An-Peter is a cat shifter, explained in the story

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Being a shifter wasn't necessarily rare, but it wasn't common. Peter had been taught to hide it from the moment he was born. His parents, Ben, May, even Mr Delmer told him he had to hide it. He hadn't been in the same room as so many shifters until he met the Avengers. Sure, sometimes there were a few in his classes, or in the hall, who would suddenly have to shift or they would get aggressive and anxious. Peter had that sometimes, but usually, all he had to do was shift once a day and he'd be fine.

The Avengers were funny sometimes, they were like a really weird fairy tale. Peter had a problem with his cat instinct of needing scent everything and anything that he considered him. Usually, that just consisted of hugging the life out of someone, or at other times nuzzling into things in his cat form.

The questions started when Peter moved into the tower after May was offered a job opportunity out of state. The team were very curious as to who's scent covered Peter's possessions, clothing, furniture and his very being.

Other times, Peter just had downright strange habits and rituals. It was well known that a shifter in their human form would take on characteristics of their shifter form. For Peter that meant some very hard to explain habits.

At least three showers a day, hatred of sudden cold or wetness, constant meticulous grooming of his skin, nails, hair and clothing, a very extreme fondness for fish and meat. And at times Peter was lazy and unresponsive, draped over couches and chairs in the sunlight. Many times you could find Peter sprawled out or curled up on the floor in the sun in the living room. Other times Peter could be found climbing on top of things and tucking into corners or tight spaces. And not to mention that he was almost vomiting inducingly flexible.

The team only found out because Bucky and Steve were shifted in their very intimidating dog forms. Peter's heart automatically raced every time the two shifted, his hands sweating and shaking in anxiety. Recently more and more of his feline traits had been showing through because he had less and less opportunities to shift into his cat form. Even Peter was shocked when he hissed and spat at Bucky, who had bounded up to him and placed his head in his lap for pets.

Peter continued to hiss and spit at him until he slowly shifted into his feline state. He proceeded at bap Bucky's nose hard enough to make him let out a loud whimper. Peter hissed in response, bapping him again and again until he backed away. The last dog shifter he had come into contact with in his cat form had tried to tear him limb from limb.

Everyone watched wide-eyed as Bucky shied away from Peter and shifted back into human form. When Tony tried to step up to Peter, his hackles raised, his back arching high, his claws bared along with his teeth, growling louder then anyone had ever heard, hissing for good measure. Tony pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, of course, this was what Peter was hiding, not some secret crush or failed test paper.

Peter continued to hiss frantically in fear as Steve, still in his dog form bounded up to him and tried to comfort him. He also received the same treatment as Bucky, several nose baps and almost a scratched up eye.

Peter was terrified out of his mind, most dog shifters were aggressive and territorial. Flash was a dog shifter, and he was delighted to torment Peter in his own shifter form.

Tony sighed and stepped in front of Peter with an unimpressed and unamused expression in his face, cocking his head and putting his hands on his hips.

"You stop this right now Peter or I'll call Aunt May." He threatens. Peter's back immediately went back to normal and he stopped hissing, his hackles were still raised and he was still growling though. Tony rolled his eyes and picked Peter up by the scruff of his neck so Peter was dangling in the air.

Peter let out several frantic meows, using his bottom legs to get a hold on Tony's chest, trying to squirm out of his hold. He meowed in protest when Tony rolled his eyes again and pressed Peter into his chest, forcing him into a very tight and squishy hug. Peter's ears were pressed against his head, the growling had stopped and his hackles were down though, so that was progress. Tony chuckled and plopped Peter back down on the couch, where Peter sat obediently and curling his tail around his legs, the tip flicking, thumping against the couch every now and again.

"Are you going to change back or not?" Tony said in an impatient voice. Peter meowed loudly in response, narrowing his eyes. Tony rolled his eyes and sat heavily next to Peter, causing him to almost fly off the couch. Peter meowed loudly again, settling back on the couch next to Tony. He was about to hiss when he remembered what Tony had done not ten minutes ago. He hated being held. He meowed again before shifting back, settling uncomfortably on the couch. He tucked his legs under himself and ran a hand through his hair.

"Are you going to apologise?" Tony prompted, Peter crosses his arms over his chest and shook his head. Tony rolled his eyes and raised a hand, Peter's eye immediately widened in fear. Tony was also a canine, but a hyena. Peter fell to the floor when Tony places his hand on Peter's shoulder, causing Peter to instinctively revert back to his cat state. Tony pinched the bridge of his nose again in frustration.

"So you don't like canines. Are you going to explain why?" Tony asked. Peter let out a hiss in response. He meowed in protest when someone picked him up, holding him tightly to their chest. Peter tried his best to struggle out of their grip but they held him firm. He only relaxed slightly when he realised it was Pietro, he was a cheeta. Pietro grinned down at him.

"I think he likes me." He said, his accent bleeding into the sentence. Peter growled in response, hissing up at Pietro and trying again to squirm out of his grip. Pietro rolled his eyes and let Peter dangle in front of him, holding him out like Simba. Peter hated it when people did that to him. He managed to reach his bottom leg up to one of Pietros hand, his hands were held tight.

"I understand your mistrust and aggression towards canines. But whatever has happened to you should not affect your view of the canines on the team. They would stop at nothing to protect you, feline or not." Pietro said, wrapping his arm around Peter's chest and stroking his head. Peter had to admit that that did feel nice, it wasn't everyday people petted him. Pietro put him down with a soft plump on the carpet, Peter looked up at him and meowed before stalking back to the couch he previously occupied, changing back and shivering.

"I'm sorry I acted out and hurt you. I got scared." Peter said regretfully, looking towards Steve and Bucky who looked liked kicked puppies.

"It's okay, not everyone's a dog person," Bucky said, Peter couldn't fight the grin making its way into his face.

"I do think of myself as more of a cat person." Peter drawled, leaning back into the couch and crossing his arms over his chest, crossing his legs under himself.

"No one in my family is a shifter, I'm the only one. So the first time it happened everyone was shocked, I was still a kitten," Peter paused, narrowed his eyes, "a kid when it happened. I'm small now but think smaller than your hand tiny. We were at the park and I started playing around with this wolf cub, his dad was one of those traditionals who didn't like his canine son interacting with a feline. He picked me up and he started crushing me in his mouth and I was terrified out of my mind because I couldn't change back." Peter was about to continue when Steve interrupts.

"But that's so wrong! You were a kitten! He could have killed you! The laws have changed! You can interact with whoever you want!" Steve exclaimed, Peter nodded.

"That's not all though. No one really knows that I'm a shifter, except for one boy at my school. It was an accident, he touched the back of my neck and I froze and automatically shifted. He's a stupid Golden retriever. He always does these things he knows with make me shift and then he pesters me." Peter said, shivering lightly.

"But it's fine because I told May who told the school and he's been moved out of all my classes so I'm safe and no one knows." Peter bludged, blushing madly. Everyone nodded, Tony narrowed his eyes at Peter who was tugging on the ends of his sleeves.

"How often do you shift?" Tony asked, Peter shrugged.

"I usually only do it when no ones around." He said quietly. He didn't miss the sharp intake of breath from everyone. It could be exceptionally dangerous to shift on your own, most animals had a pack instinct.

"The scenting! It's your scent that's on everything! And the hugs! It makes so much sense now!" Clint blurted, Peter nodded in embarrassment.

"It's ok kiddo, we know what feline instincts are like." Tony said. Peter shrugged.

"But it's different cause I'm a house cat. I'm literally a glorified house cat. I'm not joking." Peter said, motioning with his hands a little. Tony narrowed his eyes and smirked.

"Have you ever been pet before?" Tony asked, Peter reddened even further and shook his head.

"It's embarrassing." He muttered, fiddling with the loose threads of the couch.

"Why's it embarrassing?" Steve asked. Peter looked away from him and huffed.

"Cause I start purring and can't stop and then I get sleepy. May used to pet me when I was a kitten." Peter said quietly. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding when no one laughed.

"It's not weird you know. Stevie and I have that thing dogs do when you scratch their ears and it gives them a high because hormones are released." Bucky said, waving a hand. Peter sighed.

"It's just weird cause I can purr even when I'm not shifted so physical contact is a no go," Peter said firmly. Tony narrowed his eyes.

"No one cares here you know. We all know you can't help your instincts when you're in your shifter form." Tony said. Peter was getting really tired of this conversation and just sighed, shifting into his cat form and curling up into a tight ball on the couch.

"Am I getting the silent treatment?" Tony asked incredulously. Peter meowed pointedly in response.

"That's it," Tony said, reaching out and petting Peter's head. He couldn't help but immediately relax, spreading out on the couch and pressing his head against Tony's hand. Tony grinned as he watched Peter spread out on the couch, stretching his legs out in front of him and then moving closer to Tony.

"See. Not so bad." Tony said. If Peter could roll his eyes he would. He stood up and bumped his head against Tony's hand, slowly stepping up into Tony's lap, his small paws weren't good for this.

"His paws are so tiny." Natasha cooed, sliding off her couch and advancing on Peter. She picking up one of his paws and stroked it in her hands. Peter didn't like that much and slid his hand out of her grip and shook his paw rapidly. Natasha cooed in response, reaching up to stroke Peter's back. And good lord did that feel nice. Peter let out a small meow, his mouth hanging open slightly as his chest started rumbling with loud purrs.

"Oh my god, you're so loud," Wanda said, sliding off her own couch and walking over to pat Peter's head. Tony made a noise at the amount of hair landing on his lap.

"Sorry kid but I'm gonna need to cut this short, these are my nice dress pants," Tony said, nudging Peter slightly. Peter meowed in disappointment and slowly got off of Tony, still purring loudly.

"I have to agree with Tony, cat fur is hard to get out of clothes," Natasha said, most everyone agreed, except for Steve and Bucky.

"I wouldn't mind some Peter cuddles." Bucky said suddenly, Peter narrowed his eyes before slinking off the council and stalking towards Bucky. Bucky looked slightly apprehensive with Peter coming towards him.

"Promise you won't bap me?" Bucky said hesitantly when Peter jumped up on the couch. Peter meowed loudly in response, slowly getting comfortable in Bucky's lap. He had to admit that Bucky's lap was very very comfortable. Bucky smirked and immediately started using his metal hand to stretch Peter's head, and Jesus Christ was that nice. Peter let out a small meow, stretching on Bucky's lap. He reached out his front leg and nudged Steve.

"Is that my apology?" Steve asked. Peter meowed loudly in response blinking slowly. Steve smiled and reached out a hand and petted Peter's head, making him meow quietly again. When Bucky shifted subconsciously Peter jumped slightly, but calmed down when Bucky nuzzled into him. Peter meowed again and cuddled in with him. Steve narrowed his eyes for a moment before shifting as well and cuddling in with Bucky and Peter.

"Now isn't that cute," Clint said. He was obviously jealous, everyone knew Bucky and Steve gave the best cuddles.

"Call it birdbrain, they're already asleep."