Palm Open
He stirs mid-sleep like often, glanced to the figure aside him turned away curled into himself, shaking visibly and even hissing slightly. Loki perched himself up scooting closer. “Anthony,” he calls worry in his tone, furthered as he neared touching the back of his hand to Stark’s temple. His skin was hot his temperature up again. Loki gets up.
XXX
“What are you doing?” Nat asks upon exiting her and Clint’s room for water, to find the latter in the dark searching cabinets. Not bothering to turn Loki asks her:
“Where’s the medical supply?”
“Why?” Not bothering to answer, proceeding. She neared him, understanding: “His fever back?” A two second pause is all the affirmation she needs. She heads off, and returns shaking the pill bottle in hand. He faced her studying it and studying her, her knowing eyes. He takes it from her walks off. “You wanna get it down faster, try a wet cloth. Good luck though; he hates being coddled.”
XXX
“Tony.” A sleepy whine is the first response as he stroked a hand along the smith’s cheek. He pressed: “Tony open your eyes.” Browns blearily do, visible from the faint light let on in the bathroom adjacent, its door left ajar.
“Mph what?” Stark asked voice rough, swallowing for moisture.
“I need you to sit up,” Loki answers calmly so as not to startle.
“Why?”
“Just for a moment,” thumb brushed along the warm skin motion soothing despite Tony’s harsh trembles. With a small sound of protest straightens up, hissing at the mere motion his every muscle stiff as stone and the rush of cold as the duvet slides down doesn’t help.
Loki’s hand’s extended before him. “Take,” he says, and Tony’s palm opens. Loki drops in it one pill, holding out a water-bottle uncapped.
“What is it?” Tony asks because it is his nature.
“Something for the fever.” It is not his nature to so easily yield to mere words, as he makes another displeased noise and takes it, washing down the pill with water that irritates his sore throat. He wipes drops from his chin as Loki takes the bottle setting it away, tells him: “Lie down.” And Tony does, curling under the blanket whilst Loki rounds the bed settling back aside him, perched on his elbow one hand returning to Tony’s face this time colder that Tony gasped. “Shhh. It’ll help,” Loki cooed and Tony moaned his discomfort but remained, as Loki continued to caress along the side of his face and temple gently that it started more to soothe despite his teeth chattering. His lidded sleepy eyes watch Loki watch the worry in his eyes veiled poorly, the furrow in his brows, and he smiles faintly, mumbles:
“Didn’t know you cared so much.” Loki gave a look he couldn’t quite read, as fingers card into his hair, kneading his scalp softly and he hums approving, eyes finally closing. Swiftly he falls to sleep and Loki continues for some time, before lying by him, watching watching over, for a good many hours.