Author's Note: It's been exactly a month since I updated and I'm sorry. I've just been actively working on four stories right now. It's hard to find time in between. This chapter skips a couple years. Every chapter is going to take place in a different year. Sometimes a year apart and sometimes more. There's still quite a few chapters before the Iron Man storyline comes around. I'm not sure how many yet but there will be a lot.
Has anyone heard about the Falcon-Winter Soldier show on Disney's Streaming service? It was just thing I was praying for and now it's finally happening. A show centering on Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie is my dream. I'm so excited.
Squidoverlord: At this point I already know what pairing this is going to be and it's not going to be Scott/Ivy. I just know that I don't have any interest in that pairing anymore which was why I stopped writing the original version of this story for so long. I know there's not a lot of good Scott stories out there but I'm just not personally interested anymore in writing one. I really happen to like Scott and Hope anyways.
ThatMysteriousSlime: I love writing Tony and Ivy's cuteness. There's definitely more to come in this chapter too. The Sherlock crossover fic is really good even though it was never finished and the author isn't likely to update it. It makes me sad because I love it so much but maybe someday the author will come back to it.
Savily: I've given the pairing a lot of thought in recent weeks and I know what the pairing is going to be for sure. It won't be Sam or Scott though. I really want to write a Sam/OC fic someday but I don't think it's this one. I'm not doing Thor either because I want Jane and Ivy to be friends without any drama. Loki wouldn't work out either and I think any relationship a woman outside the Wakandan culture would have with T'Challa would be impossible realistically speaking.
JesiLea: Well, I actually don't think Sam and Scott get enough love in the fanfiction world. I've never found a Sam fic that I actually like and I wish there was more. I wanted to make this fic a Sam one but I have a really amazing storyline planned with a different pairing.
Thanks to monkeybaby, abstract 0118, Purplestan, Assbitch67, MotherAiya, Athena05, glagla60800 for reviewing as well. Thanks for all the follows and favorites. Please let me know what you think of the next chapter.
Stark Mansion, New York
1996
"Jarvis, where's daddy? Shouldn't he be home soon?" Vivien Stark, or Ivy as she liked to be called, asked. The seven year old had just returned home after her father's new driver Happy Hogan drove her home from school. The brunette with big brown doe eyes was still dressed in her school uniform which consisted of a white blouse tucked underneath a red sweater, a knee length gray skirt, and black Mary Jane flats. People would tend to be surprised to learn that Tony Stark had sent his daughter to a private catholic school but it was true. Ivy had been attending St. Mary's Academy, an all girls catholic school, since the previous year.
Her father thought it would be good for her.
"He should be here soon, Miss Stark." The elderly butler told the young girl as his eyes rested on her impatient form. The young Stark was sitting at the kitchen island as Jarvis made her an after-school snack. As he made the young Stark a snack, he couldn't help but remark how much she looked like her father and grandfather. There was a definitely a feminity to her features but the resemblance was uncanny. Between her mischievous brown eyes, dark locks of hair, and her trouble making smile, she was definitely a third generation Stark.
Jarvis knew that both he and her father were going to have their hands full with this one.
Ivy was only seven and she was already getting into trouble. Jarvis lost track of the amount of times Tony had been called down to her school because Ivy was in trouble. It was mostly for her questioning everything about her Christian Studies class but also for her constantly showing off and outsmarting her teachers. The nuns didn't seem to appreciate Ivy's conceit that much. A trait she unfortunately picked up from her father who always seemed to encourage her to question and contradict everything.
It was definitely a different relationship than the one her father shared with his own father, Jarvis sadly noted. It had been five years since the death of Howard and Maria yet there wasn't a day that went by that Jarvis didn't miss them. Howard had been such a huge part of his life ever since Jarvis met him during the war. He saved him and he saved Ana too, giving them both a life and much more than they could ever imagine. Jarvis never wanted for anything under Howard's generosity and he was even allowed the opportunity to be a father of sorts to Tony which wouldn't have been possible otherwise. This was why it filled him with deep regret that he was able to see both Tony and Ivy grow older. Something that had been stolen from Howard and it just wasn't fair.
Jarvis couldn't help but notice how all his friends seemed to be passing away. First, it was Howard and then it was the majority of the Howling Commandos who had once frequented Stark Mansion on occasion for parties and get-togethers. It seemed like Jarvis, Ana, and Peggy were the only ones left. Especially since Peggy's husband had just passed away the year before, not long after Peggy had retired from her position at Shield.
Everyone seemed to be passing away and Jarvis didn't know how to feel about that.
"But daddy should be here by now." Ivy whined and Jarvis was broken out of his thoughts as he looked at her. He couldn't help but notice how much she looked like her father when she did that. She really did spend too much time with the older Stark.
"Your father left Manhattan not that long ago. I'm sure he's almost here, Miss Stark." Jarvis assured her as he passed her a plate of celery stalks filled with peanut butter. Her favorite. Ivy wrinkled her nose in distaste but not at the snacks.
"Why do you always call me Miss Stark, Jarvis?" Ivy asked him. "Why can't you just call me Ivy like daddy does?" She was, of course, referring to her nickname that her father had given her a couple years ago. The nickname had stemmed from the way she had mispronounced her name. Toddler Ivy had pronounced her name "Ivien" which Tony quickly and eagerly shortened to "Ivy". He was just glad to call her anything but that stuffy old lady name his parents had given her.
"Because it's not my place to call you that, Miss Stark." Jarvis informed her and Ivy pouted.
"Well, I think it's silly." The young girl finally said as she sulkingly looked down at her after-school snack. The eighty year old man sighed tiredly and he honestly wondered how he was still up and running after dealing with three Starks in his lifetime. It was a miracle.
"Just eat your food, Miss Stark." Jarvis told her tiredly and he was about to walk away to go get her a juice box from the fridge when she said something that made him stop in his steps.
"Daddy misses Grandpa and Grandma too, you know." The seven year old said nonchalantly and Jarvis slowly turned around to look at her. He hadn't really expected her to say something as random and abrupt as that. He didn't know what would make her say such a thing. "I don't remember them but I still wish they were here."
"Your father told you this much?" Jarvis questioned in surprise because he rarely ever heard Tony mention his parents let alone how much he missed him. He was like his father that way, Jarvis thought to himself. Reserved in his emotions and he deflected any talk of feelings with sarcastic remarks.
"He didn't have to." Ivy told him as she shrugged. "He never has to say anything. I just know."
"And how do you know, Miss Stark?" Jarvis inquired, half curious and half amused. Ivy looked back up at him.
"Because I can hear his voice in my head sometimes." She told him and Jarvis just stared at her. "He doesn't talk but I hear him in my head. I know it's his voice because it sounds like him and he says things that I know he would never say aloud. Sometimes he says funny things too."
"What are you talking about?" Jarvis questioned, looking alarmingly confused yet worried by the girl's odd statement. It wasn't the first time she had said something odd either. The young Stark seemed to have a habit of just knowing things. She knew things that Jarvis could never explain. She just did.
"I can hear your voice in my head too...and Ana's voice." Ivy said as she stared at him and an eerie feeling came over Jarvis as those doe eyes rested on his face. She always had a way of pulling a person into her gaze. Jarvis just assumed it was part of her inherited Stark charisma. "Your voice was telling me how much you miss Grandma and Grandpa. You're not alone. Daddy misses them too."
"I-" Jarvis started to say but was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Ivy's face immediately lit up with excitement as she threw herself off her chair and ran for the foyer of the mansion. Jarvis immediately forgot all about the young girl's odd statement as he looked on in distaste.
"No running in the house, Miss Stark!" Jarvis called after her but he didn't bother to chase after her this time. There was no point. The young girl was incredibly attached to her father and hated being apart from him for long. Nothing could keep her away from her father at this point. Jarvis wasn't even going to try.
"Daddy, you're home!" Ivy exclaimed as she ambushed her father the moment he walked into the mansion. Tony stumbled back a bit as the small girl latched onto his side. He had a box in his arms that he struggled to not drop as his daughter ambushed him.
During the time since his parents had passed away, Tony had strived to build a functioning and healthy relationship with his daughter. His parents death had caused him to grow up in that aspect and to finally take responsibility for his daughter like he should've done when she was born. Tony took his parents death and decided to make something good out of it by ending the cycle right then and there. Tony refused to let his own sour past with his father dictate his future with his own daughter. Just because he had a shitty father didn't mean that Ivy deserved that same fate. No, he wanted to do good by her which meant being the best father he could possibly be.
"Wow, kiddo, you're getting stronger every day. Do they have bodybuilding at that school of yours?" Tony joked and Ivy just grinned at him.
"Don't be silly, Daddy." Ivy told him as he ruffled her hair playfully. "I just missed you."
"Only seven and you're already playing the part of the clingy girlfriend." Tony said as he continued to tease her. "I feel bad for the poor idiot you manage to wrap around your finger." Ivy wrinkled her nose in a cute way as she giggled.
"Boys are icky." She told him much to Tony's amusement. "The only boy I like is you, Daddy."
"I'm glad to hear it, kid." Tony told her and it was only then that Ivy looked away from her father, her attention being taken away by the box her father was still carrying in his arms. It was an odd looking box with multiple holes in it.
"What's in the box?" She asked in confusion and Tony just grinned at her, glancing back at the box before looking at her once more.
"I got you a surprise." Tony told her as he started walking into the parlor of the old mansion. It was the same mansion his father had purchased back in the forties after the war and when he was still a bachelor. It was the mansion Tony, himself, had been raised in...well, between that and the mansion his father had in LA. However, Tony didn't want Ivy to be raised in the same two mansions he was raised in which was why he was having a new mansion built in Malibu. Construction was only just beginning and it would be a long while before the house was finished but Tony knew it would be good for Ivy. The mansion would be theirs and theirs alone. There would be no history there like there was here.
They would be able to make their own history instead.
"A surprise?" Ivy asked excitedly, wanting to know what her father had gotten her. Tony nodded and he already knew he was going to hit a homerun with this present. He was officially going to be father of the year. This was going to outdo that stupid Polly Pocket doll Rhodey had gotten her for her birthday. Polly Pocket? Please. Ivy was a Stark and Polly Pocket was an insult to her intelligence.
"Yeah. That's why I was running a little late today." He informed her as he set the box down on the couch. Ivy was giddy as she eagerly anticipated what her father could've gotten for her. She didn't know if it was a toy or what.
"What is it?! What is it?!" She exclaimed excitedly as Tony just gave her an amused look before finally opening the box. The seven year old's eyes widened in both surprise and delight when she saw the contents of the box.
"It's a puppy!" Ivy shouted happily and sure enough a German Shepard puppy looked back up at her from down in the box, his tail wagging happily as he panted in excitement at the little girl's face. She didn't even hesitate reaching inside the box and petting the puppy who had the softest fur she had ever felt. Tony watched on in both happiness and amusement. He was glad to see that this little mutt of a dog brought his daughter happiness. He was afraid he'd have to drive back to the smelly old farm and give the thing back.
"Sure is, kiddo." Tony said as Ivy leaned her face in closer to the box and giggled when the puppy licked her face. Her father looked on in disgust but Ivy seemed happier than ever. She finally pulled away to look back up at him.
"Did you really get him for me, Daddy?" Ivy asked, excitement still on her face and Tony rolled his eyes at her.
"No, I got him for Jarvis." Tony said sarcastically before giving her an adoring smile. "Of course I got him for you. You've only been begging me for a dog for the past two years." Ivy squealed in excitement, causing Tony to go momentarily deaf, before she ambushed him with another hug.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Ivy practically cried in excitement although her voice was muffled as she buried her face in his chest. Tony chuckled as he gently patted her on the back. "You're the best daddy ever!"
"Don't mention it." Tony said as he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.
Truth be told, he would've gotten her the dog sooner but he thought she was too young before. Now she was seven and a very mature and responsible seven year old at that. Tony thought she was a little too hyper but she was incredibly mature for her age. In a different way than he had been at her age too. While Tony had been well beyond his years in school at that age, he still had the emotional maturity of a child. Ivy, however, was different. While she still acted like a seven year old, she knew how to be on her best behavior when the situation called for it.
"I'm going to love him so much. I promise." Ivy started to ramble in a Stark-like fashion but it was cuter on a seven year old little girl than a twenty six year old man...or so Tony thought. "I'm going to take care of him. I'll feed him everyday and I'll take him for lots of walks. We'll play too."
"Jarvis will help you train him for the bathroom because I definitely don't want that thing shitting and pissing in my house." Tony informed her and Ivy giggled.
"Daddy, you swore!" She accused before sticking her hand out towards him. "You have to pay me now. Jarvis said there's no swearing in the house." Tony just stared down at her in disbelief. He observed the smug little smirk on her face and Tony realized that maybe Jarvis had a point. He was influencing his daughter in more ways than one.
"I'm not going to pay you, you greedy little munchkin." Tony retorted as he crossed his arms. "I just got you a dog, the one thing you've been annoying me about for the past two years, what makes you think that I should give you money too?"
"Because you're the best daddy ever?" Ivy said carefully, batting her eyelashes at him and Tony just shook his head.
"Nice try, kid." Tony told her and the girl pouted but didn't exactly look sad. "You're a spoiled little brat, you know that? You bat those pretty little eyelashes of yours and you expect the whole world to crumble at your feet."
"Not the whole world, Daddy. Just you." Ivy said cutely and Tony rolled his eyes. He was really going to be in for an adventure of a lifetime with this kid. Not that Tony wasn't enjoying every moment with Ivy. He was really grateful for his daughter being in his life. She was really changing him for the better. Tony didn't drink as much as he used to and he didn't even go to parties that often. Only when he was away on business...when he was away from Ivy. Tony didn't bring any women home either, only engaging in the occasional one-night stand when he was traveling on business. He saved all his playboy ways for when he was away from home.
Tony was just glad he had a home to come back to.
It was difficult imagining a life that Ivy wasn't a part of. Tony thought back to the time where he practically dumped his daughter in his parents' lap and he felt regretful for his past actions because he believed Ivy was the best thing that had ever happened to him. His parents death was hard enough but he couldn't imagine being alone after something like that. Ivy was the only thing that made him maintain his sanity. He didn't feel so alone with her around.
"What are you going to name him?" Tony asked her and Ivy looked back down at the puppy, her gaze immediately softening.
"Uh...I don't know. Maybe Sirius?" Ivy said thoughtfully and Tony furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
"Serious?" Tony questioned and Ivy furiously shook her head.
"Not serious, Daddy. Sirius." Ivy corrected much to Tony's curiosity. "Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky and many know it as the dog star because of its prominence in it's constellation Canis Major. Sirius also marked the dog days of summer for the Greeks."
"A star, huh?" Tony said, not having a clue as to what his daughter was going on about. Ask Tony anything about artificial intelligence or weapons manufacturing but he knew next to nothing about stars and constellations unlike his daughter who could never stop going on about all things space. Every single day there seemed to be some new thing that held her interest. One day it was the Virgo Supercluster and then the next she was rambling on about the Intergalactic Medium. The other day Tony had been working on a project in the lab while Ivy sat there telling him about Hawking radiation which was Stephen Hawking's theory that black holes emitted blackbody radiation.
It was no secret that Vivien Maria Stark had inherited the Stark intellect.
Tony wasn't really surprised by this since Ivy had always been smart for her age...just like he had been. However, it was also clear that Ivy wasn't at all interested in engineering, robotics, or even computer science like her father and grandfather before her. No. The young girl actually seemed to be the black sheep of the family much to Tony's amusement. Weapons and robotics didn't hold her interest for one minute. Ivy's interest was only held by the night sky and all the possibilities within it.
Tony sometimes called her his little Star-Gazer because she always looking up at the night sky. He even built her an advanced telescope that allowed her to see further than the regular ones. Tony knew that his father would've cursed him for encouraging Ivy's interest in a different field of science but Tony didn't care. He wasn't going to push Ivy into something she didn't want to do. If she didn't want to build weapons then that was her decision.
"I think it's a good name for him. He kind of looks like a Sirius." Ivy observed as she smiled down at her new puppy. Tony just chuckled.
"Most kids would name their dog Rufus or Fido. You name your dog after a star." Tony remarked as he looked down at her. "I have the weirdest kid ever."
"You're a weird daddy too." Ivy retorted and Tony scoffed.
"No, I'm not." Tony told her but Ivy met his gaze bravely.
"You are too."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"What's going on in here?" James Rhodes questioned as he walked into the room. The newly promoted US Air-Force Major walked into the house with a bewildered look on his face as he witnessed his twenty six year old best friend arguing with his own seven year old daughter. Rhodey shouldn't have been surprised but still…
"Uncle Rhodey!" Ivy exclaimed, her face lit up with excitement as she immediately raced over to Rhodey. Rhodey couldn't help the smile that came over his face as the small girl latched onto him with all her might.
"Hey there, Ivy. Not feeling that energetic today, huh?" Rhodey said jokingly as the little girl smiled at him. It never ceased to amuse him how much energy this girl seemed to have. Rhodey wondered if Tony had been the same way as a kid.
Probably.
"Guess what, Uncle Rhodey?!" Ivy said excitedly as Rhodey raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"What?"
"Daddy got me a puppy. You wanna see?" She said, practically bouncing on her feet. Rhodey chuckled as the little girl didn't seem to take no for an answer and started to drag him in the direction of her new dog. He raised his eyebrows at Tony who only shrugged in response as if the whole ordeal was nothing to him.
"I guess I'm going to see the dog anyways." Rhodey said in amusement as he and Ivy stood in front of the box which still contained the excited puppy. Ivy excitedly looked from the puppy to Rhodey and then back to the puppy again. The small girl seemed to almost hyperventilate from all the excitement. Her excitement must've rubbed off on the dog as well because the German Shepard puppy seemed just as excited as his new owner.
"His name is Sirius, after my favorite star, and daddy just got him for me as a present." Ivy started to ramble as she told her uncle/godfather all about her new pet. "I'm going to be the best dog mommy there ever was, Uncle Rhodey. I'll take him on walks whenever he wants and I'll feed him and teach him lots of tricks and I'll-I'll-" Tony interrupted his daughter when he noticed that she was getting a little too excited and rambunctious.
"It's okay, kiddo. Just calm down. Your dog-I mean-Sirius isn't going anywhere." Tony told Ivy calmly and the little girl nodded as she took a deep breath.
"Okay." She said quietly and Tony shared a look with Rhodey before looking back at his daughter.
"Hey, why don't you and Sirius go outside to play while your Uncle Rhodey and I catch up with each other." Tony suggested to Ivy who gasped in excitement, her brown eyes sparkling with that familiar Stark mischievousness.
"Really, Daddy?" She asked and Tony nodded.
"Yeah, go knock yourself out." Tony told her as he gave her a small smile. "Just make sure Jarvis goes with you." Ivy nodded eagerly as she then scooped her new puppy in her arms. The grin on her face was unwavering as she looked down at her dog with an expression akin to adoration.
"Let's go play, Sirius." She told her puppy before leaning down and kissing the top of his head. The puppy yelped excitedly as he licked her face in return. Ivy giggled infectiously and then headed off to the kitchen where the sliding glass door was. She disappeared as she skipped into the kitchen, both Tony and Rhodey's eyes following her figure as she left.
"Jarvis! Look what daddy got me!" They could hear Ivy exclaim from the other room.
"A bloody dog?!" They heard Jarvis exclaim as he panicked. Tony tried to stifle his laughter and even Rhodey looked like he wanted to laugh at the poor butler's panicked state. "Just imagine all the fur and slobber. Oh no...he's not potty trained either, is he?"
"Ha! You said a swore word, Jarvis! You have to pay up." Ivy said accusingly, sounding quite delighted by the fact that she had caught Jarvis in the act. "Just because it's a British swear word doesn't mean that it doesn't count."
"I apologize, Miss Stark. If you would be so kind as to put it on my tab." The butler said tiredly. It was in that moment that Rhodey turned to his best friend with an unimpressed look on his face.
"You really are a terrible influence on her." Rhodey told him honestly but Tony didn't look fazed one bit. "She's starting to sound like you."
"I don't see it." Tony told him, denying what Rhodey just told him. However, the billionaire and heir of Stark Industries was proved wrong when the seven year old spoke again as she responded to Jarvis.
"I guess we can work something out." Her small voice said and Rhodey gave his friend a long look. Tony had a sheepish expression on his face as he shrugged.
"So she's inherited my amazing personality. This just means she'll grow up to be a cool person like her old man." Tony said nonchalantly. "What's wrong with that?" Rhodey sighed heavily.
"I can think of a couple reasons."
"What's up with the dog, Tony?" Rhodey questioned as soon as Jarvis had taken both Ivy and her new dog outside. He and Tony were currently watching Ivy run around the yard as Sirius chased after her, his tail wagging back and forth as he nipped at the little girl's heels. Jarvis watched on, looking worried as usual, but shouting at Ivy every once and while to not wear herself out.
"I don't know. She was always nagging me about the dog so I figured I might as well give her what she wants." Tony told him without taking his eyes off his daughter. Rhodey gave him a look of disbelief.
"Tony, you can't just give her everything she wants. She's already spoiled enough as it is." Rhodey told him seriously and it was true. While Ivy was a lovable and smart little girl, she was also quite spoiled and even bratty when she wanted to be. The seven year old was slowly getting accustomed to getting her way because Tony treated her like a little princess, granting her every wish and command.
Ivy wanted to go to Disneyland? Well, Tony would book them the best suite at the Disneyland Hotel for two weeks, skip-the-line passes for all the rides, and she'd get to meet all the Disney princesses of her heart's desire.
Ivy wanted an American Girl Doll? Tony would just have to buy her every American Girl Doll ever created.
Rhodey's point was that Tony spoiled Ivy rotten which wasn't exactly a good thing. Don't get him wrong. Rhodey loved that Tony had really stepped up to the plate after his parents death and had become the father Ivy needed. Tony turned out be a surprisingly good father, showering his daughter with love and affection. Rhodey assumed that Tony was just doing the opposite of what his father did, not wanting Ivy to grow up like he did. However, Rhodey also knew that Tony had an incredibly difficult time saying no to his daughter.
"It's just a dog, Rhodey." Tony told him, not looking fazed by his friend's concern.
"I know but you really need to start saying no to her, Tony. You're spoiling her rotten and I don't think that's good for her." Rhodey lectured and Tony glared at him.
"Look, I appreciate your concern but don't tell me how to be a father." Tony retorted and Rhodey sighed because he hadn't meant to offend Tony. He just wanted to be real with him. "I think I'm doing an alright job despite everything."
"I'm not saying you're doing a terrible job. I'm just saying that you shouldn't spoil her." Rhodey continued to tell his friend. "If you keep spoiling her like this then she's going to end up like Paris Hilton or one of those Kardashian sisters. A spoiled brat who does anything she wants because daddy lets her."
"Paris Hilton?" Tony questioned as a more fearful look crossed his face. He thought about the famous socialite who, even though she was just a teenager, was known to get into quite a bit of trouble. Tony thought of the way the blonde socialite dressed and acted before realizing what his true nightmare was. In his nightmare he pictured Ivy like that. A teenage Ivy dressing like she was twice her age, going to wild parties, and making out with strange men who only wanted to take advantage of her. It made Tony's heart race in his chest as he panicked at such a thought.
"Yes. You always say yes to her and while Ivy's a child, she's not stupid. She knows she has you wrapped around her finger." Rhodey told him as Tony finally listened to everything his friend was saying. "If this keeps going on then she's going to be worse than you ever were. Your dad could be a real piece of work sometimes but even he didn't spoil you."
"Yes because dad was a-" Tony started to argue but Rhodey just interrupted him as he rolled his eyes.
"Because your dad was a dick. I know." Rhodey responded before growing serious once more. "But you can't just give Ivy everything she wants because your father never did the same with you. This isn't good for her. Why do you think she gets into trouble at school so often?"
"I don't know." Tony muttered as he looked down at his shoes.
"Because you let her say and do anything she wants. You treat her like a little princess but those nuns don't look at her the same way." Rhodey continued to lecture as Tony was forced to listen and slowly realize that Rhodey was right. "I thought you sent her there because you thought she could be disciplined since you're too much of a chicken shit to discipline her yourself." Tony glared at him.
"I can discipline her." Tony argued weakly and Rhodey raised an eyebrow.
"Really?" He questioned doubtfully and Tony nodded. "Your little princess? You can discipline your little princess?"
"I don't call her my little princess." Tony said in annoyance. "I love her but I'm still me. No woman can ever tie me down. Not even her."
"Oh, that's interesting." Rhodey said in a sarcastic tone as he looked around the mansion. "Because I didn't know Tony Stark, the famous genius billionaire playboy philanthropist, liked to have tea parties with American Girl Dolls and Care Bears in his living room." Tony sheepishly looked around the living room and noticed Rhodey was right. There was toys everywhere in the living room. Ivy's presence in the mansion was very noticeable.
"She said it was Mr. Cuddle Belly's Birthday. What was I supposed to say?" Tony said defensively but Rhodey didn't stop there.
"I also didn't know Tony Stark liked having his fingernails painted. What color is that...pink?" Rhodey remarked as he stared at Tony's painted fingernails which the billionaire attempted to wipe off all traces of nail polish but he hadn't gotten it all. There was faint smudges of pink still present on his nails. Tony actually blushed this time.
"She wanted to practice her nail painting abilities. She said Jarvis stopped letting her do it to him so I was only the option." Tony tried to tell his friend who only scoffed.
"What? Do you let her do your makeup too?" Rhodey questioned sarcastically but the amused look fell off his face when he noticed that Tony had fallen silent.
"Tony...no." Rhodey said in what sounded like surprise but disappointment too.
"She said I looked pretty." Tony mumbled and Rhodey just shook his head at his friend.
"I think it's clear who wears the pants in this family." Rhodey muttered before speaking to his friend in a more clear voice. "Look, man, I'm glad you've become a father. I always wanted that for you and you're a great one but you really need to learn to say no to her. She's not going to stop loving you. You just need to make sure she understands that you're her father. Not her friend."
"Can't I be both?" Tony asked quietly and Rhodey sighed.
"Yes but that doesn't mean you can let her do whatever she wants." Rhodey said softly. "This means saying no to a new toy she just has to have, no to Ice Cream for dinner, and no to puppies."
"I didn't just give her the puppy because she asked for it." Tony finally said, a conflicted expression on his face. Rhodey gave him a confused look.
"What?" Rhodey questioned and Tony sighed.
"She's lonely, Rhodey." Tony said as he started to explain himself to his friend. "Ivy doesn't have any friends. Her teachers told me this much during the parent-teacher conference last month." He only paused briefly before he went on to describe the disaster that was his daughter's social life.
"Kids in her grade level are eleven and they don't want to hang out with a seven year old. Especially a seven year old who's smarter than them." Tony said sadly as he continued to watch his daughter play with her new puppy outside as Jarvis attempted to supervise her. "Kids her own age think she's weird too."
"It'll get better in a couple years." Rhodey said reassuringly and Tony shook his head.
"No, it won't. You know how I know?" Tony only continued when Rhodey shook his head. "Because I was exactly like her when I was her age. I didn't have any friends. All the kids thought I was weird and stayed away from me. I thought it would be different for Ivy but maybe I was wrong."
"You're not wrong, Tony. She just needs to find the right people." Rhodey said, trying to comfort Tony but the billionaire still didn't look convinced.
"I even tried organizing playdates with the children of all those ass clowns on the board of the company. I thought maybe she'd be able to find a friend there but she only ended up in tears." Tony said, a lost look in his eyes. "It's just that I don't know what to do, Rhodey. I have all the money in the world but I don't know how to make this better for her."
"She'll have friends when she's older...just like you." Rhodey said, reminding Tony of their friendship.
"I thought getting the dog for her would make things better. Dogs are loyal and I figured he could be a companion for her...a friend." Tony said as he explained himself and Rhodey better understood him now.
"Hey...I get it. You're just trying to do what's best for her." Rhodey said quietly and Tony just shrugged.
"Sometimes I just wish that she wasn't like dad and I." Tony admitted much to Rhodey's surprise. "Sometimes I wish that she was more like mom. Maybe she'd be able to have friends like a normal little girl."
"But she's not like your mom. She's like you." Rhodey told him honestly and Tony nodded.
"I know." Tony said before sighing heavily as he looked away from his giggling daughter and looked back at Rhodey. "If there was just some way I could make things different for her than it was for me."
"I think that says how great of a dad you are, Tony. I'm proud of you." Rhodey said, trying to cheer him up.
"I don't want to be like my dad." Tony told him, seemingly scared at the prospect of somehow turning into his father, and Rhodey nodded.
"You're not." Rhodey said, sounding very sure of himself when he said that. "You're doing great but you just have to learn to say no sometimes and you'll do even better." Tony sighed once more but nodded in understanding.
"It's just hard saying no to her when I just want to give her the whole world." Tony murmured softly and this time Rhodey didn't say anything in response. He just followed his friend's gaze as his friend continued to watch his daughter play outside. It warmed Rhodey's heart to know that Tony had not only taken interest in his daughter, but also adored her like a father should adore his daughter.
It was only five years ago when Rhodey had severely worried about the state of Tony's relationship with his daughter but things had changed since then. Sadly it only took the death of Tony's parents to make the billionaire grow up but at least Ivy had a father and at least Tony wasn't alone either. Rhodey just hoped that Tony didn't do the opposite of his father and try too hard with Ivy. He'd only drive himself crazy and that was the last thing Ivy needed. There was really no need for Rhodey to worry anyways. Tony would calm down in his protectiveness and take each day one step at a time.
Hopefully.
It was a few hours later that Tony made his way down the hallway.
Rhodey had left after dinner and Jarvis had tucked Ivy in. It seemed like she had a big day with her puppy. She was all worn out so it didn't take long for her to fall asleep. Tony had been working in the lab for the past couple hours as he developed a new weapon for the military. He usually only worked on his projects for the military at night when Ivy was asleep. Tony didn't want her to be around all that doom and gloom. She was too little to understand any of it anyways.
Tony finally reached her room which was down the hall from his. Her bedroom in the house used to be in the other wing when his parents were still alive but Tony hadn't been that comfortable having Ivy that far away from him. This was why he moved her to a bedroom just down the hall from him...in case she had a nightmare and needed to find him. Nothing out of the ordinary and just for Tony's peace of mind.
The door of Ivy's bedroom was opened a crack which was always a demand for her. She was afraid of a monster hiding in her room so she felt better with the door open. Tony opened the door a smidge more as he peeked inside her bedroom and quietly walked in.
The room was a master sized bedroom in a normal house but it was only half the size of Tony's bedroom in the Stark Mansion. The room also looked the part of a little girl's bedroom. Toys were scattered across the floor with Tony having to take great precaution not to step on any of them and trip. Her room was painted a powder blue color but the ceiling of her bedroom was the breathtaking part. Tony hired a professional artist to paint the ceiling of Ivy's bedroom so that it would look like the night sky with all its stars and constellations.
So that she could fall asleep looking at the night sky.
A rotating night light sat on her nightstand which projected light, from within it, in the shape of stars and constellations, illuminating her bedroom in the dark. Tony glanced over at her bed, observing the little lump buried underneath all the covers. His expression softened as he saw her there buried underneath her Care Bear comforter, her arm tightly wound around her stuffed penguin Mr. Cuddy Belly. Sirius was passed out next to her, the puppy barely stirring when Tony sat down on the edge of Ivy's bed. It was clear that the both of them had quite the day, having worn each other out.
Tony smiled at the peaceful, angelic face of his daughter as she slept there. He remarked at how innocent looking she was which only made his strong need to protect her stronger. There was so much Tony wanted to do for her but his options were limited. Even with all money in the world. Things like friends and normalcy couldn't exactly be bought and this was why Tony had gotten her the dog. The dog would love her and be her friend no matter what.
Tony also had wanted to give her things he never got as a child. His parents never allowed him to have a dog no matter how much he begged. He had been such a lonely and miserable kid that he was sure even a guinea pig would've been a welcomed friend. However, Tony didn't want Ivy having the same childhood he did. Rhodey was right about saying no to her and not spoiling her but that didn't mean that Tony was going to turn into his father either.
The other kids might've thought she was weird now but someday she'd have a friend...a real friend. Her very own Rhodey. It would get better for her someday but until then Tony wanted to keep her happy. This dog would love her unconditionally and would be much kinder to her than human friends.
Tony gently brushed a lock of her dark hair from off her face and smiled at the way her nose twitched in response but she didn't wake.
There wasn't a thing Tony wouldn't do for her.
He didn't know if it was because he felt guilty over dumping her on his parents' lap when she was a baby or if he was grateful for her existence since she was all that he had left. Either way, Tony knew that he loved her more than anything. His love for her immensely confused him but mostly because he didn't understand how his father could never tell him that he loved him. Tony just didn't understand it from the perspective of a father. His father's coldness and indifference didn't make any sense to him because he felt nothing but love and adoration for Ivy. There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't tell her that he loved her. It wasn't just because of his father's cold indifference that he did this.
It was genuinely what Tony felt for his daughter.
"Sweet dreams, Vivien." Tony murmured as he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. His smile lingered, a part of him wishing that she would stay this way forever but he knew she wouldn't. Tony had the same wish a couple years ago yet she was still growing older with each year. He didn't want her to grow up but he knew it was inevitable. Tony supposed this didn't make him any different from any other father. Somehow he didn't think that was a bad thing either.
Not that he would ever admit that aloud.