Bruised (Irondad)

4

The man enters the room first, no hesitation in opening the door and striding straight in. Tony realises that he hasn't asked the man's name, but it's not as if it matters anyway.

The signals don't seem to be moving from his brain to his legs as he takes a few moments to force himself into the room. It's claustrophobic, a selfish thought really when he realises that the twins don't have a choice to be here.

They look up when they hear the two enter, their soft eyes wide.

Gianna has changed out of the cheap hospital gown, now wearing black leggings and a white t-shirt. Giovanni is wearing a similar outfit, black sweatpants and a matching t-shirt. Figures, twin faces, twin names, twin clothes. They're sat cross-legged, still holding each other's hands, Tony's sure he sees their knuckles whiten when they look at him.

It suddenly dawns on him, as he stands staring at them, that last night they weren't speaking English. So how does this work? Does the social guy know Russian? Is he going to translate for him? How are they going to communicate at home? Natasha isn't likely to want to stay around Stark constantly, even if it is for a child.. or two.

God, he cannot believe he has two kids.

"Mr Stark, meet Gianna and Giovanni. Twins meet Mr Stark, he's uh.. your dad".

Two thoughts worm their way into Tony Stark's mind.

One: That is definitely English, so either the twins just don't understand a word that he's saying or they speak English. 

Two: Jeez this guy hasn't done this before, either that or he's got serious stage fright in front of iron man. He's painfully awkward in an irritating kind of way. The mechanic just wants to give him a slap and tell him to hurry up. However he does acknowledge that assaulting someone in front of abused kids who he wants to trust him is not his most tactical idea.

Neither of the kids say anything, looking from Tony to each other. Gianna bites her lip and looks back at the billionaire who she's been told is her dad. Maybe she's trying to work out how to politely tell him that she wants nothing to do with him, or it could be because she doesn't speak his language and has absolutely no idea what's going on. The latter feels slightly warmer to think about, though isn't entirely comforting. If needs be he's going to end up learning Russian.

Realising that he's probably supposed to take the first step, Stark lowers himself into a chair next to the bed "Tony, you can call me Tony..".

"Gia" the girl responds with a shy smile, her free hand pulling at one of her copper curls. Now he's closer, Tony can see the freckles that dance across her nose and cheeks. He can see her long lashes, the way they tickle her face when she blinks. Her eyes are like little pools of light, honey-coloured and speckled with chestnut. 

"Gio" the other agrees. He has the same copper curls, the same strangely adorable freckled nose and cheeks, the same gentle eyes that seem to radiate kindness and innocence. The same smile flickers across his lips, a desperate attempt to be polite and get off on a good foot. 

Tony doesn't think his heart has ever ached before. Sure, the whole arc reactor fiasco really did a number on his chest, but this is a different kind of ache. He used to want people to be scared of him, thought it was funny when children cowered away, but now he wants nothing more than for these children to feel safe around him. He knows that he's going to do whatever he has to to make sure that no one touches them again. 

"You're Ironman, right?" Gio asks, his eyes wandering to Stark's chest, where the arc reactor lies. The twins have always loved Ironman. Maybe it was out of spite, because their mother despised him with everything in her, but he's just so cool. It could be because of the gold and red suit that the two often admired, or because he seems so fearless in that armour, or the good he does in the world that Gio and Gia would love to replicate, but they know that they love Ironman.

Stark manages a small smile, the awe evident in the boy's eyes "Yeah, that's me".

Something about the "Cool" that Gia whispers makes his heart ache a little more. The kids are small and sweet and innocent, and above all, they speak his language. That's enough for him for now. 

"How would you two - and you don't have to agree because it's totally up to you - how would you feel about coming to live with me?".

Gio blinks at him with those wide doe eyes that Tony fears he might be battling with for the rest of his life, from both of them. He can't decide whether the look is surprise or panic, or both. Gia stares at him for a moment before looking back at her twin.

"Это лучше, чем ходить с мамой" she lowers her voice to a whisper as if the man speaks or understands their language anyway. 

"Как насчет коньков?" the boy responds with a side-eye which the mechanic doesn't miss. It makes him uneasy despite the small stature of both of the kids.

"Мы могли бы спросить .. это не то, что у нас есть куда еще пойти" Gia offers a small smile to her brother who seems to try to avoid returning it, but it creeps onto his face and she nudges him with a giggle "идиот".

The exchange brings a smile onto Stark's own face, he's relieved to see that the two aren't fully traumatised from their upbringing.

Gianna turns to the billionaire, her heart thumping but knowing that her brother is no way going to be the spokesperson. Sure, both of them are shy, but Gio definitely finds it trickier than she does. "If that's okay with you..".