Steve sat, bent over his laptop, trying to plan this party in the bedroom. Halley was playing in her room, so Steve was in earshot, but he wanted it all to be a surprise. Granted, it wasnβt like she was old enough to really understand what all was being picked out, or really remember it. Orβ¦ care, probably. Regardless, as Tony started rattling things off, Steve nodded and clicked, taking the pencil out from behind his ear and scratching stuff off his nearby notebook. βDinosaur decor it is. Cakeβs ordered now, with orange flowers.β
With that order submitted, he closed the tab and looked up and over at Tony. The laundry registered, but ranked lower than current party planning priorities, so he kept on topic and asked, βA professional photographer is too much, right?β Itβd be nice to get good photos. And if they hired someone, they could both actually be in the pictures, instead of one or the other. It seemed like a good idea. But then theyβd have to do the whole vetting process to make sure the photographer was legit and not some villain or creep.
Steve looked down at his notes, crossing out bouncy-house with a flick of his pencil. βYeah, but I want it to be a good party. I mean, the pictures are going to last forever. It has to at least be nice so her scrapbook is good.β He hadnβt really thought of adult games. Should there be adult games? It was Halleyβs party, it should really be about her, not making sure the adults were entertained. He wrote down paper and crayons (big), then put his head in his hands.
βIβm overthinking this, arenβt I?β At least he was getting better at recognizing when he was getting tooβ¦ anxious, about this. Parenting stuff. Not controlling but justβ¦ Halley was their kid and he just desperately didnβt want her to long for anything. And, admittedly, there was a little bit of guilt there as well. Of the two of them, Steve still had more commitmentsβat least as Captain America. He fielded so many calls, despite doing his best to step back from things, and sometimesβlike nowβfelt like he was missing out. Like he should know that Paw Patrol was last weekβs news.
Steve flopped back against the pillows, heaving a sigh. Looking over at Tony, he moved his hand over the comforter, hand palm side up as he wiggled his fingers and looked at Tony pleadingly.
When the choice was between continuing to poke sadly at the laundry in the attempt to look like he was actually accomplishing something and Steve, that was a no-brainer, and he gleefully tossed the tshirt heβd been picking up and putting back down over his shoulder with a kind of hedonistic joy and moved to climb onto the bed.Β Heβd have to find it later, sure, but for now it could absolutely bite his ass, as he settled himself against Steveβs side with a sigh before answering.
βPeter.Β He doesnβt need to be vetted and he likes free food.Β He actually has some talent, too, so the holy scrapbook will remain unblemished by someone taking shaky pictures on a five year old cellphone in portrait mode.βΒ Even if those pictures were going to amount to a two year old who decided hands made perfectly fine utensils for eating cake and managed to get orange icing everywhere - Tony was a futurist, but even he didnβt need a clear view of the future to see where that was going to go.Β But, by God, heβd make sure Steve had clear pictures of the orange icing smeared everywhere for the scrapbook (and admittedly, for Halley, too, later on, probably to use as adorable blackmail).
He raised one hand, gestured in the air.Β βYou are overthinking it.βΒ Which was hilariously hypocritical of him to say, when it came down to it.Β βAnd itβs not like I havenβt already done this, I talked myself into circles last week over catering or no, until I realized weβre talking about a two year old who eats plain cheerios out of the box when she thinks no oneβs looking.Β And, you know, the main thing being she has fun and that no oneβs going to remember food at a toddlerβs birthday party.β
Tony leaned up on an elbow and dropped a kiss on Steveβs nose.Β It wasnβt like he didnβt have an inkling of what was behind the overthinking, after all, even discounting the natural anxiety.Β Sure, Steve kept busy - they both did - but the important part of all of that, as far as Tony was concerned, was that Steve made an effort to come home and be home.Β Tony could give up the day job, being Captain America was Steveβs day job.Β And he thought Halleyβs absolute delight with everything Steve was proof enough he wasnβt dropping the ball on this parenting thing.Β Though, admittedly, Tonyβs opinion was both biased and a little skewed.Β βRelax.Β Youβre doing great.Β She thinks youβre the greatest thing since sliced bread, and sheβs right, because I do, too.β