A/N: I do not own the characters. They belong to their respected creators.
Pairing: Tony Stark/Iron Man + Bruce Banner/Hulk
Word Count: 1,525
1
Tony panted as he ran on the treadmill, pushing himself to go harder, faster. His breath coming out in short, ragged breaths. His vision blurred in front of him and he almost lost his balance grabbing on to
the side bars to keep himself steady.
"Faster," he grunted.
"Sir, I feel it is best that we stop," JARVIS replied as Tony pressed the button on the treadmill for more speed.
"Faster JARVIS." He knew his limit.
The AI began to slow the machine down against the man's wishes. "I'm sorry sir but your heart rate is going to fast."
Tony frowned pressing the button again with nothing happening until the machine came to a complete stop.
"JARVIS."
"Mr. Stark. Dr. Banner is on his way up."
The door slid open moments later as Bruce stepped in holding a pitcher of water and two tablets. "You can't keep doing this to yourself Tony...It's not healthy."
"I'm not doing anything..." the man replied as he collapsed onto the couch in the home gym accepting the water and tablets downing both in less than a minute.
Bruce looked down at him. "You smell."
"It's called sweat," Tony chuckled coughing a bit.
"Take a shower, the others will be here soon for movie night. It's your turn to pick by the way," Bruce told him as he started to walk out. "Don't make me come back up here to get you."
"Aye aye sir," Tony rolled his eyes and got up going to the showers. He sighed and started to undress tossing his clothes into the hamper and turning on the shower letting out an appreciative moan as the heat relaxed his muscles.
He leaned his forehead against the wall rolling his shoulders. He hated this. Those tablets, the mindless running. He hated having to push his body to the limits just so he could go a few hours with out having to feel everyone's eyes on him.
"Tony, it's been twenty minutes, you fall asleep?"
He could hear Bruce pacing outside the bathroom. He could picture the man wringing his hands nervously.
"I'll be out in a minute doc," Tony called back. He washed up quickly and stepped out throwing on some slacks and a blue button down and some socks. "Got a new idea for a modification on the suit." He told him stepping out.
Bruce nodded. He knew it was a lie but he didn't say anything. The two men walked in silence down the hall and got on the elevator.
"I may have found a way to make the tablets last longer," Bruce broke the silence once the doors closed. "I don't know the side effects though."
"That's good," Tony nodded. "How soon til we can test them out?"
"I can have some made in a week," Bruce told him. "I think we should test them on some lab rats or something first before you try them though. I'd feel better."
"The worst thing that could happen is they don't work right?" Tony asked as they stepped off. "We can test them on me once you're ready."
"If you're sure," Bruce nodded. No sense arguing with him. "I'll order while you pick out the movie. Everyone will be here soon."
"I'm thinking Tolkien," Tony rubbed his hands together walking over to the movie case. "The Captain and Thor might enjoy it."
"What about Clint and Natasha?" Bruce asked looking through their book of take out menu's.
"Bird boy can relate to Legolas and Natasha, well, she made me sit through her Russian thing so now its payback."
Bruce chuckled a bit and picked up the phone. "Pizza or Chinese?" he asked.
"Why not both?" Tony answered. "I could really go for both."
Bruce nodded and ordered the groups usual before hanging up and making some tea. "You want a drink?"
"Rum and coke?" Tony answered.
"You can't mix the alcohol with the tablets Tony, we've been over this," the other man reminded him.
"One will not do anything," he walked over after getting the movie set up and leaned against the counter. "Come on Brucie. Please?"
Bruce went to the fridge and grabbed him a can of coke and set it on the counter. "Coke will suit you just fine."
Tony pouted and opened the can taking a long drink. "I regret giving you the key to the liquor cabinet."
"Its for your own good."
Tony waved him off and got up going to the couch and sitting down turning on the TV. "How much longer til the others get here?"
"Bout forty five minutes why?" Bruce joined him with his cup of tea and watched him flip through the channels.
"No reason," Tony shrugged drinking his soda. He leaned forward and set the can on a coaster and stretched out flexing his muscles a bit.
He saw Bruce's eyes go dark a bit at the action. He knew he shouldn't be teasing him but he couldn't help it. To many times he'd dreamt of the man next to him claiming him, marking him as his own. He knew it'd never happen. Bruce had to much self control. He promised him he would keep his distance.
Tony disliked that all together but if that meant he could get the other man to stay than he'd listen. But, there was no harm in teasing.
The moment however was short lived however as the elevator dinged and the first of their little group arrived.
"I brought beer," Clint announced as he stepped into the living room setting the bottles on the counter.
"Don't even think about it," Bruce gave Tony a pointed look.
"I'm perfectly fine with my coke thank you," Tony sipped his drink and sank lower on the couch.
The rest of the group slowly trickled in with Steve coming up with their order. Bruce paid the man back staying he didn't have to pay for their food and he could've gotten it.
Tony rolled his eyes and got up to get another soda pouring it into a glass this time time and getting the stash of rum he kept under the sink and pouring a little into the glass before hiding it again and sitting back down.
This was going to be a long night.
"Tony?!"
He jolted awake at the sound of his name and blinked looking around momentarily forgetting where he was. He shivered and looked around. Bathroom. Bathtub. Freezing water. Hot. He felt so hot. Had felt so hot. Now he was freezing.
He felt a pair of arms wrap around him and then a towel as he was taken out of the bathtub.
"You're burning up."
"Bruce?" Tony whispered hoarsely. He shivered and pulled the blanket tighter around his body.
"Yeah, it's me."
"Stop moving so much..." he mumbled squinting. "You're all fuzzy."
"The water's freezing, what were you doing in there?" Bruce asked reaching in and pulling out the stopper. "You could've given yourself hypothermia."
"I was hot," the engineer coughed again wincing a bit as Bruce began towel drying his hair. "Gentle..."
"You are burning up," Bruce noted frowning and pressing a hand to Tony's cheek.
The other man leaned into the touch. "I understand why I shouldn't drink with it..."
Bruce shook his head. "For a genius you're an idiot. Let's get you dressed..." he helped him up and back into the bedroom. "I should make you suffer you know, let you just sweat it out."
Tony sat quietly watching the man go to his dresser pulling out a plain t-shirt and some boxers and sweats.
"I'm sorry I don't listen," he mumbled. "I...can finish getting dressed. You don't have to stay."
"I made some extra's just in case this happened. I'll go get them," Bruce told him.
Tony nodded and waited for Bruce to leave before getting dressed and laying down on the bed. He rolled over and buried his face into one of the pillows.
You're so pathetic, you can't even ask him to take care of it for you, he thought.
"Tony?"
The man in question rolled enough to look at the dark haired man as he held out a glass of water and two tablets. "Drink all the water please."
Tony did as told setting the glass on the nightstand. He grabbed the other man's shirt before he could walk out and tugged him back til he was sitting on the bed.
Bruce was tense, but let Tony move him as he pleased until he found himself leaning against the headboard.
"Relax," Tony sat next to him and arranged the blankets so they fell across their laps.
"Tony-"
"Humor me..."
Tony wasn't sure what time he fell asleep. He was just aware that he wasn't so hot any more and he felt better with the other man there.