"The New Stark"
The winter afternoon sun glinted off the polished chrome of the Stark limo as it rolled through the gates of the Stark Estate. Inside, Howard Stark sat stiff-backed, as always, his sharp eyes softened only by the presence of the small boy sitting beside him.
Alexander Lionel Stark—just four years old—held a tiny suitcase on his lap, clutching it with both hands. His silver hair shone like moonlight, neatly combed, while his jewel-like blue eyes took in every new sight with quiet curiosity. He looked too calm for a child who had just been adopted, but that was because Alex wasn't an ordinary child.
In the corner of his vision, something only he could see flickered:
[SYSTEM INITIALIZING…]
But Alex kept his face blank, innocent. No one could ever know.
Maria Collins Carbonell Stark gently brushed his hair with her fingers."It's all right, sweetheart. This is your home now."
Her warmth wrapped around him like sunlight—so different from the life he barely remembered from his previous world. Howard, despite his stern exterior, had immediately accepted him. Maria? She already loved him.
The car stopped.
Outside stood a tall young man with a cocky smile, a physics textbook under one arm and a wrench in the other. Twenty-year-old Tony Stark—already a prodigy, already brilliant, already trouble walking on two legs.
He looked at the newcomers, raised an eyebrow, and smirked.
"So this is the kid you were talking about?"
Maria smiled. "Tony, meet your little brother."
Tony froze."Brother?"
Alex blinked up at him. Their eyes met—Tony's warm brown ones full of curiosity, Alex's crystalline blue ones unreadable.
After a long second, Tony crouched down and ruffled Alex's silver hair.
"Well, he's cute," Tony announced. "I can work with cute."
Maria gasped. "Tony!"
"What? I'm being supportive!"
Alex tried not to smile, but a tiny one escaped. Tony noticed and grinned wider.
Howard stepped forward, clearing his throat."Tony, this is Alexander Lionel Stark. He'll be living with us from now on. Treat him like family."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Relax, Dad. I'm not going to throw him off the balcony."
"Tony!"
"Kidding, kidding!" He took Alex's suitcase from him with surprising gentleness. "Come on, little guy. I'll show you my workshop. Don't touch anything that explodes."
Maria sighed. "Tony!"
But Alex tilted his head. "Explodes…?"
Tony grinned proudly. "You'll fit right in."
And just like that, Alex's new life began—surrounded by genius, danger, warmth… and an older brother who was already starting to dote on him.
Behind Alex's calm eyes, the System flickered again:
[WELCOME, HOST. YOUR NEW WORLD BEGINS.][CURRENT AGE: 4]
Alex squeezed Tony's hand.
He would make this life count.