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Nowhere in the modern world has never heard of the name Tony Stark, and as such, it was safe to assume that no one in the modern world has never heard of his wedding, either.
Tony Stark was undoubtedly the most complex man on the planet. He was narcissistically eccentric, idiosyncratically self-sacrificing—most times, he was already even dying—and a certified genius in more fields than any normal person can count. More often than not, it was the last fact that always made him more volatile than the other two. True, his genius has led the world to unknown and unparalleled technological advancements (even with Wakanda’s introduction to the world), but his creations have always been a double-edged sword that the world has learned to be apprehensive of after Ultron.
After all, the world changed the day Tony Stark became Iron Man.
But also because of his reputation and his penchant to blow everything out of proportion given a matter of time, everyone—except those closest to him—expected his marriage to falter and die before it can even soar, as well.
And Tony, never failing to rise to the occasion, proved them all wrong.
In all that’s happened in his life, Tony never thought he’d ever enjoy something as domesticated as going home to his wife in time for dinner or sharing breakfast together while they read the morning paper. It even boggled him in the most humorous ways imaginable that they subscribed to a morning paper and he was eating breakfast instead of drinking a smoothie DUM-E sloppily blended for him, but these moments were a blessing. That much he can easily discern.
He even thought something as simple as coordinating who gets to use the bathroom first in the morning and deciding which paintings they should display in the Tower living room were oddly, blissfully normal.
He hasn’t had normal in years. It made him feel strangely liberated despite tying down the knot. Granted said knot had been with Pepper. But still.
The thought he could do this husband thing was weird and exciting. It was only because he gets to wake up with Pepper in his arms that made every ounce of pain, guilt, fear and misfortune in his life worth it if it meant getting him to where he was today.
With Tony doing right by Pepper, he decided to throw caution in the wind and risk doing right to others as well. Which meant his almost-kids.
Tony and Harley spent more time together now that he’s started MIT.
The endless phone calls and “shop-talks” discussed were always met with a fond smile from Pepper when she’d catch them chatting in the living room, in the lab, and even in the kitchen while Tony ate tuna sandwiches and drank protein shakes. Peter would drop by almost shyly after school to see what Tony was up to. When he caught Tony and Harley talking, he’d beam with nearly childlike glee and the kids would geek out over everything, from Tony’s gadgets and tech to movies and all the other stuff kids their age was up to these days, much to Tony’s amusement and mock-laments about being too old.
Sometimes, Harley would drive up to New York to visit Peter and his almost-dad (admit it, Tony, we’re connected) or—on rare occasions—Tony would fly to Massachusetts in his suit just to impress Harley’s dormmates. The genius seventeen-year-old shook his head indulgently at his antics but Tony knew he relished his visits all the same just as Tony relished his.
Tony and Harley would tinker together, visit the projects funded by the September Foundation—where they would spend hours with different teams and, more often than not, Tony would help the teams through their setbacks because he just couldn’t help himself until the problem was solved—and, if Tony could spend the night, they’d stay up all night just talking each other’s ears off, surrounded with junk food and soda.
In New York, Tony often dragged Peter to the Avengers Compound for superhero training and mentoring. With May closely monitoring Peter’s activities to prevent him from doing anything reckless like last time (she was not remotely pleased with what happened with Toomes), she scheduled hero-time for him for two hours after school during weekdays and five hours during weekends. True, Aunt May gave Tony an epic tongue-lashing for taking Peter to Germany and for almost, nearly hanging his name in the Avengers roster without her consent but, eventually, she calmed herself enough to recognize Tony’s point. The kid couldn’t be stopped—didn’t want to be stopped—so, he might as well train him into the business so he doesn’t get himself killed.
Tony gave the kid’s old suit every advantage and upgrade he can think of without fully weaponizing it like the suit he’d made Peter after his victory over the moth guy (he was actually called Vulture, Mr. Stark).
They spent most of Aunt May’s allotted hero-time training, strategizing, upgrading and even patrolling the streets together to gauge their field compatibility (which was, without question, awesome and flawless, granted, after countless mishaps). The rest was spent doing science and something fun like playing video games and conducting the most ridiculous experiments they could think of.
One time, Peter strolled around Queens with Tony in disguise to get pizza, pretending to be tourists. Judging from the brewing speculations and rumors in the tabloids that erupted after that stunt, Rhodey, Stephen, Hope, and Vision took turns to delightfully—but they were sophisticated about it, of course—inform Tony that he was shit in covert operations.
Soon, news of illegitimate children and past secret affairs dominated the media like wildfire.
Everyone clamored for an interview with the teenagers Tony Stark has taken a keen interest in. The press scrutinized them, going as far as stalking them. Peter was forced to minimize his Spider-Man patrolling hours because of the reporters waiting for him after school and below his apartment building, much to May’s satisfaction and relief. Peter instead spent more time with Tony to do something fun if Tony wasn’t doing anything important after he did his homework. Tony always made sure Peter finished his homework before he allowed anything fun happened.
Harley was much the same, only he’s made it a point to enjoy pranking the reporters in ingenious ways as the heat on their story progressed. Tony happily and proudly regaled to the others what Harley had been up to after he hacked into the MIT security cams and replayed the best pranks, laughter never leaving his eyes.
Harley’s mischief did nothing to dissuade the illegitimate children story.
Although nothing dangerous happened, Tony made sure FRIDAY kept a close eye on both of them, just in case. If the boys noticed the increased security and agents posted outside Peter and May’s apartment building and Harley’s dorm, both boys wisely left it alone and didn’t comment.
As part of Stark Industries’ PR’s strategy for damage control, Pepper made sure to nip the past secret affair story in the bud before anyone can take it too far. They gave a press conference with both boys in attendance and Tony standing to the side of the podium, listening to Pepper speak and emphasize that no, Tony doesn’t have illegitimate children (that they know of), but yes, Peter Parker and Harley Keener are two exceptionally gifted teenagers that caught Tony Stark’s attention and dedicated his time to them to help them realize their potential as part of the internship program Stark Industries has been developing to nurture bright, young minds in the world.
In the same breath, Pepper also made it clear that under no circumstances will these teenagers be harassed or stalked to answer questions without consent or prior notice. She was vague about the hellish law suits and restraining orders she would unleash upon them all should they entice her wrath but the message was effectively delivered.
No one bothered Tony’s almost-kids.
“So, when are you going back to doing the Spider-Man thing now that the heat’s dying down?” Harley dropped out of nowhere while he was slurping on a soda, looking at Peter with the same expression he makes whenever he asked the younger boy how school was going.
It was in one of Harley’s visits to New York that prompted the discussion in the Tower’s living room, the holograms floating in front of them momentarily forgotten. Harley had brought some half-finished schematics with him from MIT and displayed the rudimentary work of an engine for their perusal while they ordered take away. Tony raised an eyebrow at the question but seemed unfazed by it while Peter gaped like a fish, mouth opening and closing, spluttering for a way to deny it, before he huffed a resigned sigh and groaned.
“How’d you figure it out?” Peter almost whined, a little bummed that his secret identity was compromised. But Peter didn’t mind so much because it was Harley. He liked Harley.
Harley shrugged, munching enthusiastically on his curly fries. “Spider-Man is swinging around in incredible tech too advanced to be manufactured by anyone other than Stark Industries or Wakanda. And there’s only one person in New York crazy enough to give that kind of suit to a teenager below the age of seventeen. Also, your body type and voice match with the videos in YouTube. If I never met you through Tony, it would’ve taken me longer to figure it out. You need to use a voice modulator. It gives you away.”
Peter groaned again. “I tried the modulator but apparently I didn’t do it right. The guy I was interrogating saw right through me. He was not intimidated at all.”
Tony blinked, eyes zeroing in on Peter. “Wait, back up. You interrogated someone?”
Peter held his hands up in alarm when he heard the telltale signs of a lecture coming, voice defensive. “He had a criminal record and he had information to where Toomes was going to make his arms deal.”
Harley chuckled. “How was he not intimidated by an Enhanced teenager in a spandex?”
“Hey! It’s a state-of-the-art, multi-million-dollar suit!” Peter shot back, amused.
“I personally want to go back to the fact that you interrogated someone.” Tony droned sarcastically, eyes conveying a reproach was brewing beneath the surface of that sass.
“I just… webbed his hand to the car and asked him questions.” Peter confessed sheepishly. “He was not impressed or amused. Mainly because he had ice cream in the trunk and it took two hours for the web to dissolve.”
Tony sighed exasperatingly. “You webbed a guy stuck to his car while he had ice cream in the trunk?”
“He had a criminal record!” Peter said in his defense, wincing when he realized that sounded more like a poor excuse than an explanation. “And he was harmless.”
“On the risk of sounding like my old man, what if he wasn’t as harmless as you thought? You could’ve been hurt and that was a pretty douche-y thing to do to just leave him like that.” Tony said as he rubbed his temple. “Please, just, don’t do something like that again. Or at least run it by the adults first before you do.”
“Yeah, okay.” Peter agreed, subdued.
“You got the hang of this almost-dad thing already, Tony.” Harley joked a moment later. He gave Tony a thumbs-up. “Great job!”
Peter blushed and grinned, somber mood dispersing from the room.
“That makes no sense whatsoever.” Tony retorted, ignoring the fluttering things in his chest. “And what did I say about saying things that come off as grandiose?”
They bantered back and forth until Pepper arrived home from work. Tony surveyed both boys as they ate dinner later that night, seeing them make Pepper laugh and all three of them ganging up on Pepper to have a movie night.
He was more than proud to call them his almost-sons, even if it’s only to himself.
Two years had passed since Siberia when Tony received the news that changed his life forever.
“Pepper, I’m not—I don’t—what?” Tony stuttered, face paling significantly. He felt numb, almost like this was a dream he’d be waking from any moment now…
“I’m pregnant, Tony!” She laughed, eyes shining with joy. Her arms were wrapped around his shoulders and Tony could only dumbly embrace her back with his normally efficient, brilliant mind catching up to what she just said. Sensing his struggle, Pepper pulled back from their embrace to look at him. “Tony?”
“I’m going to be…” Tony mumbled, still processing. “I’m going to be a dad?”
Pepper laughed, tinkling and sweet. She cradled his face in her palms as she nodded and said, “Yeah. More than you already are, anyway.”
Tony snorted and, suddenly, remembering Harley and Peter has suddenly made this all too real. Tony’s eyes widened in alarm.
“Oh my god,” Tony breathed, his eyes widening. “Pepper, I’m going to be a dad!”
Pepper slowly guided him to a chair and fondly weathered the giddy excitement mixed with trepidation that gripped her husband. She had a feeling that it would grab hold of him for a long time. It was going to be an exciting seven and a half months.
Tony told the team after another meeting about locating the Spymaster.
“Tony! Pepper! Congratulations!” Hope exclaimed happily, moving to give them both a hug. Pepper had taken the time to be present when they finally told the team, laughing and giggling while she and Hope talked about it away from the men.
Stephen approached Tony, extending a hand. Tony clasped it with his own. “Congratulations,” he said in his deep baritone with a raised eyebrow. “I’ll break out the champagne.”
“Pep’s not allowed to drink,” Tony said as they let go as if Stephen wasn’t a doctor himself.
“The tea set then.” Stephen said fondly and magicked steaming tea and snacks for all of them. “It has a little honey in it.”
Tony chuckled as the Sorcerer Supreme turned to serve everyone their drinks. Vision took his place and extended his own hand. The syntheziod was in his human visage today, a new power he has recently discovered he was capable of. He had light blonde hair, pale blue eyes and pale skin. Tony had once asked him if he can shapeshift into other people or other creatures and Vision had given him a curious look, saying that he may have the capability of shapeshifting to that extent yet abstained from doing so because of his own moral standing, considering to do so would be extremely unethical. Fear was not something Vision would want to be associated with his name.
“Congratulations, Tony,” he said as Tony accepted his hand. “I am very happy for you.”
“We’ve come a long way, haven’t we, Viz?” said Tony, grinning at him as they let go.
“Yes,” Vision said with easy conviction. “Yes, we have. Do I have your permission to tell her when I next contact her?”
Tony knew from the beginning that Vision and Wanda kept in touch after the rogue Avengers broke out of the Raft. Vision told him personally what he was going to do and Tony was touched that he wanted Tony’s support even if Tony thought Vision didn’t need him for jack-squat. Still, he’d been happy to give it anyway. Vision was his teammate, one of his closest friends. He can give that, if nothing else.
“Sure, Viz,” Tony answered, his grin never faltering. “If she wants to hear about it.”
“Thank you.” Vision said. “In spite of everything, I’m sure she would.”
Vision walked away to help himself with Stephen’s honeyed tea.
Rhodey was there to take Vision’s place, honeyed tea passed silently into Tony’s waiting hand with a smirk.
“Do you think I’d make a good dad?” Tony asked lightly, but Rhodey knew better.
“Yeah,” Rhodey answered without hesitation, clapping Tony’s shoulder in undying support. Tony’s smirk turned into a genuine smile. “Yeah, I think you will.”
“That doesn’t seem right.” Tony said teasingly, sipping his tea. It was good tea.
Rhodey rolled his eyes. “I never said it’ll be easy.”
Tony snorted. “Nothing ever is with me.”
Rhodey laughed, leading Tony toward the others. “And no one will have it any other way.”
Unsurprisingly, Peter and Harley were ecstatic.
They were both at the tower, visiting and keeping up the appearance of the new internship program. The boys celebrated by ordering pizza and bizarre science experiments in Tony’s workshop. Harley seemed more interested in knowing the inner workings of Peter’s suit which the other boy happily showed him.
When Peter went to retrieve the pizza, Harley turned to him. “Something’s on your mind and it’s been bothering you since we got here. Is it the baby? Are you worrying about the baby?” Harley said in typical Harley-word-vomit fashion.
Tony chuckled. “What gave me away?”
Harley shrugged. “I just know you so well. You’re a worrier.”
“I’m not exactly father material, am I?” Tony murmured self-deprecatingly. Harley took it in stride. Tony had always liked the kid’s ability to bypass all his emotional drama and focus on the important bits.
“You do fine with me and Peter. You have good practice.” Harley said, fiddling with a socket wrench. “If you care this much about us, imagine how much you’ll love your actual kids.”
Tony gave the kid a long look. “You and Peter will always have a place in the family, Harley.”
The younger man smiled sincerely. “I know. I believe you.”
Tony smiled, too, feeling lighter than before. If only Tony had Harley’s ability to keep his head when Tony had been his age. It would’ve saved Tony many regrets. He turned to the holographs in front of him, to the workshop around him, to the bots wiring in their charging ports in the background, and an idea overtook his better judgment.
“What do you say about trying out my suit?” Tony asked. Harley’s eyes widened in excitement.
“Your Iron Man suit?! Are you serious?!” Harley’s voice raised an octave.
Peter arrived just in time to hear it, pizza unceremoniously discarded on one of the workbenches. “Whoa, really?!” He exclaimed. He and Harley shared a beaming look.
“Yeah, come over here,” Tony said, rounding the bench. Harley followed him and had his biometrics scanned. “FRIDAY, give Harley access to Mark 56, will you?”
“With pleasure, Boss.” The AI responded almost warmly.
Tony found something else Harley was good at that day, too, and he couldn’t help but wonder.
Tony was working in the compound one evening when Pepper was out of town, doing some frustrating paperwork for the Avengers, when she showed up.
The lights have gone out in his office which made Tony’s hair stand on end, because nothing in his extensive protocols for the compound’s security measures was supposed to allow that to happen. Quiet footfalls made him turn to the door with a glowing, metal-gloved hand raised to shoot. Nat gave him an unreadable look when she entered, a hand on the doorknob. She was dressed in civilian clothes, a leather jacket and a dark-colored shirt and pants that he couldn’t see in the darkened room. When Tony froze in shock, gloved hand lowering back to the desk, she took it as an invitation to go further into the office, sitting on the edge of the couch that Tony loved to lie in and pretend there wasn’t any more paperwork that needed his attention. She smiled tentatively but it was hollow, almost gauging like a cat.
“Hi, Tony,” she murmured, arms crossed across her chest.
“What’re you doing here, Nat?” Tony asked, voice strained.
Nat shrugged. “I heard the big news. Congratulations.”
Tony’s eyes narrowed. “If you did something to the compound’s codes, I’ll—”
“It’s fine,” Nat reassured quickly. “I made sure of it.”
“Thanks,” Tony shot back, body tensed. “Again, what are you doing here, Nat?”
“Fury sent me,” Nat answered. “Said you’ll need me soon.”
Tony sighed, rubbing his face. “And he didn’t call me before you showed up? You scared the shit out of me.”
Nat chuckled quietly. “You know us spy-types love to sneak around.”
“No kidding.” Tony sighed, exasperated. A headache was beginning to form in his temples but he made plans for Nat’s reinstatement nonetheless. Fury was right. They needed her soon.
“What’s this all about?” Nat asked, expression serious once more, as if waiting for a mission report.
“Can’t tell you yet,” Tony muttered, feeling uncomfortable under her piercing gaze. “We haven’t really finished discussing it yet. But Phil and Nick are on-board. It’s just a little beyond the impossible to do.”
“And impossible is kind of our thing.” Nat agreed, nodding as if she understood.
“Yeah,” Tony sighed, wanting the conversation to end so she can leave. She must’ve sensed something was wrong like her own version of spider-senses, her expression becoming more unsure and contrite. It took him by surprise to see her emotions plainly painted on her face that he didn’t see what was coming before she began.
“Tony, I’m sorry about—”
“Nope, let’s not go there.” Tony cut her off, not wanting to deal with it just yet. He turned away from her and back to his paperwork even if he can’t really see anything since the room was still bathed in darkness. “I’ll have the lawyers draw up something so we can reinstate you to the active Avengers roster. It shouldn’t be too difficult. T’Challa didn’t press any charges against you. Not a lot of people knows about that anyway. Should be easy to brush under the rug.”
“Tony,” Nat pushed away from the couch but Tony turned to look at her again. It stopped her in her tracks, and something in his eyes must’ve made her step back, her shoulders sagging slightly in defeat. It was so miniscule that no one would’ve notice it under normal circumstances but Tony had worked with Nat for years dealing with the problems that came their way since SHIELD’s fall, enough to notice the smallest thing.
Tony looked away, dismissively saying, “It was nice seeing you, Nat.”
Nat didn’t say anything in return for a few moments until she made to turn and leave. Before she disappeared into the night, she turned back to Tony, “I’m sorry we let you down, Tony.”
And she left the way she came, the lights flickering back to life.
It was their first trip to the doctor together and Tony made sure to buy out the entire morning schedule (and maybe donating a substantial amount of money to the hospital) to avoid ending up in the tabloids.
Pepper was nervous and Tony had done his best to remain absolutely still lest he triggers her anxiety. He internally felt like flying, the anticipation of hearing about the pregnancy made it nearly impossible to keep still until the nurse called them in to see the doctor.
When it was finished, and Happy was driving them back to the tower, Pepper was trying her best not to laugh at the look on her husband’s face. Happy was clearly chuckling under his breath as he drove through the traffic.
“Twins? We’re having twins?” Tony’s voice was an octave higher than it should be and his eyes were wide in panic.
“Yes, sweetheart,” Pepper cooed teasingly, patting his hand gently.
“How the hell are we going to survive this?” Tony muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Pepper laughed and it immediately made Tony feel lightheaded to hear her so happy.
“One step at a time, Tony.” Pepper answered him and he believed her. Because Tony could survive everything that knocked him down with Pepper by his side.
But Pepper isn’t the only one by his side.
He had a whole team, an entire family.
And soon, there’d be two more of them.