Our Dad's an Ir⎊n Dad || Marvel

[three]

He's not sure if it was on purpose or by pure force of will and the universe's decision to finally cop the kid a break, but Tony is almost positive that Peter has yet to meet any of the Avengers officially since they reversed everything. He doesn't want to force it on him, but it's been almost an entire week since he caught both of his boys snoozing around a Lego set and he still hasn't thought of a way to bring it up.

It doesn't take long before Harley does it for him.

"Hey, Parker," Harley starts while they're all tinkering in the lab. "You met the dorks upstairs yet?"

"Not out of the suit," Peter says with a shrug and not looking up from his project. "Not really a fan of Captain Privileged."

"What, his moral compass too strong even for you?"

Peter freezes but doesn't drop his screwdriver. Harley looks up at him when he doesn't answer or laugh, then looks over to where Tony is staring at the younger boy shocked. Harley looks between them, his brows laced with confusion.

"Am I missing something?"

"Not really," Tony says. He hopes that'll be the end of it. He doesn't need the bruises and ice cold flurries from the memories of Siberia clawing up his throat. He and Barnes are okay. He and Rogers are...cordial. It's fine.

Peter scoffs.

"He almost killed you. He left you there to—"

"Not another word, Parker," Tony says and his voice is firm even if his finger is trembling as he points it at the door. "Out of the lab."

"No, dad, I'm sorry." And now Peter's voice is trembling. "I won't say anything. I'll sit in the corner. Please I'm sorry. I can't—" he sucks in a breath. He's being ripped apart and his healing factor can't hold him together well enough. His cells are turning to ash and no one can save him. He's alone. He's alone. He's— and now they're both on the verge of panicking.

"C'mon, Pete," says Harley gripping onto Peter's elbow to help ground him. "I'll go with you. You won't be alone. Promise. Pops just needs a second."

Harley wants to say he's surprised that Captain Selfish had left Tony to die in God knows where, but he's been watching Tony walk on eggshells around the man. Too traumatized to even talk to him in close range. And it all adds up.

"I didn't mean to make him do that," Peter whispers when they're upstairs and his breathing is closer to normal.

"We all have stuff," Harley says shrugging. "There's a list on the fridge. You can add your stuff too, the being alone and the loud noises and whatever... I mean, if you want."

"I should. But I just...I got so angry thinking about it and he just...he always acts like it doesn't bother him. He let's them walk all over him cause he misses his friends—"

"Is that what you think?" Tony says from the archway that leads into the kitchen. "That they're here— That I'm pushing my PTSD to the limit because I need friends?"

"Then why are they here? Why can't they stay somewhere else? Why do we have to wake up panicking every morning just so they can have a place to sleep?"

"Because you died!" Tony doesn't mean to yell. He hates yelling. He's known that it was a trigger for Peter since the Ferry Incident. Maybe before that. Just like being alone or being called Einstein. He lowers his voice and ignores it when it cracks. "They're here because you died and I couldn't save you. Half the fucking population got wiped off the earth and we were the ones who were supposed to keep you all safe and we failed. So they came here to regroup so we could come up with a plan to fix it. And now they don't have anywhere else to go."

"But that shouldn't be on you," Harley says before Peter can open his mouth. "They treat you like shit and you still build them things and let them stay here and play nice. They hurt you and Uncle Rhodey. You shouldn't have to do all of this for them."

"I shouldn't've brought it up," Peter whispers. He won't look Tony in the eye but his voice is no less heartbreaking. "I'm sorry."

"You're right." It's something Tony doesn't say often, but these are his kids and he thinks about watching his mom deal with Howard's shit all the time even when she didn't have to and not understanding why they had to stay. Why she stayed. "Both of you. You're right."

"So why..." Harley starts before snapping his mouth shut again.

"We all know I'm not the most appreciated member on the team and a lot of that is my fault. I don't have the most respectable past. I know that. I also know that those guys aren't saints either, but I am trying to learn how to forgive them. That's my decision. Them staying here isn't, okay? That's not on me. It's the UN's call. They all signed the updated accords which means two years of probation in an approved facility. The only places they trust are the tower and the compound because they were made to contain the Avengers anyway."

"So why can't we just stay wherever they aren't?" Peter asks because it seems easy enough and he's still so full of bitterness that he's sure he'd punch Captain America before he'd even introduce himself.

"The UN doesn't trust them to be in the facilities by themselves. So..." Tony shrugs, resigned.

"So what you have to act as their official babysitter?" Harley says angry. "That's bullshit."

"We all made mistakes, kid. So we all have to answer for them."

"I still don't like it," says Peter.

"You don't have to," Tony agrees. "We just have to live with it. You guys never even have to talk to them if you don't want to."

"Uh, if you think I'm passing up the chance to watch Peter give Cap a black eye, you're going senile pretty early, old man."

The tension is broken quickly by Harley's comment like a baseball through a glass and Tony snorts out a laugh.

"Spider-kid, no fighting the Capsicle, okay?"

"No promises."

"Good enough for me."

Harley jumps over the back of the couch and Peter follows not long after, flopping onto his brother like dead weight. Tony can't help but laugh because things are still rough around the edges and he's still trying to calm the rapid beating of his heart, but they're working on it.

"I'm ordering Chinese," he says walking into the kitchen for one of the many take out menus that are stashed there. "Someone call Pep."

"Hey FRIDAY," says Peter still lying on Harley, "Call Iron Mom."

Tony is glad the boys aren't looking at him by the time Pepper answers the phone because his smile is blinding.

-§-

hey futher muckers

slightly shorter chapter than usual, cause the next one is gonna be a bit...hmm sad? sad.
lmao

i hope you guys are enjoying the first few chapters so far.
as of right now they're just helping to set up the world of the fic before we get into the domestic family bits.
the school and jobs and avengers type stuff.

lemme know how y'all feel about it
as always i hope you enjoyed
love y'all

-- angel janeé xoxo 💋