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“Well this was something entirely new” Steve thought as he was walking to a meeting at headquarters, still in his suit, about regulations of something or other. The Boring side to the whole Avengers world.
No it wasn’t the meeting that was new, it was the strange feeling his body was going through right now. He didn’t know what it was yet, just that he felt really lethargic, like every bit of energy had been zapped out of him. He had the incredible urge to sit down, or better yet to lay down.
His vision suddenly blurred then righted itself so he closed his eyes shut and shook his head slightly, but that hurt.
He stepped into the elevator along with a few other SHEILD members and stood quietly in the back.
One of the members gave him a second look before the elevator doors closed and started moving upward and he wondered if he looked off too.
The feeling of the elevator moving was felt all through Steve’s body, and not in a good way either.
He realized now that his body started to shake, though he wasn’t cold. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. His eyelids felt like lead now and he could feel his body start to sweat. He felt heavy and full. He burped and caught it in his mouth, stifling it. He knew a couple of people heard it as one person sort of side glanced at him. He closed his eyes for a second to rest them, not knowing that that same guy had seen him do this.
When the elevator stopped Steve was the last one to get out, he almost didn’t want to move, he was feeling so incredibly off and weak. You could literally push him lightly and he’d loose his balance.
“Captain?....sir?” The man said as he held the elevator door for him. Steve snapped out of it, realizing he was still standing in the same spot. “Are you getting off here Captain?” The man said.
Steve swallowed and pushed off the bar he was leaning against and slowly walked out of the elevator.
The man was very suspicious and really concerned. “You ok Captain?” He asked.
Steve looked to him tentatively and gave him a weak nod which was completely unconvincing.
Turns out this man was headed to the meeting as well, so when they got there they split up to stand with their individual groups of whom they worked alongside. The Avengers team off to the right.
“Hey..you look tired.” Natasha said as Steve joined them.
“I feel tired.” Steve said as he planted himself next to his team.
Steve felt like he was swaying even though he was on solid ground. It made him feel dizzy and nauseated though he couldn’t quite pinpoint it as he hadn’t felt these things technically in many years. Maybe even the serum had something to do with him not recognizing them completely, who knows.
Fury and some other head honcho SHEILD members took turns to speak but Steve wasn’t listening at all, in fact even when he tried to listen it’s almost like he couldn’t. Sound would fade in and out, become muffled, then he’d hear high pitched ringing. His whole equilibrium was being thrown off.
It’s when both sound and his vision began to get interrupted simultaneously that he really began to feel unwell. He really began to sweat and shake now. His body felt like it was burning up.
His breath shook as he breathed out, and he began so sort of fidget. He was becoming disoriented. In a crowd filled room he was the only one not standing still, and it caught Natasha and Clints attention.
“Hey..Cap..you alright?” Clint asked. When Steve didn’t answer he glanced quickly at Natasha and placed a hand to Caps back to try and calm him. Steves line of sight darted all over the place, not focusing on anything, his breathing was becoming deeper.
The man who noticed all this earlier watched on concerned. He knew something was not right with Captain America.
Natasha and Clint were just about to remove Cap from the room when suddenly he was pulled down into an intense gag. Clint caught him and helped guid him to his knees as he gaged again, only this time his entire stomach came up all over the floor. Thor was quickly by his side and he and Clint each shouldered one of Steve’s arms and dragged him out of the room. The whole room was shocked, concern plastered all over their faces. What the hell had just happened?!
Fury quickly followed the Avengers Team as they too went after their Captain.
Thor and Clint quickly brought Steve to the adjacent room and sat him down in one of the chairs, then pulled a large garbage bin in front of him. Steve immediately was heaving again emptying his stomach. It was relentless. He burped and coughed out more sick, urging painfully. Thor was practically holding him over the garbage, he was almost limp in his arms.
There was a knock on the door and Natasha answered it. It was the guy who encountered Steve in the elevator. He told Natasha what he had witnessed hoping it may shed some light on what was going on.
“Thankyou.” Natasha said and closed the door again.
Clint placed a hand on Caps back and something poked him. “Ah! fuck!” He said and drew his finger away noticing the poke had drawn blood. He looked on the suit to see what had poked him and noticed something out of place. “What is this?” He said, getting down lower.
He pulled at the object on the suit while Cap seemed to coil away from it, then it caught and Steve cried out before Clint pulled it all the way out. He looked at it and noticed it was a dart. Bruce immediately took it from him and looked at it. “There was something in this!” He said studying it. It was black and round with spikes all around it, the middle was designed to hold a liquid.
“What do you mean?” Natasha said.
Meanwhile Clints vision swam. He tried to blink it away but he suddenly became unsteady and he passed out hitting the ground hard behind the captain.
“Clint!!” Natasha called out and was at his side immediately before he suddenly started seizing. Bruce took a small baggie from his pocket and quickly placed the dart in it then wiped his hands. He pocketed the baggie and immediately knelt down by Clint. Tony opened the door and yelled for medical. People outside the door could see that Hawkeye was having a seizure and the Captain still held over the trashcan by Thor. They were worried, wondering what was happening to the Avengers team.
When the medics arrived they quickly gained IV access on Hawkeye and immediately injected Lorazepam into the line. About 20 seconds later his seizure started to subside until it stopped completely. They immediately got a set of vitals on him and made sure he was stable.
Meanwhile Cap vomited up another torrential amount into the garbage bin.
Where it was all coming from they had no idea. One thing they were pretty sure they knew however was that both Hawkeyes seizure and Captain America’s illness were caused by the same thing, Hawkeye having accidentally exposed himself to what ever was in that dart.
If Clint had got the same dose Cap seemed to have gotten he’d be dead for sure!
Thor remained holding Cap over the garbage bin as he audibly heaved and spluttered.
Thor looked over to Hawkeye concerned but relaxed a bit when they weren’t rushing around him, that he was ok.
He looked back to Steve, “you alright?” He asked.
Steve spit. “I thn’so” he slurred. He was just trying to catch his breath now and he was fighting the urge to sleep. He closed his eyes and flopped against Thor.
The medical team approached Steve now and straightened him up in the chair. He was nearly passed out, pulled into exhaustion as his body tried heal itself from whatever was in that dart.
More medical team members showed up with stretchers to take Clint and Steve to medbay.
They hoisted Clint onto the stretcher and made sure he was secure then wheeled him away.
They pulled a stretcher up beside Steve and locked the brakes. “Is he still getting sick?” The medic asked.
“On and off.” Thor said.
They slowly began lifting him up to transfer him to the stretcher but as soon as they started moving him he cried out in pain. They realized they had to go very slow. He paled immensely as they transferred him, and ultimately they decided to keep him on his side. He was shaking under the strain of whatever havik was happening within him, his hair soaked now in his own sweat.
As they wheeled him away he started heaving again. Movement of any kind set him off. Nothing was coming up though as he was practically empty.
As the nausea got worse and worse he lifted himself onto his hands, most of his body still strapped down and he heaved into the stretcher, only very small amounts of bile came up and spit strung off his lips. His eyes watered and all his senses were disrupted, he hardly knew what was happening or where he was. Confusion now was ever present.
As they wheeled him out, SHIELD members were clearly scared for him and obviously worried about what was causing this to happen. The rest of the Avengers team followed close behind.
Once in med bay, Clint was transferred to a bed and watched closely. Same with
Steve however he was not getting better but getting worse. His vitals were showing he was on the verge of shock, and Bruce was adamant about getting a few vials of his blood stat. He wanted to see what it was that was making Cap so sick. Was it poison?..A virus?..what?
They slowly got Cap out of his suit and covered him with only a thin sheet, he was far too overheated for anything else.
He moaned and groaned, almost completely out of it, reaching out to anyone that was standing within arms reach of him just looking for any type of comfort.
Tony quickly stepped closer and Steve blindly grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him close. This broke his damn heart, there was absolutely nothing he could do for Steve right now. Tony bent down and started talking softly with him, trying to reassure and comfort him.
He just cried out “nooooooo!” Like he was a child who refused to let his scraped knee get cleaned up after he crashed his bike.
What he was actually saying ‘no’ to Tony didn’t know, which raised the question of what he was seeing in his head if he was seeing anything at all.
His eyes were mostly always closed as if the light hurt them, and when he did open them they weren’t tracing properly, there was no smooth flow to them but choppy and uncoordinated.
When they did come to take his blood they had to firmly hold him down while Tony calmed him by gently talking to him and telling him what they were doing and why they needed to do it. Even though he was weak he was still incredibly strong. Right now their Captain wasn’t their Captain at all, and that was a terrifying thought!
They put a piece of gauze and tape over the puncture site and let go of Steve’s arm and he just held it up over his face for a few seconds before letting it fall to his bare chest. His legs were always fitful, he would bring his knees up, then put them down, then up again..they would drop to the side then back up...he was all over the place.
Bruce had Caps blood under the microscope immediately. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath as he tweeked the microscope and studied the blood.
“What the hell...” Bruce said and he sat back in the chair and just stared at the microscope in front of him.
Tony lifted his brow in curiosity. “Care to fill us in Banner?” He called out as Steve grabbed a new fistful of Tony’s shirt.
Bruce sort of came back to reality and looked to Tony. “I have no idea what this is!” He said. “For every blood cell he has its duplicating it but of its own material, like it’s building itself within Steve and using his blood as a blueprint. It’s biological but that’s all I know!.....I need a vial of Clints blood right now!” He said urgently.
The medical team quickly collected Clints blood and Bruce put it under the microscope.
“It’s not copying Clints...it’s like it doesn’t know what to do...like it doesn’t recognize it.”
He sat back in the chair and thought for a second. “It seems as though it’s been..I don’t know..programmed to Steve alone.”
“Designed just for him?!.” Tony said. “Is it killing off his own blood cells? How does it behave, what is it doing to him?” He asked almost impatiently.
“I need more time to figure that out.” Bruce said “I don’t even know what we’re dealing with here,” and he immediately went back to the Microscope.
Tony was about to say something but suddenly a steady flow of Caps stomach was coming up and out all over himself, a torrential amount, soaking everything. Steve was already sitting propped up at a 40 degree angle in bed so Tony quickly helped him lean forward, and by that time he was already unloading another stomach full. This actually worried Tony as there was just so much. Steve choked out a few coughs before audibly heaving again as more sick crawled up his throat. It sounded unpleasant and painful.
He continued to splutter trying to clear his throat and mouth.
He didn’t move after getting sick, he just stayed leaned over catching his breath and allowing the medical team to help.
Tony wasn’t even sure if Steve knew what was going on, he was just staring, like he’d totally given up. Obviously Tony knew Cap would never give up so this was clearly and obviously influenced by that damn dart and whatever substance was within it.
Suddenly though Cap jerked with movement and was once again extremely active and agitated. Tony again tried to calm him. The medical team had to sort of step back so they wouldn’t upset him more.
Tony spoke calmly to Steve trying to sooth him in any way that he could until everything stopped and Cap slumped back into the bed motionless, he had passed out.
The team immediately approached to check if he was ok. He was. They continued cleaning him up, meanwhile Tony made his way to Bruce rubbing his temple in defeat. “God..what is this Bruce?..how can someone puke that much?!”
“I need a sample of his vomit.” Bruce said and Tony grimaced at the idea.
He grabbed a vial and went to collect some before it was all cleaned away.
When he returned he put it in a slide and into the microscope.
He studied it for a few minutes, lifted his eyes from the eye piece and lightly knocked his head against it. “Its liquid...it’s just fucking liquid..a few of those dead duplicated cells but other than that it’s all Liquid!!!” He said angrily.
“Liquid what?” Tony asked.
“Just bile!” bruce said.
He wasn’t any closer to any answers.
“I don’t even know how his body is producing this much bile...like what is he gonna do puke himself to death?!!” He said now clearly angry.
“Ssshhh oK just calm down Banner” Tony said and he looked behind himself to Steve then back to Bruce. “We don’t need the jolly green giant making hospital calls right now.”
Bruce nodded and took a couple deep breaths. “I better get some fresh air.” He said and got up.
Tony just nodded and watched him leave.
He walked back to Steve and just watched the monitor as it beeped away, almost getting lost in the metronome of Caps heart rate. He felt utter defeat and somewhat responsible. Cap always had their backs, what had gone so wrong that they didn’t have his?.. and now he was battling something they knew nothing about.
“Tony” a week voice came. Tony almost jumped out of his shoes. Not so much from being startled but because he was so glad to see Cap awake.
“Hey spangles he said gently, placing a hand to Steve’s arm.
“I don’t feel right Tony..” Steve said, his voice cracking with exhaustion and worry. His face looked scared.
Tony faught back the tears threatening to fall over his bottom eyelids.
“I know Steve, we’re trying to find a way to help you.” He said at a total loss of words. Nothing he said would make it any better or any easier.
“Am I dying?” He asked, now his voice was laced with fear and sadness.
Tony got down to his level. “I’m not gonna let that happen ok? You don’t worry about that.” He said looking directly into Steve’s eyes.
Steve nodded lightly “ok..” and his voice cracked.
Tony leaned in and engulfed Steve in a hug as gently as he could.
And if Tony was already about to crack, he felt Steve let go, crying into his shoulder. He was clearly vulnerable.
He’d seen Cap upset before but never full out cry. It just showed Tony how young he actually still was, devoid of parents and all the friends he once had, and now he was afraid of dying alone...again.
Tony couldn’t hold back his own tears, and he realized this hug..this bond wasn’t only healing for Steve Rogers, it was healing for Tony Stark as well. Loosing Steve now would be like loosing a brother..or a son.
—————————————-
Tony sat in a chair next to Steve’s bed staring at the floor. He hated being at a total loss especially when the person affected was someone he cared about.
Steve’s skin was incredibly pale now and you could start to see mottling all over his body.
His vitals confirmed why. His blood pressure kept falling and his heart rate was fast but weak, trying to profuse his body. Caps heart was failing..he was dying and they were no closer to finding out what the hell this was. His blood cells were still being duplicated and the ones that already were seemed to be dormant, but they were also pulsating...waiting. This was only about 5 hours after they noticed Caps exposure. The actual time of exposure was unknown.
A dialysis machine was then rolled into the room and Tony felt a pang of hope. He internally swore at himself for not thinking of this.
They secured Steve’s arm down just in case he woke up and became fitful. A dislodged arterial hemodialysis needle is not what they needed right now.
They got him hooked up and started filtering his blood. The question in their minds now was, would it filter out the duplicated cells? Soon they would find out!
————————-
Steve gently woke up, his eyes were heavy like lead. He went to move his arm but noticed it wouldn’t. That’s when he saw it strapped down and red running through the lines. He looked around him to see Tony slumped in the chair sleeping. His stomach growled noisily and he realized why he’d woken up. He was sick to his stomach. He tried to call one of the nurses but noticed his voice wouldn’t work, no sound would come out. He clenched his eyes shut and swallowed hard before he was forced to lean over the edge of the bed to be sick. He was glad he was able to, even though his arm was strapped down. He almost threw up all over the dialysis machine. When the staff noticed him they went over to help.
There was blood in his vomit now. A small amount but still present. They helped him rinse his mouth and he slowly shimmied back to the pillow and fell right back to sleep.
When he woke up again the dialysis machine was unhooked and his arm was free. He actually felt a lot better, it wasn’t the nausea that woke him this time!
He had a splitting headache. He was still nauseous but not to the point that he couldn’t handle it or that vomiting was imminent.
He looked around himself to see Tony still asleep in the chair. He smiled a bit.
One of the nurses approached him. “How do you feel?“ she asked.
Steve didn’t quite know, other than his head hurting his body felt numb.
His vitals had gotten a tad better but not much.
He tried to sit up but realized he couldn’t.
“Are you ok Steve?” The nurse asked noticing the confusion on Steves face.
“I…c..c….” He couldn’t speak. ‘What as happening?’ He thought. He wanted to tell her he couldn’t move but no sound would come out. Only the sounds his mouth could make.
“Steve….can you not speak?” The nurse asked concerned.
Steve just shook his head. A scared look on his face.
This worried the nurse immensely. “Ok one second let me grab Dr. Banner.” She quickly said and rushed off.
Steve tried to talk and move while the nurse got the doctor but it was no use he was completely immobile and unable to make a vocal sound. He could only move from the neck up.
Bruce quickly approached Steve and started assessing him. His vitals first as he wanted to make sure his heart and lungs hadn’t changed from the last time he assessed him. . He knew Steves heart was failing so the blood pressure and heart rate were not great but no, they hadn’t changed since last time they were checked.
He then checked pressure points and reflexes, there was nothing.
He quickly requested supplies to take blood and continued his assessment on Steve while the nurse retrieved them.
Tony was still passed out cold in the chair.
Clint as well, was fast asleep in the other bed, still heeling.
The rest of the avengers crew hovered around concerned but they were merely in the background watching on like worried spectators.
When Steves blood was drawn Bruce quickly brought it to the microscope while the nurse woke Tony.
All you could hear was a large hustle as Tony was made aware of Steves situation.
He hovered over Steve, speaking with him for a couple minutes before showing up next to Bruce.
“What the hell is going on Banner?” He asked concerned.
Bruce never lifted his face from the microscope. “It seems as though the duplicated cells are attacking his central nervous system. He said.
Tony was beyond worried. “We have to stop it Bruce, right now or this could be permanent!” He said.
“I know….” He sat shaking his head trying to think of what to do.
Tony was silent for what seemed like an eternity but then he had a thought. “Did you says the cells were biological?” Tony asked.
“Yeah.”
“And their duplicating his blood cells?” Tony asked next.
“Yeah…..what are you getting at Tony?” Bruce asked.
“Ok this may be a long shot, especially with the Serum in Steves body, but what if we got Cap Drunk?” Tony said.
Bruce looked to Tony like that was completely ridiculous then thought for a second. They knew Steve wouldn’t get drunk by simply drinking alcohol.
Tony continued when Bruce didn’t say anything. “In a regular human alcohol thins the blood..you know like can prevent clotting. What if we could essentially mess these cells up by getting Steve drunk!…maybe it would affect the cells to a point that they stop working or die! Or maybe create an environment that’s unsuitable for them to survive!” Tony said hopeful.
Bruce really thought that was just too easy and too lame to be the answer but Tony actually sort of had a good point!
They still didn’t know what these cells were other than the fact that they were biological. they would need way more time to figure that out. Time Steve didn’t have.
Bruce looked up to Tony. “First an MRI…Tony..get the whisky!” Bruce said and Tony immediately spun around and rushed off.
“Vodka too!!” Bruce hollered after him.
“Yuuup!” Is all he heard before he looked to Steve. Steve was looking back at Bruce. He’d heard the whole conversation. He just nodded.
When Tony returned he placed the whisky and vodka on the table. “So what do we do, just have him drink the whisky and chase it with vodka?” Tony joked. Again they knew Steve wouldn’t get drunk by drinking it.
Bruce picked up a glass off the table. “No…the whiskeys for me…the vodka were giving to Steve..in an IV.”
“An IV….” Tony said. He was silent for a second. “Bruce this is super dangerous.”
It seemed as though hearing it just seemed so much worse.
“Yeah but we have to bypass the serums ability to regenerate Steve. The only way is to overwhelm his body with alcohol before the serum can repair him. This is the only way that it’s quick enough…..unless we do it rectally but I don’t think he’ll go for that!”
“It could kill him Bruce! That’s a sure fire way to get severe alcohol poisoning!”
“It’s our only option..unless you have a better idea!?” Bruce said.
Tony didn’t. He knew that was the only way. And yeah he didn’t think Steve would jump for the idea of having alcohol loaded into his colon.
After the MRI was complete which left them with no new leads, the next half hour was spent filling large 50 ml syringes with vodka. They infused the first one in to Steves nearly empty IV bag. They increased the drip rate..in fact they just set it to wide open.
The vodka infused quickly so they kept topping it up. The nurse hooked Steve up to monitor his vitals.
“You tell us when you start feeling it ok Steve?” Bruce asked.
Steve just nodded.
After about 10 minutes of repeatedly infusing the bag Steve still had not indicated he could feel anything.
“Anything yet?” Tony asked.
Steve shook his head no.”
“This is almost a whole twenty sixer.” Tony said surprised. “Straight into his veins!”
“We need another bottle.” Bruce said.
Tony looked at him like he was crazy.
“Tony it’s not even affecting him yet!”
Tony looked down to Steve who was looking up at him totally unfazed by the alcohol.
Tony then spun on his heels and walked off to get more.
“Bring two!!” Bruce called after him.
Tony paused for a second then continued walking and disappeared out of site.
When he returned, Bruce was infusing the last full syringe of vodka from the previous bottle. Still Cap was unfazed.
Tony opened the lid and filled syringes while Bruce continued to infuse them.
Half way through that bottle, Steve looked to Tony and suddenly a shit eating grin spread across his face.
“Bruce I think he’s tipsy!” Tony said hopeful.
“Steve are you feeling it?” Bruce asked excitedly.
Steve nodded happily. He was feeling good!
“Are you able to move at all yet or speak?” Bruce asked hopeful.
Steve tried talking but couldn’t say anything.
He was however able to slightly move his toes.
“He moved his toes!!!!” Tony said excitedly.
“It’s working!!!!!”
He couldn’t believe his eyes. Both Bruce and Steve wore huge smiles!
“Alright we’ll keep going!” Bruce said with a new found hope. “Tony you’re a genius!!”
You know since this was Tonys idea.
“Duh!” Was all he said.
Once that bottle was infused Steve started to actually get drunk. Tony laughed. “Feeling good eh buddy!”
“I feel fant’stic.” Steve slightly slurred.
“AND YOUR’RE TALKING!!” Bruce yelled excitedly.
“Ohsh’t….i’am…talking…yaaaaaay!” Steve said happily.
“Tony keep infusing, I want to take a sample of his blood and see the progress, they all have to be dead for this to work or they’ll just keep duplicating.”
Tony nodded and took the next syringe from Bruce.
Bruce then collected items and took a sample of Steves blood and immediately went to the microscope.
A few minutes later you could hear Bruce holler to them. “ITS WORKING!!!”
Then he showed up next to Tony. “They’re half gone!..it’s working!”
But this concerned Tony. Cap was already Drunk, would they need twice as much to beat this? That was a lot of booze!
“Bruce…it’s a lot!” Tony said concerned.
Bruce understood Tonys concern.
“Tony it’s our only option..there’s no other way.” And concern was now ever present on his face as well.
Tony just nodded.
—————————
4 twenty sixers had now been infused and Steve was plastered.
“Steve move around for me!” Bruce said.
Steve shifted around easily in the bed and this brought a smile to both he and Tonys face.
He then took another sample of blood and checked Steves progress.
“Almost gone!” He said to Tony upon returning.
“You mean they’re not gone yet? Damn Bruce he’s shitfaced!” Tony said incredulously.
“Another half bottle tops I’m sure!” Bruce said hopeful.
Tony just stared at him. A serious but concerned look on his face.
“He’s gonna be so sick Bruce, this worries me.”
Bruce took on a more serious look. “I know..Tony I know…” and he just looked down and slowly picked up the next syringe.
“Hey….hey….lez go t’the bar…” Steve slurred. “Go g’t Bucky….” And he started to try and get up.
“No Steve we can’t go to the bar.” Tony Said.
Steve had a questioning look on his face as well as a surprised one. “Why???..we partyin aren’we?” And he pulled the nearly empty bottle of vodka from Bruce’s hand and started chugging it.
“Holy shit!” Tony said surprised.
He burped, “lez’go…c’m on!” And he tried to get up again.
“No Steve the bars closed..and you’re way too drunk!” Tony said.
“Mmm’not dr’nk mmm’happy.” Steve slurred and then drooled a bit. “Ooooh’shit loss m’mouth water.” And he tried to slurp it back up.
This had the whole team laughing. It was hilarious to see their Captain like this. He could never get drunk before so this was new, and they’d be lying if it wasn’t a tad entertaining.
“I think you’re gonna be really sick later Steve.” Tony said next.
Steve huffed, “ yeeeaaahh I rem’mber the time w’n I threw up in’do my dresser thing’ing It waz’the g’rbage. That was na’good!”
Tony just laughed. “Omg. Yeah well you’ll be puking for sure this time.”
“I’ll be puke’n fr’shrr th’sssst’mmm” and he slumped as if his muscles just couldn’t work anymore.
——————————-
By the time the next bottle was half gone, the rest of the avengers team had gone to bed. Bruce had insisted they were ok. Clint was out cold in the next bed over.
At this point Steve was so beyond plastered it was a wonder he was still alive let alone mildly awake. He was completely pickled.
“I’ll check his blood now.” Bruce said, and he drew his blood, which looked a little off. It was almost brown.
As Bruce walked away with the sample Tony noticed something with the sheets.
“Aaand he just pissed himself!…Bruce he peed!”
“Ok!” Was all Bruce hollered back. Which caused Tony to wear a puzzled look on his face as if this was something Bruce heard commonly.
The nurse then approached with a little smirk on her face. She knew this was where she came in, and she knew at some point this may happen. Luckily for them she had a soaker sheet laid down under him. All she needed now was help to turn him so she could swap out the sheet and wipe him clean. Steve was too plastered to help in any way. His boxers..yeah they’d cut them off.
They were just finishing up and pulling the sheets back up to Steve’s waist and lifting the head of the bed back up when Bruce returned. He had a huge smile on his face.
Tony knew right away. “They’re gone aren’t they!” He said hopeful but knowing.
Bruce just nodded! “We beat it Tony!” But their elation was cut short when Steve suddenly started nearly projectile vomiting all over himself. He was already sitting up in the bed so that certainly helped but he still covered himself completely. And it didn’t stop. They pulled him forward even more while more poured out of him.
“It begins.” Bruce said. And the nurse brought a bag of normal saline to be infused through his IV in an attempt to now lower his blood alcohol levels, replenish his electrolytes and rehydrate him.
They weren’t sure just how bad his hangover would be or for how long it would last. This may be something the serum couldn’t fix as it was the aftermath of what was done too him. Other than replenishment there was nothing to heal, so feeling like absolute crap may not be something the serum could fix.
When Steve finally stoped throwing up, they all helped at pulling the sheet off him. It held most the liquid but it was still seeping through all over him.
He was still too out of it to transfer to a bath or shower so they would have to give him sort of a “bed bath,” which was essentially just bringing over a basin with water and a ‘no wipe away’ soap and cleaning him there with hand towels.
The only problem was as soon as they were done he was throwing up again. This time they were able to bring a basin under his mouth.
Much less came up but his stomach was certainly creating bile at an alarming rate.
“Shit” Tony said, now realizing this was gonna be a long night.
—————-
For at least 5 hours Steve was out. He hardly had a gag reflex, so if he was throwing up it was just coming out of him. No warnings or precursors, just out.
Even making sure his mouth was clear after getting sick was a concern as he wasn’t even spitting. He was so beyond passed out it was almost scary, like a coma.
When there was nothing left to throw up then you could see light gags. No sounds just his body trying.
This made Tony uncomfortable. It made Cap look like there was something happening inside him, making his body move, which essentially there was, but Tony couldn’t help but think that any second an Alien would burst it’s way out from Steves stomach.
He quickly turned away, “I..think I’m getting too tired.” He said uncomfortably. He wasn’t actually tired, he was just worried and sometimes his mind wandered when he was worried.
“You can go to bed Tony if you want, he’ll be ok here with us.” Bruce said gently.
Tony turned around to look at Bruce. “No it’s ok I won’t be able to sleep anyway.” He said and he looked back to Steve. He’d gone still again.
By the wee hours of the morning Steve started waking up, and boy was he sick.
A new IV bag had been hung at least 4 times for Cap. By this time he was laying flat but on his side, and he could handle his own airway now if he were to get sick.
He could hardly lay still, moaning and groaning against the nausea. Anti-emetics and Tylenol weren’t helping thanks to the serum so he was left to battle this unaided except for the normal saline in the IV bag. His head felt like it was splitting open, he was nauseated beyond imaginable, he felt incredibly lethargic, his vision was blurred out, and he was still very dizzy, even though he was stone sober now. He literally felt like death.
He was curious as to how much he ended up drinking, though in this case “infusing,” but he was way too sick to care to ask at this point. Instead he just wearily pulled the basin off the side table and quickly brought it under his mouth and gaged hard.
He didn’t realize both Tony and Bruce were helping him. He was way sicker than he even thought.
He’d technically turned into a dependant adult who was too weak to help himself. If you were looking at him it would have looked strange as his body was well defined and built, he was Captain America! But right now he was in extremely rough shape, weaker than a kitten.
Each gag was long and drawn out, his body trying it’s best to purge the poison it thought was still coursing through him. The veins in his neck protruded while each gag choked him, and yet at this point only trickles would come up. He needed to drink water to make this more bearable. It was hard though, drinking water when you were so incredibly nauseated, even though it felt good feeling the water cascade down his raw throat, his stomach still didn’t like it at all.
The next gag had him retching hard.
“Alright Steve..we gotch’ya..it’s ok” Tony said as the gag pulled Steve even deeper.
The next gag was just as bad, but this one brought with it the gurgling sound of the bile within its deepest depths, forced up but almost resisting. The gag would end only enough for Steve to get a quarter of a breath in only to heave hard and retch again as the bile crawled out and trickled into the basin. It hurt like hell, and the intensity of it was honestly concerning.
After it ended Steve was left panting, and he wasn’t quiet about it. Tears dripped from his eyes and his nose was stuffed up. He spit sloppily and accepted a Kleenex from Bruce then blew his nose when he could straighten up enough. His abs were starting to hurt a lot more now from the intensity of it all, and on top of all that he never got even a seconds break from the severe nausea, it lingered even though he’d just been sick.
Sleeping was almost non existent now with the constant feeling of needing to get sick.
His body shook and his abdomen cramped.
Having to get up to take a crap right now would be so Shity he thought! no pun intended. He didn’t want to move and literally shitting himself seemed like a better option, but of course he wouldn’t do that if he could help it and come hell or high water he was gonna try and get up to the bathroom if it came to that.
He was literally feeling so sick that the idea of getting up to take a crap was giving him anxiety.
‘It is what it is.’ He concluded. “This sucks!” He said, not realizing he’d said it out loud.
“I know man, but it will get better..I promise.” Tony said.
Steve only closed his eyes with a grimace and lightly shook his head. ‘Not with what was coming next,’ he thought.
“You ok?” Bruce asked.
Steve swallowed hard, “I need the washroom.” He said quietly.
It was obvious to both Bruce and Tony why he’d need it, they’d both been hung over before and knew it usually made you need to take a crap. Sometimes multiple times.
“You need help getting up?” Bruce asked knowing how weak Cap was.
“I don’t know.” He said hoarsely and slowly started moving. However as soon as he did both his stomach and his bowels rejected it.
Steve cringed.
He was able to sit up with help and immediately held his stomach and abdomen by wrapping his arms around his midsection. “Just wait…” and he groaned. Bruce and Tony could hear his bowels gurgling.
Steve really didn’t know which end was gonna start first. His insides just felt so weak.
The room was spinning around him and this just sent his stomach into summersaults.
“I’m gonna..” he said suddenly before stifling a gag.
The basin at this point was out of reach so Tony quickly grabbed the garbage can and brought it under Steves mouth, just in time to catch the flow.
Tony was surprised. Wasn’t it only minutes prior he was on empty? Then he remembered Steve was drinking water, and now all that water was coming back up.
It splashed heavily into the bottom of the trash bin, but it wasn’t stopping. Steve wrapped his arms around the bin and gave into it. His lips were wet with sick as he burped wetly lightly gaging as his body continued to try to empty. He was at this point looking straight ahead just breathing when he audibly heaved and a flow of water almost forcefully pushed past his lips. Tony quickly guided his head down so he wouldn’t overshoot the bin.
“Ok maybe you drank too much water too quickly.” Tony said.
Steve just nodded while retching noisily. He was once again empty. Amazingly he didn’t shit himself either, but at least now he could move to the washroom without worrying which end would fail first.
Tony handed Steve a Kleenex and removed the trash bin after he disposed of it.
“You ready to move?” Tony asked.
Steve nodded.
The walk to the washroom was unpleasant, mostly because the dizziness was amping up his nausea. His bowels were behaving thank god, but he was incredibly weak. Once they were In the bathroom Bruce laid the IV bag on the counter and just stopped the drip. “You ok from here on out?” Bruce asked. Steve nodded, “yeah, thanks guys.” He said breathily.
Once alone and seated Steve felt way safer. His body emptied immediately and with that he felt a weight leave him. It was much needed, but he knew he was gonna be in here for a while. His abdomen was immediately cramping again which was extremely uncomfortable.
He wrapped his arms around his abdomen and slightly rocked, grimacing. It was all he could do while his bowels protested. The next flow from him was almost liquid. His body wanted everything out, the bodies way of trying to rid itself of poisons or toxins in an attempt to save itself. The smell was terrible, but of course there was nothing he could do about it.
The next 20 minutes was spent repeating this, though each bought was less and less until he was empty from that end as well. He rested his elbows on his thighs and his face in his hands. Now he was truly weak. He gave himself a few more minutes to make sure his body wouldn’t surprise him with another round then flushed the toilet for what seemed like the tenth time.
The smell in the bathroom was much less now, which he was glad for cuz he needed help back to bed.
He wiped himself clean, stood up with the help of the bathroom counter and shimmied over to wash his hands. He reached over and opened the door but didn’t move after that, the dizziness was coming back with a vengeance and it threatened his stomach once again.
Tony and Bruce were like guardian angels though and showed up in the doorway ready to help.
“You ok big guy?” Tony asked.
Steve just nodded though he didn’t lift his bowed head and he lightly swayed.
“Alright, let’s say we get you back to bed before you muff.” Tony said with a little sarcasm.
Steve just nodded and allowed Bruce and Tony to help him back to the bed. It was slow but it was safe.
—————-
Steve was able to sleep for much of the day waking only when the nausea was too much to bear or he needed to get sick, and right now it was both. The dizziness had subsided almost completely so that was a plus but he was still feeling like he had absolutely no energy at all.
He pulled himself up in the bed as he felt his stomach rising into his mouth.
He reached for the basin and just held it.
“Still feelin it Captain?” Tony said as he replaced the water next to Steve.
“Yeah, can’t seem to shake it.” He said with a little laugh. Though it was completely forced.
The nurse came over and lifted the head of the bed so that Steve could sit back. “Thankyou.” He said quietly to her.
She gave him a warm smile.
If he could just muster up the energy to move to the washroom, but he was way too nauseated and really way too weak.
He swallowed hard as his mouth began to fill with saliva. He spit it out holding the basin under his chin. He was so close it was torture. He almost wanted it to begin so he could rest again.
He couldn’t close his mouth. Mouth breathing was the only way to cope right now.
Next thing he knew Tony was holding a cold cloth to his forehead. It really felt great and it took that edge off, that minor distraction.
It made the first gag seem less harsh and he could feel Tony supporting him, holding him as he urged painfully.
Very small mouthfuls came up, mostly bile, but it was painful. Tony’s presence was comforting, like he wasn’t suffering alone, something he’d done on so many occasions when in the past Bucky wasn’t able to be at his side.
‘God he really didn’t feel well’ he thought.
No amount of vomiting helped alleviate the nausea, it was overwhelming. Its like the severe bouts came in waves but there was always an underlying sickness.
Tony guided Steves head back against the pillow gently when he was done. I guess he could feel that he really was utterly wiped.
He gently removed the basin from Steves hands as he slowly drifted off, still holding the cloth against his forehead. Bruce watched on, this gentle bond Tony had with Steve was deeper than he’d ever imagined. He could tell right away that Steve Rogers..their Captain America felt undeniably safe with Tony. He wondered if this had anything to do with Tony being the son of Howard Stark.
————————-
By day three Steve was able to muster enough energy to get out of bed and use the washroom if he needed it.
The energy was almost completely returned but the nausea hadn’t tapered one bit! I guess a poisoning of this magnitude was just ‘that’ taxing on his body. Serum or no serum.
He opted to stay in the medical wing as per Bruce’s request for just one more day. And honestly Steve was totally fine with that, he was really too nauseated to really care at this point. The IV had been removed and he was able to drink enough water and keep it down for a reasonable amount of time as well.
Right now however he was standing in the washroom up against the sink trying to cope. He had to pee too, question was does he pee now and risk puking mid pee or puke then pee?! He decided to risk it as he had to go that bad. He moved to the toilet and started to relieve himself, much needed. Turns out his bladder was more full than he’d thought though and he could feel his gorge rising. He swallowed profusely trying to stave off the rising sour liquid but he gaged.
He was just able to shake himself off before he gaged again and was forced to bend over as a mouthful worrked its way up. Seeing at how he was wearing sweat pants he was able to easily put himself away but in doing so his aim was slightly off and ended up getting sick over the back of the toilet where the seat hinges to the bowl. He couldn’t worry about that right now though as more was pushing past his lips and he had to crouch down to empty.
He pulled the flusher so he wouldn’t be puking into piss water, the last thing he wanted was for that shit to splash in his face.
He knew both Tony and Bruce were not far off if he needed them, though right now he was just unloading. He could imagine they could hear it to some degree as he couldn’t be quiet about it, he just felt too damn sick.
That’s when Natasha came by medical to see how he was doing. She stopped as she passed by the door, clearly hearing his misery. She gave Tony and Bruce a look, “um is he like, ok in there? It sounds like he’s puking up his spleen!”
They just nodded at her.
“Yeah he’s good just praying…” tony joked.
Bruce gave him a look…”really?”
Tony looked back playfully. “Yeah..you know..praying to the porcelains gods!?”
“Yeah I know what it is, that’s so overused.” Bruce joked at him.
“What are you talking about its perfect!” Tony said back. He laughed, he knew it was lame but really he was just glad Steve wasn’t actually dying anymore so really anything goes in his mind.
“Ok but really, is he ok? Natasha asked.
Tony and Bruce both nodded. “Yeah he’s ok just really sick to his stomach.” Tony said.
“As to be expected.” Bruce said next. “We loaded four twenty- sixers directly into his bloodstream.”
Natasha just nodded and looked back at the door as the vomiting subsided. She heard the toilet flush.
“How long will it take for him to feel better?” She asked next.
“Depends on his body, but he’s recovering quickly so I’d say another day or two tops.” Bruce said.
Natasha was about to say something when the bathroom door opened and Steve slowly emerged, holding onto the door frame. He smiled tentatively. “Hey Nat.” He said almost in a whisper.
“Hey Steve..how are you feeling?” She asked gently.
He shook his head and slowly walked back to the bed to lay down. “It’s certainly brutal.” He said and he sat on the edge of the bed before slowly laying down.
Natasha had followed behind and was now slowly lifting the sheets up to his waste.
“Thankyou” he said weakly, feeling his eyes pull at him. He was tired he realized.
Natasha gently patted him on the shoulder. “Sleep..feel better.” She said and looked to Bruce and Tony before walking off to meet with Clint.
Steve was out cold in seconds.
By day five Steve was pretty much one hundred percent.
He had never felt that hungover in his entire life, for obvious reasons but he felt he was indebted to Bruce and Tony for Saving his life and looking after him when he was so ill.
He could definitely say now that he had absolutely no desire to drink and it made the fact that he couldn’t get drunk much more tolerable. At least for now.
———————
Life after that whole event went on as usual. He was Captain America as he was before that damn dart and he was glad for that! It certainly was a time In his life he was happy to put behind him.
They never did end up finding out who had shot the dart but they knew there were many enemies out there so really it could have been anyone. Though these people clearly were educated in bio weaponry which was concerning. They were certainly on a higher alert after this and of course they would continue to try and find the culprit.
——————-
One evening after an incredible rewarding victory they all sat down in the lounge area in Stark Tower. Everyone was having drinks and they were about to do a cheers, so that night Steve decided to Drink with them. He still enjoyed the taste and the socializing that came with having drinks with friends and in this case family. What he didn’t anticipate however was that when he got up to use the washroom he’d suddenly swayed heavily. “Whoa Cap, you ok?” Clint said as he sort of caught him. The team was immediately worried, should he not have touched alcohol after what had happened to him? Was it causing some sort of negative reaction? It’s not like he was going easy as he thought it wouldn’t affect him!
“Steve….are you…drunk?” Tony asked surprised, as well as being tipsy himself.
“Oh wow, Um…you know Tony..I think I am!” And he couldn’t help but drunkenly smile.
Tony couldn’t help but smile with him but he did wear a worried look on his face and he immediately looked to Bruce.
Bruce only shrugged. “All the tests came back normal, as far as I know this is just how he’s metabolizing alcohol! I’ll run some more tests tomorrow.” He said and took another drink from his pint.
When Tony looked back toward Steve he was staggering towards the bathroom.
“God he’s already sloshed!” Tony laughed. And he got up to help guide Steve.
——————
The night was an absolute blast for all of them, especially Steve. He was all over the place but he felt alive and strong and free, and for him that was what he always wanted.
The next morning Steve woke up absolutely fine while the rest of the team struggled with a hangover. Bruce ended up running more tests and discovered that yes, Steve could now get drunk. The amazing part was that he would never get hungover. He didn’t know how the hell that was happening really but in the end it didn’t matter. Steve was safe and one hundred percent healthy.
They didn’t realize how much of a party animal Steve was though now that he could get drunk and tomorrow was Captain Americas ‘serum’ Birthday…”this should be good!” Tony said staring ahead of himself at nothing.
The end.