Stony Oneshots

Helping Hands

The bitch has returned.
I apologize for my l o n g absence. I have not been in a great mental state at all, I'm still not, but hey, I thought it was time to just get on with it. I missed you all though, and hopefully I don't have to pull that shit again ;w;

          The last time Tony had an issue with his reactor, he'd asked Pepper to help him out with it. Although she'd made it pretty apparent she never wanted to be wrist deep in Tony's chest again. So since then he'd gotten really great at fixing any and all issues that arose with his arc reactor by himself. He is a genius after all. Though some days he just wouldn't have the right angle, which is when he would bring Rhodey into play. However when that trusted person is all the way across the world and you're having pretty serious difficulties with the thing keeping you alive, that's when Tony decided to call in Steve.

          Now of course Steve wasn't his first option. He needed someone with steady hands. Natasha he thought, only she's with S.H.I.E.L.D. Okay, well Clint is an archer so- no that is such an immaculately bad idea. Do not let Clint fucking Barton put his hand in your mechanical heart. Bruce had pretty steady hands. He is a doctor of sorts. Although he's always tense after his hulk transformations, and fixing this issue is pretty stressful if you don't know what you're doing. Thor happens to be around, but he'd probably accidentally kill Tony before the shrapnel does. Which leaves. Steve. Maybe cardiac arrest and/or death by shrapnel isn't so bad after all.

          Steve entered Tony's workshop, apparent confusion on his face which then turned to a soft blush as he saw the person who called him lied down and shirtless in front of him.
"You called, Stark?" Steve managed to get out
"Yeah. I have a um. Unique. Problem that I was hoping you could assist me with. And. Well I'd say you can back out, but I might die if you do s-"
"What?!" Steve cut Tony off
"Yeah. I'm having some issues with my reactor. Y'know. The thing keeping me alive and all?"
"Tony I am not a mechanic."
"I know. I know. You don't gotta be. I'll be here to guide you. Please?"
Steve let out a breath.
"Okay. Of course. You need it. I'm just. What if I kill you? I've never done anything even close to this and it sounds really dangerous."
"Hey." Tony reached out and gently touched his Steve's forearm "It'll be okay. And I don't mean to rush this, but the longer we sit here and wait, the more closer I get to death. But. No pressure."
"Jesus Tony! Why are you letting me stall then?!"
"Because I don't want your hand in my chest while you're freaking out and having second thoughts! Now, you see this wire here? I need you to CAREFULLY reach inside and connect it to the base plate. You'll feel it. Now. Do not let it touch the reactor wall. I'll get a shock."
Steve took a deep breath and carefully lowered the wire in the cavity, searching around to where it could clip into. He looked up and Tony's tense face, his eyes fixed hard on the ceiling. Steve heard a small click and carefully pulled his hand out as Tony grabbed his reactor from Steve and twisted it into place in his chest.
"You okay?" Steve asked as he watched Tony disconnect all the electrodes from his torso
"Hm?"
"You're not hurting or anything, right? You seem off. I did everything right, yeah?"
"Yeah. No. Sorry. You did great. Thank you. Just. I know it's gross. And I'm sorry I had to ask you to do that. Usually it'd be Rodey. But. Well."
"I don't think it's gross."
"Bullshit."
"No. I think it's beautiful. The reactor itself is really pretty. It's a part of you, and I've always been interested in it. And as for your scars. They're stories. Sure, you may hate the stories, but it shows how you survived. And they're beautiful." Steve said as he traced the silver rim of the reactor.
Tony hugged him before his mind could convince him that it was a bad idea. He whispered out a "Thank you" as Steve's arms came to wrap around his back.
"Of course. Now how about we go and get you something to eat, okay? I'm sure that took some energy out of you."
Tony looked up at him with a small smile.
"Sure thing Cap."