<span style="font-family: 'Book Antiqua'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#99ff99">"C'mon."  Bucky released Steve from the hug after one final squeeze.  "Let's go find Birdbrain and distract him before he manages to upset the kid."  He didn't actually think Clint would purposely set Peter off -- but Clint did have a remarkable knack for saying exactly the wrong thing, and no amount of time with Phil or Natasha seemed to have trained it out of him.<br/>
<br/>
* ~ *<br/>
<br/>
Tony didn't exactly collapse against Bruce, but it was a near thing.  He pressed his face into that blessedly safe, familiar neck and just -- hung on, and breathed.  As usual, his science boyfriend knew what he needed to hear.  "I was just doing what Jarvis would have done.  Real Jarvis, not AI-JARVIS.  Not something to be proud of."<br/>
<br/>
"Jarvis would have been proud too," Phil murmured softly.  "I know it goes against the grain, Tony -- just accept the compliment."  Just as he rarely used Peter's name, it was vanishingly uncommon for Phil to call Tony by his first name -- even more for him to interrupt a private conversation.  He dusted the flour off his hands onto the pristine white apron he had over his suit and rested a hand on Tony's back.  "Take it from someone who knows what it's supposed to look like -- you're parenting just fine."  Phil was the only one in the Tower with a normal family history, and a happy one at that.<br/>
<br/>
"I'm not a parent," Tony mumbled into Bruce's neck.<br/>
<br/>
Phil laughed aloud -- and that startled Tony into looking at him.  "You've been his parent for at least a year -- you just refused to use the word.  Use it now.  You'll both need it."  He patted Tony's back again before snagging Natasha's hand and leaving the kitchen.</span></span>