Hi, so basically this is a short story, but I didn't want to give it it's own
Warnings: This one shot will contain nightmares, anxiety, depression, alcohol abuse and self harm.
Steve's POV
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"Hey Jarvis, where's Tony?" I said, slipping on a clean white t-shirt.
"Captain, it appears he is in the lab again." The British AI responded.
"Thanks." I mumbled, heading off towards the lab. He hasn't come out of there for a few days now, and I was starting to worry. I didn't know if he was sleeping, let alone eating.
As I approached the door, Jarvis had already opened the door. It slid shut behind me.
"Go away, I'm focused." A hoarse voice echoed throughout the dim lit room. I spotted Tony in the corner, hunched over a table with tools in his hands. He appeared to be tinkering with another iron hand/repulsor. This one was blue and green. His hands had a coating of grease on them, and beads of sweat were lingering on his forehead.
The hair product from days ago had stopped working, leaving his brown curls to fall naturally in the hottest way possible.
I approached him from behind, wrapping my arms around his slim waist. Tousling his curls, I kissed his neck softly, and he let out a sigh.
"I'm not that easy capsicle." He said, trying to pull away, unsuccessfully.
"Oh yeah?" I whispered, tossing him so he was facing me.
"Steve!" He yelped, dropping his tools. I squeezed him so he was closer to me, kissing him passionately. When I pulled away, he groaned.
"You realize it's almost two am right?" I said, cupping his face.
"So?" He replied.
"Which means, you need sleep, how long has it been since you slept?" He touched his lips to mine softly.
"Does it matter?"
"Yes it does." I said, picking him up in one swift move, carrying him down the hall to our room.
"Hey! Let go!" He flailed in my arms. I held on tightly, and he stopped trying, giving up, going slightly limp.
When we reached our room, I set him down on the bed while I prepared the shower.
"Captain, Mr Stark is.."
"Tony!" I cut off Jarvis. I ran out of the bathroom to see Tony running out of the room. I sprinted after him, grabbing him back up the second I caught up to him.
"Hey!" He whined. Dragging him back to the room, I placed him in the shower, clothes and everything, walking out and locking the bedroom door.
"Steve!" He yelled.
"Tell me when you're done!" I replied, and I heard a large groan echo from the bathroom as tony got undressed and took a shower
It had been fifteen minutes since the shower stopped. I was worried. Opening the door, I was met with a sleeping Tony, hair still wet, curled up into a towel in the corner. I chuckled, picking him up.
Dressing him in sweats and a tank top, I laid him down on the bed, and going to read my book.
Two hours later
I slipped the piece of paper in between the pages of my book, closing the cover and setting it down on the nightstand.
I sighed, flipping the switch on the lamp to turn it off. I looked at Tony. He was peacefully sleeping, been sleeping strong for about two hours.
He looked so peaceful. And cute, very cute. I ran a hand down his arm, to his fingers and intertwined them with mine. He moved a bit under the sheets, adjusting to my touch, but slowly settling in.
I was just starting to drift off when I felt Tony jerk underneath the sheets
I sat up slowly, rubbing the drowsiness out of my eyes.
Tony flinched again, grabbing at the corner of his pillow. I touched his arm softly.
"Tony." I whispered.
He seized, grabbing the pillow with a lot of force, a yell escaping his mouth.
"Tony." I said, worry laced in my voice.
"Tony, hey, wake up," I said, shaking him slightly. A loud whimper escaped his mouth, and he dug his nails into my hand.
I turned him over so he was flat on his back, leaning over top of him.
"Tony, please, wake up." I said, shaking him a little more forcefully.
"Steve." He whispered, followed by another yell, causing me to grab both his arms harder and shake him.
It wasn't working.
"Tony baby, wake up!" I said desperately.
Tony whimpered, like he was in pain, and I saw a tear fall from his squeezes shut eyes. My heart broke at the sight of it.
More tears were beginning to fall as he flailed under my grasp.
"Steve." He yelled, squirming underneath me, trying to break free, to get away.
"Tony!" I yelled, the desperation clear in my voice.
"Tony wake up! Please Tony!" I said, shaking him with extreme force.
His eyes shot open with one more yell, and he sprung up, wrapping his arms around my torso tightly. I could hear his sobs as he buried his face into my tank top.
"Shh, Tony baby, I'm here, you're ok, I'm ok, I got you." I whispered into his ear, running my left hand through his hair while holding a firm grasp on our tied together hands.
He lifted his face from my chest, his eyes red and puffy.
"This is why I didn't want to sleep." He whispered, voice cracking in fear.
I took my hand out of his hair and wiped away his tears softly.
"It's ok baby, I have you." I said, stroking his cheeks. He nodded his head slightly.
I kissed him softly, pulling away as to not overwhelm him.
"Steve..." he whispered.
"Yes baby?" I said, leaning in so our foreheads touched.
"I'm scared." Tony mumbled, barely audible.
"I know, but you don't have to be, I'm here, you're ok." I said, bringing him closer to me, if even possible.
"You... y-you... died Stevie." He said, pain in his eyes as he looked up, his voice portraying how hurt he felt.
"I'm ok Tony, I'm not going anywhere, I have you." I whispered frantically.
Tony buried his head in the crook of my neck, and I felt the hot and wet tears leaking from his eyes.
"Promise?" He said softly.
"Swear on my life." I replied, kissing his cheek.
We laid down on the bed, him cuddling deeper into me. I held him like he was the only thing keeping me from falling down a cliff.
He closed his eyes, sighing softly. I planted a kiss on his forehead, stroking his cheek with my thumb to wipe away the remaining tears. I lightly tossed a fuzzy blanket onto us, leaning my head in towards his as I fell asleep, with the love of my life in my arms.
