Chapter 3
But as time went on, Peter did not get better. He slept in 45 minute intervals before waking up from a wave of nausea, or his lungs deciding to sound like he had asthma again. After the fourth time, we thought about asking Bruce or Tony for melatonin, but decided he didn’t need it. After nearly coughing up a lung (Or both,) He lied back down for another attempt at taking a nap hopefully longer than an hour.
When Peter awoke the next hour, he shot up, muffling chest-rattling coughs into cupped hands, but he didn’t feel too warm. This time, he wasn’t drenched in buckets of sweat. A cold hand that made him flinch a little was placed onto his back, rubbing circles. Between the coughing, he looked over.
“H-hey, Mr. Loki,” Peter said in between coughs.
“Breathe, kid,” Loki responded. Once the fit subsided, he was left an out of breath feverish mess. Just the God being next to him made him feel colder, which he’d typically be against. “How do you feel?” Loki continued.
“Pretty awful. Haven’t been able to really sleep and my lungs feel heavy, you know what I mean?” Peter offered Loki a pitiful smile, Loki still rubbing circles on his back. “And I really miss my parents right now. I know they died, like, a really long time ago and I miss them every day, but today really hits hard, you know?”
Loki didn’t respond.
“I’m sorry, was that too much?” Peter rasped.
“No, of course not, I’m just thinking.”
There was a beat of silence.
“It doesn’t matter if your parents died yesterday or a hundred years ago, you’re allowed to miss them. Especially for someone as young as you,” Loki assured. Peter gave another smile, but it somehow looked sad.
“Thank you, Mr. Loki.”
Loki nodded and moved his hand to the back of Peter’s neck, offering relief from his hellish fever. The boy let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
“How do you know so much about taking care of sick people? If you don’t mind me asking, of course,” Peter now seemed a little more awake.
“Thor couldn’t take care of himself if his life was on the line,” Loki said, “And he still can’t, if you ask me.”
Peter laughed a little, which made Loki smile.
“And I guess seeing you unwell made me want to care for you,” Loki admitted, hand still firm on Peter’s neck. “Ridiculous, right?”
“Aww, you were worried about me!” Peter laughed a little more.
“That’s not at all what-...yes. I was worried for you,” Loki accepted defeat.
They continued to share stories until Bruce and Tony walked in on the two. Peter was asleep peacefully, and Loki had a book in his hands. Loki looked up at the two scientists before being handed two small pills by Bruce.
“Have him take those when he wakes up,” Bruce advised. Tony subtly took his temperature using a digital forehead thermometer. Afterwards, he showed Bruce, and smiled. “102.3.” Bruce whispered.
“You gonna keep an eye on him?” Tony questioned Loki. Loki looked over at the sick boy sleeping so peacefully.
“Yes, he seems to be doing better.”