This little blurb is for my darling @t-starkasm who sent me this picture of a very obvious Smitten Kitten!!
So I added another little bit to the ORIGINAL STORY to include this darling little scene!!!
Enjoy!!
********************
The ringtone of Steves phone completely interrupted the mission briefing, and absolutely made Agent Coulsons jaw drop.
“Who let the dogs out? Who who who who! Who let the dogs out?”
“Oh my god.” His face flamed red and he scrambled to mute it. “I am so sorry, Agent Coulson, Colonel Rhodes, its um---”
“Captain Rogers.” Rhodey was trying his damnest to keep the snmirk off his face. “Captain Rogers.” he cleared his throat. “Would I be correct in assuming that Seargent Barnes is the one calling you right now?”
“I--I--” the Lion shifter swallowed back a growl of annoyance. “My mate changed my ringtone, I apologize.”
“Sorry, but Seargent Barnes chose that as his ringtone?” Agent Coulson asked in that quietly, polite way of his. “Seargent Barnes, the Alpha Wolf shifter?”
“Not that mate. My other mate, Tony.” he breathed a deep sigh. Tony had changed his ringtone because hed been upset Steve couldnt stay with him all day today. Not that Steve had wanted to spend his whole day locked in the conference room talking about missions and personell. No he would much rather be snuggled up in bed with both his mates. He missed Tony and Bucky so much he nearly ached. He needed a break from all this. A break from being Captain America. A break from being Steve. He needed to just be Bucky and Tonys mate, and let them take care of him.
Steve shook his head and pushed those thoughts away. He had been feeing down for weeks now and didnt really know what to do about it.
“If you’ll excuse me.” he said politely. “I need to take this.”
“Ah. Of course.” Coulson said with a little smile. “By all means, take your mates call.”
“Thank you. Just a few minutes.” Steve stepped into the hallway and opened his phone. “Bucky, I swear to god. You know I am in a meeting, I will muzzle your--”
“911, Steve.” Buckys voice was stressed, nearly a whine. “911, our room. Its Tony.”
“Oh shit.” Steve only stepped into the conference room long enough to snatch his shield, and took off running, no apology or explanation or anything.
“ I havent been around the compound much since this all happened.” Coulson commented mildly. “Does this sort of thing--”
“Tony is the most high maintenance person in the world. Also the most high maintence shifter. Steve and Bucky have their hands full all the time.”
“Tony only weighs eighty pounds.” Coulson raised his eyebrows and Rhodey just started laughing.
“Phil. You literally have no idea how much of a handful Tony can be.”
“Isnt his shifter form a cat?”
“Phil. You have no idea.” The colonel collapsed back into his chair, shoulders shaking.
“But both Rogers and Barnes are Alpha--”
“Phil.” Rhodey was full on cackling now, wiping his tears away. “You have no idea.”
************
“Tony!” Steve was yelling, racing up the stairs, tearing into a partial shift as he went, a snarl burning in his throat at the thought of something happening to either of his mates, but especially Tony. Perfect, tiny, little smitten Tony who needed to be held and cuddled and protected and--
The door burst inwards when he smashed into it shield first and skidded to a stop.
“Bucky, mate, are you--is everything--” His shield hit the ground with a clang. “Bucky, are you kidding me?”
“Shush.” Bucky hadnt even turned to look at him yet, kneeling on the floor and staring at their big bed. He was partial shifted, ears and claws out, tail wagging furiously. “Look at him.”
“Oh my god.” Steve dropped onto the ground next to him, his claws retracting as he pulled his Lion back. “Oh, honey, look at him.”
“I know.” Bucky reached and laced their fingers together, his claws scraping over Steves palm. “Our mate is the cutest.”
“God, hes the cutest.”
Tony, fully shifted into his tiny fierce eight pound cat, was curled in the center of their giant bed, little face buried inside his Iron Man mask.
“What is he doing?” Steve dropped his voice into a whisper, leaning closer to his mate, enjoying the physical contact after being apart all day. “Why is he--”
“FRIDAY says Tony had a rough day, didnt want to face anything so he shifted and crawled into his helmet and fell asleep.”
“Sweet, perfect thing.” Steve said sympathetically. “Why didnt he call us?”
“We were busy.” Bucky offered and Steve snorted.
“Thats not a valid reason. He knows he can talk to us anytime.” Steve shifted even closer, leaning his head against Buckys shoulder and Bucky sent him a side-smile.
“You need to be held Steve? Get your Lion ass over here.” The wolf shifter slipped his left arm over Steves shoulder and tugged him against his chest. “You know you dont have to ask, sugar, come on.”
“Thanks.” Steve mumbled. It was still difficult for him, even after being mated for a month to both Tony and Bucky, to admit when he needed to be held, when he needed Bucky to be the Alpha and take care of him. “So...Tony. What are we doing about Tony.”
“Sure. Changing the subject is fine. Not that Ive noticed that the past few weeks have been hard on you and want to be there for you.” Bucky nuzzled into his hair affectionately. “I think we need to climb on that bed and cuddle our mate. He obviously needs some loving to make it through today, and you do too.”
“Im fine.” Steve protested, but he definitely pressed his face tighter into Buckys chest.
“Sure.” Bucky comforted. “Sure. Up on the bed, honey. Partial shift for me, let me see those pretty gold eyes. Let your Lion out and Ill hold you.”
Steve promptly obeyed, pulling his shirt up and over his chest and letting the partial shift take him, eyes shading to gold and Bucky growled in approval watching the muscles ripple under all that perfect skin.
“Beautiful.” he said, and Steve flushed a little, crawling up on the bed and lying down next to Tony.
The cat meowed a sleepily, little paws twitching, and Bucky nearly melted. “God, hes precious.”
“So precious.” Steve echoed, and ran his hand gently over Tonys soft fur. “You ok, sweetheart? Having a rough day?”
Another little meow that sounded more like a whimper, and Bucky was stripping off his clothes, shfiting further into his Wolf and following his mate onto the bed, curling his big body around both Steve and the tiny cat.
“Hey, sweet thing.” he crooned. “Want to tell us whats wrong? Want to take the mask off and let us hold you?”
There was a long moment of just silence, then Tony slid away from the mask slowly, scooting across the bed until he was lying between their chests, curled into a little ball.
“There you are.” “Aw, little darling, whats wrong?” “Talk to us, honey.” “We’re right here, both of us.” “We love you, Tony.” “Our perfect little shifter. “Perfect, pretty little kitty.”
Tony sighed and stretched a little, then closed his eyes and started purring happily. Bucky glanced up and smiled into Steves golden eyes.
“Come here.” he tugged at him and Steve pressed closer, nearly squishing Tony between them as he tucked his head under Buckys chin, breathing in the comforting scents of both his mates. “Thats good.” Bucky murmured comfortingly, his big arms circling both of them. “My mates. Mine. I love you both. So much.”
Tony purred louder then, and Steve definitely wasnt purring, but the Lion shifter was definitly rumbling in a soft purr-y kind of way, and Bucky just smiled and held them both a little closer, a little tighter.
Both his mates were perfect.
*******************
Tony woke up sandwiched between his two mates, and happy as hell. He had told FRIDAY specifically to not let them know hed been having a bad day, but he was absolutely thrilled they had found him. Nothing was better than waking up with both his mates in bed with him, Buckys arms keeping them safe.
“Bucky.” he whispered. “Mate.”
“Mate.” Bucky replied sleepily and dropped his head to press a long kiss to his lips. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah. Better now.” Tony snuggled closer into the big Alpha.
“You should have called us. We could have come sooner.”
“You were busy.” Tony said with a shrug, and behind him Steve nuzzled his neck.
“Dont hide from us, Tony.” Steve cuddled up against him, laying soft kisses on his shoulders. “Not us.”
“Never us.” Bucky smiled. “Even though, seeing you wearing your mask was the cutest thing Ive ever seen. Ever. And sweet thing, I have seen alot of cute kittens and puppies and you are the cutest.”
“Bucky.” Steve rolled his eyes. “Tony, his tail was wagging so fast it was like looking at a labrador instead of a several hundred pound Alpha level shifter Wolf who had called me in a panic crying 911.”
“Did you call Steve in a panic?” Tony was trying not to laugh because Bucky looked just horribly affronted that Steve had told on him.
“It was just-- you were so adorable. Tony, baby, my little kitten, so cute.” The Alpha shifter growled. “Mine. My litte shifter.” He glanced over at Steve. “Both of you. Mine.”
“Yours.” Tony whispered.
“Yours.” Steve repeated, his voice a little rough.
“Tony, if you’re alright, I think our mate needs some extra love today.” Bucky said with a soft smile and Tony leaned up to kiss him lightly before flipping over and jumping on Steve, raining kisses all over his face and neck, wiggling against him happily.
“Tony!” Steve was laughing, big hands resting on Tonys bare hips. “Honey, Im fine.”
“Are you?” Buckys voice had dropped into that low rumble that he only used in bed with his mates. and Steves eyes bled to gold. “Because I feel like you need some love.”
He bent over Steve and slotted their lips together, humming in encouragement when Steve whined a little, and started panting.
“I love when he makes that noise.” Tony said, looking up from licking and kissing down Steves chest. “That little desperate...”
“I know.” Bucky kissed him again, and laced a hand through Tonys dark hair, pushing him down lower. “Use your mouth, sugar, he loves that. Open those pretty lips.”
“Fuck.” Steve groaned when Tony grinned and licked his lips.
“Hold him down.” he instructed. “He gets all jumpy during blowjobs.”
“Its perfect.” Bucky said soothinly when Steve flushed red. “Everything both of you do is perfect. I love you. My mates.”
“My mates.” Tony whispered and squeezed Buckys hand.
“I love you. “ Steve started to say. “My ma---!!!” his voice shot to a shriek and Bucky kissed him so he wouldnt laugh, just because the way Steve reacted was so perfect, and the little giggle Tony gave was so perfect, and everything about life with his feline mates was... purrrrfect.
The elevator to the common area of the Tower pinged open and the team poured out, all in varying levels of injured, all several steps past pissed off.
“That should have been easy! Instead it was a clusterfuck!!” Natasha fumed, the smoke pouring from her mouth with the words making everyone else uneasy. “What the hell went wrong?”
“Hey honey, why don't you shift back all the way so you don't accidentally light my couch on fire like you did last week, hm?” Tony called from his position in Steve's arms, cradled close to the big blonds chest. “I know it's an ugly couch but it was just shockingly expensive and no amount of Scotch-guard protects from burns.”
“Tony, just be quiet and let us check you over.” Bucky interjected, and sent a steely eyed glare at Natasha. “Shift down, dragon lady, before you singe something. Steve, put him on the couch.”
Steve set Tony down carefully, tucking a pillow behind his head, and then bent over and ripped Tony's under armor right down the middle, tossing the shredded pieces aside so they could see the mess of bruises and scrapes down his abdomen.
“Steve!” Tony yelped. “Easy on the clothing!”
“Damn it, Tony.” Clint flew in through the window, still partial shifted in his hawk form, tucking his giant wings behind him. “Stop yelling about your shirt. We told you to stay back and away from the fight. You could have seriously gotten hurt!”
“Oh yeah.” Tony rolled his eyes and tried to sit up, grimacing when everything pulled. “Tell the man in the suit and with all weapons to stay back and let the animals handle it. That sounds like a great idea.”
“Yeah well, if you would have listened you wouldn't be all banged up, would you?” Clint pointed out, shifting back into his human form, the wings and golden eyes disappearing. “Tasha, shift down baby, you're smoking up the room.”
He grabbed a blanket for her, and Natasha took a deep breath as she began shifting, the scales on her body rippling and shimmering before disappearing, long claws retracting and horns fading back into her hair.
Within a minute she stood at her usual five-two, green eyes and red hair. It was a far cry from her dragon, and everybody relaxed once she was wrapped in a blanket and headed to the kitchen to make coffee.
“Anything broken?” Steve asked and Bucky felt over Tony's ribs gingerly, mindful of the bruising and cuts, his fingers probing gently, blue eyes worried when Tony flinched away from even the light touch.
“Nothing cracked, just some hard bruising. Damn it, Tony what the hell were you thinking ?” His voice dropped into a growl, his Wolf still close to the surface after the battle and Tony swallowed hard, pushing back the jolt of want at the sound.
“I didn't want you guys to get hurt.” he said timidly. “So I stepped in.”
“We were fine, Tony.” Wanda finally appeared from the elevator, leaning heavily on Vision. “Even though, perhaps these boys--” her deeply accented voice sharpened as she glared at Bucky and Steve. “--should be grateful we have you looking out for us, instead of yelling at you while you are hurt .”
“Yeah see?” Tony closed his eyes against a fresh wave of pain. “Listen to snake lady. She knows I was right. How are you by the way, Wanda? You took a pretty hard hit.”
“Better now.” She touched her leg carefully, where a ricocheting bullet had plowed into and right through her body while she had been shifted. As her Constrictor, she was such a hard target to hit that it was always surprising when she got hurt at all, and by the look on her pale face she was definitely feeling it.
“Shift back into your snake.” Bucky instructed. “You will heal faster as your Constrictor, yeah?”
Everyone in the room exchanged an amused glance over the command, knowing it was less about Bucky telling Wanda what to do, and more about him genuinely being concerned that she was alright.
As more and more of his Winter Soldier conditioning left him, Bucky had changed from sullen, quiet and dangerous into a sweet, kind hearted man, who always was looking out for everyone else. Being a Wolf shifter meant his protective instincts ran deep and he had no problem bullying his way into a situation just to take care of whoever was being picked on or was hurt.
During a battle, he was nothing less than a killer, both in his shifted Wolf and in human form, but post battle? Basically a giant marshmallow.
Steve loved it, loved seeing so much of his best friend back after thinking he had lost the old Bucky forever. Natasha tended to roll her eyes over it, while Clint was just relieved that someone else on the team besides him fussed when they got hurt. Tony ignored everything Bucky said, even when Steve was agreeing just as loudly, and Vision and Wanda took it all in stride.
Right now, Wanda let her eyes soften and warm in his direction. “Thank you for your concern, Bucky. But I wanted to check on Tony before I went to bed. Make sure he was alright.”
“I'm fine.” Tony waved her off. “You guys get out of here. Vision, take her and let her shift again, help her though so she doesn't sprain anything. Clint, you take the resident dragon and get some sleep. Steve and Bucky, go wrestle or something, get rid of all that post- battle energy. I'm going to sit here and whimper over my probably broken ribs. Alright? Everyone good?”
They all mumbled in agreement, and started leaving, always ready to listen to Tony since he spent so much time taking care of them. Tasha and Wanda bent to kiss his forehead as they passed, Clint ruffled his fingers through Tony's hair affectionately, and Tony preened under the attention.
He loved his team. His family.
An annoyed growl brought his attention back to moment at hand, and Tony fixed Steve and Bucky with a glare, huffing angrily.
“Bucky, if your Wolf growls at me one more time I'm gonna slap a muzzle on it, so stop. And Steve, I know you think you're purring comfortingly, but that noise is also just a growl. Lions don't purr, so either dial it back, or shift completely because I'm getting weirded out. You both need to leave me alone. Go back to your room and leave me in peace. Your hovering and mothering and it's pissing me off. ”
“Not leaving you Tony.” Steve bent and picked him back up, and Tony tried his damnedest not to be thrilled at the show of strength as they headed for the elevator that would take them to Tony's penthouse. “Just gonna put you in bed, alright? Need to make sure you're okay.”
“Stop babying me!” Tony demanded. “Just because I don't shift into a big scary animal doesn't mean that you get to treat me like I'm a child!”
Steve ignored him, as did Bucky, who had a hand to his forehead checking his temperature, another hand resting carefully over his hurt ribs.
Tony just sighed in frustration and closed his eyes again.
If he were telling the truth, he'd admit that the over protectiveness from the two soldiers actually made him happy as fuck .
Steve was all things beautiful, and Bucky was gorgeous in such a wild way it made Tony ache, and if he were telling the truth, he'd admit that every time either of them touched him his whole body hummed. Anytime either one of them smiled he just wanted to melt. If he were telling the truth, he'd admit that he wanted both in his bed all the time.
But he definitely wasn't admitting to any of that while he was this annoyed.
He wasn't annoyed that they cared about him. That wasn't it at all.
The problem was, they were so protective and possessive of him both in human and shifter form, that it was starting to interfere with his life, both on and off the field.
Both the super soldiers were considered Alpha Level Shifters, which meant they were lethal as a human, and even more lethal as an animal.
Steve's Lion stood a shocking five and a half feet at the shoulder, and Bucky's silver Wolf stood just a few inches shorter. A roar from Steve could burst an ear drum if a person were too close, and once Bucky had thrown his head back and howled and every dog within a three mile radius had turned tail and bolted. They were unparalleled on the battlefield-- two super soldiers who could tear someone apart with their bare hands, two Alpha Level Shifters that could kill you with a paw.
They were intimidating and wild and gorgeous, and every time Tony saw them shifted he wanted to make grabby hands and roll over and--
--Well anyway.
Unfortunately along with all that power and strength and beauty, came an Alpha sized dose of hormones and aggressiveness and instinct to protect what was theirs .
And both the shifters were positive that Tony was theirs.
When Bucky had come to the Tower a year ago, he had decided instantly that Tony needed the most protection and had set himself in place to provide that protection. And since Tony was Steve's family, that meant he was also pack, which meant Bucky would happily kill for him in a heartbeat.
Steve had come out of the ice, taken one look at the man who scented like Howard, scented like a friend, and promptly decided that Tony was due the same amount of devotion he had given Howard, and more because he hadn't ever wanted Howard the way he wanted Tony.
It had been a loud conversation between the two Alpha Shifters once Steve had realized that Bucky had put a pack claim on Tony, and it had lasted all of three minutes-- Tony was theirs, and they weren't letting him out of their sight.
So now Tony was followed by two giant soldiers most hours of the day, whether he was eating breakfast and Steve was sitting next to him, or going through a meeting and Bucky was watching from the corner.
On the battlefields, Steve's Lion was never away from him, and when the Lion was busy, Bucky's massive Wolf was standing guard. Tony had literally been snatched out of the air more than once, batted down by a giant paw when he had ignored Steve's orders and tried to fly into a skirmish.
It was over bearing, and more than a little annoying but it was also sort of... sweet. And Tony understood enough of the Alpha Shifter's biology to know that most of the time, they couldn't help it.
The rest of the team took the overt protectiveness and possessiveness in stride. They all had a great deal of affection for Tony as well, even if it wasn't to the level of the two Alpha's. And after a few near misses, with Bucky or Steve partial shifting and snarling, they had even learned which things would trigger the pair and which actions to avoid.
Of course, the first time Steve slid into his partial shift and roared at Natasha for upsetting Tony, the tiny redhead had burst into her partial dragon and burnt every hair off of Steve's mane for daring to try and intimidate her.
Steve didn't shift for weeks after that, and every time he walked in a room, Natasha blew a smoke ring at him with a satisfied grin.
For the most part, it was fine. Tony put up with the over-the-top behavior with a patient smile, and since the rest of the team were lower level shifters, Bucky and Steve didn't feel as if they had too much competition.
Clint and Wanda were Beta level shifters--still not to be trifled with, but not considered to be the same level of danger attributed to Steve and Bucky. Clint's Hawk had a wingspan of nearly twenty feet, and Wanda's Constrictor pushed thirty when she stretched out from end to end.
Natasha had yet to be classified, since no one had seen her fully shift. A full dragon would absolutely be an Alpha Level Shifter, but since she never fully shifted by choice, and no one was willing to antagonize her to that point, her classification remained a mystery.
Not that she needed an official classification to be dangerous, of course. Alpha level or not, Natasha would burst into a fire breathing, scale covered partial shift if someone so much as looked at her, or anyone she loved wrong.
She was not a Shifter to be taken lightly, and yet anytime Tony even smiled at her, she was nearly melting, just like Clint did, just like Wanda and Vision did, just like Steve and Bucky.
It was a tough job, being the center of attention of the group of Avengers, but Tony was happy to do it. They looked out for him, spoiled him, protected him, and Tony enjoyed every minute of it.
Well, almost every minute of it.
Steve and Bucky were getting worse with him as time went on, and Tony didn't know if he could handle much more before having to put his foot down.
He wasn't even really sure what their whole deal was.
Bucky had moved into Steve's room a year ago and had never left, even though there were no signs of intimacy beyond that. In fact, Steve had politely requested a second bed be added to his room shortly after Bucky had arrived, which had shocked.... everyone.
Clint of course, had opened his mouth made a crack about dogs just sleeping on the floor, and Bucky had shifted and pinned Clint down on the floor with his teeth bared before anyone even realized what had happened.
It had taken Steve in full Lion form and Natasha partial shifted into her dragon to pull the Wolf away, and now Clint watched what he said very carefully.
Tony had had to excuse himself from the room shortly after that because… well. Wow to that display of dominance, and wow to Steve's beautiful Lion roaring in the living room and just wow to all of it.
Sure, if Tony were telling the truth, he was more than infatuated with the Lion and the Wolf, and pushing head over heels in love with their human counterparts.
But God help him, if they didn't chill out soon, he would chain he would their Alpha Shifter swaggering, super serum jacked selves to a dog house on the lawn and make them sleep in the rain.
*****************
*****************
Tony pulled himself out of his thoughts and back to the moment when the elevator doors opened into his penthouse. He hissed in pain as Steve lay him out on his big bed, and smacked at Bucky as the Wolf shifter started grabbing pillows to arrange around him.
“I am fine!” he insisted. “Just get out and let me sleep!”
“Alright, Tony.” Steve brushed a curl off his forehead in a tender gesture that made him want to bat his eyelashes and fucking swoon. “We'll leave, but first I want you to shift, it will help you heal faster. We'll give you some privacy.”
“Don't want to shift.” Tony grumbled. “Just want to sleep.”
Bucky's blue eyes narrowed. “Tony, it doesn't matter. You need to shift so you can heal. There might be injuries we can't see while you're human, and you know we aren't we aren't going anywhere until we know you are safe, so just get to it.”
“No.” Tony insisted, and both of the Alpha shifters bared their teeth and snarled. “Dammit you guys!” He twitched uncomfortably. “I don't want to shift! Leave me alone!”
It really didn't have anything to do with the soldiers themselves, Tony just didn't like shifting in front of anyone.
In fact, no one besides Pepper and Rhodes had ever seen his shifted form at all, and not very often at that. Some people didn't care who saw them shifted, but for him it was… personal. To share yourself in animal form-- when it was all instinct and emotions and no real rational thought-- that terrified him.
Plus, he was fairly intimidated by the big shifters in front of him, and knew that once they saw his animal form, they would do one of two things-- laugh and walk away, or never want to leave him alone again because then they would REALLY be convinced he was helpless.
And honestly, he wasn't sure which one would be worse.
“I'm not shifting!” he announced, folding his arms. “So you might as well leave now.”
“Shift, Tony.” Bucky demanded. “We will leave, give you a few minutes, then come back in to check on you.”
“Please, Tony.” Steve added, softer. “We just need to make sure you're alright. Please.”
Tony glared up into two pairs of pleading eyes, and sighed in defeat. He knew they couldn't help it, that they couldn't do anything to control the instinct to take care of him, so maybe he would just shift and get it over with.
It had to happen eventually, right?
“Fine.” he grumbled. “But get out. I need five minutes and I don't want you in here.”
Bucky and Steve agreed quickly, and Tony waited until the men had left before groaning out loud and getting ready to shift.
He stripped out of the rest of his clothes and sat cross legged in the middle of the bed. Closing his eyes, he focused on his breathing, centered himself into a state of calmness, and let himself shift.
It was an odd feeling, his bones morphing and sliding into position, the odd shiver that always accompanied his ears and tail appearing, and finally the feeling of freedom as his rational mind slipped away, replaced by pure instinct.
Tony always forgot how good this felt. Maybe he did need to shift more often.
*************************
Steve knocked on the door exactly five minutes later and together, he and Buck re-entered the room, unsure of what to expect.
They knew of course, that Tony was some sort of cat because he scented feline, and no one except cats cared so much about how they looked and were so fussy about their clothes.
Tony was definitely a cat. But would he be a tiger? A leopard? A panther with all that dark hair? A bob cat since he was so short? Or maybe he would be--
“Good Christ.” Bucky's eyes flew open wide and he grabbed Steve's arm. “Are you-- Stevie-- look.”
“Is this a joke?” Steve asked, but already knew it wasn't. “Tony? Is that you?” The dark eyes narrowed in irritation were definitely Tony's, and Steve scrubbed a hand over his mouth in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
“You are the cutest thing I've ever seen.” Bucky actually dropped to his knees and Steve tried hard not to laugh. He had forgotten how much of a sucker his best friend was for little puppies and adorable kittens and the tiny black scrap of spiky fur with big eyes was definitely the most adorable kitten ever .
“Tony.” Steve tried to say, but the word came out on a chuckle, and the cat arched his back and hissed in annoyance.
“Oh stop, you're making him angry.” Completely in ball of mush mode, Bucky made a coaxing motion with his fingers. “Here kitty kitty kitty, pretty kitty, such a sweet kitty, come here puss puss puss.”
Tony's claws shot out and he yowled furiously before throwing himself at the super soldier, intent on scratching those perfect blue eyes out, all of six pounds of unholy rage.
"Oh look at him!” Steve gave in and knelt beside where Bucky was laughing and batting Tony's tiny paws away. “He's like a baby on a rampage! Too much anger for so much fluff!”
Hearing the soldier baby talk set Tony off with another screech of anger, and he redoubled his efforts to maim them, claws swiping and tail whipping around.
“ He is gonna kill us for this later!” Bucky said in between trying to scratch the furious cats ears. “I mean, really going to kill us, Stevie.”
“Worth it.” Steve countered. “Worth it. Now let me hold him.”
Check out Concept Art for this fic HERE by the lovely @striving-artist
MASTERLIST
********************
“Now guys.” Colonel Rhodes sat in front of them on the couch, his hands clasped loosely in his lap. “Tony would like to stress that making fun of him in his shifted form is completely unacceptable. He can't help that while you, Steve, are a Lion, and you, Bucky, are a Wolf, he is nothing quite as scary. Tony would also like to calmly emphasize that--”
“If either of you fuckers calls me a pretty kitty again I will end you!” Tony shouted from the doorway. “I swear to God I will end you!”
“Tony would like to calmly emphasize --” Rhodes repeated louder. “That calling him kitty is a very fast way to piss him off, please don't do that anymore. Showing you his shifted form was not something he had necessarily wanted to do, even though he has agreed that it was necessary to facilitate his healing. That being said, he is understandably nervous about showing it to you again, based off your reaction this time.”
The Colonel was speaking with all the tact and diplomacy of someone who had been explaining Tony's shenanigans to the press for years, and both the soldiers were having a hard time not laughing at the overly serious tone which was the complete opposite from how worked up Tony was.
“Tony, is there something you would like to add to the conversation, or have I covered the basics?” Rhodes asked politely, and Tony just huffed and turned on his heel, slamming the door behind him.
“Yikes.” Bucky murmured. “Made him angry, didn't we?”
“Goddamn it, you two.” Rhodes dropped his head into his hands, all diplomacy gone now that Tony had left the room. “I cannot believe you reacted like that. Giant bastards that you are reduced to cooing and squealing over a damn cat!”
“We weren't squeal--” Steve started to protest and Rhodes sent him a look. “Alright. Maybe we were squealing.”
“I saw the video feed.” the Colonel stated. “Never in my life have I seen two soldiers go from protective mode to fangirling mode so quickly in my life.”
“Don't gotta call us fan girls.” Steve sulked. “And maybe we got a little ridiculous but come on. Have you seen his animal form?”
“He is literally the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life. And I used to bring home orphaned kitties all the time.” Bucky said matter-of-factly and Steve rolled his eyes.
“Excuse him. The Winter Soldier is completely helpless against kittens, fluffy dogs and babies. Terrifying, isn't he?”
“Fuck you, Steve.” Bucky said lightly. “So Colonel. You've seen his shift?”
“Yes.” The Colonel leaned back and folded his arms. “Tony used to shift for me all the time in MIT. Helped him relax after finals, helped me relax, and yes, it was pretty damn adorable every time. But lots of people shift into harmless forms, in fact most people are only Gamma level shifters. Harmless little animals. It's really just not that big of a deal.”
“Tony just hates being the only household animal on a team that involves a dragon, a hawk with a twenty foot wing span, a giant snake, a Wolf that is so big it's almost obscene, and of course the King of the Jungle.” He motioned to Steve. “Half this team is Alpha shifters, the other half Beta shifters only by a slim technicality. He's a Gamma shifter. You could sit on him and not know he was there. How do you think that makes him feel?”
“I don't understand why his animal didn't mutate once he became Iron Man.” Bucky interjected. “My wolf is almost twice as big as it was before the super serum. Steve couldn't shift at all before getting juiced up because his heart couldn't handle it, and now his Lion stands five and a half feet at the shoulder. Everyone knows the more powerful you are as a human, the bigger your animal is. That's why Tasha's dragon stands at six feet partial shifted. She's terrifying and her animal reflects it.”
“That's a good point.” Steve said with a frown. “With the arc reactor powering his body, Tony could go for days. And even now, without the reactor, he's Iron Man . Easily the most powerful person on the team. Why hasn't his cat--” he tried to hide a smile.”--grown to a panther or something?”
“Actually, the whole problem is linked to the arc reactor.” Rhodes said slowly. “When he had it in his chest, he couldn't shift at all. His actual physical heart was too weak, plus shifting with an artificial limb is next to impossible. Bucky, I am constantly amazed that you can shift as well and as quickly as you do.”
Bucky rolled his shoulders uncomfortably. He hated his left arm, and the only reason he didn't throw the damn thing out is because he wouldn't be able to shift into his wolf at all with only three limbs. He didn't want to have to thank HYDRA for anything-- but they had made sure he could shift with the arm on, and he was grateful for it.
“Anyway.” Rhodes continued. “Tony spent years unable to change, years stuck in human form, having to heal at normal speed, never being able to fully relax, never really being able to enjoy the shifter side of him.”
Steve frowned. He had gone so many years without the ability to shift that now he loved it. He couldn't imagine being able to shift and having that taken away during some of the most stressful times of his life. “Poor Tony.” He murmured. “I never thought about that.”
“But now, even without the arc reactor, and maybe especially without the arc reactor, his heart is weak.” the Colonel explained. “His animal can't morph into something mighty just because Tony thinks he's indestructible. Our animals are basically linked to our strength of will, but our bodies can only take so much, and Tony's can't hardly take anything at all.”
“So, he's stuck in this tiny cat form? Never gonna be anything else? Never gonna be anything bigger?”
“No, he's stuck like this.” Rhodes sighed. “It makes him crazy. Also, for whatever reason, it takes a lot out of him to shift, so he hates to do it. He's always afraid he will get stressed and be stuck in a partial shift, with his mind only half online, and that terrifies him. So it's all or nothing with him, and lately he hasn't shifted at all. In fact, this might be the first time I've known him to shift in months. It's not particularly healthy to go so long in between shifts, and thank to you two dumb asses, it might be months before he does it again.”
“We will have to apologize to him.” Steve said firmly. “I didn't realize it was something this serious. I mean, we saw a kitten and just--”
“I just wanted to hold the kitty.” Bucky said with a light flush and Steve punched him in the shoulder. “Ow! Stop that!”
“Be serious , you guys.” Rhodes took a deep breath. “Tony pretends to be a lot of things. He pretends not to be affected by anything, pretends not to be scared, pretends to brush everything off. He hides everything behind that sarcasm and those stupid expensive sunglasses but in his shifted form, he can't hide his emotions or his reactions. It's all instinct and feelings at that point.
”“When his parents… passed…” he cleared his throat, looking away from Bucky uncomfortably. “You couldn't even tell by looking at him. Tony went to class every day, aced his tests, mouthed off to some asshole that I then had to step in and beat up. But at night, every night for weeks, I'd have this tiny black cat curled up in my bed, shaking and crying and yowling because the pain in his heart was too much to handle. He can't hide anything in cat form. He's needy and insecure and craves physical affection because he's had so little of it his entire life.”
The Colonel stood to his feet and crossed his arms over his chest. “That brings me to my next point. I don't know what this whole possessive protective thing is you two have going over Tony, but it needs to stop .”
His voice hardened and Steve and Bucky shrank back a little.“Spending your days following him around and being so protective might just seem like you are looking out for your pack mate to an outsider, but it looks completely different to me. All I see is two Alpha shifters sniffing after my best friend. And that, boys, will get you your asses handed to you.”
“Tony likes both of you. Wants both of you, which is something he admitted to me in complete confidence, and something I am telling you only to warn you not to do anything stupid. He wants to share his shifted form with you two, which puts him in a very emotional and physically vulnerable spot.”
“I shouldn't have to tell you to be careful with my best friend.” Rhodey narrowed his eyes. “But I'm going to say it anyway. Tread lightly.”
“We wouldn't ever do anything to hurt Tony.” Steve started to object, at the same time that Bucky growled, “Why would you ever think we would do something like that?”
“Shut up.” They shut up. “When you have Tony pressed up against you, purring, trying to get as close as he can because he needs it? You will give him what he needs.”
“If he needs that in cat form so be it. If he trusts you enough to need it in human form, you will give him what he needs.”
“Tony doesn't actually think you two want him,” the Colonel rolled his eyes. “Which is the stupidest thing I've ever heard because everybody in the world knows how much you want him. But he's an oblivious little shit, so you boys are going to do one of two things.”
He waited for Steve and Bucky to meet his eyes before ordering, “You will either be there for Tony in whichever way and capacity he needs you to be, or you will back the fuck off. Do you understand me?”
“I don't know if Tony wants you in a romantic, bonding type way, or if he's drawn to the amount of protective Alpha shifter vibes you guys give off, but either way? Give him what he needs, or leave him the hell alone.”
“That won't be a problem, Colonel.” Bucky said quietly, with a quick glance towards Steve. “If Tony's willing to share his shifted form with us, of course we will do whatever he needs to keep him comfortable like that.”
“Definitely.” Steve echoed. “We are-- we are in this for the long haul. Both of us.” a nod from Bucky. “Tony is safe with us.”
“Good.” Rhodes widened his stance a little, his hands dropping down by his side. “Did you know I am an Alpha level shifter as well? Have you boys ever seen my bear?” His voice dropped into a growl that seemed to rumble through the floor. “I stand eight feet tall partial shifted. Do I need to tell you what will happen if I ever hear that you have upset Tony?”
“N-Nope.” Steve's blue eyes went wide with shock and a healthy dose of fear.
“Good Christ.” Bucky squeaked, completely intimidated by the unassuming Colonel growling at him.
“Well then.” Rhodes voice came back to normal and he smiled congenially. “Good talk boys. Always a pleasure catching up with you.”
They both jumped to their feet and saluted automatically as he left, then dropped back onto the couch, staring at each other nervously.“Uh--did you know Rhodes was a bear?”
“Nope. Much less an Alpha Level Shifter.”
“Huh.”
They sat in contemplative silence for another minute.
“So. Tony wants us both?” Bucky said hesitantly. “Because that's what Rhodes said and I don't really know--”
“--yeah, I don't know either.” Steve finished. “Maybe cross that bridge when we get to it?”
“So we would be sharing Tony? Or would all three of us be--”
“CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE GET TO IT!” Steve said even louder, and folded his arms stubbornly.
“Steve.” Bucky's voice sounded hoarse. “Can you imagine what he'd feel like between us?”
Fuck me. All Steve could think about was Tony and Bucky in his bed. Rolling around beneath his sheets. So many hands and mouths and bare skin and tongue and--
“I'm going to go take a shower.” He announced and nearly ran from the room.
He wasn't fast enough to miss Bucky's soft moan though, and not quick enough to miss watching his best friend push the heel of his hand over the erection outlined behind his zipper, his head dropping back onto the couch.
Steve tore his eyes away and headed right for a cold shower.
So it became this thing, between the three of them.
Every few days Tony would ask both Bucky and Steve to come downstairs, and they would cuddle up on the couch until Tony was happy and purring, turning in circles between the two of them, head butting against their palms, his tail wrapping around which ever wrist was closer.
Then he would shift back into human form in his bathroom, and spend several minutes hugging both of them before going back to work, smiling and promising to see them at dinner.
It didn't seem like much, but the regular physical contact was helping, and the team noticed.
Tony's cheeks were always lit with a pretty flush now, his smile a little softer. He was more openly physically affectionate with the team members instead of being caring and sweet but sarcastic from a distance. In fact, he had gone so far as to let Wanda in Constrictor form loop herself around him when she needed to be held and Vision was gone from the compound.
Tony had happily sat on the couch and let her slither and slide until she was comfortable, smiling the entire time. Natasha had partial shifted as she watched, her own protective instincts kicking in seeing Tony wrapped in all those coils.
Tony had simply rolled his eyes and motioned her to come sit next to him, waving away the smoke as she huffed uneasily.
And Bucky and Steve watched it all with fond smiles on their face, holding hands beneath the table, each lost in their own soft thoughts about their cat shifter... and about each other.
*****************
*****************
“Steve.” Bucky changed positions for the umpteenth time in less than an hour and sighed loudly into the dark. “Stevie. You awake?”
“Well, I am now.” The blonde grumbled. “What do you want? Gotta be up in like two hours for a run.”
“Can't sleep.”
“Don't really know how to help with that, Buck.” Steve flopped over onto the pillow. “Try counting sheep or something. Isn't that what wolves do? I don't have any other ideas.”
“No?” Bucky sat up, and stared at his friend, letting his Wolf come forward just enough to enhance his night vision. “No ideas at all?”
“...no.” Steve said, but he shifted nervously on the bed. “No. No ideas.”
Bucky licked his lips as interest started winding through him. “Well, can I come over there and lay with you? Been so busy making sure Tony gets the physical affection he needs, I've been neglecting my Wolf.”
“Buck, I'm a feline shifter, you're canine.” Steve argued instantly. “We shouldn't even be comfortable in the same room , much less sharing a bed. It's probably not a good idea.”
“You are the King of bad ideas, Stevie.” Bucky let a teasing grow fill his words. “This won't even make the top ten of worst ideas you've ever had.” He watched as Steve's mouth worked for a minute, the blonde obviously trying to come up with a valid answer. “Well?” he prompted. “Can I come over, or not?”
“Fine.” Steve said with a sigh. “Only because you're right, I've been neglecting my Lion too. A little physical contact can't hurt.”
Bucky slid out of his own bed and right into Steve's, pressing their bodies together under the covers and sucking in a sharp breath when Steve fit right against him, warm and solid and--
“Bucky, wait .” Steve bit out, and his eyes shot to gold as his Lion came forward, irritated at having another Alpha shifter in his space, much less a canine.”Wait. I need a minute.”
“Easy.” Bucky growled, his fangs beginning to show beneath his lips. “Not gonna fight, Steve, just want to lay with you. Just want to be close, nothing else. Don't need to fight.”
That didn't calm Steve's Lion at all, and his eyes started glowing, his jaw popping as his teeth elongated, a rumble in his chest as his Lion woke up even more.
Bucky shook his head again, wrapping his metal arm around Steve's waist to keep him close when he tried to wiggle away.
“Shhh.” Bucky dropped his voice into that low comforting tone he used with Tony, and even tucked his head, nuzzling under Steve's chin in a show of submission, anything to keep the Lion from fully shifting and trying to tear him up.
But Steve was still breathing hard, the fingers digging into Bucky's waist pointed and sharp as his claws lengthened. “Bucky. Get out. You need to--”
“Steve, chill out!” Bucky snapped, and closed his teeth over the thick vein in Steve's neck, growling and tugging until Steve went absolutely limp beside him, a whine replacing the snarl that had been building in his throat.
“Don't have to submit to me.” Bucky muttered. “Just don't want you to fight me. Be Steve, not your Lion. Don't want to have to explain why we ended up shifting and tearing apart the room in anger. Tony will hate that. Just breathe easy, come on.”
“Sorry.” Steve was gasping, completely shifted down now, still holding tight to Bucky's waist, but this time to keep him close, their noses bumping with each breath. “Sorry, I didn't want to-- my Lion. Caught me off guard. Couldn't help the shift.”
“I know.” Bucky licked over the red bite mark soothingly, tucking his head again so Steve didn't feel like he was being reprimanded. Even only partial shifted, pheromones and hormones ran high, and the last thing he wanted was to push Steve into feeling like a sub, when he was so obviously an Alpha in every sense of the word.
“Easier for my Wolf to want to snuggle.” He continued, pulling Steve closer against him. “Pack animal, remember? Different for you, for your Lion. I get it. Difficult cause I'm canine. We're alright. Just give it a minute.”
“Yeah.” Steve's breathing was slowing, and he started moving his hands in easy circles over Bucky's back. “This is... good, I think. The physical contact? Think I like it with you.”
“Yeah. Yeah I think I like it with you too.” Bucky wove their legs together and after several minutes of breathing each other in, they slept.
***************
***************
“You smell like each other.” Tony commented when they came into the lab a few days later, and Bucky and Steve exchanged cautious looks.
“Um--”
“I like it.” Tony put his tablet down and joined them on the couch, sitting right on Bucky's lap but reaching for Steve, pressing his nose into Steve's neck and taking a deep breath.
“Oh.” Bucky said in surprise. Tony had never done this , willingly reached out for them in human form. Even after they cuddled with his cat, it was always Bucky or Steve who had to initiate a hug, and Tony just allowed it, always stepping away after a few minutes.
But this was nice and Steve's eyes were glazing over a little as Tony burrowed closer into him, his lips brushing against Steve's throat as he took a few more breaths of their combined scents. He wiggled happily on Bucky's lap, and Bucky carefully rested his hands on Tony's hips, feeling them shift beneath his fingers as he moved.
“Okay?” Tony asked uncertainly, and Bucky leaned forward to press his nose behind Tony's ear in an affectionate gesture.
“Anything is okay, Tony. Whatever you want. Want to do this all day or do you still need to shift?”
“This is fine.” Steve interrupted and threaded his fingers through Tony's soft hair, keeping him pressed close against him. “Don't need to shift. Let's just do this .”
Bucky couldn't help the jealous curl of possessive that moved through him watching Steve enjoy having Tony so close, but refused to let it surface, keeping his expression carefully blank as he wouldn't upset either of them.
“No, Buck's right.” Tony pulled away reluctantly. “I still need to shift. I'll be right back.”
Before he moved from Bucky's lap, he ducked his head into the canines neck and breathed in deep, a little moan catching in his throat, and Bucky's eyes dilated to nearly black with want , his arms slipping around Tony's waist to hold him for a moment.
When Tony finally moved, heading to the bathroom to change and shift, Steve scooted closer until they were pressed together, and Bucky rested his left arm over Steve's shoulders lightly.
“Didn't realize our scents combined.”
“Makes sense. Been sharing a bed for a few days. Surprised no one else has commented on it.”
“Actually, Clint has been looking like he might explode if he doesn't say something annoying soon, so maybe he has noticed and is terrified to say anything.”
“He should be.” Bucky growled a little, and Steve laughed.
They still hadn't talked about what they were doing sharing a bed. They hadn't tried kissing, or even really snuggling, just lying next to each other with their legs touching. Steve was sleeping better, his Lions need for touch being satisfied. Bucky was sleeping perfectly , always happier sleeping with a pack member then by himself.
And maybe this was enough-- both Alpha shifters being close to each other after being close to Tony. They might not need to try and take it further, maybe they didn't need to worry that being with Tony would require being with each other--
--but maybe it would.
Neither one of them were ready to think about that yet.
At least...at least they didn’t think so.
Tony reappeared then, making a beeline for their laps and stretching out happily, so they quit thinking about each other and focused on getting their hands all over the pretty black cat.
“You're beautiful like this, Tony.” Steve said after a few minutes, and Tony stopped mid purr, staring up at him in surprise. “Don't look so shocked.” Steve teased, finally completely at ease talking to the cat, knowing Tony could understand everything he said, even if he couldn't reply. “You know you're beautiful. All black and silky. Gorgeous.”
In response the cat climbed his chest as fast as he could, burying his little face in the crook of Steve's neck and purring louder, his rough tongue licking over the sensitive skin.
“Oh my gosh.” Steve held him up higher, letting him curl closer, and Bucky just grinned watching them. “Tony… um, this is---” he shot a helpless look at Bucky who just shrugged. “He's licking me.” He mouthed. “He's so sweet!”
“Makes me wish I'd told him he was beautiful first.” Bucky joked, starting to feel jealous again as he petted Tony's back gently. “You gonna share some of those snuggles, sugar, or is it all about Steve today?”
Tony switched instantly, going limp and falling into Bucky's hands carelessly, fully trusting the soldier not to drop him. Bucky brought the little feline up to his own neck, rubbing their noses together lightly before encouraging Tony snuggle into him. The cat shifted purred and whined happily, his little tongue like sandpaper making Bucky shiver.
Bucky eased his arm out from around Steve and patted his lap. “Why don't you stretch out here, put your head on my lap and I'll put Tony on your chest. Then we can all touch, huh? Seems like our boy wants to be close to both of us today.”
Steve stripped off his sweater and lay down across Bucky's legs, their eyes meeting and then skidding away when Steve's hand landed high on Bucky's leg as he tried to get comfortable. Then Bucky gently placed Tony down on Steve's broad chest, and the cat curled into a tiny ball and closed his eyes, purring sleepily.
Bucky wove one hand through Steve's short hair, checking to make sure it wouldn't set the Lion off, and rested the other on Tony's back. “There we go. This is perfect.”
“Perfect.” Steve replied, and Tony's tail just twitched a little, his eyes closed tight as he slept.
******************
Bucky woke with a start, eyes jerking open as he tried to orient himself.
They were all still in the lab, his hand resting in Steve's hair, and the blond was snoring quietly. Bucky grinned down at him, letting Steve's hair fall through the fingers of one hand as he rubbed his other down Tony's back slowly, relishing the feel of lean muscles and bare skin and--
---and-and-and holy fuck Tony was naked.
While they were all sleeping, Tony had apparently shifted back to human and was lying bare naked between Steve's legs, fingers curled into Steve's t shirt, his head resting over his heart.
“Tony.” Bucky whispered, and swallowed hard, unable to keep his eyes from drifting down his back, over the curve of that perfect ass, and down long legs. His Wolf stirred, the need to touch and claim rising inside him.“Fucking hell, Tony.”
Steve's eyes opened at his whispered exclamation, brow furrowing as he tried to remember where they were. “Buck are we still--” his eyes widened, then shot through with gold as he realized why he was so heavy and warm, and who was lying on top of him.
“When did he shift?” Steve wanted to know, trying hard to keep his voice from rumbling as his Lion tried to come forward. “Is he awake? What the hell are we supposed to do?”
Bucky shook his head quickly, dismayed when he felt his teeth sharpening, the idea of another Alpha shifter so close to his intended mate making him angry.
But oh, that thought brought him up short. Tony as his intended mate?
Yes. His Wolf growled and Bucky swallowed hard, scraping his tongue over the quickly growing length of fangs in his mouth. My mate.
“Buck, I need to get out of here.” Steve managed to say, working to keep his voice low as his own fangs made an appearance, digging into his bottom lip. “Tony-- mine --want to--”
“I know.” Bucky nodded, trying not to snarl at the Lion saying Tony was his. “We can't fight about this. We cannot , Steve. He will kill us.”
“Stop talking, I'm napping.” Tony mumbled sleepily, and they both snapped their mouths shut, looking down at him. “What could you two possibly be arguing about right now?”
He yawned loudly and started to sit up, then stopped and looked down between his and Steve's body. “Oh, oh hey , I'm naked.” Tony's surprise was so comical that some of the tension dissipated, and Bucky was able to take a breath without feeling like he needed to throw his head back and howl.
“You shifted back to human while we were sleeping.” he explained, keeping his eyes firmly trained on Tony's face and not the rest of him. “Do you usually do that?”
“Not usually. Sorry about that. Um, I didn't expect that to happen.” Seemingly unfazed, and completely oblivious to the state both the other shifters were in, Tony reached for a blanket from the floor and covered his nakedness, sliding off of Steve and headed for the rest of his clothes.
As soon as he was out of the room, Bucky pushed Steve right off his lap and onto the floor, jumping to his feet and pacing anxiously.
“Need to leave.” Steve said as he struggled to his feet, barely coherent as the Lion pressed forward even more, the muscles in his chest and arms straining to control the shift.
“Yep.” Bucky snapped, his teeth popping as his jaw started aching with the need to stretch, to make room for fangs. “Need to leave now.”
“Definitely can't leave you here with him. Not even sure I can walk up the stairs with you.” Steve admitted, clenching his fists and then flinching as his claws cut into his palms. “What the hell are we gonna do?”
“Two exits.” Bucky mumbled. “Can ask FRIDAY to lock both behind us. Both of us have to leave, neither one of us can get back in. It will work.”
“Yeah, yeah alright.”
So that's what they did.
Bucky took off in one direction, and Steve took off in the other, both of them yelling for FRIDAY to seal the doors behind them.
Steve didn't make it more than a hundred yards before he fell into his shift, his Lion roaring with the need to go back and claim his mate.
Bucky had a little more control over his wolf, but still looked wild enough as he ran past the common area that Clint yelped and flung nachos at him in a hilariously messy, but entirely unfruitful attempt to keep the Wolf from charging him.
Completely unaware of what had happened, Tony reappeared fully dressed from the bathroom, more than ready for some post-shift hugs, but both the other shifters were gone.
So he put his sunglasses on and started working on his current project, trying to convince himself that they hadn't left because he'd shifted down into human.
Surely they hadn't left because they didn't want to cuddle him as a human right? It had been fine cuddling a little when he was dressed, so maybe it was because he had been naked? Maybe he had been reading their signals wrong. Maybe they only wanted to bond with his cat because of pack mentality? Maybe they hadn't really liked it when he tried to snuggle and scent them before and had been just humouring him.
It was going on three weeks now of Tony being stuck in a partial shift and he was tired of it.
The longer he was in a half-cat state the more he struggled to talk normally, to have regular sleep cycles, and even to control his emotions. He had Steve and Bucky at the ready at all times to drop what they were doing and hold him, but it was really starting to wear on him.
Conversations were getting harder, Tony was spending more and more time asleep and then waking up in tears because he needed to work, and even though he never called it their fault again--
--it was very much their fault, and they felt terrible.
Bucky wasn't expecting to find Rhodes in the lab when he went looking for Tony to see if they could spend some naked time together, but there the colonel was, passed out on the couch with Tony dead asleep next to him, their arms wrapped right around each other, Tony's head buried in Rhodey's chest.
“Hey did you find-- oh .” Steve pulled up short next to him. “Those two are just friends, right?”
“Right.” Bucky nodded slowly, and motioned Steve back several feet so they wouldn't disturb the nap. “Pretty sure. I mean, I'm pretty sure that they-- yeah. They're just friends. I think.”
“And they sleep together?” Steve raised his eyebrows. “Like that?”
“You know Tony needs the extra sleep right now.” Bucky countered. “Besides, Rhodes says they used to share a bed in MIT all the time. Felines need extra cuddles, you know?”
“But… platonic, right?”
“I guess so.” Bucky cleared his throat a little uncomfortably. “I understand wanting someone in your bed for physical comfort. Like we used to, right? Whether its...platonic? Or-- or not.”
“Yeah.” Steve looked down at the floor, then out the window- anywhere to avoid Bucky's eyes. Then, “I miss you, Bucky.” he blurted. “I miss… you . You moved out of our room, and now we can hardly be around each other without Tony there, and I hate that. It's like we're barely even friends anymore and I hate it.”
“I miss you too.” Bucky admitted. “You're my best friend, Steve. As great as things are with Tony, this isn't easy on me to not have you all the time too.”
“You're my best friend too.” Steve said quietly. “But weren't we… weren't we trying for more than that?”
Silence, for long enough that Steve started thinking that he had said something terribly wrong.
“Yeah. Yeah we were.” Bucky wasn't looking at him when he finally spoke again. “Ain't easy, not being able to be around my best friend cause our animals are too territorial. We’ve got to figure out a way to deal with that so we don't lose Tony.”
“I don't want lose us either, Buck. Of course Tony is everything to me but… so are you. Don't want to lose that because our shifts can't deal.” Bucky grunted in agreement. “So can we try it all again?” Steve pressed. “Sharing a bed? Sleeping in the same room at least? These last few times with Tony have been… good, and I know we've been trying to get closer but--”
“Yeah.” Bucky interrupted. “I mean, having Tony between us is--”
“Right. But you and I--”
“We should try--”
They each took a deep breath, then laughed at each other's sheepish expression.
“Will you come back to our room tonight?” Steve finally asked. “We don't have to try the bed thing, but maybe just sleeping in the same space.”
“Will your Lion let me? You're awfully quick to shift anytime we get close.” Bucky said uneasily. “The last thing anyone needs is us destroying a room because we can't handle being around each other.”
“I will try to let you.” Steve nodded. “I want this, I want… whatever this is. Whatever it will be with Tony, and you might have to help corral my Lion a little bit, but---”
Bucky was smiling then, reaching out to place his left hand on the back of Steve's neck, pulling him forward until their foreheads touched, and Steve shivered at the cool metal on his skin. “This alright?” Bucky asked cautiously. “Let me know if your Lion can't handle it.”
“More.” Steve said softly, even as his eyes shaded to gold and his voice deepened.
“Yeah?” Bucky flexed his fingers, the gears in his arm re-calibrating his hold to pull Steve closer, and then closer again until their chests were nearly touching. “Alright?”
Steve made a noise that was almost a purr, his hands coming up to grip Bucky's waist. “I've missed you.” He mumbled. “I know we've never really done anything, but I missed you.”
Bucky wrapped his right arm around Steve's shoulders, pressing tighter against his forehead, their noses brushing each other. “We can do this.” Bucky breathed. “Just like this, huh?” Steve nodded and Bucky closed his eyes. “Can I have more?” Another quick nod, and Bucky started nosing over Steve's face gently until the blonde tilted his head up and their lips almost met.
“Can't go back from this.” Steve said slowly, his fingers tracing circles into Bucky's side. “This will change us and our bond with Tony.”
“It'll be alright.” Bucky murmured. “I want this too. Not gonna let you get away from me.”
“Not gonna let you get away from me.” Steve retorted, and Bucky's fangs dropped in response to the growl from the Lion.
“Not a dominance contest.” He warned. “Not between us. Not over Tony. Chill out.”
“I know.” Steve's eyes were melting gold, hot and eager. “I still kinda want to fight you. Pin you to the bed.”
Bucky growled a little louder when Steve pushed into him, forcing him back a step into a desk. “Easy, easy, we can't do this in the lab.” But his eyes lit as his Wolf stirred, glowing electric blue. “Want to pin you too, on the floor, make you submit .”
“You'll have to fight me for that.” Steve whispered. “Not gonna let you take me without a fight.”
“Alpha.” Bucky whispered the word and Steve's whole body reacted instantly, a jolt of arousal nearly pushing him into a partial shift right there.
“Alpha.” Steve returned, and the word came as a snarl as he closed the bit of distance between their lips to kiss him, to bite at his lips, to thrust his tongue greedily into Bucky's mouth, fingers sharpening to claws and digging into Bucky's waist.
The Wolf shifter rocked into him, grinding their hips together, and Steve muffled a curse with a hard kiss, a whine building in his throat because fuck he’d never even thought about how big Bucky was but now they were shoved together and he could feel Bucky thick against his thigh and... and...damn .
“Easy…” Bucky murmured and loosened his hold on Steve's neck. “Come out of your shift, we still need to focus on Tony. Come on. Don't want to stop this, but we can't do it right now. Focus on Tony.”
“Tony.” Steve agreed and closed his eyes, visibly making an attempt at pulling his Lion back. “Thank you.” he said.
Bucky just bumped their foreheads together comfortingly.“I got you.” They stayed close for another moment, letting their animals get used to the shared space, letting themselves soak up the comfort that always came with each other, and now the new that was sparking between them.
“You two done over there? Or do I have to keep pretending to be asleep?” Rhodey asked from the couch without opening his eyes, and Tony started laughing, his tail twitching in merriment.
“Thought you punks were out.” Bucky growled and Tony just laughed harder.
“Dammit .” Steve muttered self consciously. “Course they were awake for that.”
Bucky brushed a short kiss over his lips.“Stevie. We alright?”
“Yeah.” Steve nodded and Bucky smiled at him, before linking their hands and pulling him towards the couch.
“Looks like your boys more than made up.” Rhodes teased and Tony buried his face further to hide his grin.
“Like it. My boys playing well together.” Tony mumbled into Rhodey's shoulder. “Bout damn time.”
The Colonel laughed up at the soldiers.“Yeah, I hear you two are pretty whipped. I definitely got a picture from Barton that involved you guys feeding Tony his breakfast. Big scary Alpha shifters, aren't you?”
Steve started to protest but Bucky silenced him with a quick look, and they both just shrugged.“Call it whatever you want.” Steve amended. “As long as Tony's happy.”
“Oh my god, I can hear the whip being cracked.” Rhodey shouted with laughter and Tony dug his claws into his chest in annoyance.
“Don't tease.” Tony whined. “I need lots...today and I want them, um, good mood.” he cursed in frustration over the halting speech, and Rhodey petted his hair soothingly.
Bucky and Steve exchanged guilty glances as they heard Tony struggling to put sentences together. The longer he was partial shifted, the worse his speech got, the more frustrated he became. It was getting hard to understand him, and they each murmured soft, comforting things towards him.
“Well, I'm going to leave for the part where you three play together. After that little scene in the corner, I feel like this can only get worse from here.” Rhodes started untangling himself from Tony, who whined dramatically.
“But honeybear!!”
“He's a whole ball of needy today.” Rhodes clapped them on their shoulders as he passed. “Have fun with that.”
Tony sat up grumpily, scratching behind one of his black ears. “ So sick of being partial. Somebody better get over here and hold me.”
“Such high maintenance.” Bucky teased and Tony flattened his ears to hiss at him. “Scary kitty. Vicious.”
“Don't be mad, sweetheart.” Steve lifted Tony into his arms like he didn't weigh anything. “Let's get upstairs and lay down and get you feeling better, huh? Nice long nap?”
“Wanna take the elevator?” Bucky asked with a wicked smile, trying to make up for his earlier comment. “On the way up to the nap?”
Tony wiggled happily in Steve's arms. “Yes.”
*******************
*******************
It had been Clint's idea for Steve and Bucky to shift fully into their animals and spend some down time with Tony.
He had explained that when Natasha had a hard time shifting down from her dragon, if he let his Hawk free, then shifted slowly back into partial and back into human it could ease the way for her to complete the steps as well.
No one really understood the science behind shifting, or why it was easier for some and harder for others, but it sounded like a valid idea, and both the Alpha shifters were ready to try anything at this point.
So right now Tony was curled up on his floor, one hand buried in the thick hair of the Lion's mane, the other running absentmindedly through the Wolfs silver fur, and both the big shifters were growling and rumbling comfortingly.
“I like this.” Tony announced, speaking slowly so he could think about and enunciate every word. “Like having giant pets. Giant breathing pillows. Huge bed that will...take…me wherever I want to go.”
Too content just being touched by their almost-mate, neither the Lion or the Wolf even twitched, just sighed a little and closed their eyes. They felt awful every time Tony couldn't find the word he needed, and were willing to do anything to bring him out of his partial, even if it meant shifting to and from their animals over and over for days.
“Can we talk, like this?” Tony said then, and tightened his hold on them. “Because I--I want both of you. And now I know you both want me… I want to bond with each of you. Both of you.” The words were coming slowly, with difficulty, and Tony closed his eyes in frustration. “You guys…get it?”
Bucky's head lifted and he whined a little, glancing at the Lion, who made a huffing noise, pressing his big nose into Tony's leg.
“I don't know exactly how that would... work, but I want to try.” Tony continued. “I just can't...while partial… no good. Need to be Tony, not cat. Get everything working again.” He sighed. “Need to be human again. Yeah?”
Steve grumbled and flopped his big head back down and Tony laughed, scratching behind his ears and kissing his head. Bucky barked softly and Tony gave him the same treatment, landing a soft kiss on his muzzle.
“Sleep now, huh? Maybe a miracle…wake up human again.”
He stretched out in the middle of them on a big pile of pillows and blankets, and both the shifters scooted as close as they could without crushing him, nosing over his neck and chest with soft breaths until he pushed them away with a laugh.
Tony flopped over onto his stomach, tucking his tail close to his legs, sharp claws against pillows so he wouldn't accidentally scratch himself, and closed his eyes.
After he was asleep, Bucky lifted his head and stared at Steve.
Our mate.
It was less of a thought Bucky sent into the air and more of a feeling and the Lions gold eyes shimmered as he felt it in his mind.
Tony. Ours.
********************
The furious screaming of an animal in pain had Natasha and Clint both racing for Tony's room, Vision taking off and simply phasing through the floors in between the common area and the penthouse.
“Tony! Tony!!” Clint broke the door down, and he and Tasha ran in as Vision came through the floor, Natasha bursting into a partial shift, ready to tear someone apart for trying to hurt Tony.
But--but--nothing was wrong.
Unless you counted the two Alpha shifters still in animal form, curled protectively around a tiny black cat, who was screeching at the top of his lungs as the Lion licked all the way up it's back, leaving every piece of fur sticking up the wrong way.
The Wolf was snuffling and huffing over the messed up hair then, licking it down the other way.
“They're… they're grooming him.” Natasha actually had to cover her mouth so she wouldn't scream with laughter at the ridiculous picture the three shifters made.
“We should just be glad Tony is able to move between his shifted forms once again. He will be pleased to be human again.” Vision allowed himself a small smile before disappearing back downstairs.
It took Clint a full three minutes to get himself off the floor and back under control so he could pull his phone out and snap a picture.
For blackmail science.
Grooming habits of Alpha shifters and their house cats.
Definitely science.
*******************
That night, Bucky and Steve lay in separate beds in their room, staring up at the ceiling and thinking about Tony, trying to keep their minds from straying to what had happened between them earlier.
“I'm so glad Tony was able to shift again.” Steve finally said, feeling like Tony was a safe topic, a good segue into what they really wanted to talk about. “A real relief, you know?”
Bucky nodded. “I was starting to get worried about him. So stupid of us, setting him off like that. Getting out of control like that.”
“I'm sorry.” Steve muttered. “I'm sorry about what happened with Tony and me, Buck. I swear. I swear I didn't mean for it to go that far, and once it did I couldn't stop myself. Didn't want to stop myself. I didn't think until later how you would feel about--”
“Are we?” Steve asked, clearing his throat before plunging right over the edge into The Talk. “Because you are lying awfully far away from me.”
Bucky made a soft, hopeful noise and when he sat up to look over at him, Steve nodded quickly, just once, moving over in the bed to make room.
Bucky came over slowly, giving Steve's Lion plenty of time to adjust to his proximity as he slid between the sheets, and up against Steve's body.
“Alright?” he kept asking. “You alright, Stevie? We good?”
“I'm fine.” Steve assured him, but he was stiff as a board, trying to keep his instincts at bay. He had such a hard time with being close to the canine shifter, and he hated it. But biology was too hard to ignore, and a growl started working through his throat, his nails lengthening to claws that dug into Bucky's side.
“What can I do to make this easier?” Bucky asked cautiously. “Tell me how I can help.”
“Just… slow.” Steve grit out. “Give me a minute.”
“As much time as you need.” Bucky assured him, and settled down to wait.
“Come here.” Steve reached for him after a moment. “Can you just…I need--” Bucky ducked his head in a submission pose and Steve's eyes started turning gold. “No, no, no don't submit , I need you to make me-- take the choice out of my hands.”
Oh.
Bucky shifted, sniffed at Steve's neck lightly, then snapped his teeth shut over the crook of Steve's neck, growling low and tugging lightly on the muscle until Steve went limp, curling into Bucky's chest and rumbling in relief.
“Better?” Bucky ran his hand through Steve's hair, smoothed down his back. “Alright?”
“Thanks.” Steve forced a breath out. “Got to force the Lion back sometimes. Too quick to shift.”
“I got you.” Bucky comforted. “You good?”
“Yeah.” Steve signed and relaxed every further his arms looping around Bucky's waist and drawing him closer. “Missed this.”
Trying out a new smut scene for Smitten Kitten Chapter Ten Something I've never written before with elements I don't usually include so hopefully HOPEFULLY I can manage to write it without sounding like a total newb 🙄🙄🙄 Everyone just say nice things when I post it tonight lol
“Are you leaving again so soon?” May peeked her head into Peter’s room and sighed when she saw him packing. “You’ve only been home for a few days! What are you doing out there in the woods, building a house?”
“I wish.” Peter smiled up at her from the floor. “As much time as I’ve spent out there, a roof over my head would be nice.”
“What are you--” May hesitated, then closed the door and crossed the room to kneel next to him. “Peter, what are you doing out there? At first you said you were just hiking, then it was camping, then it was exploring and now you don’t even tell me that. You come home whenever you want and then are racing back off as soon as you can-- I know you aren’t comfortable in the village during mating season, but that ended almost six weeks ago and you are still leaving all the time. What are you doing out there?”
“You uh--” Peter took a deep breath. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Try me!” she challenged, raising her eyebrows. “You’ve been my boy since you were seven, there isn’t anything you could say that would shock me, Peter. Go on. Tell me the truth.”
“There’s a dragon shifter in the hills.” Peter said slowly. “His name is Wade and he’s been stuck in his shifted form for almost three hundred years. He’s the dragon the history books talk about during the war, the one who shifted and burned an entire army to their bones before flying off and disappearing. He landed in the hills here and I ran into him this spring.”
May’s mouth dropped and Peter rushed on, “He can camouflage himself, and fly and breathe fire and see for miles and he’s massive. He’s got these big golden eyes and claws sharp enough to shred pretty much anything, and he can project his voice into my head, his voice and pictures and he showed me what he’d looked like before shifting and he was gorgeous and I might be the tiniest bit in love with him, but since he’s full dragon and I’m...not... we just spend the days exploring and talking because he’s super lonely and I’m super lonely and its nice to not feel like alone anymore.”
He blurted it all out and sucked in a deep breath at the end, knotting his fingers and waiting for May to say something.
“Well.” she remarked after several minutes of stunned silence. “I had imagined several different answers to my question, but I can confirm that you secretly meeting a centuries old dragon shifter was not long my list.”
“Told you.” Peter muttered.
“i mean, I thought maybe you were trying to find the wizard that supposedly lives in the hills to see if he could change you so you could shift!” May threw up her hands. “You’ve been cavorting with a dragon?!”
“A wizard?” He wrinkled his nose. “That seems a little far fetched, don’t you think?”
“And you stumbling upon a dragon is perfectly rational.” She rolled her eyes at him. “Peter Benjamin Parker, why couldn’t you be meditating and growing your hair long like everyone else who sojourns into the woods? Only you could find that last remaining dragon shifter that was supposed to die about two hundred years ago!”
“You aren’t mad?” he asked meekly.
“Well, I’m understandably shocked!” May’s tiger stripes rippled across her skin, eyes flicking gold for a second as her shift moved forward in agitation. “Peter, you could be really hurt doing this!”
“I think if Wade was going to eat me, he’d have done it by now.” Peter went back to packing. “And if he was trying to get rid of me, he would have done it by now. He likes me, May. And I like him.”
“Oh.” Her voice dropped. “Oh I see. You like him.”
“Don’t worry., I know he’s a dragon.” He grinned. “Well aware that there’s no possible way for anything to work while he’s in that form.”
“Oh thank god.” May covered her mouth. “I was afraid we were going to have another sex talk just so you’d understand that there is no way possible for you to--”
“LA LA LA LA LA LA!!!!” Peter shouted, covering his ears. “Please god do not finish that sentence!!!”
“I just had to make sure!” May defended herself. “I’ve been around boys before Peter, I know you will stick yourself in anything with a hole so--”
“LALALALALALALALALALALALA!!!!!” Peter shrieked. “STOP TALKING NOW!”
“Oh cut that out.” She was laughing now, pulling his hands form his ears. “I won’t finish the sentence as long as you can assure me that you aren’t trying anything stupid.”
“Uh, not stupid like that.” he griped. “I told you. We spend alot of time talking and when I hike he goes with me and--”
“--And it’s nice to spend time with someone who doesn’t care that you can’t shift.” May finished. “Because he can’t shift either, so it doesn’t matter.”
“...Right.”
“Something to think about.” May started folding his shirts and handing them to him to pack. “There have been dozens and dozens of cases of people who can’t shift at all mating a strong shifter and taking on their characteristics, sometimes to the point of giving them a partial shift like their mates.”
Peter froze. “What do you mean by that?”
“I mean, that if your dragon ever manages to shift down to human long enough for you to bond, you might end up developing a partial dragon shift.”
“A p-p-partial dragon shift??” Peter’s voice went high and squeaky. “Are you serious?”
“It only happens with the wilder shifts.” May kept talking as if Peter was starting to freak out. “Bears, wolves, that sort of thing. I’d imagine a dragon shifter has so much power in their shift that it would be almost impossible not to share that with their mate, especially if their mate has no shift of their own.”
“I could dragon shift?”
“Partially, at least.” She handed him another shirt. “But only if he could shift down to human first.”
“Oh my god.”
“Try to come home sooner this time, I miss you when you aren’t around.” May leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Have fun in the woods, darling.”
