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missmara134th Gift!
Tony had never pictured himself as a father.
Pepper was full of maternal instinct, she had spent years nagging Tony into getting his act together, more than once literally shoving him out of his bed, even before they had gotten together.
But Tony liked to party too much. Liked to spend hours in the lab inventing too much. Liked to leave his random bits of experimental tech laying around too much.
Then, he happened to get roped into looking at the applicants for the Stark Academic Scholarship himself, instead of pawning them off on Pepper as usual. There was a kid in the Bronx, fifteen years-old, IQ off the charts, recommended for the scholarship by his social worker. He had been in foster care off and on most of his life, attended school so sporatically that it was almost impossible to get anyone to believe he was as intelligent as he tested, which meant he hadn't been able to test out of high school yet.
He had an interest in engineering and computers, as well as medical applications for those skills, such as high tech prostethic limbs and artificial hearts. The latter was something of a personal interest, as the kid also had a heart defect that meant he would be lucky to live to 21 years old.
Even with quick research, it was unlikely he'd live to see a working model put into use, let alone get one in time to save his own life, but he still wanted to do the work to try and find a way for others like him.
I may not be able to save myself, but maybe I could find a way to save others before they deteroriate too much to be viable canidates.
The words stuck in Tony's head as he tried to move on to other applicants, but after a few hours of trying to put it aside, knowing that his board of directors would say that giving the scholarship to someone who would never be able to repay it by working for Stark Industries was a waste of money, Tony shoved the other applications aside and picked up the boy's again.
There was a note from his social worker that he was in and out of the hospital so often, and always went to a different foster family or group home when he was released, that the best way to make contact was through her at her office.
So that's where he headed.
~~~
The building was old and worn down, not somewhere Tony imagined kids would feel comfortable or safe. And when he asked for Sophie Cohen at the front desk, the disinterested receptionist didn't even look up before directing him down the hall and to the left. The door beside her name plaque was open, and Tony paused for a moment, taking in the brighter colors and comfortable chairs, the stuffed animals and other toys. This was a woman who cared about ehr clients, even if the rest of the building just did the job. He smiled slightly and knocked on the doorframe as he started to step in, only for the woman lifted her hand to gesture for him to stop.
Something about her demeanor made him do so immediately, freezing in the doorway. He could only just barely make out her side of the quiet phone conversation she was having, but he caught the name of the boy he was there about just before she hung up.
"How can I help you?" she asked, looking up at him, then frowning. "You're Tony Stark."
"Yes, I am," Tony said, gesturing to ask if he could come in now. When she nodded, he stepped in and closed the door behind him. "I saw the application you sent in for one of your clients, Ryan."
Sophie nodded. "No one wants to take the time to help him with anything, I thought if nothing else it would cheer him up to think about the possibility of getting that scholarship."
"How is he? Right now?"
"In the hospital again," Sophie said with a sigh. "He tries to take care of himself, but... finding placements for him where they let him do what he needs to do... stick to his diet, his heart monitor, his medications, low stress... foster families don't want teenagers with heart conditions. They want cute healthy babies. So Ryan ends up with the shirt end of the stick every time."
"I read his work in the application. There's a lot of solid ideas there."
"He's brilliant," Sophie agreed. "But I knew the chances of him getting that scholarship were low going in. And he didn't want to try because he thought it would just waste everyone's time. So please, if this is your... charity case for good publicity? Just go."
"It's not," Tony said. "I want to help him."
"How? Because I'd bet money that your investors and board of directors have to approve recipients and they'll never approve Ryan."
"They can veto my choice for the official scholarship. They can't control what I spend my own money on. Not everything is tied up with Stark Industries."
"Why?" Sophie asked.
"Because I was seventeen when my parents died, and if I hadn't had money, who knows what would have happened. Because he's fifteen, staring down a death sentence of a heart condition, and his goal is to help others. Because he could do amazing things if given the chance."
"And how exactly do you plan to help him, Mr. Stark? A private scholarship?"
"Maybe. I'd like to meet him before I decide exactly what I'll do."
Sophie considered. "He was admitted just last night, so he'll be in the hospital a few days," she finally said. "Signs of a mild heart attack..."
"At fifteen?"
"It wouldn't be his first," Sophie said. "Ryan's had 3 confirmed heart attacks since he was twelve. Who knows how many before then. His mother never bothered to take him to the doctor when he had chest pains or trouble breathing. He had no medical records until he was 12 and I was assigned his case."
"He's lucky you were."
"Too late, though, the damage was mostly done by then."
"What about a transplant, that could buy him some..."
"He's a foster kid, both parents have criminal records, Ryan has a bit of a record himself, but... he shoplifted food. And over the counter painkillers because his chest hurt so bad sometimes. The transplant committees all see him as too high risk, that he won't take care of himself and they'll be wasting a heart that could save someone more... worthy."
Tony stomped down on a surge of anger. "He was trying to survive."
"Exactly," Sophie agreed. "I'll take you to meet him."
"Thank you."
End
Yes, there will be more... actually, 2 years ago a 24 Gifts story I randomly wrote could be considered the future of this. Look at the final 2016 gift 'O Christmas Tree'. The basic though? Ryan becomes Tony and Pepper's foster son. He will have a happy ending. And don't worry, Tony figures out how to save him.
Tony had never pictured himself as a father.
Pepper was full of maternal instinct, she had spent years nagging Tony into getting his act together, more than once literally shoving him out of his bed, even before they had gotten together.
But Tony liked to party too much. Liked to spend hours in the lab inventing too much. Liked to leave his random bits of experimental tech laying around too much.
Then, he happened to get roped into looking at the applicants for the Stark Academic Scholarship himself, instead of pawning them off on Pepper as usual. There was a kid in the Bronx, fifteen years-old, IQ off the charts, recommended for the scholarship by his social worker. He had been in foster care off and on most of his life, attended school so sporatically that it was almost impossible to get anyone to believe he was as intelligent as he tested, which meant he hadn't been able to test out of high school yet.
He had an interest in engineering and computers, as well as medical applications for those skills, such as high tech prostethic limbs and artificial hearts. The latter was something of a personal interest, as the kid also had a heart defect that meant he would be lucky to live to 21 years old.
Even with quick research, it was unlikely he'd live to see a working model put into use, let alone get one in time to save his own life, but he still wanted to do the work to try and find a way for others like him.
I may not be able to save myself, but maybe I could find a way to save others before they deteroriate too much to be viable canidates.
The words stuck in Tony's head as he tried to move on to other applicants, but after a few hours of trying to put it aside, knowing that his board of directors would say that giving the scholarship to someone who would never be able to repay it by working for Stark Industries was a waste of money, Tony shoved the other applications aside and picked up the boy's again.
There was a note from his social worker that he was in and out of the hospital so often, and always went to a different foster family or group home when he was released, that the best way to make contact was through her at her office.
So that's where he headed.
~~~
The building was old and worn down, not somewhere Tony imagined kids would feel comfortable or safe. And when he asked for Sophie Cohen at the front desk, the disinterested receptionist didn't even look up before directing him down the hall and to the left. The door beside her name plaque was open, and Tony paused for a moment, taking in the brighter colors and comfortable chairs, the stuffed animals and other toys. This was a woman who cared about ehr clients, even if the rest of the building just did the job. He smiled slightly and knocked on the doorframe as he started to step in, only for the woman lifted her hand to gesture for him to stop.
Something about her demeanor made him do so immediately, freezing in the doorway. He could only just barely make out her side of the quiet phone conversation she was having, but he caught the name of the boy he was there about just before she hung up.
"How can I help you?" she asked, looking up at him, then frowning. "You're Tony Stark."
"Yes, I am," Tony said, gesturing to ask if he could come in now. When she nodded, he stepped in and closed the door behind him. "I saw the application you sent in for one of your clients, Ryan."
Sophie nodded. "No one wants to take the time to help him with anything, I thought if nothing else it would cheer him up to think about the possibility of getting that scholarship."
"How is he? Right now?"
"In the hospital again," Sophie said with a sigh. "He tries to take care of himself, but... finding placements for him where they let him do what he needs to do... stick to his diet, his heart monitor, his medications, low stress... foster families don't want teenagers with heart conditions. They want cute healthy babies. So Ryan ends up with the shirt end of the stick every time."
"I read his work in the application. There's a lot of solid ideas there."
"He's brilliant," Sophie agreed. "But I knew the chances of him getting that scholarship were low going in. And he didn't want to try because he thought it would just waste everyone's time. So please, if this is your... charity case for good publicity? Just go."
"It's not," Tony said. "I want to help him."
"How? Because I'd bet money that your investors and board of directors have to approve recipients and they'll never approve Ryan."
"They can veto my choice for the official scholarship. They can't control what I spend my own money on. Not everything is tied up with Stark Industries."
"Why?" Sophie asked.
"Because I was seventeen when my parents died, and if I hadn't had money, who knows what would have happened. Because he's fifteen, staring down a death sentence of a heart condition, and his goal is to help others. Because he could do amazing things if given the chance."
"And how exactly do you plan to help him, Mr. Stark? A private scholarship?"
"Maybe. I'd like to meet him before I decide exactly what I'll do."
Sophie considered. "He was admitted just last night, so he'll be in the hospital a few days," she finally said. "Signs of a mild heart attack..."
"At fifteen?"
"It wouldn't be his first," Sophie said. "Ryan's had 3 confirmed heart attacks since he was twelve. Who knows how many before then. His mother never bothered to take him to the doctor when he had chest pains or trouble breathing. He had no medical records until he was 12 and I was assigned his case."
"He's lucky you were."
"Too late, though, the damage was mostly done by then."
"What about a transplant, that could buy him some..."
"He's a foster kid, both parents have criminal records, Ryan has a bit of a record himself, but... he shoplifted food. And over the counter painkillers because his chest hurt so bad sometimes. The transplant committees all see him as too high risk, that he won't take care of himself and they'll be wasting a heart that could save someone more... worthy."
Tony stomped down on a surge of anger. "He was trying to survive."
"Exactly," Sophie agreed. "I'll take you to meet him."
"Thank you."
End
Yes, there will be more... actually, 2 years ago a 24 Gifts story I randomly wrote could be considered the future of this. Look at the final 2016 gift 'O Christmas Tree'. The basic though? Ryan becomes Tony and Pepper's foster son. He will have a happy ending. And don't worry, Tony figures out how to save him.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-26 10:37 am (UTC)