His Protective Dad Completed ✓

The Glitter Bandits' Victory

The laughter died down as Tony gave the twins a long, playful glare. “I’ve got to admit, you two went above and beyond,” he said, shaking his head as he tried, in vain, to brush the glitter off his clothes. “I almost thought my lab was going to self-destruct.”

Peter grinned, leaning against the door frame. “We learned from the best, old man.”

“Yeah, Dad,” Morgan added, crossing her arms with a smug smile. “And this time, we didn’t have to blow up the penthouse.”

Tony rolled his eyes, ruffling Morgan’s hair. “Well, don’t get used to this little victory. You know I won’t let you two win that easily.”

At that moment, Clint, Natasha, Steve, and the rest of the Avengers filed into the lab, still chuckling. Clint gave Tony a thumbs-up. “Gotta say, Stark, you being covered in glitter is the highlight of my week.”

“Oh, don’t think I won’t drag you all into this,” Tony retorted, smirking. “If the Glitter Bandits want a prank war, they’re going to get one.”

Natasha chuckled, crossing her arms. “And here I thought we were all just innocent bystanders.”

“Innocent?” Morgan laughed, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Aunt Natasha, you were the one who taught us that sneak-attack technique!”

Natasha shrugged, feigning innocence. “Hey, you’ve got to learn self-defense somewhere.”

As everyone shared a laugh, Tony gave Morgan a sidelong glance. “Alright, but before we call it a night, we need to discuss one thing.”

Morgan raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

With a dramatic sigh, Tony gestured to the glitter-covered floor and lab. “Who’s cleaning this up?”

Peter and Morgan exchanged a quick look before bolting out of the lab. “Not us!” they called over their shoulders, laughing as they sprinted down the hallway.

Tony started after them, but Steve placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, laughing. “Let them have their win. It’s a small price to pay to see you actually outsmarted.”

“Outsmarted? Me?” Tony laughed, throwing his hands up in defeat. “Fine. But this isn’t the end.” He shot a look down the hall where his kids had disappeared. “Next time, it’s going to be my turn.”

---

Later that night, as everyone settled down, Tony sat alone in his lab, brushing the last bits of glitter from his shirt. Despite the chaos and mess, a smile crept onto his face. Seeing Peter and Morgan work together, filled with such joy and confidence, meant the world to him.

It hadn’t always been easy, and they’d all been through so much together. But watching his kids, he knew they were growing up strong, capable, and most importantly—happy. And if a little glitter was the price to pay, it was worth it a thousand times over.

As he glanced over his shoulder, he saw Steve leaning against the doorway, arms folded, a small smile on his face.

“You’re proud of them, aren’t you?” Steve asked, his voice soft.

Tony nodded. “Yeah. More than they know.”

Steve walked over and placed a comforting hand on Tony’s shoulder. “They’re going to be okay, you know. You’ve done a great job.”

“Thanks, Steve,” Tony murmured, grinning up at Steve.

And with that, the two stood in the quiet, enjoying the peace, knowing that their little family prank war had only just begun—and that the real victory was in moments like these.

As the quiet settled over the room, Tony tilted his head, glancing at Steve with a playful grin. “So, how long do you think it’ll be before they retaliate?”

Steve chuckled, sliding his hand from Tony's shoulder down to his back. “Knowing them? Not long. I’d say we’ve got until tomorrow at best.” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a soft murmur. “But that just gives us tonight.”

Tony raised an eyebrow, the faintest blush coloring his cheeks. “Well, Captain, if you’re proposing a temporary truce so we can focus on a...different kind of team strategy, I’d say you’ve got yourself a deal.”

Steve laughed, shaking his head. “I wasn’t proposing anything fancy. Just...this.” He reached out, tugging Tony gently closer, wrapping his arms around him in a warm, steady embrace.

They stayed like that for a moment, the silence between them filled with unspoken words. Tony closed his eyes, his head resting comfortably on Steve’s shoulder. There was something about the way Steve held him—solid, unwavering, like he’d always be there, no matter what.

“You know,” Steve said softly, “when I first signed up for this whole ‘super-soldier’ thing, I didn’t think I’d end up here. But I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

Tony smiled, his voice barely above a whisper. “Neither would I.” He leaned back, looking up at Steve with a sparkle in his eyes. “Not even the glitter.”

They shared a quiet laugh before Steve pressed a gentle kiss to Tony’s forehead. “Come on. Let’s go see what other messes they’ve left for us to find. Because something tells me this glitter war isn’t over yet.”

Tony sighed, feigning exasperation as he took Steve’s hand. “Lead the way, Captain. Just remember...we’re in this together.”

And hand in hand, they headed down the hallway, prepared for whatever mischief lay ahead, but secure in the knowledge that they’d face it all—together.