Not My Kisses!
Steve had gone down to the lab to visit his very recently established partner, and possibly seduce him into coming to bed rather than continuing whatever admittedly impressive project he had going today. And for the last couple days. Without pause. Yeah, he needed a break. And seduction was probably the best route. Tony doesn't like to be told what to do. If he is tempted properly...that has a more pleasant outcome. Generally speaking.
He wasn't, however, planning on seeing Tony sitting on a stool, hunched over his work space, wrapped in a blanket, still seeming to be shivering, and surrounded by used tissues. Well, that changed things.
Steve knocked against the door frame to introduce himself before entering Tony's sacred space. PTSD had touched all of their lives one way or another and it definitely showed. Particularly when they were focused, as being suddenly interrupted in a place one views as safe could make anyone jumpy. Always better not to risk it.
Once inside, Steve headed straight for his man, reaching out a hand to rest on Tony's shoulder, warm and gentle in his intentions. Shame, he had planned the touching part to be much more...exciting. Oh well. That could certainly wait.
Tony turned towards the contact. Steve didn't like what he saw. The usually bright eyes had a haze to them that was concerning on its own. Add to that the sheen of sweat along Tony's brow, the lack of color in his cheeks, and the sheer amount of red coloring his nose, any residual hope for his original plan went out the window.
"Hey there sweetheart. What are you still doing down here?" Steve tried his best to keep his tone gentle, allowing only a touch of scolding to be heard in his words.
"Working on an update to-" Whatever lecture he had been preparing to launch into was cut off by a sudden coughing fit.
Steve looked around and found the water bottle of whatever it was Tony was using to stay "nourished and hydrated" on the far corner of his desk. He grabbed it and held it out for Tony who took it gratefully, taking a sip to calm his spasming throat and lungs.
"Okay, well whatever update it is, how about you put it on hold? We need to get you up to bed now. Come on, hon. Let's go." Steve said, placing a hand on Tony's shoulder blade, applying the slightest bit of pressure in a subtle attempt to get him to turn away from the work and allow himself to be ushered out of the lab.
"Nope! This is time sensitive, I have to finish this bit. You can't pull me away now. It would be disastrous. In the worst kind of way! And I know you're not really up with all these things yet but trust me when I say it will be revolutionary." Tony's protests came right on cue.
Luckily, Steve had been dealing with this man long before they ever tried being involved with each other. He was ready.
"Oh I have no doubt it is well beyond me. You would need years just to explain the concept, I'm sure. My little brain is no match for that super processor you've got up here." Steve stroked his hand down Tony's face from temple to jaw, smirking as he watched his words flow through said processor. "You'll just have to start explaining it to me so I can, maybe, just possibly, be able to watch you work on it and actually have a prayer at following the extent of your genius master engineering hands do their work. You do know how much I enjoy watching your hands at work."
"No, it's really not that complicated, these are just-" Tony cut off when Steve pressed a finger against Tony's lips.
Tony looked up with a confused expression on his face, eyebrows scrunched together adorably trying to keep up. He waited for whatever Steve was going to do next.
"Tomorrow." Steve said it with a finality that even Tony couldn't argue with. Not that he really wanted to considering how miserable he was feeling.
Still, he put on a pout to keep up appearances. Can't have Steve thinking he's that easy.
"Come on," Steve tried. "The sooner we get you up to bed and get some food and meds in you, the sooner you'll start to feel better. Which means the sooner you can get back here to your...geniusing."
Tony looked less than impressed.
Steve tried again. "And the sooner we can get back to-how does one put this nicely-'other mutually enjoyable activities?'" Steve leaned in, placing his hands on the desk on either side of Tony, close enough to run his nose along Tony's neck. He would rather enjoy the slight shiver that ran up the other man's spine, if he hadn't been convinced it was due more to the fever than any real sense of desire or attraction.
"Now that is reasoning I can get behind. Or you can get behind. Details. We can figure them out later. Just have to get to bed, you said?"
Now how had Steve not figured that seduction would still be what Tony would respond to the best? The man never had much sense when it came to doing things that benefited his health. Why should this be any different?
Steve pulled back to rest his forehead against Tony's. He waited until Tony made eye contact before starting again.
"Sweetheart, you're sick." Pouty Tony is really unfairly cute. "You need to rest and get yourself healthy again before we even think about doing anything like that."
"But you can't get sick. Super immunity and all that jazz. So why not?" Of course Tony was going to fight this. Steve pulled back, frowning.
"I know I can't get sick, hon. The point is that you could get sicker." More sick? Sicker. "And we definitely don't want that, now do we?" Of course Steve loved a stubborn idiot who doesn't bother taking care of himself. This must be payback for all the shit he put Bucky through when he had the same cavalier attitude about his own health and safety.
He left his hands on the desk, kept his arms around Tony, bracketing him in.
"Oookaaay, no sex." Steve could hear the gears grinding in Tony's mind. A good indicator of exactly the kind of state he was in considering Tony's mind is normally a well oiled machine. "What about heavy petting?" His face lit up, proud at having come up with what he considered an acceptable compromise.
Steve almost didn't want to say no. But, "No can do sweetheart. You know how quickly you get worked up. No exerting yourself when you're like this. That includes keeping yourself from being too tempted." And from tempting me, Steve wanted to say, but thought it best not to give Tony any more ammunition than he certainly already had.
"Oh come on, it's not like you can't do all the work. Hell, you enjoy doing the work!" Tony was really going for it if he was offering to let Steve win their ever present battle for dominance that, either fortunately or unfortunately, depending on the day, extended into the bedroom on a regular basis.
Time to break out the big guns. "Do you think that, the way your nose is looking, you could even breathe well enough for 'heavy petting?'" Steve was still in Tony's personal space, leaning his weight against the desk. He was close enough to hear Tony mouth breathing. Though he probably didn't have to be that close. It wasn't exactly quiet.
Tony's mouth snapped shut. Audibly. Steve knew he had it in the bag then. Tony was no doubt going to complain further, but Steve stopped him with a kiss. He kept it chaste, not wanting to lose ground when he was so close to sealing his victory.
He pulled away before Tony could really respond, saying "Had to get one last one in."
The look of shock from Tony was almost too much. "Wait, no, don't take kisses away from me!" Tony pouted rather cutely again. "It's just kisses. Surely that's okay still! You already took the real fun..."
"Just giving you a little extra incentive to get yourself better. As fast as you can, preferably. You're not the only one who's going to miss the kisses." Steve smirked at the outrage on Tony's face.
One more peck on the lips for good measure and Steve pulled Tony up, keeping the blanket tight around him and pulling him along, supporting most of his weight as they moved towards the elevator.
"Come on, I'll make you some soup while you shower, and then I'll tuck you in and everything."
Tony couldn't actually deny that sounded pretty wonderful.
"Fine." If that was the end of the pouting, Steve must be getting good at this.
"...Or you could always join me in the shower, you know." Of course that wasn't the end.
Damn, this was going to be a long next couple of days.