Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Anxiety levels were high at Town Hall.

On the streets it was an ordinary day, with many people rushing past in an attempt to get to work or meet up with friends. But behind those ornate doors and inside the grand building it was as if a royal was being crowned.

Taking advantage of the outside since it was a hot day, journalists were crowded in chairs in the gardens with their cameras and their notepads at the ready, at the edge of their seats as they awaited the story this surprise meeting would bring.

It was practically breaking news when sources reported that Agent Maria Hill formerly of SHIELD, CEO of Stark Industries Pepper Potts, famed scientist Bruce Banner, and Black Widow herself all showed up for the conference. It was whispered and discussed among the attendees if any more famous people would be turning up, and just what kind of mayoral announcement warranted such a guest list.

Behind the scenes, Mayor Williams himself was conversing in hushed tones with Pepper and Hill about Tony's appearance - or lack thereof. She was trying to justify the wait but was becoming more and more impatient with every passing tick of the clock.

"He said he'd be ten minutes!" She exclaimed as she ran a stressed hand through her hair. "I know he likes to make an entrance but this is ridiculous."

"My concern is the media." The mayor replied, sounding just as on edge as she did.

Hill nodded in agreement. "They're vultures."

"I know." Pepper said. "I'm so sorry, Mayor Williams."

He held up a hand. "No, no, it's not your fault, Ms. Potts. I'll need to start this thing soon, though."

She nodded as well, briefly facing away from him as she placed her hands on her hips. A very heavy sigh escaped her lips as she cursed Tony under her breath.

Happy stood to the side with an empathetic look on his face. He knew all too well the anxieties of waiting for Tony Stark since half of his life had been spent running around after him. Not that he minded of course, Happy loved his job, he was just getting a little old for it now.

He moved his gaze toward a spot by the wall where Bruce and Natasha were discussing the same thing, only they seemed a lot more lighthearted.

"Someone's sleeping on the couch tonight." Natasha mused, obviously amused by it all.

Bruce frowned, unsure. "She doesn't look that mad."

Her smile only became more evident. "You poor, sweet thing. Don't you know how to see behind a woman's stare? She's furious."

"I'm not the most well-versed in those things."

"You've dated before, haven't you? That's all the experience you should need."

"Not all women are as complicated as you make it seem."

"No, we're not. Men are just dull."

With the conversation steering away from the topic at hand, Happy tuned it out. He agreed with Natasha about Pepper being upset. He actually felt sorry for Tony, knowing that the punishment for his lateness was likely to be subtle but impactful.

With not much else to think about, he decided to reminisce on the holiday he'd just returned from. It wasn't particularly eventful in Hawaii, but it was the break he needed. He hadn't met any women for the long term, but there had been one incident in which he'd drank far too much and ended up in a one night stand. Tony obviously teased him about it at every chance he got, but Pepper was just glad he got to unwind after so much dutiful service.

Happy then found himself back in reality when Pepper walked over with the mayor to talk to him.

"Any news?" He asked hopefully.

She shook her head. "Not a peep."

"He'll be here."

"He better. I thought we were past all this."

Happy smiled sympathetically. "I'm sure he's got a good reason."

She nodded once more and addressed the mayor next. "He used to do this to everyone. He even showed up late to his own Expo."

Mayor Williams nodded. "I remember."

"My point is, he's not disrespecting you, he's just being... Tony."

"I understand he's a busy man but I can't deny he's cutting it close. I hope he's got one hell of an entrance planned."

Just then, his assistant Lani gave him a warning, expressing without words that the attendees were becoming agitated.

"Okay, we've got to give them something." He declared. "I propose we start the conference and announce that Mr. Stark will make an appearance shortly. The vultures need to be fed."

Pepper glanced at the two Avengers present as well as Happy and Hill before nodding reluctantly. The mayor briefly touched her arm for reassurance and thanks before preparing himself and leaving for the gardens with everyone at his side.

The second they reached the podium, the area was filled with camera flashes and overlapping calls and shouts. They took places on the stage with the mayor standing at the front podium and waiting for a moment.

He cleared his throat loudly to silence the chatter, holding a hand in the air to show that he was ready to speak. It worked like a charm and the reporters went silent.

"Hello." He began calmly and with confidence. "I'd first like to thank you all for coming here on such short notice and to apologize for the delay. We were expecting to begin sooner but our special guest for the evening, Mr. Tony Stark-"

The moment his name was uttered, the cameras began to flash again and an overlapping chatter bombarded the gardens.

"Please, please-" The mayor raised his hands and silence settled a few seconds afterwards. "Mr. Stark is running a little late so we had to postpone but rest assured, he'll be here shortly. Now, I understand many of you are curious to know what's going on here. I'm going to assume most heard of this conference from the various Twitter posts, many of which lacked detail for security reasons, meaning the safety of our special guests here today. I mean, I'd rather avoid danger because I think this city's had enough of that, don't you?"

Although he tried to make it a light hearted joke no one laughed.

He awkwardly looked down at the podium in front of him, only lifting his head after hearing Lani clear her throat from the side of the stage and motion for him to get things going.

"I called this conference because New York City is going to host an important event at the end of the month." He said, getting back on topic. "It's something born from the heart and will be a way for us to gather in warmth and love. It could even become an annual event if enough people show support."

He could see the questions before they were asked, once again having to silence the reporters and journalists.

"The event will be hosted in our beloved city, with the exact location and date to be released on further notice, and will be in celebration of the loved ones we lost during the Battle of New York three years ago, as well as those who have lost family to tragic accidents. The city has partnered with the (Y/n) Stark Foundation who will host the event alongside The Avengers themselves."

He briefly went on to explain all about the foundation and how Pepper and Tony founded it shortly after your death to support runaway teens suffering from abuse and neglect, as well as to offer help to families who were victims of loss.

During this explanation, he answered several questions from the press, as well as comments coming in from the live streaming of the event. He did his best to calm the crowd but it was becoming increasingly harder as more and more questions were directed to the famous names standing behind him.

"The idea is not mine, I'll confess." He said, silencing them yet again. "But I was recently approached by a tabloid interviewer who believed the city wasn't doing enough to support its citizens in wake of tragedy. I'm here now to announce that we're changing that. We will offer our aid. You only need to ask for it. And now I'd like to present Ms. Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries and a founder of the (Y/n) Stark Foundation to say a few words."

Pepper nodded politely and approached the podium. Only... She was abruptly interrupted as music began to play from seemingly nowhere. It started quiet, with no source, but soon became much louder. The song was easily recognizable as 'Enter Sandman' by Metallica.

Everyone looked to the sky as a streak of red and gold caught their eye. As fashionably late as ever, it was of course Tony Stark.

The Iron Man suit landed with a light clunk on the stage and the press went absolutely feral as Tony lifted his faceplate and waved, dancing along to the slowly fading music blaring from what seemed to be built-in speakers in the suit.

Pepper was not at all impressed with the lateness or the grandeur of the arrival, but she kept her expression neutral and civil as she decided to let Tony take the spotlight. Mayor Williams noticed the look in her eyes and shuddered, remembering how his late wife had the exact same look when he'd done something to offend her.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" He announced loudly once the music had died completely. "I present to you... The one... The only... Tony Stark!"

Another wild applause shook the ground as Tony relished the adoration.

"Good morning, New York." He greeted them lazily. "How we doing today?"

Using the sound of the crowd to his advantage, Tony turned to the mayor to have a quick and hushed conversation.

"Sorry I'm late." He said. "I had a thing."

"Not at all." Mayor Williams replied. "But I think Ms. Potts needs an apology more than I. And maybe a bouquet of roses."

Tony followed his gaze to where Pepper was glaring right at him and swallowed anxiously. He was definitely in the doghouse.

He forced the fear down and turned to address the chattering crowd. Under his gaze, the entire garden fell silent as they waited with baited breath for his announcement.

"So I'm gonna assume my good friend Mr. Mayor here explained what's happening." He began. "We excited?"

Another ruckus as they bombarded him with questions. Tony stayed calm, more than used to the attention.

"It's gonna be good, right? It's, uh... It's actually really important to me that this goes ahead, and not just because The Avengers are going to be hosting it, but because it's personal. The event is called The Floating Lanterns and it's a tradition my..." He hesitated for a second, keeping up a smile despite his true emotions wanting to peer through. "My daughter, (Y/n)... She did it every year for her birthday."

As predicted, the journalists berated the podium yet again. This time, however, Tony took the time to answer several questions.

"Is this just going to be about (Y/n)?" One of them asked.

"We've already said it's going to be for all victims." Tony replied. "Anyone who's lost someone is more than welcome to come and light a lantern."

"Where did the idea come from?" Another questioned him. "When did you decide to make it happen?"

"I'm doing this for personal reasons." He explained, his hand resting over his chest where the necklace was. "I wasn't always there for (Y/n) when she needed me and I'm trying to make up for it. When she was a kid we didn't celebrate her birthday together. I was always... I just wasn't around. This is my apology to her, a way to make up for all the years I missed."

More of them clamoured to get their questions in and eventually the mayor had to start motioning to one person at a time because of all the fuss.

"Why make it a communal event?" The chosen one asked. "What relevance does it have to The Battle of New York?"

Tony wanted to roll his eyes but refrained just in time. He had already stated it was to mourn for family and friends so he didn't see why that question needed to be asked.

"Loss." He reiterated, keeping the calm facade. "We've all lost people in our life and this is the chance to find peace among the city and work towards saying goodbye."

"Aren't floating lanterns primarily associated with Chinese and East Asian cultures? What do they have to say about this?"

"Well, I'd like to thank those communities for being on board with the plan, actually. The lanterns are used in various celebrations and ceremonies, including the Lantern Festival and New Year, and we contacted the Asian communities to learn what we could and get the green light."

"And will there be amenities there?" Another asked.

Tony nodded. "Of course. We've organized entertainment for younger attendees, food and drink, and a free station to decorate the lantern if you'd like."

He answered a few more questions from various broadcasting stations and local newspapers before he got more queries about the event details. He looked to the mayor who nodded to say that it was okay to reveal the information now.

"So the Avengers are hosting." A journalist from one of the city papers clarified. "Where are the rest of them now? Will we see everyone at the event?"

"Yes, we will all be there."

"And where is it? Central Park?"

"Queens, actually. The exact location will be revealed later in the week as the mayor probably told you. Just keep updated on Twitter and Instagram or whatever people use nowadays."

"Mr. Stark?" A booming voice then called from the audience. "Over here!"

Naturally drawn in by the sheer loudness of the man, Tony motioned for him to speak.

"The name's J. Jonah Jameson from The Daily Bugle."

Immediately a hush fell over the rest of the journalists. Tony could hear the mayor and his assistant speaking in rushed tones.

"I thought he was sending one of the juniors." The mayor said.

"He was supposed to." Lani replied, clearly panicked. "He must've changed his mind at the last minute."

Even Pepper looked worried, everyone knowing just how probing Jameson could be. He was relentless, and often asked the questions most journalists wouldn't dare to go near. Even if it made others uneasy, it also made him good at his job.

If Tony felt at all anxious he didn't show it. His expression remained the picture of perfect content as he told Jameson to ask his question.

"How do we know this isn't just a cheap PR stunt?" The man demanded, his tone proud and determined. "It's the anniversary of the attack, and it seems a little too perfectly timed for me. How do we know you really care? Any of you?"

"Well, we knew someone had to ask." Tony mused, not at all deterred. "The timing may be convenient, but it is perfect. As for the PR? I personally don't give a damn about my image. I'm doing this for my kid, to help people like she always did."

Although the abrupt answer threw Jameson off slightly, he quickly gathered himself back up and continued to ask more.

"Did she really help people?" He questioned. "When SHIELD got destroyed, wasn't it (Y/n) Stark who brought armed men into our city? Wasn't it (Y/n) Stark who put countless lives in danger trying to outrun her own mistake? She's the reason people died that day, so why would we celebrate her poor judgement?"

The livestream comments were buzzing with varied responses, some defending and some criticizing Jameson for his words, and the actual conference was veiled in a thick silence.

Happy clenched his jaw, feeling a bubbling anger at the sheer audacity of the claims. Pepper glared daggers at Jameson while he awaited a response from Tony. Even Natasha and Bruce were surprised by the comments. And Agent Hill certainly looked ready to get her gun out and start shooting.

Mayor Williams saw all these negative reactions and considered ending the conference ahead of schedule right then and there. He knew most other politicians would've done it the second they noticed Jameson in the crowd.

"It's not her fault." Tony said.

He seemed peaceful enough, but he had a dangerously dark look in his eyes. His voice was cold and stern, and it sent a shiver of unease over the crowd.

"(Y/n) kept a valuable weapon away from dangerous people, and she only did what she did because she knew she didn't have long left. Out of all the people in the world, she chose to find me. And she died because of that."

Still holding the necklace, he took a quick breath, refusing to pay attention to the rapid comments coming in.

"I was pretty terrible to her, you know? Missed birthdays, always too busy with work or events or... Anything but her. I made so many mistakes. But (Y/n)... She didn't care. She still wanted to make amends. So forgive me for being just a little bit selfish, J. Jonah Jameson, but personally I'd like to try and remember her for all the good she did, not the little mistakes."

Another pause.

"When did you realize your mistakes, Mr. Stark?" A much nicer sounding journalist asked.

"Too late." Tony replied quietly, finally showing his true feelings. "I left the country and I almost died. That's when I realized what I'd done. I'd become just like my old man, which was exactly what I was trying not to do when I started avoiding (Y/n)."

"Surely you tried to find her afterwards?"

"Of course I did. I tried every day. But then came the Stark Expo and the invasions and the fights and I lost track of time. Then it was too late." He looked down at the podium, finding it easier to talk to the wood than actual people. "No parent should ever have to bury their kid. It's not... Normal. So this..."

He trailed off once more, working on getting his voice to sound more secure and calm again. The last thing he wanted was to become an emotional wreck on live television.

"This event isn't being organized for the hell of it. It's not just because my daughter died. It's for the people she met along the way. She made a better legacy than any other Stark, and I'm going to keep it going, starting with celebrating her birthday. And everyone else who feels like I do, who lost their mothers or fathers or siblings or friends, this is their chance to keep their own legacies alive as well."

More questions were asked and Jameson seemed defeated into a stubborn silence as he scribbled away on his notepad.

Pepper watched the scene unfold with tears pricking her eyes. She hadn't seen Tony so emotional in a long time, especially not in public. Her anger at Jameson had deflated by now and she felt only hope for the upcoming event, knowing in her heart that it was something you would be proud of.

All claims of a PR stunt were shut down after Tony's speech, mostly due to the fact that his kind of emotion wasn't one easily faked. They figured that if someone could become so defensive and personal over such a simple thing, it had to be true.

The livestream comments were perhaps the best part of it all, many of them now bashing Jameson for his accusations and calling him many names, most of which had been quickly removed by the mods overseeing the stream.

"Can't say he didn't deserve that one." Natasha commented, smirking at Jameson.

"He looks embarrassed." Bruce agreed.

"Hell hath no fury like Tony Stark."

"You can say that again."

Tony, now with a more steady heartbeat, glanced over his shoulder at Pepper, silently asking if his outburst was too much or not. Although she probably would have gone a more subtle way around it, she simply smiled softly and shook her head to say that it was okay.

Lani then nudged the mayor, nodding her head towards the podium. He cleared his throat and nodded, standing beside Tony.

"That's all for today, folks." He said. "We have time for one more question."

Everyone raised their hands and it was a journalist near the front that was chosen.

"Hello, I'm Nina from The Downtown Express newspaper in Manhattan."

"Hi, Nina." The mayor smiled. "What's your question?"

"Well, since we've had enough tension for today, I have a more lighthearted question for Mr. Stark. Many of our readers, particularly in our celebrity romance section, have been wondering when you and Ms. Potts might take the next step. We recently discovered pictures of you in various jewellery stores. Got anything shiny planned?"

Murmurs filled the gardens and it took everything Tony had to not look at Pepper's reaction to the question.

"It's hardly a surprise if I confess it here, is it?" He questioned, dodging an actual answer. "Maybe I was just buying my lovely girlfriend a beautiful necklace. Maybe a bracelet or some earrings? I guess we'll never know."

The journalist raised her hands in mock surrender with a friendly smile, showing she meant no harm with the callout.

"Smart move, Mr. Stark." The mayor said. "Now, before we leave today, I'd like to inform everyone that multiple stores across the New York City boroughs will be selling lanterns in preparation for this event. And don't worry if you can't find one because, as Mr. Stark mentioned, there'll be plenty at the event on the day. And stay tuned for the location drop this week."

Hill stepped forward, keeping her voice low so the microphones wouldn't pick it up as she spoke to Tony. "When is the announcement?"

"We're waiting on the graphic team to finish the banner." He answered. "Once we've got that, I'll let you know."

She nodded and returned to her original position. Then the mayor began his short and sweet closing speech.

-

At the same time as the conference, elsewhere in the country, a tablet showing the livestream was propped against a full jar of office stationery, one of many inside a spacious room.

The office offered a great panoramic view of the city outside, the tall towers of glass and greenery from national parks coming in abundance. It had the basics of a desk and a chair, a top quality computer and equipment, and of course shelves upon shelves of business and personal effects alike.

That office belonged to Hope Pym, the woman watching the livestream with an intrigued smile on her lips.