Tony

— Cozi Stark