The Gay Side Of The Fam (Stony highschool AU)

Chapter 24

Steve

The steady beeping of the machine sinchronizing Tony's heart next to his hospital bed echoes through the, excluding some hospital stuff and Tony and I, empty room.

My heart is filled with crippling guilt and fear as I watch his chest go up and down slowly. He looks terrible. Multiple places on his arms and chest are burned and now bandaged and he has a cap on his mouth and nose to help him breath. No one knows exactly how long he was in there, but he was passed out when they found him.

Doctors told us -or actually only Mr. Fury, but I couldn't stop myself from eavesdropping- that they've done all possible things to wake him up, but that he won't. They said that this is a very rare situation; Tony's not in a coma but yet they don't know when he will wake up. They also told us that it was a miracle that his heart was still beating when they found him. If he wouldn't have been able to breath, he'd be either in a coma or dead now.

I practically yelled at both Mr. Fury and the doctors to let me see him for just a moment. I make a mental note to apologize. It's not their fault, it's mine.

Walking away from where I'm leaning sideways against the doorpost, I sit down on the chair next to his bed. Kind of the place where I feel like I should be right now, holding his hand and hoping for him to wake up.

It's what I decide to do.

Because what if he doesn't wake up? I wouldn't be able to live with myself. After all, I am the one who didn't trust him enough to believe him and then he got mad and ran away and if I had just believed him he wouldn't have run up to where the fire was at the first place. He'd be alive for sure right now, healthy and well.

I sigh and place my head in my hand, my other hand holding Tony's. I don't even want to think about what I'm going to do if he doesn't wake up.

"He'll be okay." A voice from behind me states. Natasha sounds certain, even though I know she can't really be as certain as she sounds. She walks up to me and places a hand on my shoulder, "Tony's a tough one."

I swallow and wipe my wet eyes with the sleeve of the dark blue sweater I'm wearing. Then I look up to her, "How can you be so certain?"

"Because I know Tony. He won't die so easily."

"I wouldn't think of this as an easy way to die."

"Steve, nothing really is. Just take my word for it. He's going to wake up."

"You know, I want to believe you. It's just that.."

"Hey Steve, I get it."

I nod, thankful that she understands. She always does, anyway.

"He's gonna make it." After a long silence fills the air in the small room, she says, "By the way, if he doesn't, I owe Clint $50 and I can't lose to him."

She makes it sound casual and like it's just a bet, but I am perfectly able to hear the hint of fear and sadness in her voice.

I chuckle sadly, "Yeah. Okay. I-I'm just gonna stay here for tonight."

"Steve, I don't thin-"

"I really don't care."

"Okay, then." She squeezes my shoulder softly and lets go. I hear the door click open and closed and I know she's gone.

I end up sitting by Tony's side all night, holding his hand and playing with it nervously. I can't allow myself to fall asleep for even a single second, because what if he wakes up just then? So I wait and wait and wait, filling the time with staring at Tony's face. At his long eyelashes and surprisingly good-shaped eyebrows. His skin and body is superbly clean, in contrast to when they brought him in, ashes all over his body and the burn wounds still horribly fresh.