~Iron Family~

Bedtime (Good Night, Daddy)

"I know that was scary," Tony said aloud. "But you don't have to worry. I'm fine."

He was leaning against Peter's bedroom door, where he could see Peter's shadow doing the same on the other side.

"Don't you worry, Pete. We're gonna figure this all out together, okay? You're going to be just fine."

"You promise?" Peter asked quietly.

"I promise," Tony answered. "You're a great kid, Peter. One of the best. And I hope you know how much I love and appreciate you."

"I do," Peter mumbled. "But I don't think I can be fixed anymore. I'm just too...messed up and broken. You might as well just send me on my way."

"Did you not just hear what I said?" Tony huffed, playing with a random wrench in his hand he'd grabbed to use as a stress reliever. "Peter, I care about you. I want you to stay with us. And I don't care how hard it is, but by gosh, I am going to adopt you. And you know what? Sometimes you can't fix people. Sometimes being broken is how we can let our light shine out to others."

"But...but I hurt you." Peter's voice had a heartbreaking whimper to it.

"What? You think a little old thing like that could hurt me?" Tony snorted. "Puh-lease. This is Iron Man you're talking to. I know you didn't mean it, Peter. I've gotten beaten up by people who do mean it, and trust me--there's a difference. You didn't hurt me, Pete. I hurt myself by hurting you."

Peter slowly opened the door, making Tony slide down.

"Weeee," he drawled as he laid his head on the floor, looking up at a smiling Peter. "You ready to come down for movie night now? It hasn't been the same without you."

Peter helped him up, and although Tony was mentally wary of Peter's fingers now, he made sure not to show it.

"You'll help me make a new suit, right?" he asked hesitantly. "Or am I not allowed to be Spider-Man anymore?"

"You want the honest truth?" Tony asked as they headed down the hall to the living room. "I want to lock you in a glass box and never let you risk getting hurt again."

Peter's eyes slid down to the floor. "Oh."

"But I know that's not the best thing for you. I understand how exhilarating and rewarding saving people feels, and I don't want to keep you from that. You need to help people, Peter... You're good at it."

Peter gave him a hug. "Thanks, Mr. Stark."

They headed over to the couch, where everyone was already waiting.

"Petey!" Morgan cheered. Harley started clapping.

"Thank you, thank you," Peter said dramatically, bowing as he sat down in between Harley and Morgan. Morgan offered him a half-chewed gummy worm and Harley tossed an extra blanket his way.

"You ready for the Princess Bride?" Natasha asked. "No one could say no to Morgan."

"Oh, I'm always ready for more Princess Bride," Peter laughed. "Bring it on, Humperdinck!"

Tony relaxed in his seat next to Pepper where they both had a perfect view of their kids giggling together on the couch. She laced her fingers through his, pressing her soft lips to his cheek.

"You did good, honey," she breathed in his ear. Tony gave her hand a squeeze.

The rest of the movie flew by. Steve threw popcorn at the screen whenever Humperdinck came on, shouting about unpatriotic monarchs. When Westley was sword fighting with Inigo, Morgan and Peter reenacted it with coffee sticks. And during Westley's fight with the giant, Morgan leaped onto Harley's back and made him reenact it too.