WHO: Harley Keener & Tony Stark WHAT: Reuniting WHERE: Bodega and cafe WHEN: Backdated to Harley's arrival. WARNING/SPOILERS: Mild swearing and through EG. STATUS: Completed via GDOC.
Harley didn’t mention which bodega he was in, but Tony figured it had to be close to the building. Most arrivals seemed to land close to the building, after all. He decided, if anything, he really could tap into the kid’s device. He was just about to do that when he hit the third bodega. The boy looked a few years older than Tony remembered from their last video chat, but he should have expected that. He did mention he had been accepted to MIT, after all. It bothered Tony how much he missed (and couldn’t help) in Harley’s future, but he masked those feelings behind a huge smile. “Damn time you showed up,” he said holding out the coat he brought for the boy. “Here, put this on,” he added immediately, the father in him showing as he saw how the poor kid was dressed.
Harley was getting a pounding headache the more he used his phone to interact with people. The lack of regard for proper time flow should have been the most worrying part, but it wasn't. No, the thing that was annoying him the most was the fact Tony was alive here. He was struggling to be okay with this development and he was failing the more he talked to people. It just wasn't fair. Okay, sure, it was a gift to see Tony again, but he just felt this anger. Bruce saying Tony wouldn't have done it if he wasn't sure they would be okay was what really upset him. He wasn't okay, he was far from okay. Tony died, Abbie returned, and every single plan Harley had made had just vanished in front of his outstretched hands.
He didn't say as Tony finally appeared. The phone was clicked off before being shoved in the back pocket of his jeans. He silently reached out and grabbed the jacket. There were sarcastic things waiting to spill out of his mouth, but he managed to keep them in as he yanked on the jacket. "What took you so long?" Or not… Harley pulled the jacket tight as he crossed his arms over his chest. God, he wanted to tackle Tony in a hug, but somehow he was throwing up a wall between him and the one man he viewed as a father figure.
Tony definitely caught the vibe Harley was giving off so he respected it as much as it killed him. He really wanted to ruffle the boy’s hair and pull him into a tight hug. He, instead, snickered. “We never discussed which bodega you were in,” he replied. “I was getting hacking level desperate before I stepped in here.” He glanced around the small store. “Are you hungry? You can grab a snack or we can go to lunch…” He shrugged. “Up to you.” He remembered the uneaten tuna sandwich Harley mentioned on the boards.
"Not my fault, figured you would just hack CCTVs." Harley pursed his lips into a line as he stood there awkwardly. The feeling of falling was growing in his mind and he knew he needed something to do with his hands. Once upon a time he had told Tony to build something to beat a panic attack and it was something he adopted for himself. "...I don't know if I have money here. I just sort of- you know, blamed Peter." Harley had barely even cracked open the letter explaining stuff so he was dealing with this without all the proper information. "But I guess lunch wouldn't suck." He shifted from foot to foot as he studied Tony rather openly.
"Itsgoodtoseeyou," he muttered before sniffing. He wasn't getting emotional, no, not at all. This was just allergies or something.
“Don’t worry about money,” Tony said immediately. He didn’t have the fortune he had at home, but he was comfortable and Tony, for all his faults, was always generous toward those he cared about.
Harley’s words may have come out in a rush, but Tony caught them and gave the boy a reassuring look. He gripped Harley’s shoulders so he could get a good look at him. “Damn good to see you too, kid.” Tony may have enjoyed Goodland, but he didn’t forget the people he loved back home. He’d missed their regular phone calls and video chats. Sure, he had a lot of kids in his life, but each one was unique and no one could replace the other. “I want to hear about everything,” he added.
His whole body tensed at the contact and he acted without thinking. Harley surged forward he short distance to give Tony a fast hug. It was almost as if the second he realized he was showing emotions that he started to yank back.
"There isn't much to tell," he said in an attempt to deflect what had just happened. "In the words of Happy, I'm just a wayward teen now." That was far from the truth, Harley had just made a sacrifice to make sure Abbie didn't have to struggle while he was off learning. It hadn't even been a second thought, really, he put his sister first and always would. "Come on, old man. Take me out to lunch and I'll tell you about my pitiful life."
Tony barely had time to react before Harley pulled away, but the brief contact warmed his heart. He told the boy he’d give him time and he meant it, even if it was difficult. “You know Happy,” he teased, “never pulling his punches.” He didn’t mean it though. He’d already told Harley he was proud of him on the net. The kid obviously sacrificed a lot for his little sister. “This way then,” he said, gesturing toward the door. “The cafe I’m thinking of has a decent tuna sub.”
Harley made a faint face before moving to head out of the bodega. There was an actual moment where he found himself stopping because he saw the worst thing ever. A stupid bodega cat! He pulled his phone out to snap a quick picture and swore under his breath. He would have to delete that later so he didn't accidentally send it to Peter. He slid the phone into the jacket pocket he was borrowing from Tony. "I guess tuna works," he walked out of the bodega with a finally glare at the cat.
Once outside he shoved his hands in the pockets of the jacket as he couldn't help staring up at the buildings around them. "Guess we aren't in Kansas anymore," he found himself saying. "Been a bit since I traveled outside of Tennessee… figures it would be because of something like this."
Tony chuckled at both Harley’s reaction to the jab about tuna and the cat; however, he grew more serious at the young man’s comment about traveling. He deserved so much more and it was just a reminder that Tony didn’t leave the world better for everyone. He wanted to apologize, but figured that wouldn’t go over well. He, instead, shrugged. “This place isn’t so bad,” he assured, “but I’m sorry your family isn’t here. More people come all the time though.”
A faint look was cast towards Tony and he just shrugged as an answer. What would his mom do if she arrived? Sleep all day in an apartment most likely. He wouldn’t mind if Abbie arrived, actually he’d love it if his sister showed up, but that was selfish of him. He just wanted her around since he had issues losing people, even if he was the one had left this time. Supposedly no one was going to notice he wasn’t there thanks to the multiverse or whatever. “I’ll decide if this place isn’t bad or not,” he found himself studying Tony from the corner of his eye. “So what, I’m just like arrival number 100 or something?” He knew he was being a slight brat, but he was on edge. “Also...while I was waiting for you Peter brought up the letter. He says we are roomies, and if you are his guardian, guess it means I’m stuck with you.”
Tony didn’t mind the snark. He was, after all, also sassy. He knew Harley was taking a lot in and tried hard not to take it personally. Still, his statement caught him off guard. He would have offered the extra room anyway, but it was nice the entity placed Harley there. Less chance of a fuss. It also made Tony wonder, again, just how much the entity knew about each of them.
“Guess so,” Tony casually replied even though he was really excited about having Harley with his family. “Pepper is there too and Pete’s friend, Ned. And Morgan.” He thought about Bruce saying he needed to ease people in. Should he mention the pregnancy? It wasn’t exactly easy to hide with Pepper sporting a small bump. “And, ah, so you know? Pepper and I are having a baby. We’ll have to get you a big brother shirt.”
“I have heard about Ned,” was all he said in response to that. It was all good things of course, but Harley didn’t elaborate on his remark. It was kind of weird he was being shoved into a place with Peter, his friend Ned, and now Tony and his family. Harley didn’t belong there and that was further proven by the remark from the mechanic. He actually stumbled a step before reaching out to smack him on the back. “Grats.” The big brother shirt comment had him struggling with saying anything else. He was happy, honest, but there was also a pang of jealousy. Jesus, there was something wrong with him if he was jealous. His shoulders hunched forward slightly as he kicked at a pebble on the sidewalk.
He was happy that Tony had a life here and that it was coming up aces for him. The whole day was just getting to him at this point and he hadn’t even been in this place long. “This place you are taking me better have Mr. Pibb.”
“Thanks,” Tony replied at the “grats” comment, but he watched Harley carefully, noticing the slightest of changes in his body stature as his shoulders hunched. He was about to comment on the lunacy of the place when Harley brought up Pibb. “I know better than to take you anywhere without it,” he pointed out. “And, speaking of, it is right this way.” He nodded toward a small cafe a few steps to their left.
His jaw twitched slightly as Tony brought up the fact he knew him so well. Of course he did, they had talked on the phone all the time. Video chats and calls. Tony wanted to know everything and Harley had an urge to actually tell the guy things, something besides the lie of I’m fine. Thank God they arrived at the cafe before he blurted something out before he could stop himself. And then he felt the words trying to betray him and it just sort of tumbled out. “I was making Abbie food, she has therapy after school and I pack her a sandwich and one for myself. She doesn’t like to eat alone.” He didn’t like eating alone either.
“But she isn’t allowed to have Mr. Pibb. It will rot her teeth and the dentist is fucking pricey.”
Tony’s heart went out to the kid. It was obvious he was taking care of his sister. “She’s not alone,” Tony replied softly. “You’re still there.” He placed a hand on his shoulder. “And I’m here with you.” He withdrew his hand and cleared his throat. “Your mother…” Tony knew she had not dealt well with Abbie’s, ah, disappearance. “Abbie’s return didn’t help?” He led the way to a table in the back, where they could speak more privately than if they sat out front.
“Yeah, so people say,” Harley grumbled. He understood he was back home, but it still felt like he wasn’t. God, what if Abbie did actually show up here? She’d get to show Tony how smart she was as well, even if she seemed more into dance and Barbies at the moment. He gave Tony a half smile, “I mean being here with you doesn’t suck.” He followed Tony to the table in the back and refrained from answering until they were sitting down. The jacket he was borrowing was draped carefully over the back of the chair, but he made sure to snag his cellphone so he could set it safely on the table. “My mom works, it’s fine,” he said easily. “She just has a lot of shifts at the diner and when she isn’t working, she sleeps.” Man, it was actually harder to say that to Tony’s face and Harley actually shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
“Hmmm,” Tony muttered. He got the picture, but he didn’t comment. The snap affected a lot of people and the memories he’d gained since arriving showed just how bleak it got for people. Those weren’t things that everyone could easily recover from. He’d been lucky to have Pepper and Morgan during those years; he wasn’t sure he could have coped with all the losses, especially Peter’s, without them. Not everyone was so lucky. “So you’ve taken on a lot of responsibility. I’m proud of you.” Proud, but still upset it was like that. If only he had been able to defeat Thanos earlier...he knew there was no use thinking like that, but he couldn’t help where his mind wandered. He slid a menu toward the boy. “Order anything you want, kid.”
His cheeks flushed slightly at the slight praise. Harley wasn’t taking care of Abbie so people would be proud of him, he was doing it because she was family. Their mom wasn’t the best mother since the snap and he was doing his best to make sure his little sister had a good life. So what if he had postponed MIT ... probably forever. He accepted the menu and frowned slightly as he just stared blankly at it for a moment. “How can you be proud when I’m not going to MIT? Though, I mean I guess I followed half in your footsteps. I’m a mechanic. Pretty sure grease lives under my nails forever now. Abbie hates me trying to do her hair for dance cause she is certain I am going to get it in her hair.” He tapped his fingers against the edge of the menu as he frowned.
Why was Tony proud? Well, for everything the kid just rattled off. “Not everyone would postpone what they wanted for their little sisters,” he pointed out. “Everything you are doing for her...it is something to take pride in. You’re a good kid. Though I imagine you are horrendous with those ballet buns,” he teased.
Harley sank a little bit in his chair and made a face. “There is so much hair spray, it's awful.” Focus on the non praise, it was safer. It kept him grounded in this moment of strangeness. He hadn’t actually seen Tony like this since the guy had flown off to battle the Mandarian. Now he was sitting across from the guy saw as a father figure, not that he would ever admit that outloud, and he didn’t know how to act. “I’ll just get a burger,” he finally said before pushing the menu away. “Look, Tony, I don’t need to stay with you. I can just ask that Entity thing to put me somewhere else since I am assuming that is how it works from the Captain America PSA jokes. You don’t need me around.” If he pushed Tony away now then his heart would be safe, he wouldn’t actually feel like he belonged somewhere. “I don’t want to be in the way while I sort myself out.” It was really lies falling from his lips. He didn’t want Tony out of his sight, he didn’t want to be somewhere else. He averted his gaze and snagged some sugar packets from the container on the table so he could start constructing a house of sugar packets. “I’m fine on my own,” and his voice hitched betraying him.
Tony’s face hardened. “Nope,” he said. “Not how this works. We have the room and even if we didn’t, you belong with us. You are family.” There was no way he was leaving Harley on his own (again) now that he had a way to prevent it. “Besides, there is no real sorting here. It is bonkers and it is going to stay bonkers, but hopefully somewhere along the way, you find something worth holding onto.” Tony had his family, Harley included now, and he was going to hold on to them for dear life. “Don’t make me sic Pepper on you,” he warned.
Harley tensed up, but kept making his house of sugar packets as if he was cards. The weight of the sugar packets made it a little trickier, but he was determined to make the stupid house. Three words from Tony and the house was scattering across the table between them. You are family. He sat there with one hand holding a sugar packet before a faint string of swear words left him in a thick southern accent, a sign he was actually rattled. “Tony,” he dropped the packet amongst the wreck of the house as he finally looked up at the man sitting across from him. “You don’t mean that.” It wasn’t clear what he was talking about and he wasn’t sure he knew what he was protesting.
Tony startled at the fallen packets, but Harley’s words surprised him more. Why would he think that? “I mean every word,” he shot back. “Stop being a little shit, Harley. You got us whether you want us or not. We’re officially in your business now. You don’t have to take care of yourself. You can do whatever you want here. Be a mechanic. Go to school. Don’t be a mechanic. Don’t go to school. You’ll find your way, but, fuck, I’m going to be there and you are coming home with me today, like it or not, young man.” The dad in Tony slipped out again.
His eyes widened as Tony called him out on his behavior. That look of surprise on his face only grew as he got swore at a second time and then experienced the full effect of dad voice. “Did you just...call me young man?” Harley was torn between being annoyed and amused at this point. The arrival of the waiter popping up to take their drink order had him blurting out the first thing that popped into his brain. “Oh, thank fuck.” He flashed a polite smile at the waiter and ordered his Mr. Pibb and burger. Once the waiter was going he slouched even more in his chair as he glared at Tony. “And I wasn’t being a little shit,” he was being a little shit. “And what are you going to do? Drag me by my ear?”
“You put it past me?” Tony asked. He was only half kidding. It was clear the kid didn’t really want to be alone, but something was making him push back. He couldn’t help thinking of the little boy who once asked if he was going to abandon him like his father had. Well, Tony Stark didn’t abandon those he loved. Rhodey, Happy, and Pepper had been stuck with him for years. “Or I’ll think of some similarly embarrassing method of getting you home.” His tone was no longer stern, but his expression was still steadfast. “Fine, make me a deal then. Give us a month. If you hate it, you can do what you like.” He was of age; there wasn’t really much Tony could do other than badger him and hope for the best. He stuck his hand across the table. “Deal?”
He actually did believe Tony would find some way to embarrass him and most likely enjoy it. Harley glanced at the offered hand as he mulled the deal over. A month wouldn’t be that hard to deal with. Well, he was pretty sure Peter would get on his nerves within the first five hours of living together. They were just text pals and that meant he could shut his phone off when he couldn’t handle the peppiness of Parker. “Fine, a month,” he finally reached out and shook Tony’s hand. “And no bitching when I leave at the end of the month.” Harley somehow felt better about living with Tony and his family if it was only on a sort of trial. There was a large chance he wouldn’t leave at the end of the month and he had a feeling they both knew it, but at least this way he felt like he had some control.