thealextheshipper:

A fic in which the team ‘take care of Tony’ and in doing so cause more harm than good. Feat: arc reactor problems. Based on a complaint @asexualtonystark made about fics where the team treat’s Tony like a child. 

…1…

These days Tony has more bad days then good ones, and
sometimes it feels like his teammates are out to get him. He’s not sure which
team meeting he missed, but there appears to have been one, and they appear to
have decided forcing Tony to do things is standard procedure. He blames
Natashalie.

“Put me down.” Tony demands, scowling. He ignores the sharp
pain as the arc reactor is pushed into his chest by his position over Steve’s
shoulder.

“No, you’re coming to training.” Steve informs him, and Tony
forces himself to breathe deeply despite the pain Steve’s potato sack carry is
causing. He’s going to need all the oxygen he can get if he’s forced to spar.

“I am a grown ass man.” He hisses, before returning his
focus to breathing. Steve nods agreeable, and deposits him on the floor of the
gym. Tony seriously considers making a stun gun suit that shocks anyone who
touches him. His fingers rub at the edge of the arc reactor.

“Sir, this cannot continue.” JARVIS informs him through his Bluetooth.

“I know J, but what choice do I have.” He mumbles forlornly.
His chest aches already thinking of the damage his teammates can do at hand to
hand. He’s good, but it only takes one good hit to the ribs to bring him to his
knees, and they don’t always stop when he’s down.

“C’mon Stark, you need to be prepared for everything.”

…2…

It’s raining today, and Tony’s chest has felt like it was on
fire since he woke up, but he’s finally found a comfortable position, propped
up by three pillows at the perfect angle. The weight seems to have disappeared and
he can breathe shallowly without pain, and then he hears the door open.

“Tony, c’mon let’s get you in bed.” Bruce says, reaching
down to pull Tony to his feet. Tony shakes his head, and only gets a chuckle in
response before he’s dragged upright, chest screaming.

“No.” He hisses between his teeth. Bruce rubs his back, and
takes most of the weight as he helps him to the elevator.

“I’ve got you Tony.” He assures him. Tony scowls, and allows
himself to be carried, the pain too great to justify putting up a fight.

…3…

“You need to drink more.” Clint declares dropping a cup near
Tony’s hand. He nods agreeably and pulls it to his lips without looking, eyes
still focused on the code he was writing. He’s chugged most of it before he
realizes it’s soda. His eyes go wide, and he glances over at his fridge full of
bottled water.

“Hic.” Tony’s diaphragm spasms, and all the breath is gone
from his lungs. Clint laughs, and waves goodbye, as he climbs back into the
elevator.

“Sir, I cannot keep watching this.” JARVIS pleads, and Dum-E
brings him a bottled water, and some Vicodin. Tony can’t respond, too busy
gasping for breath around hiccups.

“It hurts.” He whispers, and there are tears in his eyes as
his chest spasms uncontrollably. Dum-E pushes the water into his hand, and he
drinks it carefully, he holds his breath as best he can between the gasps.

“I know Sir. I’m sorry.” JARVIS tells him, and now both of
Tony’s hearts feel like they’re breaking. “I will warn you next time they bring
soda.” He promises, and Tony rubs the keyboard to show his appreciation for the
gestue.

“Hic.” New tears stream down Tony’s face. JARVIS vows that
he will keep Tony away from soda.

…4…

“I brought you food.” Natasha unceremoniously drops the
plate next to his screwdriver and sits down. Tony glances at it out of the
corner of his eye, Bruce’s cooking, a recipe for heart burn.

“Not hungry.” He says, waving a hand dismissively. She
scowls at him and remains standing with her arms crossed.

“I brought you food.” She repeats, and he glances up at her
nodding.

“Yes, and I am not hungry.” He replies, focusing on the
wiring for their new smart phone, if he wants to fit the hologram feature in
without making it too bulky the wiring needs to be perfect. “I’m also busy,
working. I’ll get myself food when I’m done.” He tells her. She frowns, and a
hand darts out grabbing his tools.

“You need to eat, work can wait.” She tells him, and he
would wait her out, but work really can’t this is due to go to the board a week
ago. He shovels a few bites into his mouth, it tastes good, burns his throat in
a way he used to find pleasant. His heart beats wildly in his chest, and he
works hard to make sure his breathing doesn’t sound too labored. “See you were
hungry.” She hands him back the screwdriver and leaves with a huff. Dum-e rolls
out with the pain medication beeping mournfully.

“Thanks buddy, you’re the best.” He says, dry swallowing the
pills and focusing back on the phone. Dum-E keeps his claw pressed against Tony’s
thigh in a comforting gesture, Tony smiles fondly at him. Dum-E beeps sadly in
response.

…5…

It might have gone on forever, and endless cycle of bad days
made worse by his teammates decision to treat him like a child. But it’s the
anniversary of his last day in Afghanistan, the anniversary of Yinsen’s last
day, a bad day in more than one way, rainy and cold, and Clint had decided to
open a window. Tony was hiding out in the lab, throwing himself into his
projects when they showed up in the doorway. They rarely came down in groups,
and he honestly couldn’t put up with them today.

“You’ve been down here all day.” Steve says, and Tony doesn’t
look up from his work. Steve scowls and steps forward, but Natasha stops him.

“Tony we’re about to go train, you’re coming.” She tells
him, and he hunches further over his work, elbows protecting the arc reactor.

“Fuck you.” He says, and he hears a heavy step as Steve
moves forward to drag him away. He jumps out of his chair throwing it at the
man despite the pain in his chest that comes with lifting his arms. “Back the
fuck off.” His voice is a growl, and Dum-E practically squeals as he pulls out
to put himself between Tony and the threat.

“There’s no reason for that type of language, you’re a part
of this team, and we want you at training.” Steve tells him arms crossed. Tony
droops slightly, and there’s an almost victorious look at the defeat in Tony’s
eyes.

“No.” Tony says, and Steve blinks in shock. Natasha scowls. “It
is rainy and cold, and I have not managed to get five minutes of peace without
one of you dicking me over in a month.” Tony growls, and Steve looks startled.

“What do you mean?” Bruce asks, and Tony gestures to the
light emenating from his chest.

“This. It’s not a pretty decoration, it sit’s inside my
sternum, and it fucking hurts when it rains, or when it’s cold.” Tony says, and
Steve blinks thinking of all the times they had dragged Tony out of the lab,
and sometimes out of the tower when it was raining. “Not to mention being
carried like a sack of potatoes puts pressure on it, and hurts like being
stabbed with Satan’s barbed pitch fork.” Tony says, and Steve goes white as a
sheet.

“I didn’t mean to.” He whispers, but Tony is in no mood for
apologies.

“Or what about the fact that spicy foods make my chest feel
like it’s on fire?” Tony asks, and Natasha and Bruce look vaguely guilty at
that. “Or that when you all bring me carbonated drinks I run the risk of having
the muscles around it spasm stealing what little breath I have in my lungs.”
Tony growls, And Dum-E’s claw waves up and down enthusiastically.

“We didn’t know.” Clint mumbles, guilt clear on his face. Tony
scoffs.

“We didn’t.” Steve defends himself and the others. “We’re
sorry.” Tony tilts his head to the side considering.

“You didn’t that’s right.” He admits, and they relax
slightly while Dum-E droops. “What you did know, is that I am a grown man, who
has survived without you in his life for over 40 years.” Tony states, and they
tense up. “I did not need you forcing me to eat, or shoving drinks into my hand,
or bodily carrying me out of my lab.” Tony states, voice hard, and Dum-E beeps
sharply in agreement.

“We just wanted to help.” Steve says, defensive.

“Look Rogers. I honestly don’t give a flying shit today. You
all chose to treat me like a child, and in the process caused me physical pain.”
Tony informs him, voice shaking with rage. “I am an adult, I do not need you
threateningly forcing me to eat, or bringing me drinks, or dragging me
anywhere.” He tells them, and he throws his arm out wide to encompass himself
barely cringing at the pain it causes. “I can take care of myself and the next
person to attempt to gain access to my lab without express permission will be
gassed.” Tony informs them, JARVIS hums approvingly.

“Of course, Sir. I will make a note.” JARVIS says, and the Avengers
turn back to the elevator.

“We’re sorry.” Bruce says, patting Tony’s arm on his way
out.

Later Tony will feel guilty for snapping at them, but today,
today he aches, and he builds a new water purifier in Yinsen’s name. Tony he
mourns his loss, tomorrow, tomorrow he’ll apologize, it’s not really their fault, they
didn’t know they were hurting him. Today though, today he’s relieved. Today there’s no extra pain accompanied by good intentions.