Chapter Text
“A werecat?” Bucky repeated, voice deadpanned.
Steve scratched the back of his neck.
“A werecat,” Bucky repeated more firmly, trying to get it through Steve’s thick skull what a terrible idea it was to have him meet Tony without entering a shouting match with Steve.
“Yes,” Steve hesitated to admit.
“Steve,” a bit of anger leaked into Bucky’s voice, so he paused to cull it back. “Tony is a werecat, and you really want the two of us to meet?”
Steve sighed, his shoulder dropping. “Bucky…”
“No!” Bucky bit back a bark. “Steve, I’m a werewolf, in case you have forgotten. Canine weres and feline weres do not get along well.”
“I’m a werecanine and Tony and I get along fine.”
“That’s not what you were saying last week.”
Steve’s cheeks pinked. “Okay, our relationship isn’t perfect, but we’re friends, and he is part of the team. You two are going to have to meet at some point, and you’ve had a lot of good weeks recently, and Tony has some free time today to come down to the facility. It’s just going to be for an hour.”
“You’ve never seen a dog maul a cat to death, have you, Steve?”
“Bucky!” Steve snapped, his blue eyes turning steely. “You’re not some wild animal that’s going to attack Tony, and I’ve made it perfectly clear to Tony that he is not allowed to bait you. Just be on your best behavior. I know you can do this. You never had trouble in the past.”
Bucky gritted his teeth. That was the problem: Bucky wasn’t the same person he was in the past. He always had to remind Steve of that, but either because he was just too stubborn to let go of the past or because he truly believed Bucky was a lot more like his old self than Bucky thought, Steve always reminded Bucky of what he had once been and argued Bucky could be that way again.
Bucky’s stomach churned with dread and doubt. “Well, it will be Tony’s funeral if something goes wrong. Unless he’s got that fancy metal suit on for protection.”
“Bucky!”
Bucky sat in the front office of the SHIELD facility. He shifted in discomfort in the overly plush chair that did not suit the military atmosphere of the place. Although, he supposed, even for military the facility was rather grandiose and upscale. It certainly was a step up from Hydra headquarters, but then again, a dumpster filled with used needles would be better than Hydra headquarters.
A receptionist/guard manned the front desk. She stapled papers together and stamped documents in a tirelessly rhythm that relaxed Bucky.
What little ease he gained though was soon lost as he heard Steve’s voice nearing him, accompanied by a voice Bucky only knew through news reports and a couple of videos Natasha had taken on her phone of Tony Stark.
“Listen, I’m just saying, it may not be the best time for this. I am stressed, Steve. Look at this.” There was some shuffling. “I am not in control.”
“Please, Tony. You’re already here, and Bucky has his own reservations about this meeting. If you cancel today, you two might not meet until the next big attack on a city or town.”
“That’s how you and I met, and that turned out fine.”
“Tony,” Steve reprimanded.
“Fine, fine. Just don’t blame me when this explodes in our faces.”
“What are you—”
“Trying not to make it too obvious.”
“It’s still very obvious.”
“Shut up, Steve.”
The door opened with a swish, revealing Steve in his Commander uniform and a shorter, dark haired man in gray dress trousers, a matching striped vest, a rolled up white sleeve shirt, a tacky furry belt, purple shades, and a gray fedora.
The fedora caught Bucky’s attention.
He may have never met Tony before, but he’d seen enough pictures of the billionaire to know the man didn’t run around wearing hats.
“Bucky.” Steve grinned and waved Bucky over to Tony. “Meet Tony.”
Bucky slowly rose from his chair. He reminded himself to smile—normal people smiled when meeting others for the first time—and extended his hand in greeting.
Tony turned slightly away from Bucky, eyeing Bucky’s hand while keeping his own shoved in his pockets. “I don’t like being handed things.”
Bucky’s nerves twinged with irritation. He didn’t even want to shake Tony’s hand, but at least he had offered. “I’m not handing you anything. It’s called a handshake, dumbass.”
Tony’s head snapped and he hissed, showing off canines that were slightly enlongated.
Bucky growled, the hackles on his neck rising.
Steve stepped in between them and put a hand on each of their chests. “You two just couldn’t make it through the greetings could you? Bucky, stop growling, and Tony, put your fangs away.”
Bucky cut off his growl, but grumbled. His instincts warred inside him. His decades in Hydra combined with Steve’s leadership caused a part of himself to curl up internally and back down, but another part of him recognized his wolf self as stronger and more battled-hardened than Steve’s Labrador self and refused to show submission to Steve. It didn’t help that despite his foggy memory, Bucky could vividly see a skinny Steve in his mind’s eye and with it the word: “Pup.”
“Bucky,” Steve warned.
Bucky had started growling again.
Bucky cut off the noise. He glared at Tony, who had snapped his mouth shut, but his fangs were still poking out from his lip.
Bucky scowled and pointed at the feline teeth. “Maybe I wouldn’t growl so much if Stark here would put the teeth away.”
Steve’s brow furrowed. He looked to Tony, who had turned his face away.
“Tony,” Steve kept his voice calm, with a hint of reprimand. “Remember your promise.”
A short, crisp laugh escaped Tony. “Remembering things has never been a problem of mine, Steve,” his voice was distorted due to his fangs still poking out. “Although, it seems like yours is a struggle, but I suppose that can’t be helped since you’re what? Ninety years old? Probably more, now that I think about it.”
A deep vibrating growl rumbled through Bucky. That was no way to talk to one’s teammate or leader. Before Steve could stop him, Bucky lashed out and seized Tony’s forearm. He yanked the appendage forward, freeing Tony’s hand from his pocket, and forcing Tony to stumble into Bucky’s chest if he didn’t want to fall flat on his face.
The fur belt along Tony’s waist unfurled to reveal a tail, but Bucky was too pissed off to do more than note it.
“Listen, bud, go ahead and act like an asshole around me; hell knows I deserves a fuckin’ ton of hate after the shit I did, but don’t go treatin’ Steve like crap just cause you got some fancy silver spoon shoved up your ass.”
Tony jerked his head back, and the fedora fell to the wayside, revealing two black triangle-shaped ears atop Tony’s head. The ears flattened low on Tony’s skull. Tony tugged on his arm to break Bucky’s hold, but Bucky would’ve been able to hold Tony even without the super serum in his body.
“Let me go,” Tony’s voice was gravelly with a growl. He stared defiantly into Bucky’s eyes.
“Bucky, let him go,” Steve commanded.
Bucky couldn’t; Tony was challenging him.
Neither one blinked as they’d stared each other down, bodies tense and ready for a fight.
Steve thrust his hand between their eyes, breaking Bucky’s spell of concentration.
Bucky turned his sneer on Steve, but Steve ignored it and instead reached for Bucky’s hand on Tony’s arm. Steve went to pry Bucky’s fingers off. Bucky growled and Steve growled back, making it clear if Bucky continued to fight him, Steve would soon get physical.
Bucky was tempted—that part of him that wasn’t ready to accept Steve as a leader was chomping at the bit for a physical altercation, but Bucky pushed down those animalistic desires and beliefs. He released Tony and took a step back.
Steve’s shoulder drooped just a tad, and he turned his attention to Tony, who was massaging his arm. “You okay, Tony?”
“Let me check with my doctor and see,” Tony snapped, tail swishing.
“Tony,” Steve began, but one angry look from Tony was enough to silence him.
Determining that Steve wasn’t going to lecture him, Tony lowered his tail and pushed up his sleeve to examine his forearm.
His claws were out.
Bucky snorted tersely. “Really? Put the claws away, I’m not going to attack you.”
Tony laughed loud and bitterly. “Says the guy who grabbed me.”
“Both of you,” Steve reprimanded. “I understand things have not started off well, but could you please push past it for five minutes and give each other a chance?”
“Tell that to the guy who thinks he’s too good to shake someone’s hand.”
Tony held up his claws. “Maybe I didn’t want to scratch you, idiot? Or make you feel threatened or intimidated?”
Bucky scoffed.
Tony’s ear flicked back and his lip curled up. He flicked his tail and turned his back on Bucky and Steve. “You know what? I have a hundred different things to do.” He scooped up his fedora and put it back on his head. “Call me when you get whatever chip you have on your shoulder off.”
Tony stormed out.
“Tony!” Steve gave chase.
Good riddance, Bucky thought. He plopped down on one of the chairs and waited for Steve’s return. It only took a few minutes for Steve to reappear out of breath and with his chest heaving.
“I thought I was the one who was supposed to start fights?” Steve huffed.
Bucky frowned. “Did you chase his car or something?”
“Yeah, and I almost had him, but he swerved and I lost him.”
Bucky resisted the urge to gape. “Why would you do a crazy thing like that?”
“Because what happened wasn’t his fault, and I wanted to make certain that he was okay and see if there was any way I could convince him to try and talk to you again.”
“Not his fault?” Bucky echoed. “Did you not see him acting like an asshole?”
“He’s stressed out, Bucky.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t excuse him from being a—”
“He’s stuck in mid-shift.”
“He’s not—” Bucky cut himself off at the memory of Tony’s tail wrapped around his waist like a belt. He recalled how odd he had found Tony’s hat because the man wasn’t photographed often with hats. Then he thought long and hard about Tony’s claws. He hadn’t been focused on them at the time, but if he rewound his memory, he was eighty-percent certain that Tony’s claws had been out as Bucky had yanked on Tony’s arm—probably before.
The conversation Bucky had overheard between Steve and Tony replayed in his head.
“Listen, I’m just saying, it may not be the best time for this. I am stressed, Steve. Look at this….I am not in control.”
Shit.
Tony had been in mid-shift when he walked through those doors.
Bucky groaned and buried his face in his palm. “I’m guess it wasn’t by choice.”
“Considering he hates his full shift and barely tolerates his mid-shift form…” Steve made a show of nodding and put on a fake smile. “I think you may be on to something.”
“I didn’t know,” Bucky grumbled, feeling like a real heel.
“Yeah, well…” Steve sunk into the chair next to Bucky. “I probably should have just let Tony go home when he told me, but I pushed.”
“You could have also told me.”
“He clearly didn’t want you to know. If he had a choice, no one would know.”
Bucky frowned. “He really hates his were-self that much?”
“It’s…too cute for him. When you’re the big and powerful CEO of a major company, having the alternate form of a domestic cat that is barely bigger than a kitten really ruins your image, according to him.”
Bucky turned to Steve in shock. “He’s barely bigger than a kitten?”
“Not the point, Bucky.”
“Can he sit on my hand?” Bucky demanded to know.
“Bucky!”
“Steve, I have to know. What if he shrinks down in battle for some reason? The armor malfunctions, and he needs to make himself a smaller target? I need to know.”
“No, you’re just dicking around now.”
Bucky grinned. “If I don’t laugh, I’m just going to keep feeling like an asshole.”
“You know what else is a cure for feeling like an asshole? Apologizing.”
“Oh, shut up, Mom.” Bukcy turned away from Steve.
Steve swatted him on the arm. “Do it.”
“I will. Jeez. I may be part canine, but I am not the breed who goes chasing after cars, unlike some.”
Steve glared.
Bucky smirked.
Two weeks later, Bucky was standing in the elevator and headed up to Tony’s penthouse with Steve by his side.
His nerves and muscles thrummed under his skin. It was only decades of control that kept him from going into a mid-shift due to stress. He did his best to stare straight ahead and maintain a pose of nonchalance.
It didn’t help that it felt like a hundred set of eyes were watching him.
The elevator door slid open, revealing the ritziest place Bucky had ever seen, besides a couple of mansions he’d visited during his time as Hydra’s asset. The hairs on the back of his neck rose and his fists clenched. This was so far from his territory, he wanted to beeline it out of there or start marking the place up so he could claim it as his own. He knew neither would be appreciated by Steve.
“Tony?” Steve hollered as he waltzed out of the elevator like it was his home.
It wasn’t. Bucky detected no traces of Steve in the penthouse, not even a whiff that would suggest he visited often.
“Tony, I know you’re here. FRIDAY confirmed your location.”
“I’m donating her to a community college,” Tony shouted from a hallway off to the side.
A few seconds later, Tony emerged from the hallway.
Welding gloves covered his hands and he was in a blue hoodie that hid the top of his head. The hoodie pooled below Tony’s waist, concealing any tail that might be protruding out.
He was still stuck in mid-shift.
For a moment, Bucky felt alarm for Tony. It wasn’t a good indication for the man’s mental health if he’d been stuck in mid-shift for the last two weeks.
A voice in the back of Bucky’s mind quickly swept away that worry. After all, who had said anything about Tony being stuck in his mid-shift form for two weeks? For all Bucky knew, Tony had slipped out of it shortly after his visit to the new SHIELD facility, and had recently slipped back into it.
“So to what do I owe the pleasure?” Tony asked, eyeing Bucky warily.
Steve nudged Bucky.
Bucky resisted a scowl. “I came to apologize.”
Tony’s gaze turned sharp and zeroed-in on Steve for a beat before swinging back to Bucky. “I really don’t need to hear some apology that Steve is forcing you to say.”
Bucky scowled. “Does it look like he’s got me pinned down and is moving my lips for me? No. I’m here of my own free will, Stark, and I’m sorry I was such an ass to you.”
“You don’t sound like it.”
“Are you always this difficult?”
Tony smirked. He purred. “I’m a cat; it’s in my nature.”
Bucky straightened, twice as alert than he’d been a second ago.
Had Tony just flirted with him?
Tony turned and waved Bucky and Steve away. “Really, I don’t care. You’re not the first person to treat me like shit, Barnes. Just keep it off the battlefield and everything will be fine.”
“Tony,” Steve started, but Tony cut him off by raising his hand for silence.
“I get it, Steve, and I really don’t care. I’m swamped with SI, Avengers, and SHIELD stuff right now. Thank you both for the apology, but I really have to get back to work.” Tony marched back into the hallway, vanishing before their eyes.
Bucky turned to Steve. “Did he purr at me?”
Steve flushed and rubbed the back of his neck. “He does that sometimes. He likes to throw people off with it.”
Bucky blinked. “Shit. It worked.”
The next time Bucky saw Tony it was on the battlefield.
Bucky was impressed; he’d be more impressed if Tony could actually follow orders, but Bucky couldn’t deny that the man packed a hard punch against their enemies, and more than once his brains saved the day. He may have even gotten a chuckle or two out of Bucky with a few witty comments and a couple of good-humored jabs at Steve over the comms.
The battlefield was pretty much the only time Bucky saw Tony after his visit to the tower. That was until one day he caught a whiff of the werecat wandering around SHIELD.
Bucky’s hackles rose. His instincts were torn. He’d spent enough time on the field with Tony to recognize him as pack, but this was not Tony’s territory. What was he doing here?
Realizing there was only one way to get his answer, Bucky followed the scent trail to the labs.
Bucky perked up when he saw Tony once again covered head to toe in a hoodie, baggy jeans, and gloves. He gesticulated as he spoke to Fury. Tony pointed at one of the machines in the lab and Fury frowned. After some more talking, Tony shook his head and marched toward the exit.
Bucky took a step back so he wouldn’t get smacked in the face when Tony came storming out.
Tony jumped in his skin when he saw Bucky and the corner of one of his ears popped out from his hoodie. He was wearing sunglasses. Bucky hadn’t paid much mind to them before, but now that he was face to face with Tony, he realized that the shades were hiding silted eyes.
For a moment, Tony just stared at Bucky. A second later, Tony was lounging against the doorframe and smirking up at Bucky. “Hi Mr. Big Bad Wolf. You spying on me?” he purred.
“You’re not distracting me this time,” Bucky stated.
Tony purred louder. He sashayed past Bucky, stroking Bucky’s cheek. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
Bucky snatched Tony’s wrist.
Tony froze, clearly not expecting Bucky to grab him.
“You’re stuck again,” Bucky stated.
“Very perceptive of you.” Tony’s fingers curled, and his claws threatened to break through the leather of his gloves.
“Sometimes transforming into your animal self helps,” Bucky said.
Tony chuckled. “If I could slip into my animal form, I’d do it. Just not here.” Tony yanked his wrist out from Bucky’s hold. He sauntered away, and Bucky let him.
“He is a strange one,” Natasha, a jorogumo, said as she plucked a bottle of vodka from the liquor cabinet.
“Grab me a bottle of something too,” Clint requested from the couch. He made grabby hands at Natasha.
Natasha grabbed another bottle of vodka and settled next to Clint on the couch, tucking herself against his side, a move that had convinced Bucky they were mates the first time he had seen them huddled together, but the two were merely friends.
“Also, you can say that again about Tony Stark,” Clint tacked on.
Bucky nodded. “He’s stressed a lot.”
Clint wobbled his hand. “He doesn’t act like it, but considering how often I’ve seen him stuck in mid-shift recently, I guess so.”
Natasha nodded and opened her bottle. “He’s very good at hiding himself. He knows what people expect of him and plays to that.” Natasha met Bucky’s eyes, a glint in her gaze.
Just like me, Natasha silently communicated.
The only difference was, Natasha’s survival had depended on her acting skills, making her mask almost impossible to break, whereas Tony’s could be broken if pushed correctly.
“Did Steve tell you that when Tony rebuilt his tower he had designed it with rooms in mind for us?” Clint asked.
Bucky perked up. “He didn’t.”
Clint nodded. “Nice rooms too. Floors, really. All of us had our own living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and there was even a communal space.”
Bucky frowned. “But you all moved here.”
“We’re used to SHIELD,” Natasha said. “And Steve preferred to be here. So did Sam and Wanda. Vision had no preference, and Rhodey thought living with Tony might be too distracting, so he agreed to stay here. He visits Tony often though.”
“But he built you a home.” Perhaps it was Bucky’s wolf instincts talking, but as much as SHIELD had become his territory, it was not a home—not in the true sense of the word. It was where he slept and ate. It was where he trained and where he relaxed on occasion—as he was doing right then—but it was no more a home than the barracks had been in World War II. What Tony had offered sounded a lot more like a home.
“Yeah, but who wants to live with just, Stark? Besides, he’s part feline. Feline types prefer solitude. It’s nice that he offered, but he probably would have been annoyed with us after a few days.”
Bucky frowned. He wasn’t so sure about that. With everyone and everything vying for Tony’s attention, it didn’t seem like Tony had the time to waste on building everyone a home in order to extend an insincere offer.
The thought unsettled Bucky.
Bucky did not like Loki.
The egomaniac had returned to Earth to claim it as his own again. Not only had he brought along some more alien friends, but he’d prepared with a spell that had forced all of the shifters on the team to go into animal form. That left Thor, Wanda, Clint, and Vision as the only ones unaffected, while Steve, Bucky, Sam, and Natasha had to switch their battle strategies around.
Loki still wasn’t a match for them.
Thor with the help of some SHIELD agents cuffed and locked Loki away, along with some of Loki’s new associates.
There were still aliens on the loose, but they weren’t nearly as dangerous as the first alien army Loki had brought to Earth. They were vicious, but not very bright. Also, very small—they came up to Thor’s knees— and had bird beaks on their faces, which made them easy to spot.
As the pack prepared to go on a manhunt for the remaining aliens, Vision paused and looked around. “I do not believe I have seen Tony since Loki cast his spell.”
“Shit,” Clint cursed, “I’m so used to him taking off right after battle, that I didn’t think about it.” Clint turned to Thor and tapped him on the chest. “You mind giving me a lift to the tallest building around here? I should be able to spot his armor.”
“Easily.” Thor scooped Clint up like he was a damsel and swung his hammer. The two took off into the sky.
Steve barked.
Bucky snapped his head in Steve’s direction.
Sam in his falcon form fluttered onto the pavement.
Steve let out a quick series of noises that translated simply into: “Find Stark.”
Bucky nodded and took off down the street.
Sam’s shadow flew overhead.
Bucky huffed. With Clint and Sam’s sharp eyes the two of them were sure to find Tony in seconds.
Bucky almost questioned Steve’s decision to send him out to search for Tony when a soft smell skimmed across Bucky’s nose. Bucky skidded to a halt and sniffed. It was faint, but he smelled cat, oil, coffee, and Tony’s natural musk to the east.
Bucky lifted his head.
Sam was circling an area to the west, and Clint and Thor were headed in the same direction.
Bucky checked the scent again to be certain, but there was no mistaking it: Tony was in the opposite direction of where the others were looking.
Growling to himself, Bucky ran down the street, sniffing every so often to make sure he was on the correct path.
He was right on top of the smell when he heard the sound of garbage cans being banged around and a hiss.
He also smelled the sharp and sour smell of the aliens.
Bucky rushed around the corner into a narrow alleyway where two of the aliens were had cornered a tiny black cat with a white spot on its chest.
The aliens snatched at the cat with their talon like fingers.
The cat scooted farther back against the brick building’s wall and swatted at the aliens.
Bucky growled loud and low.
The aliens bounced and spun, chirping in surprise at Bucky’s arrival.
Bucky unsheathed his claws and padded the ground as he growled again.
The aliens ran.
Bucky jumped and tackled one to the ground. He sank his teeth into the soft face of their neck and ripped out the vital organs there. The body jerked as the last of the alien’s life was drained from it.
Bucky snort and spat out the foul taste of the alien’s blood.
The cat growled.
Bucky flipped his ears back and forth and turned to look at the cat. Large amber eyes stared unblinkingly at Bucky. The cat wasn’t just tiny; it was kitten-sized, just as Steve had described Tony.
Bucky stepped toward the cat and sniffed.
Yup, Tony.
Tony’s frame trembled as he hissed at Bucky.
Bucky woofed and approached Tony, ignoring Tony’s warning.
Tony jumped and swatted, scratching Bucky’s nose.
Bucky yelped and jumped back. He growled and whirled on Tony.
Tony: who had fallen and couldn’t get up because his front left paw was bent wrong.
Shit. No wonder Tony was lashing out. With his feline brain dominant, Tony wasn’t going to let any potential predator near him.
Grumbling, Bucky sank down to his belly and scooted across the ground.
Tony hissed again, but made no move to strike Bucky.
When Bucky got close enough, he bent his head down and snuffled the top of Tony’s head, trying to show he meant no harm.
Tony meowed pitifully.
Bucky snorted.
Silly pack mate. Too scared and too angry to recognize a pack member when one was right in front of them.
Bucky curled himself around Tony and waited for the furious fuzz ball to calm down and stop shaking. He thought it wouldn’t take long, but Tony surprised him by continuing to tremble. He wouldn’t even lean against Bucky. He’d just lay there and meowed softly.
Bucky didn’t like it. He barely spent any time with Tony, and he knew the way Tony was acting now was nothing like him, even if his animal side was at the forefront of his mind.
Bucky snuffled Tony again.
Tony purred.
Taking that as a good sign, Bucky decided now was as good as ever to take Tony back to the pack.
Carefully and daintily, Bucky picked Tony up by the nape of his neck.
Tony meowed in protest and squirmed, but Bucky paid him no mind. He stood up and walked the streets back to where he’d last seen his pack.
A shadow the shape of a falcon flew overhead and followed him back to where SHIELD agents had set up temporary medical tents.
Bucky pushed open one of the tents and looked around. He spotted an empty cot and jumped into it, taking Tony with him.
He curled up then gently set Tony down against his side.
Tony flattened his ears and made a swat for Bucky’s nose, but didn’t move from the spot.
One of the medical personnel looked up from helping a civilian and jumped in surprise at Bucky’s presence.
Bucky growled and the medical attendant raced off, calling for assistance.
Five minutes later, Maria Hill walked in.
The woman took one glance at Bucky and Tony, and knew in an instant what was going on. She crouched low to Bucky’s eye level without looking him in the eye directly. “Your pack mate needs medical attention. We can wait a little longer to see if Loki’s magic wears off, but someone is going to have to look at him.”
Bucky growled.
“You can continue to guard him, just don’t bite off anyone’s hands.” Her eyes drifted to the metal leg connected to Bucky.
Many were shocked when first seeing the enchanted prosthetic. It wasn’t just a finely crafted piece of technology. Hydra had paid a witch heavily to enchant it so it would transform into a leg when he took on his wolf form.
Bucky barked, warning the woman to stop staring at him.
Maria’s gaze snapped away from the leg and she straightened. “In a half hour, I’ll send in someone who is familiar with cats.”
Bucky dipped his head in understanding.
“Good.” Maria marched out of the tent.
Tony pawed at Bucky’s side.
Bucky turned his head to what Tony wanted.
Tony shoved his hind foot into Bucky’s face.
Ungrateful pack mate.