Chapter Text
When Steve and Tony had invited the rest of the family to their vacation, they hadn’t thought about anything other than how fun it was going to be. Of course, Tony knew that having their family of eighteen travel to Disney would be hectic, but he didn't realize just how hectic it would be until they were all trying to get to their gate in time for their plane.
Thankfully, they had their bags all checked so they were only in charge of their carry ons. They tried to make sure each kid had at least one adult watching them. Wanda had Billy; Vision had Tommy; Clint had Lila; Laura had Nathan; Rhodey had Cooper; Bucky had Michelle; Steve had Peter; and Tony had Harley.
Steve was doing a good job of keeping Peter's focus on getting to their gate. Harley was the one stopping every moment until Tony threatened to buy one of those kid leashes.
Their boarding started fifteen minutes ago, so they were in a little bit of a rush, but when they arrived at the gate they weren't too late.
Tony grabbed Harley's hand when they entered the crowd waiting to board. They didn't need to form an obnoxiously long chain when each kid was with an adult, but Tony wasn't letting his charge out of his sight.
Harley followed, glancing around with his earbuds in his ears. As they stepped into the little tunnel to go into the plane, Harley pulled one out and said, "Hey, Dad, Peter said he was a little nervous to fly. Do you have any tips I can tell him to not be so scared?"
Tony looked over to where Peter was jumping up and down next to Steve as their tickets were scanned before boarding. "It looks like Pops is already handling it. All he needs is a little distraction."
Harley nodded his head as they walked into the plane, taking their seats in first class. The fight might only be three hours, but Tony was not staying anywhere else. The rows were two seats each, so Peter and Steve had to sit behind them. When they passed them to sit, it didn't seem like Peter was nervous at all.
He ran ahead, grabbing the window seat. "I wanna see!"
"It's all yours, bud," Steve told him with a small smile. He leaned down to press a kiss to Tony's head before taking his seat directly behind him.
"Harley, we're gonna see the entire world!" Peter said, loudly. Tony was glad their family was taking up most of first class or else they'd have some annoyed people around them. But his excitement was better than crying. Especially now that Harley said Peter was a little scared, Tony was afraid Peter might have a little breakdown on the plane. Watching him smile big enough to give him dimples, Tony doubted that was going to be a problem.
Cooper and Rhodey were sat in front of them, already queuing up the movie they wanted to watch. Tony leaned forward between the seats to whisper, "The new Dora Explorer movie looks great."
Rhodey jumped and Tony couldn't help but laugh. "Jesus, man. Was that necessary?"
"Whoops."
Cooper lifted his phone up as it was on camera mode so he could snap a selfie of himself and Harley. "Smile, Harls!"
Harley offered him a weak smile, but Cooper took it anyway. Tony eyed him carefully, wondering what was wrong. Was he really that worried about Peter? It didn't surprise Tony, but he should know Peter was fine. This was Peter's good mood.
"I wanna take a picture! Papa! I need my camera!" Peter shouted. "Please!"
Steve chuckled and Tony heard him unzipping the funny pack around his waist to probably take out Peter's disposable camera and hand it over. "Here you go, kiddo. No shoving it in anyone's faces and no taking pictures of strangers."
"Like Lilo?"
"Exactly. You have more than enough family to fill up that roll."
Steve and Tony decided on giving Peter a disposable camera to use on the trip after he begged none stop for a real one. He was too young for a real one, and he often forgot things, so they didn't want him to worry about losing that. They put a strap around his yellow plastic disposable camera and told Peter he could get as many as he needed along the trip.
He was going to go through cameras quickly by the way he was already snapping pictures of the window. They had explained to him how to use the camera and the concept of not seeing his photos before developing them. He also knew he was limited with film, but that didn't stop him from wanting to document everything.
He shoved himself between Tony and Harley's seat. "I want a picture!"
"Pops, can't you buckle him in yet?" Harley groaned, turning away from Peter. His knee was practically vibrating as he bounced his leg.
"We're still boarding, kid. You know he has trouble sitting still. I don't want to make it longer than necessary."
"Smile, Daddy!" Peter said, turning to Tony first. Tony smiled for him as he snapped the picture even though he was way too close for it to be a good one. "Harley, now your turn!"
Harley turned back to Peter and offered him a smile, though it seemed forced. Once Peter took the picture, he was staring right back out the window.
"Papa! Let's take a picture together!" Peter yelled even though he was still right next to Tony's ear.
"How about we ask Daddy?" Steve suggested.
"Good idea!" Peter shoved his camera to Tony before scrambling away.
Tony took the camera and turned around, kneeling on his seat. He lifted the camera to his eye and waited for Peter to settle on Steve's lap and smile before snapping a picture. "Perfect!"
"Thank you, Daddy!"
"Of course, lovebug." Tony leaned over to hand him the camera and Peter took it without leaving Steve's lap.
Peter put the camera strap that Steve and Tony attached to the camera around his neck. Steve rubbed his arm and smiled. "I think it's time to get to your seat, sweet pea."
"I wanna stay!" Peter said, leaning against Steve's chest.
Tony smiled as he watched their youngest cuddle up to Steve. Tony loved how much he'd grown to love being touched and held by the two of them. He wondered how long Peter would love to he held and carried before he thought he was too old. Harley rarely seeked out physical comfort, and Tony feared the day that Peter would pull away.
Cooper had stopped reaching out for hugs from his parents when he got to middle school. Steve and Tony still had time until Peter was in middle school, but he couldn't help but mourn the eight years they missed. Especially all of the years when Harley looked for hugs.
Tony wanted his boys to be kids for as long as they could be.
Even if Peter was going into third grade this fall, Tony wanted him to come snuggle up to them just because he missed his dad's.
The sudden beeping of the fasten seatbelts sign had Tony turning around to sit next to Harley. Out of habit, Tony checked the seats around them to see that all of their family was sitting and ready.
Once everyone was alright, Tony settled and buckled himself in. He glanced over at Harley and saw he had the window shut. "Scared of heights?"
Harley tensed. "No, I'm not scared." Then he pushed open the window shade, though he went back to sitting straight up with his back against the seat.
Tony eyed him as they took off, and he seemed okay, so he let him handle himself. He popped in his earbuds, played some music on his phone and shut his eyes. Tony figured he'd be okay.
Instead of watching TV or listening to music, Tony rested his head against the seat and chose to listen to his family. He heard Lila talking to Michelle through the seats about all of the stuffed animals they were going to buy. Sam and Bucky were still arguing about who deserved the window seat. Wanda and Vision were having baby talk conversations to their twins. Steve and Peter were discussing colors for their coloring book masterpiece.
His family was together, and they were happy. That's all that mattered.
Tony must have fallen asleep along the way because soon he was startling awake when their plane started to bounce roughly in the turbulence.
Then, there was a hand squeezing his.
Tony turned to look at his side and saw Harley sitting still with his eyes squeezed shut. His knuckles were white as he squeezed Tony's hand.
From the harmonious snoring behind them, Tony guessed that Steve and Peter had fallen asleep too. Keeping his voice low, Tony whispered, "Hey, squirt, are you okay?"
Harley's eyes shot open and he let go of Tony's hand. "Sorry. I didn't know you were awake."
"You don't have to let go," Tony told him. "It's okay to be scared."
Just then, the plane bounced violently, and Harley's eyes squeezed shut again. "I'm not scared."
"No?"
"No. Peter's not. Peter's sound asleep. I'm fine." Harley's voice shook almost as much as the plane.
"Everyone has fears. Peter's afraid of things you aren't," Tony told him, putting a hand on his arm to comfort him. "He's afraid of the dark."
"Yeah, but that's not stupid like this."
Tony raised his eyebrows. "He's afraid of the refrigerator."
"It makes weird noises!" Harley defended him, making Tony chuckle.
"We all have fears."
"You and Pops don't," he mumbled.
"Oh, sure we do," Tony said with a little scoff. "Don't put a spider near me unless you want to hear me hit a soprano note. And you know your father is afraid of kangaroos."
Harley looked over at him with a startled laugh, some of his fear disappearing. "No way."
"He sure is," Tony said, nodding his head. "Doesn't trust the way they square up." Harley couldn't hold back a small smile. "Are you imagining him boxing a kangaroo? Because it's the funniest mental image."
Harley laughed again, relaxing even more. "That is a pretty funny thought."
"It is," Tony agreed. "We all have fears. Don't feel ashamed if you do."
"We just...a lot of bad has happened. I shouldn't be afraid of a plane compared to everything else."
"Your feelings are always valid. No matter what. I know I've told you that before." He waited for Harley to nod his head before he continued attempting to distract Harley. "So, what're you most excited for, kiddo?"
"On the trip?"
"Uh huh."
Harley didn't hesitate before replying, "Seeing Peter excited. Seeing his reactions to Disney World for the first time, I guess."
Tony smiled, loving that Harley always put Peter first. He was a good brother. But sometimes...he deserved to be happy for himself. "What about you? What are you excited for for Harley?"
This time, the answer was harder to come up with. "Uh...there's this cool ride I'm excited for. Test Track."
Tony knew the ride, but when Harley started to explain it, he didn't stop him.
"It's like-- test driving a new car and there's this part where it goes almost 65 miles an hour. It looks really cool."
Of course, Harley would like the car ride. "You like the fast ones, huh?"
Harley shrugged his shoulders. "I've never been to an amusement park, but the fast roller coasters look like so much."
"Maybe they will be," Tony chuckled. "I'm not sure if you'll get me on one."
"Really?"
Tony nodded, so Harley knew he wasn't the only one with fears. "Maybe if you ask nicely. Or promise me something enticing."
Harley grinned, settling against his seat. "I'll have to think of something."
"I'm sure you will," Tony said, relaxing along with Harley. His knuckles weren't clutching the armrests anymore. In fact, they were resting on his lap.
Harley seemed to notice the same thing, and he looked back up at Tony. "Thank you," he whispered.
"Of course," Tony said. "And please don't be embarrassed in the future. You can come to Pops and I with anything."
They said that to Harley time and time again. Maybe one day he'd listen and believe it. Tony didn't mind reminding him, but he hoped he wouldn't have to for Harley's sake.
"Even with embarrassing teenager stuff?" He asked with a little smirk.
"Oh, especially that stuff. Keeps me young." It lets me pretend that you're like any other kid without all of the trauma you've been through.
"Keeps you young? I'm going for advice, not making a miracle."
Tony flicked him on the arm before he could pull away. "You little shit. Don't mouth off when I'm so close."
Harley shut his eyes and snored, sounding like their boys in the back.
"Oh, so now you're asleep," Tony said, rolling his eyes. "Enjoy your sleep anyway. When the vacation officially starts, I doubt any of us are getting sleep because of your brother."
Harley groaned loudly. "Oh, God you're right."
Tony had to bite his tongue-- literally-- to stop himself from making a joke about slipping the kid some NyQuill to get him to sleep. Clint made the joke dozens of times with Lila and her endless energy. But Lila was never actually drugged to be put to sleep. Peter had been.
Tony still had nightmares of finding him in his mother's apartment, drunk from whatever the hell they decided to feed a child just to get him to sleep.
He cleared his throat, hoping Harley wouldn't notice his hesitation. There was no need to bring up the bad on their vacation. "We'll have to tire him out during the day so he hits the pillow and falls asleep."
"Give him Gizmo and he'll be out like a light."
"Perfect plan--." Tony was cut off when there was an announcement over the speaker saying they were about to start descending to land. "Look at that. We're already here."
Harkey's eyes widened as if he didn't realize how much time had passed. He looked relieved. "We're done already?"
"Sure are, bambino. It's almost officially time to start our vacation. Are you ready?"
Harley smiled, nodding his head. "I can't wait. I know it's going to be my only one so far, but I already know it's going to be the best."
Tony had many more vacations in his lifetime, but he couldn't help but agree. "Yeah, kiddo. I think so too."