Domestic Avengers | Marvel one-shots

Ducks

"So, you see, then I broke the window."

Tony and Peter were wandering around New York city aimlessly. They had just finished a mission and didn't want to return to the compound yet. Obviously, the two turned heads and attracted a small crowd, seeing as they were both still in full costumes. Did they care? Not at all.

Suddenly, Peter stopped in his tracks. "Mr. Stark... why are there ducks wandering around the streets?"

Tony turned his head to where Peter was pointing. He noticed a mother duck and her ducklings. "I don't know."

The birds started crossing the street. Tony's eyes widened as he saw a car heading straight at them. He looked at Peter, the teen nodded. Tony swiftly flew into the street and landed in front of the car, while Peter swung off the building out into the street, picked up the birds and flung to the other side.

"Mission duck rescue - complete!" The superheroes high-fived.

"There are twelve ducks, what do we do with them?" Peter asked.

"I say we take them back to HQ. We can get them a pool and raise them."

The kid nodded excitedly. "I love that idea."

Tony adjusted his suit, so it now had a small box on his stomach made out of nanotech and put the ducks inside. The birds were surprisingly calm and quiet, they just sat in the box, not trying to escape. Now, that the heroes had a purpose, they decided to get to the compound the faster, also more fun way. Stark knelt down, the boy got on his back and then they flew back to the compound. Peter's costume attached to the suit steadily, so it was safe and fast. They often travelled around like this. Within ten minutes, they were back at the warehouse.

"Hey, go check if anyone's here. We can't let anybody know about the ducks."

"Why not, Mr. Stark?"

"Do you think mother Steve would agree with keeping twelve wild birds in the building?"

"Good point."

Peter scouted the building. It was pretty much empty, most of the Avengers didn't even live here and the ones that did were out on missions or having fun.

"Okay, it's safe." Parker gave the sign when he climbed back onto the roof.

They went inside and into Tony's room. He rarely ever slept there, only came in during the day to rest between missions.

"Alright. Pete, go get a kiddie pool, fill it up and bring it here."

The teen quickly ran to fetch it. Tony carefully took the ducks from the nanotech box and placed them in the water.

"We also need food for them. What do ducks eat?" Peter asked.

Tony shrugged. "F.R.I.D.A.Y., what do ducks eat?"

"Small water animals, amphibians, grass, roots, aquatic plants, seeds, grains, nuts, small fruit and berries." The A.I. answered.

"Woah, ducks eat animals?" Peter was surprised.

Tony nodded. "Apparently. We're not gonna give them those though. We can feed them corn or rice or oats or something."

"I'll go get some food for them." Peter ran out again.

"Okay." Tony agreed. "I'll start building an indoor pond in one of the spare rooms downstairs. I mean, they can't live in a pool in my bedroom forever."

By the evening, Tony had built an indoor pond, soundproofed that room and installed a lock that only he had the key to. The ducks were fed and happy, they swam and walked around the room, quacking. When Sam and Bucky walked in through the front door, both muddy and exhausted, there was no way to tell that Tony and Peter now had twelve ducks in the building.