Summary; You know the trope, genius billionaire playboy with dead parents builds a suit to fight off crime, and then teams up with a group of super powered individuals led by a red and blue clad boy scout. But what if it was Tony Stark at Haly's Circus that night? Enter Dick Grayson-Stark.

nHEHEIESEHDYDJR. This idea would not leave my braaaaain. So here it is.

TOTALLY IGNORES THE FACT THAT HAWKEYE HAS A WIFE AND THAT BRUCE DISPEAERED, BUT OTHERWISE AGE OF ULTRON IS STILL ALL THERE

Tony is aware of thinking just two things afterwards.

The first being, I'm glad Pepper didn't come, and the second being, that poor kid.

Now, sitting in front of a tiny eight year old acrobat two weeks later, he's rethinking his decision.

"So, hi," he begins, talking the way he would to anyone else. He remebers just wanting to be treated like a normal person after his mom and pop died. "I'm like, Tony Stark. You know who I am though, I'm guessing, most people do," he cuts himself off, feeling uncharacteristically self conscious. "Yeah."

The boy's big blue eyes stare up at him. Tony grasped for another topic.

"I see you have an elephant. Do you want me to sign it? I mean I don't have to. You - you like elephants? Of course you do, you grew up in a circus. I know a guy who grew up in a circus. He's an ass though, I'll bet you aren't an ass," Tony adds lamely. "Do you know how to shoot a bow and arrow?"

The Grayson kid shakes his head. "No sir," the boy says. He had an accent like the Maximoffs, kind of turning the words into 'no seer'.

"Well, like, I guess if we're going to live together, we should get some things straight. Are you secretly a miniature Hulk?"

Dick cracks a tiny, tiny smile. "I don't think so."

"Are you related to Loki, or that huge blonde guy Thor?" Tony asks, as if he didn't know both of them personally. A little too well, for Tony's personal tastes.

Dick shakes his head again.

"Just to be sure - you are not a redheaded female assassin, correct?"

"No sir," the boy says again, smiling in way that makes his dimples seem more noticeable than the huge bruise he was sporting from Juvie. Tony clenches his hands under the table.

"Enough with the sir, alright kid? Making me feel old," he grumbles, hoping that the boy recognizes it as a joke.

The child lifts an eyebrow, and speaking in hesitant, halting English. "But you are old."

"That rules out Captain America, at least he's nice to us old-timers," Tony retorts, smirking at the boy's surprised face. "Yeah, that right. I'm an Avenger. I -"

"Know Captain America?" The brat practically squeals. "Is he really as awesome as he sounds? Is it true that -"

"One thing at a time, kid," Tony says. "I've still got to introduce you to Pepper. And no he's not all that great. Iron Man is way better."

"Whoa."

"Right?" Tony replies. It's kind of awesome having someone actually recognize and bask in all of his glory for once.

The kid quickly schools his features, taking on a slightly defensive stance. "I mean - I've seen better, it's just that this is. . . okay , it's pretty cool."

"And it's all mine. And I guess yours too now."

"Don't forget about me," a voice chimes in. Dick jumped. "You know, Pepper Potts, your CEO, girlfriend, all around bad-ass?"

"Hey Pepp," Tony replies, like there isn't a little kid next to him with a duffel bag, a stuffed elephant, and adoption papers.

"Hello ma'am," Dick says sweetly, hiding behind Tony's legs the shy brat he wasn't. His accentn seems even more pronounced than before. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Pepper's face softens radically. "And you must be Dick Grayson, the one I read about in the papers," she looks up at Tony murderously, "and not from my longtime, commitment shy, ba-"

"Whoa, honey!" Tony exclaims, actually having to lean down a little bit to cover Dick's ears. "Not in front of the kid!"

The boy giggles.

Pepper somehow manages to make tucking a strand of behind her ear look angry. "Have you told your team?"

"No comment," Tony answers quickly, flashing his full proof, camera ready smile.

"That's going to be a problem," she responds , "because they'll be here in five minutes."

Two hours later, Tony finds out that Clint and Dick are practically related because they 'both know Ol' Jack Haly' and 'you can take the boy out of the circus, but you can't take the circus out of the boy', that Thor and Natasha actually really like children, as long as they aren't Tony, that dear old Brucie thinks having a kid will be good for him, and that Capsicle is absolutely, 100% terrified of children.

He's only a little but jealous of Clint anyways.

"So, we're all good here? Speak now or forever hold your peace," Tony claps his hands together.

"Tony, I don't think that bringing a child into this lifestyle is a good idea," Steve says, almost hesitantly.

"Pssh," Tony waves his hand dismissively. "You're just scared of not being the baby-even-though-you're-the-oldest anymore."

"All in favor?" Bruce asks, dark eyes staring holes into their favorite super-soldier.

"Aye," everyone (including Jarvis) but Clint and Steve says.

"Dammit," the archer curses, throwing his arm up, "I was planning on kidnapping you."

Steve looks around tiredly, and Tony wonders how much sleep their leader has been getting between all this 'the world is ending' and 'I've gotta find Bucky'. Tony only has one of those on his plate and he gets close to none. The youngest man raises his hand slowly. "Don't suppose I have a choice, then."

"Hey," Tony offers coolly, like he's not actually squealing inside because he's in the same room as Captain America. The other man's approval shouldn't mean anything to him. "If you can't beat 'em. . . "

Dick grabs his hand as they're headed back to the tower's 100th floor, which startles Tony. A lot.

He wraps his fingers around the much smaller ones, swinging their hands back and forth the way he wished his Dear Ol' Dad would've done with him.

"Tony?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"Thank you. For everything."

Tony can't think of anything to say for a long time. "It's what any billionaire vigilante with a wicked cool suit would do."

The elevator is silent the rest of the way up, but Tony doesn't think they need to say anything else, for once in his life, only holds onto the little hand even tighter.