Gunfire could be heard faintly in the distance, along with the roar of the Hulk and explosions that rocked the foundation and those in it.
It had begun a normal day before everything had gone terribly, horribly wrong. He didn't even remember what they were doing before they were attacked, only that they were overwhelmed, Tony couldn't get to his suit and they were taken.
Now, as the rest of the Avengers battled with their captors, Steve was with Tony in a room already ravaged by the onslaught. The fool had insisted on continuing on in the fight once they were free despite the absence of his suit. Now he lay in Steves arms, blood gushing from where he took a hit to the stomach.
Tonys body convulsed as a rack of coughs tore through him, leaving him grimacing in pain and and gasping for the oxygen he couldn't quite take in.
"Tony... Tony!" Steve said urgently, panic only a hint in his voice. he needed to stay calm for Tonys sake, and his own. "Look at me, look at me! Deep slow breaths. Come on, deep breaths." Taking in a breath himself he let it out. In, out. In, out. In, out. Again and again and again, until Tonys breathing matched his own.
"Steve" Tony flinched at the pain and effort it took just to say that one word. "S-Steve..."
"Shh. Shh." Steve brushed the hair from Tonys face, the fresh blood from his hand smeared into his forehead and made the hair sticking up from already dried blood flatten out against his head. "Don't talk, save your energy. You're going to need it to harass the doctors and nurses in medical."
Tonys soft chuckles quickly turned into coughs as if his lungs were trying to escape. Blood coated the inside of his mouth, his usually pearly white teeth stained a bloody crimson.
"We both know I'm not making it out of here." Tony rasped once the fit had died down. "Tony-" Steve tried, but he was having none of that. "Don't. Don't deny it. We both know it, so don't try lying to me. Not you. Not now." Unshed tears gathered in his eyes, choking his words.
Steve hesitated for a second before resigning to the truth. "I'm sorry" he murmured, pained.
"Don't be. You were the best p-part of my life. I-I" Tonys eyes started rolling back inside his head, eyelids fluttering. White hot terror flooded Steve "Tony? Tony! TO-" Tonys eyes opened and Steve gasped in relief.
"There has to be something that I can do. Please, tell me that there's something I can do." Steve sobbed.
Tony was silent for a long moment. His tired chocolate brown eyes searching Steves soft baby blues. Finally, barely above a whisper he answers. "Kiss me." At Steves shocked expression he said again "Kiss me. Please Steve, you-you asked and I-I'm-" His pleas were cut off when Steves mouth met his. Taking the chance when Tony gasped to slip his tongue in, taking dominance in Tonys weakened state. Tears mingled on both their cheeks. Steve pulled back, breaking the kiss. Tony took in sharp little breaths, grimacing in pain.
"How long?" Steve asked "Tony, how long?"
Tonys speech was choppy, weaker, it was getting harder and harder to speak, but one word could be heard as clear as day "How long? How long have I been in love with you? Don't know... exactly. Half as-long as I've known you... Longer." Tony began coughing again, it was weak and didn't last long. Short, shallow and fast was his breathing until it stopped altogether. Nothing Steve did woke Tony up.
Not even a sobbed I love you too.
