Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Challenges listed at the bottom.

Word Count - 1502

Fic Detail - TonySteve / Fluff

Kindred Spirit

"It just growled at me," Clint said, staring at the kitten.

"Cat's don't growl," Tony said, rolling his eyes. "And she just doesn't like you which means she's intelligent."

He stroked the kitten beneath her chin, smiling down at her as she flopped over onto her stomach on his lap.

"So… we can keep her then?" Nat asked, raising her eyebrow at him. She'd found the kitten earlier that morning, meowing pitifully behind a dumpster. Honestly, even if Tony didn't want the kitten living in the tower, he would have said no to her.

Teammate or not, she was intimidating as hell, and Tony didn't mess with intimidating women. Pepper was proof of that.

"Sure," he replied, shrugging. "She's cute. What are you gonna name her?"

Natasha stared at the kitten for a long moment before she smiled. "Shadow."

Tony looked back down at the black kitten and nodded. "It suits her."

…

Shadow fit into the tower marvellously. She seemed to take a shine to Tony, and could often be found sitting on his knee, or sprawled out across his feet. He didn't mind it, enjoyed it most of the time. He found her comforting.

Clint was determined that she was a little monster, but that could have been something to do with how she'd been meticulous about chewing every single one of his laces.

Only his.

Natasha thought the whole thing was hilarious.

That was how Tony found himself lying on the sofa, Shadow spread out on his chest.

"What are you doing up?"

"Jesus!" Tony gasped, sitting up. Shadow gave a startled meow, digging her claws into his skin through the thin t-shirt he was wearing.

"My name isn't Jesus," Steve said, smirking smugly.

"You're far too large to be so bloody silent," Tony complained, stroking Shadow's back to soothe her.

"Thick as thieves, you two, aren't you?" Steve said, nodding to the cat. "I don't know why, but I never pictured you as a cat lover."

He sat down on the end of the sofa, and patted his legs for Tony to put his legs down on his lap. With Shadow calmed and situated back on Tony's chest, Steve smiled at him.

"Guess I never really thought about it," Tony replied, absently tickling behind the cat's ears. "But it's nice. She doesn't judge me when I work for more than twelve hours."

"Sounds like a guilty conscience to me," Steve quipped.

"I have nothing to confess!" Tony protested. "Besides, night time is my time."

"You should still sleep occasionally," Steve replied. "Look after yourself the same way you look after everyone else."

Tony didn't know how to reply to that, so he didn't. He simply concentrated on Shadow, and let the feeling of Steve stroking the skin around his ankles lull him into comfort.

He didn't notice that he fell asleep until he woke up the following morning to the smell of breakfast being cooked in the kitchen and the sound of Steve whistling cheerfully.

…

"It's brass monkeys out there," Tony complained as he stepped out of the elevator onto the Avengers floor. He unwound the scarf from his neck and tossed it over the end of the bar as he stepped behind it. It had been a long week and he needed something to warm himself up.

"Ooh, are you making hot toddy's Tony?" Clint asked, peering over the back of the sofa. "Sign me up!"

"Alcohol is for people who can afford to lose a few brain-cells, Legolas, so I'm afraid you're not allowed any," Tony replied, grinning when Shadow appeared from nowhere to wrap herself around Tony's legs, meowing for attention. "Hey Kitty, didya miss me?"

He bent to pick Shadow up, even as Clint complained about favouritism in the background.

Making the drinks with the cat perched on his shoulder, Tony handed one to Clint as he slumped on the sofa beside him.

"She's been a little beast while you've been gone," Clint said, nodding at the cat. "Think she did actually miss you."

Tony smiled and stroked her under her chin, his smile only widening when she started purring.

"It's nice to know somebody around here misses me when I'm gone," Tony replied to Clint.

"I'm pretty sure she's not the only one. Cap's been moping."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Uh huh. Sure he has."

Clint shrugged. "I tried."

…

The whole team arrived for movie night, which was surprising. Most of the time, at least one if not more of them were busy elsewhere, so having a full house meant that every seat was already filled by the time Tony stumbled in, exhausted but cheerful after a long few days in the workshop.

He made a beeline for the sofa where Steve and Nat were sitting, wiggling his way between them. Natasha shifted so he could lie against her side, and wrapped her arm around his shoulders, while Steve helped him rest his legs out across his lap.

Shadow hopped up moments later and settled under Tony's chin.

"You know, I don't know why anyone was surprised that she took a shine to you," Natasha mused, looking down at the cat. "You're kindred spirits."

"Hmm?"

"You're as kitten like as a human could possibly be," she explained, ruffling a hand through his hair. He thought to protest, but Natasha was still terrifying, so he conceded the point, butting her hand with his head so she'd keep playing with his hair.

She chuckled and shook her head at him. He noticed that she didn't stop stroking his hair all the way through the movie though.

…

Tony woke up, confused when he realised the room was still dark. He hadn't had any nightmares, and he'd been exhausted enough that he should have slept through. He realised someone was standing in his doorway.

"J, lights to ten percent," he requested.

He was surprised to see Steve, though the man looked awful. "Cap? You okay?"

Steve shook his head mutely, and took a hesitant step forwards. "I. Uh. Sorry for waking you, I just…"

"Hey, no, it's okay," Tony promised. "Nightmare?"

Steve nodded.

"C'mere," Tony offered, pulling the sheets back on the opposite side of the bed to his. Shadow was asleep on the pillow, and she opened one eye, hissing at him for disturbing her.

"Yeah, come on Grumpy," he muttered, picking her up and putting her on his legs. "Come on, Steve, come and get in."

"You don't have too—"

"I know. Just. C'mere."

Clearly not wanting to protest further, Steve approached the bed and gingerly sat down, then swung his legs up and lay down, tugging the sheets over himself as he turned to Tony.

"I saw you fall," he whispered, hand half outstretched towards Tony. "But you didn't wake up."

"I'm here," Tony comforted, sliding closer. He pressed Steve's hand to his chest, so he could feel the reactor, and to the side, his heartbeat. "I'm right here, Steve. I'm okay."

Steve nodded, tugging Tony closer until he was wrapped around the smaller man. Tony felt a small fire of arousal warm his belly, but he tamped it down. This wasn't about that, no matter what his libido thought.

"You know, watching you with Shadow… it made me see you differently. Softer, more human, I guess. You've always seemed so… out of reach. So unattainable. I… Seeing you with her… it made me wonder if maybe… if maybe you were more willing to, um—" Steve cut himself off with a frustrated huff.

Tony stroked his forearm gently, hope replacing the arousal as he pulled back a little to look at the super soldier. "What are you trying to ask me, Steve?"

"Would you, I mean, do you want to… will you do to dinner with me? On a date?"

Tony's lips tilted up and he nodded. "I thought you'd never ask."

…

"We're not running a bloody animal sanctuary, Birdbrain," Tony complained when he saw the pitiful dog Clint had brought home.

Steve snorted, and when Tony looked at him, he was smiling at Tony fondly. Tony stood, hands on his hips and Shadow on his shoulder, and he had to admit, he could see the funny side.

He rolled his eyes, but nodded. "Fine, fine, the dog can stay. But if it terrorises my cat, it's gone!"

"Who's cat?" Natasha asked, eyebrow arched.

Tony swallowed and looked at Shadow, and then back at Nat. "Um. Please don't kill me. She's mine."

Nat eyed him for a long moment before she smiled and nodded. "I guess she is. Or rather, you're hers."

Tony nodded. "That sounds about right."

…

Steve climbed into bed beside Tony, pulling him close automatically. Sharp claws in his hand made him yelp and Tony chuckled, shifting Shadow to his own pillow and cuddling closer to use Steve for his own.

"She's a menace," Steve muttered, goodnaturedly, his hand already healing rapidly.

"Hmm," Tony agreed. "Nat did say we were kindred spirits."

And well… who could argue with that?

Written for:

Disney: C7. Thackery Binx - A Feline

Book Club - Alfie - Scarf / Brass / Thick as Thieves / "I have nothing to confess!"

Angel - 2. A fic containing an intimidating woman.

Scamander - 23. Silent

Basement - 3. "Alcohol is for people who can afford to lose a few brain-cells."

Film Festival - 24. "My name isn't Jesus."

Marvel - 6. Monster

Lyric - 5. Night time is my time.

Funfair - Jack O Lantern - Pick A Pumpkin - 7. Meticulous.

Galleon - 18. Black

Pumpkin Toss - Medium, 11. Black

365. 258. Growl