Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Challenges listed at the bottom.

Word Count - 392

Fractured

Tony had thought about hiding it, but in the end, he'd known he'd never get away with it. Not with the way Steve kept such a close eye on him.

In the end, he was tucked up in bed, a brace around his wrist to help the fracture heal, and his boyfriend sprawled beside him.

Tony pouted at him. "I want to go and play, Steve!"

"You're staying out of your workshop, Tony. I know how careless you can be in there when you're in the zone, and I'll not have you making your injuries worse."

"I'll be fine in a few days," Tony muttered, ignoring that he knew exactly how long fractures took to heal.

"You're going to be grumpy until I let you go to the workshop, aren't you?" Steve asked, looking more amused than he should be in Tony's opinion.

"Yes."

"Hmm. You're cute when you're grumpy," Steve replied, rolling over and wrapping his arm carefully over Tony's stomach. "We'll see how you are tomorrow, okay? If you're feeling okay, and you promise to be careful, I won't argue too much about you spending a few hours in the workshop."

Satisfied, Tony settled against Steve and pressed his face against the crook of his neck.

Even when he was grumpy, this was Tony's happy place.

Steve wrapped around him a little more, and his hand rested against Tony's head, playing with the soft strands of hair.

"You scared me today," he admitted quietly into the silence. "It's hard, watching you get thrown around in that tin can of yours, not being able to do anything to stop it."

"It's just as hard for me, you know?" Tony asked. "Watching you get beat up and thrown into buildings. Hell, Steve, it's harder, because I've got an armour to protect me—and yes, I'm going to ignore the tin can comment, you heathen."

"I have the serum though. I heal up really fast. Any injuries you get, you have to let them heal normally."

"It's bound to happen in our line of work, babe," Tony replied. "It sucks, but better us than some poor untrained civilian, right? We all know what we signed up for, and I'd rather be out there watching you back then waiting at home for news."

"I know. It's just hard. I love you."

"I love you too."

Written for:

North Funfair: Sing Along: 23. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town: 1. Pouting

East Funfair: Advent: 17. Grumpy

South Funfair: Stocking Filler: 6. Paint: "I'll be fine in a few days."

365: 347. Fracture