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Challenges listed at the bottom.
Word Count: 887
Sensitive Hearing
Waking up as a cat hadn't been on Tony's to-do list.
That said, he couldn't be mad at it. Steve had let him climb all over him and had only chuckled when Tony pushed his face into Steve's hand for more petting when he stopped.
He was being fed regularly, sleeping more than he ever had in his life, and well, he was being loved by the whole team.
Each of them had taken time out of their day to spend time with him.
Natasha in particular was making sure he got his exercise in; teasing him with a piece of string until he chased it around the living room to the sound of her laughter.
And all because Tony has pissed off a witch.
…
"I don't see why I should turn him back," the witch pouted, turning her head away. Natasha and Clint were in the room with her, while Steve stood outside, watching through the glass with Tony settled comfortably against his chest.
"He's sorry, which he'll tell you himself, if you just give him the means to, you know, talk," Clint said, rolling his eyes. "The longer you refuse to turn him back, the worse the punishment is going to be in the end. You're only hurting yourself."
"He deserves to be punished," the witch said, closing her eyes.
Natasha sighed and turned to the window, shrugging her shoulders. It didn't seem like they were going to get anywhere with her at the moment.
…
"Looks like weird is the new normal," Rhodey commented, two days after Tony had been turned when he walked into the lounge to see Tony stretched out on Clint's lap while Clint brushed his fur.
"Like we've ever had normal here," Clint scoffed, rolling his eyes.
Tony perked up when he heard Rhodey's voice and hopped up the back of the sofa, leaning towards his best friend as far as he dared.
Rhodey scooped him up in his arms. "So, Pep was right? You're being a little attention whore?"
Tony meowed, rubbing his head against Rhodey's cheek. In fairness, Rhodey and Pepper had both accused him of being like a cat with the two of them because of how clingy he was.
It was only really the team that the behaviour was new to, mostly because he figured he could blame it on feline instincts.
Rhodey chuckled and sat down, leaving Tony to curl up in his lap.
Contented, Tony fell asleep in minutes.
…
"Have they been like this since he was changed?" Rhodey asked Nat. The two of them were in the doorway of the kitchen, watching Tony stalk Steve around as he prepared Tony's food, chattering away to the cat the whole time.
"This and so much worse," Natasha confirmed. "They've been practically inseparable except for the few times when Steve has had to leave the tower. Tony sleeps with him and everything."
Rhodey snorted. "The mutual pining is pathetic. They should just get over it and be properly sappy instead of tip-toeing around each other."
"You know, cat's have sensitive hearing, and I'm a super-soldier with very good hearing. We can both hear you."
"Oh, we know," Rhodey said.
Natasha nodded. "We're hoping that you'll both get your heads out of your asses if you don't hear the other deny it."
Steve looked down at Tony, who was peering up at him with his head tilted curiously.
Steve sighed and bent down to stroke Tony's ears. "Maybe we'll discuss it once we've got human Tony back and we know he's okay."
…
Turning back into a human was as anticlimactic as the initial change had been. Except he woke up in Steve's bed, sprawled across his chest, completely naked.
"Uh. Hi?"
Steve chuckled. "Hi."
"So… that happened?"
"Yes it did," Steve said, running a hand down Tony's back. Tony melted at the touch, and Steve chuckled again. "You're not much different from a cat, really, are you?"
Tony wrinkled his nose. "Not gonna lie, I'm looking forward to a shower that isn't done by my tongue."
"Ew."
"I know."
"So, uh. Maybe after you shower, we could do something? Go out somewhere or—"
"Steve, are you asking me on a date?"
"Trying too," Steve admitted. "Not sure it's going so well."
"Would it help if you knew I was a sure thing?" Tony asked, propping himself up. "Because I am. A sure thing, that is. For, uh, you. Only you. I don't… do the… I'm not the same guy I was."
"I know that," Steve replied. "And yes, I was asking you on a date, and yes, it does help knowing that you're telling me yes."
Tony nodded and smiled down at him. "What are the chances of a kiss before I go and shower?"
"Oh, I think the chances are pretty good," Steve said, reaching up to cup Tony's cheek, then guiding him down for a kiss. "Rhodey will be pleased. He's bored of our mutual pining apparently."
Tony pulled back and sat up, nodding his head. "He is. He bitches about it at least once a week at me. Except now, he's going to be bitching about how sappy we are so… he's just a bitchy bitch really."
"Tony?"
"Hmm?"
"Go take a shower and get dressed. We're going out."
"Yes, Sir."
Written for:
Character Appreciation: 24. Plot Point: Write about someone getting teased
Liza Loves: 10. You're a witch and I made you angry so you turned me into a cat and now I have to serve out this punishment til you decide I've served enough time but I don't know what I did to piss you off and I'm starting to enjoy the cat-life. *will accept a different animal.
Showtime: 9. Fluff
Elizabeth's Empire: 7. Mutual Pining
Film Festival: 24. (dialogue) "Looks like weird is the new normal."
Forecast: 30. Contentment