Tony Stark One-shots

One of Those Days

It just wasn't a good day, that's all. He should be able to leave his room, shower, get dressed and join them for whatever training or bonding activity Cap thought up.

The keyword in this situation is should.

Except he couldn't find it in himself to will those things to happen. He should want to, really, he should. But his mind just didn't want to leave him alone, which is exactly what he wanted. To be left alone in his large bed with the fluffiest cloud-like comforter that he had bought and surrounded by pillows. To pretend that he felt protected and warm even though his mind tells him the exact opposite.

The very thought of getting out of his room had Tony overwhelmed and unable to breathe. Having to go out there and face every single person (armed and dangerous and capable of hurting him) had him choking.

They don't even like him. (Who could blame them?)

They stayed because they have to. They remind Tony of all the human things he needs to care for because they can't be out one member if an emergency happens.

But Tony liked them. He really liked them. (He would do anything for them.)

Tony liked the way Natasha would try to get him to join them for dinner. He liked it when Clint let him sleep on his lap and when Bruce bandaged him up after a lab binge because he didn't realize he was hurt. Tony liked the way Steve would take one look at him and give him a hug. (He was warm and safesafesafe...) The mechanic even liked that when Steve brought Sam to the team, the pilot would go to Tony's floor at least once a day to check on him and ask if he had eaten. He especially liked how Thor would sometimes bring something from Asgard for him and tell him the fairy tales he grew up with.

(He loved them.)

It didn't matter that Tony liked them, though. Eventually, one of them is going to break their act and confirm that they couldn't even stand to be in the same room as Tony.

So, Tony decided that there was no reason for trying to get up. He'll just stay in his room and let the others have some peace for once.

It's not like his body would listen to him enough to get out of bed anyway. It felt like his body was being weighed down.

"Sir, you have a training session scheduled in an hour. I would advise that you dress and consume something beforehand."

J.A.R.V.I.S.' voice filled the room, soft and comforting like his predecessor's. So much so, that the pressure that was building behind the hero's eyes broke and spilled over the rich soil-colored eyes.

"Sir, you seem to be in distress. Would you like me to inform someone of this?" Concern coated the A.I.'s voice in a way that was all too human.

Unable to keep the sob inside him, Tony pressed his hands against his eyes in an attempt to keep his tears from escaping. He took a few choked breaths before responding, voice broken and rough. "No."

"Is there anything you would like me to do, Sir?" (His voice is so human to be anything other than that, but too artificial to provide physical warmth.)

"Can y-you cancel any me-meetings ple-ase?" The man asked. He began shifting to lay on his stomach. (Maybe he could close his eyes and never wake up again.)

"Of course, Sir. Anything for you." The faint memory of Jarvis came suddenly and it felt like someone had decided to squeeze his overworked heart. Jarvis was petting his hair as they lay on Tony's childhood bed and telling the boy that he could take him away from Howard. "We could take a life-long trip together, Little Sir. Just you, Ana, and myself. If that's what you want? For you, Anthony, I'd do anything."