Could I possibly request #53 from the list of prompts? Also I was kinda wondering how long it generally takes you to write something like that, being just a small ficlet? Do you plan them out or just roll with whatever comes to you? Love your work!!
(prompt from this list)
Fic is below the cut because it is dealing with the COVID-19 lockdown and I’m conscious that not everyone wants to read that.
“You’re going to get yourself killed.”
Steve paused with his hand on the door handle, arm tensing when he heard Tony step into the hall.
Anger was obviously starting to set in already and Tony geared himself for a fight. It wouldn’t be their first and Tony couldn’t see it being their last, either.
“She’s my mom,” Steve said, voice not as steady as usual, “my mom, Tony. I can’t, I can’t just–”
“I know.” Tony walked down the hallway slowly, readying himself to be strong.
“She’s my mom,” Steve said again, eyes on the door. “I have to go.”
With a deep sigh, Tony stepped closer to Steve. He rested his hand on Steve’s back, flattening his other against the front door and throwing his weight on it. It wouldn’t hold if Steve tried to open it, but it made the point. “I know she is, but I can’t let you leave.”
Steve made a weak attempt to shake Tony’s hand off his back, but Tony wouldn’t move. “I have to go.”
“No.” Tony held fast. He’d seen the argument coming for a few days and hadn’t been looking forward to it. It was going to be a lot more serious than he’d wanted to get in a time of crisis, but it was a harsh reality that Steve had to face. “I’m not letting you leave. Not with her heart condition, and certainly not with yours.”
Steve’s back started to shake beneath Tony’s hand and his voice cracked when he spoke again. “I can’t leave her, Tony.”
“I know.” Tony pressed closer to Steve and slowly moved his other hand to cover Steve’s on the door handle. With some coaxing, Tony urged Steve’s hand away and curled their fingers together. “I know, babe, but she would hate for you to break the lockdown.” He swallowed thickly and gritted his teeth. “You’ll get her killed, too.”
Steve swallowed thickly and squeezed his eyes shut. “Don’t say that.”
“I’m sorry,” Tony whispered. He hated being the strong one, the one with all the answers. From the start of their relationship, it was always Steve that seemed to be the ‘real’ adult that always had the right words and the right solutions to everything. It wasn’t up to Tony to be the sensible one. “But you know she’s safest where she is. She’ll be okay. She’s got food, yeah? And we sent her a parcel last week. That’s enough. We can give her a ring right now; get her to finally use the tablet we got her for Christmas.”
Tony tried to smile as he squeezed Steve’s hand tighter. Steve’s shoulders shook as a choked sob slipped through his mouth and Tony let out a long breath, feeling his own tears prick at his eyes.
“She’s fine, babe. I promise.”
Steve shook his head sharply. “You can’t promise me that.”
“Of course I can.” Tony tried to project as much confidence into his voice as he could. He took a final step closer to Steve and plastered himself against his back, dropping a kiss to Steve’s neck. “We just have to stay here, okay? She can’t see anyone – and nor can you. You’re just as at risk as she is. So it’ll just be you and me and your mom on video call. It’s the best thing.”
Steve sniffed and dropped his head forward. His grip on Tony’s hand became almost painful. “I don’t think–”
“Hey, I promise, okay?” It was all that Tony could do. He didn’t know what would happen. Steve was right; Tony couldn’t promise it. There was no way to know what would happen. No one knew. It was a pandemic that no one had seen the likes of before and there seemed to be no end in sight. All that Tony could do was keep faith. He prayed to a God he wasn’t sure he believed in and held Steve a little tighter every night. “We’ve got this. I’m here, okay? Stay with me, babe.”
The next moment felt as though it lasted forever. It didn’t look like Steve was going to listen until finally he crumbled. His knees buckled and Tony surged forward to catch him before he hit the floor.
“I love you,” Tony whispered as he wrapped his arms around Steve and held him close. “We’ll be fine. Mom will be fine. Just stay here.” Tony kissed the side of Steve’s head, holding him even tighter. “Just stay here with me.”
/
(As for my fics - they can take me somewhere between five minutes and eleven months. Depending on how my brain wants to cooperate. I’m so sorry this one didn’t take five minutes.)
