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It was almost perfect, Tony thought, as he looked around at the streamers and balloons artfully strung around their living room. He might have gone a little overboard with the decorations, much to Pepper’s chagrin, but even she had to admit that it looked good.
The guest of honor seemed to agree, babbling enthusiastically from where she sat on the couch beside him as they waited for guests to arrive. Tony couldn’t help but smile at Morgan, nodding and interjecting as though she was telling his favorite story.
Someone knocked on the door, and Pepper called out, “it’s unlocked,” from where she was in the kitchen, having kicked Tony out when he offered to help with the cake.
“There’s the birthday girl!” Rhodey handed a neatly wrapped gift to Tony, then swept Morgan up off the couch, who giggled in delight. “How’s my favorite little troublemaker?”
Morgan responded with an incomprehensible babble, and both Rhodey and Tony laughed.
Happy was the next to arrive, then some of Pepper’s family who hadn’t been affected by the snap. Morgan was thrilled by the attention, her adorable smiles and happy cackles filling the room as they celebrated her first birthday. Tony couldn’t help but stare in wonderment as Morgan crawled around the room, joyfully chattering nonsense to anyone who would listen. After a while, Pepper brought out the cake and they sang happy birthday, laughing when Morgan delightedly stuffed her face into the sugary treat.
“I think this went well,” Tony said to Pepper, who’d slid into the seat beside him, looking as exhausted as he was. She nodded. Morgan was busy being entertained by Happy, Pepper had put him in charge of helping her unwrap her presents.
It was almost perfect, Tony thought, watching Happy hand Morgan a red and blue teddy bear with a familiar spider insignia on its paw. There was only one thing missing.