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https://ift.tt/2H8vBsUmelinda-t-charville replied to your post “The things I am supposed to be working on hold no particular appeal at…”
Update request for Happy Lights if there’s anything floating around in your brain?
15 minutes with the colony:
It started with a sniffle. Tony, generally acknowledged to be not the most observant human on the face planet, noticed immediately. Because the sniffle came from Steve. Steve did not get sniffles except when they watched sad animal movies, and then he tried to pretend that he’d suddenly developed allergies.
Tony automatically checked the TV just to make sure he wasn’t watching Hachi on mute, but the TV was off. Steve had tucked himself into the couch like he didn’t weigh 240 lbs, and he had a paperback book cradled in his hands. Steve liked to pretend that he was very careful books, and he probably really meant to be very careful with books, but as soon as he got sucked into whichever world he was visiting, he inevitably curled the read pages in his left hand. By the time he was finished with the book, the spine would more closely resemble a rainbow, and the pages would splay open on their own if the book was set down on its spine.
While Tony watched, Steve sniffled again, and then absently wiped his nose on the heel of his hand, and brushed his hand across his sweatpants before once again grabbing the pages like they’d done something to personally offend him.
Maybe it was just a sad book.
Tony let it go, and returned to his stock report.
~*~
Alright, that was good, but let’s try – The sneeze exploded in the training, startling Steve so badly that he jumped as if the sneeze had propelled him upward.
… You alright, there, Cap? Clint asked.
Tony had all but forgotten yesterday’s sniffle. He eyed Steve suspiciously.
Yeah, must have just gotten some dust in my nose, he said vaguely. Try it again, but upside-down.
A deliberate pause infused the colony bond, as if every single one of them had simultaneously lifted an eyebrow in Steve’s direction.
Steve rolled his eyes and knocked his fist against the shield. Come on, focus!
~*~
When Tony rolled away from Bucky’s back and flopped over to throw a leg across Steve’s hips, he was not conscious enough to expect anything in particular, but dropping his thigh right onto a radiator would definitely not have been what he was expecting. He jerked back and went from more-or-less asleep, to adrenalin-fueled awake in about 1.2 heartbeats.
His shocked inhale of breath woke Bucky, who went into threat assessment mode before he could regain full consciousness, and Tony found himself being yanked backwards off the bed. Bucky landed first, with Tony pillowed against his chest, and then rolled over so Tony was squished to the very nice carpet with Bucky’s body in between him and danger.
Within moments, the entire colony had been roused by Bucky’s unconscious shout of alarm, and the colony bond filled with inquiries ranging from Bruce’s Bwuh’s goin’ on…? To Nat’s calm Threat assessment? to Thor’s outraged Who dares attack the Avenger’s in their home?
“You know,” Tony said out loud, voice muffled by the carpet, “this is not the most effective use of our resources. I’m going to have trouble getting into the suit with you on top of me.”
On the bed, Steve sat up. Even from his position on the carpet, Tony could see his silhouette swaying woozily while he looked around.
Stand down red alert, jeeze, Tony said, No need for the klaxons at this time of night. I was just startled, set off a chain reaction, no big deal.
You’re not supposed to be in my lab, Bruce said, coming immediately into full wakefulness.
Not that kind of chain reaction. Tony huffed out a sigh and wiggled out from under Bucky’s bulk. Steve’s running a fever.
Steve doesn’t run fevers, Clint said sounding annoyed. I was having a good dream.
Tony crawled over to the bed, and hauled himself back up with his elbows. Steve was still swaying where he sat up in the mess of the covers. The sheets all around him were sodden with sweat, and now that he was aware, Tony could smell the sour stench of sickness on him. He put the back of his hand to Steve’s cheek.
Bruce, you better get down here, Tony said grimly. He brushed Steve’s hair back from his forehead, and Steve slumped sideways to lean against him.
Behind him, Bucky climbed off the floor and disappeared through the bathroom door. He came back with a soaked washcloth and a dry towel.
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