Chapter Nine) An appreciation.
The next morning when Loki awoke, he only felt a wave of sickness wash over him. His body was weakening slowly and he felt so hot, despite the fact that he was usually below the normal body temperature. He was attempting to push the covers off himself, while trying to see whether there was water, but it didn't work so well as his arms felt stiffer than ever. He let out a soft noise, trying to move towards the bedside table.
He remembered falling asleep, with Stark still there and, as nobody was watching anyway, he let himself smile. He did, however, find it a shame that Stark wasn't around now to give him some water. He let out another noise, having moved a little towards the bedside table. His head was spinning and he felt nauseous. His stomach also was starting to hurt, which didn't make anything any easier.
Soon, Tony entered the room, leaning against the door post, watching how Loki moved a little. "Need a hand?" Tony asked, stepping inside. He shut the door behind him and grabbed the glass from the night stand. Loki wanted to say 'no', but once again knew that it would be a lie. Ah, so they were carrying on this game? He stayed silent and Tony brought the glass to him, helping him up a little. Loki couldn't hold the glass and thus Tony needed to help him entirely. Loki didn't like it, but he needed to drink.
"How are you feeling?" Tony asked, lying Loki back down on the bed, pulling the covers over him, but Loki only pushed them away again. "Hot?" he asked. Loki nodded, looking up at Tony, slightly afraid of what that meant, but also wary of what remark Tony may make next. A hand was placed on his forehead, to which Tony let out a noise. "God, you're hot," he said, raising his eyebrows. Loki wasn't all too keen on the choice of words, but figured that he wouldn't go into that.
"What is it?" Loki asked as Tony had started to look him over.
"Nothing, just, didn't know Gods had temperatures," he said, giving a shrug. He touched Loki's forehead again. "I'll get you something to cool you down," he said. Loki looked up at him with a look that told him not to go, like that look he'd given him when he was still imprisoned by SHIELD. Right now, feeling so sick, he wanted to be anything but alone, despite the fact that he hated that it was so. "You want me to stay?" Tony asked. Again, a question he'd have to answer and couldn't lie to and thus, he gave a little nod, rolling his eyes a little to indicate to Stark that he didn't like the continuity of their games.
"What is the situation?" Thor's voice sounded after the sound of an opening door. Thor took a few steps inside, moving towards Loki. "How are you feeling, brother?" he asked. Loki's eyes turned away.
"Thor, you should stop calling him brother," Tony then spoke, confused by his own words. "Just, do it in your head and call him brother to us, but it looks like he's sick of hearing it. Talking about sick. Loki has the flu, it seems," Tony said.
"The flu?" Loki and Thor both spoke, almost simultaneously, not knowing what it was.
"Yes, it's a sickness you get sometimes. You'll puke a lot, want to cut your stomach out because it hurts so much, you'll get all stuffed and 'ugh', run down... Basically; you'll feel like shit for a couple of days," Tony said. "But, don't worry or anything, you won't die- Actually..." Tony looked at Loki. "Damn, your body is pretty weak at the moment actually- Banner!" he shouted. "He'll make sure you won't die."
Loki and Thor both looked at Tony in a slight shock, unaware of how serious they were supposed to take his words. "I said he wouldn't die. I just need a second opinion on that," Tony said, raising his hands a little as if it wasn't anything important.
Bruce entered the room, a slightly annoyed look on his face. "What is it, Stark?" he asked, wondering why they were suddenly back to a last-name basis.
"Loki's got the flu and I want you to make sure he's strong enough and will pull through," Tony said. At his choice of words Loki let out something akin to a growl and, for some strange reason, it sent Tony's stomach to do things it really shouldn't. But he ignored it.
"You think I can check that?" Bruce asked, letting out a soft laugh. "Stark, he hasn't got any blood, I can't do a test."
Tony chuckled softly, then looked the two Gods over. Thor looked worried, while Loki only laughed softly at their stupidity, but mostly he was occupied with keeping the contents of his stomach down.
"Okay, I'll do my best, but just... bare with me," he said, stepping towards Loki.
"Don't do anything silly, Loki. He's just checking to see you can live through this. Which is a good thing and not something you kill people over. Now, Thor, come, I'm going to show you how to make soup," Tony said, as that seemed to be the best kind of food for Loki to have at this moment. And so they left Bruce behind with Loki. However, Jarvis would keep a good eye on them.
Bruce was checking Loki's chest after having picked up some equipment and he felt quite the doctor from back when he was in India helping all the sick children out. Since then he hadn't done anything, except things as simple as checking for a mere wheeze in someone's lungs. "It seems you'll be fine. Just keep eating and taking aspirins if you're in pain and drink lots. That's all I can say," Bruce said. Loki hadn't said a word and had just let Bruce do this, despite the fact that it made him feel weak. But he was weak. Physically he could hardly do anything. "It will probably last a couple of days, but the worst will go by today and tomorrow, hopefully, if you even have antibodies..." he said. "On that note, I'm going to make an extraction."
He took out an injection needle that he would normally take blood with, but now, of course, would take this 'blue liquid' with. "Hold still," he said, moving the needle towards Loki.
"No," Loki then spoke. "Don't you dare take it away from me. Get away, you filthy monster," Loki sneered, his eyes narrowed on the man before him. "This is mine and mine only, how dare you steal it?" Loki carried on.
Bruce felt his heartbeat increase, but he had to stay calm. For the sake of not turning into... the other guy. "It's for research. I need to know what exactly has happened," he said. "I won't do anything with it that you don't want. Trust me," Bruce spoke, his eyebrows raising.
Loki was starting to confide in Stark, but in Banner too? No, he couldn't get so soft. Not when this guy could turn into come kind of monster and kill him with a single fist in the state he was in now. Although, he couldn't stop thinking about that moment they shared. Certainly, it was a mistake he'd made that he, at some point, would come to regret deeply. "I don't believe you," Loki spoke and it was genuine. How could he not contact SHIELD about this? Loki wanted nothing to do with that group of torturers and thus he didn't trust Banner.
"Then tell me how I can make you trust me. I'm a nice guy, Loki, quite a good guy too," Bruce said, usually not so open about his 'qualities'. Not only was he modest, but very insecure about himself ever since the other guy started coming. But he felt it was about time to come to terms with it and start seeing the truth; that he was always out to do good. His intentions, at the very least, were always righteous.
It was too late, though, as Tony already came in with Thor, steaming hot soup on a tray with what seemed to be bread with butter, or something in that region. Loki wasn't going to show any trust towards Banner now that his brother was here.
"And?" Tony asked. Bruce was about to put his equipment away when tony noticed the needle. "What's this?" he asked, looking down at the empty tube.
"He won't let me-"
"Leave that over to me. Leave this here. Is he okay?" he asked, looking from Loki to Bruce. "For now, at least?" Bruce nodded. "Good. Now tuck in, we have soup."
Loki was forced to sit up and was staring at the soup with something akin to horror in his eyes, probably at the prospect of eating. Tony knew exactly how that felt, but knew too that he was going to need all the energy he could get. It wasn't so difficult to figure out what was happening to the God's body, after all. It was like a flu, but it wasn't the actual flu. No, this was Loki's silent resistance. It was quite possible the God didn't know it himself, but despite his love for the Tesseract, he was fighting it physically.
"Loki, eat," Tony said, while otherwise not actually giving him much attention. He knew that it would be counterproductive to stare at him, when the very thing that caused Loki difficulty was eating with other's there. He'd noticed it from the first time they'd sat together for a meal.
After another five minutes Loki finally seemed to be content with the fact that everyone was talking to each other, rather than to him and he slowly began to eat. Tony noticed it, but other than a slight smile he showed nothing in response to it. He didn't even turn to look at Loki and continued to listen to Thor's rant about the strange kitchen supplies these 'mortals' used. Tony figured that it was a good thing Thor was so overly enthusiastic about it, as it made up for Loki's everlasting sulk.
"How is it possible you two grew up in the same household?" he asked after a few moments. Loki was eating slowly and the look that crosses his eyes every time Thor spoke of something that Loki considered 'too pathetic' he would look more and more annoyed, to the point where Tony simply couldn't stop himself from commenting on it. He soon realized it had been a bad move, however. Loki's sneer was dangerous to say the least and Thor seemed almost hurt, which wasn't exactly what he'd been rooting for. "Oh never mind me, just carry on," he said, trying to wave the topic away, but it was impossible.
Loki let the spoon fall from his fingers and it made an awful noise as it hit the side of the bowl and for some strange reason Thor and Loki were looking at each other intensely. "Hello, not want to ruin this party or anything, but... it's not much of a party," Tony tried, as if they hadn't realized this themselves.
"Loki..." Thor spoke after a moment, but it seemed he would get no response, as Loki's eyes had gone strangely vague, but not blue. The latter was certainly a good thing. The former no one could be certain about. "Loki, don't do this to yourself," Thor spoke after a moment and Tony wondered whether Thor had a better idea of what was going on with the God than the rest of them did. Well, one would certainly hope so as they'd spent a... well... multiple lifetimes together.
Thor took a step towards Loki, but Loki seemed only to flinch at that. Thor paused, then carried on, kneeling on the bed and moving slightly towards Loki. "Do not fear me, brother," he whispered, "not for the bad memories I may bring you, nor for the good," he spoke, pressing his forehead to Loki's. "Trust in me, for I will not pain you, will you remain calm," he whispered, his hand moving to brush Loki's hair out of his face.
Both Tony and Bruce just watched, unsure of what was going on, of what Thor was doing and why Loki remained so silent. "Loki, my love in you I feel strongly, as do I confide in you my every secret, as I always have done, my brother," he whispered, his nose pressing to Loki's slightly sore one. Loki let out a soft noise, but his hands remained on the tray, holding the soup in place. His head moved to the side, moving away from Thor. "I do not expect anything of you, brother, for you have my respect and pride regardless. But you are capable of losing it, likewise to how I lost it from father. But not in my heart, Loki, for in my heart you will remain the brother I introduced the world to. You will remain the one that is wittier and faster at thinking," he let out a soft laugh, never having spoken such words to Loki while he was not angry. "You do not have to achieve... not for me, Loki, only for yourself."
Loki's teeth were digging into his bottom lip hard, his teeth going to leave marks and Tony saw it. He wasn't going to mention it, when he saw that Loki was biting so hard that his top lip was raising a little in pain and his jaw was starting to tremble. He didn't need to tell Thor, though, as he pressed a kiss to his brother's forehead, then moved back from him, getting off the bed and, to spare Loki the truth that he had not turned to anger, left the room.
"I think I better go too," Bruce said, leaving Tony and Loki alone again. Tony let out a sigh. Why was he burdened with the task of babysitting a God? It did sound like something he'd eventually have to experience in his life, so he decided not to make a big deal out of it. He turned to shut the door again and let himself flop onto the bed, sitting down on the other side of the bed from Loki, but moving to scoot across so he sat beside Loki.
"Can you stomach it?" Loki's eyes tore away from his bowl and moved to Tony.
"Yes," he replied, moving to take the spoon, but putting it down again as Tony would be watching him.
"Okay, I won't watch you eat!" he said, pressing a hand over his eyes. Not only did he need to babysit, but it was actually a baby he was babysitting!
"But you know I am," Loki then said. Tony let out a groan, moving his hand from his eyes and turning towards Loki.
"You're complicated," he spoke, taking the spoon and getting soup onto it, moving it to Loki's mouth, which stayed tightly shut, the marks in his lower lip visible, where his teeth had dug into his skin. "Come on..."
"I'm not playing your silly game," Loki said, his eyes turning to Stark's in annoyance.
"Well, neither am I, so eat, or you'll be alone for the rest of the day! And don't take that seriously, because I... err... actually had fun last night," Tony said. Loki just nodded in acknowledgement, then let out a sigh, finally having some of his soup in Tony's presence. "Good."
He didn't watch Loki eat, but he could see it in the corner of his eyes, as did he see the bowl emptying. He'd eaten everything on the plate. "Are you full?" he asked Loki, who nodded in response, the look on his face saying that he felt like he was going to blow, even though the look was just so very subtle. Tony moved the tray and put it down on the nightstand. He helped Loki lie down and lied down beside him, letting out a soft sigh. "Do you feel tired?" he asked, to which Loki replied with a nod. "Then I will let you sleep," he said, but Loki shook his eyes, his green eyes connecting to Tony's brown ones. "You can't?" he asked, to which Loki shook his head. Wow, he really was getting good at reading Loki recently! Having him as a housemate really did pay off, then! Although he did wonder what use he could make of understanding a God that meant only trouble.
He saw how Loki's eyes shut and he smiled a little in response to the sight. Loki was so vulnerable and it showed the trust he had in Tony, as he shut his eyes anyway. It showed also how tired Loki truly was... What could he do to send Loki to sleep? He didn't need to seek for the answer, it was already there and he was already doing it.
His fingers moved to Loki's hairline, gently brushing the hair back. Loki's eyes opened for a short moment, but as Tony nodded, reassuring him that it was okay, Loki's eyes shut again. Tony slowly moved a little closer, to caress his hairline a little better. He had no idea what he was doing, but it was so automatic that he didn't have to think about it...
His fingers moved back through Loki's hair, brushing all the loose strands back. Loki's lips parted as he left out a soft sigh, a content sigh. He'd never seen Loki let out one of those... "Well, that's new," Tony said, his voice just soft. Loki's head turned towards him and his eyes opened, a soft questioning sound leaving him. "Nothing, just go to sleep," he said, again giving him the same nod. It felt like he was stroking Loki's hair for hours before he actually felt Loki's body relax fully and fall asleep, but just before he did, Tony found himself edging that little bit closer, his lips suddenly pressing to Loki's forehead, just like Thor's had done.
This caused Loki's hand to move up, grasp hold of Tony's shirt, and fall asleep, deeply asleep. Tony stayed. How could he move back when obviously that meant waking up the God who'd just taken hold of his shirt. It was, of course, only for this reason that he stayed, because it was common knowledge that he hated the God and therefore liked it when he slept, so he wouldn't have to deal with him. Yes, these were the reasons he stayed. Exactly this.
