Increasingly Painful and Incredibly Close

5.5

They'd gotten him to a proper room where he was comfortably propped on pillows. He was on several IV drips, hooked to oxygen between nebulizer sessions. The idea of intubation had been thrown around, but Pietro needed more time to think. He'd been aspirating for a while and it had finally caught up. Clint told him whatever he decided, he'd stand by his love. That this was his fight, and he chose when to call it.

Wanda fretted over every little thing. She refused to eat or sleep.

"Wanda..." Pietro murmured. She was by his side in an instant. "Go rest."

She spoke rapidly in their native tongue, Clint putting a hand on her arm as her brother spoke again. "Go. I need you to."

She huffed, kissing the top of his head as she left. He looked to his boyfriend. "I'm going on the ventilator."

The archer grabbed his hand. "Okay. That's what we'll do then."

Clint moved the mask aside for a moment, kissing Pietro quickly before replacing it. The sickly man choked out another cough."But... no CPR." He breathed. "Once... was enough."

The older shook away memories of Sokovia. Of his love recovering from multiple broken ribs along with his bullet wounds. "No CPR, got it. Remember, you call the shots."

"Not giving up yet." He wheezed. Clint nodded before kissing him again, on the forehead this time.

●●●

It was the next day that he went into surgery for a tracheostomy. Clint called everyone to let them know. The goodbye was tearful, no one knew if he was strong enough to survive the anesthesia. Kate had stayed, an arm around Clint as he sobbed in the waiting room. Wanda paced, refusing sit down for even a moment. As if her pacing kept her brother's heart beating. They both looked awful, her hair tangled and his face unshaven. Kate squeezed her mentor's arm, signing to him. 'He's a fighter. He'll pull through.'

Clint nodded slowly. Hours both sped by and crawled on. Eventually someone came out to speak with them, Clint leaping to his feet and running up with Wanda.

"He's out of surgery. It may take him a bit longer than average to totally shake the anesthesia, but in about an hour we should have him back to his room in the ICU." The doctor spoke. "We had a few close calls, but overall he held steady. It'll be touch and go, but he certainly seems determined to stick around."

"Can we see him?" Wanda asked quickly, itching to be with her twin.

The doctor shook his head. "Not yet. Once we move him back to his room."

She stormed off. Clint pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "Sorry about her. It's been hard."

The older archer made his way back to the younger, relaying the information through teary eyes. She took him into a tight hug, rubbing his back. Her sweatshirt grew damp with his tears. He eventually pulled back, taking a shaky breath. Kate just smiled sympathetically. "I'll go get you some coffee." She stood.

The world seemed to move around Clint as time pushed and pulled him until he was waiting outside his partner's room, coffee in his hand. He woke from his stupor as he saw his Pietro being moved back to his room. The older jumped up, rushing to his side. He was limp, eyes closed and paler than ever. A tube protruded from his neck, filling and emptying his chest in a rhythm. At any other hospital visitors wouldn't be allowed at this point, but thankfully this one did. Mostly for the safety of their staff, as an angry Avenger or assassin was not to be taken lightly.

Clint sat vigil at his bedside, hand clasped around the smaller one. Kate had rubbed his back, trying to encourage him to eat or go for a walk. It was all met with silence. Just the beeping of machines and whir of the ventilator. It grew dark outside when the older felt it. A small, barely there squeeze to his hand. He looked up, Pietro's eyes barely cracked open. He opened his mouth slightly, trying to speak but nothing came out. Tears streamed down his cheeks as alarms went off, signifying his rise in heart rate. The archer cupped his cheek. "I know, baby. I know it hurts. Just focus on me, okay? I'm here."

Nurses rushed in, looking at monitors and pushing medications. A short blonde one spoke to him softly. "Mr. Maximoff, you need to stop fighting the vent. Let it do the work."

"Listen to them, honey. Just relax." His boyfriend kissed him gently. He could tell he was using all the energy he had to stay awake. Slowly, the alarming stopped as the medicines took effect. He continued to tiredly look to his partner, the room emptying out again. Clint stroked his hair, humming to him softly. The younger began to mouth words the best he could, knowing his archer could lip read. 'Lay with me.'

"Pietro, honey, I don't wanna hurt you even more." As he spoke, the other shot him a pleading look. "Okay."

Clint gently manuvered into the small bed, careful not to disrupt any tubes or wires. He held the smaller tenderly, pressing kisses to his cheek. Soon after, the sick man had fallen asleep. The archer fell asleep a little while later, Kate stealthily removing his hearing aids to turn them off and set them aside, covering the duo with a soft blanket. She turned out the lights in the room, chosing between the floor and hard guest chair when Wanda returned, mascara and eyeliner streaked down her face.

"They just fell asleep." Kate whispered. Wanda nodded, sitting in the guest chair by her brother. She stared at her brother, illuminated by the window near the door. Clint clung to him, head on the small man's chest and arm around his middle. A small puddle of drool had begun to form on the younger man's shirt where the archer snored softly.

They sat in silence together before Kate spoke again. "Do you need anything? I know I only just met you and Pietro, but if Clint cares about you then so do I."

"Nyet." The older woman sighed. "I appreciate the sentiment."

The young archer just continued to chew her lip, watching the monitors.