Less-Than-Stellar (Avengers, Tony) (for stitch!)

[SpamKey]

The second part of my trade to stitch! This one's sick Tony, and Steve/Tony friendship, which is always fun! Hope you enjoy!

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"Hhhehh... Heh-AKtchhh!"

"Sir-"

"D-dooh... Dot dow, J--hekTCHhhh!"

"Sir, I feel I should remind you--"

"J, id the biddle oh-ha... ekCHOO! Of sobething here!"

"Sir, Mr. Ro-" JARVIS tried desperately, but was, unfortunately, too late.

"Er, Tony?"

"...Shit."

Tony was, understandably, annoyed. He had successfully seen Pepper off to her business meetings without a sniffle, placated Bruce with some new blueprints for an improved Arc Reactor core sneezelessly, had even gotten Clint and Natasha out on their latest SHIELD assignment without so much as clearing his throat. But now, the one time he was having trouble composing himself; now was when Steve decided to walk in the door.

The subject of Tony's ire stood in the doorway, dressed in his casual clothes--a white t-shirt and jeans, his leather riding jacket hung over one arm--and a look of concern mixed with hesitant amusement stuck on his face. "You, uh, feeling okay there?"

"Yeah. Totally. I'b fide." Tony sniffed here, trying to clear his voice. "Fine, I mean. Just fide."

"Uh-huh." Steve's eyes flicked from Tony's red nose, to the piles of tissues strewn across the workshop, to the slightly bedraggled undertone to his usually carefully-styled hair. "You sure about that?"

"Oh, yeah. Toh-hah..." Tony pressed his knuckles against his nose in what he hoped he could pass of as a casual manner, but had to (silently) admit was totally not casual. "Totally cool. Everythig's a-okay here id Tody-ladd. Hahhh..."

"I somehow find myself doubting that." Steve said slowly, hesitating, before taking in the slightly haphazard quality of the workshop, and laying his jacket across the back of a rolling chair. He walked closer, skepticism evident on his face as Tony fought with the desperation of the extremely stubborn against the inevitable.

"Wh-hah... Why, ye of little fahhh... Faith." He risked a sniff. A telling, wet sniffle that sent Steve's eyebrow straight up his face. "I'b hah... Fide!" He insisted. Steve narrowed his eyes. In Tony's experience, that meant an ultimatum was coming.

"JARVIS? What is Mr. Stark's current temperature right now?" Steve asked, expression reminiscent of the cat that caught the mouse. Tony's was one of regret; specifically, that he had ever taught Steve how voice-control works.

"Sir's temperature is 100.1, Mr. Rogers." JARVIS replied, prompting a muttered "traitor" from Tony.

"Hmm. That doesn't sound 'just fide' to me." Steve stated, turning back to Tony, who moaned.

"Uuuugh, fide, you-hah! HahhKCHhhh! HekCHOO!" He brought up a tissue just in time for the long-suppressed sneezes. He blew his nose. "You caught be. Dow dod't tell Pepper or I'll be forced to bake sure you're put back od ice, Stars ad Stripes." He started coughing as he finished the sentence, and when he emerged, Steve's expression had morphed from smugness to concern.

"Alright, Stark, why don't we get you into bed and resting instead of... What were you doing, actually?" Steve took hold of Tony's arm, leading him out of the room, thankful that JARVIS had given him a full tour of the tower first. Tony glanced back at the holographic screen he'd been working on, just as JARVIS, without need of prompting, closed and locked the computer-code filled window.

"Just ah... akCHHHhh! Ugh... Pet project." Tony answered vaguely, hoping Steve would chalk it down to fever and leave it. "HekCHshhh! Urgh... Thags, by the way. Dot the best welcobe to the tower, but I feel extrebely shitty, ih... iTCHIEWW! Id by defendce."

"I don't blame you. JARVIS already gave me the tour, anyway." Steve reassured him.

"Full-od party as sood as the others ged back. I'b goig all-out, trust be."

Steve grimaced. "Please don't."

Tony smirked. He so would.

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(Psst... Didja see the foreshadowing there? Didja? Didja???)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this stitch! Sorry they're so late, I got really busy all of a sudden.

[sapphiremint]

OHMYGOSH. I love this so much. His attempts to hide it are so yum and Jarvis always giving him away I have this real soft spot for congested speaking and ugh everything was just so so so perfect. Characterizations were so on point. Thank you so much!!

[beatlelover22]

Uhhhhhh this was hands-down awesome. I squealed which was somewhat embarrassing because I'm in my room... alone. Honestly, great job writing this! Interactions between Steve and Tony are my FAVOURITE.

[VividBubbles!]

Eeeepp!

Okay, so the Steve and Tony friendship is probably one of my most favorite things ever and you showcased it so well in this! I just love Tony's thought process of how he was perfectly able to conceal his illness earlier but now that Steve's there he just can't do it. And Steve's smug concern is just so on point. I really loved this, great job! I hope there's more to come!

Edited March 26, 2015 by VividBubbles!