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“So this is awkward”, Tony says.
He sounds so unimpressed that Steve's brows scrunch up in confusion. Tony just got hit by one of Loki's spells, which is always worrying – but now the brunet seems to be alright.
Steve still makes sure to get to him quickly.
What he sees freezes him in place.
The armor is gone, leaving Tony sitting in the middle of the destroyed street. At first glance, he looks like he's okay, unharmed even.
On second glance, his legs are gone.
Instead, Tony's upper body merges into a mermaid tail and Steve has to check twice to make sure he's not hallucinating.
In the sun that now pierces through the clouds, Tony's brand-new scales glimmer and shine. The tail is a deep red colour that turns a beautiful shade of gold towards the end. Steve is aware he's staring, mouth hanging open in surprise but he can't bring himself to move.
Tony looks, in one word, stunning.
Even though the situation is crazy as Hell, Steve takes a second to appreciate the strange beauty that is Tony's tail. He's half tempted to come closer and run his hands over the red-and-gold scales, but then Tony shifts and their eyes meet and the moment is gone.
“As I said, awkward”, Tony repeats. He gestures towards the tail and grimaces; then he turns his head just so and Steve even spots a few faint marks on the brunet's neck.
Gills, Steve realizes. And that is what gets him to move.
With a few huge steps, he's at Tony's side and carefully places a hand on his friend's shoulder.
“Tony- Are you, uh... are you alright?”
It's a stupid question, but Steve has to know. While Tony looks alright, his skin feels... dry under Steve's fingers.
Tony raises a brow at him for the question, wordlessly judging him.
“Yes, Cap, I'm quite alright, apart from the fact that I was turned into a fucking mermaid.” Tony rolls his eyes for emphasis, before he crosses his arms over his chest. “I hope this will wear off soon, before I have to modify my armour to fit my new form.”
Steve hums to show he's listening, but he's a bit distracted. His eyes wander back to watch the play of the sunlight on Tony's scales, making them glitter like tiny diamonds. He kind of wants to draw Tony like this. Wants to capture the way he looks now, preferably in front of a waterfall or the ocean.
“... even listening to me?”
A hand appears in front of Steve's eyes and he snaps out of his thoughts.
“What?”
“I asked if you were listening, Cap! Not that I'm particularly bothered by this but... it's not exactly convenient.”
Steve flushes a little when he realizes that he should worry about finding a solution for Tony being a merman, not fantasizing about drawing him.
“Uh, sure. Think it'll wear off on its own?”, he asks but Tony shrugs a little helplessly.
Spells like this – and what is their life that they can say this - usually wear off fast. It's the best option they have.
Suddenly, Steve notices something else. Tony's breathing is weird. He sounds winded, as if he's been running and is still out of breath.
Like he's not getting enough air.
Steve frowns and asks: “Tony? Are you okay?”
To his surprise, Tony hesitates. He opens his mouth, as if to reply, then closes it again and looks away. “I... I think we should get back to the tower. I feel like I could use some water.”
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Tony's condition gets worse. Steve, who's carrying him, notices it with growing worry. The brunet's breathing is shallow and fast now and his lips look dried out.
“Like a fish out of the water”, Clint comments with a chuckle. At least that earns him a glare from Tony – but it also makes Steve realize something.
“What if Loki's spell didn't only change his body?”, he asks. The rest of the team looks at him. “He's breathing as if he's not getting enough air. As Clint said: like a fish out of the water. Maybe it'll get better under water?”
Tony swats his arm. “Still right here, Cap”, he says. Then he takes a breath that sounds way too strained, body going lax in Steve's arms. “Could be true, though...”
He sounds... unhappy about it, but Steve ignores it. Who would be happy if they suddenly couldn't breathe on land like a normal person?
Steve is relieved when they finally arrive at the tower, because by then, Tony's barely moving anymore. He's not looking like he's suffocating, but he doesn't look well either, eyes half closed as if he's too exhausted to keep them open.
As soon as they step into the elevator, Steve asks JARVIS to get them up into the penthouse. The pool there is gigantic, it'll be the perfect place for Tony to stay at until the spell wears off.
The surface of the pool is glittering in the sunlight, a crystal-clear blue that practically invites everyone to take a swim.
Tony moves in his arms, shifting like he's uncomfortable.
“Steve, I think- I think we can solve this differently”, he suggests. His voice is all dry, but there is an urgency to his tone that has Steve worried immediately. “Look, what about we just dip some towels into water and wrap me up, that should be enough-”
Steve doesn't agree.
“I doubt it, Tony. You even have gills, it'll be better this way.”
They get closer to the pool and by the time Steve kneels down by one side, Tony is struggling in his arms, trying to get away. He looks paler than before, fingers digging into Steve's shoulders.
Tony tries again: “Cap- Steve. Look, just- I don't want to get into the water, okay? Can't we just-” He shuts up abruptly when Steve lowers him just enough for his tail to touch the water.
It's enough to make him lose it.
Steve's hands that've held him safely up until now suddenly become restraining. There are voices filling Tony's ears, shouting in a language he can't understand. And the water, the water's so close, dirty and dark, getting into his nose and mouth every time the hands push him down again. Again and again, until Tony's certain he'll die, he'll drown, he will-
He's screaming, or trying to. Still struggling, but it is so hard, the grip they have on him is too strong, holding him down, not letting him get away. Tony doesn't know if he's saying something or if he's just choking on the water now.
He can't breathe, can't get free-
But through the panic-filled haze cuts one voice. It sounds familiar, the only bit of comfort in this dark hellhole of a cave, so Tony tries to focus on it.
It's hard, he can't think past the water, past the shocks from the battery (Oh God, the car battery in his chest, going so deep, hurting him with each inhale-) past the hands holding him. But he tries.
And suddenly, it's no longer a voice shouting commands at him in another language.
Suddenly, it's Steve, calling his name, concerned and urgently.
“Tony!”
Tony's eyes snap open. He still can't breathe, but at least he no longer sees the shadows of Afghanistan. He stares into Steve's blue eyes, bright and such a beautiful colour.
“Tony- Hey, sweetheart, it's okay. It's okay. Can you breathe with me?”
Steve doesn't look away even once, anchoring Tony in the here and now. It takes some time, but eventually Tony picks up on the way Steve is deliberately breathing slow and deep, matching him.
The hands on his shoulders are comforting now. Tony slowly becomes aware that Steve is rubbing circles into his skin, soothing.
“Do you know where you are, Tony?”, Steve asks, once more making Tony focus on him. “It's all good. I've got you.”
Tony musters a tiny, shaky smile. “You called me sweetheart”, he whispers, more to himself as if to remember that moment. It's definitely not a good time to think about the bubbly, warm feeling the endearment causes.
Steve on the other hand blushes a bit. “I'm- It just slipped out, I, um...”
They both fall silent. Tony bites his lip and Steve stares at the ground, cheeks still a little red. Eventually, he takes his hands off of Tony and instead nods over to the pool.
“I'm sorry”, he says earnestly. “I- I forgot you didn't like water. I was so stuck up on thinking it'd help you that I ignored your trauma, I'm-”
Tony stops him. “Steve, stop. Thanks for apologizing, but I'm okay. Alright?”
“... Alright”, Steve agrees, though he still looks troubled.
But, when Tony suggests they try it out again, he doesn't argue. He simply strips out of his shirt and pants and joins Tony in the water.
It does help.
It also helps that Steve doesn't let go of Tony's hand even once.