𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄 - 𝐁. 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒

001

    1991

TONY STARK laid on the couch of his parents' house, his mother playing the piano softly, his eight year old sister, Annabeth right next to her, pressing the keys just as gently as she tried to keep up with her mother's tune. The two often sat at the piano together, and Maria Stark had started teaching Annabeth how to play, much to Tony's annoyance.

The twenty-one year old couldn't help but be annoyed by his little sister, who only ever tried to annoy him with her incessant need to prove she was just as smart, if not smarter than him.

He loved her, although he would never admit it to Annabeth's face. He knew the blonde would never let him live it down.

"Wake up dear, and say goodbye to your father," Maria called softly, stopping her playing on the piano as she looked over at Tony who was laying on the couch.

"Who's the homeless person on the couch," Howard questioned as he walked into the room, fixing the tie on his suit.

"He does look homeless," Annabeth added, giggling quietly as she got up from the piano bench and flicked Tony's forehead before grabbing the santa hat off of his head and placing it on her own, much to the twenty-one year old's annoyance as he gave her a small glare.

"This is why I love coming home for Christmas," Tony said, "it's right before you leave town."

"Be nice, Howard. He's been studying abroad," Maria chastised quietly, resting her hand on Annabeth's shoulder as the blonde came to stand by her mother again, watching the confrontation between her father and brother.

She had never understood why the two bickered so much, yet most of the time it brought her amusement because she got to rub it in her brother's face that she was the obvious favorite to her father.

Everyone knew that Howard Stark treasured his little girl more than anything in the world. He would put her above anything, anytime of day. Tony would too, but again, he would never admit it.

"Really," Howard said. "Which broad? What's her name?"

"Samantha," Annabeth said, giggling once again as she ducked a light swing from her brother as she ran and hid behind her father's legs.

"Her name was actually Candice," Tony grumbled, glaring at Annabeth who was peeking out from behind Howard's pant leg.

"Do me a favor and try not to burn the house down before Monday."

"Okay, so it is Monday. That's good to know. I will plan my toga party accordingly," Tony said before pausing. "Where are you going?"

"Your father's flying us to the Bahamas for a little getaway," Maria said softly.

"But we're making a quick stop at the Pentagon first, right daddy," Annabeth questioned, peering up at her father with her big blue eyes. She loved travelling with her father and seeing where he worked. It was exciting to her.

"The Pentagon," Tony questioned with a raised eyebrow, before looking down at his little sister. "You're gonna love the holiday menu at the commissary," he said, only emitting an eyeroll from the young blonde.

"You know, they say sarcasm is a metric for potential," Howard snarked back. "If that's true, you'll be a great man some day. I'll get the bags," he said, walking out of the room as Annabeth went back to stand by Maria, holding the woman's pinky finger.

"He does miss you when you're not here," she said softly, walking over to her son with Annabeth holding onto her pinky finger, a habit she had picked up ever since she was a toddler. "And frankly, you're going to miss us."