Coming back from his mission in Timbuktu, Clint Barton, or the most famous and handsome archer in the garrison, as he likes to be named (except nobody ever does), decided to go to the mansion. Actually it wasn't because he decided it but rather because Fury asked him to. The director of SHIELD was worried about Dr Banner wandering in the mansion without SHIELD guards at every door. Clint knew it was okay, Stark had it under control. Or that was what he thought before entering the lab.
"Hey, everybody ! I'm here to see how..." Clint couldn't finish his sentence as Tony made a twelve feet jump back screaming "Barton ! I wasn't expecting a visit from you !"
"Well Fury wanted to know if our favorite doctor wasn't turning into a giant green monster. Jarvis didn't inform you I was coming ?"
"I put him in mute..."
"Why the hell would you do that ?"
Then, Clint realized doctor Banner was actually in the room too and... Well, Fury was scared to see him turning green but at this moment he was full red.
"Hello, agent Barton."
"Hi, Bruce... You know what, this is awkward, Fury wanted to know if everything was alright, apparently you have it under control, so I'm gonna leave you, with your... Research."
And as soon as he finished his sentence he was out, trying not to think of what happened in the lab or he would have nightmares for at least a week.
On his way out, he passed by Thor's room, supposed to be empty because him and Captain America were in an ultra-secret mission in Wakanda, no contact, no information. He wasn't supposed to know about it either but he caught a conversation between Fury and Hill. "Caught" meaning he was in a corner of the room and listened to every part of the meeting. Anyway, Thor's room should have been empty, so why did he hear a sound coming through the door, like someone was shaking really hard. The most intelligent thing would have been to ignore it, but Clint was a SHIELD agent and when something was odd, he had to check it out.
Clint entered the room, not sure of what he was going to find in the chamber of the God of Thunder. At first sight, nothing to fear: bed, furniture, a TV apparently never used. But then, Clint almost had a heart attack when he noticed the bed was moving. Not only was it moving, but there were two red eyes looking at him under what seemed to be like a thousand blankets. "What the f... !" Clint unsheathed his knife, ready to fight whatever was under those sheets but he changed his mind when he heard a weak voice calling : "Thor ?". He turned on the light to discover the most uncommon thing: a blue creature with red eyes was watching him, and his whole body was shaking. How uncommon this creature was, it reminded Clint of an old enemy "Loki ?". The creature kept watching him, like it tried to remember something really important but was too weak to figure out what it was. Suddenly it was aware of who was standing in front of him.
"Go away agent Barton."
"Are you okay ?"
"I'm fine."
"You really don't look great."
"It's nothing, just my Frostgiant form, now go away !"
Clint started to worry, even if Loki was, by definition, an enemy, seeing him that weak was really disturbing. "I'm sorry but I can't just let you here, you're in a secure area and you're actually not supposed to be here."
"..."
The SHIELD agent, getting no answer, decided to come closer, carefully though, but there was nothing to fear since the God of Mischief had fallen asleep. When Clint tried to grasp him he had recoiled. Loki was freezing – not cold, freezing, Captain America freezing. On the other hand, Loki looked like he had a fever, his whole body was shaking and droplets of sweat pearled on his forehead. That's when Clint realized he wasn't asleep but more in a comatose state. He started to rave and Clint could hear some moans coming out of his mouth. Despite all the rancor Clint felt for the Asgardian, his concern was growing increasingly.
He decided to call the only person who could resolve that kind of trouble: Thor. But he feared he wouldn't reply his phone, firstly because he was on a secret mission but most of all because Thor was as rubbish with technology as Steve. Tony gave them the phones, explained them how to use it but they looked like fishes out of the water.
"You're reaching the voice mail of I do not understand why this lady asked for my name ? I am the God of Thunder, you puny machine !" And then you could clearly hear the phone being smashed by Mjolnïr. Thor was out of reach so Clint decided to try with Steve. He thought maybe Steve had kept his phone more preciously, being Tony's present. He was wrong. "You're reaching the voice mail of Steven Rogers, Captain America, born in Boston, Social Security Number 733... biip, please leave a message." "Jeez Steve, you don't have to tell your bio on your answering machine ! Anyway, I'm at the mansion, Loki is in Thor's room and he seems pretty sick. I really don't know what to do. I'm not a nurse for Christ's sake and how the hell do you treat someone who is supposed to be a God ?"
He hung up, a bit pissed of actually because he didn't know what to do, Loki seemed to grow weaker and weaker and he didn't like feeling useless. Clint touched Loki's forehead again, it was colder. It definitely was not well, and the blue and tense face of Loki was not helping. He would have put another blanket on him but he doubted that would be useful. He summed up his possibilities: he could inform Tony and Bruce but he doubt they could be useful (and he was afraid to find them in an awkward position). He could contact the SHIELD but Fury would put Loki in a cage in less than ten seconds, definitely not a great idea. Or Thor could just move his ass and help his brother !
When he had that thought, his phone started to ring. "Barton ? This is Steve Rogers, I just had your message and... No Thor you can't leave in the middle of a mission ! So, Barton, as you understand Thor is worried but we can't go back... Everything is gonna be fine Thor, I promise ! Anyway, you have to take care of Loki by yourself, do not call SHIELD, apparently it happened to him before so..." We could clearly hear Thor taking the phone from Captain America and starting to yell in it like he was trying to be heard from Wakanda. "Listen to me Archer, Loki is a frostgiant, therefore when he's sick his body is getting colder, like a reversed fever. You must, by all cost, warm him up."
"You mean like making him a hot cocoa? Because he already has a thousand blankets on him and it doesn't seem to help."
"No, hot beverage won't do anything, what Loki needs is body heat."
"What ? Thor, I'm not gonna have sex with your brother just to warm him up !"
"By the Allfather no ! That wasn't what I was implying."
"So what ?"
"Try to put your hand on his forehead."
"But he's freezing !"
"DO IT."
"Okay, touchy, touchy..."
Clint put his hand on Loki's forehead but this time he remained a bit longer, Loki mumbled something and Clint had the feeling he was hurting him instead of helping him. But, after a moment, Loki's face started to relax and he was a bit warmer. "It works !"
"Give me that ! Barton ? Now that you know how to heal him do whatever has to be done, good luck son."
"Son, really ?" But Steve already hung up.
During the conversation, Clint hadn't taken his hand off Loki's face, this one was getting warmer at every second but the rest of his body was still shaking really hard. "Do whatever has to be done", okay he got it.
Clint took off his shirt and Loki's shirt as well. He was not feeling comfortable with it at all and Thor should pay for not taking care of his brother himself ! He lay down next to Loki and put his body against him. The pain was barely tolerable and it made Loki wake up from his torpidity. He started to struggle against Clint, trying to get away from his grip. "Stay calm."
"Who dare touching me !" His voice was just a whisper and Clint thought that if he wanted to kill him, he just had to tighten a bit more, but strangely he didn't want to.
"I'm just here to help you, stop struggling !"
"I don't want your help, get off me !"
"No."
"Get off !"
"You can scream all you want, I'm not letting you go until your skin turns to a normal color."
"How dare you, puny human. I shall destroy you !"
"Do whatever you want Bambi but for the moment you can't do anything."
"Humpf..." Loki's body started to relax in Clint's grip, his skin started to be hot again and certain part of his body became less blue. They didn't say a word after that and Clint fell asleep.
When he woke up, Loki was still in his arms but he had turned himself to face him. His skin wasn't blue anymore and he was examining Clint with his piercing green eyes. Nevertheless his eyes were not full of hatred like Clint supposed they would be, actually he thought he'd be dead the minute Loki would feel better. Loki looked more sad than angry. "I'm sorry Barton."
"Wait... What ? What did you do while I was asleep ?"
"No you don't understand. I'm sorry for everything I put you through when I was compelling you."
"Oh... that."
"And in the meantime, I'm not."
"You have a really weird way to apologize."
"Well I'm sorry because I made you act against your will, treated you like a puppet and turned you against your comrades, the worst part being if I had to do it again, I would without hesitating a second. But on the other hand, and I don't even know if you remember that period, you were the first midgardian I met, the first I talked to and you made me realize why my brother loves Midgard so much. So I know you hate me for everything I did and..."
"I don't hate you."
"What ?"
"I said I don't hate you. And I didn't forget everything, I remember you were weak and alone and I remember how much you hated everyone. So yes, I wanted to kill you but in another really strange way, I understand you." Loki's look was perplex, as he couldn't believe someone didn't hate him. Clint smiled, realizing gods had as many problems as humans, maybe even more. Loki just needed a good shrink and he would be fine.
However, Clint wasn't expecting Loki's lips on his mouth, not at all. When Loki stopped the kiss, he looked up at Clint, waiting for a knife in his throat or an arrow in his eyes (he didn't know how he could do it, just that he could do it). Actually, Loki was waiting for everything except Clint returning the kiss, furiously, like he wanted it as bad as him. And for no particular reason, it made Loki really happy.
"Hum, hum..." The next morning, they both woke up at the sound of Thor's voice. "I thought you said you would not sleep with my brother ?" Clint snorted. "I did say it, didn't I ? Well there has been a change of plan obviously"
"Obviously. Morning brother, you do not look sick anymore."
"It's because I'm not, as you can see, the archer did a really great job." Clint hid under the sheet. "Are we really gonna talk about this guys ? Not that I feel uncomfortable or whatever but I'm actually naked."
"Should I remind you, you are in my chamber." Loki smirked "It's okay, I have to go anyway." He kissed Clint goodbye and within a moment he was already dressed. "As always it has been a pleasure to see you, brother. Barton, thank you, for everything." And for once you could say he wasn't lying. "Hope we will meet again soon, if not see you in nine months." And he was gone.
A looong and awkward silence followed the departure of the God of Mischief. "Why did he say nine months ? Thor ? WHY THE HELL DID HE SAY NINE MONTHS ?"
"Don't you worry my friend, it was just one of Loki's jokes."
Or maybe it wasn't.
