Increasingly Painful and Incredibly Close

9.5

Pietro was awake long after Clint had fallen asleep. It had been about a week since the whole media escapade and he was on the mend, though still rattled that photos of him in his current state were circulating. The archer stirred next to him. It was no secret the older woke multiple times a night just to check that his lover was okay, that his heart was still beating.

"Baby, what're you doing up?" He mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Are you hurting?"

The younger looked to him, eyes reflecting the moon that glowed through the window. "No pain. Can't sleep."

"Alright, honey. Do you need anything?" Featherlight touches on his forehead as his fiance brushed long strands of hair from his eyes.

A blush burned on the thin man's cheeks. He hated inconveniencing his love. "Maybe... some water? Mouth is... dry."

Clint just kissed him on the cheek, immediately getting up. He turned on the bedside lamp as he left the room. Returning with a glass of water and a straw moments later, he sat on the bed. He propped his other half up, head in the crook of his arm as he placed the straw into the small man's mouth.

It took a few moments for him to get a good sip through the straw, trying his hardest not to spill and make things harder on his archer. Of course, since nothing could ever go his way, water leaked from the side of his mouth as he struggled to swallow, feeling his chest contract as he began to choke. This prompted him to lose more of the water he was fighting with down his shirt. The older had set the cup aside quickly, sitting Pietro up fully to pat and rub his back. "Sorry..." he sputtered as he continued to struggle.

"Honey, it's okay. Don't worry about it. Don't worry." Clint used the edge of the soiled shirt to wipe the weaker's face.

He reached over for the suction, grimacing when his lover began to cry. "No, please. Will wake... the others... with coughing."

"I know, 'Silver, but we really don't want you getting pneumonia again."

With that he began the process, Pietro wheezing and coughing the entire time. He was crying from the force at which the spasms wracked his chest. Once finished, Clint kissed him softly. "I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry."

The archer grabbed a large, well loved t-shirt from the dresser. He was more than careful changing the wet shirt. He paused a minute, shuddering out a sigh at how emaciated the other had become, even on tube feeds. His ribs were clearly visible where firm muscle once covered his chest. His metabolism was too fast, he'd always dealt with some level of malnutrition, but this was something else. Clint continued, pulling the shirt over his love.

"You need anything else, roadrunner?" He ghost his fingers over his lover's cheek. "Wanna watch a movie to try and get sleepy?"

The younger pondered a minute. "Don't wanna... keep you up."

"Sweetheart, I don't mind. You know my sleep schedule is weird, so there's no harm in me keeping you company." Soft kisses to the thin man's temple.

Pietro whined needily. "Make me... forget. Want you."

"You sure you're feeling up to that?" His archer questioned, tracing down the younger's jawline.

"Please, Clint." He murmured. "Trakhni menya."

●●●

Kate was lurking the halls when she heard it. The squeaking of the mattress, bedframe rhythmically smacking the wall.

She shuddered with disgust, deciding to start a pot of coffee in the mini-kitchen on this floor. No way she could fall asleep after hearing that. Ew, maybe she'd never sleep again.

She eventually crashed on the couch, only waking when the kitchen light flicked on. She sat up with a groan.

"Shit!" She turned to see Clint, holding a hand to his chest. "What the fuck, Katie, you scared the shit outta me!"

She laughed. "Payback, Barton."

"What? What for?" He cocked his head to the side.

The younger archer huffed. "You subjected my innocent ears to the sound of you and Pietro smashing, asshole."

"Oh come on, Kate. You're grown, and to be fair we were trying to be quiet." He chuckled at how red her face got. He grinned mischievously. "Plus, he started it."

●●●

The next morning, Pietro was sleeping peacefully beside his lover. Clint was just watching. Committing every minute detail to his memory, down to the placement of the freckles over his exposed collarbone. The faded purple hickey from last night right against his pulse point. He was always so beautiful to his fiance, so perfect despite his failing body. He would always be the speedy little shit that pulled pranks on the archer, the man that pulled him close to kiss him that first time. The one to so thoughtful, so kind dispite his aloof and punky exterior.

Clint wrestled with the idea of waking the other up solely to kiss him, tell him how loved and cherished he was. He wanted to bury his face into his neck, hold him close and never let him go. He wanted the sheer amount he loved his partner to heal him, to halt his inevitable demise. Instead, he slowly peeled himself out from under the covers, giving Lucky a quick scratch behind the ear before quietly padding out of the room. He found Kate sitting on the couch and watching tv.

"Hey, I'm gonna go down to the archery range. Would you mind chilling with Piet while I'm gone? He's still asleep." He spoke softly, clearly exhausted. "He was up half the night so he'll probably be out for a while."

Kate nodded, standing up and grabbing her phone. "Alright. I'll text you if he's up before you get back."

"Okay, cool. He's due for meds in like," he checked his watch. "Thirty minutes. Do you remember how I showed you to do it?"

"Yeah. Go chill, dude. I'll text you if anything happens." She walked off toward the room.

Kate made herself a little nest on the bed, playing on her phone till it was time for the medication. She drew it up just as Clint showed her, double checking the bottle and paper on the nightstand to be sure it was the one scheduled for eleven in the morning. Stealthily, trying to avoid waking the man, she pulled back the blanket covering him and lifted his shirt to get to the tube. She paused as he mumbled sleepily, only catching Clint's name. She slowly continued, pushing the medication when she looked up to his eyes fluttering open.

"Hey, Clint just left to go to the range. You need anything?" She smiled at him, untwisting the syringe and twisting on the flush.

"No... am okay." His eyes were still glazed with sleep, voice hoarse.

She finished, tucking him back under the soft blanket.