The Worst Patient

Summary: Written for Sheron as part of the FandomGiftBox exchange. Tony is suffering after the events of Civil War
Warning(s): Spoilers up to and including Captain America: Civil War; AU; references to injuries
Pairing: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark

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Tony gingerly limped into the tower’s main room. The armour loosened its grip on him and he stumbled forward, grabbing onto the wall to give himself some measure of support.

“You have put a strain on your healing ribs.” Veronica’s calm voice echoed from the system in the tower as Tony collapsed onto the sofa and stared moodily at the empty glass of water that sat on the small table. At times like this, he regretted giving up his days of drinking. What he wouldn’t give for some alcohol to help numb what he was feeling. Not just the physical pain, but what he was feeling emotionally too.

“Do I have any meetings today, Veronica?” Tony closed his eyes and tried not to think about the tugging on his wounds. He shouldn’t have gone out as Iron Man today, but who else would protect the world? Cap and his allies had disappeared. Broken out of the cells. Tony snorted softly and rubbed at his forehead, where a tension headache was forming. He could have told them that Steve would have made sure his friends and allies could escape. The prison wouldn’t have held them for long.

He still wasn’t sure why he hadn’t voiced that warning. Why he hadn’t tried to make sure Steve couldn’t get in and rescue the others. He put his hand to his chest, remembering the way the arc reactor core had been broken by Captain America’s shield. It was no longer responsible for keeping him alive. And he knew Steve had been aware of that. Still. That didn’t change the sense of betrayal. That was worse than Steve choosing to side with his best friend from the war. That was understandable.

But it hurt more that Steve had damaged something he’d needed to keep him alive for so long.

“You have one meeting today,” the AI answered. “And the person you are meeting is waiting downstairs for you. Shall I ask him to come up?”

Tony sighed, long and heavy. “I don’t suppose he’ll go away if you ask him to?” he asked rhetorically.

“I can ask him to leave and come back at a better time,” Veronica offered.

“As tempting as that sounds, you’d better go ahead and send him up.” Tony pushed himself up off the sofa, wincing at the strain that was put on his barely-healed injuries. “I could really do with a drink,” he muttered morosely. After all, Pepper wasn’t here. She’d broken up with him. Not that he could blame her, really. Did she even know what had happened? Chances were good the rumours, at least, had reached her. But she hadn’t reached out to him. Perhaps she wouldn’t at all, considering she’d left him due to his continued dangerous actions.

Tony limped through to the kitchen area and opened the fridge, taking out a bottle of water. He retrieved a glass from the cabinet, opened the bottle and poured the water into the glass. As he did so, he heard the elevator ping behind him. Without turning to look, he called over his shoulder, “Can I get you anything? Water? Soda? Coffee?”

“No thanks, Tony. I’m good.”

The familiar voice had Tony turning, suddenly, so that his side pulled and he winced. A curse word slipped out before he could stop it as he focused on the familiar figure of Steve, standing in the middle of the room and watching him with those damned sad eyes. That look of understanding and care that always seemed to say, We’ll face everything together. He turned away and slammed the bottle down harder than he’d intended, sending water spilling everywhere. “You shouldn’t be here, Cap. I don’t know where you ran away to, but you’ll be arrested if they catch you here. You need to go back into hiding.”

“You won’t turn me in, Tony.” Steve walked slowly, oh so casually, towards him.

Tony turned, lifting the glass to his lips, using it like a shield between them. His other hand came to rest on the countertop behind him. “You sound awfully sure about that. Since the last time we met, we fought and you smashed my arc reactor.”

“I’m sorry about that.”

There was no reason to disbelieve the other man, but Tony felt the hot, bitter rise of anger anyway. “You’re sorry,” he repeated. “What would you have done if the arc reactor was still keeping me alive, Cap? I could be dead right now. Then maybe the Accords wouldn’t have been pushed through. I know I was the biggest supporter.”

“I would never have done that if it was still keeping you alive, Tony,” Steve said, still approaching, only stopping when he stood directly in front of Tony.

“I am really curious how you got here without anyone spotting you,” Tony commented. “Or should I be expecting a sudden invasion of the tower, because you’re really not as good with technology as I am.”

“I have a lot of friends who are as good with technology as you are.” Steve reached out and took the glass from Tony’s hands. He placed it on the counter, next to the bottle, and then stepped right into Tony’s personal space. So close that it seemed they were breathing in near perfect synchronization. “I was able to get their help to come here and see you.”

“Why would you want to?” Tony asked.

“Because of how we left things,” Steve answered. “We fought and we hurt each other. Emotionally and physically. Our enemy wanted to rip the Avengers apart and he succeeded. I know I hurt you, Tony.”

“You already said words to that effect in the letter.” He’d also promised that he would be there if Tony ever needed him. But Tony didn’t need him right now. Did he? He placed a hand on his side and winced as his ribs twinged. “I need to sit down,” he muttered.

“You’re still in pain?” Steve’s eyes narrowed in concern.

“Yeah. I’m not like you, Cap. No fast healing. No serum going through me. Nothing to help me anymore.” He limped past Steve, back into the main room and collapsed onto the sofa with a muttered, “Ouch.”

Steve walked over and sat down on the sofa next to Tony, close enough for their hips to brush together. “How is Rhodey doing?”

“He’s never going to walk again.” Tony stared morosely at the coffee table in front of him. “I’ve got the money for top of the line robotic legs, but it’ll never be the same as him being able to walk under his own steam.”

“That’s another regret I have,” Steve admitted. “I wish, so much, that things could have been different. Better.”

“You should have told me about Bucky.”

Steve nodded. “I should have,” he agreed. “I regret that I hid it from you. I don’t blame you for being angry, but I hope you understand that I couldn’t let Bucky get punished for something he had no control over.”

Tony’s mouth twisted into something bitter as he said, in a low, hurt voice, “I understand you put him ahead of me.”

Steve winced visibly and then reached out, placing his hand over Tony’s own. “That wasn’t about choosing Bucky over you, Tony. He was my best friend. And Hydra used him. Turned him into something he never was. Would never have been had he been in control of himself.” He paused, lowered his voice. “I didn’t choose him.”

Tony found his gaze drawn to Steve’s hand over his own. Slowly, ever so slowly, he turned his own over to clasp the other man’s. It was warm. Comforting, in a way. Something about Steve’s presence made him feel that way; perhaps because the man was from a different time. “You didn’t choose me either,” he whispered.

“I’m here now.”

“But for how long?” He winced and glanced away, hearing the sad note in his own voice. And if he could hear it, he had no doubts that Steve could as well. “You won’t be able to stay here,” he continued, “And I’m not going with you. So what’s the plan? Some kind of long-distance thing?”

“I think that might be the only way forward,” Steve replied seriously.

“I hate to break it to you, Cap, but long distance is about romantic relationships. Not friendships,” Tony said.

“I know.”

Tony frowned, looking down at their hands and then at Steve, into his eyes. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“You’re the genius, Tony.” Steve turned fully to face Tony and leaned forward, pressing his lips against Tony’s. He pulled back and gave a tiny smile. “What do you think?”

“I think you don’t need to explain things to me twice.” Tony pulled his hand free of Steve’s and then wrapped his arms around the other man, pressing their lips together in a deep, hungry kiss.

It lasted for several long moments, Tony just tasting and exploring Steve’s warm mouth and lips. Finally, though, he had to pull back; and when he shifted, he winced.

Steve’s eyes darkened with concern and he reached out, placing a hand over Tony’s chest, looking into his eyes. “You need any meds?”

“Top drawer in the kitchen.” Tony breathed in deeply at the dull pain. He was used to it, had suffered worse pain, but it still wasn’t pleasant. “They’ll make me loopy,” he warned, as Steve stood up.

“I think I can handle it.” Steve walked into the kitchen.

“Probably wipe me out, too,” Tony muttered, before his mouth opened in a wide, jaw-cracking yawn.

“I think you probably need the rest.” Steve returned to the sofa, handing the glass of water and bottle of pills to Tony.

Tony sighed, but took both items from Steve. “It’s been a long day.” He frowned. “Okay, make that a long week. Nothing’s really gone right since this whole mess started, Cap. I lost Pepper. She left because I couldn’t give up being Iron Man. And you’re going to leave too. Of course, you already left once,” he added. “I should be used to that by now.”

Steve reached out and clasped Tony’s hand, squeezing gently. “Take the pills, Tony. Then sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“You promise?”

“I’ll stay for as long as I can. But I won’t leave before you wake up.” Steve leaned forward, kissing Tony gently and tenderly, then moved back.

“So if you’re still here when I wake up, maybe we can take our relationship a bit further,” Tony commented.

“Tony.” Steve clasped his face in one hand. “I’ll be here.”

“I guess we’ll find out.” Tony swallowed two of the pills with a mouthful of water and then sighed, stretching out and letting his head rest on Steve’s lap. He closed his eyes and muttered, “If you move me to get up, I should wake up.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Not quite ready to believe your words, Cap.” Tony yawned. “But your actions? Those, I’ll believe. I’ll trust in.” His voice dropped lower and lower, until he was barely speaking above a whisper.

“I know, Tony.” Steve’s sad voice chased him into sleep.

The End