1. Sleeping Beauty

Reading a bedtime story for Peter every night was Steve's responsibility, Tony loved the scene he saw in Peter's bedroom when he left his studio. A bedlamp, Steve wearing his comfortable pajama or tight t-shirt lying on the bed, gently reading out the story book in his hand, Peter curling up in Steve's arms, leaning against Steve's chest or holding a doll in his arms, listening with great interest.

When Tony stood in the door side and Steve was about to read the ending of the story, Steve would lift his head and look at him, giving him a smile and flashing him a 'very soon' look. His bluish green eyes with a hint of beautiful golden color, shining for the story. His eyes would soon turn moist and blank for Tony, cute and sexy. But tonight the job of reading a bedtime story for Peter was on Tony's shoulder, because Steve had to attend an emergency video meeting in the conference room.

"What story do you wanna listen to?" Tony lied on the bed like Steve, he flipped open the book and found out it was a colored picture book, with an edited version more suitable for children. All the fairy tales were told and passed down thousands times, classical but old.

"I like the Sleeping Beauty," Peter held the Captain America doll tightly in his arms – it was a gift from Agent Coulson – and looked at Tony, "But Mommy has read it a lot of times."

"Wow, Mommy…Hmm, you can't call that in front of Steve," Tony tenderly stroked Peter's brown curly short hair – just like Tony's.

"But Clint said I should call him that," Peter blinked and showed a smile, "And father you like to hear daddy being called 'Mommy', right?"

"Yes, you little smartie," Tony grinned and blinked at him, "Little secret?"

"Little secret," Peter reached his hand out and pinky swore with Tony, "So what's out story today?"

"You like the Sleeping Beauty…" Tony put down the story book and thought for a while, "How about an entirely different Sleeping Beauty story? A story just for the clever little good boy Peter Parker."


~First Story~

Downey was a clever and obedient boy, or simply a born-to-be wizard, he loved to examine all sorts of weird stuffs, he also knew how to create surprises from magic, like a special tools to make a carriage to run super fast.

He knew the world was filled with mysteries and miracles, some were told by his father – his father was also a great wizard, his magic could make a carriage to float in the air or turning metal into wonderful weapons.

One day, Downey found his father looking into a water-mirror, there was a blurred and vague silhouette moving. Father's sorrowful and mournful look shocked Downey, so he asked, "Father, what happened? Why do you look grieved?"

"Oh, that's because I recall my long lost best friend," Father looked at Downey, his hand swung on the water-mirror, all the visions in it were gone, Downey didn't even see it clearly.

"Why did you lose him?" Downey was curious, every kid was curious, especially in something which they did not understand.

"He was a brave and fearless warrior, we lost him in a battlefield," His father said to him. He told Downey it was a horrible battle, their cunning and evil foe assembled all his last power and tried to kill all of them, at that instant, the courageous knight stood up and ran into the magic circle glowing with blue light.

"Then?" Downey widened his eyes.

"Then nobody ever had ever seen him," father shook his head, "Probably that's the price for destroying the magic circle, we lost him, and the world returned to peace, the justice side won the final fight."

"Then why don't you go look for him?"

"We had been searching for ages, until our hopes faded," father told him, "Maybe he's now in a better place, living a happy and simple life, we can only pray for that."

Downey paused and thought, "Maybe… he's still somewhere waiting, waiting to be found."

Magic had it own limits and occasions which magic was forbidden, and wizards' words were loaded with mystical power, even it came out of a young wizard. If Downey knew the word he said would make his childhood a kid lonely, maybe he wouldn't have said it.

Downey had heard the knight's story from the troubadour, he had seen his portraits, glorious and awe-inspiring. Even little birds jumping between branches or petals blown by the wind knew his name, but there were less and less people who could remember the knight's name, just like there were less and less people who could remember the terrifying battle.

Downey began his adventures, he had grown up into a mischievous wizard since he didn't like staying in the castle all alone, he didn't like the magic school, he didn't like people who disliked him, and he posed strong power which could get rid of annoying stuffs.

Time flowed like water, or like running sand in one's palm, it kept flowing away and vanishing. As Downey grew up, his magical power strengthened, particularly when he acquired a magic stone inlaid in his chest after an accident. He could accomplish more and more, except for one – to find out what happened to his father's best friend, thought he had thought of it, thought he had craved for it.

His father was so powerful and with strong magical power, but he couldn't find the knight, so Downey believed he had a slim chance of succeeding. Although he loved to challenge his dad's authority, that didn't mean he didn't know his place, and that was father's friend.

Sometimes Downey thought, maybe his father finally gave up a few years ago because he was feared that he couldn't find what he wanted.

Until a day, Downey heard a legend, there was a castle covered with ice in the coldest region in the south, a knight was imprisoned there, after the battle.

Downey considered for a while, maybe it was better to say he hardly really considered,, he had decided to bring his wand and servants – a magical golden bird – to go with him, since that might be who he wanted to look for.

Downey crossed the wide field and desert riding a unicorn, he was blocked by a river when he met a mystical red hair girl. She asked for three rubies in return for helping him to cross the river.

"Why should I give you rubies? Miss," Downey smiled at her, "I can use magic to call for a boat, or I can fly across it."

"As your magical power will soon be gone, it doesn't have enough power to bring you through the river," she looked at him, "I'll guide you to the person who can help you."

Downey tried and found she wasn't lying, so he handed over three rubies and boarded the hideously tiny boat, allowing the red hair girl to lead him across the river. When he departed, he asked, "Where should I look for help?"

"Follow the path," she pointed to a direction, "Go into the dark forest, to the heart of it and you will find a little house with silver rooftop under moonlit, there you will find who you need, he will guide you."

Though Downey didn't have the power to cross the river, his magical power allowed him to light a light in dark, the magic stone on his chest was also glowing in his cloak. The golden bird led in front of him, he didn't spend much time finding the little house with silver rooftop.

The door wasn't closed, like the owner was expecting a visitor.

Downey could hear the wood flooring cracking underneath his feet, he opened the unlatched room door, "Anyone's here?"

There was a boiling pot in the middle of the house, a tall man in black was stirring the mixture in the pot. He had only one eye, but the eye showed no ferocity, "Just the right time, young boy."

"Someone told me you could help," Downey wasn't scared, he had never tasted 'fear'.

'Yes, I think I possess something which might help you," the man waved his arm, a book not far away floated near Downey, "You can take a look at this, it has all the answers you need."

"This is the instructions and help you can offer?" Downey glanced at the book.

"Yes," the one-eyed man answered, "It's helping each other."

"Alright," Downey said as he left, "I think your poison has gone very wrong, more hedyotis diffusa, less golden powder and rubies sprinkles. A little reminder, actually you would have had a chance to safe it if you had stopped when I entered the house. Seems you'll have to start it all over again, let me think, it takes you approximately half year's time?"

The book was written by Downey's father. As a great wizard he had recorded a lot, numerous spells and formulas were spread as the norm.

Downey went through the forest. He found the secret hidden in his father's book when he bypassed a field of dandelion, when he placed his palm on the pages, he saw spells he had never seen in his whole life.

When he completed the spell, his body was filled with power, magical power was running through his veins. He knew, it was one of the treasures left by his strict but loving father, with all their memories.

With the help of magic, Downey passed the cliffy mountain and a rapid river quickly. After going through a withered grassland, ice cold wind blew into their face, then he saw the gorgeous ice castle glittering under the sunlight.

It looked like crystal, very pretty, until Downey approached he found his way was blocked by brambles.

"Oh, what an interesting scene," Downey said, he lifted his arm and used magic to cut off the brambles and create a path, "But it's nothing to me."

Servant golden bird fanned its wings besides, showing its appreciation.

"What do you think he inside is going to look like?" Downey asked when he entered the gate of the castle, the golden bird tilted its head on his shoulder, "You look as inquisitive as me."

It was chilling inside the castle, everything was covered by a thin layer of ice, even the fire on a burning candle.

Downey went up a stone stair, he passed a few empty room. It was so quiet, the only sound was his steps, breath, heartbeats and the flapping of wings from his servant.

'There's actually nothing here?'

Until Downey entered the final room, he knew he was wrong.

Sunlight shone through the iced windows, shining on a stone bed with magnificently brilliant color, above was a tall youngster, his palms interlocked resting on his chest, and an iced shield was placed beside him.

Downey approached and he could see the youngster's appearance, just like what he saw years ago from the portrait. Blond hair on his forehead, long eyelashes under his eyebrows, perfectly-shaped lips below his tall and straight nose. He was not breathing, his chest wasn't moving, but he looked like he was asleep, under the thin layer of ice, in this ice cold castle.

"Are you waiting for me to wake you up?" Downey mumbled, he knew he wouldn't get a response, he wanted to know whether those eyes were as gorgeous as described in the legend.

Downey lowered his head and stuck his lips on the cold lips, then he heard the cracking of ice.

The castle was shaking slightly, large pieces of ice cracking, warm air began to enter.

Downey didn't stop kissing until the other lips turned warm and soft and slowly vibrating under his lips.

He looked at Downey. Downey could see the beautiful bluish green eyes like the color of the ocean, he could see the long and thick eyelashes with dews melt from ice, they were far more attractive and charming than in the legend.

"Who are you?"

Downey heard him asking, he smiled and kissed him, "I'm the man come to break the curse on you, my noble and handsome knight."

They looked into each other's eyes and found all the answers to the questions.


"Downey brought his knight back to his castle, though they had misunderstandings and quarrels, they lived happily ever after," when Tony finished, Peter had already fallen asleep. He gave a kiss on the top of the head covered by fluffy hair and tucked the little guy, still holding the doll, into bed. He then noticed Steve, standing next to the door.

"What?" he walked out lowering his voice, Jarvis would adjust the light, so Tony didn't have to worry, "Why didn't you come in?"

"I was listening to your bedtime story to Peter," Steve licked his lips, looked a bit embarrassed.

"Oh…" raised an eyebrow, Tony asked, "How much of it?"

"From 'Are you waiting for me to wake you up?'," Steve glanced at Peter who's sleeping and closed the door, "I'm not sure whether it's appropriate to tell him such a story…"

"He's a little genius, he won't treat me as his father and you as his uncle," Tony hugged Steve, "He knows we're in love, I think he won't be confused about Downey and his handsome knight having a happy ending. So, should the handsome knight now thank his rescuer by giving him a kiss?"

"Tony?"

"Then the rescuer will give a kiss to the knight," Tony held Steve's chin and quickly stole a kiss, "What a pity you've missed Tony Stark's fairy tales time, but it's alright. When we're back to our room, I will tell you detail on our bed, but I gotta charge an adult for a bedtime story."

"What?" Steve frowned at him. His butt was rubbed by Tony's hand, then Tony's hand sneaked into his pants' back pocket and embraced him, leading him to the direction of their room, "Wait, Tony, Tony Sta…"

"Don't call my full name, Steve, you know it just makes me more excited," Tony pushed him into the room, saying the last sentence before closing the door, "Now, it's time for some adults' fairy tales, my sweetheart, are you ready to moan for me?"


Yohoo fairy tales series, please review oxox