Not many people know what it's like to stay up all night, sitting against the headboard in the pitch black room, listening to the gasping breaths of your soulmate.
"You're okay, you're okay," Rhodey whispered when he heard Tony's gasping turn into panic wheezes. He pulled the genius closer to his chest, steadying his lolling head.
Every other night Tony woke up unable to breathe and trying to force air through his inflamed lungs. The genius had had asthma since he was young, but it only got worse as he grew older. Rhodey had been with him since MIT and watched the decline in his health, staying strong by his side.
"You ready to try again?" Rhodey asked.
He felt Tony's nod against his chest.
Rhodey pulled the smaller man up by his armpits so his back was straighter and held an inhaler up to his lips.
Tony's lips curled around the device and he tried to inhale as much as his lungs would allow. He barely got in half a breath before he bent over at the waist, coughing his heart out.
Rhodey put down the inhaler and pulled his husband back up. Hands on Tony's chest, he could feel just how much his lungs were struggling. Tony's heart was racing and he was starting to feel hot.
After the coughing fit, Tony's lungs resumed their gasping and the genius slumped bonelessly against the bigger man. He reached blindly for Rhodey's hand and squeezed it weakly.
Rhodey rested his chin on Tony's slightly damp hair and sighed worriedly. He rubbed the man's arm back and forth softly and let his tired eyes close for a second. "You ready to try again?" He asked after a few moments.
Tony whined and pushed his forehead into Rhodey's neck.
"If you don't do this I'm going to have to get the nebulizer," Rhodey reminded.
Tony whined louder, weakly fisting Rhodey's shirt.
Rhodey ran his fingers through Tony's curls and grabbed the inhaler from next to him. He watched with slightly teary eyes as Tony struggled to make his lungs work enough to inhale the medicine.
After several tries, Tony's breathing, while still short, grew a bit better. The pair quickly fell back to sleep after that, collapsing against the headboard.
Rhodey woke up before Tony and decided to let the genius sleep longer.
Upon walking into the common area, Rhodey saw everyone lounging about.
"Hey guys, I know it's not Sunday, but can we do an impromptu cleaning day?" Rhodey asked. Sunday was usually cleaning day (ever since Pepper canceled the cleaning service in order to teach them how to clean up after themselves), but because Tony's asthma had been acting bad lately, he wanted to clean to get all the irritants under control.
Everyone turned to him curiously.
"Why?" Clint asked, turning back to focus on his video game.
Rhodey knew Tony didn't want to tell them about his asthma. "Just…Pepper might be coming over and we want the place to look good."
They looked at him in disbelief, but Rhodey just narrowed his eyes.
"Fine," Clint huffed.
Rhodey sighed, annoyed, but left them to do their chores. While the Avengers half-assed cleaned, Rhodey went to the laundry room to wash new sheets for Tony.
A few hours later when Tony came walking into the common room from his sleep, the Avengers were back in their original positions lounging around.
"Hey, Tones," Bruce said from where he was cooking lunch with Rhodey in the kitchen.
"Hey," the genius smiled back.
Rhodey put down the stirring spoon and walked over to the tired-looking man. He pulled Tony into his arms and pressed a kiss to his hair. "How do you feel?" he whispered so the other wouldn't hear.
"Better," Tony muttered, rubbing his cold nose on Rhodey's neck.
Rhodey smiled and planted another kiss on Tony's cheek before pulling away. "Take it easy, okay?"
Tony rolled his eyes fondly. "Okay, platypus." He smiled as Rhodey smacked him lightly on the back of the head and went to sit on the couch with Clint.
Steve and Sam watched as Clint taught Tony how to play MarioKart, the genius beating all of them after a few minutes. When Bruce came into the common room to tell them the food was ready, Clint jumped over the couch and dashed to the kitchen. Sam and Steve laughed until the smell hit their noses and they too dashed after him.
Tony rolled his eyes at their antics and constant state of hunger. As he stood, Clint's controller rolled off the seat and under the couch. Tony sighed and brought himself to his knees.
Tony tilted his head under the couch and reached his hand out, searching for the controller. He suddenly froze as he breathed in a breathful of dust. Tony hacked deeply, his lungs trying to expel the allergen from his body and bring in fresh air while unknowingly breathing in more. Tony's body gave out as his coughs became gasps and wheezes.
He had no breath to call for his husband or teammates and could only focus on the lack of air entering his body as his lungs swelled closed. His vision starting to grow hazy from the lack of air, Tony laid on the ground next to the couch trying desperately to call for his husband. He noticed a lamp sitting on the side table, so he used the last of his strength to kick as hard as he could. Finally, the lamp fell off, shattering on the ground, and Tony knew no more.
Tony woke up, panicked at the feeling of his unmoving lungs until a blurry face placed itself in his eye sight.
"-ony, calm down, you're okay now," he heard his husband's voice say softly.
Tony's vision cleared enough that he could make out the fine lines of Rhodey's face as well as the bags under his eyes. Tony took catalog of his body feeling the tightness in his chest as well as pain in his throat. He reached a weak hand up to feel, but Rhodey's larger hand forced his away.
"You're intubated," Rhodey explained, causing Tony to roll his eyes. "You scared the shit outta me, Tones."
Tony lowered his eyes. Rhodey grabbed his hand, examining before squeezing it.
Tony followed his gaze and noticed the tips of his fingers were tinted slightly blue. He must have been further gone than he thought.
I'm sorry, Tony signed.
"Not your fault." Rhodey suddenly looked over towards the other side of the room and its then Tony noticed the rest of the Avengers sleeping in chairs and on the floor. "I had to tell them," Rhodey said guiltily.
Tony nodded, understanding. He was touched that they all wanted to be here.
Tony used his non-IV covered hand to tap on the bed's guard rail.
Rhodey sighed, "You love getting me in trouble don't you?" he could practically see the little smirk Tony gave in response.
Rhodey reluctantly put down the guard rail and climbed into the bed, dodging the wires and tubes covering his husband. Tony immediately snuggled into him as much as he could. "Now go to sleep, Mr. Stank."
Tony let out a sound and raised his hand again.
"Love you too," Rhodey responded.
