Chapter Text
3 AM was often an unforgiving time for Steve. It always seemed as though he woke up right around then every time he had a nightmare, but that night was an exception. He woke up covered in sweat, disoriented and nervous for no particular reason. He didn't remember having a nightmare.
Tony was thankfully not wrapped around him, so he could kick the blanket off his too warm body and get some fresh air. The second he was upright, though, he knew he had about fifteen seconds before his dinner would be coming back up his throat.
His state of being somewhat lucid was short and he swayed, bumping into the nightstand as he tried to fight his way through the bathroom door. He couldn't see straight and his stomach was doing flips, so the action of twisting the doorknob was more of a struggle than ever. His motor functions must not have failed him completely, because he made it inside and immediately launched his body toward the toilet.
The first thing he did was throw up directly onto the closed toilet lid. Well, fuck.
Somehow he managed to lift the seat before puking again. If it was even possible, his stomach was more upset now. Another gag slipped through his mouth and Steve found his head buried deep in the toilet bowl. It took a few heaves for him to became slightly lucid again, just enough for him to flush the toilet.
His head wasn't stopping spinning and neither was his stomach contents. It was easily one of the worst that he ever felt since he was given the serum. It was the kind of sickness that left you feeling worse than before you puked. He could feel himself shaking as he gripped the toilet bowl, trying to keep himself upright.
He was overheated and freezing at the same time, somehow he was drenched in sweat and chills ran through his body simultaneously. He was still not quite sure if he was totally awake, either, so that was totally comforting and not terrifying at all.
His stomach groaned loudly and lurched again, pouring out more of it's spoiled contents into the once clean water. The taste lingered on his tongue and he gagged again, sending another wave splashing against the porcelain.
Steve whimpered into the bowl as he felt the dizziness come back with a vengeance. Since the nausea seemed to have subsided a bit, he rested his head on the rim, sighing in relief when the cold contrasted with his too hot skin.
He was still panting, floating in and out of consciousness, when the door bursted wide open next to him.
"Steve?" The lights flicked on and Steve couldn't help the wince that was visible on his face. Then, there was a soft, sympathetic noise. "Oh, love, you threw up... you okay?" Tony murmured, as he carefully kneeled down beside Steve.
Tony knew he had asked a stupid question. It was obviously that Steve was far from okay, but he didn't know what else to say. Usually, he was the one throwing his gut up and Steve was the one who took care of him.
Steve felt a hand on his back and he thought that he should've been relaxed that Tony was now here, but for some reason, his brain took that as a cue for an emotional breakdown. He shut his eyes against the tears and hummed out a low whine, just trying not to sob. He was still confused and half asleep, so what little grasp he might have had on his emotional state was totally out the window now. He buried his face in the arm that was draped across the toilet bowl and muffled a broken sob.
"Aw, honey, I'm sorry. I know you must be feeling terrible." Tony whispered, wrapping his arms around Steve's trembling figure. He cupped Steve's cheek with his hand and grimaced when he felt the heat radiation of his sking. "You're burning"
"Please make- make it stop" He begged quietly with a hiccup. His stomach was still churning furiously as if it didn't had already turned himself inside out and over.
"Tell me what you need, Stevie."
"I - Tony, I don't know, just..." He panted frustrated that he was unable to form many complete thoughts. But, even if he could, the space meant for words in his throat was now being taken up by a rising swell of aggressive nausea. He got the familiar feeling of his stomach turning and moved his head, just in time for another wave of sick gushed from his mouth. He gasped in a desperate breath, whimpering on the exhale.
"M' stomach hurts." Steve whined with a broken voice and puppy dog eyes that Tony hardly recognized on his usually strong boyfriend. But he sure loved that side of Steve.
Steve felt Tony rubbing his back and heard him whispering sweet nothings to him but it felt like he was a thousand miles away. Steve's ears were ringing louder and louder with every retch but he couldn't stop.
Tony seemed to sense that he couldn't get a break, so he reached over and flushed the toilet. That helped a bit with Steve's nausea but somehow his stomach wasn't completely empty yet and that was all that mattered. He spat on the toilet water for a few quiet seconds before he was back to heaving and he was really getting frustrated now.
Steve didn't wanted nothing more than to go back to bed and to forget this ever happened, but his stomach still had other plans. He just groaned and started to dry heave. After a few minutes, though, his stomach actually began to settle for the first time.
It was then that he started to return to true consciousness and he couldn't tell if it was embarrassment or the fever burning in his cheeks. Either way, he really didn't like it. He knew he was still weak and that he probably couldn't get himself cleaned up and back to bed alone even if he tried.
"Wanna go back to bed." He admitted shyly.
Now that his stomach had stopped bothering for the moment Steve could feel how exhausted he was. He leaned against Tony, letting his eyes drop closed.
"You need a shower. That's what you need." Tony said, carding his fingers through Steve's hair. Steve knew he was right but that didn't made it suck any less.
" 'm just gonna rest my eyes for a few minutes." Steve whined, grabbing a fistful of Tony's hoodie. "Please"
"I don't think that's a good idea" Tony said, sounding a little amused. "But since you asked so nicely I guess we can stay here for a bit and then shower." Tony moved a little until he was leaning against the wall and Steve was pretty much on his lap.
"Thanks" Steve whispered, not even bothering to open his eyes. He let his head rested in the crook of Tony's neck and in less than a couple of minutes he felt sleep washing over him.
"Anytime, babe, anytime." Tony said quietly, kissing Steve's forehead. He smiled when he heard Steve breathe even out and the last thought that crossed his mind before his own eyelids became too heavy for him to keep them open was that he had quite a mess to clean up.
However, that could wait. He would just close his eyes for a few minutes while Steve slept.
...
Of course that didn't happen.
Tony slowly opened his eyes, groaning softly. He didn't need anyone telling him that his few minutes of sleep had turned into at least an hour. The ache on his neck was enough to let him know that they had been in the same position for far too long.
"Jarvis, what time is it?" Tony mumbled through a yawn.
"It's 6: 45 AM, Sir. You and Captain Rogers have been asleep for almost two hours."
Tony's eyes widened at the new information. Steve really had to be feeling exhausted and bad enough to sleep after 6AM. Sometimes, it was like he had an internal clock that every day at 6AM would wake him up and he would be ready to go for morning run.
"Thanks, J"
He looked down at Steve who was still peacefully asleep and he really didn't wanna wake him up but he knew he would be more comfortable in a bed.
"Steve, babe, wake up." Tony gently kissed his hair, hoping to rouse Steve.
It worked.
Steve whined and tried to curl closer to Tony but the inventor quickly stopped him. "No, no, Steve. You just need to open your eyes for a few minutes, sweetie. Then you can go right back to sleep again." Tony said, shaking him awake.
Steve managed to pry his heavy eyes open but just enough for him to turn his head to the side and bring up more of his stomach contents onto the bathroom's floor. Tony's eyes widened but he thankfully reacted quickly and was able to push Steve up to let his head hang over the toilet water.
Steve coughed a bit before retching again, bringing up just stomach acid this time. When he was done he slumped sleepy against Tony, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes.
"Gosh Stevie, I thought you said you were feeling better."
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry Tony." Steve whispered as Tony took the toilet paper and wiped off his mouth. "I can clean it up."
"Shh, it was just an accident, love. It's alright." Tony said, trying to console him. "I'm not mad about that. I'll get it clean once you've showered. You should've just told me you weren't feeling well yet."
"But I am. I guess my stomach just needed to make sure that whatever I had eaten was completely out of my system." Steve said, muffling a yawn into his fist.
"You sure?" Tony asked, concerned. Steve nodded, yawning again. "Food poisoning is really a bitch." Tony murmured while gently rubbing softly circles on Steve's stomach.
However, when Tony noticed he was taking more and more of Steve's weight he knew they needed to get up before Steve was completely useless again.
"C'mon then big guy, let's get you clean up." Tony got up first before helping Steve off the floor. Steve let Tony strip him off and practically carry him to the shower.
Steve was ridiculously weak, once his hair was washed, he was ready to collapse. So that was exactly what he did. He didn't knew how but at some point he felt Tony scoop him up and tuck his dead to the world body into bed and that was that. He would have to remember to thank Tony later, he thought briefly, and then he was out cold, a soft smile playing on his lips.