Broken Lullaby ▷ Tony Stark | ✓

38 - LETTING GO

WARNING: MENTIONS OF RAPE

º º º

IT WAS AN INTERESTING SIGHT, REMY AND BIRDIE WORKING ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER.

Birdie was focused on the case she had gotten, still familiarizing herself with the victims, some of whom had just recently returned back to the country and were surprised to find that the man they had been working with for two years had retired and dumped their case onto a woman who had gotten it not too long before, but long enough to be more familiar.

Remy was focused on his projects, his hero report having been rough drafted and essentially cast to the side as his classes placed more emphasis on the other projects that they had to do. It was great for him with his shorter attention span, jumping between all the projects, though he wished the content didn't trigger such harsh memories.

But whatever the specific reasoning for the two to be working, it was interesting to see the parallels in their habits and reactions. When the two were upset, they tended to make faces at what they were working on, some more comical than others. They both had a snack on their left hand side and a drink on their left, and even if they were thoroughly engrossed in their work to the point where stopping would ruin their trains of thought and natural flows, they would force themselves out of it to take a drink or take a piece of their food. Whenever they were stuck, they would put their heads in their hands and mumble to themselves until they figured it out, or they would slip down in their seats, gazes trained towards the ceiling with their right hands covering their mouths.

It was both mesmerizing and comical, and Tony could watch it all day.

"Don't you have work of your own?" Birdie asked, when Tony laughed at how they had both paused at the same time to make the same sound of frustration.

He shook his head. "Rhodey got sick of me following him around, so he forced me down here, and Pepper's the CEO of my company, so there's less I have to worry about there."

Remy looked up. "Why don't you let me meet him, it would be so much fun."

Tony snapped his fingers and pointed to him. "That's exactly why. I let you meet Happy and Vision because they don't try to make my life difficult. If you and Rhodey met, you would never respect me ever again."

Remy snorted. "Like I respect you now."

"Remy," Birdie chastised, frowning loudly at him, and he sighed heavily, mouthing an apology towards Tony, rolling his eyes.

Reminding himself that he was supposed to be a responsible adult figure in the boy's life, Tony said, "Don't roll your eyes, that's rude."

Remy looked like Tony had killed BUDDY.

He sighed, shaking his head. "Don't look at me like that, kid, I'm trying to be responsible and a good influence, I'm sorry."

Remy huffed and puffed, scrunching up his face into the expression he had been giving his work whenever it upset him, and Tony felt strangely intimidated, glancing over towards Birdie who shook her head at him, as if reminding him to stay strong.

Remy rounded on her, narrowing his eyes. "I found him first, mom."

She looked like she was gauging her response, before deciding to just give in, pointing out, "Actually, I found him before you were conceived."

Tony choked, coughing as Remy gaped at his mother, clearly not expecting that answer. Wordlessly, the boy gathered his things and marched out of the dining room towards the hallway, the sound of his door opening and closing following a few moments later.