Chapter Text
The punishment playpen is cold and sterile. There are no toys, no soft blankets, nothing to take Tony's mind off the coming punishment. All he can do is curl up in a corner of the pen and bury his face in his bare knees, wondering why he decided to throw his bottle at Daddy. Wondering why, just as Daddy decided that Tony could go for a little while without mitts covering his hands, he would ruin the progress that they've made. The mitts on his hands right now - plain grey, not the cute mitts that Daddy and the Soldier usually put on - feel unusually heavy as a result.
This is all Tony's fault. He wishes so much that he could go back in time and just drink the bottle. But he doesn't like the chalky formula Daddy's started giving him, and it just seemed like such a good idea at the time to throw the bottle away! He didn't mean to throw it at Daddy! His stomach sank straight through the floor when the nipple came off and the formula splattered all over Daddy's uniform and face. Daddy looked so mad that Tony immediately started to cry, but his tears don't hold much sway over Daddy, and that's why he's here in the punishment playpen, waiting for Daddy to come back.
If Daddy comes back. Last time Tony was here for a full twenty-four hours because he wouldn't let the Soldier change his diaper. When Daddy came to get him, he spanked Tony until Tony was bawling and then made him go without a diaper for another two days. Because Tony's a baby, that meant he peed and messed himself a lot. Tony's face burns as he remembers some of the Hydra agents that had pointed at him and laughed - he's not sure whether their amusement was because of his red bottom or his hairless winky, but the mocking had struck deep.
"Daddy, I'm sorry," he whispers out loud, but he knows that apologies don't matter. Not right now. Later, after Tony's been suitably punished, he'll get the chance to apologize and Daddy will give him all the cuddles in the world and tell Tony that he's not angry anymore. It's what Tony has to go through first that makes his tummy hurt with fear.
He flinches as the door to the playpen opens and Daddy steps inside. He's changed out of his soiled uniform and cleaned himself up. His face is set into a cold, blank expression, not the usual smile that he wears just for Tony, and he crosses his arms. "You've been a bad baby, Tony. Daddy is very unhappy with you. You know better than to throw things. I'm starting to wonder if we need to put your arms back into your restraints for a while."
"No, Daddy, please!" Tony whines, unable to bear the thought of wearing the restrictive jacket again. It folded his arms across his tummy and meant that he was completely helpless. He wore it a lot when he first came to Daddy; Daddy used to say that it made him as helpless as a newborn baby. Tony can remember very well how humiliating that jacket used to be. At least with the mitts, he can still crawl and grab things, albeit clumsily. He has a little control. He doesn't want to go back to being a newborn.
Daddy's expression darkens. "Did you just say no to me, young man?"
Oh god. Tony's messing up left, right and center today. How could he have forgotten Daddy's number one rule? Tony is never allowed to say no. He bites his lip, uncertain how to answer. "I... Daddy, I'm sorry," he finally sobs.
"I don't believe you, Tony. I think you're only sorry because you know Daddy's upset with you and you don't want to be punished. Well, let me tell you that before the day is out you really are going to be a sorry baby. I think you've been getting a little too much freedom. You're getting the jacket back, and I'm going to ask the Soldier to wear the harness."
Tony cringes. The only thing worse than the jacket is that stupid harness. It was designed to hook into the back or front of the jacket so that Tony can be carried against Daddy's or the Soldier's chest or back. It's even more humiliating to be carried against their chests with his face exposed to the world because it means he has to see how everyone looks at him. The mocking smiles. The pity. He shakes his head, his lower lip trembling, but doesn't dare say no again. There are lots of other things that Daddy could do, like the pacifier gag or going back to changing Tony's diaper in front of everyone. He doesn't want to push his luck.
"But that's after a spanking," Daddy goes on. "You told me no twice today, and you threw your bottle at me."
"Please..." Tony whispers, but there's nothing really left for him to say and he can tell the plea has fallen on deaf ears. He doesn't fight as Daddy walks over to him and picks him up, hanging limply in Daddy's arms. They walk out of the room and down the hall. The air cools as they walk and Tony shivers again, wishing he could cuddle into Daddy's chest the way he usually does when he's cold.
They walk into a small room off of Daddy's office. Tony is immeasurably grateful that he's not being spanked in the cafeteria or out in the training yard again. He stays quiet as Daddy sits down and he is turned over Daddy's knee. Cool air hits his bottom as Daddy removes his diaper, and he can't help tensing up even though he knows that'll just make Daddy hit that much harder. He stares down at the ground and focuses on trying not to cry too soon, because Daddy will get mad if he thinks that Tony is faking it.
"You know why you're getting this spanking, Tony. I'm very disappointed in you and I think -"
The alarm that goes off cuts off the rest of Daddy's sentence. For a moment, Daddy is quiet. Then he starts swearing. He pulls Tony's diaper back up and sets Tony on the ground - gently, but without his usual care - and storms through the door and into his office. Even though he shuts the door behind him, Tony stays where he is, frozen, as he listens to Daddy start yelling. He can't make out the words between the closed door and the alarm, but the tone is all too clear. Daddy's pissed off and that means trouble.
He jumps when the door swings open again. Daddy steps out, now looking harried. "I'm going to send the Soldier to you," he says to Tony. "Don't leave this room until he comes for you, understand?"
Confused, Tony nods. He wants to ask what's going on, but Daddy runs out of the room before he can. Tony watches the lock turn behind Daddy and finally starts to cry, though he can barely hear the sound of his own sobs over the ear-splitting alarm that's still going off. He doesn't like the alarm, and he really wants Daddy to make it stop.
But it doesn't stop. And the Soldier doesn't come.
Until finally, suddenly, the alarm shuts off. It takes Tony a few seconds to register that the horrible sound has stopped because his ears are ringing. He rubs at his ears, wincing, and freezes when he realizes that he can hear something else. It's the sound of people in Daddy's office.
That's a big no-no. The only people allowed in Daddy's office are Daddy and the Soldier or, very rarely, Coulson. None of those voices match what Tony can hear. He shrinks back against the wall, shooting a panicked look at the door. Daddy didn't lock the door between this room and his office, but he locked the door to the hallway. Tony can't get out. He's trapped. He puts a mittened hand over his mouth to hold in a terrified whimper.
" - just grab it and go!" someone hisses. They sound like they're doing a bad job of trying to keep quiet. Tony flinches, heart racing, as someone throws open the door to the room he's in.
"Are you kidding me?! We're in Rogers's private office and you want to bail? This could be our one and only chance to actually get the intel we need. I'm not leaving until I've explored every... possible... avenue..." The woman's voice trails off.
Tony doesn't even want to look up, but he can't help it. He has to know what's going on. He risks a quick peek and realizes that the woman and man are both dressed in sleek black uniforms that look vaguely familiar, and there's no mistaking the familiar crest they both wear on their shoulders. They're from SHIELD. His heart starts pounding even harder because Daddy's going to be so mad.
"What the fuck?" the man agent says, staring at Tony. "Who the hell is -"
"Oh my god," the woman says, cutting him off.
"What?"
"It's Stark."
The name feels odd in relation to Tony. He knows that they're talking about him, but it doesn't feel like it. The last person who called him that was Barton and that has to have been months ago; no one else has called him Stark since Daddy brought him here. It's always "Tony" or a nickname like "baby", sweetheart" or "honey", especially if Daddy's in a good mood. Tony Stark feels like someone who died a long time ago, and now there's just Tony. Daddy's baby boy.
"What?" the man says again, taking a step closer. Tony flinches, pressing himself back against the wall. "No, it's not."
"Yes, it is! I'm telling you. Look!" The woman pulls out a phone and taps briefly on the screen, then shows it to the man. They both stare at the screen for several long seconds, then at Tony. Then back at the screen, then back at Tony. The scrutiny is terrifying and tears start rolling down Tony's cheeks. He drops his mittened hand and the man swears loudly.
"You're right! Holy shit. Holy shit. Fury is going to bust a nut. Everyone thinks he's dead. Hey!" He looks at Tony. "Everyone thinks you're dead!"
Tony whimpers.
"You're scaring him, asshole." The woman elbows the man sharply. "Knock it off."
"It's Stark. He's not scared of anything!"
"Yeah, well, why don't you spend over a year with Steve Rogers and then we can see how scared you are?" the woman hisses, glaring at her partner. "Obviously something isn't right with him. Rogers must have done something. Who knows what Stark has been through?"
The man deflates. "You're right. We can't just leave him here."
"Fury would kill us," the woman says, nodding. "Hold this." She shoves the bag in her arms at her partner. "Stark - Tony, listen. We're friends. You need to come with us."
"No," Tony says, because he doesn't think Daddy will be mad for using that word right now.
"Yes. Come on now." She takes a step towards him.
"No! Daddy!" Tony starts to scream. "Daddy! Soldier! Help -" He cries out when the woman jumps him, trying to bat her away. But his blows are pathetically weak and she looks she barely feels them. She shoves him to the ground and climbs on top of him, yanking his hands behind his head. The position puts a lot of uncomfortable pressure on the arc reactor and Tony stops screaming, starts crying silently instead.
"Get over here," the woman snarls. "Help me!"
The man sets the bag down and hurries over. Tony struggles even harder, but they're so strong and he tires quickly. He goes limp, sobbing, as something sharp pricks him in the neck. A wave of cold spreads out from the prickly feeling and he starts to get really tired. His heart rate starts to slow and the woman lets go of his hands. They flop silently to his sides instead of responding to Tony's commands to shove them both away.
"Fury is never going to believe this," the man says. "Wait, is that a fucking diaper?!"
The sheer disgust and derision in his voice are the last things that Tony hears before he passes out.