Hocus Pocus // T. Stark

XIX

A sudden deep breath heaves him forward from his laying position. His breaths deep and heavy as he struggles to take in his surroundings. His eyes burn from a bright light and he tilts his arm up to block it. He notices that it comes from desk light to his right resulting in him grabbing the neck and turning it away from him. 

Tony tries to remember what happened as he inspects the room he was in. His hands are leaning onto a leather couch, keeping his body upright. He realizes that it wasn't actually as light as he first thought, the sun had already set as he takes in the view though one of the many windows. His memory seems to fail him for a moment. He uses the armrest of the couch to lift himself up and with a deep groan he comes upright. Tony wasn't familiar with the room he was in. It seemed to be a study. A mahogany bureau overflowing with papers stands next the couch, the typewriter standing in the middle of the mess makes Tony frown.

'Who even uses those anymore?'

The walls that weren't occupied with windows were covered in bookshelves and cabinets. Now that he notices, there were books everywhere. On the coffee table, on the desk and even on the floor. It reminded him a bit of his own workshop. An organised chaos. Tony struts towards the bookshelf closest to him, fingers moving over the spines as he inspects the titles. A few books he was familiar with. Most of those were classics like pride and the prejudice or Shakespeare plays but a lot of the books had titles that made his eyebrows rise. 

"Tales of Beedle and the Bard, House elves & self-hatred-" He whispers, his hand reaching out towards another book which was covered in fur and he snorts, "The monster book of Monsters?"

He takes that one out but as soon as he opens it the book in his grip seems to come to life. Tony lets out a yell, throwing the book into the air. The clamps open and close, and as he rushes backwards he notices that they weren't even clamps in the first place. They were teeth. He yells again and jumps onto the couch as the living book rushes towards him. 

He hears footsteps rushing up a set of stairs before the door of the office opens. 

"Tony, you're awake. Why are you yelling? Are you in pain?"

The billionaire could only give the newcomer a yell of warning before the book suddenly changes its course towards Steve standing in the door opening. The super soldier gapes at the monster with wide eyes and slams the door close before it could reach him.

"Hey, don't leave me here with that- that thing!"

"What kind of spider is that?!"

"It's a book!"

The furry book had turned its focus back on Tony, making horrible smacking and grumbling sounds as it rushes towards him. The beast was too fast for Tony to lift his leg up onto the couch. Its teeth clam down onto his expensive shoes. 

"Ahh, Steve! Its got my shoe! Its eating my foot!" Tony begins kicking his leg around like crazy, trying to shake the beast of. 

At his words Steve rushes back in, laying eyes on the billionaire who was currently withering on the floor in a battle with the monster. The blond soldier grabs a book that was laying on the coffee table and uses it to smack the beast of Tony's shoe. The furry book flies away. As it lands, it stares around seemingly confused for a moment. It wasn't long before its eyes, that Tony only now noticed that it had, were on the two of them again. 

"What did you do for it to hate you this much Tony!"

"What- I just opened it! You expect the worst of me, I'm a very likable person!"

The book jumps towards Tony but before it can reach him Steve plucks it out of the air and slams it close. Tony pulls it out of his hands and rushes towards the bookcase, slamming the book back inside. He stumbles backwards, his breaths heavy as he leans against the couch.