Not All Heroes Are Human : Avengers' Therapy Pets

Tony and the Tabby

Tony looked up at Steve, then down at the three-legged feline by his feet.

"The hell is this Rogers?"

"It's a cat. I thought you would've figured that out by now."

"Well what's a crippled cat doing in my house, and if you say you got it for me so help me God-"

"It'll be good for you Tony I swear-"

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Tony groaned and moved to the kitchen to get a drink. The cat followed after him, it's wheel squeaking as it did due to it's amputated back leg.

"You need an anchor tony. Something to keep you here, Something to take care of."

"Something to take care of? I'm a little busy trying to take care of the fucking universe if you haven't noticed!" he slammed his glass down on the counter and it cracked in half. The cat hissed.

"Bite me fleabag."

Steve sighed and rubbed his face.

"Listen, I got a therapy dog and it does help really-"

"Well, maybe that's because you're weak and have nothing better to do than wallow and daydream about you and Barnes walking hand and hand in a field of daisies. I'm not like you Steve, I have a fucking purpose."

The room went silent and Tony bit his lip. That came out way harsher than he meant to. He wanted to apologize or take it back, he didn't mean it but he certainly wasn't about to swallow his pride after decades of protecting it.

"Keep the cat for a week. If you don't want it by the end, I'll take her back the pound."

Steve left, the hinges flinging off the door as he slammed it shut behind him. Tony sighed and rubbed his face, his beard was getting longer since his last shave. It had been...three weeks maybe? He'd lost count, he definitely needed a clean shave soon.

"mmrrooow."

After dealing with his new guest.

Cats were much more attentive than he thought. He thought cats were pricks. Those that tore up your shoes and bit you when you tried to play with them. That he could handle. But this one?

This one was more clingy than a one night stand the morning after. And the worst of it all,

She looked like Peter.

No, she didn't have the face of Peter Parker. That'd be weird. But she was like him in so many ways, short brown hair curling at the end. Her big brown eyes staring up at him. She constantly followed him everywhere just like Peter, but instead of asking "what are we doing today Mr.Stark sir?" she just meowed and nipped at his heels while her little wheel squeaked away.

That goddamn wheel.

Tony's never heard a more nauseating sound.

Everywhere he went.

Squeaksqueaksqueaksqeuak.

Bed? Squeaksqueak.

Kitchen?squeaksqueaksqueak.

Bathroom? Endless squeaking accompanied by a symphony of sad yowls and scratching at the door.

He finally found some peace and quiet in the workshop, three floors down.

For about twenties minutes.

He was working away on another tracker when he heard a distant sound faintly over his music, getting closer and closer each second. Tony turned off the music and listened closely.

SqueaksqueaksqueakTHUD.

SqueaksqueaksqueakTHUD.

SqueaksqueaksqueakTHUD.

"mmROOW!"

Did this fucking cat just stumble down three flights of stairs with a wheel attached to itself just to see him? Tony wasn't going to lie, he was kind of impressed.

Maybe it would go away if he ignored it long enough.

"mrow."

Maybe if he was quiet for long enough it would lose interest and leave.

"mrow"

Maybe if he-

"MrOW"

"WHAT DO YOU FUCKING WANT FROM ME!"

Tony's voice echoed throughout the workshop, his anger melting away instantly as he saw the look of hurt on its face. He saw Peter when he was dying. Clinging to him with fear saying. "I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go, sir, please."

He couldn't save him.

But he can save this one.

Tony sighed "alright spider cat." He picked up the feline and set it on his work table, tapping the squeaking wheel with a screwdriver.

"let's see what we can do about that pesky little wheel, hm?"