My Godmother lives in a cave
Summary: Tony Stark, Godmother teaches him about flowers and lives in a cave with her pet duck name Thor. Unknowing to anyone else she had another life before this one and decided that the best cause of action when born into a superhero world was become a hermit. (One-shot)
Flower, Asters, wisdom, Tony because he isn't always on about robots in this timeline.
At age 22, Tony Stark not only ran a business, but he also knew a lot about flowers. Howard wasn't much of a parent, and his mother was normally busy and while Aunt Peggy was great to be around, she too wasn't there often. Auntie Zoey had been Howard best friend growing up and while the woman lived in a, cave she still did her fair share in raising him. When, raised by Auntie Zoey the one thing he was taught had been flowers.
He was possible one of the few, tech genius in the world that knew the meaning behind every herb and flower because of her. It wasn't necessary a useful skill, but Tony Stark had that skill because he spent more time with his aunt then his own father.
And, yes when he did ask Pepper to go out with him. Tony made sure that the bundle of flowers he used to impressed her all had the right meaning behind it before he gave them to the woman he loved. After all, Auntie Zoey wouldn't be pleased with him if he had given Pepper a white lily and not a red rose.
Yellow rose, jealously and betrayal, Obadiah. Zoey stands in his way to get close to Howard Stark.
Obadiah would never understand why Howard kept that friend of his around. Zoey Goodwin was nothing, but a disgrace to the Stark name.
The woman lived in a cave for crying out loud.
She ran away from the world at age sixteen having Howard look for her, for years. Until all of a sudden, she popped out of the blue close to his wedding day. She was even Howard, son Godmother.
Whom often visited the woman on weekends coming back with some sort of new plant that Zoey had brainwashed the kid into liking. Tony, mother would then help him plant it in the small family garden that Zoey had made for them the last time she was here.
The woman was a nutjob and no matter how many times Obadiah had tried to get Howard to reconsider his relationship with the woman it was always shut down. Even Maria refused to listened to Obadiah on the matters.
After all, Zoey Goodwin was the Stark family friend and had been Howard friend even before he was famous. A relationship like that wasn't going to fall apart over night so all Obadiah had to do was block her out of his mind because she lived outside of New York city hidden in some cave and acting like a crazy old hermit. Which, had nothing to do with him and frankly he was just glad because he couldn't stand the woman.
Scarlet Pimpernel, flower, change. Zoey, she changes the timeline even if she was born far too early.
Tony Stark grows up a little bit different.
She wasn't expecting such a change, but being born in 1917 turned out to be a blessing. A reincarnated soul finding herself in a world that was likes her, but the difference had been too strong for her to ignore. This world wasn't hers and for that reason alone born in New York city she couldn't stand it.
Zoey, hate every moment living in that city until she made her home in a cave and became more of a hermit than anything else. Oh, sure she still had the relationship with Howard that had grown because her mother knew his mother and child her had been force to play nice with the Stark kid. Until a friendship was formed because of it. Howard comes by at least every now and again to check on her and make sure she was still alive and hadn't fallen into a river or died during the winter. He would always request her to go back to city life with him, but she always turned it down.
She felt more alive out in the heart of nature then she did in New York city. She was happier, much more so after all born in 1917 there wasn't much she could do. She didn't have Howard brain. She wasn't born with any power and by the time the world would get their heroes she would be old or dead.
Moving into nature was her game plan after that and now she finds herself looking after Tony on behalf of Maria because Howard had started drinking again. Her cave was a place of peace for the young Stark whom was often the target of a drunk Howard.
"Hello, Tony," she welcomed the boy.
"Hello Auntie. Am I staying with you for-a while?"
"It would appear so. Come along, I'll show you some of the new flowers I planted."
"Thank you," Maria said as Tony runs of deep into the cave.
"You're welcome dear and you have a place to stay here if Howard, get out of control."
Howard had always had anger problems, but when he started drinking those problems only got out of control.
"I know, thank you again for everything Zoey."
She nodded her head and went to follow Tony.
Yellow Dogtooth, friendship and protection, Rhodey. He's Tony Stark best friend and always there for him even if some of his ideas are a bit crazy.
In a world where MIT tech prodigy wasn't just all about machines, but flowers to. Lots and lots of flowers. It wasn't unheard of to hear the Stark heir talking about flowers, plants, trees and herbs he knew just as much about machines as he did about plants. He was also one of the few that knew how to handle spider bite with herby medicine.
With MIT now behind him Tony had a lot of time to himself allowing him to come up with the strangest idea. Even his best friend thought they we're strange.
"I'm going to help upgrade Auntie cave," Tony said.
Of course, Rhodey knew who Tony was talking about there was only one woman on the whole world that got the title, Auntie and that was Zoey. Whom hair had grown grey a while ago and despite her old age lived out in the middle of nowhere in a cave with a pet duck. Yes, a pet duck.
It wasn't one of those small pet ducks either, like a wood duck, oh no it was one of those big ones that looked more like a goose then a duck and attack anything that moved. Anything that moved, that wasn't the Stark family or Rhodey. However, it did often attack Mr. Stane and pulled down Mr. Stane pants last time before taking his shoe and running off with it in his beak. That's why Mr. Stane refuses to go back to that cave.
"Upgrade the cave by?"
"Internet connection with a flat screen."
"Tones. I'm pretty sure when that woman ran away from the world, she wanted to get away from all of the new tech."
"But a cave with internet connection."
"Running away from the world," Rhodey reminded him.
It was no secret that Zoey Goodwin wanted nothing to do with the world.
"Upgrade kitchen," Tony said sparking a new idea to life.
"Okay, maybe that one wouldn't be so bad."
"With couches, and actual beds and not a sleeping bag. Oh, and a bookcase or maybe just internet so she can read her books online."
Rhodey face palm as Tony rambled on about the list of ideas that popped through his mind.
Later that day when they had visit Ms. Goodwin cave which laid outside of New York. He couldn't help, but say sorry on Tony behalf as Ms. Goodwin lecture Tony that no you can't upgrade her cave.
Rhodey spent most of the time with the drake whose name was Thor. So, go figure.
"So," he said feeling a bit uncomfortable talking to a drake like it was a person. "How you been?"
Thor the drake looked up at him with blue eyes flapped his wings and wag his tail.
"Yeah, same, great talk Thor."
Thor the drake nodded his head.
"Tony, no internet connection."
"But I could do it. I could just upgrade your cave Auntie. Beside you're getting a bit older you need a way to contact someone. I mean you could fall and break your hip."
"Tony."
"I'm just saying Auntie."
"No, you will not be upgrading my cave."
"But."
"No."
Thor decided that Rhodey wasn't good at conversations and wobble towards, it's little pond that Howard Stark had place in years ago.
Azalea, feminine beauty, but also gentleness, Zoey has always been gentle with Tony. It didn't change when his heart was ripped out of his chest.
It happened when Obadiah rips out his heart and Tony just barely making it to the lab when he stopped in his track.
"Tony."
"Auntie?"
He wasn't expecting the old woman to be here. She never comes into town unless she needed to and now that she was old that was rare. So, seeing her here made him question if he lost his mind when his heart was ripped out of his chest by his father old friend.
"He did this to you. Oh, my dear boy. I'm so sorry."
Her old hands are fussing around him as she passed him a glass jar.
Proof that Tony Stark has a heart.
It's place back into his chest and she fixes up his hair because heaven forbid that Tony Stark saves the day with messy hair.
Aconite, caution because Ms. Rushman is not who she says she is.
It's, Natasha who meets Mrs. Goodwin first she undercover as Tony, secretary when Stark had the idea to travel outside of New York and yes, she needed to pack her bag because there's no nearby mall. Arriving at the cave she can't help, but stare because the first thing that greets her is a goose at least she thought it was a goose. It, was big enough to be one only to be told nope that's a duck whose name is Thor.
That's when an old lady walks out of the cave with a stern expression a cane in her.
"You're not Pepper," she said.
"No ma'am. I'm Ms. Rushman."
She frowned at her.
"Hi, Auntie," Stark said as the old woman opened up her arms.
"You look tired dear. Come on inside and rest. I'll make you some soup you to Black Widow."
She froze at the words.
"How did you?"
The old woman smiled.
"Oh, I know a lot of things that I shouldn't. Just like how I know why you are here, but I'll let it pass just for this one time. Although, harm my Godson young lady and I shall show you what an old woman can do."
Ms. Goodwin let out a laugh as she strolled back to the cave.
"Welcome Ms. Rushman."
"Jarvis you're here to?"
"Indeed, sir wanted Mrs. Goodwin to at least be able to contact him if anything we're to happen. She is fairly old now days."
She raised an eyebrow at that because caring just didn't seem like a Tony Stark thing to do. She might need to rewrite her report after this.
Blackthorn, faith because she was meant to meet Phill.
Another man enters Zoey cave one day it's raining outside and he stands there in a suit with an umbrella over his head she lets him and boils some tea, but he says he won't be around that long for tea. She says she didn't care the tea can be for herself. She knows that man it's hard to miss. She just didn't understand why he was here.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"I'm Phill Ms. Goodwin. I'm just wondering if I can ask you some questions about Tony Stark."
She thinks about this for a second, but decided that if Shield wants to find out why Tony Stark should be an Avenger, then she would go along with it.
"Alright, then you need to sit down. Because I have a lot of things to say."
Phill raises an eyebrow at the living room set up.
"My godson put those in. Said he didn't want me to sit on boulders anymore. Now, you have a shower and change your clothes because despite your umbrella you are soaking wet. And, yes, I have indoor plumbing now. You can blame that on Tony."
"How did Mr. Stark get indoor plumbing inside a cave?" Phill asked.
"It's, Tony. That boy can do anything when he put his mind to it. Now, go have a shower because I won't let you sit down in wet clothes."
"I really won't be here for long Ms. Goodwin."
"Oh, please call me Auntie and you said so yourself that you wanted to know more about Tony Stark. I can tell you a lot more than the press would ever know. Now, go have a shower."
Phill nodded his head only to take note of an iron suit walking towards him. It wasn't the one that Tony wore his was red and gold while this one was blue and green.
"That's just Larry," she said. "He helps around the cave."
"Mr. Stark built another suit to help you around a cave?" Phill asked.
"Yes. I named it Larry. Tony wasn't too happy with the naming choice, but he never was happy whenever I named things."
Thor the drake now stood behind Phill.
"Do have a sit dearly and I'll make you tea. Do you have milk with yours?"
And, yes, she had a working fridge she blames Tony for the working fridge.
Dandelion, overcoming hardships because Zoey wasn't going to let Phill fake his death.
It's during the battle of New York when Phill sees Ms. Goodwin again.
He's sure he would have to fake his death with Loki looming over him holding a weapon close to his chest.
Only to see the Norse God, being tackled to the ground and thrown out the window by Larry of all things letting Phill live.
"Hello dear," Ms. Goodwin said. "Would you care for some cookies?"
She holding out a tray with freshly bake cookies.
It would be later that day where he found out that Fury had covered his beloved Captain America in fake blood because the plan had been to fake Phill death to get the team to work together. Nobody, was expecting to see an old woman on the helicarrier offering cookies.
"You mean to tell me that Tony Stark won't make weapons for anyone, but he makes a second suit to help an old lady cross the road," Fury said.
"Cookie," Ms. Goodwin offers for the tenth time.
"We are under attack woman."
"Yes, but cookie?"
Phill tune them all out at this point because his beloved cards are covered in fake blood.
White heather, protection because Thor the duck saves a God.
It's also during the battle where Thor and Loki have one another pin down on the ground is when Loki thrown of Stark building by a duck. He would've fallen to his death if it wasn't for the alien that saved the Norse God life.
Meanwhile Thor cheers his new brother in combat on when the male drake lands in front of him and wags his tail. The God can't help, but expected that the duck wants food. He didn't have food on his person.
Forget-me-not, love because Zoey loves anyone that saves Tony Stark life. And, that's why she hugs Bruce Banner.
Steve blinks three times because there's an old lady in the half destroyed Stark tower knitting a jumper. An iron suit beside her and a duck. She sitting on the couch, humming away not even caring about the people that just walked in.
"Um, did I miss something?" Bruce asked. "Also does anyone know where I can get a shirt? Or pants."
The iron suit walks out of the room leaving them alone with the old lady and the pet duck.
Fury there's two munching on some cookies while Phill looked terribly upset. Phill also wearing a wooly jumper that colour is blue.
"Ms. Goodwin it's lovely to see you again," Natasha said casually.
"Brothers and sister in combat. Have you met the newest addition? This warrior duck," Thor said happily showing of that said duck.
The duck in question wags his tail it looked towards Steve expecting food. Steve didn't have food.
"It's a duck," a not brainwashed Clint said.
"Yes, but this warrior had also help me battle Loki."
"You mean to tell me New York was saved by a duck."
"In a way yes," Thor said proudly.
The duck flapped his wings puffing up his chest and the iron suit walks in. It's not Tony suit, Steve knows because Tony suit is red and gold this one is blue and green. The suit in question is also carrying a set of clothes it hands them to Bruce.
"Um, thank you," Bruce said before he went off to change.
"Where's Stark?" Steve asked.
"Something about buying cotton," Fury said casually.
New York city just came out of a battle with aliens. Tony Stark almost died carrying a nuke on his back and now he's out shopping for cotton? Steve wonders if the century had lost it's, mind and all this is perfectly normal or, if he's the only one sane anymore. He also would like to know who this woman was and why was there a duck in a half, destroyed building.
"So, is anyone going to explain to me what going on?" Steve asked.
"Didn't you read the report Cap?" a not brainwashed Clint asked.
He didn't read all of them. Tony Stark was one of those he just watched a few clips of the man thought he knew his typed and left it at that. Only to be proven wrong when Tony went up to space and almost died saving them all. Not from only a bunch of aliens, but also from a nuke.
"That's better," Bruce said happily changed into clothes.
"You must be Bruce," the old lady smiles.
"Yes Ms."
"Oh, please call me Auntie Zoey."
She stands up with a finished jumper in her hands and goes in for a hug. Bruce is ready to back away, but the woman didn't let him she just takes him into a hug instead.
Steve not going to lie he will admit that was a scary side. He feared for a moment that the other guy would come out and attack the old woman. Instead, Bruce sinks in for the hug as if he hadn't been hugged for a long a time.
"Thank you, for saving my godson."
"Godson?" Steve questioned. "Oh, are you Tony Stark godmother?"
The old lady shots him a glare he wonders what he did wrong for the old woman to give him a hater look. All while everyone is welcomed in by cookies and homemade jumpers. Even Bruce is now wearing a homemade jumper because the woman just placed it on Dr. Banner.
"Now, I know it's not winter just let, but here's one for you when it starts getting cold. I'll make much more of them too. Also, you can tell me what the other guy size number is so I can make him a jumper."
He just can't see the Hulk of all things wearing a winter jumper, made by an old woman that could be their grandmother.
"Thank you, you really don't need to though."
"Nonsense. You saved my boy life a worth time supplies of winter coats is the least I can do."
She turns to Clint.
"You're not brainwashed I see," she said sweetly.
"No. Ms."
"Wonderful, you can help me with cooking once we get to the cave."
"Cave?" Steve asked.
"Of course, you lot are not sleeping in a building that looks as if it going to fall. Now, come along Thor let's go."
Thor looked lost for a moment.
"Not you dear the duck," she said pointing to that said duck.
Of course, Steve thought. What else would it be called? He supposed it's a better name then Larry the iron suit.
Thor the duck looked almost insulted that another person had his name as he pecked at Thor pants fluffed up his feathers and wobble away. As old lady and iron suit started to take off. The iron suit name Larry is ready to carry her only to have Iron man hovering outside holding a ball of cotton in his hand.
"I have the cotton Auntie," Tony said with delighted.
"That's wonderful dear. Phill, will you help the others to the cave."
Phill looks terribly upset and normally the agent didn't show any emotion at all. For a second, Steve wonders if anyone Phill knew died in the battle.
"If you, do you can have my collection of cards," she said.
"You'll give them away?"
"Of course, I only brought them for you."
Larry carries the old woman od in his arms. The duck Thor opens up his wings and started to fly as Iron man fly's, beside the old woman leaving the group standing in a half destroyed Stark tower.
"Alright, everyone to Auntie cave."
"Did you just call her Auntie?" Clint teased.
"Last time I didn't she hit me over the head with my own umbrella until I did. So, yes, yes I did just call her Auntie."
And, off the group goes, four superspies, one God, a man that can turn into a Hulk, and America greatest dream making their way to a cave. All because an old woman with a pet duck by the name of Thor and a suit name Larry, said so.
Steve not going to lie. This is all strange to him, but he goes along with it because he didn't have anywhere else to stay. It, also turned out not to bad because Auntie Zoey, told him stories about what happened after the war and yes, you have to call her Auntie or she hit you over the head. And, if she breaks her arm doing so a pissed of Tony Stark would send you flying into space.