Hello all! This piece of fiction is based on characters that I do not own, but have become fascinated with over the last few months. Since seeing Civil War I have been craving Stony fluff and some Domestic Avengers action, which prompted me to write this. I do warn that I have written a Fem!Tony Stark so if that is not your cup of tea stop reading right now. But if you're curious, continue on and enjoy!

"Peculiar I say, how so often the smallest, most seemingly insignificant details later unveil their faces as vital means for progression"

-Criss Jami

AAA

Movie nights in Stark Tower, now known as the Avengers Tower, had begun slowly. Clint, initially, wanted to introduce Steve and Thor to films they had never seen, or in Thor's case: film technology in general. It was in an effort to improve the pair's ability to understand the modern era and the many pop culture references espoused by the team. Bruce soon joined them, followed by Natasha, as curiosity eventually got the better of them. Bruce made excuses for team bonding while Natasha simply smiled, shark like, and shrugged her slender shoulders.

Toni, naturally, was the last to know, having repeatedly sequestered herself in her lab after a series of particularly grueling missions with a faulty glove repulsor. The genius' irritation at her inability to diagnose the faulty piece resulted in multiple prickly and snarky interactions between Toni and the team. With the exception of her 'science-bro', the rest of the Avengers considered her absence a momentary reprieve and neglected to mention the, now weekly, movie nights.

Until a theme night was proposed.

"What's with the love in?" Toni asked from the hall, arms loosely crossed over her stomach, her quiet voice almost betraying the attempted nonchalance. The sunken lounge, which had become an instant favorite among the team for relaxing and television binge-watching, contained two plush couches, a love seat, and a well worn leather recliner. While Steve and Thor appeared content to sit on the cushy saxony carpet in front of the ninety inch screen; Natasha, Bruce, and Clint had claimed the remaining furniture. Her soft tone, while not quite startling them, managed to turn each head in her direction.

Toni had offered, or rather Fury had offered, the Tower to the team eight months prior and while she was still getting used to the whole 'living-with-other-people-thing' she had assumed that a tentative comradery had formed between them. Apparently she had assumed too much. Toni let bravado rule her features, a dark manicured eyebrow raised in a challenge, and speech, ignoring the small blossom of hurt in her chest. Dammit Toni quit being such a girl, she thought sullenly.

"Movie night," Clint offered after a moment of heavy silence as Bruce and Thor exchanged regretful glances; Steve stared resolutely at the screen. Natasha stood from the couch she and Hawkeye were sharing and gracefully moved towards the genius, speaking as she went.

"Join us Stark. We're watching Westerns tonight," the assassin beckoned Toni to follow her to the adjoining communal kitchen where the smell of roasted meat and BBQ sauce assaulted her nose.

"Bruce whipped these up," Widow continued, pointing to the pulled pork sandwiches, seemingly unaffected by the slight tension in Toni's shoulders, " It's something about eating proper 'campfire cookout food' to go with the movies? Grab a plate and come sit down".

Before she could rattle off some excuse in order to retreat back to the safety of her lab Natasha had swept out of the room, leaving Toni in the empty kitchen.

It had been awhile since she had ingested something more substantial than a granola bar and a cup of coffee. Five hours? No, she realized with a grimace as she caught sight of the clock on the stove, it had been ten hours; her stomach released an angry gurgle in a mutinous outburst that would put the Hulk to shame.

"Stark! You comin' or what? I'm pressing play!" Clint's voice rang out from the lounge, interrupting her hesitation. With one final huff Toni grabbed a can of soda from the fridge, snatched one of the sandwiches and made her way back to the group.

"What are we watchin' Brucie Bear?"

The doctor rolled his eyes, smirking as Toni clambered over the side of the love seat he had claimed for himself.

"True Grit, the one that came out about two years ago," he whispered after receiving a scathing shushing noise from the archer across the room. Toni simply stuck her tongue out and shifted her focus to eating the sandwich in her hands.

Two bites in and Toni couldn't contain the small noise of contentment that escaped her; the pork was fantastic. It could have been her hunger painting rose coloured glasses over her eyes but this sandwich, and it was just a freakin' sandwich, was figuratively melting in her mouth.

"Cook for me everyday," she muttered around a mouthful of food. Bruce chuckled, keeping his eyes on the screen. "Seriously though, where did you learn to-"

"Toni. Everyone is trying to watch the movie, you can talk to Bruce after," Steve grumbled, irritation punctuating each word, from his position on the floor next to Thor. His back remained resolutely turned to face the television, his shoulders squared into a harsh line. Toni bristled slightly before scoffing with a roll of her soft brown eyes.

"Oh? Everyone is watching the movie?" She trilled, voice cloying and sharp. "I thought we were-"

"Toni let it go," Bruce interjected, poking her arm to gain the genius' attention, "Come on, you love the Coen brothers…"

Toni nearly growled in displeasure while taking another bite of her sandwich; Cap - no Rogers - had been rubbing her the wrong way for weeks now. Whether it was harping at her for disobeying an order on a mission, so what if she had tumbled into a wall - the civilians on the city bus all walked away unscathed, or lecturing her on poor eating habits, there was a reason she kept granola bars in her private lab, Steve Rogers was always on her ass.

Bruce, satisfied that the Iron Woman had calmed down enough to keep her comments to herself, eventually turned back to the screen, ignoring the obvious daggers she lobbed at the super-soldier with her glare.

AAA

Twenty minutes into the film, Toni started to cough.

Or rather, she began to clear her throat as inconspicuously as one could while in a room full people watching a movie. Great. The shitty cherry on top of the sundae that is this day, now I'm catching a cold, Toni internally groused, absentmindedly rubbing her itchy eyes. She coughed again, bending forward to remove the sweater she wore over her tanktop; it was far too hot in the lounge to be wearing so many layers.

Bruce, glanced over at his fidgety seatmate, eyebrow raised with an silent question as he caught her gaze. Toni shrugged, coughing again, frowning ever so slightly.

"Oh my god, drink your soda or something Stark! Are you going to keep coughing throughout the whole thing?" Clint squawked from the nearby couch, earning a few murmurs of agreement from the rest of the team.

"Yeah yeah," Toni croaked, clearing her throat once more before raising the can of soda to her lips.

It was then that she began to feel the familiar flutter of panic.

Toni scrambled from the chair, slapping her chest and hacking in an attempt to clear the fluid from her throat, which had suddenly decided to shrink exponentially, spraying the floor and her shirt with soda. Bruce and Natasha jumped to their feet; both attempted to lead the gasping woman to the kitchen, alternating between slapping her back and asking what was wrong.

"I cann wawow...oh go...my pong i wewwing uh!" Toni spat with a wheeze.

"It's anaphylaxis," Bruce murmured calmly to Natasha, who nodded sharply.

"Toni," Widow said calmly, placing both hands on the genius' shoulders, "Stay calm and breath with me...Jarvis?"

"Madam suffers from a severe allergy to fish. There is an Epipen in the First Aid kit in her private lab," The A.I stated with an imperceptible quiver of worry in his mechanical tones.

"On it, Steve!" Natasha barked from the edge of the kitchen, how Natasha had moved so fast was beyond Toni at this point as her vision had been compromised from the swelling. Suddenly the Captain appeared at her shoulder.

"Stay with her while we try to find the Epipen. Monitor her breathing got it?"

He nodded once and turned to his teammate who was now seated upon the granite counter top of the kitchen island. The stone was cool against her flushed and itchy skin, providing momentary relief.

"Hey Sta-Toni, how are you doing?"

Toni gurgled in response, her breaths coming in wet rasps.

"Okay, yeah, stupid question...just stay calm and breath with me, In...two….three….four and out….two...three...four, that's it," Rogers eyes shifted between the clock on the stove and Toni's half swollen shut eyes, his brows creased in...something like worry? No exasperation, it must have been.

Thor and Clint had gathered in the kitchen as well, the latter glued to his phone searching for information on aftercare for anaphylaxis.

"It says she should still go to the hospital even after getting the shot, just in case" Clint muttered lowly, avoiding her irritated gaze.

"Bo obitaw!" She rasped, shaking her head for emphasis, whimpering as her throbbing head began protesting even more.

"What is happening to lady Stark, how can we cure her?" Thor asked, his voice grave with unease.

"It's an allergic reaction, oh uh…," Clint paused at the God's perplexed expression, "Toni's body is attacking itself because the immune system thinks she has eaten something toxic...or something" the archer said after a stilted pause; it wasn't the best explanation but it would have to do until Bruce returned.

Steve, meanwhile, continued to speak to the genius in slow soothing tones, attempting to rid the internal panic from his voice. Toni felt herself relaxing despite the pressure on her throat and face; the restricted lung capacity from the Arc Reactor also didn't help but there wasn't much left to do now but wait for her valiant - cue the patented Stark eye roll - rescuers.

"Good, yes, good job Toni. Just keep breathing. I know it's uncomfortable, but Nat and Bruce will be back right away, Jarvis?"

"Dr. Banner and Agent Romanoff are currently ascending from the lab with madam's Epipen," the A.I intoned; all three men released a small sigh of relief at the news.

A soft swish and clack of footfalls announced the pairs arrival; Thor and Clint swept to the side to allow them access to Toni, who was now almost entirely supported by Steve as she slumped against his chest.

"Okay, Steve sit her up. I need to inject this," Bruce spoke brusquely, uncapping the pen with steady fingers. The super soldier complied, tilting the woman away from himself, placing one of his large hands on her back.

Toni braced herself, tensing slightly against the hands which began rubbing soothing circles on her back. Big damn hero, she tutted in her head. The Epipen sunk into the top of her jean clad thigh with a small pop.

"Epinephrine works relatively quickly so you should be able to speak and breath easier in a moment Toni," Bruce announced loud enough for the whole team to hear, likely to keep Thor from grabbing Toni and whisking her off to Asgard the first chance he got in order to fix her himself.

Though the skin on her face and neck still felt taut and swollen, her tongue and throat began to shrink and loosen. She coughed slightly, testing her renewed airway with a surge of relief, and grinned, or rather attempted a grin with her puffy features.

"Scale...of one to ten," she rasped, feeling the tension begin to bleed out of the room after the first syllable, "how crazy does my face look right now? Someone take a picture!"

"I'd give it an eight," Clint quipped with a smirk that didn't quite meet his eyes. No one moved to grab their phones, though; the rest of the team seemed to mirror the archer's expression aside from Steve and Bruce.

"Toni...what the hell was that?"

"Well Brucie Bear, I would call that a serious allergic reaction to...something...that was pulled pork in that sandwich you made right? Not like some weird fish I've never heard of?" Toni asked, attempting to remove herself from the counter only to be held in place by Steve's hands on her shoulder; what the hell was he still doing touching her?

"Did it not occur to you to inform the team or at least SHIELD of your, apparently, life threatening allergy?" Natasha barked as she moved to stand by Bruce; Thor and Clint remained still, though their smiles faded from view at her words.

Toni, now able to open her eyes wide enough to roll them, scoffed, "It occurred to me, yes. I simply decided not to".

For a moment, all the Avengers could hear were the muffled words and musical score from the movie that had been left playing since Toni's reaction. Palpable disbelief muddled with disappointment filled the room, leaving the air thick and heavy. She refused to lower her gaze from her team, though her thoughts were panicked and jumbled. They all knew now. Dammit. Just one more thing in a never ending list of problems and secrets for SHIELD to weasel out of her.

"Toni this is serious, you can't jus-"

"Well I did, but now you all know so we can just move on okay? Yes I have an allergy to fish and yes, it is very severe. I have an Epipen and I will continue to stock them throughout the tower if that will make you all feel better. Are we done?"

Toni disentangled herself from Steve and jumped from the counter, ignoring the protests and urges to get secondary medical treatment from her team. It had already been an exhausting evening and it was only, quarter to nine? Holy hell, well she had hours ahead of her to focus on a project and lock down the lab. Hours to get Jarvis to monitor her physical status; she didn't need to go to the hospital.

Toni was fine.

Absolutely fine.

Additional Note: Worcestershire sauce is a common ingredient in many pulled pork/BBQ sauce/marinades and certain brands CAN contain fish.

Anyways please leave me a review and let me know what you think!