And a Toothbrush (Tony x Reader)
Tony winced as the metal flashed and sparked. His eyes burned. They kept drooping closed, but before he could slump over across his workbench, he always managed to force them back open.
Every fiber of his body desperately begged for sleep. For the past few days, he’d been surviving on coffee, micro-naps, and the sheer will-power to focus all his attention on his new invention. He knew he should sleep.
He just couldn’t. If he closed his eyes, he would see it. He would be transported back to the dark, smelly cave. He’d feel the dank air rush through his throat, cold water dripping from his face. He’d hear the shouted orders, the threats, and the screams that he knew were his own, but sounded distant.
Panic attacks and fits of PTSD weren’t unheard of for Tony. After the torture in Afghanistan, the near death experience with the nuclear missile, and his visions during the events of Ultron, he had plenty of trauma to mess with his mind.
It was worse around this time of year though. The anniversary of the birth of Ironman was rapidly approaching. He would on edge until the date passed.
Knock. Knock.
Tony immediately jumped to his feet. “JARVIS?”
“It appears as though you forgot your promise to sign the mission debriefing forms. Agent K has come to remind you.”
“Shit. Unlock the doors.” He rubbed the back of his neck which had cracked painfully at his sudden movement.
“Stark, I can’t believe you would-“ You stomped into the lab, furious at how long Tony had made you wait upstairs. He’d promised to show up at six. It was almost eight. “-Are you okay?”
His appearance was like a shock to your system. You were new to the Avengers Team, Natasha has convinced Tony to poach you from SHIELD because of your exceptional skills. Since then, you’d spent some time with the team, but it was mainly during missions with the occasional post-mission team outing. All of those times, Tony had been well-dressed and put together. He was always quick with a sarcastic quip or intelligent response.
This man looked hollow.
“Yep. All good!” He miserably failed at flashing you a disarming smile. You saw right through that charming facade that he used for media events. He reached out for the papers in your hand.
“Shouldn’t you go upstairs and eat something? Or at least shower and get some sleep?”
“I’m an adult. I can handle myself.” He ripped the papers from your hand and searched around the room for a pen. “I’m working on something important.”
You plucked a pen from behind his ear and handed it to him with a gentle smile. “I’m no genius, but I think the world can survive without a” you squinted to read the print on the prototype “Jellybean Juicer?”
He spun around and his face turned completely red. “That’s just a code name.”
“Alright, What does it do?”
He must’ve been extremely fatigued because he couldn’t even come up with a lie. His mouth opened and closed wordlessly until he mumbled “It turns jellybeans into a syrup.”
“Would you want to watch a movie with me? I’ve always envied your media room, and it looks like you could use a break. I’ll even let you choose.”
He nodded. He could do a movie. He’d just have to make sure to focus on the screen.
When he stopped in the bathroom, you filled a few little bowls with some of the snacks you could find in his kitchen. You set them up and found some fluffy blankets nearby.
“Mmm” He groaned and grabbed his neck again when he sat down.
“Does it hurt?”
“Not really.”
You could tell he was lying so you scooted a bit closer to him. “Clint says I give really good massages, would you mind?”
“A free massage? How could I say no?”
You began rubbing into his neck. He was a bit tense at first, but eventually he was unconsciously leaning into your touch and making satisfied noises. His eyes were unfocused and his eyelids began to close. Your own tiredness was slowly overtaking your body as well...
Tony felt the warm body at his side move away. A whine escaped his throat. His blurry vision focused and he jerked away. “Sorry. How long was I-“
You waved your hand. “Don’t worry about it. I fell asleep too. It’s almost 8am and I’ve got a meeting to go to though, mind if I use your shower?”
“Not at all.” He pointed you in the right direction. 8am? He hadn’t slept that long in weeks. That was a full night. He woke up feeling refreshed and warm and safe. It felt amazing.
It was even better when you made a proper breakfast for the both of you and spent a bit of time chatting.
“I’m going to have to do the walk of shame without having done anything to be shameful for.” You moaned, being purposefully dramatic.
“I can fix that.” He shot you a lopsided grin.
“Hmm,” You teasingly gave him a once over. “Pretty good build, but I have to take off points for the red imprint from the seat on your face and the grease in your hair. Try again later.”
He laughed as you left the building. He felt invigorated.
Later that day, the Avengers alarm was tripped and the team was assembled to fight the group of magic weirdos who were trying to take on Santiago.
“I hate magic.” He groaned as he poked at the gash in his leg. Steve was wrapping it up as he used his strength to stop Tony from moving. He looked at you with desperation.
“Why?” You turned toward Tony to distract him.
As Tony launched into a rant about all the things he hated about magic, you moved a bit closer to get your own medical attention. Before you knew it, you had fallen asleep on Tony’s shoulder.
He didn’t want to move too much and wake you so he resigned himself to slowly lean back onto the bed. As soon as you were horizontal, you snuggled up to him and wrapped your arms around him.
He woke up to the sound of the jet landing seven hours later.
This patterned repeated for several more days. The next few were just coincidences. He offered you a place to stay when your apartment complex had been evacuated for a gas leak and you’d both ended up asleep on the couch in his lab. You told him interesting stories while you relaxed on the couch until you were both asleep the next time. You had tried to apologize if he was uncomfortable with the touching, you were naturally a cuddler, but he admitted he liked spending time with you and even asked you on a date.
It was all set, an evening at a fancy French restaurant. That is, until you got an alarm. You were needed for a mission with Natasha in Croatia for a few days.
“Rain-check?” You sheepishly asked Tony as you explained the situation.
“Yep! Let me know when you get back.” He was disappointed, but he was honestly still too excited about the upcoming date to feel too bad.
The realization came crashing in that night. He was starting to feel sleepy earlier. The past days with you had altered his circadian rhythm. His body was actually getting used to a normal sleep schedule. For once, Tony actually listened to his body and headed off to bed. After all, he hadn’t had any nightmares in nearly a week *knock on wood*.
That turned out to be a bad decision forty minutes later when Tony woke up drenched in sweat. His chest felt like it was collapsing. I’m dying. I’m dying. I’m dying.
I’m not dying.
He calmed down and the grip on the sheets relaxed. Why now?
Then it struck him - I can only sleep peacefully while you’re around.
In a second, he was on his tablet. “I need a second toothbrush, more towels...” He was mumbling to himself as he surfed the web for expensive house items. “Is purple a good color for an extra pair of house slippers? Should I get flowers?”
The next day, all the items from his online shopping spree arrived. He ripped open the boxes and arranged everything on the kitchen table and counter tops. “What if this isn’t right?” He wondered aloud.
Then the sound of the jet landed tumbled through the tower. You and Natasha stumbled in. She took one look at all the stuff and promptly left, too tired to get involved in whatever new shenanigans Tony had gotten himself into.
“Um, Tony?”
The genius seemed a bit crazy. His hair was messed up and he was staring intently at the stacks of domestic goods covering the countertops. He looked like he hadn’t been sleeping.
“Move in with me?” He spun around with a toothbrush in his hand. “I got you a...” He wildly gestured at the item in his hand when words failed him.
“A toothbrush?” Your voice was filled with disbelief. How’d we get from going on one date to moving in together?
Tony took one look at your face and his expression immediately fell. He glanced around him, studying all the stuff as if it was the first time he’d seen it. “I mean, that’s insane. We haven’t even gone on a date yet. I can’t-“
When his attention was back on you, you noticed the utter helplessness and sadness on his face.
“Tony? What is all this?”
“It’s for you.”
“For me?”
“So you could live at the tower. Sorry, it’s stupid. If you don’t want to go on a date anymore, I get it.” His face grew impossibly more upset.
“Hey.” You reaches out and cupped his face in your hand. “I still want to go on a date with you. I’m just a bit confused.”
“I can’t sleep without you.” He blurted the words out quickly before immediately clasping a hand over his mouth.
“You haven’t slept?”
He nodded. “I can’t. I get nightmares and I need you to sleep.”
You tilted your head to think for a second.
“Wait! I didn’t mean that I only liked you because I could sleep around you. I can sleep around you because I like you. I feel so safe and loved and warm and it makes me feel so...” His cheeks were pink.
You hugged him. After a moment he tentatively wrapped his arms around you as well and relaxed in your touch.
“Sorry, it’s pathetic.”
“Stop apologizing. It isn’t pathetic. Even the bravest people suffer from PTSD.”
You held him for a few minutes before whispering in his ear. “I’ll stay here as much as you want.”
His face lit up at your words. He leaned forward and kissed you.
You broke it off, breathless. “I’m keeping my apartment though.”
“That’s fair. I’ve got a dresser for you to keep some stuff though.” He beamed at you “And a toothbrush.” He pulled his hand back from around your back and proudly showed off the toothbrush still in his hand.
You laughed “And a toothbrush!”