His Protective Dad (Starker FF) Completed ✓

The Proposal Game

The atmosphere in the resort’s living room was thick with anticipation. The entire group had gathered together after dinner, the light chatter slowly dying down as Tony stood up, a mischievous glint in his eye. He looked around the room at the group, his usual confident demeanor replaced with something a little more serious.

“Morgan, I’ve got something to tell you,” Tony began, his voice carrying across the room.

Everyone paused, curiosity building as all eyes shifted to Tony and Morgan. Steve, standing beside Tony, had an eyebrow raised but didn’t say anything, trusting whatever his husband was about to say.

Tony cleared his throat dramatically, drawing out the suspense for a moment longer. “Well, Morgan,” he continued with a smirk, “I’ve just received a marriage proposal for you.”

The room went completely still.

The words hung in the air, and Morgan, who had been sitting comfortably a moment ago, suddenly stood up, her face flushing with shock. “What?!” she gasped, looking at Tony as if he had just told her the world was ending.

Peter blinked rapidly, his mind struggling to catch up with what he had just heard. “Wait, what do you mean a marriage proposal?”

Everyone turned to look at Morgan, who stood frozen, her heart pounding. It was clear from her wide-eyed expression that she wasn’t expecting this. Harley, sitting next to her, went completely still, his face losing its usual warmth as his heart began to sink. He could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him.

Steve’s eyes narrowed, sensing what was about to happen, but he said nothing—he was simply watching Tony carefully.

The Avengers and the Dynamic Six, who had also been staying at the resort following the recent battle, let out a cheer of excitement upon hearing the news. “That’s awesome, Morgan! Congrats!” Wade called out from across the room.

“Yeah! A proposal, wow! I think it’s about time!” Ned added enthusiastically, causing a ripple of support to spread through the group.

Morgan felt the sudden surge of attention crashing down on her. It wasn’t what she wanted at all. Her heart ached in her chest, and she could feel her anxiety building as the room seemed to close in on her. She glanced at Harley, whose eyes were now fixed on the floor, his hands clenched tightly.

But in the silence that followed Tony’s announcement, both Morgan and Harley could hear it—two hearts breaking at once. Harley, who had been suppressing his feelings for so long, now understood the full extent of what was happening. The idea of Morgan being married to someone else hurt more than he could have imagined. And Morgan, who had been harboring her own feelings for him, felt her heart sink. The idea of marrying anyone else, especially when she had feelings for Harley, was incomprehensible.

The contrast between the loud cheers from the Avengers and Dynamic Six, and the painful quiet that had settled over Morgan and Harley was stark. It was as if two worlds collided.

The joy from everyone else in the room didn’t help matters. It made the situation feel even more surreal. Morgan’s eyes filled with tears as she quickly turned her head to the side to hide the emotion from the others. Harley glanced at her, unsure of what to do or say, his hands trembling.

“Well, I guess this is happening now,” Tony continued, oblivious to the turmoil in the air. “We’ll figure out the details soon.”

Morgan finally found her voice, her words barely above a whisper. “Dad... please, no.”

The room fell silent once again, as everyone tried to make sense of her reaction.

Harley stood up abruptly, looking toward Morgan with a conflicted expression. “Morgan, we need to talk,” he said softly, his voice thick with emotion.

Steve, watching everything unfold with a tight jaw, turned to Tony after a few moments of silence, his expression stern. “Tony, what is this?”

Tony sighed and gave Steve a small, knowing look. “It was the plan, Steve. I wanted to make them confess. I thought this would force them to finally admit their feelings.”

Steve blinked in surprise. “You thought throwing a fake marriage proposal into the mix would make them confess? Really?”

Tony shrugged. “Well, it worked in the end, didn’t it?” He didn’t seem too worried, but there was a hint of concern in his eyes as he looked over at the younger couple. “I just wanted them to be honest with each other.”

Steve’s gaze softened slightly as he watched Morgan and Harley, but his voice remained firm. “You could’ve gone about it a little more gently, Tony.”

“Yeah, maybe. But I didn’t want them to waste any more time,” Tony admitted, his tone quieter now. “I want them to figure this out before it’s too late.”

---

A few moments later, Morgan found herself standing outside on the balcony, her breath shallow as she tried to calm herself down. Harley joined her quietly, his footsteps hesitant.

He didn’t know what to say at first, so they stood in silence, watching the stars twinkle in the night sky.

Finally, Harley spoke, his voice soft. “Morgan... I didn’t know it would come to this.”

Morgan swallowed hard, tears stinging her eyes. “I can’t marry anyone else, Harley. I don’t want to marry anyone else. I only love you.”

Harley’s breath caught in his throat, his heart hammering in his chest. He turned to her, his face a mix of relief and uncertainty. “You... love me?”

Morgan nodded, her eyes meeting his. “Yes. I always have.”

Harley took a step closer to her, his expression tender, but conflicted. “Why didn’t you say anything before?”

“I didn’t think you felt the same,” she replied, her voice shaky. “I didn’t want to put that pressure on you.”

Harley reached out, gently cupping her face in his hands. “Morgan... I’ve always cared about you, more than I’ve ever let on.”

“I don’t want to marry anyone else, please talk to Dad. Make this stop,” she pleaded, her voice breaking. “Please, Harley.”

Harley’s eyes softened as he looked at her. “I will. I’ll talk to Tony, I swear.”

Morgan finally let herself break down, her tears spilling freely now. Harley pulled her into an embrace, holding her tightly as she cried. He knew he had to make things right, and it started with talking to Tony, making her wishes clear.

The next morning, Harley found Tony in the study, preparing for another one of his infamous presentations. He walked up to him, his steps firm but filled with resolve.

“Tony,” Harley said, his voice calm but serious, “I need to talk to you.”

Tony paused, glancing up from his work. “What’s up, Harley?”

“I need you to stop the marriage proposal for Morgan. She doesn’t want to marry anyone else. She only wants to be with me.”

Tony raised an eyebrow but didn’t hesitate for a moment. “Well, it looks like you finally figured it out.”

Harley took a deep breath. “Please, Tony. I don’t want her forced into anything.”

Tony leaned back in his chair, a knowing look on his face. “I get it. Don’t worry, Harley. I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

With that, the tension between them eased, and Harley felt a wave of relief wash over him. He knew that things weren’t over yet, but it was a step forward.

Back outside, as he rejoined Morgan, he could feel the weight lifting from her shoulders. He smiled softly at her, and she returned the smile, her eyes full of hope.

“You did it,” she whispered, her voice filled with gratitude. “Thank you.”

Harley nodded, pulling her close once more. “We’re in this together. Always.”

And as they stood there, in each other’s arms, the future suddenly felt full of possibility.