The Balance Between

Friday Night = Family Movie Night

When everyone moved into the Stark (or really Avengers as everyone knows it by) Tower, Tony implemented one rule. Just the one. Every other Friday, they were to have family movie night. It was their way of having bonding time (which everyone believed the idea to be heavily influenced by Director Fury). Plus it was a nice way to kick off a (hopefully) peaceful weekend which everyone knew the Avengers desperately needed. Time to unwind, de-stress, and not worry about pressing deadlines or failing science experiments. Everyone got a chance to breathe.

And just because Pietro flew in to visit does not mean the rule would be thrown out the window (because they hadn't watched a movie last Friday). Tony didn't care if the world was on fire; he would still force everyone into the living room and pop in Terminator or some other movie, peacefully ignoring the burning city around them. That just meant Tony would force Pietro to watch the movie with them. Whatever the movie was; it was Steve's turn to pick. 

"Okay, can I just suggest that we watch Star Wars?" Peter suggested as he sat down on the floor in front of the couch, a bowl of popcorn in his lap. Steve laughed. Tony ruffled Peter's hair and shook his head; he was lounging on part of the couch, Loki curled into his chest. Wanda and Natasha were curled together on the other part. Peter swatted his hand away. "It's on his list!" he defended. Tony glanced to Steve who just nodded. 

"Pete, it's still up to him though," Tony countered. Peter frowned and grumpily ate his popcorn. 

"What else is on your list, Steve?" Sam asked. 

Steve took in a deep breath and leaned back, his back pressing against the chair his was sitting on. He had to think for a moment; it's not like he had that damn book memorized. Bucky, who was sitting with him on the chair, turned his head so he could focus on Steve, an eyebrow raised. He wasn't aware Steve had a list. And what of?

"Star Wars is on there," he stated, tilting his head in Peter's direction. "But I thought it was called Star Trek?" 

Peter gasped which led to him choking on his popcorn. A coughing fit later, he turned sharply to face Tony, almost as if he was looking into the camera on the Office. Tony just stared at him, an eyebrow raised. Peter rolled his eyes and huffed. 

"And you call yourself my father," he muttered into the bowl of popcorn, shaking his head. Loki started laughing--almost causing tears. Tony stared at him wide-eyed. He was not expecting a comment like that out of the mouth of someone like Peter. A comment like that belonged in his mouth and referring to Howard--under much different circumstances. 

"Damn, kid. That was something straight out of my mouth." Peter huffed and shook his head. Tony laughed and ruffled his hair again. Peter started groaning and swatting Tony's hand away again. Tony only laughed harder. 

"Rocky is also on the list," Steve spoke up, only so he wouldn't spark a fight between the father-son duo. "And Rocky Two." Tony shook his head in disappointment, turning his attention to Steve. 

"That's it?" Steve nodded. Tony continued to shake his head. "No Jumanjii? No Disney?" Steve, brow furrowed, shook his head. Sam adjusted himself on the floor before pressing his hands together and pointing them in Steve's direction. "No Indiana Jones? No Godfather?" He shook his head again. Tony screwed his eyes shut for a long time before looking to Peter, the same look on his face that Peter had when Steve asked about Star Wars and Star Trek. Peter threw a few pieces of popcorn at him but nodded. "Jurassic Park or Jurassic World?" Shake of the head. Tony pressed his lips into a fine line. "Please tell me the only reason Breakfast Club isn't on there is because, in whatever free time you've had before I met you, you've already watched it?" Steve's face paled, sensing these movies were important to Tony. It took him a while before he shook his head. Tony swiftly spun his legs around, almost hitting Peter in the process, and took in a deep breath, his hands pressed together and pointed at Steve just like Steve. "Why," he said slowly, "is Breakfast Club or any of the other movies I have mentioned not on your list. The list you made to catch up on pop culture." Steve, not enjoying the tone in Tony's voice, leaned further back in the chair and shrugged. Tony took in another deep breath before looking to Clint and Sam for help.