Increasingly Painful and Incredibly Close

19.0

"Clint! Come see!" Pietro was sat in front of one of the tanks at the aquarium, looking intently at some kind of creature.

Admiring his sweetheart, he approached. A lopsided smile was growing across his face as he watched the animal. People were staring, because of course they were, but the archer didn't care. He was beautiful, propped against the custom cushioning of his wheelchair. Silver hair shined and his piercing blue eyes glowed with excitement. "What is it, baby?"

"Is, uh... how do you say? Os'minog?" The way the younger furrowed his brows slightly, the way his tongue poked out a bit. It melted the older.

"Octopus, baby. Where is it anyway?" Try as he might, he couldn't see any living thing  in the tank. It looked empty.

Pietro laughed, the sound akin to a tinkle of bells. He gestured weakly with a curled hand to one corner of the tank where some driftwood lay. "Eyes going bad, old man?"

Clint wakes to wet wheezing coming from Pietro's trach, Lucky whining, and beeping from the pulse ox strapped to the sickly man's finger. He shot up, immediately checking the reading displayed on the small screen. Oxygen: 84 Pulse:122 is what it read, and the archer cursed harshly as he propped his husband up and began to try to rouse him. Patting his cheek and shaking his shoulder failed to illicit much response, only prompting the younger to groan congestedly and flutter his eyelids. He was hot to the touch, sweat beading his brow.

He made a choked noise as Clint frantically suctioned him, watching the numbers on the screen. They were unchanging for a moment before his heart rate began to climb again, another cut off sound and then Pietro was vomitting, eyelids fluttering to show rolled eyes. The older screamed curses, rolling him onto his side. When that didn't cause any sort of pained noise it was clear the situation was dire.

"JARVIS, get help!" Clint was sobbing, screaming. "C'mon, Pietro. Not like this. Not like this, baby."

Kate was first to run into the room, going pale when she saw the scene. She froze for only a second before springing into action, helping however she could until help arrived. A hysterical scream sounded from the doorway, the young archer whipping around and seeing Wanda. Her gaze was locked to her brother's ill form until Kate ushered her out of the room.

She held Wanda close. "You don't need to see him like that. Help is coming. He'll be okay."

The elder just cried out against her, struggling against Kate's hold as EMTs rushed down the hall. They could hear Clint begging his husband to stay with him, to not go like this. The next glimpse Kate caught of Pietro was on the gurney, lips nearly blue as he gave a weak, heartbreaking whine.

●●●

People were talking, yelling, pushing, pulling but Clint didn't process any of it. He was holding Pietro's hand, refusing to be separated from him as the doctors and nurses worked tirelessly on the frail man.

A vague noise that sort of sounded like Clint's name escaped Pietro, his eyes finally somewhat focused after they'd stabalized his oxygen concentration and managed his pain. He was still in absolute agony, but it wasn't pushing him into unconsciousness.

"I'm here, honey. I'm with you." The archer assured. "I have you. God, speedy,  I love you so much. So, so much."

Pietro looked at him through half lidded, glossy eyes. Clint rubbed the pad of his thumb over thin, bony knuckles. His eyes showed pain, fear, fatigue. But, they also reflected love to the older.

A doctor came in once things had slowed slightly. "You have the flu, which given your state, means you also have pneumonia." Her face was grim. "We have options we can discuss."