This was a joke. A stupid, immature joke. And he was going to kick Tony's ass.
Steve had just finished making himself a sandwich when Jarvis's voice boomed over the speakers, informing them that Tony was in trouble. Clint and Natasha were beside him when he had gotten the news. But Steve wasn't sure if they took off running down the stairs with him.
He didn't want to waste time looking over his shoulders, and he was to busy listen for any sigh of a threat or Tony's voice, to hear their footsteps.
The floor which the workshop was on was eerily silent.
Running into the workshop, Steve's blue eyes frantically searched for the engineer.
"Steve, over here!" The blond heard Natasha call out. She was crouched behind the desk, Clint stand behind her, a confused, yet worried, expression on his face.
And if Steve wasn't so focused on Tony, he'd be impressed that they were able to keep up with him. Walking around the desk Steve's heart stopped cold. Tony was lying on the floor, the engineer surrounded with contents from his desk drawer. As if Tony had been desperately searching for something before he collapsed.
"Tony?" Natasha whispered, a trace of fear lacing the word. She had Tony's head in her lap, fingers running through the wet locks. And Steve couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous at the sight.
"Jarvis!" Steve called out, eyes glued on Tony's pale, sweat covered face.
"Sir, is having an allergic reaction to something. He was looking for his epipen before collapsing." Jarvis filled them in.
"Steve he's not breathing!" Clint called out alarmed.
"Find that epipen." Steve more or less demanded. Clint nodded and started looking through the contents, "Jarvis how long ago did he stop breathing?"
"It's been two minutes, Mr. Rodgers."
Steve started to panic, running his hand through his hair, "Jarvis call Bruce."
"Already done Captain."
Steve nodded, and focused on Tony's heartbeat. Fear spiking up, when he couldn't find it over the humming of the arc reactor. The reactor itself was still glowing. Steve took that as a good sign. If the reactor is still glowing, that means Tony's still alive... Right?
He has to be. Steve hasn't told him yet. He hasn't said those three words. He needs to say those three words.
Steve bent down beside the engineer. Hands hovering over his chest, but not quite touching it, "Please Tony. You can't die...Do you hear me you son of a bitch!"
Steve glanced up at Natasha, the younger woman gave him a pity look. Her own tears shinning brightly, but not yet falling. The look of pity was to much for Steve to handle, the blonds heart was breaking, and Tony still wasn't breathing.
"Babe, you need to open those eyes," Steve begged, "I need to see those brown eyes."
But Tony just laid there, motionless and pale.
"Clint?" Steve asked looking over at the man as he frantically searched around.
"It's gotta be here! Come on!" Clint desperately moved stuff around, "Got it!"
Clint threw the epipen to Steve, who caught it. Steve ripped it open and jabbed it gently- but hard enough into Tony's thigh. Thanking the Gods that the effect was immediate. Tony jerked, as his eyes flew open. His body then went stiff as he gasped. Oxygen flowing back into his lungs, causing him to cough, struggling to take it all back in.
"Mr. Rodgers, Mr. Banner is up stairs waiting for Tony." Jarvis informed them.
"Ste..." Tony wheezed out, trying to reach for the blond. Steve grabbed the extended hand. Squeezing it gently.
"I'm here. I'm here Tony." Steve whispered looking down at the brunet, "I'm not going anywhere, babe."
Tony looked bad, his face red and swollen. And Steve could hear the rattling in Tony's chest as he took in raspy breathes.
"I couldn't breath... Try- tried to find my epipen-" A cough cut him off.
"Shh... Don't talk. I'm going to carry you up stairs. Bruce is waiting for you... You're going to be okay." Steve nodded to Natasha as he looped a hand under Tony's legs, and another against his back. In a bridal carry.
"I- I though I was going to die." Tony muttered against Steve's chest, his voice though faint and rough, cutting through Steve like a knife.
Steve hushed him, clenching his jaw to keep the tears at bay. They hopped onto the elevator, the ride up was silent as no one knew what to say. Once the elevators doors open, Bruce was standing right there. Jarvis must of told him they where on their way up. Steve silently thanked him. Steve brought Tony over to the brunets bedroom and gently placed him on the bed, and backed away enough for Bruce to do his job.
He placed an oxygen mask on Tony's face, helping the engineer breath deeper, to reopen his lungs and get air back into his blood and tissue. Steve eyes never left Tony. Eyes flickered from the rise and fall of his chest, to the brown eyes that stared right back.
Around thirty minutes later, Bruce informed them that he'd be okay, but should be on bed rest for the next few hours. Also someone should be by his bedside at all times. Steve quickly volunteered.
Tony had fallen asleep shortly after. Steve settled into the small chair by the side of the bed. Sketch pad laid in the blonds lap, as he drew. Tony woke up two hours later. Smiling brightly when his eyes fell onto Steve.
"Hey." Tony said, voice still a tad rough.
Steve let out a shaky breath. Tony looked much better than before. The swelling had completely gone down, leaving his checks a red colour. He was also wearing a cannula. Bruce had hooked up an oxygen machine beside Tony's bed.
Tony's rolled his eyes, when he noticed the cannula, and brought a hand up to remove it.
"Hey no! Bruce said to keep it in. Just for a few more hours," Steve set his sketch pad to the side and sat down beside Tony on the bed. Eyes roaming over the brunets body. As if he could see the damage through the clothes.
Tony rolled his eyes again and continued to remove the cannula, "You do realize that Bruce isn't actually a medical doctor, right?"
"Please, just put it back on. For me."
Tony frowned, but put the cannula back on, and Steve was able to breath easier.
"There go you Cap."
"Thank you," Steve smiled, brushing Tony's hair out of his face. Tony was alive, "How are you feeling? Any pain?"
"Nah, I'm fine." Tony smiled back, leaning into Steve's hand.
"Jarvis said you had an allergic reaction. I didn't even know you were allergic to anything. No one did." Steve whispered, stroking Tony's cheek with his thumb.
"Bees."
"Bees?" Steve repeated, slightly confused.
"The bugger had somehow gotten into my workshop. At first I thought it was just a fly. So I started swatting at it. Asshole stung me." Tony explained, shrugging, causing Steve's hand to fall from his face. And Tony found himself missing the warmth and closeness.
Steve stared at the engineer blankly, before bursting into laughter.
Tony crossed his arms and pouted.
"I thought you were dying! I thought someone had somehow gotten into the lab, unheard, and hurt you."
"Well in a way you aren't wrong," Tony pointed out with a laugh of his own.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Steve asks again, not quite reassured.
Tony rolled his eyes, "I'm fine. You came. When I needed you, you came."
"And I always will. Because you are the most accident prone man I've ever met."
"Yeah." Tony asked with a smile.
"Yeah." Steve smiled back gently, and listened to the quiet 'thud' of Tony's beating heart. Tony was alive. In pain, and maybe still a bit swollen, but he was alive. And when he got better, Steve was going to say those three little words.
