Tony was, admittedly, exhausted. It had been a long two weeks of fighting monsters and another long week of helping to rebuild Goodland. Still, he carved time to spend with his family since the monsters disappeared. He liked spending one on one time with his children whenever he could, even if he looked like he should sleep for a week.
Today was Morgan’s turn for some dad time and they had agreed on coffee so Tony took her to his favorite little shop. “Get anything you want, sweetheart.”
Like Tony, the eldest Stark ‘child’ was exhausted but for vastly different reasons. She hadn’t gone out and fought, but the worry was incredibly tiring. The girl wasn’t sure which was worse...though honestly? It was probably the former. Morgan didn’t have any intention on ever fighting again.
Flashing him a grin, she ordered the biggest sized coffee the shop offered with a couple of extra shots of espresso and then turned to lean back against the counter. “How are you holding up?”
They really hadn’t been afforded much time over the last few weeks to check in with one another, and before she dropped her bomb? She figured the least she could do was catch up a bit.
“If you were Peter ordering that, I’d be worried,” he teased as they waited at the counter for their orders. He ran a hand through his hair and smiled that smile that was reserved for his wife and kids.
“I might actually sleep tonight,” he told her with a laugh. “Things are getting back to normal and Stark Industries is looking better so…” He shrugged. “Maybe I can get back to semi-retired life again.” He turned to the barista who handed him their goodies. “Thank you,” he said before he offered Morgan her drink. “I’m much more interested in how you are doing,” he added.
“I’m pretty sure I’m immune to coffee at this point. I must just be here for the taste,” she teased right back. Mirroring his actions, without even realizing she was doing, Morgan ran her fingers through her curls with a smile shot back in his direction.
“You could use the sleep. You look like hell.” It was another tease, but she supposed everyone was looking like hell these days. It was just par for the course whenever Goodland threw a tantrum. “Semi-retired life looks good on you. You should stick with it.”
Morgan was always incredibly verbal about how she would much rather have Tony behind closed doors than out fighting. No one could really blame her though could they? At least no more than she could really blame him for the times he did go out, but just because she understood it, didn’t mean she had to like it.
Taking her drink, she took a sip before heading toward a table. “I’m alright. I think I’m seeing someone now thanks to the whole truth telling thing. So, there’s that.” As she moved to sit, she tossed him a look. “Not what I wanted to talk about, by the way. Just an ice breaker.”
Tony chuckled when she mentioned his looks. She was right, after all. He was dressed to rebuild, so not in his usual slick jeans and funky shirt or sharp suit. And the circles under his eyes? Well, they told the tale of late nights.
He followed her to the table and plopped into the seat across from Morgan. “Seeing someone? Now, would I approve?” He joked. He trusted Morgan to make good choices and he knew how hard she took losing Markus. He was happy for her. “Who is this person?” Still, he worried about what she really wanted to tell him.
“Yeah,” she replied- smirking at his joking tone. It had been awhile since Morgan even considered entertaining the notion of dating. Everything with Markus took a lot out of her. They’d been intense and honestly? She never really intended on letting anyone else in. This one had creeped up on her, though. “It’s...Marty McFly. Crazy shit, right? But here we are.”
“It’s easy with him and he makes me laugh.” Shrugging it off like it wasn’t a huge deal- even though it really was- she flashed Tony another grin. “How about that approval?”
“Like Back to the Future?” Tony chuckled and shook his head. “This place never fails to keep me on my toes.” He reached out to tap her hand. “Honey, I approve of anyone who makes you smile. He’ll have to come for dinner.”
“Yeah. Exactly like Back to the Future.” Morgan had learned not to question Goodland too much. As much as she hated not having all of the answers, in this case? It was probably for the best. They still didn’t know how it really worked, and she didn’t want to chance digging too deeply only to find herself being sent back home. Because, despite everything? She still never wanted to leave.
Smiling wider at that tap to her hand, she leaned back into her chair and took a few more sips of her coffee. “Speaking of dinners, that I will bring him too in the future, you may be inviting me over as well.” There it was. A little hint as to what she really intended on talking to him about.
Morgan had been considering this for awhile, but with all this place threw at them? All the losses and fuckery? It never seemed like the right time. This of course only led her to the conclusion that there wouldn’t ever truly be a ‘right’ time. So, she might as well go ahead and go through with it. “I want to ask for my own place? Or move in with friends? You know, the thing most kids do eventually?”
Oh. Tony wasn’t expecting that, but he guessed he should have been. She was nearly twenty, after all. Still, he’d be lying if he said he was happy about it. Nonetheless, she didn’t need to know that.
He bought time by drinking some coffee, but then set the cup down and smiled. “Sweetheart, you are at that age…” He took a bite of his crumb cake, again stalling for time because this conversation was hard. He chased it down with more coffee and forced another grin. “If anyone deserves a normal life here, it is you. Promise you’ll visit a ton though?”
Morgan watched him carefully as soon as the words left her mouth. Part of her hesitation, outside of it never feeling like the right time, was having to have this very conversation with Tony. The third part was maybe the fact that since arriving, going on two years ago, she’d wanted to make up for lost time. During the last six months or so, though, she’d come to realize that she didn’t need to stay home any longer to do that.
There wasn’t any amount of time in the world that would be able to give her back the years she’d lost. Once upon a time, that made her angry but Morgan wasn’t bitter anymore. She was grateful for the chance at a life here- one that would include both of her parents.
She didn’t have to hang on so tightly anymore and it was a little freeing- not from them but from the things she’d put on herself.
“Thank you, Daddy.” Still, Morgan was enough like her father to realize he probably wasn’t saying everything that was turning about his mind, but what mattered was that he was saying the ‘right’ things and supporting her. Reaching out to cover the hand that was picking at the crumb cake, she offered him another smile. “Only if you promise to visit too. Outside of work.”
Tony turned his hand over so he could hold Morgan’s. His baby girl, who wasn’t such a baby anymore. He too thought about the years they lost; he knew the time was gone, but he was happy to have it in Goodland. It wasn’t like she was moving too far; they all lived in the same apartment building, after all. Still, their relationship was changing as all parent/child ones did and he knew it. He’d be there for her in any way she needed, however. Children grew up, but they were always their parent’s little boys and girls. “Oh, you’ll have to kick me out,” he teased. “So, tell me, do you have any roommates in mind?”
Relieved now that she’d actually gotten the difficult part over with, Morgan began to relax a bit and gave his hand a squeeze. Life was about to look very different for her, but it wasn’t such a monumental change that it needed to be stressed over. The main thing she wanted from this was for Tony and Pepper to both know that no matter where she was? She still loved them very much.
“Maybe?” Morgan had exactly two best friends and one of them probably wasn’t an option. “I’m pretty sure Nate isn’t anywhere near ready to move out, even if I have a joint custody agreement.” Laughing a little, she gave his hand yet another squeeze. “So, I was thinking maybe my other platonic soulmate, Emma? You would have the peace of mind knowing that nothing could ever touch me there.”
Safety definitely crossed his mind, but he knew Morgan was capable too. She also had her suit if anything really went belly up. “Sounds good to me,” he admitted. “You know, you are on your own with your mom,” he teased.
Safety would never be an issue with Emma. Morgan often wondered if she was constantly walking around with a protective barrier around her like the one the other woman had placed around her and Ethan during the two weeks of Monster shit. “Do you think if I offer an open door-anytime you need-baby brother duty situation that it will soften the blow with Mom?”
“It couldn’t hurt,” Tony told her. His expression softened as he thought about his daughter with Ethan. “Don’t forget there are plenty of big sister moments to be had. He has to walk, mind you.”
Morgan smiled at the thought of Ethan. Even though things were far from ‘normal’ in Goodland? He got to have a life here, one that she wanted growing up, and it made her ridiculously happy for him. “And I’m going to be there for each and every one of them.”