Mending the Broken

Stark Men are Made of Iron

Tony groaned as he slid out of his warm bed. His alarm was blaring loudly in his ears. It didn't take him long to remember the events from last night.

"You fucking useless piece of shit! I told you to finish this!" Howard Stark yelled. Tony's eyes were glued to the ground as he bit back the tears that formed in his eyes.

"I-I'm s-sorry...I ha-" A slap to his face cut him off, but it didn't stop there. Tony could smell the alcohol on his father's breath.

"You." *slap* "Fucking." *punch* "worthless." *kick to the ribs* "Piece." *another kick* "Of" *punch* "Shit. Can't you do anything right!?"

Tony curled in on himself as his father stopped his relentless beating. "Get your lazy ass up and stop your blubbering. Stark men are made of iron. Don't you forget that," The man snarled as he walked away. Tony sniffed as he pulled himself to his feet. The second he exited the workshop, when Jarvis saw him, the older man fussed over Tony. Helping the teen up the stairs and cleaning his wounds, offering as much comfort as he could.

"I'm okay J...I promise," Tony said softly.

"Okay young sir...," Jarvis said sounding not too sure. "Sleep well."

When Jarvis left, Tony fell into a -not so peaceful- slumber.

Tony got dressed, it was painful, but he couldn't miss school. His father really would murder him then. 'Stark men are made of iron'. Tony snuck into his parent's room and used some of his mom's foundation to cover up the bruise forming on his cheek. The teen was thankful that his mother's skin tone and his own were very close, almost the same. Usually, Howard was more careful where he laid punches....but not when he was drunk.

Tony skipped breakfast that morning, opting to walk to school. Marvel High was not too far from the Stark residents. When Tony got to the school, he went to his locker first. He was still about ten minutes early.

He was just about to shut his locker when...

"Well if it isn't the freak."

Tony gritted his teeth. 'Great just what I needed today'. The teen thought to himself.

"Leave me alone," Tony said. His words fell on deaf ears as Justin pushed him, jostling his probably bruised ribs. Tony hissed in pain. Tony was saved by the bell, literally. Tony walked into class a few minutes late.

"Good to see you in class, Mr. Stark," the teacher said. Tony flinched.

"Tony," the teen corrected. He hated being called 'Mr. Stark', that was his father. Not him.

"Just take your seat," said the teacher with a hint of annoyance. Homeroom started. Tony stayed uncharacteristically quiet. Thankfully to him, it was Friday.

After homeroom, it was science. Tony had that class with Natasha Romanoff and Bruce Banner. Tony knew none of them really...liked him. Bruce was nice. Natasha, she didn't really talk to him, so he didn't know about her. Bruce was the only one in that class who seemed to want to talk to Tony. Except for the teacher. Mr. Johnson. They were doing an experiment with partners. Mr. Johnson picked their partners and Tony ended up being partnered with none other than Justin Hammer.

"Tony Stark and Justin Hammer." Tony groaned, almost banging his head on the desk.

Of course, Tony did all of the work. Justin only started looking like he was helping if Mr. Johnson was looking. Tony scoffed as Justin copied down answers.

Finally it was time for lunch. Tony sat at a table by himself. He watched as the group of seniors, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson, Bruce Banner, Clint Barton, and Thor Odinson talked at their own table, they called their group the Avengers. Everything was fine...until Hammer decided to bother him.