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He could see the flashes of the arc reactor through his eyelids. He didn't have long. It was simple really--connections severed. Not to mention all of the blood soaking his shirt. Tony dragged in air trying to hold on. If he could just...If his hands weren't literally tied, he might be able to do something. Fix something. Save himself. And it was probably the blood-loss talking, but right now...? Right now it seemed like too much of an effort when he was alone in a warehouse, not even his captors to keep him company.
"Ff...ck..." he whispered to the empty air as his head became too heavy for his neck to hold upright.
"Tony!" The door opened with a slam. "Tony are you here!?"
All he could manage was a weak rasp.
"Tony!" Steve's hand on the back of his neck, cursing quietly. "Tony, can you hear me?"
"Ss...v..."
"Hush. Quiet. Don't...don't worry. We'll get you out. They're gone!" Steve's voice was panicked though. Not his usual tones of quiet confidence. Steve knew. "Hush now." Steve knew Tony didn't have long. The arc reactor flickered again. His heart hurt. Literal hurt. The shrapnel.
He took a deep breath anyway. "Ste...eve... I lll..." Groaned at the pain that locked up his throat.
"Tony! Just relax! Relax, Tony. Help is on the way."
"Stevvve," he was slurring his words. Oh God... "Llllovve...you..."
"Oh Tony..." Steve choked out.
The hand on his neck tightened--it was grounding. As were Steve's lips pressed against his. Steve. Kissing him. Tony smiled.
"Don't cry, Tony..." Steve murmured against his mouth. "It's okay. Hush now. I know you're weary. Help's on the way..."
He tried to tell him again, but was only coming across as noise. So Steve kissed him again, and the light from his arc reactor breached his eyelids, fading...fading away like the last of his worry and the remnants of his pain, Steve's soft voice against his lips and in his heart.