Avengers Stories //Oneshots//

Sciencebros

Tony climbed into bed the morning of his sixth day awake, practically collapsing onto the mattress. He doesn't bother with the blankets, just closing his eyes. He dimly registered the smell of food and easily comes to the conclusion of breakfast, but going to get any is not an option. He's too tired.

His mind hadn't stopped racing, but sleep is pulling so hard on his mind and eyes that a fog has settled over him. It made his thoughts become more of a white noise with occasional words as he slips more into the arms of sleep.

Brown eyes finally slip shut, breathing evening out as he fell into oblivion, but he doesn't make it to sleep. Instead, he is startled into a half-awake state by the door opening. The smell of food increases tenfold and he doesn't even have the energy to be irritated.

.

Bruce is not suprised that Tony was sleeping in. He'd headed up from the lab at about 11 pm, right before he left. There's no telling how long he'd been awake before that, Bruce is just glad he got sleep.

Tony is lying on top of his blankets, curled up slightly on his side. His clothes are ruffled and Bruce notices that they're the same ones from the past three days. He shakes his head, partly amused and partly exasperated.

"Tones," he called as he took a few more steps into the room. To his suprise, Tony's eyes open right up, brown irises dull and a little glassy. "Food's here." He holds up the plate he's brought: eggs, bacon, and biscuit.

Tony is full of surprises today it seems. He doesn't shoot up, ravenous from only consuming granola bars and protein shakes, only making a little sound of distress and turning his head into one of the huge pillows.

"Rise and shine," Bruce said as he rounded the king sized bed and placed the tray onto Tony's bedside table, "time to get up. Make more glorious inventions and blow toasters up."

"'At w's one time," Tony said, but it's slurred and awakens a worry in Bruce.

"When did you go to bed?"

Brown eyes fluttered sleepily. "Uh...... J?"

"You have not yet slept, sir," the AI sounded very disapproving and concerned, much like Bruce felt. "You got into bed three minutes and seven seconds ago."

"Oh."

"I thought you went to bed at 11 last night?" Bruce said.

"Came back to the lab," Tony rubbed his eyes, going to sit up. Bruce leaned forward and helped him, something Tony would have shaken off if he wasn't only half-conscious.

"Alright, your taking a shower, changing, and going to sleep for at least six hours."

"Nuuuuuuuuuuu," Tony whined even as Bruce hauled him up and started to lead him to the bathroom.

"No buts," the scientist said, gently pushing some jogging pants and a t-shirt into Tony's arms. "Shower, dress, sleep."

.

Half an hour later Tony was under the blankets, half asleep. Bruce busied himself by smoothing the sheets and making sure Tony was comfortable. The genius had barely said a word until Bruce asked Jarvis to turn out the lights.

"Want light," Tony said.

"Are you sure?" Bruce asked, "the light might make it more difficult to sleep."

"Want light. No dark. Cave." The last word was more of a slurred mumble, but Bruce heard. He came closer to the brunette's side, sitting down on the edge of the bed unsurely. Usually Tony was the one to do the comforting between them.

"There are no caves, Tones. You're in the tower, there's no danger. You are perfectly safe," he hesitantly cards one hand through Tony's hair, like he had seen Natasha do a few times when the man was in distress.

The inventor melts into the touch. "'romise?"

"Promise."

"Scout's honor?"

Bruce chuckled lightly. "Scout's honor."

Tony finally slipped into sleep, body going limp. Bruce watched his science bro's chest rise and fall steadily, or as steadily as it could with the arc reactor.

With his left hand still carding through Tony's hair, he picked up his book and began to read softly. The brunette had once admitted to him that background noise helped him sleep and Bruce used that to his advantage to ensure Tony had a good night's sleep.

So, until the sun had long gone down on the horizon, Bruce would stay, quietly reading. He would stay vigilant by his best friend's bedside, intent to keep the nightmares away. He would stay until Tony's brown eyes peered blearily up at him.

Because that's what family does.