It shouldn't be hard to get used to it
Chapter 7 (It shouldn't be hard to get used to it)
Harley and Peter slipped through the back door of the bar. It was late; there was no one inside except for a few customers. Prax was sitting on a stool behind the bar, examining a bottle. When he noticed them, he put the bottle down on the counter and frowned slightly.
“Did you come back to get a second no?” he asked, his voice impatient but firm.
Harley approached the counter with a wide smile. “I know, I know. You’re a hard one to convince, but why don’t you give us a second chance?”
"Harley," Prax growled, "this is a stupid idea. I will not be a part of your games."
Peter stuck his head in from behind Harley. “But this isn’t just a game! The future of humanity is at stake. Think about that—”
Prax raised his hand, cutting Peter off. "No means no. Not the future, not humanity… My job is just here, cleaning these glasses and pouring drinks for the customers."
Harley stared at Prax in silence for a moment, then shrugged and reached into her pocket. “Okay, I guess talking won’t do it,” she muttered to herself.
Prax frowned. “What do you mean?”
Harley grinned as she pulled a small handkerchief out of her pocket and poured a few drops of liquid onto it. “Exactly this.”
Prax's eyes widened. "No, no, no! Don't you—"
But before he could finish, Harley had already pressed the handkerchief to his face. Prax tried to struggle, but within seconds his eyes rolled back and he collapsed, unconscious, into Harley's arms.
Harley stumbled as she tried to hold onto Prax. “Okay, okay. That was the plan. Peter, help me!”
Peter ran to him in panic. "Are you serious? We're kidnapping him!"
“We’re saving the guy for the good of the future,” Harley said, putting her arm around Prax’s shoulders. “It’s perfectly legal… maybe.”
As they tried to carry Prax together, Harley took a step, then stumbled, nearly sending them both tumbling to the ground. Peter shouted, “Watch out!”
"How was I supposed to know it would be this heavy!" Harley replied, trying to regain her balance. But this time she stepped on Peter's foot and they both fell to the ground, Prax sandwiched between them.
Harley growled as they both rolled onto the ground. “This was definitely not the plan!”
Peter grunted as he tried to get up, a look of effort on his face. "Bad plan! What do we do now?"
“We’ll take him to the institute,” Harley said determinedly. “But first… I think we need to find a wheelchair.”
They began to crawl toward the back door of the bar, Prax being dragged between them, completely unconscious. Peter glanced back and grumbled, "I hope this is worth it, Harley."
“Of course it’s worth it!” Harley replied with a grin. “After all, that’s what heroes do!”
Harley and Peter had found a wheelbarrow in the bushes behind the bar. Harley crossed her arms and looked at Peter. “How bad could it be? It’s better than carrying this guy.”
Peter carefully placed Prax on the wheelbarrow. "This is looking less and less heroic."
Harley grinned as she checked the wheels. “There’s a fine line between heroism and lack of planning, Peter. Now push!”
When they arrived at the institute building, Harley and Peter entered through the automatic doors with the cart. They ignored the curious gaze of the receptionist woman and headed towards the elevator. Harley pressed the button while Peter muttered behind her, "If anyone sees, we'll definitely be in trouble."
“Who’s going to see?” Harley said casually. But just then, the elevator doors opened and Tony was standing inside.
Tony looked at Harley and Peter, then at Prax, who was lying awkwardly in the cart. “What are you… doing?”
Harley smiled, but it seemed a little forced. “Tony! Hello! Look, there’s an explanation…”
Tony cut Harley off, wagging his finger at the cart. “When I said bring her in, I meant so she wouldn’t be unconscious!”
Harley smiled, but it seemed a bit forced. “But there’s an explanation…”
“Ah, this was… a bit unplanned,” Harley said, trying to sound more relaxed.
“Unplanned?!” Tony’s voice rose a little. “Prax, why is he unconscious? What did you do to him?”
Harley touched the cart guiltily. “Well… He didn’t want to listen to us. So we… tried an alternative approach.”
Tony’s eyes narrowed. “When you say an alternative approach… chloroform?”
Peter interjected. “Well… technically yes, but only for a short while!”
Tony rubbed his face with his palms. “You are completely insane. How will you explain this when Prax wakes up?”
Harley shrugged. “They’ll do anything for this family. And you know that best, Tony.”
Just then, the elevator came to a sudden stop with a jolt, and Harley was unable to keep her cart balanced. Prax suddenly tumbled and fell to the floor of the elevator.
“Harley!” Peter shouted, reaching down to grab her, but as he reached out, he lost his balance and fell onto Prax.
Tony frowned and folded his arms across his chest. “They’re my genetic team? This whole situation is a comedy.”
"Everyone makes mistakes, Tony! The important thing is to learn from them!" Harley said as she tried to clean up the mess on the floor.
At that moment, Prax took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He sat up slightly and rubbed his face. “What’s… going on?” he said, then turned to Harley with a grimace. “And why does my face hurt?!”
Harley opened her eyes wide as if nothing had happened and spoke with an innocent expression. “Your face? I never noticed. Maybe… gravity was too harsh?”
Tony gave Harley an incredulous look. “Gravity?”
Prax put his hand to his forehead as he struggled to his feet. “Why did you bring me here? And why are you… so incompetent?”
Peter interjected, embarrassed. “Look, we actually did it with good intentions…”
“Good intentions?!” Prax slammed his hand on the wall in anger. “My father’s team kidnapped me, and you call that good intentions?”
Harley approached him, trying to calm him down. “Come on, Prax. This is some kind of… family adventure, let’s call it.”
Prax turned to his father. “Will you take responsibility for these madmen?”
Prax slowly stood up, trying to find his balance and taking a few steps away from Harley and Peter. “Look,” he said, his voice tense but determined. “I want no part of this crazy plan of yours. I’m getting out of here now.”
Harley looked at Peter in panic. “Oh, no! If he leaves now, everything will be ruined!”
Peter shrugged. “What more can we do? We dropped him twice, we chloroformed him… I think he’s on the run for good reason.”
Prax had turned toward the elevator door by this time. He pressed the button on the control panel, but the door didn’t budge an inch. Harley called after him, “The elevator won’t work without the lab card. But wait… who had the lab card, Peter?”
Peter felt around in his pockets, looking confused. “Um… I think I dropped it in the parking lot downstairs.”
Prax turned his head and eyed them. “Did you lock me up?!”
Harley opened her arms and laughed with fake innocence. “Don’t think of it as locking. We’re just… trying to convince you for a few more minutes.”
“Persuasion?!” Prax rolled her eyes and punched the wall. “I used to work at a bar! I had a normal life! Now I’m being dragged along like a toy in some ridiculous science adventure!”
Peter moved closer to Harley and whispered, “Do you think we should use less chloroform next time?”
“I don’t think it’s wise to talk about chloroform right now,” Harley muttered.
Prax ran his hands through his hair. “If I stay here I’ll go crazy. So I’m warning you now: either you open the door or I’ll break out!”
Tony stood silently off to the side, his arms folded across his chest.
Harley looked at Prax's face carefully and began to speak. "Prax, let's not joke about this. Our only goal is for you to get better. If you get treatment, it will be easier. You might actually feel better."
Prax shook his head sarcastically, staring at Harley's every word. "Don't treat me. I don't owe it to you. Besides, Stark, I don't have any ideas about treatments. As far as I'm concerned, that's a closed topic."
Tony stepped closer and interjected without raising his voice. “Prax, this is not just about your health. If you don’t get treatment, everything will get worse. When it comes to my son’s health, I can tell you that I am right, not only as a father but also as a doctor.”
Prax narrowed his eyes at Tony, his expression defiant. “We’re not close enough to call you ‘dad,’ Stark. It’s a mistake to even get involved in this. But yes, you’re talking to me about my health. I can figure this out on my own.”
Harley took a deep breath, looking at Tony. “Prax, we just… we don’t want to leave you alone. We’ve given you every opportunity to make your own decisions. But at some point, it puts you in danger. Your liver is in really serious condition, and if you don’t get treatment, it could be too late.”
Prax was silent for a moment, watching both men closely. Then he shrugged and bowed his head. "From your point of view, I would say this: You want me to be treated. But this is not an illness that can be cured in I don't know how many weeks. All I have to do is . . . cope with the life I lead, that's all."
Tony shook his head slightly, trying to control his anger. "There are times when coping with life doesn't help either, Prax. Perhaps you'll understand that better when you're not alone. Getting treatment is the first step to stopping things from getting worse."
Harley added, “Believe me, we thought the same thing at first. But once you started treatment, everything changed.”
Prax slowly raised his head after a moment of silence, his eyes drooping. “I’ll think about it… but no one can make me do anything.”
Tony said, a little more firmly this time, but still calmly, "We want you to accept this, Prax. But it's your decision."
Prax didn't seem to resist any longer. Finally, he nodded slowly and said, "Okay... I'll make my own decision no matter what. But right now, I want to get out of here."
As soon as Prax left the institute building, he stepped into the dark streets of the night. He walked quickly, wanting to get away from there as soon as possible. The cold wind of the night could not stop the thoughts echoing in his head. He lit a cigarette, and as he blew the smoke into the sky, he wanted to do only one thing to get rid of the voices echoing inside him: get away.
Tony, his mother, they all pressured him, but he was too fragile to take any more. No one understood. No one asked him how he felt. Instead, they were always looking for a solution, but he didn't want to be a part of that solution. The uneasiness inside him was growing bigger with each passing minute.
The concern on Tony's face reminded him of the last time he had seen him and tried. But Prax was determined to make a last stand. No one could decide for him. No one could convince him.
Tony sighed deeply after Prax left. He had pushed his son so hard that he was now at a loss for what to do. But he knew one thing: his son's health was more important than anything else. But he could only help so far.
He took his phone out of his pocket, hesitated for a moment, then started calling Happy. After his phone rang for a few seconds, Happy's calm voice echoed.
“Yes, Stark?”
“Happy,” Tony said, his voice a little harsher. “Watch Prax. Follow his every move. No matter what he does, stay by his side. Remember, he’s your chief officer. Now follow him.”
Happy paused for a moment, but quickly replied, “I understand, Boss. I’ll be right back.”
Tony hung up his phone and took another deep breath. It was really trying for him that his son was so stubborn. But right now, all he could do was follow him from afar. He had no other choice.
When Peter and Harley stepped into Helen's office, the doctor's warm smile and the relief in his eyes brought him a moment of peace. Helen inclined her head slightly, examining his condition.
“Peter, don’t worry. You’re fully recovered now,” Helen said, her voice filled with confidence. “Your body has recovered. You don’t need to continue treatment.”
Peter hesitated a little, but Helen's calm and reassuring demeanor put his mind at ease. But Helen picked up her stethoscope and turned to Peter and continued, "But let's do a check first. We need to make sure everything's OK. Let's listen to the heartbeat with a stethoscope, then we'll run a few tests."
Harley, sitting in a corner of the office at the time, started making jokes. "Oh my gosh, Peter. You're seeing another doctor! The only cure you'll get is a little fun," she joked, laughing.
"I told you, Harley. This treatment is serious," Helen said, narrowing her eyes at him, but smiling nonetheless.
Peter nodded in response to the joke and turned to Helen, saying, "You would never leave me alone, would you?"
Helen came over and placed the stethoscope on Peter's chest. After listening carefully for a few seconds, she agreed, "Everything's fine. His heartbeat is normal. But let's take an X-ray anyway. To see if there's any problems."
“I guess it always requires an X-ray,” Peter said, smiling. Helen just nodded, “Absolutely.”
"I've moved past the X-ray, Peter. I have a suggestion: I'd argue that the suit looks a little better," Harley joked.
Peter said with a smile, "Yes, that must be the doctor's recommendation." Then Helen told him to change and they went to the X-ray room. "Everything is fine. You don't need to continue the treatment anymore," Helen said easily after the X-ray results came back.
Peter relaxed a little more, but Helen looked at him one last time and said, "You still have to be careful, Peter. It'll take time for your body to recover, but everything's fine now."
Peter took a deep breath. “Thanks, Helen. I’m fine, really.”
After Harley dropped Peter off at his house, Peter quickly walked away, closing the door and taking a deep breath. There was no one home, a quiet environment, a perfect opportunity to get away from all the chaos. But on the other hand, his inner quest for adventure would not stop. His eyes drifted to the box in the corner of his room to see his costume.
Peter slowly opened the box. Inside was the costume that had once connected him to another life, that he had given strength with every stitch. The Spider-Man costume… His identity, his courage. As something awakened inside him, he took off the costume and put it on. The feeling of anonymity that the mask in his arms gave him while covering his face gave him strength again. He was no longer Peter Parker; for that moment, he was just Spider-Man.
When he stepped into the costume, the whole world went silent for a moment. All the troubles, worries and fears were left behind. This moment belonged only to him. As he clenched his hands comfortably, the muscles in his body awoke and flexed. At the same time, his thoughts were quickly slipping away.
He dashed out of the house, the night wind blowing at him. The streets of Queens, the city lights, everything looked different than it had ever looked before. Peter felt the city better with every step he took. A few blocks away, he saw movement in the darkness. A few street thugs were approaching a woman. The heroic impulse within him made him take action.
He jumped from the rooftops, swooping down, his eyes focused on the suspects disappearing into the darkness. He heard a scream, a woman's voice full of fear. In that moment, everything became clear. Spider-Man sprang into action.
He jumped up quickly from the ground, his head spinning, and in one swift move he appeared in front of the suspects. “Slow down,” he said, his voice echoing deeply. The thugs backed away in shock. One swallowed his tongue in fear, while the other immediately threw up his hands and stepped back.
“Let her go,” Peter called, his eyes following her steps carefully. The suspects stepped back into the dark space at the edge of the river. The woman immediately began to walk away. Peter took one last look at her, relieved to see that she was safe.
In seconds, the thugs fled and Peter disappeared into the shadows. He had found a new target. That night, Spider-Man was free on the streets.
Tony was sitting at his desk with a cup in his office, doing his morning routine in his study. The television was showing the news of the day. After a few minutes, a large headline appeared in the right corner of the screen: "Spider-Man is Back!" The video at the beginning of the news showed footage recorded during the night.
"Today in Queens, an unexpected act of heroism took place. During the day, the known and lost Spider-Man returned! According to the information we received from the scene, this mysterious hero, whose identity is unknown, neutralized the criminals and rescued the woman safely. Spider-Man's return has brought excitement to the city again."
The screen showed Spider-Man neutralizing the criminals with his incognito movements and safely removing the woman from the scene. Tony's eyes were focused on the screen. In an emotional void, he tried to take in every detail on the screen. Finally, he focused on the screen, sipping his coffee.
As he took another sip, his coffee got stuck in his throat and he started coughing. He leaned his head back, breathing hard. “Come on…” he mumbled. This was something he had been waiting for so long, and it was also so complicated and challenging.
“That fast?” he whispered to himself. Tony was still staring at the screen, but this time with more depth of thought. Spider-Man’s return wasn’t just a matter of the city’s safety. This was a turning point for Peter. His identity was about to become even more complicated. Tony’s eyes slid from the screen and he pulled his phone out of his pocket.
For a moment, he considered calling Peter. But then, he didn't press the call button. He put the phone back in his pocket and stared at the screen again.
At that moment, Harley and Pepper entered the room. They both noticed Tony's state.
"Tony," Harley said, in her usual humorous way, "Go ahead and eat something. Don't be so uptight. Did you choke on that coffee again?"
Pepper added seriously, "Tony, stop. Come on, the kid likes being a hero, doesn't he? This is his life, he'll balance it out somehow."
Tony didn't respond to Pepper's words. He just closed his eyes, listening with a deep sigh. He knew one thing: Peter had found his own way. It was his choice, his own choice, and perhaps intervening further in the process would only complicate matters.
“I know,” Tony said, finally softening his voice a little. “But something that’s moving this fast could be very dangerous if it’s not controlled somehow. I’m not sure what path it’s on… But maybe this is something Peter needs to experience.”
Pepper smiled supportively when she saw how confused Tony was thinking. "Let him handle himself. It's time for you not to interfere."
Harley then jokingly interjected, "Tony, don't be so pessimistic. The kid won. Everything's fine. After all, you have a hero in your life." The little joke lightened Tony's tense expression for a moment, but his eyes remained determined.
Taking a deep breath, Tony rose from his chair and walked over to the computer system in the corner of his room. He quickly punched a few keys and watched as the screen on the monitor went black. There was determination in her eyes. Karen was Tony’s most advanced AI, and she was extremely talented.
“Karen,” Tony said, a hint of tension still in his voice. “I need you to keep me updated. I need to know something’s going on with Peter. Get involved now.”
The computer screen quickly lit up again, and Tony's AI, Karen, seamlessly kicked in. "Yes, Tony. I'm monitoring the situation. I have instant access to the latest on Peter Parker. I'll keep you informed."
Tony stared at the computer screen for a while, trying to gather the complicated thoughts in his head. There was a restlessness inside him; Spider-Man's return was both news he had been waiting for and a difficult decision on the verge of him. Not knowing how much he should intervene with Peter had always made him think.
"Okay, fine. If anything happens to Peter, let me know. If anything develops, immediately." The determination in Tony's voice was clear. He stared at the computer screen for a moment longer until Karen could give him a full answer.
The screen flickered, and Karen's voice chimed in again. "Understood, Tony. I'm connecting to systems. I'll be alert for any developments."
Tony decided to turn off the screen and go back. But the uneasiness in his heart had not passed. Even though he knew what Pepper said was true, the question marks inside him would not leave him alone.
While walking down the hallway, Harley bumped into Sara who suddenly appeared in front of her. As the files fell to the ground, they both suddenly leaned towards the ground. Harley smiled in her usual relaxed manner and started to collect her files.
"Aren't you paying attention to this?" Sara said, looking up quickly and looking at him sternly. The harsh tone in her voice was familiar to all who knew her—firm and resolute, never giving in.
Harley smiled, slightly amused. “Sorry, I was watching you closely,” she said, a little sarcastically. “But it’s important to see that the files are back there safe and sound,” she added without hesitation.
Sara immediately reacted to Harley's sarcastic attitude, saying harshly: "Harley, wouldn't it be better if you did your job instead of wasting your time winking at people?" Her tone was still very cold and distant.
Harley wasn't bothered by Sara's approach; on the contrary, she found it even more amusing. Her eyes sparkled as she asked, "Oh, come on, don't be so cold, would you like to get a coffee?" with that flirtatious smile on her face.
Sara narrowed her eyes and looked down her nose at him. “No, thank you,” she said sharply, then moved closer to Harley. “But I could ask you something,” she continued.
"Sure, what would you like?" Harley asked, confused but curious.
Sara walked right past him, saying with a cold and stern expression, "I won't let you interfere with my work again."
Harley, though serious and reserved on the outside, was attracted to Sara's toughness. "Wow, you really are tough," she muttered, but tried to keep up with her. "But girls like you always get more attention," she smiled wryly.
Sara took a step forward, then stopped, turned back to look at Harley. There was no smile on her face, only sharpness and determination in her eyes. “It doesn’t suit you, Harley,” she said. “Don’t try to test me for nothing.”
Harley shrugged slightly as she looked at him. "I get it, sometimes experimenting can be really fun," she said, continuing to watch him.
“I don’t need to waste my time with the likes of you,” Sara said with an irritated shake of her head, and she hurried away. Harley paused for a moment, but a brief smile graced her face. It only made her want to challenge him further.
Sara's cold demeanor didn't stop Harley. On the contrary, this conflict only appealed to her more.
Harley quickly slammed the door of Tony's office and walked in. Tony was focused on his computer while drinking coffee in his room. He looked at the screen by sliding his glasses up a little higher, but when Harley entered, he looked up and started to look at her out of the corner of his eye. He always waited for Harley to come, but this time, something was different.
“Coffee again?” Harley asked jokingly as she walked over to Tony’s desk. “You only drink coffee all day. You look like the world would be upset if he drank a bottle of water.”
Tony smiled slightly, but didn’t seem to have the energy for jokes. Still, he responded regardless of Harley’s mischievous tone. “Coffee? Unlike you, I actually do my job. I don’t hang around like you.”
Harley smiled, nodding as she looked at Tony’s computer screen. “Okay, Dad,” she said suddenly. The word came out without me realizing it, but I froze for a moment. Harley continued, not immediately realizing what she had said, “I mean, things must be tough for you if you drink that much coffee.”
“Dad,” Harley said without noticing Tony’s reaction. The word made Tony pause for a moment, his eyes rolling slightly, but the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
“Dad?” he muttered to himself, but he didn’t tell Harley. For a moment, he felt a softening in him that he never showed to anyone. Tony took a deep breath and concentrated on his coffee, but he felt an inner sense of relief in his reaction, ignoring Harley.
"Still," he said, taking another sip of his coffee, "you must be in trouble to come here. Tell me what happened."
Harley continued, unconsciously feeling more relaxed without noticing Tony's attitude. "I saw Sara. Steve Rogers' daughter, remember?" she began. "I talked to her a little bit. But be careful, Stark, she's definitely... different. I mean, underestimating someone who's had combat training from Matt Murdock could be dangerous."
Tony listened with interest to Harley’s words, but focused on his coffee first. He took a sip and let out a deep breath. “So, what you’re saying is… That girl is angry, tough, and a fighter. Yes, the kind of ‘learned’ toughness that we all know. It’s true that I’ve been trained in something, but Harley, it’s best not to mess with her. Because she’s not someone I can handle that easily.”
Harley shrugged and smiled. “Hah! You hear that, Dad? How would someone like me mess with her?”
Tony couldn't help but laugh at Harley's words. "You're funny when you say that, but be careful, you really should leave her alone," he said more seriously. "Freaking out with that girl is never a good idea. She's Steve Rogers' daughter and someone Matt Murdock trained. Can you imagine what she could do to you?"
Harley ignored Tony's words, continuing to smile. "Dad, relax. I have work to do, but I'll be careful, it wouldn't hurt if he stayed away from me," she said with a cheeky smile.
Tony didn't ignore Harley's sarcastic tone, and frowned, taking a deep breath and shaking his head. "Harley, all that confidence is fine, but real life is different. Be careful not to underestimate anyone. Especially Steve Rogers' daughter."
Harley smiled mischievously, ignoring Tony's words, and headed out. "It's like you said, Dad. But I still can't resist pulling a few pranks on Sara."
Harley paused for a moment as she closed the door after exiting Tony's room. She narrowed her eyes, thinking to herself. Then she remembered that she had said "Dad." Her face flushed slightly, her own words caught her breath.
Yes, she had indeed said "dad." It had come so naturally that she hadn't even realized the word. Now, regret had made her wince. Although Tony had responded sarcastically, Harley had realized that it was wrong to address him like that.
He felt uneasy inside, but then he took a deep breath to clear it. What difference did it really make? After all, Tony was always there, a guiding, encouraging figure. But still, he thought the word “father” had come out of nowhere. After all, maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
Harley, after being away from the office for a while, found herself in Tony's room again. As she pushed the door open lightly and stepped inside, her heart started to beat rapidly. At that moment, she thought again about saying "Dad". She bowed her head slightly, a little embarrassed, her eyes downcast.
"Tony... I'm sorry I called you 'dad.'" His words hung in the air, and his face flushed.
Tony took a deep breath, looking at her in surprise. The hard look in his eyes softened at that moment. There was a moment of silence, then Tony stood up and took a few steps towards Harley.
"I'm already like your father now," he said, his voice soft, and the meaning in that sentence touched Tony's heart in a way he never expected.
Tony, unable to think of anything else to say for a moment, stepped towards Harley and hugged her tightly. Harley was surprised, but the warmth of the moment made her feel safe. Tony's strong arms brought her some peace, a release from the pain and loneliness of her past as she experienced a moment she had never expected.
Tony whispered softly as they embraced. "I'm always here for you, Harley. I'll be here whenever you need me. Whether you're a father or a friend, it doesn't matter. I'll always be here for you."
Harley took a deep breath and leaned her head on Tony's shoulder. The warmth she felt inside her had washed away all her previous regrets and worries. They were a family now, they had found their own path.
Happy knocked on the door, breaking the silence in Tony's room, and walked in. He nodded slightly as he looked at Tony from behind his glasses.
“Prax is fine. He has a shift at the bar today. I just wanted you to know that, so there’s no need to keep an eye on him,” he said, his tone as serious as ever. But the ease on Happy’s face made Tony’s concerns seem unnecessary.
Harley, on the other hand, immediately took advantage of the opportunity while looking at something hanging on the wall. “Come on, let’s have a butterbeer,” she said with a laugh, not forgetting Tony, as she took out her phone and started calling Peter. “I’m calling Peter, let’s have fun this time. Prax will be at the bar too, who knows, maybe something funny will happen there.”
Tony nodded, taking in Happy's words. "Butterbeer? Good idea. But I don't think you'll be able to get through to Peter, he's probably having a good day. But by all means, have fun, I don't want to bother you," he joked.
Harley, without hesitation, dialed Peter's number and said out loud, "Hey, Peter! Get ready, we're going for a butterbeer. If you're coming, I'll pick you up!"
At that moment, Happy continued to approach Tony, saying, "Be careful," but at that moment, Tony's eyes smiled slightly. "After all, it's family business."
Prax watched silently for a while as he worked at the bar. As he walked between the tables, his eyes fell on Tony, Harley, and Peter as they walked through the door. He slowly turned his head and looked at them sternly. His eyes were cold, as always. He quickly walked over to their table and approached them.
“What do you want?” he asked, his voice still harsh. “Why did you come?”
Harley smiled, but hesitated, trying to soften her tone a little by saying, “A butterbeer for each of us.”
“Except Harley, she’ll have a lemonade,” Tony said quickly, interrupting despite the sparkle in Harley’s eyes. “She recently had liver failure, but she’s recovered.”
Prax's eyes suddenly darkened. "What are you doing here?" he asked, the angry tone in his voice becoming even more pronounced. "Have you come to teach me something?" For a few seconds, the atmosphere became tense.
Tony just stood there, watching her with his gaze for a moment before intervening further. Harley bowed her head, trying not to get too involved. “Okay, okay,” she said, looking a little more serious. “But if you want to hang out here with us, we won’t take your glass away.”
Prax turned around, ignoring these words, and headed towards the filling part of the glass. While preparing the beer, he took out his cigarette pack. He took a lighter from his pocket to light a cigarette and, bringing the match close to the fire, he saw the flame at the end of his cigarette. The smoke spread rapidly in the air of the bar.
Tony was silent for a moment. He winked. “You’re old enough to smoke, and you have a disease,” he said in a humorous tone. “This isn’t a joke, kid. Take care of yourself.”
Prax ignored Tony's words as he exhaled smoke from his cigarette, looking a little tense. "What's it to you?" he muttered, but this time the anger in his voice was a little less. For a moment, he noticed the determination in Tony's eyes. Even so stern and indifferent, Tony's voice still affected him.
Harley smiled, her eyes suddenly sparkling. “I’ve got an idea!” she said, leaning over to Peter and Tony. “Let’s have a fight,” she said excitedly. “Fighting always helps smooth things over, doesn’t it?”
Peter and Tony nodded almost simultaneously. “No,” Peter said, a little taken aback. “There really isn’t any need for that.”
"There are other ways to do this," Tony said, laughing a little, his voice softer. But Harley just smiled, not listening.
"What do you know?" he said, shrugging. "We need to have some fun."
At that moment, he lifted the glass in his hand and quickly hit the man next to him in the head. When the glass hit the man's head, there was a loud clinking sound.
When the glass exploded on his head, chaos broke out. The man looked around angrily as he threw himself backwards, holding his head in his hands. “Who did this?!” he shouted, his voice so loud it echoed throughout the bar.
Without hesitation, Harley raised her finger and pointed at Prax. “He did it!” she said, but as usual, she didn’t sound serious. Her eyes were shining, her shoulders shaking with a smile. “I mean, actually…”
The man charged forward in anger, but Harley's humorous approach only angered him further. "What did you say?! Now you'll see!" he said and clenched his fist. Then he quickly lunged at Prax, aiming to hit him.
At that moment, Peter quickly intervened. He grabbed the man's arms, trying to steady him. "No one hits my brother!" he shouted angrily. The man stared at Peter in surprise for a moment. "That's not enough," Peter said, and threw the man to the ground very hard. The man crashed to the ground and struggled to get up for several seconds, in a daze. "We were just getting started," Peter said, his eyes full of determination.
But it didn't end there. Harley threw her hands up in the air and decided to make a big joke. Her smile never left her face. "Come on, let's have some fun! No one should be scared, just fun!" she shouted, happily joining in the chaos around her. In an instant, she quickly leapt from the bar towards the other people, throwing another glass at a man's head.
“Wow, that’s a dance I’ve never seen before!” Harley said, completely amused. “A little fighting, a little drinking. Come on, that’s the true spirit of this bar!”
Tony, on the other hand, kept poking his head out of the fight, laughing and laughing. His eyes, as always, were a little sarcastic about everything. "Harley, anything's possible with you," he said, but the slight laughter in his voice showed a strange amusement at watching people actually fight so passionately.
And then things got even more out of hand. Another guy was being thrown to the ground by a pitcher hanging from the ceiling. In the middle of the bar, everyone was lunging at each other, each one striking someone else in the back or leg. Harley responded to the blow to her back by jerking her shoulders like an acrobat. “Is this how these fights always go?” she shouted, but she wasn’t likely to get a full answer.
Prax was a little startled as he watched the loud commotion mixed with laughter. Somehow he hadn't expected such a crazy situation, but somehow there was a strange pleasure in being here. Harley, as always, was laughing her way through the situation. "Let's see who can hold out, huh?" he said loudly, laughing.
Everyone around the bar was hitting each other in some way or another, fighting each other, but Harley had managed to turn the whole situation into a truly entertaining show. And for a moment, in the middle of this crazy fight, Tony and Peter stood in a corner, smiling at each other.
“Yeah,” Tony said, smiling, “They could make a really interesting team.”
“Absolutely,” Peter said, nodding and laughing, but this time there was a sense of relief in his voice. For a moment, amidst all this chaos, they could feel that they were family.
The silence that echoed off the gray walls of the police station made it clear that this was how this was going to end. It reflected the state of mind that Tony, Peter, Harley, and Prax were in as they waited in the room. Everything had spiraled out of control in an instant, but luckily for them, Rhodey had intervened. Tony decided to pull his phone out of his pocket and call Rhodey once more. A few seconds later, Rhodey's voice came through the phone.
"Tony? I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me where you are," Rhodey said, a little nervousness in his voice.
“It’s complicated,” Tony replied, resting his head on the table. “But this time, we need your help. We’re in a really tight spot.”
"Tony, what happened? Where are you? I'll be right back," Rhodey said, looking worried.
Tony hung up and took a deeper breath. “We’re at the police station, Rhodey. Yeah, we’re in trouble again.”
After a while, when Rhodey stepped inside, Tony, Peter, Harley and Prax immediately glanced at him. Rhodey opened the door of the room and quickly entered. The state of Tony and the others could be seen from Rhodey's surprised looks.
Rhodey’s eyes swept over Tony, then Peter, then Harley, and finally Prax. “Prax?” he asked, eyebrows slightly raised, a question hidden in his eyes.
Tony replied with a laugh. “Yeah, Rhodey. This is our newest member of the team. A little too much fun, but he’s the right guy.”
Rhodey paused for a moment, then asked, confused, “So… he’s… your… son?”
Tony’s eyebrows rose slightly, but he smiled. “Yeah, yeah. This is Prax, my son,” he said, glancing at Rhodey. “I didn’t tell you this, but yeah, this kid has some ties to me. It’s a little complicated, but…”
Rhodey’s surprised look faded into a small smile. “Wow, Tony… I wasn’t expecting that,” he said, leaning back in his chair and smiling. “But still, things are complicated. Prax, welcome… I might have to stand a little closer to recognize you, huh?”
Prax glanced at Rhodey briefly and nodded. “Thank you,” he said, but his eyes were still a little tense.
As we left the police station, everything was slowly returning to normal.