A Dad of Ir⎊n Will || Marvel

sïx

It's been a month since Tony has gotten back and it's just his luck that two new heroes have arrived on the lawn.

Tony isn't sure which of them shows up first. He thinks maybe it's Scott Lang, the Antman, he corrects and even that is a little too close to comfort. But maybe that's only because the woman, she introduces herself as Carol, has had to fly all the way across the galaxy.

There's no time to have a feelings meeting when they finally have a way to start figuring this thing out. Tony wants to cry. He doesn't. He watches them discuss Thanos. Running in without a plan. Without anything more than anger and a strong will, but that's what they had last time and it didn't end so well.

"If we do this," Bruce says and Tony can see his hands trembling, "how do we know it's going to end any differently than it did before?"

Tony wants to shout his agreement, but he still hasn't figured out how to talk around more than a few people at a time again. Pepper and Rhodey say it's part of the PTSD and he knows that, so he's working through it. Trying not to be too upset about it, but he feels angry at the way no one seems to take Bruce's cautiousness seriously.

"Because before, you didn't have me." Carol's voice is clear and confident when she speaks and it isn't the first time he's wanted to punch a blonde in their perfect little teeth. He looks away with his brows furrowed and knows that Rhodey sees him.

"Hey, new girl?" Rhodey's body language is defensive. Protective. Because she doesn't know them but here she is declaring things as if she's the end all be all of the universe, but where was she when the universe was falling apart at the seams. "Everybody in this room is about that superhero life. And if you don't mind my asking, where the hell have you been all this time?"

Tony knows there's a reason Rhodey's been his best friend this long.

"There are a lot of other planets in the universe," Carol starts somewhat passively. "And unfortunately they didn't have you guys."

Tony wants to ask how that's their fault when they're doing this for all of the universe even if he's doing this for his kid. For Peter. He wants to say that if she's so fucking good at what she does why couldn't she have helped save everyone before she fucked off to who knows where. Instead he leaves when Thor moves to stand. He has nothing against the man. It's been years since that first meeting in the forest but something about getting your ass handed to you by a Titan keeps you from stepping too close to a God. He has a panic attack before he reaches his quarters and Rhodey comes to find him.

"You're benched this time, big guy."

"I don't think I could look at Point Break without dropping dead, if I'm being honest with you, Platypus."

Rhodey sits next to him on the floor, their backs against the wall. His legs creak as he bends to get down there.

"I could upgrade those. It'll be a more comfortable fit," says Tony when he can breathe a bit better. "We could outfit them to the nerves better. It'd be like— like your leg, but better. Me and Pete were looking into it before..." He's clenching his left hand when Rhodey nudges him.

"Sore?"

"Yeah." He shakes his head and clenches his fist again. "Something like that"

"Maybe lay off all the garage stuff for a bit. Give the muscles time to relax."

"Learn that in therapy, did you?"

"Actually, yeah, I did," says Rhodey pulling himself up then reaching out a hand to pull Tony with him. "C'mon, Sweet Pea, let's get some food in you."