Battlefield ｡ Tony Stark

19 - TRUTHS AND LIES

Tony Stark stood there on my front porch like he belonged there, that he had every right in the world to arrive at my doorstep and be welcomed in with open arms. It was early in the morning, not even a suitable time for guests to drop by. I knew the circumstances around our relationship were shifting because we had not known each other for years but that gave him no right to stand there smiling at me like he used to, always a hidden secret in his eyes. "I wanted to see you." Tony lamely replied, letting his gaze run up the length of my body.

I shifted uncomfortably, the morning air rather cold. "Why?" I blurted out, the only word circling around my mind. Beyond this door was an eleven year old boy who would be getting out of the shower any minute and if he saw his idol, Tony Stark at our front door, there would be questions. If Tony saw Samuel, there would be even more questions that I didn't think I had the strength to even answer.

"Why does anybody do anything?" Tony questioned and I rolled my eyes, not amused with his riddles and games. When he was twenty-one years old I found it somewhat charming that he always found some way to joke about everything but I was not that naive girl anymore wanting to lose herself in drugs and alcohol. I was not dumbed down by his charming grin and slick wit anymore.

I folded my arms over my chest, "Tony, I don't have time for whatever game you're playing right now. I actually have somewhere to be--" I tried to lie smoothly, but it seemed so false coming from my lips.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you." Tony offered quietly, his eyes moving to my face. With his words, my heart leaped in my chest and I hated how easily it was to swoon around him, even after all these years and the knowledge of his past. "When I was held captive, all I wanted was to get home and put a stop to the horror my weapons had created. A man died, a friend died on my watch and...seeing you at my door yesterday it made me realise that we didn't get a chance. It seems rather arrogant coming here and expecting something--"

I tilted my head, watching him. "Arrogant would be one word, yes."

Tony didn't let my comment distract him though and I wondered how long it had taken him to actually knock on my door and bare his feelings. He had always been a man too closed off to be completely honest with his emotions. "I realise I don't know anything about your life anymore. You could be married--" He glanced down. "But assuming since there is no ring, you're not."

My arms circled around my waist, hating how he had pinpointed that detail. It wasn't like I was happy showing the world that I was single and had been for many years. My mother already questioned me enough about my lack of dating, I did not need it from Tony too. "I mean, years may have passed but we'll always have history and that means something to me."

I wasn't really sure what he was trying to say but it brought a little smile to my lips as he struggled to get his words out into the open. Tony Stark was smooth as butter with wooing women but apparently, he wasn't very good at keeping them or very good at trying to explain his mind. "Tony, look." I started softly, no longer hearing the running water from a shower, my heart beating crazy in my chest. "I don't know what you think you want from me and I don't why you've got this sudden interest in getting to know me since you had the chance for years, but I think you should actually go."

Tony was already protesting when the door cracked open and my heart dropped towards my stomach. Samuel popped his head through the crack, his hair plastered to his scalp from the shower and his eyes a little bright. "Mum, are you making pancakes? Because we should leave for school soon." Samuel's eyes snapped across to the man standing a few feet away from him and I watched his face fall a little bit but then he was grinning. "Wait, you're Tony Stark."

"In the flesh, kid." Tony nodded.

It was like watching a car accident happen, everything slowing down so you didn't miss a single detail. Samuel was starstruck, a little speechless by his idol standing on our front porch so early in the morning. I stared across at Tony, watching something flicker in his eyes. Then I was already shoving Samuel back through the doorway without looking across at Tony. "Sam, why not finish getting ready and we'll grab something for breakfast on the way to school." It wasn't a question, more of a demand and my son knew the tone in my voice because he was already numbly nodding, a little confused with what was actually happened.

He let the door firmly shut without another word and I was very thankful for that. I turned back to Tony, feeling my heart heavy in my chest. "I don't want to seem presumptuous," Tony started, a little taken back, which was only natural. "But how old is he? Because...well, it's been what? Ten years since we--"

"It's been nearly twelve years since Barcelona." I confirmed. "Samuel is eleven."

I watched as Tony Stark's mind ticked away, putting the details together. He pointed back at the door where Samuel had been standing, his eyes snapping back to my face. "Is he mine?"

I gulped down a lump in my throat, my breathing a little heavy. "He's my son." I gave a firm nod of my head, hating that word he had used, despite there being no other way to put it. I could see the confusion and the struggle running through Tony's eyes. He stepped backwards, running a hand down his face. He even turned away, his shoulders rising and falling.

Then he was stepping back to me, breaking the distance between us. His face was so close I could feel his warm breath on my cheek. He raised another pointed finger at the closed door, "He has my eyes, Tilda." His voice was a whisper, laced with a cold anger.

I pushed him backwards, my hands fanning his chest. "Don't you think I know that?" I hissed across at him, trying to keep my voice down. "I stare at them every single day and it haunts me sometimes."

Tony brought a hand to his mouth, shaking his head. "Why didn't you tell me? All these years I've been a father and you didn't think to mention it?" His voice was so loud now and I feared Samuel would hear through the door, listening to a conversation that would tell him something I should be the one to share with him.

"Keep your voice down," I snipped at him, hating how he was looking across at me. "Tony Stark, a father figure? Where were you all those years Tony? You were galavanting around the world creating weapons and sleeping with women you don't even remember. What type of father was that?"

He stared across at me with so much emotion in his dark eyes. He stepped back across the porch to me and I backed up, my back hitting the door. "You lied to me."

"I never lied," I told him clearly. "A person can't lie to you when you never hung around in the first place, never wanted to stay. You don't get to lecture me about poor life decisions when you're nothing but a rich playboy with a God complex." Something else flickered through his eyes and I had the sneaking suspicion I had crossed some line, but right now, I didn't care. "Now, get off my porch. We're not having this conversion with Samuel just inside."

Tony gave a brief nod. "I'll pick you up at ten o'clock. That gives you enough time to drop him off to school, yes?"

I squared my shoulders, tears threatening to fall. How had today started like this? How had my life suddenly crumbled within a matter of minutes? Tony had stayed away from me for years, why couldn't he had continued his patterns? "Yes." I gave a nod, turning my back and leaving him standing on my front porch.