If You Were Here (Tony Stark x Reader)

Part 3

Tony wakes to the rhythmic beep of the heart monitor and the burning smell of hand sanitizer. Shit. The medical suite. Usually he can get there under his own power, so if he wakes up already there... must have been a bad fight. What was it this time? Aliens? Hydra? Some new hell?

His head pounds as he opens his eyes to the sterile, white walls and piercing lights. The pain that pierces his skull triggers something: a recollection of driving and... and someone yelling at him. He groans.

"Here."

Tony steadies the glass that presses to his lips and gulps the contents. His stomach roils against the water. Such a familiar feeling. Not a battle, then. At least, not one against any new demons. When he finishes the water, he turns, squinting through crusty eyes at the man next to him. Steve. "What happened?"

"You had a blood alcohol level of .30." Tony jerks around at the sound of Rhodey's voice. He hadn't seen him on his first inspection of the room. His expression is as dark as his voice. "We had to pump your stomach."

"What were you doing driving?" Steve asks.

Oh god, a carousel of bad decision-making. The familiar pit of shame unfurls in his stomach. A thousand lectures roll through his mind. Tony shakes his head to clear the noise, then raises his palm to his temple when that hurts.

"That would be the concussion," Rhodey explains. "Still aren't sure how you got it. Care to enlighten us?"

He remembers the yelling. And the brakes pushing themselves. Then the steering wheel rushed at him and everything cut out. "How did you find me?"

"You showed up in the garage," Steve says, "passed out cold. How did you even make it back?"

Good question. The Lotus can drive itself no problem, but Tony hadn't set the autopilot. You. You must have taken over the car. Oh fuck, fuck, that's wrong in so many ways. Tony raises a hand to his throbbing head.

"Someone called for medical aid," Steve continues. "Don't know who."

For an AI, you're one hell of a busybody. "Must have been FRIDAY," Tony says.

<You are so full of shit, Stark.>

The room freezes as Rhodey and Cap look to each other.

"Trying out a new AI?" Rhodey asks.

"Blaire told me Tony was working on a new one," Steve answers. "She said he built a girlfriend."

Oh hell. For someone who can't speak, Blaire sure has a big mouth. "She is not my girlfriend," Tony snaps.

<He did not build me.> Your familiar hologram materializes at Tony's bedside.

"Go away, Cheshire," Tony says. "We'll talk about it later."

<Bullshit!> you snap. <We'll talk about it now. I don't take orders from you and, after last night, don't you think for a second that you're in a position to give me any.>

"Tony..." Steve's voice toes the thin line between confused and concerned.

You continue as if he hadn't interrupted, crowding into Tony's space. <You took a bath in whiskey and I had to knock your dumb ass out so I could drive you home.>

Tony's temper unravels, his anger at himself lashing out at you because you're a convenient target. "I didn't ask you to do that."

You match his bark for bite. <I wasn't fucking doing it for you. You can plow your car into the river for all I care.>