As the Dust Settles

Bedrest

4784 words including author notes.

Possible TW: Description of burns, disorientation, major character injury, near-death experiences

Happy reading!
———

Tony Stark woke slowly. His vision swam when he finally succeeded in opening his eyes, so he let them slide shut. He'd try again later.

When he came to a second time, he became aware of the furious throbbing in his right shoulder that matched his heartbeat. He almost sank back into the gentle embrace of sleep and promise of less pain when a sharp inhale next to him interrupted his thoughts.

He forced his eyes open and the world wobbled around him again. He didn't give up this time, instead blinking furiously until the face next to him came into focus.

Pepper.

A moment of drunken awe was spent with the couple staring at each other. Pepper smiled a teary smile, so full of affection and it made Tony's chest warm. "Tears for your long l'st husb'nd?" Tony slurred and Pepper choked on a surprised laugh.

"Tears of joy," She murmured, reaching out to cup the left side of his face. Her thumb swiped under his eye, wiping away tears he was too high on pain meds to feel.

God, she was beautiful.

Tony leaned into his wife's touch, giving a content sigh as he slipped back towards unconsciousness. "M'going back t'sleep."

"That's okay," Pepper's palm didn't leave his cheek. "I love you."

"L've you too," Tony mumbled before he passed out again.

———

The next time he woke up, he found himself face-to-face with Bruce Banner. He was still green as a houseplant and it took a moment or two for Tony to convince himself he wasn't still dreaming.

"Good afternoon, sleeping beauty," Bruce had a grin on his face, one that almost completely wiped away the perpetual sadness that seemed to normally linger there.

Tony grunted, mouth too dry to do much else. He made a soft wheezing sound to convey his problem, and Bruce looked down at him from where he was fiddling with Tony's iv drip. "You can't drink anything yet, sorry. I might be able to get you some ice, though."

Tony let his head fall back against its pillow, relief thrumming next to his heart. A fondness for his friend overtook him when Bruce came back, plastic cup in hand. It looked comically small in his grip, and Tony must've laughed because Bruce was cocking his head.

Tony moved to wave an arm at him as if to say 'It's nothing,' but a burning sensation seared through his torso and back. Through the black spots suddenly swimming in Tony's vision, he saw Bruce set down his cup and rush to his side.

"Shit— Yeah, that's not a good idea," Enormous hands were touching him, adjusting him on his bed like he was one of Morgan's dolls in a plastic playhouse. Tony bit his tongue and grimaced through the lingering twinges. His right shoulder had a residual ache that mirrored a toothache unchecked.

Tony relaxed once the burning eased off. Bruce tenderly picked up the cup again and offered it to the bedridden billionaire. He nudged the cup into Tony's left hand, who then proceeded to very shakily bring it to his lips.

Thin flakes of ice and cold, newly melted water wetted his parched mouth. Had Tony have been in normal physical condition, he would have made one of those over-the-top moans that always made respectable people like Cap and Bruce bluster. Instead, he chewed the ice and watched Bruce continue his tampering with the iv drip stand.