Pet Allergy
Thor didn’t know much about Midgardian creatures, but when he saw something small sitting out in the rain, he couldn’t help but pick it up and take it home.
The creature didn’t seem threatening, and seemed to just want warmth, so Thor figured he could keep it.
He noticed all his teammates were off to their own corners, so he brought the creature to the common room and sat it on the couch. The creature shook itself out and it’s long tail curled up.
“Friday, daughter of Stark?” He called, staring up to the ceiling.
“Yes, Thor Odinson?” The AI responded.
“I am inquiring as to what this...Midgardian creature might be?”
A hologram popped up in front of Thor from the coffee table. “The creature is in fact a Chartreux cat.”
“A…cat? Hmmm I’ve heard of this creature before. What do you do with it, daughter of Stark?”
“People keep them as pets,” Friday informed.
Thor’s smile widened. He took the afghan laid on the back of the couch and wrapped it around the cat. “I guess you are now my pet, dear cat.”
Thor kept the cat on his floor of the tower, though he brought it to the common room when his teammates were gone for he didn’t want to frighten his new pet with other people. In addition, he didn’t want to get his new pet sick when he heard of the man of iron’s sudden illness.
Tony had been having flu-like symptoms for several days, which had the whole team worried- especially his boyfriend Steve. Tony’s immune system was incredibly shitty and his chest issues made everything worse.
The team had decided to have him sleep on the couch in the common room so he was always in sight and they could take turns watching over him.
Bruce had given him medicine but none of it seemed to be working. Tony would spend all day huddled on the couch under the afghan sneezing and coughing. The skin under his eyes was swollen and tinged blue, his nose was itchy, and several spots on his body were covered in a rash.
Steve was getting incredibly concerned but decided to give it another few days before forcing his boyfriend to the hospital against his will.
Instead he sat with Tony on the couch, letting the man recline against him as he shivered and coughed. Steve tucked the blanket against Tony tighter hoping that would help the shivering.
At night time, it was Thor’s time to take watch of Tony, so when he went to the common room to find the man asleep, he decided to bring his cat to sleep with the genius and hopefully make him feel better.
After helping the cat curl onto a sleeping Tony’s pillow, he ended up falling asleep himself.
He woke to alarms blaring in all the rooms and alerting everyone to assistance needed in the common room. Thor looked over at Tony and frowned at hearing the genius’ breathing.
Steve and Bruce burst into the common room at the same time at hearing the medical emergency alarm ring.
They found a confused Thor standing in front of Tony who was wheezing horribly and gasping for air. Steve quickly ran over and sat his weak boyfriend up against the couch arm. “Breathe baby, you can do it,” Steve pleaded when Tony continued to wheeze.
Bruce had frozen at the scene, his mind going a mile a minute as he stared. “Is that a cat?”
“Yes, tis mine,” Thor boasted.
“Has he been in the common room all this time?” Bruce frowned.
“Yes, tis his favorite place to nap, snuggled into the afghan just like son of Stark.”
Bruce’s eyes widened as he connected the dots. “Get that cat out of here! Steve remove the blanket and take off Tony’s clothes now.”
Steve frowned but did as the scientist said. He vaguely noticed Thor’s confused look as he walked out of the room with the pet.
Tony shivered weakly as the blanket was removed from him. He started whimpering as Steve and Bruce worked to remove his clothes as well.
“It’s okay, Tones, I think I know why you’re sick,” Bruce said softly.
“S’ cold,” he whimpered, scratching at his rash. Steve caught his hands and pressed kisses to them before placing them down on Tony’s lap.
“What’s wrong with him Bruce?” Steve asked, removing Tony’s pajama pants.
“I think he has a pet allergy and the cat was shedding over everything Tony touched, which made him sick.”
Steve’s eyes widened before narrowing angrily. “Thor-“
“S’okay,” Tony rasped, “He didn’t know.”
“Yeah but-“ Steve was cut off as a cough took away Tony’s breath. The billionaire started hacking roughly and alternated between gasping and coughing.
“Get the nebulizer, Steve,” Bruce ordered, sitting Tony up and trying to coach him through breaths.
Steve ran from the room to get the familiar machine, which was frequently used by his boyfriend after missions.
By the time he got back Tony was gasping more than he was coughing and his face was bright red. Steve quickly shoved the mask around the genius’ face.
Steve took a seat next to Tony on the couch while Bruce sat in front of Tony, still trying to coach him on breathing. Steve put a hand on Tony’s back, trying not to panic more at the stuttering he could feel from Tony’s lungs.
It was minutes before the nebulizer worked enough for Tony to breathe somewhat normally. The genius was exhausted and couldn’t do much more than simply lean against his boyfriend.
Thor creeped out from the bedroom sheepishly when things calmed down. “You have my sincerest apology man of iron,” he voice boomed.
“S’ all good, Thor. Maybe no cats though?” Tony smiled weakly.
“The cat has already been returned to a pet adoption clinic,” Friday informed.
Tony gave a weak thumbs up and snuggled further into Steve’s broad chest.
“Go to sleep, Tones. Let the Benadryl work, you’re gonna be fine,” Bruce said softly.
Vaguely Tony felt himself being lifted into strong arms, but he was already asleep before he could feel the familiar covers being placed over him.