Let Me See Your Claws. AN: Short story written for a prompt on Avengerkink that asked for mutant!
Tony. The first time the team notices an animal in the tower, it's at breakfast a month after the battle for Manhattan. Steve, ever the early-riser, walks into the large kitchen that everyone shares on the main level and stops. Pepper is sitting at the island, sipping coffee from an ironman mug and reading what Steve assumes is something for Stark Industries on a holographic display Jarvis is projecting for her. But what catches Steve's attention is what her free hand is occupied with.
Stretched languidly on the counter is a cat, deep reddish-orange in color with stunning black stripes and lighter orange belly, batting playfully at Pepper's fingers as she scratches around its chin and chest. "Morning Steve. " "This is Rowan. " But no one asks any questions and Steve watches Pepper feed Rowan bits of bacon and egg whites from her plate and his rumbling purr fills the room. "Jarvis, since when does Tony own pets? " Flying on High. Tony was only ten when it happened.
When he awoke one morning to the call of Jarvis, the Stark family butler, he had a uncomfortable feeling on his back, close to his shoulders. Thinking nothing of it he groggily climbed out of bed and walked into his bathroom that joined on to his bedroom. Looking in the mirror he fixed his hair and stood there watching himself for a few minutes. For a ten year old Tony looked fairly grown up. He was short for his age, but made up for his lack of height with his cockiness and attitude. At the moment he was only wearing his PJ bottoms, which were blue with the classic Captain America shield patterned across them. After brushing his teeth, he grinned into the mirror showing off his signature 'im Tony Stark' smile before turning around and walking back toward the door.
Looking one last time in the mirror Anthony Edward Stark was shocked. Producing from his shoulders were two strange bony bumps, one had a single small metallic red feather sprouting from it. Abnormality. Here's a story!
YAY! Anyways, this was a challenge, that has turned into a multi-chapter fic...enjoy. Tony Stark made a Circuit Board at age four. Logically, no child could ever make something that complex work at that age, yet again, Tony Stark was not normal. Tony built a Circuit Board, made an entire shell…and it just worked. Nobody questioned how it did, they just accepted the fact it did, and shrugged it off. This shouldn't work, it logically couldn't. But it just did. So he didn't question it. When Tony was 6, he built his first engine. He built it right the first time. Then, while it was purring, he walked over and with full intentions, and disconnected the pistons. The engine continued running. Tony Stark knew that was impossible, and yet he hid it. Having Everything yet Nothing. Summary: Tony didn't want to deal with this shitstorm.
Yeah, he had Nat on his side, but there was only so much a superspy could do against years of ingrained prejudice and fear. In which Tony is a mutant and Really Really Really Hates It. The capitals were on purpose. Warnings: implied child abuse, emotional coercion/control, mentions of gay relationships, bisexuality Chapter Summary: In which Black Widow and Iron Man become partners in crime. Having Everything Yet Nothing i Empathy: the ability to sense, control, and manipulate emotions It was something Anthony had always felt, in the back of his mind; swirling mixtures of emotions and attached colors flitting by, and if he could touch, he could manipulate and control them to almost any extent he wished. Up until the month after his eighth birthday, empathy was a gift he mostly kept to himself and sometimes used to help others. Dad turned to him and stared silently for a long time.
And so he did. Anthony never mentioned it again. "Stark. "