If you are fairly familiar with Marvel characters, you should be fine. I mostly use the cinematic universe (movies) but there are a couple passing characters from the comics. I wish there was a choice for just Marvel in the movies section because I'm taking characters from Hulk and Captain America too. Ah well.
Tony listened to the yammering of the humans with half an ear. It was mid-day, just after lunch, and that meant the sun had finally dipped low enough to reach the plush couch in his human's office. Tony was warm and comfortable in his spot. He blinked golden eyes and yawned while stretching. One of the humans, a blond man who had shared his shrimp with the cat during lunch, paused as he walked past to scratch behind the feline's ears before hurrying away with a packet of papers in his arms. Tony looked over to check on his human but could easily see that Pepper was deep in some administrative duty. The wide desk she sat behind was strewn with documents and her assistants and fellow bureaucrats were crowded around, very serious expressions on their faces. Tony knew he would be scolded quite badly if he jumped up there to demand attention from his human.
The black cat sighed and rolled over. Tony knew from experience that Pepper would not be free until dinner and might even then do paperwork after eating. A sudden glint of light caught his attention. Something glittered in the sunlight on the floor and Tony let curiosity pull him from the couch and his warm spot. The feline peeked around the elaborate painted screen and found a golden aspen leaf. He wondered where it had come from as it was the height of summer and reached forward to pick the leaf up delicately by the stem. It was heavier than the cat expected and Tony fumbled it back onto the floor. He pawed at the leaf carefully and realized it was actually made out of gold. The golden leaf was elegantly veined like a real leaf, showing the skill of true master craftsmen. "Lady Potts, please be reasonable!" cried one of the men crowding his human's desk and Tony picked the leaf carefully up with his mouth and trotted out of the office.
Tony walked through the sprawling manor with his prize, deftly dodging busy servants and hurrying pages. He slipped through a door and turned to paw it closed behind him. The living room was large and the sliding doors were open to the garden where a pond sparkled in the sunlight and a fountain calmly trickled water. A pile of floor pillows surrounded the low table in the center of the room. Tony crossed the room to a big cabinet against the wall. The decorative lattice door was hanging open and the feline wiggled inside. In the dimness of the cabinet's bottom shelf was an old silk pillow and a pile of treasures. Tony added the gold leaf to his collection, nudging it into place with his nose.
The treasures included pink and pearly seashells from the coast, a three day journey away by horse, nestled in a pile of jade beads. Tiny elaborate animals carved from wood and bone marched among paper flowers and a fan painted with the image of the goddess of the moon. There was a stack of small carved bamboo boxes and a little hand-stitched ragdoll in a silk dress that slumped in the corner, smelling of fine herbs. A small mountain of iridescent rocks and glittering stones threatened to roll all over the place, only kept in check by a hollowed and ornately carved deer antler. Silver amulets and gold rings were hidden under the pillow with carved gems and thin ropes of gold. A tin whistle sat next to a red clay ocarina, although Tony never dared to play either so close to humans. The noise might cause someone to come investigate and that would end in disaster.
Having added the leaf to his treasures and made sure everything was as it should be, Tony left his cabinet and began his rounds. The feline patrolled the manor for any small rodents and other vermin. He checked the bedrooms and the kitchen before inspecting the storeroom. A stroll through the garden yielded a mouse and an unwary bird for an afternoon snack. The sun had begun to dip in the western sky before Tony deemed it time for dinner and returned to the manor from his wandering. A servant was lighting lanterns as the other magistrates and officials were leaving in their carriages and carts. Tony's human stood proud and beautiful on the front porch, her pale silk robe stitched with lotus blossoms. "Thank you for coming, Magistrate Coulson," Pepper was saying as Tony emerged from the shadows.
"It was my pleasure, Lady Potts. I'm only sorry everyone couldn't come to an agreement," said a man in plain dark pants and a tunic lined with white silk. Another man stood to the side and slightly behind the first and Tony recognized him as the secretary that had snuck him a piece of shrimp during lunch. The feline brushed against the blond man's leg in greeting.
"These things take time," Tony's human said wisely. Tony sat by Pepper's feet and narrowed his golden eyes. Several of the people loitering in the front yard gave Pepper envious looks, their eyes dropping to stare greedily at Tony. Others gave the black cat nervous glances and hurried to leave. A broad man with a balding head sneered at the feline and Tony glared back at him as he climbed into his carriage and disappeared down the street.
"See you next month?" Coulson was asking.
"Of course," Pepper replied. "Have a safe journey and luck be with you."
"Luck be with you," Coulson intoned, turning away. "Come Clint."
The blond man who had shared his shrimp followed, looking over his shoulder to wave at Tony. "Goodnight, lucky cat," Clint called. Tony favored him with a meow in return and watched them climb into their cart and drive away. All across the town, lanterns were being lit as night fell and the heat of summer leached away. The oil street lamps were being lit by the road crew and the city gates were being shut by the guards. People were still out and about, on their way to the tavern to drink or doing last minute errands, and each person peeked into the front yard as Pepper sent the last of her visitors on their way, the gawker's eyes inevitably landing on the black cat by her feet.
One of the manor's clerks, a woman with red hair, came out to stand on the porch with another lantern to keep the darkness at bay. Finally, all of the guests had gone and the front gate was closed for the night. They went back into the manor and Pepper gave a great big sigh as she leaned back against the door. "Ah, Natasha, what a day. I've never seen a bunch of argumentative men as that group."
The redheaded woman's lips curled in a subdued smile as she led the way down the hallway with her lantern. "You handled it well, my lady," Natasha praised quietly. "I had the cook prepare you a meal. It is waiting for you in the living room. Do try to eat without being sidetracked by paperwork."
Pepper chuckled as they entered the living room, the room lit by the warm glow of candle and lantern. "What would I do without you, Natasha?" Tony slipped under the low table as his human gracefully knelt upon a pillow, golden eyes glittering in the gloom.
"Starve, probably, my lady," Natasha replied drily. Pepper laughed in response, removing the lids to the dishes upon the table. The scent of fried fish and braised beef made Tony's mouth water. "Enjoy your meal, my lady." The clerk quietly closed the door, the lamplight flickering oddly in her green eyes. Tony's tail flicked but he was quickly distracted by his human placing a bowl upon the floor. The bowl was full of fish and strips of veggies with a small nugget of beef and Tony gobbled it down happily while Pepper skimmed a distracted hand down his back.
The cat licked his whiskers and left the empty food bowl to collapse against Pepper's side, purring appreciatively. She startled a little, drawn out of her thoughts, and smiled down at the cat. "My lucky cat," Pepper cooed, stroking along Tony's ribs. "I can't believe you turned 7 years old this year. Will you bring luck to my house and the city?" Tony pushed his head into her palm and purred louder. Pepper gave a fond chuckle and scooped the feline up to cradle him in her lap. Tony curled up and sighed happily. [You have nothing to worry about as long as I am here and I will never leave you,] thought the cat.
As Tony suspected, after eating Pepper returned to her office to do paperwork and scrutinize her documents. Natasha brought her tea and wished her a good evening. A maid quietly came in and swept the floor before leaving again. Tony sprawled on the corner of the desk while his human scratched behind his ears absentmindedly and worked through the evening. The manor became silent as its occupants took to their bedrooms and slept. The oil in the lamp burned down low as the moon rose over the wall of the garden and shone cool and silver across the rugs. Tony watched it creep higher and then turned to stare at his human, golden eyes glimmering. Pepper yawned delicately and Tony stared intently, a soft purring rumbling through the room. His human yawned again and blinked sleepily. She set down her pen and tidied her papers with a third yawn. "I think that is enough for tonight, my dear Tony. Time for bed," announced Pepper.
Tony followed her on silent paws as Pepper took her lamp and walked through the empty halls of the manor to her bedroom. Soon his human was nestled in bed and Tony purred gently from where he was curled up by her hip. The feline waited a couple minutes for Pepper's breathing to slow and deepen. "Sleep," he murmured softly, "sleep and dream. Sleep deeply until the sun rises. Do not wake. Do not stir. Sleep, sleep, sleep." The feline quietly left Pepper's bedroom and wandered the hallways. "Sleep, sleep. Do not wake. Do not stir." The clerks and pages and servants settled more heavily in their beds as the black cat passed by their doors. "Sleep, sleep deeply until the sun rises. Sleep."
The cat returned to the living room when everyone in the manor was sleeping deeply in their bed, certain to remain there until morning, and sat in the beam of moonlight coming through the sliding doors. Tony hissed as his fur bristled and then gasped as pain rippled down his body as his muscles and bones contorted. Soon the cat was replaced by a man with golden eyes and a pair of triangle ears among the ruffled dark hair on top of his head. Tony blinked the room back into focus and swayed up onto his knees from an ungainly sprawl. He glanced back at two slim black tails that appeared at the base of his spine and grinned, a neat beard around his mouth. Tony stood carefully, stumbling and a little uncertain on two feet, and walked toward his cabinet. He opened it and took a plain dark robe from one of the shelves. The old silk pillow and his treasures were still hidden away on the bottom shelf as he had left them.
Tony slipped on the robe and went to the sliding doors to search the garden with his eyes. He gave a disappointed pout, not finding what he was looking for, and left the living room for the kitchen. He walked silently through the darkened hallways and raided the kitchen for snacks and sweet liquor. The dark haired man then returned to the living room and sat on the landing, setting his food and drink aside. A shape on the smooth wooden floor, wholly out of place, caught Tony's attention and he reached forward to pick up the little ivory cat that had somehow appeared on the living room floor. He ran his thumb over the carving and smiled. The ivory cat had a paw lifted in a wave and a wide grin on its face.
A soft noise made Tony's ears swivel around and he looked up. Sitting in the moonlit garden was a golden fox, its multiple tails bushy behind its back. Tony's smile widened in welcome. "Haven't you given up on me yet?"
A bloom of blue smoke erupted around the golden fox and a man stepped forward. He smiled happily, blue eyes sparkling, and hurried toward Tony. The blond cupped the cat's cheek and Tony's tipped his head up obligingly for a deep kiss. Tony wrapped his arms around the man's neck and sighed as he was pulled into a tight embrace. "I will never give up on you. Not until you come away with me," muttered the fox.
Tony shook his head, sinking the fingers of one hand into soft blond hair as the other man kissed along Tony's jaw and down his throat. "I won't leave Pepper, Steve. I just can't. She raised me from a kitten."
The blond lifted his head and pressed a kiss to Tony's temple. Steve sighed regretfully. "I know. I can wait. We will be together eventually. I can wait."
Tony gave him a sad smile and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for the gifts," he said, looking down at the ivory cat.
"Do you like them?" Steve asked, capturing one of Tony's hands and kissing at his fingers.
"Of course I like them. You don't need to spoil me so."
"It is as you deserve, my love," replied Steve, kissing Tony's pulse point on his wrist. The dark haired man blushed and pulled away his hand. Steve gave him a triumphant smirk.
Tony rolled his eyes. "Do you want a drink?" he asked. He poured liquor into two small cups and arranged the snacks besides where they sat.
Steve reached into his blue robe and pulled out a small bag. "I brought something for you."
"Something more?" Tony shifted forward in interest as Steve pulled the bag apart and spilled a pile of ripe blackberries across the floor. "Blackberries!" exclaimed Tony happily. He picked up a dark shiny berry and popped it into his mouth with relish. "Thank you," he said, giving Steve a berry sweetened kiss. They ate the berries and snacks while drinking the liquor and watching the full moon travel higher into the velvety night sky. "My human had some interesting meetings today," Tony said later, cheeks a little flushed from drinking.
"Oh?" Steve asked absently. They had pulled the floor pillows over from the table and were reclining out on the porch, Tony with his head resting on Steve's shoulder. The fox was stroking a languid hand along the cat's arm. "What about?"
Tony pressed himself more tightly to Steve's side. "There have been more reports of demons in the mountains. Travelers and farmers are complaining and they say there is a red faced devil killing people that try to travel though the pass," he muttered. Steve sighed and Tony sat up to look worriedly down at him. "Is everything okay?"
Steve smiled wryly and nodded. "The mountains and forest are under my protection, Tony. There is nothing for you to worry about." He tried to soothe the cat by running his palm up and down Tony's back but the dark haired man was having none of it and glared at Steve.
"Is there something going on?" Tony demanded, eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
Steve sat up as well and wrapped his arms around him. "It's nothing, Tony; just a demon from another prefecture making trouble. I will handle it. It's not a big deal."
Tony curled his fingers into Steve's robe and hung on tightly. "Do you need help? Is there anything I can do? Maybe the next full moon we could go into the forest and…"
Steve interrupted him in a strained voice, "No, Tony, please. The city is your responsibility and the forest is mine. Let me take care of it." Steve kissed Tony quickly with a desperate edge. "Promise me you won't go into the forest by yourself. It's dangerous and I couldn't bear it if something happened to you."
Tony's tails lashed in agitation and then he sighed, triangle ears drooping. "If that is what you wish, I promise only if you promise you will be careful."
"I promise," Steve dutifully echoed, pressing kisses to the corner of Tony's mouth. Steve attempted to distract Tony with a walk through the manor's garden. He wove a crown of ivy leaves and moon flowers and placed it gently on Tony's head. The cat smiled unsteadily, worry still in his eyes. They headed out into the quiet late night city and strolled along the dark alleyways and down to the lazy canal that meandered through the city center. They lay on the grass and watched the moonlight sparkle on the water while Steve told a story about a tree spirit he'd once known who had liked to throw acorns at humans passing by.
A stray dog approached them curiously. Tony watched it blandly, tails flicking. The dog sniffed the air and then began to bark and growl, stalking more aggressively toward them. Steve raised his head and growled, baring his sharp fangs. The dog cringed back and scampered off with a whine. Tony giggled. They ended the night up on the roof of the manor house, leaning against each other as the full moon slowly sunk behind the horizon and the eastern sky turned steadily lighter. "May I see you again the next full moon?" asked Steve, rubbing at Tony's ear and making him purr.
"You ask me that every time and my answer is always the same; of course you may see me," Tony replied.
"It's only polite and you deserve no less," Steve murmured.
"Old fashioned goofball," teased Tony, turning his head into the blond's shoulder to hide his blush. "I'm not going to turn you away." The moon was a mere sliver at the top of the trees by now. "Although what you are doing wasting your time with some lowly cat, I don't know."
Steve frowned and set a finger under Tony's chin to lift his head. "You are not some lowly cat. You are beautiful and intelligent and take good care of your city and humans. You have a kind heart and a good, strong soul and I love you dearly, Tony." The cat's eyes grew wet, although Tony refused to let tears fall, and Steve drew him into a tender kiss. Tony licked his rough tongue across Steve's bottom lip and the fox nipped carefully back. The moon disappeared and the first beam of sunlight lanced through the trees and Tony jerked with a gasp as his body began to shrink and bend. Steve caught the disoriented cat up in his arms and gracefully jumped from the manor's roof to the garden.
Steve set Tony carefully on a floor pillow in the living room and folded the robe he'd been wearing. The blond man crossed to the cabinet in the corner and opened it to place the robe on the shelf, smiling when he saw the silk pillow and pile of treasures at the bottom. "Don't gloat," Tony said, sitting up on the cushion Steve had placed him on and licking at his ruffled fur.
Steve closed the cabinet. "I'm not gloating. I'm just… quietly pleased that you kept my gifts."
"Uh huh," Tony said in a disbelieving tone. Steve knelt in front of the cat and stroked a hand down his spine. Tony purred and licked at his thumb.
"I shall try to visit soon but if I don't see you before the next full moon then I want you to know that I will think of you every second we are apart and I love you with all my heart," Steve said softly. The sun crept over the edge of the garden wall and shone brightly into the living room.
"I love you too," Tony said, patting at his hand with his paw. A noise in the hallway drew their heads up. "You better go," whispered the cat. "Natasha wakes with the sunrise and the manor servants won't be far behind."
"Goodbye," Steve muttered. He leaned down to press a kiss between Tony's ears and then dashed off into the garden. Blue smoke erupted around him and then a golden fox was leaping the wall and disappearing into the early morning. Tony yawned and curled up on the cushion.
The door slid open a little while later and a servant entered the room to dust and tidy. She gathered up the plates and liquor bottle with a grumble about her fellow servants, unaware that these were the dishes from Tony and Steve's late night snacks. The servant ran a feather duster over everything and rearranged the floor cushions around the low table. She didn't touch the pillow Tony was sleeping on but she did roll her eyes slightly. "Lazy kitty," she muttered as she left.