Chapter Text
“Yeehaw!”
Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, woke up like he always did these days—to a four-year-old screaming in his ear.
Tony groaned, sitting up. Peter Benjamin Parker Stark, his very energetic son, was jumping on the bed in his little cowboy hat and cowboy vest. Rubbing his eyes, Tony checked the clock on the bedside table. 7:00 a.m., it read. Tony groaned again.
Peter giggled, running into his father’s arms. He smacked his hat into Tony’s mouth and accidentally kneed him in the stomach, but Tony wouldn’t have it any other way.
“How about some breakfast, cowboy?” Tony asked the little boy, standing up from his bed with Peter on his hip. The child giggled his assent, clutching his father’s sleep shirt to keep himself steady.
Tony Stark never thought he’d be a father. Sure, the thought crossed his mind once or twice while he was having a good romp after a party, but he never gave the thought too much time.
That changed two years ago when a woman came to the SI building in New York with a two-year-old in her arms and a heaviness in her heart. That’s when he found everything out; Mary Fitzgerald, or Parker now, was a woman he slept with almost three years prior. They weren’t careful, and Mary had a child. Her husband, Richard Parker, knew everything and decided to stay. But now, both Mary and Richard are dead. A plane crash, the woman explained. Her husband was Benjamin Parker, the brother of Richard. Her name was May.
May explained how she and Ben could not take care of the young child, and that he was listed in the will if anything were to happen.
Tony was stunned, staring down at a child with his eyes, his nose, and his curly hair.
Pepper had been furious when he told her, even more so by the fact that he had accepted and worked out a custody plan with his lawyers. She was marginally less angry when she held Peter for the first time. It also helped that Tony made her CEO the same week, stating he needed to ‘focus on fatherhood’.
Now, two years later, Tony was preparing a bowl of cereal while Peter went on and on about cowboys and rodeos and old western films that Aunty Pepper showed him.
For being so against the idea, Pepper made a good aunt.
Peter had become obsessed with cowboys six months before, when Uncle Rhodey had shown him The Apple Dumpling Gang. That one movie sparked an interest that did not seem to be waning anytime soon.
“Daddy?” Peter’s small voice cut through Tony’s musing.
“Yes, cucciolo?” Tony answered, setting the boy’s cereal in front of him.
“Can we go see a ‘odeo?”
Tony thought for a second; he’d never been to a rodeo before. Rhodey had been once, when they were still in college. He said it was fun, as much fun as watching grown men getting thrown around could be.
“I don’t see why not,” Tony smiled, watching Peter squeal in excitement. “But only if you eat your breakfast.”
While Peter began scooping his cereal into his mouth, Tony scrolled through upcoming rodeos in the area. There was one at the Forsyth County Fair, which was only an hour away, the next week. Tony ordered two tickets, some little cowboy boots for Peter that matched his hat and vest, and a pair of his own that matched Peter’s.
Tony smiled to himself; moments like these reminded him he wasn’t like his father.
…
“Stevie, get your lazy ass up; we’re leaving in half an hour,” James “Bucky” Barnes shouted at his best friend.
Steve Rogers, who had been peacefully sleeping in the bed of his shared camper trailer, jolted awake at the sound of his friend’s voice. He groaned, holding his aching head as he sat up in bed.
“This is why you shouldn’t drink whiskey after a show, dumbass,” Bucky scolded, handing Steve a glass of water and a Tylenol.
Steve took the medicine while Bucky shouted at their other bunk-mate, Sam Wilson. Steve smiled, watching Bucky kiss Sam’s nose as the other man grumbled.
The three men had been a part of the R & B Rodeo Company since birth. Steve’s parents owned the rodeo company for a long time before Bucky’s parents joined. Barnes Ranch and Cattle had provided the bulls for the rodeo, but nothing more. It wasn’t until the late 90s that they combined to make the company what it was today. The company was going bankrupt, and Bucky’s family had the means to help. Miraculously, after merging together, the rodeo became more successful than ever.
Steve and Bucky were now the owners of the R & B Rodeo Company, both of their parents having passed. Sam was a family friend of Steve and the current boyfriend of Bucky. They could give Steve a toothache from how sweet they treated each other sometimes, even if they bickered like they were 70.
“Remind me where we’re goin’ this week?” Sam asked, yawning as Bucky pushed a mug of coffee into his hands.
“Forsyth County Fair. Won’t take us long,” Bucky said, pouring coffee into a tumbler for Steve. The blond accepted it with a smile and quickly got dressed in his work jeans and a T-shirt.
“Do you guys remember showing at Forsyth? Before my Mom and Dad moved us?” Steve asked.
“Sure do. That’s the fair that cow tackled you in the arena,” Bucky teased, poking Steve’s side. The man smacked his hand away, chuckling lightly.
“In my defense, I was nine and that thing was three times my body weight. Mom had to basically beg me to show after that.”
“Don’t feel too bad, remember when Bucky had to chase around that sheep when it got away from him?” Sam laughed at the memory. Bucky flipped him off.
“Don’t forget when that horse ran you down, asshole,” Bucky huffed.
“Oh, trust me, I don’t think I’ll ever forget that,” Sam responded, tapping the scar on his elbow he got that day.
“Hit the road in 15?” Steve asked, shoving his feet into his boots.
“Sounds good to me. Can we stop at that diner right before town? I haven’t had one of their burgers in years,” Bucky asked, also getting his shoes on. Steve nodded, packing up the camper and securing all the cabinets. It was already hooked to Steve’s truck, so all they needed to do was bring the siding back in, pull the stops off the wheels, and hit the road.
Upon opening the door, Steve was hit with that fresh morning scent. They were in Pennsylvania, the rolling hills coated in early morning dew. He sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly before walking down the stairs onto the grass.
Steve packed up the camper, smiling at the thought of returning to Forsyth. He was going home, for the first time in a long time.