Asthma
It was a weekend and Steve was bored. It was like the world went quiet- there were no people to save, no Shield to consult with, there was nothing to do. So Steve did what anyone would do in his situation- go bother his boyfriend.
Tony was tinkering in his workshop when Steve eventually annoyed him enough to drag him up to the training floor to do what Steve considered ‘fun’-- sparring. He hated fighting with the supersoldier since there was always a clear winner, but Steve had pouted, and immediately it caused him to melt to his boyfriend’s desires.
Steve loved hand-to-hand combat, so after covering Tony in pounds of padding, they fought. It started slow but gradually they started having fun and they started hitting faster and faster. Soon they became so competitive the game broke the bounds of the boxing ring they were sparring in and they ran around the room, taunting each other.
Tony was able to hide in Clint’s target room for several minutes before Steve finally noticed him and tackled him to the ground. They both laid laughing and panting on the ground.
Gradually, Tony’s laughs turned into coughs. Steve didn’t notice as he too lay trying to catch his breath.
Tony’s heart pounded unrelentlessly and his breaths felt thinner and thinner. “Steve-” he coughed.
Steve jumped at the loud wheeze he heard accompany his name. He sat up and moved toward Tony. The man was laying limp except for his heaving chest that got caught on every other breath. Wheezes followed every exhale and each inhale was cut short by a pack of coughs. “Tony?” He asked worriedly.
“Can’t breathe,” Tony gasped.
Steve panicked at his paling lips. He pulled Tony into his arms so the man was upright. “Calm your breathing baby, deep breaths.”
Tony tried to listen to him but his airway was closing up and his chest was hot with pain.
Steve, completely forgetting about the AI that lived with them, screamed at the top of his lungs. “Help!” He jumped when the clanging of the vents produced an archer. Clint landed on the padded training floor and took in the scene.
“He needs his inhaler,” Steve said in his mission voice. Clint nodded, but before he could race off, Natasha and Bruce burst into the room.
Bruce ran towards them holding the small contraption and Steve almost fainted in relief. “Jarvis told us what happened,” he informed.
Steve pressed the inhaler to Tony’s lips as soon as Bruce handed it to him. “You know how it goes baby, big breath in-”
“Can’t-” Tony huffed. He was barely able to inhale anymore and his lips were turning blue. His vision was dark around the edges and his lungs were burning from the lack of air.
“You can, I know you can,” Steve said firmly. “Inhale and hold,” Steve instructed. As soon as Tony took a short breath in, he released the medicine. Tony immediately started coughing and wheezing. “Again,” Steve commanded.
Natasha took Tony’s shaking hand in hers and squeezed lightly. Tony took in another breath and felt the medicine pinch through his tight airway. His tense shoulders relaxed slightly when he felt a bit more air rush in.
“There you go,” Steve said softly when he noticed Tony’s breathing getting better. He looked to Bruce when Tony’s body started sagging. Bruce took the inhaler and Steve adjusted Tony so the man was cradled in his lap. He ran his hands through Tony’s hair as Bruce helped administer the albuterol through the inhaler.
After the seven puffs, Bruce finally pulled the inhaler away when he felt Tony’s breathing was better. “Deep breaths, Tones,” he instructed the man.
Tony let his eyes fall closed as he focused on his breathing. His chest still hurt but he could only be grateful for the air that finally returned to his lungs.
Steve let out his own panicked breath and let his tense body relax. He wiped the tears he didn’t realize had been flowing.
“Thank you,” Tony huffed to the group.
Steve smiled in relief at his boyfriend and moved to stand with Tony in his arms. Tony was always exhausted after asthma attacks so he knew the man would probably want to sleep for the rest of the day. “Nebulizer time,” he whispered to his dozing boyfriend.
Tony groaned, but snuggled further into Steve’s arms.