Tony Stark never liked being bothered when he was working. Perhaps it was because he felt those who bothered him did not truly appreciate his genius. Or maybe because when someone bothered him, he had to stop everything he was doing, losing his train of thought and being pulled out of the zone. Either way, it made him angry. Today was no exception.

"Sir, Bruce requests entry to your lab." JARVIS said.

"Tell him to go away!" Tony quipped from underneath the table. He was rewiring one of the internal computers installed within after it shorted out and electrocuted him. Such an operation required precision and concentration. Exactly what he was lacking.

"Sir, he insists. Fury wants to call a meeting." JARVIS continued.

"Tell him I don't care what Fury wants, I'm busy!"

There was silence from the AI and Tony continued with his work, figuring maybe Bruce had given up. Or at least hoping. Tony decided to have a word with the man afterwards to reinforce the rules in place about bothering him. He took a wire and was carefully attaching it to the computer chip…

The lab intercom cut on suddenly.

"Stark get your ass down to the conference room right now!" Fury's voice rang out.

Tony jumped, jamming the wire into the wrong spot, promptly shocking himself.

"Dammit!" he yelled as he shook his hand which was burning from the current that had just hit it. He slid out from underneath the table and sat up to glare at Fury who was standing right outside the door with a satisfied look on his face. Bruce was behind him, a sheepish grin on his face. Tony sighed, rolling his eyes, and pulled himself up with the side of the table he had been working on. As soon as he got to his feet, a strange dizziness came over him and black spots danced around the edge of his vision. Tony stumbled and caught himself with the table, taking a deep breath as the feeling went away. The intercom cut back on.

"Tony, you alright there?" Fury asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Tony looked up with a sarcastic scowl, letting go of the table and making his way to the door.

"Don't get all nice with me now. You may have been better off waking up a sleeping lion than bringing me out of my lab." Tony opened up the glass door, leaving a smudge on the handle from all the dirt on his hands. He frowned and wiped them on his pants. Fury gave him a scrutinizing glare.

"What do you want anyway?" Tony grouched.

"We have a meeting." Fury said.

"Okay, and what is so important about this oh so great 'meeting' I've been hearing about?"

Fury gave him a look that said he should probably shut his mouth.

"It's about the designs for the new helicarrier. As you recall, the last one was…destroyed."

Tony pursed his lips. He did recall. He eyed Bruce, who was shuffling his feet with a guilty look on his face.

"Anyway, do you have the new blueprints?" Fury asked.

"Yeah, I'll just go grab 'em from the back real quick." Tony went back into the lab, opening the door to his blueprint room. He paused when he was out of sight and leaned on the shelf. Something wasn't right. He felt a pang of pain in his chest. Tony looked down. The familiar blue light shone from inside his shirt. He pulled at the shirt's collar and peered down. The arc reactor looked normal; there was no redness around it. His heart felt normal. But he just felt off. Maybe he was imagining things. He pushed back off the shelf and wiped the sweat that had gathered from his forehead.

"Tony?" Fury's voice sounded from behind him.

Tony whipped around.

"Sorry, I just can't remember where…oh, there it is!" He pulled the blueprints from the shelf and thrust them in Fury's hands. "Where's the meeting at?"

Fury just glared at Tony with his one eye.

"Is there something bothering you?" Tony said with a frown, sarcasm heavy in his voice. "'Cause you're bothering me."

"That's what I was going to ask you." Fury said.

"What for? There's nothing wrong with me." Tony walked past the tall man, heading towards the exit where Bruce was hovering. Fury grabbed his shoulder and Tony spun around ready to spit hate. He hated for people to see when he was weak. Especially Fury. They glared at each other before Tony shrugged his shoulder out of Fury's grasp and stepped back some.

"The meeting is in your kitchen, two floors down." Fury said.

"Thank you." Tony said through clenched teeth.

Two hours later Tony was back in his lab. This time, Bruce was in there with him, working on his own project across the room. After finally managing to fix the computer under the table, Tony slid out with a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his brow once more. It was seriously hot in there.

"JARVIS, I thought you lowered the temperature two degrees?" He asked the AI as he slid into a conveniently placed chair and took a long drink from his water bottle.

"I did, Sir, twenty minutes ago."

Tony frowned.

"Well I'm roasting in here. Can you lower it another two?"

"Yes, Sir." JARVIS said.

Bruce stopped what he was doing, lifted the welding helmet he had on from his face, and peered over at Tony.

"Are you serious? It's freezing in this place!"

"How are you not sweating?" Tony exclaimed.

JARVIS inconveniently broke into the conversation.

"Perhaps it is due to your elevated core body temperature." The AI suggested, perhaps thinking he was being helpful. Tony cursed under his breath.

"JARVIS, perhaps you should keep your speakers shut. You're being unhelpful." Tony reprimanded.

"I'm sorry, Sir."

Bruce lifted off his helmet and pulled off his gloves, heading to the chair where Tony was sitting. Tony rolled his eyes and spun his chair to the side.

"Oh God, now you've awakened Bruce's other side, the doting mother. I'd rather have the Hulk. JARVIS, you and I need to have a little talk about learning to shut up."

"Maybe you need to have a little talk about learning to speak up. How long have you had a fever?" Bruce asked, placing a hand on Tony's sweaty forehead. Tony unsuccessfully tried swatting him away.

"Stop acting like my mother. There's nothing wrong with me. By the way, what time is it?"

Bruce sighed.

"JARVIS, what's his temperature?"

"One hundred and two point four." The AI answered promptly.

"Fuck you, JARVIS." Tony said.

Bruce raised his eyebrows.

"Well? When did it start?"

Tony rolled his eyes and huffed and puffed dramatically.

"I don't know, like three hours ago or whatever. It doesn't matter, I'll be fine in the morning. It's just a little fever."

"I kind of thought you didn't look well earlier."

"Yeah, well congratulations."

"Come on, Tony, I think you need some rest." Bruce held his hand out to help Tony up. Tony completely ignored it and practically jumped out of his chair. Like before, he stumbled forward, black spots dancing in his line of vision. Fortunately, Bruce grabbed him before he could fall. Taking a few deep breaths, Tony stood carefully, meeting his lab buddy's concerned gaze.

"You never answered me earlier. What time is it?"

"Ten. Now let's get you to your room."

"Yes, mother. Seriously, I can make it to my room by myself."

Bruce let go of him.

"Are you sure about that? You don't seem capable of even standing up."

Tony blatantly ignored him and headed towards the door of the lab.

"Turn the lights out when you're finished here."

Bruce watched as his fellow genius let the door shut behind him.

"JARVIS, will you let me know if his fever starts to rise?"

"Of course." The AI said reassuringly.

Bruce seemed satisfied with this, and turned back to his work, pulling his gloves and helmet back on.

So, I'm not really sure if I'm going to continue this story...maybe if you guys really want me to I will:p Anyway, thanks for reading!