Iron Dad One Shots (mcu)

Break the Cycle of Shame

Howard Stark was never proud of his son.

Not when he built his first computer at age 5. Not when hacked into the most secure facilities with ease at age 10. Not when he was admitted into MIT at age 15.

In all twenty something years of being a father, he never once uttered a simple "I love you" to his son.

Tony wouldn't let that mistake happen twice.

He'd stayed silent during the majority of the ceremony. Thankfully, the auditorium was dark, so he didn't have to worry too much about people recognizing him.

They were towards the back row, May to his left and Ned's parents just behind them. Tony clapped politely as each student was awarded their diploma, but there was only one kid he was really here for.

"Peter Parker," the woman at the podium finally announced and Tony couldn't help but go wild.

May rose from her seat so quickly it almost fell over and cheered with so much joy and pride for her baby. She'd watched him grow up. Made him into the person he is.

Tony wasn't so lucky, but he was here now. And there's nowhere he'd rather be.

He whistled and clapped for his— for the kid, rising from his seat in a similar fashion to May. He could tell the exact moment Peter saw him there, with the sudden wide eyes and gaping mouth.

He recovered rather quickly from the shock and thanked the man handing out the document to him. He calmly walked off stage and sat with his shoulders slightly stiffer. When Ned leaned over to whisper something, he jerked his head towards the billionaire superhero subtly and Ned's reaction was much less tame than Peter's.

He started to sputter our words with wild hand gestures, so much so that the other kids sitting in their row started looking at them curiously. Peter clamped his hand over his best friend's mouth, whisper-shouting something.

Even when the commotion died down and the kids went back to focusing on the stage Tony couldn't help but stare at Peter. The kid who asked Delmar to 'smoosh' his bread down at age 15. The kid who still played with legos at age 16.

The kid he failed to save at age 17.

And the kid in front of him right now — future MIT student who spends his afternoons running around in spandex helping people just because he can.

It truly didn't get better than Peter Parker.

"Love you, kiddo." he said, and even though it was soft and under his breath, Peter turned his head around to lock eyes with Tony. Damn super hearing.

He was smiling so wide.

Tony didn't need to hear his voice to know what he was saying.

"I love you too."

If anybody noticed a few stray tears slipping down his cheeks in the auditorium that night, they didn't mention it to anyone.