This was a stray plot bunny that got to me while I was reading a bunch of de-aged Tim Drake fan fics and I found myself wondering how Tony would handle it and thus this was born. :P

This doesn't take place in any of my plotted sequel storylines, but I figure it takes place sometime between Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron, but Tony didn't remove the arc reactor at the end of Iron Man 3 in this AU. Enjoy. :)

Chapter 1: Tony Gets a Nest Full of Robins

Tony Stark stared in bewilderment at the figure stepping out of the shadows in the lab on his private floor. The man's sudden appearance itself wasn't a surprise - only Batman knew how to get into Tony's private suit of floors without JARVIS having to let him in or alerting him of an intruder - but the tiny form cradled in the man's arms was. A small face was barely visible beyond the man's heavy cape, but he knew that face.

"Is that… Tim?!" Tony choked, dropping the new arrowheads that he'd been working on for Clint and hurried over past his bots who were now whirring in distress.

"Yes," Batman sighed, shrugging back his cape and allowing Tony to take the small child from him.

"What happened?" Tony demanded.

"The Titans had a run-in with Klarion, the Witchboy," the other man grunted. "Apparently Superboy and Kid Flash riled him up enough that he sent a hex at Robin, but Red Robin took the hit himself. Robin brought him home only a few hours ago."

"How is he?" Tony asked, worried when he saw how puffy and red his deaged kid's eyes were.

"Physically Tim is fine. Mentally, though, he's a bit traumatized. He didn't recognize anyone but Batman. He kept asking for his mother and father. When I told him that his parents were away on a trip, he demanded that he be brought to you. From what we were able to get out of him, we've determined that he's approximately two or three years old."

"And Robin?"

"He's fine. A bit rattled, perhaps, but fine."

"Rattled?"

"Tim started crying and screamed at him when he awoke mid-flight on their way back to Gotham. He managed to squirm out of his seat on the Batwing and crawled into a small storage space where Robin couldn't get him out. Tim accused Robin of kidnapping him. When Robin landed the Batwing he nearly raced down the ramp to get me. He'd never admit it, but I think Tim unnerved him. Tim wouldn't stop screaming and crying until he saw me and even then he wouldn't come out until I'd promised to bring him to you."

"So what do we do?" Tony asked.

"According to Zatanna, the spell should wear off within the week," Batman said.

"So we just wait?" Tony asked, scowling a bit. A week was a long time. What if the Avengers were called in for something?

"I'd keep him with me, but he clearly doesn't trust me much even though I'm Batman, and in this state, he doesn't know who the others are."

"Perhaps, but it wouldn't hurt for his brothers to come for a visit now, would it?" Tony asked.

"You'd let them stay in your tower?" Batman asked.

"Your family has always had access," Tony huffed. "Where do you think Robin goes after you two have a fight?"

"...I always assumed he was spending time with Nightwing."

"Dickie-boy doesn't have hamsters or cool gadgets for him to test, B," Tony said, grinning smugly. "Besides, at present I'm the only Avenger in the tower. Capsicle, the Hawk and Widow are on some SHIELD mission, Thor is still on Asgard as far as I know, and Bruce is away on some sort of meditative retreat for the weekend."

Tim whimpered in his arms, so Tony bounced him gently, like Janet had shown him when Tim had been this young the first time around. Tim's big blue watery eyes fluttered open and stared at him for a minute before he began crying.

"TONY!" the kid sobbed as he squirmed until he had his arms wrapped around Tony's neck.

"Hey, Sport," Tony said, fixing his hold on the child so that he didn't drop him. "Easy there, Timmy, everything's going to be alright."

It took a couple of minutes, but Tim eventually calmed down, his face mashed against Tony's neck making the man cringe a bit. There was a reason he hadn't really been involved in Tim's life until he'd grown up a bit. He simply wasn't used to crying children.

"Thanks, Bats," Tony huffed when he saw the man's small barely-there smirk.

"Tank-you, Batman," Tim mumbled, peeking a doe eye at the costumed vigilante.

"You're welcome," Batman said. "I'll send Hood your way for backup."

"Great," Tony sighed. Jason wasn't going to be happy that Tony had neglected to tell him that he was alone in New York without available backup from the team. "Thanks again, Bats. Don't be a stranger now."

"Bye bye, Batman," Tim yawned before pressing his face back into Tony's neck.

In the blink of an eye, Batman was gone.

"Right. Time for bed," Tony said softly as he padded out of the lab with an armful of de-aged Tim. "JARVIS, save all open projects, have the bots clean up, and shut the lab down for the night."

"Yes, Sir," his AI said. "Good night, Sir. Good night, Master Timothy."

The next morning Tony got up at the acceptable hour of 8 AM and took Tim shopping for some clothes. He wasn't sure where Bruce had dug up whatever Tim was currently wearing, but it was clearly something that hadn't seen the light of day since Bruce was Tim's size. And Tim was tiny as a toddler, meaning that the clothes were probably something Bruce had worn as an infant and that just wouldn't do.

So Tony went to the nearest children's clothing outlet and bought a week's worth of clothes that would actually fit the boy. Then they went to a few toy stores and bought some toys as well. Contrary to popular belief, Tony was very good at disguising himself and keeping a low profile when he needed to. He was best friends with Batman for goodness sake. No one recognized him and therefore no one questioned why genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist Tony Stark was shopping for clothes and items that were clearly for the child in his company.

While they were out, Tony chatted with Tim, who was only too happy to tell Tony what he'd been up to (what he thought was) recently. Apparently Tim had just turned three. Tim hadn't met Dick Grayson until three months after his third birthday, so of course Tony and Batman were the only people Tim would be familiar with.

Even at three years of age, however, Tim was smart enough to realize how how much older Tony was now and how different things were in the fourteen years it had been since Tim had originally been three. So Tony, being the honest person he was when it came to his son, told Tim the truth. He'd never known how to handle a young child, let alone know how to talk to one, so he told him everything. That he was Tim's biological father, that Tim was supposed to be seventeen, not three, and even about Janet and Jack Drake's deaths, Bruce Wayne's status as Tim's adoptive father, and Tony's new career as Iron Man and an Avenger. The three year old was amazed, shocked, sad, and excited about the various things Tony told him. He reacted in ways that Tony hadn't realized he'd missed. His son had become such a serious person with a very dry and sarcastic wit, and though he loved that boy, he hadn't realized how much he'd missed his son's more childish quirks and open expressions. He'd forgotten that Tim had a hard time pronouncing r's and making the "th" sound. It was adorable.

When they made it back to Avengers Tower, Jason was waiting for them.

"Shit, it's true," the young man said, staring at Tim who shyly tucked his face into Tony's neck.

"Language," Tony huffed. "Timmy is a very impressionable three year old."

"Ah, sorry," Jason stammered, taking some of the bags Tony held out to him.

"Timmy," Tony said, bouncing his kid a bit so that he'd look at him. "This is Jason, your older brother."

Tim looked at Jason curiously. "'Llo," he mumbled.

"The kid's tiny," Jason sighed. "You sure he's three?"

"Yes," Tony said at the same time Tim did with this adorable pouty scowl.

Jason grinned. "Aww! Ain't he cute?"

Tim wrinkled his nose.

"The cutest," Tony cooed, smacking a loud and obnoxious scratchy kiss to his boy's cheek before setting him down.

"Daaad!" Tim whined, wiping at his cheek.

Jason and Tony snickered at the indignant toddler.

"You mind watching him for a few minutes while I put these away?" Tony asked, holding up the bags of clothes he'd purchased.

"Sure," Jason said, staring down at his now nervous looking little brother before scooping him up. "C'mon, Tiny Tim. Why don't we check out these cool toys your daddy bought for you?"

Tony chuckled, waving reassuringly at his boy before heading back to his bedroom where he stuffed the child's clothes into an empty drawer. Then he had Jarvis order a pizza for lunch and joined Jason and Tim in the living room where the boys were building something out of the legos he'd bought.

"Pizza should be here soon," he said as he plopped down on the couch and watched Tim tentatively put some blocks together from Jason's lap in front of a coffee table. "What are we making, gentlemen?"

"A robot," Jason said.

"Ah-2-Dee-2," Timmy corrected, "Jay, you need da blue blocks. Ah-2 is blue! Not wed!"

Jason was totally picking up red blocks on purpose just to hear Timmy struggle with his r's.

"You don't say?" Tony asked, looking amused. "I think we might need to open a few more legos than what is currently out for that. What is R2 going to be able to do?"

And that's how they spent their afternoon. They actually made a mini R2D2 robot out of legos and whatever spare parts Tony cannibalized from various electronics around the room to make him work. Then the three of them cooked dinner. It was a team effort. Jason was a surprisingly good cook (or maybe not so surprising, since the young man had learned cooking under Alfred Pennyworth's tutelage during his time as Bruce's ward), so he made the main dish (chicken parmesan) while Tim helped Tony put together the salad and butter garlic bread. After they ate they cleaned up, got Tim dressed in his brand new Iron Man footie pajamas, and settled down to watch Star Wars: A New Hope.

"Don't think I forgot, Tony," Jason growled softly after Tim fell asleep halfway through the movie.

"Didn't think you would," Tony huffed.

"Why didn't you call me?"

"Because I'm the adult here, Jayce," Tony said with a scowl. "I don't need supervision anymore than you do."

"No, but you and I know better than anyone how important it is to have backup on standby no matter the occasion. Our lives as heroes make us high profile targets. Yours especially."

Jason leveled an intense but concerned glare at him.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you the other Avengers weren't around," Tony sighed. "But even so, you do know that I have a direct line to the Batcave, right? If I was in any serious trouble, Bats would be here in minutes or at least send in Superman if his vampire-ish tendencies prevented him from coming himself."

Jason snorted. "I thought I was your PA and bodyguard."

"Eh," Tony said, flapping his hand. "You were busy tracking that drug cartel you and your Outlaw friends have been after for the past month."

"Roy and Kori can take care of themselves and handle those douchebags alright on their own. And if not, Dickie is always ready to lend a hand and take my place if they need a bat's help," Jason pointed out.

"Are you saying that Dick wouldn't come help me if I were in need?" Tony gasped, hand on his chest in a dramatic scandalized fashion.

"Dickie likes me more than you," Jason said, smirking.

"Well of course he does," Tony sniffed. "You're his brother and I'm just an annoying friend of Bruce's that he has to put up with on occasion."

"Nah," Jason snickered, "You're the cool uncle that everyone else loves and he dislikes because when you're around he's not the one everyone in the room pays attention too. Dude's an attention whore. You throw off his groove."

Tony snickered and then sighed. "In all honesty, though, Dick can't stand me because I can't help but poke fun at him all the time, and he hates that I didn't step up to take Tim in after his mother died while Jack was in a coma."

Jason shrugged before leveling another glare at him. "Getting back on topic, Tony, I'd appreciate it if you'd at least let me know when you're going to be flying solo for a while when your so-called teammates are out doing other shit. I read Bruce's reports on the AIM debacle and that shit can't happen again. You have a lot of people - myself and Tim especially - that care about you and are willing to step up and have your back."

Tony opened his mouth - not quite sure what to say, but Jason cut him off anyway.

"Dude, I know you need your space and that I have my own life and jobs, but if I know that you're without your team, I can make sure to keep myself available or plan a contingency that allows me to leave an op. in case you need me."

"You don't need to do that," Tony said softly.

"Don't care. I want to," Jason said, his stare intense and imploring Tony to realize how serious he was being. "Don't you know how much you've done for me? Tony, Bruce might have been my legal dad, guardian, or whatever, but you're the one that has always been there for me. You're the one I think about most when people talk about parents. You helped me get through shit when things with Bruce and Dick were bad and when I was still learning how to be a son, a brother, Robin, part of a family. You were there for me and helped me through the pit madness after I died and was resurrected. You gave me a home and helped me get my head on straight. You gave me a job and a life beyond the vengeance that I originally sought. You… you helped me get my family back. My life back. I owe you everything."

"You owe me nothing, Jay," Tony said, reaching out and gripping the back of Jason's neck in that hold that both Tim and Jason (and Damian) found grounding and comforting. "That's what family does. At least, that's what everyone tries to tell me. I didn't do any of that for any favors or out of any sense of obligation. I did it because I wanted to help you. Because I care about you."

"Then let me do the same," Jason said, gruffly. "Let me have your back, like you've always had mine."

"Alright, Jay," Tony sighed, squeezing the back of Jason's neck gently before letting go. "Alright."

They watched the rest of the movie in silence and then went to bed without another word afterwards.

The next morning Tony spent some time down in the workshop trying to wrap up some of his SI projects so that Pepper couldn't be too crabby with him when he asked her to reschedule all of his appointments for that week while Jason kept Tim occupied. It was nearing noon when JARVIS alerted him that he had visitors.

"Sir, Mr. Grayson and young Master Wayne are here to see you."

"Have them take the back private elevator and send them up," Tony sighed, closing his projects. He'd gotten all but one of them finished.

Dick and Damian were just stepping out of the elevator when he reached his floor's entryway.

"Dick, Damian, good to see you!" Tony said, noting that Damian's right hand was in a cast that went up to just below his elbow and that the boy was wearing a backpack while Dick carried a small duffle. It appeared that he was going to have another guest. "What happened to you, Dames?"

"Fractured my wrist," Damian tisked. "Father's taken me off duty for a month and said I had to stay with you."

"Until Tim's back to normal at any rate. And speaking of Tim, where is he?" Dick asked, frowning.

"He's been playing with Jason while I work on some projects for Stark Industries," Tony sighed.

"So you've been working instead of taking care of Tim?" Dick scowled.

"Yes. So? I can as long as Jason's with him," Tony shrugged, before taking off towards the living room where he knew Jason was playing with Tim.

Dick scowled even more, but Tony ignored that. He didn't need Dick's approval. He already knew he was a crap parent.

They found Tim curled up on Jason's lap while they watched Wall-E. Tony found it amusing that Jay had the toddler wrapped up in a loose hug. Apparently Timmy had been up to his usual disappearing acts.

"Hey," Tony said, even though Jason knew they were there. It was more for Tim, who lit up like a fucking Christmas tree when he saw Tony.

"DADDY!" Timmy squealed, sliding off Jason's lap before running over. Tony felt a small spark of ugly satisfaction when Dick made a sound like someone had punched him in the gut. Dick either still didn't know that Tim was biologically Tony's and thought Tony was taking advantage of his currently-a-baby brother, or he was upset that Tim ran to Tony first instead of him. Maybe it was both.

Tony crouched and caught his little boy when he started to trip and hugged him close.

"Hey, Timmy! Are you behaving for big brother Jay?" Tony asked.

"No," Jason complained. "The kid's snuck away twice on me. How is he already a freaking ninja at three? I turn my back for one second and he's gone. It took me nearly half an hour to find him the first time."

"Were you playing hide and seek with Jay?" Tony asked his son.

Tim giggled, then caught sight of Dick and Damian and tucked his head down under Tony's chin shyly.

"Ah, nearly forgot you wouldn't remember," Tony said, before turning so that Dick and Damian could see Tim better. "Remember how I told you that you had more brothers? This is your older brother Dick and little brother Damian. Well, he's usually younger than you, but until the spell wears off and you return to your normal age again, he's your big brother too."

"You told him?" Dick asked, glaring at Tony.

"He may be three, but Tim's smart enough to realize that I'm a lot older than I was when he was originally this age and that today's technology is more advanced than what he's used to."

Dick opened his mouth - probably to tell Tony he was wrong and something about protecting Tim's innocence - when Jason butted in.

"Did you get all your projects done, Tony?"

"All but one," Tony huffed. "It should only take me a couple more hours. JARVIS, did Pepper reschedule those meetings?"

"Yes, sir," JARVIS responded. "Miss Potts has moved all of this week's meetings to later in the month and has sent an apology to Senator Miles, stating that you are unable to attend his annual charity gala."

"Great!" Tony grinned. "I didn't want to go to that thing anyway. Wire the good Senator half a million dollars as a donation."

"Yes, Sir."

"Why are you canceling all of your plans for this week?" Damian asked.

"What do you mean why?" Tony frowned, settling Tim on his hip. "Batman said that Tim could be this way for a week. Contrary to what Dickie thinks, I actually want to spend time with you and Tim. That's why I was finishing up all those projects this morning. If I get them done and send them out today, no one has to bug me for them later in the week. That makes Pepper and the board happy at SI, and New SHIELD gets new toys to play with until they want something new next week."

"So Daddy done?" Tim asked.

"Not yet, Timmy," Tony said, his heart aching a bit when he saw Tim's eyes go sad and his lower lip push out a bit in a pout. "But I'm due for a lunch break anyway. What should we have?"

Tim lit up again. "Gwilled cheese!"

"Gwilled cheese it is," Tony chuckled. "That fine with you guys?"

"Yup," Jason sighed as he paused the movie and got up from the couch.

"That is satisfactory," Damian drawled, while Dick only nodded.

"Great!" Tony said, before turning to Damian. "Why don't you go put your things in your room and meet us in the kitchen, Dames? Then later you can show Timmy the hamsters. He hasn't seen them yet."

"Daddy has hamstews?!" Tim cried.

"I sure do! Your brother Damian can show you them after lunch."

"Yay!"

Damian huffed, but Tony could see a small upturn at the corners of his lips as he snatched his duffle from Dick with his good hand before taking off down the hall towards the bedrooms. Tony had a feeling that Damian was going to get along just fine with mini-Timmy. Those two had always been able to bond over the hamsters.

"Damian has a room here?" Dick asked as the rest of them headed into the kitchen.

"Since Bruce assumes that Damian always heads to your place whenever he disappears, I can't help but wonder where on Earth you think he goes whenever you lot get on his nerves and he takes off," Tony sighed. "Of course he has a room here. You all do. Even Alfred and the girls. Not that any of you other than Tim, Dames, and Jay have ever been here long enough to stay overnight."

Jason looked between Tony and Dick and sighed.

"Hey, Tony, why don't you go get the munchkin all washed up for lunch while I get started on those sandwiches?"

Tony only shrugged before leaving with Tim for the washroom down the hall.

Jason waited until the man and kid were gone before speaking to his older brother.

"You do realize that he considers all of us family, right?" Jason said softly as he turned on the stove and started buttering bread and putting together their grilled cheese sandwiches. "In case you haven't figured it out yet in all the years you've known both Stark and Tim, let me spell it out for you, Big Bird. Tim's Tony's biological son. But the way Tony was, back when Timmers was just a baby the first time around, he knew that he had no business being a father raising a kid, so he left Tim with his mother and made no arrangements for any sort of custody or visitation rights. Tony didn't want anything to do with a baby. But from what I've learned about Janet Drake over the years, Dickie, the woman didn't plan on being much of a mother either because of her job, no matter how much she knew she'd love her kid. She knew she had to keep Tony in Tim's life, so she convinced Jack to make Tony their kid's Godfather. The arrangement was messed up and complicated, but Tony became Tim's dad in the end anyway. You and I both know Tim is just as smart as Tony and Bruce. He figured out who Batman and Robin were at age nine, for crying out loud, just by watching us on the news and at night through a camera lense! So of course Timmy figured out who his real dad was after growing up around the man.

"And Tony may think he's a crap parent - no thanks to opinions like yours - but he's actually pretty good at it. Sure, he may not be conventional by any means, but the guy has always been honest and upfront. I can't tell you how much Baby Bird, the Bat Brat, and I appreciate that about him. He doesn't mince words or sugar coat things in an attempt to try and protect us from things that can hurt us. There is a reason why Bruce made Tony Damian's Godfather when he legally claimed the brat. He can see how good Tony is at relating to Damian and I. Tony's really good at relating to us troubled kids, so it kinda sucks for us that you hate Tony so much. For Tim especially. Now I don't know what it is that you hate about the guy, Dick, but lay off. Tony's always done what he believed was best for Tim at the time.

"And it's not just Tim these days either. I can't tell you how many times I've found Mini Bat reading in his room here in Avengers Tower, training in the private gym, or playing with the hamsters in the lab while Tony tinkers. Cass shows up here on occasion too for some peace and quiet. She likes playing with the bots. And Steph usually comes around with either Cass, Bat-Brat, or Tim more often than not. Hell, Barbara comes by at least once a month to talk tech with Tony, too, and Alfred comes by every now and then to personally restock this floor's fridge and make sure that Tony's eating something other than takeout."

Jason looked up from the stovetop and saw Dick leaning against the counter, staring at the floor. Damian had ninja-ed into the room at some point and was silently watching them from the dining table.

"Tim may be Tony's son, Dick, but so are we, kinda. We're like his nephews at the very least. Bruce and he are like brothers, though I'm sure they'd never admit it," Jason huffed, returning his gaze to their food and flipped the sandwiches. "Have you really never noticed the little things he does? The upgrades he's helped Bruce and Barbara make for our equipment? The fabrics and armor he's specially designed just for our suits? I know for a fact that you've gotten birthday and Christmas presents from him, because he's never missed one of mine or Tim's or Damian's, Bruce's, Alfred's, Cass's, Steph's, or Babs's. And I find that pretty incredible, especially now that he's got a team of his own, and has responsibilities to them as well as SHIELD and SI.

"It always bugs me whenever I hear someone go on about how selfish Tony is, when in actuality… he's probably one of the most generous people that I know," Jason said softly, putting sandwiches on plates. "It wasn't you or Bruce, or anyone I knew back in Gotham that brought me back from the effects of the Lazarus Pit, Dick. It was Tony, and I'm not saying that to be cruel. Tony took the time and made the effort to reach out when everyone else just wanted to lock me up because I was crazy and mad with Pit Rage. What's great about Tony Stark is that if he believes in you, he doesn't give up on you no matter how hopeless it seems. And haven't you ever wondered why he doesn't try to avoid you even though you've always clashed and gotten on each other's nerves? Why you still have access to the Tower? Why you even have a room here even though he thinks you may only rarely if never use it? It's because he cares about you, Dick, as much as he does the rest of us. You're family to him because you are to the rest of us and you make us happy, even if you two haven't ever gotten along. But he hopes that one day, you will."

"What Todd is trying to say, Grayson," Damian huffed, butting in, "is that we would all greatly appreciate it if you'd cease your childish grudge against whatever perceived slight you believe was made against you in the past and try to get along with Stark. As amusing as it is to watch you two participate in such childish squabbles, it is beneath you both."

"From the mouths of hell spawn, Dickie," Jason said, smirking, ignoring the glare Damian sent his way in favor of putting the first two sandwiches on plates and sliding them over to his oldest and youngest brothers before starting to cook three more.

At that moment Tony came back in with Tim on his hip and half his shirt drenched.

"Having trouble with the sink?" Jason snickered.

"No, just an excitable toddler," Tony huffed before handing Timmy to Dick, who was quick to abandon his sandwich and take the squirming child.

Timmy froze instantly, looking fearfully over at Tony as the man began to leave the kitchen again.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to change my shirt," Tony said.

Tim whimpered the moment Tony was out of sight.

"It's okay, Timmers," Jason said soothingly from where he stood by the stove, flipping sandwiches. "Tony'll be right back."

Dick began to rock the increasingly upset toddler and began to coo anything reassuring and sweet sounding he could think of to get his little brother to calm down. Tim quieted and allowed Dick to hold him, but the moment Tony returned, Timmy was squirming and reaching for his daddy.

"What's all the fuss about?" Tony cried, scooping the child out of Dick's slipping grasp and bounced Tim in his arms. He even dipped the boy a few times until the child was squealing with laughter.

"How…?" Dick gaped, watching Tony rub noses with Timmy, who was now all giggles and rosy cherub cheeks.

"He always liked it when I dipped him when he was this little the first time," Tony chuckled. "It's the adrenaline. Kids like a good thrill. Janet hated it when I did it though, because she was afraid I'd drop him. I never have though, so her fear was completely unfounded."

"And with that sickeningly sweet bit of domestic sap, lunch is served," Jason said, setting out a plate for Tim and Tony on the table - one sandwich with the crust cut off and cut into triangles - and a bag of chips to be passed around.

"Gwilled cheese!" Tim squealed.

Tony laughed as he sat down with the squirming toddler in his lap. "Now what do you say to Jay, Sport?"

"Tank you!"

"Gosh darn it, Baby Bird, why are you so darn cute?" Jason smirked, pinching Timmy's cheeks.

"Jay! Stop dat!" Timmy scowled.

"Todd, cease your buffoonery and eat your lunch," Damian snapped. "Leave the childish nonsense to the actual child in the room."

"Shut it, brat," Jason sneered. "You think Timmy's cute too."

"What I think in regards to Timothy's current nature is irrelevant to your sappy commentary. As if I'd lower myself to your level and degrade a child. Cease and desist so that the rest of us can eat in peace."

Tony and Dick ignored Jason and Damian's bitching for the most part, though Tony always got a kick out of hearing such sophisticated vocabulary coming out of the 11 year old's mouth. Timmy had no idea what was going on so he just munched happily on his food, kicking his feet out back and forth like children sometimes do, though he did hit Tony's shins every once in awhile.

After lunch, Tony left Timmy in his brothers' (hopefully) capable hands and returned to the lab to finish the last project he had due that week. He was nearly done with the new upgrades for SHIELD's new Helicarriers (because that bullshit in DC was not happening again, damn it) when JARVIS announced that Dick was there to see him and the young man walked in. Tony was honestly surprised. Dick never sought him out, completely content to ignore and avoid Tony in favor of being with his brothers, especially if there was a chance to hang out with Jason or Tim, who weren't around as much as they used to. Between their usual patrols, being out of Gotham on missions with their respective groups of super friends, and their daytime jobs as Tony's PA/Bodyguard (Jason) and CEO of Wayne Enterprises (Tim), the two middle Wayne sons didn't have a lot of free time to just hang out.

For a few minutes neither spoke, so Tony continued to ignore Dick's presence and finished up the designs, sending them to New SHIELD. Only then did he turn around and watched Dick examine a few of his opened, but pending project designs. The Batfam projects in particular, including upgrades for Dick's escrima sticks that he was planning on giving Bruce to give to Dick for the man's 24th birthday.

"Hey, spoilers," Tony said, closing out the designs. "Those are for your birthday, Chum."

He was surprised to see Dick's adam's apple bob for a second before the guy's expression went from blank to devastated.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Tony asked, concerned as he moved to stand at the younger man's side. "Is Jay being an ass again? Ignore it. He gets pissy every now and then 'cause of residual Pit effects. Or is it something Dames said? He's a brat at the best of times, but he really does like you, Dickie. You and I are the only ones that can get away with giving him nicknames. He says he hates them, but he really doesn't. They make him feel wanted and that we care. Bruce is the same way, actually, which is why he's so fun to tease."

"It's not that… I owe you an apology," Dick said gruffly.

"Come again?" Tony asked, frowning. "What for?"

"For… being a brat, I guess. I've… never really been fair to you, Tony."

"Did Jason send you? I'd suspect Tim, but he's currently three and doesn't grow into his meddling stage until he turns nine," Tony rambled, but was happy to see Dick crack a smile.

"No, Jay didn't send me," Dick huffed, crossing his arms and leaning against the work table beside him. "He did give me one hell of a lecture, though, when you went to wash Tim up for lunch."

"He's been doing that alot lately," Tony sighed. "I got one last night for not informing him that the other Avengers are out of town for the weekend. Must be a side effect of his sessions with Dr. Jane."

"Dr. Jane?" Dick asked, looking bewildered.

Tony ground his jaw shut. Shit. Jason clearly hadn't told anyone other than Bruce and Alfred that he was seeing a psychiatrist a few times a month with Tony either in Malibu or New York. He was actually thinking about asking Dr. Patrick Jane to move out to New York and offer him a room in Avengers Tower on retainer. Goodness knew that the other Avengers, particularly Clint and Steve, could use a shrink to talk to after missions and disasters like The Battle of New York and the shit show in DC at the Triskelion a few months back.

"Friend of mine that I see on occasion," Tony said as offhandedly as he could.

"Jason's seeing a psychologist?" Dick asked.

"He's a behavioral specialist, actually," Tony snapped a bit. "He's quite a sarcastic sonofabitch. Good at poker. Will clean you right out because spotting tells is his superpower. Anyway, you were apologizing for something?"

Dick shifted uncomfortably again.

"I haven't really been fair to you in regards to your relationship with Tim," Dick said.

"Please don't phrase it that way ever again," Tony said, making a face. "I'm not dating my son. I have and own my quirks but pedophilia and incest aren't one of them."

"Will you please be serious?" Dick snapped. "God, why do you make things so difficult?"

"Because, honestly, you're as easy to rile up as Rhodey and Bruce used to be and it's reflex by now for me to say such things. It's only because instead of growing use to and becoming immune to my particular brand of humor, you've done your best to ignore it and avoid me whenever possible," Tony said, horribly blunt. "What can I say? I'm used to pushing people's buttons and getting a rise out of them. I'm infuriating that way. Tim and Jason would say it's my defence mechanism to keep others away at arm's reach."

Tony swallowed and turned away. That had been a little too honest.

"But why?" Dick asked.

"Because it's the only way outside of a boardroom or away from a camera that I know how to interact with other people," Tony said softly. "Before Rhodey, before Bruce… all I had was Howard, my mother, and our family butler, Edwin Jarvis. Practically from birth I was taught how to act in front of a camera, how to behave in front of investors and board members of dear Dad's company, and lived every second of my life under a microscope. … I was a lot like Damian, actually. I had to be the perfect heir. The perfect son. I had to be smart and charming… but when I started going to school… I was leagues ahead of my peers. I was a freak. I couldn't relate to anyone because no one liked the privileged smartass child of the Stark family who was the son of the man who helped create devastating weapons like the Atom Bomb. I had to quickly learn how to charm my peers as well as I was able to charm those my parents needed me to be the perfect heir for. Clever quips and witty sarcasm filled my repertoire and even though that helped me get by, it never earned me any real friends. I became a person people love to hate."

It was quiet for a few moments as Dick digested what Tony had said and Tony flashed back to his miserable childhood. He suddenly became really grateful for one fact.

"You say you owe me an apology, Dick," Tony said softly, "but I owe you my thanks."

"For what?" Dick asked, puzzled.

"For providing a light for Tim that I never found in my own childhood," Tony said softly. "I may have been there for Tim as he was growing up, but you were the first person he came to idolize and latch onto, lifting him out of his lonely shell. I didn't meet Bruce and Rhodey until I was in my teens. Tim had the horrible misfortune of being there the night your parents died, but it was your kindness that made the biggest impression on him that night. He was only three months older than he currently is now, but that night left a great impression on him. An impression that lasts to this day. Your promise to perform a quadruple somersault just for him remained with him clear enough for him to recognize you when you performed that same trick as Robin several years later. You gave him hope and a hero to idolize in an otherwise lonely childhood. Then you later became his mentor and brother when he was 13-14 years old. He may still begrudge you a bit for firing him from the Robin mantle, but you have and always will be one of the most important people in his life."

Dick shut his eyes tightly, hands clenched on his arms.

"So now you've apologized for being, excuse the pun, a dick," Dick laughed brokenly, "and I've thanked you for being there for my kid, who you've only just found out is mine. We cool now?"

"Yeah," Dick sighed. "I guess we are."

"Great, we talked, dealt with enough icky mushy feelings enough for a year, I'd say, so let's go back to being the manchildren that annoy the shit out of each other and go find out what the kiddos are up to. I'm done with all my work now, and unless something Avenger-y comes up, I'm free from any responsible adult-y stuff for the rest of the week."

Dick snorted, but nodded with his patent beaming grin.

Tony and Dick found the others in what Jason had dubbed the "game room" next to the lab where the hamsters were usually found. JARVIS must have lured all of the hamsters out of the lab's habitats and tubes and kept them detained within the game room in anticipation of Damian and Tim's visit. Jason and Damian were currently racing a few of the many hamsters around a length of obstacles they'd assembled. Little Timmy was sitting right next to them watching Tiny Nim roll around in his hamster ball. They stayed there playing with and racing hamsters until dinner and then settled in to watch Cars.

Dick left after the movie to return to Gotham for patrol, but promised that he'd be back in the morning.

So no avengers have appeared just yet, but they'll start popping up next chapter. Jason and Dick decided that they wanted some of the spotlight before any of them showed up. :P

I have to admit that I have really come to like writing Damian's character. He's popped up alot in my writing this month from from my newest addition to the Tony Stark...Dad? fic, my Grayson's Moving Castle fic, and this. I hope I'm writing him well. :)