Just wanted to drop a note that I really liked this. There are unplumbed depths to Tony/Howard angst (I often wonder, what would he say to his dad if he had a chance to talk to him again) - and it's nice to see it explored by something this well-written.

Oh my gosh. This is amazing and so perfectly sad.

Oh... I love it! It was a really great story.

This is, stilistically speaking, perfect. I ADORE the imagery and your way with words. Ex: "it's his father on a sun chair and he's got a choice: his son on the rocks or his scotch the same way"
Stilistic devices are neither over- nor underused (is that even a word?) and the italics... well, they're spot-on.
The message is perfectly clear, and so beautifully tragic.
ConCrit: Personally, I'd prefer not being told every fourth line that Tony wants to impress his father. We got that after the second paragraph.
Loved it.

I've found your story in another author's favorites' list. It's one of the best written one-shots I've read.

Heartbreaking and so painfully true. There is this important line: "Because Tony Stark is not a letdown, and he knows it - he's so sure of it, that he refuses to let his father tell him otherwise, but at the same time that's all he has to go by, all he can aspire to be". How many times people (especially those a little bit younger, new to the system) find themselves in that kind of situations. How many of them have the will to not give up?

You've managed to capture his weaknesses and strengths in so few words.

Heartbreaking and really good :)

Lovely, lovely words...just so sad and beautiful at the same time, poor broken boy. Close to tears on this one.

I'm so sad this only has two reviews and I hope you get many more because this is incredible. So sad and so perfectly Tony. Your writing is lovely.

Gorgeous and heartbreaking. The stylistic choices were the cherry on top of a magnificent sundae.

Wow. Just wow. This is amazing and heartbreaking and a beautiful montage of what must have been going on in his youth, brought him to the point we see later on. Wow.