Beauty and The Beast
Pairing: Steve/Tony, hinted Bruce/Thor
I hope you enjoy this. I came up with it while watching something on television. I enjoyed writing this. If you'd like a rewrite/pairing just ask and I'll look into it. Fair warning, I won't write Natasha with anyone but Clint. She belongs with him. Funny thing is that I'll write him with basically anyone.
"Let me tell you a story." The librarian, Catherine Krystal Cole, smiled at the group of children gathered around her. "This is something that happened many years ago." She tucked her long silver-blonde hair behind her ear.
"What's it called?" One of the children asked.
"It's called 'The Beauty and The Beast'." Catherine smiled warmly.
-.-.-.-
On a warm evening one faithful day, a prince ran through the town square humming to himself. He smiled as he came to the library, opening the door and going inside. The books were caked in dust and he sighed contentedly.
"Morning Steve." The librarian smiled as he took the books from the prince's hands.
"Morning Bruce." Steve then took to roaming the library idly. "Anything new?"
"There's never much new." Bruce sighed as he put the books on their respective shelves.
"You know what I meant, with him?"
Bruce blushed. "No. He asked me on a date, other than that nothing new happened."
"It's a start." Steve smiled as he pulled a few books from a nearby shelf. "I'll get these for now." He put them on the counter.
"You're good for the business, Steve." Bruce smiled as he checked the books out. "They're due in two weeks."
"As always." He tilted an imaginary hat and put the books in his arm. "See you around." He ducked out of the library and blended with the crowd.
"Perfume? Sample some perfume?" A merchant with a pink bottle walked up to him. "Would you like to sample some perfume? It'll make your true love fall for you."
"No thanks." Steve smiled as he turned away.
"Biscuits? Hot from the oven." A woman grinned. "Would you like one?"
"Sure." He handed her a copper coin and took a biscuit. "Thank you."
"The pleasure's mine." She smiled.
"Hot tea?" A blonde man walked up to him. "It'll make your systems clear."
"No thanks." Steve backed away slightly. He spotted the blacksmith house and ducked into it.
"I'm not open." A gruff voice said from near the work bench.
"Of course not Thor." Steve set his things down on the table by the door. "You never are." He teased with a grin.
"Steve!" Thor put down the blade he was working on and wiped his hands on the already black towel. "What brings you here my friend?"
"Nothing really. I visited Bruce, did you really ask him on a date?" He pulled over a small stool and sat down.
"I did." Thor nodded. "What about you, have you found a nice person?"
"My father has someone in mind." Steve smiled softly. "I'm just not sure what to think about them."
"You will know with time." Thor patted his shoulder heavily and went back to the blade. "I have to finish sanding it, and sharpening it." He said as if to answer Steve's unasked question.
Steve nodded. "I'll leave you to it." He bowed and collected his things.
The door swung open before he could even touch it. "Steven Rogers." An angry voice said as he walked inside. "Where have you been, young Prince?"
"I'm sorry Clint. I've been doing chores in the market and I thought-"
"Next time think about how worried your father will be. We couldn't find you, we specifically told you to stay close to us." Another male added as he walked in. Both he and Clint wore metal armour that covered most of their bodies, the only difference was he held his helmet in his hands while Clint held his under his arm.
"I'm sorry Sam." Steve sighed. "I'll see you around Thor."
"As you wish." Thor nodded and went back to work on his blade.
"You're coming with us." Clint took him by the wrist and led him to the horses. "He'll ride with me, Sam."
"Alright." He mounted his horse, a white horse with armour, and waited for Clint and Steve to do the same.
Clint mounted the black one and helped Steve up after himself. "Why do you always have so many books?" Clint scowled.
"I like to read in my spare time, unlike some people I have to be confined in my room most of my life." He sighed. "Just take us to the castle."
"Don't have to tell me twice." And he didn't, for Clint had already started the horses in a steady trot towards the castle.
They arrived twenty minutes later and Steve dismounted the horse. "I'm guessing father wants to see me?"
Sam followed him. "Yes. He wants to talk about your engagement."
"Who's the person?"
Clint caught up on his other side. "Her name is Natasha Romanoff."
"Have you seen her?"
"Yes." Clint smiled softly. "She is a very stunning woman. You are very lucky."
Steve nodded silently and continued down the hall to where his father was standing. "Steven!" His father beamed.
"Father." Steve knelt and stood.
"Your engagement was successful an-"
"Father I don't want to be married to a woman." Steve interrupted.
"Excuse me?"
"I do not wish to be married to a woman."
"So you wish to marry a man?" His father scoffed. "That is unacceptable! I will not have my son marry another man."
"I did not say that, Father." Steve said impatiently. "I do not wish to marry at all. If you're expecting me to be the best king I will fail, I can not take on the throne."
"You must. It is your duty as prince."
"Then maybe I'm not a prince." Steve turned and ran down the halls
"Catch him! Bring him back!"
The guards nodded and ran after him. Steve ran harder, entering the woods without looking back. He knew some of the knights were on horses. He knew that when they caught him he would be dragged back to his father and locked in his room until the night of his marriage.
He heard them loading guns, most likely tranquilizers. Then it happened. The sound of metal against metal and the flash of gold and silver as he was rammed into the ground.
The guards were yelling and his head was throbbing from when it hit. He forced his eyes to focus. His heart jumped when he saw the large silver and gold furred wolf standing atop him. It was twice his size, much larger than a normal wolf, and the sound of metal against metal echoed in his ears.
Then he realized the wolf wasn't fully a wolf. It was very much human. As human as it could be anyway. It glanced back at the guards and scooped Steve up. "Stay calm." It's voice was rough as if it hadn't been used in years.
Steve's head was spinning so he pressed his nose against the creatures neck. They were running, or flying -Steve's head hurt too much to decipher which, towards a large castle like mansion. "Who are you?"
"The names Tony." They came to a stop. "You can stay here for the night."
Steve nodded as Tony set him on his feet. He swayed slightly but Tony steadied him. "Why did you help me?"
"You were in my way." Tony pushed the doors open. "Why were you running?"
"My father wants me to get married but I don't want to." Steve shrugged. Neither noticed that it had started raining and they stood in the doorway getting drenched to their skins.
"Oh." They stayed that way for another few minutes in silence. "Hey, do you want to come in or are you going to stay in the rain?"
"If you'd let me, I'd like to come in." Steve smiled and Tony ushered him inside. "Thank you."
Tony nodded with a soft grunt of acknowledgment. A chocolate coloured cat walked over to them. There was a nasty scar over it's left eye which was swollen shut. It looked angry, or at least displeased, with Tony.
Steve smiled and knelt to pet it. The cat glared at Tony for a minute more, the two seeming to have a mental debate. Steve lightly touched the creature and it jumped, spinning to glare at him with claws extended. "Sorry!"
"Jesus! Tony why is it that everyone you bring home does that?"
"It's speaking!" Steve cried out, jumping behind Tony.
"Yeah." Tony looked at Steve. "That's Nick Fury."
Steve peered over Tony's shoulder. "Steve Rogers."
"Nice to meet you Rogers." Nick said. "Call me Fury and we will make great friends."
"I'm only staying one night."
"That's what the last one said." A teapot bounced over and Steve was positive he was going insane, most likely having a concision induced hallucination. "Miss Potts, Pepper Potts." Said the teapot.
Steve chuckled slightly. "I'm going insane."
"I'm afraid you are wrong Mister Rogers." A candlestick came over. It had three candles, one that was it's head and two that seemed to be hands.
Steve stared blankly for a minute. "Who are you?"
A clock came over. "He's Coulson, Phil Coulson, and I'm Maria Hill."
Steve nodded. "Is there anyone else?"
Tony shook his head. Steve examined everyone in his presence, taking in the faint smell of wine on the air. He examined Tony, noticing for the first time a softly glowing blue circle on his chest, but before he could get a good glimpse Tony pulled a cloak on. The cloak was gold and red.
Steve sighed and looked around, taking in the expensive artwork and architecture. "Miss Potts, would you mind showing our guest to his room?" Tony asked as he buttoned his cloak.
Pepper rolled her eyes. "Right away, Mister Stark." The teapot seemed to be waiting for him to follow so Steve followed it.
It bounced up a set of winding stairs, down a dark hallway, and stopped at a large wooden door. She looked up at him. "This will be your room." She said, bouncing away from the door a bit. "Dinner will be at six. Maria will get you when it's time." She hopped off before Steve could say anything.
With a heavy sigh he opened the door, finding a large white bed in the centre of the room. He walked in timidly. A desk was under one of the two large windows and there was a wardrobe on the right wall. Another door on the left wall led to the bathroom. The chandelier was beautiful, and the wallpaper suited Steve nicely.
He sat down on the plush bed and stared up at the ceiling. He sighed, throwing himself back into the pillows. "There has to be a mistake, why me?"
"Because you could break the spell."
Steve sat up quickly, looking around for the source of the voice. "Who are you?" He looked around again, finding nothing. "Where are you?"
"I am Jarvis." The voice said again.
"Where are you?"
"Everywhere." The voice took a deep sigh and a cold gust blew past Steve. "When the spell was cast I was made one with the mansion."
Steve relaxed slightly. "What spell?"
"We had angered Loki, greatest sorcerer of all." The voice paused. "Only true love can break the curse. Mister Stark needs you."
"I don't think I can help." Steve said, looking down at his feet.
"You just need to believe. If you don't, who will?" Jarvis was right. If he didn't believe in himself then no one would.
He nodded. "I've just got to believe." Steve stood up slowly and walked over to the desk. He looked out the window at his father's castle. He sighed. "I can't go back there. Father will force me into something I don't want."
"Then stay here." Tony's voice startled Steve and the blond jumped backwards, knocking a few books and pencils off of his desk.
Steve laughed lightly. "You scared me Tony. What brings you here?"
"This is my house." Tony said, a light growl making his words intimidating.
Steve chuckled nervously. "Right..." He knelt down to pick up the things he dropped and nearly yelped when a silver-gold knee dropped down beside him. "You don't have to, I've got it."
Tony shrugged his words off. "Don't make me regret bringing you here."
Steve nodded. He continued picked pencils up quietly before he stood up and started straightening the desk. "So, um, can I ask what the thing in your chest is?"
Tony took in a sharp breath and for a moment Steve was afraid that he was going to get angry or walk away. "It keeps me alive." Tony spoke lightly. "When the light goes out, the curse can't be reversed and I die."
"That's harsh." Steve said, messing up the desk again only to fix it once more.
"Maybe, I might deserve it though." Tony sighed. He sat on Steve's bed and watched Steve. "Only a noble love can reverse the curse."
"So you thought that stealing a prince would work?"
"Not just a prince. I could've stolen a princess. As long as it's someone who has no interest in someone."
"That doesn't seem fair." Steve huffed, finally deciding to pull out the desk chair and have a seat.
"So it would be fair to steal someone from another?"
"Not exactly." Steve shrugged. "You Gould find someone who loves you."
"There is no one left. They were either killed by Loki or turned into the ones in this house." Steve shivered at this.
"I can try." Steve said finally.
Maria opened the door. "Dinner is ready." She looked between Steve and Tony with a soft smile on her clock face.
Both men stood and Steve followed Tony to the dining hall. The large table could fit twelve, one on each end and five on each side, but only two seats had plates. Tony took one end, leaving Steve to the other. Steve frowned as he sat down.
They ate in silence, other than the quiet arguing of the cat and candlestick. Steve watched Tony, trying to figure him out.
-.-.-.-
Steve stepped out of the bathroom, grey sweatpants stubbornly hugging his moist legs. He dried his hair with the towel, ruffling it and throwing it everywhere. He sighed as he fell down on his bed. "Jarvis?"
"Yes?" Jarvis answered.
"If I don't break the curse what happens to me?"
"You return home." Jarvis answered steadily.
Steve sighed. "That's what I was afraid of." Steve sighed again, rolling over to press his face into the pillow.
Silence filled the room for a while before there was a rough knock on the door. "Mister Stark would like to enter your sleeping chambers." Jarvis informed.
"Let him in." Steve rolled his eyes, not surprised that it was Tony. The large wolf-like man entered the room and sat at the edge of Steve's bed.
"I'm sorry that I didn't ask you."
"Ask me what?" Steve sat up slightly.
Tony shook his head and chuckled. "About everything. I unfairly grabbed you and brought you to my house. Your family probably thinks your dead and-"
"What family?" Steve's voice was so harsh that it even scared Tony.
Tony stayed silent. "Look the point is, I'm sorry. You can either accept my apology or throw it down and stomp all over it." Tony stood up. "Good night Steve." He left the room.
Steve stared at the door, pulling his knees to his chest to cry. He had already written out several letters to his father, all of which he had crumpled up and thrown away. It hurt to think about his father, how he was most likely planing out some way to punish Steve when he came back.
That night Steve cried himself to sleep, wandering if he was fit for breaking the curse.
-.-.-.-
The next few months were nice, Steve got closer to Tony to the point where they considered each other friends. It had snowed often as the seasons turned to winter from fall and Steve had even taught Tony to ice skate before the latter had gotten frustrated and broken his skates.
Steve sat beside Tony in the dinning room and Tony visited Steve almost everyday when Steve got out of the shower, his hair still wet and his pants clinging to his legs. Soon their friendship started to turn into a crush.
Steve smiled at Tony as he sketched the other. He had agreed to let Steve sketch him, after seeing all of the sketched Steve had done of the others in the house and the view from his bedroom. "Stay still." Stew said.
Tony teetered slightly. "Relax a bit or you're going to fall." Fury said, rolling his eyes as he brought his paw over his head.
Tony made a strangled sound that could've been 'shut up or I'll kill you' and Steve laughed. Tony broke out of his pose, stalking towards Steve slowly. Steve laughed some more, put the sketchbook down and dropped his pencil beside his stool.
He took off into the house with Tony following close behind. Steve nearly kicked Pepper who yelped and jumped out of the way. "Watch where you're-"
Coulson cut her off. "Let them be, this is good for them. It will strengthen their relationship."
Pepper sighed. "You're right."
Fury purred slightly as he watched the two chasing each other before he shook himself and started to groom himself out of embarrassment. "So the stone faced one has a heart?" Maria teased.
Tony caught Steve, pinning him to a wall and staring into his eyes. "I win." He growled softly into Steve's ear.
Steve grinned. "Only because I let you."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Sure you did."
"It's true!" Steve chuckled.
Tony took in a sharp breath and jerked away. He dropped to his knees, clutching a fist over his heart.
"Are you alright?" Steve asked, forgetting their game of chase.
Tony nodded weakly. "I'm fine." He winced as he stood.
"Are you sure?" Steve asked. He force Tony to sit against the wall and unbuttoned his cloak to examine to blue circle. It was flickering, threatening to shut off. Steve panicked internally. "We can fix this." He smiled, though it wasn't very convincing.
Tony shook his head. "I'm fine." He struggled to stand and went back outside where he sat down on the porch swing.
Steve followed, unsure. "No you aren't."
Tony grunted but made no argument. The blue circle flickered off and for a frightening second didn't come back on. Then it was on again, flickering steadily.
Steve sat beside him. "Tony? What do I need to do?"
"I'm fine." Tony insisted stubbornly.
Steve shook his head. He shakily put a hand on Tonys. "You're not okay."
Tony rolled his eyes and the light flicked off again. It slowly stated off longer and longer.
Steve wiped his eyes, pleading himself no to cry. "Tony...?" He stool the others shoulder and he went limo, falling across his lap. Steve took a deep shaky breath, tears making there ways down his cheeks slowly. "Tony?"
Still no reply. The light had gone out and everyone was standing in front of them, staring sadly at Tony.
Steve hugged Tony's big furry head. "Please Tony, not now." He begged. "You can't die now! I haven't even told you... I haven't even told you how I feel." His voice was cracking and he started to whisper. "Please Tony, not yet."
When no response came Steve pressed his forehead against Tony's. Then he did something not even he though he'd do. He kissed Tony on the nose. He buried his nose in Tony's furry cheek and cried.
Someone gasped but Steve didn't look up. He held Tony's head close, wishing he had been quick enough. Someone cleared their throat and Steve opened his eyes, gasping at what he saw.
Tony lay across his lap, as a human, staring into his eyes. Steve smiled, running his fingers through Tony's dark brown hair and staring into his chocolate coloured eyes.
Cheers erupted from the others who had become their human forms as well. Pepper grinned, Maria looked relieved, Coulson smiled and did some sort of dance, and Fury just nodded, an eyepatch covering his left eye.
Tony sat up slowly and wrapped Steve in a hug, pressing a soft kiss to his lips before pulling back. "Steve?"
"Yes?"
"I love you." Tony said, kissing Steve once more.
Steve smiled into the kiss which they only broke for air. "I love you too." He looked around. "What happened to Jarvis?"
Everyone went silent. A tall, brown haired man with green eyes stepped outside. "Hello." He smiled slightly.
"Jarvis?" Steve asked.
The man nodded. Everyone grinned at the Brit. Tony pulled Steve back into a kiss and everything was right in Stark Mansion again.
-.-.-.-
"The end." Catherine said as she leaned back.
"What about Steve and Tony?" Another kid asked.
"Well, they got married and lived happily ever after." Catherine smiled.
"Really?"
"Yes." Catherine said, nodding.
One of the kids smiled. "What happened to Loki?"
Catherine only shrugged. "No one ever knew. They say he died when one of his spells went haywire but people, such as I, believe that he's still out there somewhere."
"Catherine?"
"Yes Francy?" Catherine asked innocently.
"Stop scaring the children." The other librarian stepped into view. "And stop telling the children things that could-"
"Blah, blah, blah." Catherine rolled her eyes. "You're no fun." Francy rolled her eyes and walked away. "Meet here, same time tomorrow and I'll have another story for you."
"Catherine?"
"Coming Fran!" Catherine got up and followed after the other librarian.
Like I said up top, if you have a pairing/rewrite you want to see just ask and I'll look into it. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Peace! ~Cat.