Superfamily One Shots

MoF Day 16: O'hana

**I just watched Lilo and Stitch last night, and let me just say... Lilo is a mood. Nani is a mood. David is a mood. Anyways, it inspired me. Teen!Tony and Kid!Peter as brothers.**

Tony held his brother's hand tightly as they crossed the street. Queens wasn't exactly a good neighborhood, especially during the rush hour for work. Cars raced by, seeming almost as if they would run the two over if they were in the road. Peter was oblivious, of course, as all 5 year olds are. He stomped in a puddle, splashing Tony's already worn and dirty jeans.

"Ugh, Peter!" Tony didn't drop Peter's hand, but he did jump a little. "Don't jump in puddles, ugh, and it was in the gutter, too."

Tony shook off his leg, pulling a face as he did so. Peter looked apologetic for a moment, but then got distracted by a person walking a dog down the street and gasped.

"Look! Look!" Tony glanced down at his brother, who was pointing excitedly. "A puppy!"

"Mm-hmm," Tony hummed, nearly dragging Peter down the street. "Okay, so what are we going to do today?"

Peter ignored him. "I like dogs. They make good friends, 'cause they won't run away or be mean, and they are nice and if I had a dog, I would let it sleep in my bed with me."

"Peter, pay attention. What are we going to do today?"

Peter looked up. "I'm going to school and then to the art class after."

"And where will you wait for Ms. Carson to pick you up?"

"On the front steps."

"Good," Tony sighed, stooping low to kiss Peter on the head as they neared the school. "Go have fun with your friends, bambino, I love you."

Peter grumbled. "I don't have any friends."

The older boy watched as Peter trudged towards the school, his heart heavy. Tony knew Peter had a hard time, and from their parents dying last year to Tony working every day from 8am to 8pm, it was getting worse.  The other kids at school thought Peter was odd, too. It was partially because Peter was odd. He liked to talk about robots and animals, and how he thought aliens were real and how they were going to come to Earth and make us all slaves. But to Tony, Peter was perfect.

They make good friends...

Peter's words played in Tony's head as he headed for the subway. Maybe a dog would be a good idea.

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"-Something that can defend itself. Something that won't die. Something... sturdy." Tony explained to the woman at the shelter front desk.

"Oh, we have plenty of dogs here to chose from! Everyone is kept in the kennels behind those doors." The woman pointed at the large double doors at the other end of the lobby.

"Go ahead," Tony urged Peter forward as the woman went to unlock the door. "Pick someone out."

Peter cautiously went through the doors, looking around at all the dogs. There were some larger ones up at the front, and a couple who jumped up at the boy and barked, but towards the back were smaller, more calm dogs. And there, in the back, was the perfect dog.

"Tony! Tony!"

Peter unlatched the kennel, scooping up the dog as much as he could and half dragging, half carrying it to the front lobby. It had long, half matted, half stringy fur, with dark eyes and muddy paws.

"Tony!"

The older teen looked down at his brother. "Oh, God, what is that thing?"

The front desk lady looked over. "Ah! He's a mix, we think maybe some poodle and a terrier? He was found on the street. He's still pretty skinny, though."

Peter hugged the dog close. "I like him! He's got curly fur, like me!"

"Those are mats, dude," Tony said, staring at the dog incredulously as Peter set him down on the ground. "It looks unhealthy."

"He got all his shots, he just needs some good food and love," the front desk lady assured. "All of our dogs are good family members."

"Does it have to be this dog?" Tony asked his brother, watching as the dog chased its tail, stumbled into the desk, scooted on its butt, and then licked himself. Peter nodded in that concrete 'this is it' way.

"Yes, he's good. I can tell."

Tony sighed before handing the woman a couple bills, just enough to cover the adoption fee, and his ID for the registration.

"No!" Peter exclaimed, pulling at Tony's sleeve. "I wanna buy him!"

Tony raised an eyebrow at Peter. "With what money, hot shot?"

"Can I borrow some money?" Peter cocked his head to the side, and Tony could help but crack a smile, he pulled back his money, gave it to Peter, and then lifted him up so the little boy could give it to the front desk lady instead.

"Okay, then the last thing is a name!" The woman filled out some of the paperwork, looking at Tony's ID to put down an address and such.

"His name is Scrump." Peter said, nodding his head. "He looks like a Scrump."

"Scrump?" Tony asked, making sure he was hearing it correctly. "Like Scamp and Rump put together."

Peter laughed hysterically at the word 'rump', but still managed to nod.

"Scrump it is," Tony said to the woman, who furrowed her brow.

"Scrump isn't really-"

Tony shot her a glare, and she stopped talking. "Here's all the paperwork, and the tag, you're all set to go."

Peter scooped up the dog again and he kicked off the floor to get up further into Peter's arms. The little boy waddled to the door, the dog's weight slowing him down a little as he went. Tony was close behind him, opening the door and guiding Peter with a hand on the boy's back.

"Let's go home, Pete." The older boy watched as Peter started walking the familiar path home, carefully watching for cars and muggers and people probably dealing drugs. It was moments like this, when the city was quiet and rush hour was over and Peter looked genuinely happy, that Tony remembered. Their family was little, and broken, but still pretty damn good. Even with a dog like Scrump to dirty the house.