Work Text:
Surrounded by fire on three sides, a sheer cliff at their back, no easy way out, Tony glanced at Clint, read the panic on the archers face, and knew it was time to do something.
“If you give me a minute, I think I can make this worse,” said Tony.
Clint blinked, then grinned, because there was no helping it – Tony was an adventure himself and that wasn’t even accounting for the last five hours.
“Next time Fury suggests a mandatory team camping trip, I’m going to be sick, or dead,” said Tony.
“Same,” said Clint.
Fury had demanded the Avengers take a camping trip as some sort of team bonding or something. Tony honestly hadn’t been paying attention, too busy typing out a speech for Pepper to review before presenting to the Board. Clint hadn’t listened to Fury because he had wanted a nap. Next thing they knew, they were being shipped off to some forest without technology and expected to bond. Steve, Natasha, and Sam had been in charge of setting up camp, mainly because Bruce wouldn’t allow Tony and Clint anywhere near the tents; Tony and Clint had their tent privileges revoked after the time they set up twelve in Fury’s office, each full of a different type of jam. Therefore, instead of helping set up the camp, Tony and Clint had been sent on a hike to keep them occupied, which was how they had gotten separated from the others when a random lightning strike started a forest fire.
“Camping sucks,” said coughed Tony, his breathing continuing the wheezing that had been going on for a while.
“Looks like we’re about to take a climb,” said Clint, eying the cliff behind them.
“My favorite,” grumbled Tony.
Clint tied the rope he’d brought with them around Tony’s waist, making sure there was enough slack for them to climb but not too much that they couldn’t stay close and aid each other should they need it. Clint double checked the knots and watched at Tony kicked off his shoes.
“What are you doing?” asked Clint.
“These aren’t climbing shoes,” said Tony. “And those footholds are tiny. Now let’s do this thing before we get fried.”
“Alright, follow my lead and try not to fall,” said Clint.
Together, they started to climb, the fire beating at their back, creeping ever closer. Clint climbed slower than he wanted, reaching down to place Tony’s hand when the genius reached for the wrong place. The higher they climbed, the most unsteady the billionaire got, his hands shaking and breaths coming in sharper and sounding worse by the minute. Clint knew that free climbing wasn’t something they had practiced but he also knew that Tony wasn’t afraid of heights, so that couldn’t be what was bothering the billionaire.
“Shit,” gasped Tony, reaching up slightly and curling his fingers into the belt loop of the archer, leaning his face against the stone. “Breathing. That’s a thing.”
“Yeah, I know it’s smoky but we gotta keep going man,” said Clint, pulling Tony carefully up to be level, making sure the genius was stable before taking a closer look, sharp eyes monitoring the struggle Tony was having with breathing. Smoke was thick in the air but Tony was in shape, he should not be struggling quite like he was.
Tony coughed again before reaching for another handhold and Clint could have kissed the man – no one did pure stubbornness like Tony Stark.
“Do you have asthma?” said Clint, patiently staying level with the genius, purposefully taking the harder route to make sure Tony had an easier time.
“Maybe,” gasped Tony.
“Almost there,” said Clint.
Tony was quiet, following obediently along until the archer hauled him over the side of the cliff. Clint sat next to Tony for a few minutes, listening to the harsh breaths until they settled slightly, not enough to make it easier to listen to but enough to make it less concerning.
“Inhaler?” asked Clint.
“Love one,” panted Tony.
Clint rolled his eyes and started patting Tony’s pockets, looking for an emergency inhaler he was sure the billionaire had on him. Who would go to the woods knowing they had asthma and not bring their inhaler? Eventually Clint found it in the deep side pocket, hidden under a multi-tool, a handkerchief, and ball of wires.
“Alright, let’s do this,” said Clint, pulling Tony up into a sitting position and slipping behind him so Tony wouldn’t have to hold himself up on his own.
Tony fumbled with the inhaler until Clint batted his hands away, shaking it before placing it between Tony’s lips.
“Breathe,” ordered Clint, pressing down as his hand resting on Tony’s chest felt it start to rise.
Tony closed his eyes, trying to breathe normally, trusting the medicine to do it’s work. After another hit, Tony’s breathing eased enough for better movement.
“Thanks,” said Tony softly.
“No problem,” said Clint with a grin. “Now, feeling up to making our way out of this hell hole they call a forest?”
“People actually do this for fun?”
“Apparently.”
Together, they staggered their way through the forest that had yet to catch fire. Clint was concerned about Tony, knowing the smoke was aggravating his lungs and he needed a proper breathing treatment, not just a temporary fix. Tony, in turn, was just focusing on moving wherever Clint was taking him – wherever it was, it had to be better than a forest in the midst of burning down.
They walked for an hour before Clint had to admit that Tony would make it no further without triggering an even worse asthma attack. They sat down in a clearing, against a tree, and waited.
“So asthma?” said Clint after four minutes of silence.
“Yup,” said Tony.
“How have you managed it without any of us noticing? I mean, you live with spies and agents.”
“Coffee,” admitted Tony with a grin. “It helps – in moderation. Rescue inhaler is also a thing. Every suit is fitted with the ability to handle an attack mid fight. Also, I’ve hidden every file indicating that I have asthma because Fury is an asshole and I don’t need him knowing about it. Pepper knows, though. And Agent, but that’s because Rhodey told him that one time I was dying and he had to babysit me because Rhodey was busy stealing my suit.”
“Coulson knew and didn’t tell me?”
“Guess so.”
Tony closed his eyes, his breathing harsh and he wasn’t getting nearly enough oxygen but if he kept his eyes closed and really focused, he could manage until help arrived.
“I’m talking to JARVIS and starting to carry an emergency inhaler when we get back,” declared Clint.
“You’re dumb,” said Tony, not bothering to open his eyes.
“It’s going in my pouch, right next to your epi-pen,” said Clint.
“Don’t kid yourself, it’s a fanny pack.”
Clint spluttered a protest that Tony didn’t hear because while he still felt more like he was suffocating than actually breathing, his chest was warm with something that had nothing to do with the fire that was raging in another section of the forest and had everything to do with the fact that Clint had an emergency fanny pack with things to keep him alive.