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I Am Iron Man (MHA) Chapter 167: Chopping Wood
🕑 Added 2024-12-21 15:38:07 +0000 UTC[Third Person's PoV]
Tony walked over to where Steve and Stark stood, both in their civilian clothing. Tony was clad in a black tank top and sweatpants, a metal axe resting casually on his shoulders, crafted from his symbiote.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Steve asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked Tony over, chin held high.
“What does it look like? I’m going to chop wood. What else would I be doing?” Tony scoffed.
“Yeah, alright,” Stark muttered with a disdainful chuckle, waving him off. “Why don’t you go play with the kids and keep them entertained?”
“For once, I agree with Stark,” Steve said, a hint of amusement in his tone, though the idea clearly unsettled him.
Tony raised two fingers, cutting in sharply. “Two things. First, do I look like a goddamn babysitter? And second, I am allowed to handle high-tech military weapons capable of mass destruction, but the moment I pick up an axe, it’s suddenly too much?” He arched an eyebrow at the two men.
Stark made a face that seemed to say, Fair point, while Steve sighed, clearly exasperated.
“Don’t think just because I’m a teenager, I don’t know anything about manual labor,” Tony added, grabbing a piece of wood with a tendril from his symbiote. He split it cleanly down the middle, starting a neat pile of wood behind him.
The three of them settled into a rhythm, each chopping wood in relative silence, until Stark broke it. “So… Thor didn’t say where he was going to get these so-called ‘answers’?” he asked, disrupting the quiet.
“Sometimes my teammates don’t tell me things,” Steve admitted, glancing toward Clint, who was spending time with his son. “I was kinda hoping Thor would be the exception.”
Tony raised an eyebrow at him. “I’m sorry, but you seriously can’t be mad at Clint, can you?”
Steve sighed heavily. “I’m not mad. Just… disappointed. We’re supposed to be a team. We’re supposed to trust each other. How can we do that when we keep secrets?”
Tony stopped mid-swing, resting his axe over his shoulder. “Look, some secrets are better left unsaid. They can do more harm than good. Clint didn’t keep it from you because he doesn’t trust you—or the team. He did it to protect his family. Compromising their safety wasn’t an option.”
Steve frowned but said nothing, his grip on the axe tightening.
Tony turned to him, his expression serious. “As a family man myself, I get it. You’ll do anything to keep your family safe, even if it means keeping them far from the dangers you face every day. Clint revealing his family to you guys is a big step. He’s showing you trust now, isn’t he? That has to count for something.”
Steve’s stance softened as he absorbed Tony’s words. Stark, for once, stayed quiet, continuing to split wood with a contemplative expression.
A brief silence hung in the air before Stark gave Tony an odd look. “You know, your maturity is really something else. Are you sure you’re just a kid?”
Tony blushed faintly, realizing he might have overstepped or said too much. “Sorry…” he muttered, focusing on the growing pile of chopped wood.
“No, no, don’t apologize,” Stark said, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. “You’ve just fulfilled a dream of mine I didn’t even know I had—watching Steve get reprimanded by a younger version of me. Not once, but twice. Honestly, it’s very entertaining.”
Steve shook his head, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. He glanced at Tony with a softer expression. “You must really love your family, huh?”
“Ugh, stop,” Tony groaned, clearly embarrassed. Admitting love for family out loud wasn’t exactly his style.
The smile faded from Stark’s face as a thought struck him. His voice turned serious. “Your… parents. They’re alive?”
“Yup,” Tony said, his tone casual, though he was fully aware of the emotional weight behind Stark’s question. He also knew that in this universe, Howard and Maria Stark were long gone.
“If you don’t mind me asking… what are their names?” Stark asked cautiously, as though afraid of the answer.
“Howard and Maria Stark,” Tony replied. He caught the brief flicker of sadness in Stark’s eyes.
Stark stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Tony’s shoulder. His voice was tight with emotion. “Make sure you take good care of your mom and dad, you hear me?”
Tony nodded solemnly. “They’re not alive in this world, are they?” he asked gently, even though he already knew the answer.
Stark gave a small nod, his gaze lowering as he returned to chopping wood. But as he raised his axe, Tony’s next words froze him in place.
“Do you… want to talk to them?” Tony asked softly.
Stark slowly lowered the axe, turning toward Tony in confusion and surprise. “What?”
Steve raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued as he watched the exchange.
Tony shrugged, speaking casually, though his offer carried significant weight. “Before exploring the Quantum Realm, I built a quantum communicator—just in case we got stranded and needed to call home. I could use it to call my world right now. If you want… you could talk to them.”
Stark froze, his hands fidgeting as he processed the idea. His mouth opened and closed as he struggled to decide, his thoughts an indecipherable whirlwind.
Seeing his hesitation, Tony made the decision for him. “Since you can’t make up your mind, I’ll choose for you. I’m calling them. FRIDAY, call my mother dearest.”
“Wait! Don’t!” Stark said in a panic, lunging at Tony’s arm.
“La-la-la, I can’t hear you~” Tony teased, his symbiote-covered arm extending as a holographic screen materialized. The communicator began dialing.
“Calling Spawn Point…” FRIDAY’s voice announced.
Stark paused mid-struggle, staring at Tony in disbelief. “Spawn Point? That’s what you have your mother saved as?”
Tony smirked. “You should see what I have my dad saved as.”
Before Stark could retort, the call connected. The hologram flickered, and a woman’s voice came through.
“Tony?” Maria Stark’s voice called, tinged with curiosity.
Stark froze completely. His eyes widened with raw emotion as he turned slowly toward the hologram, his gaze locking on the familiar figure of Maria Stark.
“Why, hello there, Mommy Dearest,” Tony greeted casually, as if nothing unusual was happening.
Maria stared at him in disbelief. “Tony… Are you outside?” she asked, her voice full of astonishment.
Tony gave her a deadpan look, choosing not to dignify the question with a response.
Maria dramatically held her head. “Tony. Spending time outside. What sort of miracle is this? Wait until Howard hears, he won't believe it—”
“You’re not funny,” Tony interrupted, his expression flat.
“I’m a little funny,” Maria teased, pinching her fingers with a playful smile. “So, what possessed you to finally go and smell the roses? Was it Melissa? Did she make you go outside?”
“No,” Tony muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Uh, so… we kind of… found ourselves in an alternate universe.”
The smile vanished from Maria’s face, replaced with a look of dead seriousness. “What did you just say?” Her voice was low and sharp.
Tony offered her a sheepish grin, scratching his head. “Surprise?”
Comments
Cobalt
Oh I am definitely changing my mums contact info now, didn't really stand out much next to 'pure evil' and 'hugh janas'
Alexander Garcia
Sperm donor
Shadow king
F U
PrelawAndrew
You should have him saved as the “Developer”
Kent Louie Washington
but seriously c'mon man.
Kent Louie Washington
respectfully, f you.
paladar blade
Worst case you could go with Papa Smurf.
Bryan Vargas
Nothing so far, I haven't thought about it yet, it would probably be something stupid like Sperm donor or something like that lol
Nick Pearson
What is his dad saved as again
paladar blade
I'm waiting for the classic "Don't worry baby mommy's on the way!" followed with "Please mom stop your embarrassing me, and most importantly think about your current condition." Then Howard sending emergency mission to all available S class hero's stopping the SSS class danger beast 'Enraged Momma Bear' from crossing dimensions.
Alexander Garcia
Wait tell you're father hears about this you ads so grounded 😤
Alexander Garcia
So evil
Alexander Garcia
Lmao
Bryan Vargas
😂
Bryan Vargas
I just love seeing everyone's reaction to them, it so great!
Green223
Maria: "Anthony Edward Stark you march yourself back to our universe right this minute. You are in so much trouble and on a school night no less, you will be losing lab privileges."
Bluestar_sword
Damn it the cliphunger 😭😭
