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“Why do I keep having kids? I can’t fit any more in my car!”
“If I were you, I’d be more worried about paying for college.”
“College? He can barely pay his taxes.”
“Shouldn’t I be getting child support?”
“I need to collect 500 from everyone.”
“What? How? I only have 500 left!”
“Then I guess you’re out of the game.”
“Can’t you just take my children? It’s not like I need them all anyways.”
Suddenly a lot of eyes filled with over-exaggerated hurt were on Tony. He rolled his eyes in response.
“This is life or death guys. Suck it up and roll the dice.”
“Uh, not until you cough up the 500,” Peter said, sticking his hand out palm up in Tony’s direction.
“You get my children, or nothing, this is my final offer,” Tony replied, determined to get Peter to meet his demands.
“You can’t negotiate in the Game of Life,” Lila said as though she was pointing out the obvious. The eyeroll that accompanied her words was epic, and Tony was very proud of it, but he was determined to keep a straight face.
“I’m Tony Stark, I do what I want,” Tony shot back. Nate lifted his arms up with a sudden cheer from where he was sitting on Tony’s lap. “See Nate gets it,” Tony nodded approvingly, bouncing Nate a little as a reward.
Peter feigned a put-upon sigh, but gave in and just took two kids from Tony’s car. Tony fist-pumped in celebration of his success, which got him an annoyed – but fond – eyeroll from Peter.
Unfortunately, two more plays later he didn’t have anymore children to give up and Tony was forced to admit defeat.
The kids were way too smug about that.
“You have to admit, for someone that lives such a lavish life, it’s really funny that you suck at the Game of Life,” Harley snickered.
“Never thought I’d see the day you would actually be bad at something,” Peter was just outright laughing while Tony threw the plastic people at him petulantly. Still, Tony fought to keep a smile off his face. Peter had come a long way since his hero worship of Tony Stark, and the hero couldn’t be more pleased.
Of course, that also meant Peter teamed up with Rhodey against him a lot more now, but Tony was willing to let that slide.
“The Game of Life is based on pure luck. I got to where I am with hard work. This game means nothing,” Tony huffed as he stood up, rearranging Nate so the toddler was on his hip.
“Aw, don’t be a sore loser, Uncle T,” Cooper grinned, giving Tony what was supposed to be a consoling pat on his hand from where he sat on the floor.
Tony narrowed his eyes down at the teen. “I remind you that winning a board game isn’t what’s paying your college tuition.” And because he was an adult, Tony stuck his tongue out, which prompted Cooper to mimic him.
“Okay children,” Peter said, interrupting their weird face battle as he stood up. “Put the faces away, you can continue after we decide what we’re having for dinner.”
After a 20-minute debate, they decided on an ungodly amount of various pizzas and made it a movie night.
The movie night quickly turned into a sleepover in the family room, as it usually did which was why Tony had given in to the children’s demands and got pull-out couches and bed bean bags. Nate had fallen asleep on Tony’s chest soon after the first movie, and Lila soon followed snuggled up next to Tony. Peter, Harley, and Cooper had claimed one king-sized bean bag for themselves and by the middle of the third movie all three had been claimed by sleep at some point.
Tony closed his eyes for a moment, taking in the soft snores of the boys, the comforting weight of Nate on his chest, and Lila’s even breathing at his side. Spending time with the kids was one of his favourite things to do. As loud and rambunctious as they could be, he always felt so at peace when they were around. Things weren’t getting any easier on the Accords front, and the stress of it all was wearing him down. But Tony could forget about all that when he was spending time with the kids. Of course, he would never ask for that time himself, so when Pepper and Laura grew closer and decided to have ‘Ladies Day’ they would leave Tony with the kids (because no matter what he said, it was the kids taking care of Tony).
Tony could always breathe easier the next day. The phantom feeling of the shield being smashed into his chest would dull, sometimes even disappear completely for a couple of days. It always came back, though. The weight of all the things he wanted – no, needed – to accomplish would make the weight already heavy vibranium even heavier, but Tony wouldn’t be held down.
As Iron Man, he fought for the world. As Tony Stark, he fought for the people. Being around these kids, his kids, always reminded him why he was fighting; why he wouldn’t let the weight crush him. He was a futurist, and the people were a part of the future. That’s why everything he did – how hard he fought – in the present mattered so much.
Tony pressed a light kiss to the crown of Nate’s head. He would get up tomorrow, and be Tony Stark again, but it would be a little easier. Everyday was a getting a little easier with his family by his side.
Tony drifted off to sleep with that last thought, and a song from the movie playing in the background.
I’m still standing, after all this time.
I’m picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind.
I’m still standing.