Increasingly Painful and Incredibly Close

5.0

Soon after, soft wheezing snores emanated from Pietro. Clint carefully unwound himself from the other, kissing his hair lightly before slipping out of the room.

Natasha and Wanda were strewn across the couch and recliner, Kater sitting at the table. Clint took a seat next to her. "Sorry about kicking you outta your own room, kid."

"No, it's fine. He needs it, I get it. I'm not upset." She had an earnest look to her. "I wanna help, Clint. Tell me how I can."

He sighed, fingers drumming against the table. "There's not much that can be done, really. It's all about managing, now. Making him comfortable until..."

"Yeah. God, Clint, I wish you woulda told me sooner. I could've been there for you both." She put a hand on his shoulder. "I mean it. I wanna support you."

He just looked down, stifling the urge to cry. To scream. To sob. "You're a good kid, Katie."

●●●

They woke the next morning, Clint's head against Pietro's chest. He was wheezing harshly, accompanied with short gasps. This jolted the archer out of his sleepy stupor, who immediately sat up and tended to his sleeping lover. He patted his lover's cheek, sitting him up and opening his airway. "Come on, Piet."

Pietro began to cough as he stirred, finally taking a proper breath. "Clint... what-" he coughed again, too weak to bring anything up.

"Jesus, sweetheart. You scared the shit outta me." The older held him close as he coughed, it sounded wet and crackly. "We gotta get you to a doctor."

"No. Tomorrow." His voice was incredibly weak, weaker than he'd ever heard it. "Your mission."

The younger's cheeks were flushed, his skin hotter than normal. His hair slicked to his forehead with sweat and his eyes were barely open. "Honey, you look really sick. This can't wait."

"Then call med team," he wheezed. "Do not leave mission."

The door cracked, Kate clearly coming in to grab something. Her eyes widened as she saw Pietro's state, heard the coughing. "Oh, shit."

The thin man gave a faint chuckle that evolved to strained hacking. "That bad, huh?"

"New mission. I'm calling med evac for him. If I can't finish this business before that gets here, you're going with. Until then, you and Wanda stay with him, Nat and I will go get shit done. Capisce?" Clint kissed the corner of Pietro's mouth. "For now, stay here. I'll go fill Wanda and Nat in."

He sat his love against the headboard of the bed, cushioned by pillows. A deep kiss left tears on both parties. "You stay here, okay? Everything's taken care of. Everything's gonna be okay. Just stay, please."

"Not... going anywhere." His eyes tracked his lover's movements. "Love you."

Clint kissed him once more. "Love you too, Speedy."

Kate heard him radio as he walked out of the room. Pietro looked at her, taking a harsh breath. "Don't worry. He's... dramatic."

Wanda slammed the door open. Her eyes were red and her breathing almost as erratic as her brother's. "Really? 'Tomorrow'?"

"She's-" he panted. "Also dramatic." He gave a frail smile before falling into another coughing spell.

Wanda kneels at his bedside, stroking hair from his face. "Are you in pain?"

He tries to nod, his head just falling forward. She didn't even ask, just touched his temple and he instantly relaxed. Wanda sat her brother back up, getting him comfortable.

"Anything I can do?" Kate looked nervous.

The younger twin looked at her. "Cold wet rag."

Without hesitation, she tears off to the other room. Moments later, she returns, wet dish towel dripping from her hand. Pietro winced as Wanda applied the towel, wiping it across his face. "No... 'm cold."

"I know, brother, but you have fever. We must cool you down."

"No..." he whined again, coughing with barely any force. Kate's phone chimed.

"Evac ETA thirty minutes." She read. "That's not long at all."

"Clint... want him to come." He wheezed loudly before trying to cough again. "Not leave him."

Wanda continued wiping his face and neck. She spoke quietly in a language Kate didn't speak, but she heard Clint's name. The younger woman shot the older archer a text about the situation. Seconds later, a text came through. It read: give me a sec.

After about a minute, her phone rang. She picked up, holding the phone to her ear. "Hey."

"Put Pietro on."

She then tapped the speaker icon, setting the phone on the bed. "You're on speaker."

"Hey, honey. Don't worry too much about talking, okay? I know, difficult for you." His voice was trying to be playful but it just didn't hit the mark. "I'll meet you at the hospital as soon as I'm done here, love."

Sickly hacking proceeded his response. "Ya tebya lyublyu."

"I love you too, speedy. Just rest, okay? Don't worry about anything."

"I try. Kate send updates?" His eyes were fully closed now, voice barely there.

"Yeah. I'll be there before you know it."

●●●

The look on the EMTs faces were grim as he was loaded onto a jet. Pneumonia was the most likely diagnosis and it was a very scary thought. His eyes were slits as they put some form of nebulizer onto him. It opened his airway a bit, so that each breath wasn't so horrifically painful. Wanda held his hand through it all, Kate trying to brighten Pietro's spirits a bit by talking.

She talked about everything and anything, from how she met Hawkeye to how she earned the title. She told him about her adventures against the tracksuit mafia ('not that I don't think tracksuits are cool! I know they're kinda your look.') and how her and Clint went against bad guys that basically ruled the city. Her phone dinged. "Nat's finishing up. I should be at the S.H.I.E.L.D. hospital around when you land."

She showed the message to Pietro who smiled blearily from under the mask. He tried to speak, but all factors put together it wasn't very understandable. Wanda just shushed him, toying with his hair gently to soothe him.

It felt like it a week had passed by the time they arrived at the hospital. Pietro was whisked away by staff, leaving Wanda and Kate to scramble and find a receptionist who could give them information. The young archer was on the phone with her mentor, who had just arrived.

He ran past them, shouting for them to follow. They went down the halls of the hospital till they reached a room full of staff. In the center was Pietro, strapped into some sort of shaking vest with the same nebulizer on. He was crying.

"Babe! Baby, I'm here. It's okay. We're here now." Clint immediately took his hand.

"Hurts." He managed between coughs.

The archer kissed his forehead. "I know, love. They're gonna get it under control."

He gave a small whine as Wanda brushed his hair from his eyes. "Otdykhay, brat."

She could feel his reply in the back of her mind. If I rest now I will die.