There was only one thing worse than having to watch Steve go through surgery, and that was the aftermath.
There really wasn't all that much that could be done for him other than making him as comfortable as humanly possible. It really doesn't help that there wasn't any drug known to man that could lessen Steve's pain, and not for the lack of trying either. Tony has spent months looking for anything that could help Steve, even in the slightest. But to no avail.
Tony lets out a tired sigh. He runs his fingers through Steve's sweat-damp hair. "How are you going? Thirsty?" he asks.
Steve blinks his eyes open, his lashes stinking together with his tears, and shakes his head.
"Hungry?"
Steve shakes his head again.
"Okay," he says. "You'll tell me if you want something, okay?"
"Yeah" Steve crocks, his voice small and thin.
Tony reaches down and checks on the heat pack resting against Steve's chest, checking to see if it was still warm. It was warm, but it might need reheating in a few moments.
While his hands are down there, he checks on Steve's bandages, making sure they were all still in place, that they were dry and clean still.
Even through the multiple layers of thick bandages, he can feel the twitch and tug of Steve's guts pulling themselves back together again. The man tosses his head back with a pained groan at a practically vicious pull of his healing internals.
Tony swallows thickly as he pulls his hands away.
He returns his fingers to Steve's hair, carding them through the blonde strands. Fresh tears run down the man's cheeks.
"Tony" Steve groans. "It-It hurts."
"I know. I'm sorry, sweetheart" he whispers.
One day he was going to find something to manage Steve's pain.
The End
Notes: For the Avengers Assemble Stony Server Bingo; Tony Card prompt "Cuddling/Snuggling" [D1]
And for day 15 of Whumptober 2020. Prompt: Magical Healing | Science Gone Wrong (I feel both of these mixed together pretty much describe Steve's enhanced healing.)