Despite not being tired, Peter ended up falling asleep in his bed. It almost certainly had everything to do with the Cloak of Levitation first humming cheerfully into his mind until he was over being upset, and then switching to a lullaby that soothed him and reminded him of all the other times the ancient relic had been there for him when he needed a literal security blanket.

He'd stretched out on his side – injured side up – on the heated blanket and the cloak weighed itself down on him from above, sandwiching him in warmth. A pillow kept his head supported and helped avoid a crick in his neck, but the cloak would have been all that he needed just then, really. He was asleep in minutes and hadn't really had a chance. Even better, his sleep was dreamless and restful.

OOOOOOO

"Where did that thing come from?"

Peter woke when he heard Tony's voice, but the cloak was in charge and the humming in his head grew a little louder, although just as soothing – as if it were trying to help him ignore Stark. Which was amusing.

"It's a magical relic, Tony," he heard Strange reply. "It comes from the fabric of the universe. You know that."

"Smart ass. I meant, how did it get here?"

"How do any of us arrive at our destinations…?"

"Did you summon it?"

"No. But I might have opened a portal to the sanctum to bring it here."

"Why on earth would you do that?"

"Because it missed Peter, and I would have had to deal with it moping when I returned. This way I don't."

"And because Peter needed its company to put him to sleep…"

"Of course not."

"You old softie… Just for that, I won't toss you into a snowbank later."

There was an undignified snort.

"As if you could."

The challenge was there. The gauntlet had been thrown, but while Tony never backed from a contest – and was genuinely interested to know if he could – they had other things to worry about just then.

"Do we wake him?"

"I'm awake," Peter told him, not lifting his head from the pillow and not opening his eyes, yet.

"Are you hungry?" Tony asked, sitting on the edge of Peter's bed and resting a hand on his cheek.

The boy was a little warm, suddenly, but didn't look fevered. He assumed it was the side effect of being with the cloak rather than anything medical.

"Yes."

"Ready to get up?"

The cloak grumbled in his head, a little annoyed – probably not quite ready to relinquish its hold on Peter just yet, since it hadn't seen him in a while. He smiled at the instant agreement emanating from the relic.

"Not yet. Is everyone still outside?"

"No, they've come in for lunch and asked about you."

"Apparently their igloo collapsed, and they have to start over after lunch," Strange added.

"Can I stay here for a while?" Peter asked.

He was warm, and comfortable. And he didn't want to hear the cloak grumbling petulantly in his head while trying to eat.

"Because you don't feel well enough to get up?" Stephen asked, and this time it was his hand that reached down to brush against Peter's forehead and cheek. "Or because a magical voice in your head is complaining about the idea of you moving before it's ready for you to move?"

"The second one," he admitted. "And maybe a touch of the first."

He didn't really want to hurt and moving hurt.

"It won't hurt to spend a little time in bed," the doctor said. "But we'll want you downstairs for dinner – to keep everyone from worrying."

"Okay."

"Good."

"What do you want for lunch?" Strange asked him.

"Anything."

A tray with a burger and fries appeared. Along with a pitcher of water on the stand by his bed and a glass.

"Make sure you keep hydrated."

Obviously, he hadn't missed the incipient fever, Tony decided with approval.

"Okay."

"Don't go back to sleep until you eat something," Stark said, getting up.

"I won't."

"I mean it."

"I know."

To prove he wasn't going to do just that, he pushed himself upright, wincing as his hip reminded him it liked holding still. The cloak crooned in his mind and moved itself out of his way, only to settle over his shoulders when he was finally sitting up.

"Do you need anything else?" Tony asked.

"No. Thank you guys."

The two men left, closing the door behind him and walking toward the staircase.

"Bringing him a cuddle buddy from home isn't overindulging him?" Stark asked, amused.

"Of course not," Strange replied. "It's self-serving. The cloak wanted to be here and now it's here. It'll remember that I brought it. Even though it doesn't communicate with me the direct way that it does with Peter, it can still make its annoyances known – and now I won't have to deal with that."

"Riiiight…"

"I'm serious."

"And you didn't do it to make Peter feel better?"

"Of course not. I'm hardly going to start indulging the boy, now, after all."

"You are a liar face," Stark accused. "A liar liar pants on fire face. I can't believe those jeans of yours aren't combusting even as we speak…"

"Tony…"

"Seriously. Wait until I tell Romanoff. She's going to-"

"I'm going to throw you into a snowbank," Stephen interrupted. "I swear I will."

"Bring it on, doctor," was Stark's reply, amused. "Just remember. Everyone in the place knows that I'm Ironman. Some of them might freak out if I suddenly vanished through a portal and ended up in the snow. That gives the advantage to me."

Strange scowled. Good point.

"Next time."

Tony grinned, aware that he'd won that round, and he was still smiling when they reached the bottom of the staircase, which told anyone looking that he wasn't worried about Peter, and that they didn't need to, either.

OOOOOOO

He was just finishing his lunch when there was a tap on the door, The cloak, in his mind and aware that not everyone in the cabin knew it was magical gave an annoyed grumble and went limp on his shoulders, playing stupid rug instead of magical relic.

"Come in," Peter called, smiling at the relic's antics.

Pepper peeked around the now open door.

"Are you decent?"

He nodded.

"Just eating."

She closed the door behind her and the cloak came alive, again, rubbing his hear and ears, cheerfully. Pepper was surprised to see it, but not at all annoyed. She knew Peter liked the cloak and that it liked him as well. Which was fine with her, since she also knew that the thing was quite capable of protecting Peter to a certain extent. And he'd told her more than once that it was good company.

She came over to his bed and sat beside him, her hand coming to his cheek. The cloak reached out with a corner of fabric and brushed her hand but didn't slap it away as it might have were it in the jealous mood and unwilling to share Peter's attentions.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm okay, Pepper. Just a little sore."

"That's what Tony said. The cold air didn't help, huh?"

Peter shook his head, ruefully.

"No. Doctor Strange said we might look at it tomorrow night and give it another try."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart."

He smiled and set his tray aside and carefully moved to close the space between the two of them, so he could press against her side. She automatically put her arms around him, cloak and all, and rested her chin on his head with a soothing noise.

"Don't be," he said, sincerely. "I'm okay. It's not like there isn't plenty to do inside, and it's only another day or two The way it's snowing, I might still be able to make another sledding run before we get out of here."

"You're sure you're alright?"

"Yeah."

"And you don't hurt too much? I can make Stephen give you another shot or something."

"No. I feel okay – and the painkillers make me fuzzy, which I don't really like. I'll come down for dinner."

"Do you need anything right now?"

"Do you mind staying?" he asked, an arm going around her, now, and the cloak crooning in his head, cheerfully. "Just for a little while?"

She smiled, even though he couldn't see it, and nodded – which he felt. Her embrace tightened just a little.

"I think that could be arranged."

He was one of her favorite guys, after all. Of course she could spend some time with him.