Chapter Text
Three Avengers versus AIM should have been quick and easy. Clint with the bow, Tony with the repulsers, and Cap with the shield. They should be home in time for dinner.
That was until they all heard a shot ring out, immediately followed by loud cry of pain in their coms.
Tony hears Clint voice, "Oh fuck! Oh shit! Steve is down!"
Tony freezes and his distraction almost causes him to get hit himself. He takes down the shooter. "Clint! Do you see him?"
Clint's voice was frantic and all Tony could hear was rustling over the coms. "Oh shit, oh no. Hold on, Steve!"
"Barton! Status!"
"He got shot in the fucking face!"
A gurgle sound, a groan, and then a broken and muffled, "I'm alright."
"The fuck you are! Holy shit, Steve."
"I'm fine. Go back to your station, Barton."
Steve's voice sounded strained, and wet. It sounded like he was talking with his mouth full and Tony didn't want to think of why.
"But-"
"Now! Get back to position. Iron Man, stay in the air. Take out what you can, lure the rest to Barton."
Steve's command left no room for arguments and it reminded them that they still had a job to do. So they followed orders like good soldiers and defeated the bad guy after millions of dollars of damage to the city, no loss of life, and a couple dozen AIM guys in custody.
Tony did a final fly through to check for stragglers and then flew down to finally check on Rogers himself.
Steve was standing next to Barton, which, good news, he was still standing. Standing was better than dead. He was talking to a police officer while holding a blood soaked rag against the side of his jaw. Steve's entire right side of his face was covered in blood. Despite the mess he was making all over himself, he still stood tall and in control.
Tony landed next to them and came up behind Barton, who was mother henning behind Cap, standing close and gripping Steve's arm. Tony noticed that Steve wasn't moving his mouth at all and was instead speaking through clenched, blood stained, teeth. Blood was also dripping down his arm and soaking his uniform, and droplets were pooling in the dirt at his feet. The officer was failing to hide the look of horror on his face and was staring at Steve with his pencil hovered in a frozen grip over his notepad. His eyes kept darting from Steve's eyes to the sheer amount of blood dripping out of Steve's mouth.
Tony saw enough and walked up to clap the officer on the shoulder . "Thank you, officer. We're going to get our dear Cap off to medical now. Call if you need us to fill in any gaps in the report."
Tony watched him leave before turning to stare at Steve in shock, ready to yell at him for letting himself get shot in the fucking face and worrying them all half to death, but the words died out at the sight of Steve leaning his head down and letting a waterfall of blood spill from his mouth.
"Oh, shit," Tony looked away from the gruesome sight but turned back to see Barton put a hand on Steve's back, his other gripping Steve's wrist that was holding his jaw in place.
"The shot caught him right in the face," Barton said. His eyes were a little crazed and Tony's would be too if he'd just seen a friend get shot in the face. "Shattered jaw for sure. Not sure what else. Medical is on their way."
Steve suddenly frowned and pressed the rag tighter to his jaw.
"What is it?" Tony asked.
"I thin' the serum is forcin' the bullet out."
Tony grimaced as he watched the muscles in Steve's jaw shift. It looked like he was moving his tongue around. Then he brought his free hand up to his mouth.
Clint made a move to stop him. "Steve, no, don't-"
Steve ignored him and opened his mouth just enough to reach two fingers inside. Blood instantly coated his hand and ran down his arm to add to the ever growing puddle on the ground.
Steve rooted around inside his mouth long enough for Tony's stomach to turn. "Yeah, no, stop that, please."
Steve, apparently having found what he was looking for, pulled his hand out. Pinched between his fingers was a bullet.
Clint was awestruck as he stared at the blood covered metal. "Fuck me."
Tony would have been impressed if Steve's hand wasn't shaking so badly. "Alright." He took the bullet and handed it to Clint. "Time to sit." He gripped Steve's arm and led him back to sit against a slab of broken concrete. The good Cap went without a fuss, his other hand still pressed against his jaw. His eyes were starting to droop as the adrenaline flooded out of his body and pain took it's place.
Steve groaned and closed his eyes. Tony put a hand on his shoulder. It suddenly dawned on him that a few inches higher and there would be no more Captain America.
"Jesus Christ," Tony breathed, the realization that Steve almost fucking died hit him. He looked at Barton. "Holy shit."
Steve again leaned over and blood again poured out of his mouth. "Blood keeps fillin' my mouth." He explained between closed teeth, little drops of blood splattering with each word.
"How are you not fucking dead?"
"Jus' lucky, I guess"
Clint was still staring at the bullet. "Fucker got shot in the face and pulled the bullet out of his fucking jaw. Holy shit."
"Yeah, you said that already."
"That's incredible."
"It almost wasn't."
Steve waved his free hand to stop them from talking but when he parted his lips to speak, blood poured out instead. Clint grimaced and turned away. Tony grimaced, too, but the sudden sound of Steve gagging and then choking had them both reaching for him. Steve's eyes drooped and blood started trickling down his nose.
"Ok," Tony said, "we're not waiting on medical. Let's get you to the tower."
That night had the Avengers all piled into Tony's living room trying to distract Cap from the pain of both being shot in the face and having his jaw wired shut. Good news, it should only be a couple weeks for the serum to do its job to repair the damage. Bad news, pain meds don't work with the serum.
The blood might have been washed away, and a fresh bandage covered Steve's cheek, but they could all see the lines of pain on his face. Clint was teaching Steve some very simple sign language even though Steve had been jotting down what he wanted to say in his journal.
Tony watched them work through the alphabet and tried not to think about how close they came to losing their friend.