Avengers fic: Arachnophobia
Title: Arachnophobia
Characters/Pairing: Tony, Steve, Clint, Bruce
Rating: PG-13 for one f-bomb
Word Count: 490
Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers, though I'd love a Tony!
Warnings: None
Summary: It turns out Tony is scared of spiders
“Captain Rogers, Mr Stark requests your presence in his personal laboratory.” JARVIS' voice rang out across the gym, causing Steve to stop destroying yet another punching bag as a slightly confused expression came over his face. He concluded Tony must want to test something on him again. Maybe a new style of reinforced punching bags. That would be very useful considering the latest one, just three days old, was on it's last legs.
What he didn't expect to find when he entered the lab was Tony standing on one of his work benches. As Steve walked through the door Tony's eyes snapped to him.
“Oh thank god you're here,” he said, relief very apparent in his voice. “I need to you to kill it.”
He pointed. Steve's eyes followed. He had to use every ounce of his considerable willpower not to laugh. Tony was pointing at a spider. Not even a very big one, it was probably around an inch long. He looked from the spider to Tony and back to the spider.
“I have to get Clint.”
It didn't take long for Bruce and Clint to arrive. They greeted Tony with laughter, even Steve smiling as he leant against the door.
“Ha ha, yes very funny, Iron Man is scared of spiders,” Tony sarcastically remarked, “Now get the damn thing away from me!”
“Why don't you just use your suit?” Bruce asked.
Tony looked at him like he was stupid, “Because I'd have to walk past the spider to get to it right now.”
“Oh,” said Clint, “I just thought it was because there were spiders in it too.”
“Ha, my suit is spider proof!” Tony said triumphantly, but everyone in the room say him nervously glance at the suit. They could all tell what his new project was going to be...
Clint walked over to the spider, bent over and scooped it up in his hand.
“He's actually kinda cute ya know,” he said as he held it at eye level. He walked over towards Tony. “Here, look!”
Tony squealed and backed up on his workbench, something crunching under his boot, “Getitawayfrommerightfuckingnow!”
Bruce doubled over laughed at the ridiculously high pitched noise which came from Tony's mouth, “Oh man, I wish I could record this.”
His expression quickly changed as Clint turned to face him.
“No. Barton, no. Seriously, don't.”
Clint held it closer to his face to rub it in, laughing. His smiled dropped off suddenly as the colour drained from his face. He withdrew the spider, but too late. Bruce was bent over, breathing heavily and his skin was turning green.
Tony, still standing on the workbench, helpfully spoke. “I can't actually tell if I'm more scared of him or the spider right now.”
All three of them ran.
“I'm so glad I made the tower Hulk proof.”