He's sitting down with a suit on call when the Ex-Vengers corner him again. Tony is grateful for the little things. He's in the common room instead of his personal quarters because the team is trying to work together again and he can deal with Clint and Natasha and even Barnes on his own. But when they're together he's more on edge. Especially now without Nat or Barnes anywhere to be found.
"Tony—"
"Is there a reason you guys always come in a group?" he asks cutting over Steve. His voice is sharp but reasonable. His eyes flit over Steve and Sam and Wanda and Clint though he looks just as wary as Tony now that he knows this wasn't a welcomed visit, before looking back down at what he was working on.
"Would you rather we didn't?"
"I would rather you," he says pointing at Steve, but not looking up from the holograms he has around him on the couch, "not come at all."
"I thought we'd all been getting better with talking things through," Sam cuts in. Tony barely knows the guy. He knows he used to be a therapist or something; he knows that he paralyzed Rhodey; and he knows he got dusted with the other half of the population. He doesn't know why he's talking.
"I'm assuming that's what they told you, cause I don't remember you being here, Sidekick."
"And why do you think that is?" Sam asks sarcastically and Tony shrugs.
"Heard Bermuda is great this time of year."
"Is that supposed to be a joke?"
"Am I laughing?" He finally turns his head to look at them. He doesn't want to minimize their suffering but he can't do this... He wasn't prepared to do this right now
"People died. I died. Half the fucking population died! You don't get to be an ass and make light of this!"
"Sam, stop," Clint says grabbing his arm.
"No. Why does he get to hide out up here like a king and look down on the rest of us like—"
"Get out." Tony doesn't realize it's his own voice until it comes out louder this time and he can feel the strain. In seconds there's an Iron Man gauntlet forming around his arm and pointing at them. "Get OUT!"
"Dad! Are you okay?" Peter calls running from the elevator into the common room. "I heard you yelling and—" Once he notices who's there, he's scarily fast as he climbs, flips, and contorts himself across the ceiling to stand defensively in front of Tony.
"Pete, it's fine," says Tony trying to calm him down, but his chest feels tight with the need to grab Peter and run as far as possible from the people who hurt everything they touch.
"No it's not."
"Bambino, it's fine. Look." Tony forces himself to lower his own hand, the Bleeding Edge 3.0 gauntlet sliding back into a watch.
"They were going to hurt you again," Peter says and he's resolute.
"No, Pete. We're fine, I panicked."
"But you don't feel safe."
"I'm not going to feel safe all the time, s'not in the job description."
"You should feel safe in your home and- and- and you don't." The kid is trembling but his eyes aren't leaving the Rogues. Every move has his eyes following.
"Kid." No response. "Peter." Nothing. "Pete, look at me." Tony places a hand softly on Peter's shoulder and the kid's head snaps over to him, eyes wide and terrified but protective. "Pete, I'm fine."
"And anyway," says Harley from where he's leaning against a wall, angrily aiming an old Iron Man arm turned blaster gun at Sam, "I'm pretty sure he asked you fucktards to leave."
Tony doesn't know if he's doing it to protect him or Peter who is clearly in the middle of an episode, but he's grateful for the warning all the same.
"Harley," he starts but the kid isn't having it.
"I told you I was going to give them a chance, but they keep fucking up! I'm tired of everyone just walking all over you!"
"It was just a disagreement. No one did anything. I'm fine." Tony is trying his damndest not to laugh and cry and be proud all at once, and it's a hard battle won. "We're connected, remember, you'd know if something was up."
"They didn't do anything?" Harley asks firmly to be sure, because that's the part that matters to him and Tony knows it.
"No."
"Okay." He uncocks the blaster and props it against his shoulder. Tony knows that this is Harley trying to trust him after years of not being able to trust anyone but himself really.
Peter is still tense beside him but he's getting his breathing back under control and he's glad the kid is learning to notice and redirect his attacks.
"Just say what you came here to say, Rogers," Tony says defeated. He isn't looking at Sam, and Clint looks just as annoyed as Harley if that's even possible, but Tony wonders if it's because he had thought the same way about him before.
"Bruce said he has a way to contact Thor no matter where he is in the Universe. So I was thinking maybe we could all get together for dinner and drinks one night. Get to know each other again."
"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Tony's first instinct has always been to say yes. Being alone for so long has a way of making you think that any offer friendship or attention will be your last, but he's an adult now. He's learned better.
"I speak for myself when I say that I know I have a lot to apologize for, but ignoring the issues instead of sitting down and discussing them will only lead to more miscommunication and suffering."
Harley rolls his eyes as he mumbles a put out, "What, he read that in a fortune cookie or something?"
"I'm bringing Laura and the kids, if you're up for it," Clint says. It's his agreement but clarification that makes Tony think twice. Knowing that this is ultimately his choice. Knowing that at the end of the day, no one is going to force him to join, but they want him to.
They've all made mistakes and they all have things to make up for, but now he can see that they're really trying.
"That uh...that sounds nice. I'll tell Pep and Rhodey to clear their schedules."
Tony can feel Peter's shoulders loosen up a little bit and he can breathe a little easier as each situation slowly begins to diffuse itself. He's about to ask if he feels okay or if he needs anything, but the kid looks over and makes eye contact with Harley, meaning that even non-verbal the kid isn't given up his defensive stance.
"Oh yeah, do us a favor, Cap. Next time you want to ask our dad a question, don't bring an entourage. To some people it could look like a group of hostile supes cornering a retired civilian and that wouldn't look good on your monthly probation reports, now would it?"
"Are you threatening us?" Steve asks honestly.
"Not at all," says Harley smiling but even that sounds like a threat. "I'm thanking you. Now get out."
He doesn't have to say anything else to clear the room, though Clint looks clearly impressed as he leaves and Tony doesn't blame him. Tony sucks a breath in through his teeth. Harley drops his weapon as soon as they're gone to check that he and Peter are okay as he helps them get their breathing back under control.
Tony really is proud.
-§-
yosef brosefs
whats up my futher muckers
double update 😜✌🏽️
lemme know whatchall think pwease
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love y'all
-- angel janeé xoxo 💋
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Our Dad's an Ir⎊n Dad || Marvel
Fanfiction[sequel to A Dad of Iron Will] Tony's retired. Mostly. He brought his kid back (and half the population with him), but it's been months since he and Pepper have had a full house. Now Harley's home and Peter's back and not even Tony knows what they'l...
