When Magic Meets Iron

Peter Parker had been waiting for this moment forever.

Okay, maybe not forever, but ever since Tony had told him—that he could officially come to the lab whenever he wanted for tech upgrades and training, Peter had been bouncing off the walls with excitement.

Now it was happening.

Teddy and Harry are invited too.

(Because Tony promised Teddy at Dinner the day before.)

The lab at Stark Tower was everything Peter dreamed it would be. High-tech. Sleek.

Absolutely filled with the kind of experimental tech that should have been illegal but somehow wasn’t because Tony Stark was Tony Stark.

"Whoa," Peter breathed, adjusting his backpack. "This is so much better than YouTube videos."

Harry, who had tagged along purely to supervise, leaned against the doorway with a smirk.

Peter whipped around, suddenly remembering. "Wait! Where's Teddy? I thought he was coming too?"

Right on cue, a tiny blur of a child bolted into the lab.

"SCIENCE!"

Teddy, three years old and absolutely fearless, had both arms raised in victory as he dashed in—only to trip over his own feet.

Peter barely caught him, staggering back with a laugh. "Whoa, buddy! Slow down!"

Teddy beamed up at him. "I wanna do science too!"

Tony placed a hand on his chest. "I have never been prouder."

Harry sighed, rubbing his temples. "I have never been more concerned."

Peter, already used to chaos, just grinned.

Tony liked his lab. It was his sanctuary, his kingdom of engineering genius, where only the worthy were allowed entry.

where rules were simple:

• No touching the shiny things.
• No blowing up the shiny things.
• No crying when the shiny things inevitably blow up anyway.

(Rules specifically made for Teddy from the day before)

Unfortunately, those rules were currently in danger.

Because, today, it had been invaded.

By a nerdy teenager in a hoodie, a suspiciously elegant sixteen-year-old, and a 3-year-old menace.

“Alright, Underoos,” Tony announced, sweeping his arms dramatically.

“Welcome to the lab. Home of genius,innovation, and really expensive tech that small hands should not touch.”

His eyes flicked pointedly to the youngest intruder.

Teddy, perched on Harry’s hip, grinned mischievously.

“No promises.”

Harry sighed and shifted his son higher. “Teddy. What did we talk about before coming in?”

The toddler pouted. “No breaking Grandpa Tony’s stuff.”

“And?”

“…No trying to fly in Grandpa Tony’s suit.”

Tony clutched his chest. “I am too young to be a grandpa."

Tony pointed at Teddy. “Listen here, menace, you can call me, Supreme Leader, or Tech Overlord. Not grandpa.”

Teddy thought about it. “Okay, Grandpa Tech Overlord.”

Peter snorted.

Harry smirked.

Tony groaned. “I have made a mistake.”

Things were going fine—for exactly twenty minutes.

Peter was ecstatic, getting a close-up look at Stark tech while Tony guided him through some coding and. web shooter adjustments for different types of webs.

Harry was content watching from the side, occasionally fixing Teddy’s crooked safety goggles.

And then, Tony started sometimes showing Harry some engeneering schematics.

And Harry recognised this for what it was.

This was Tony trying to involve Harry into his world.

(Harry was really interested in it even if he has zero knowledge in it.

There is only so so much a person can catch up to- genius or not. And the everything in the lab is incredibly complex unless you're an MIT or something graduate. 

Harry simply didn't have that much time)

Tony and Peter were deep into testing a new web fluid formula, discussing physics and polymers like total nerds, when—

Harry kept an eye on Teddy but was distracted by intresting information about something Tony was explaining and-

BANG.

Smoke curled from the far side of the lab.

All three of them snapped their heads up.

Teddy was on the workbench.

Teddy had Tony’s mini gauntlet on one arm.

Teddy had just accidentally fired a tiny repulsor blast at the wall.

The toddler’s eyes went huge. "…Oops?"

Tony and Peter: stunned silence.

Harry: unamused dad stare.

"EDWARD JAMES REMUS EVANS, PUT THAT DOWN RIGHT NOW!"

Teddy flinched. “Full name… I’m in trouble.”

and scrambled to take off the gauntlet.

Tony jumped forward, snatching it off before any more destruction could occur. "Kid, you do not mess with the Iron Man suit! That’s like—Number One Rule!"

 “You can’t just—these aren’t toys! Do you know what this could do?”

Teddy’s lower lip wobbled. “…Blow up bad guys?”

Peter muffled a laugh behind his hand.

Harry gave him a look of pure betrayal.

Harry sternly called."TEDDY."

Teddy, lower lip wobbling, mumbled, "But it looked cool…"

Harry sighed, crouching in front of his son. "Teddy," he said gently but firmly, "what do we say about touching things that aren’t ours?"

Teddy kicked his little feet. "Ask first?"

Harry nodded. "And?"

The 3-year-old looked down, guilt written all over his face. "…Sorry, Grandpa Tony."

Tony, who had no defense against sad toddler eyes, let out a long breath. "Okay, okay. Just—next time, kid, let’s ask before you try to become a mini Iron Man, alright?"

Teddy brightened immediately. "Okay!"

Peter, finally recovering, whispered to Tony, "He literally just called you Grandpa and you melted."

Tony glared. "Shut up, Underoos."

Tony let out a slow breath. "Okay. You're lucky you're cute, kid. But next time? Ask first. Got it?”

Teddy beamed. “Got it!”

"Yeah, sure, until next time he gets ideas," FRIDAY chimed in. "Would you like me to reinforce the toddler-proofing protocols, Boss?"

Peter wheezed. Harry covered his mouth to stop a laugh.

Tony just muttered, “I need more coffee.”

After the minor Teddy Incident™, things went surprisingly smooth.

Peter helped Tony with suit diagnostics.

Harry observed from the side, occasionally correcting Teddy when the toddler tried to push random buttons.

And Teddy, now officially supervised, got his own little workbench. Tony had given him a fake tablet and told him to "design" his own Iron Man suit. Teddy was thrilled.

Hours passed like that.

And at some point—when Peter was focused on coding and Teddy was doodling robots with crayons—Harry and Tony found themselves in a rare, comfortable silence.

Their eyes met.

Harry gave him genuine grin.

Tony: Progress!!