Loki felt disgusted with himself. He ached all over, his nose was plugged, he throat felt like daggers were in it, and he kept coughing and wheezing. Tony had brought him some new clothes to wear including his pajamas and one of Tony's sweaters that Loki gravitated towards frequently when he was cold. He loved that Tony had remembered that even if it was on accident. Underneath the covers the Jotun was freezing, even with the extra layers.
He turned the television on to Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, by now Loki had bunched up all the pillows so that he was propped up against them. This was one of his more favored shows so when he saw it was a marathon, he shoved his hips a couple times into the mattress to get comfortable then finally he relaxed.
As he closed his eyes, he heard Gabriel Ymir cry out for someone's attention. His first instinct told him to get to Gabriel, but another told him that if he did the baby would get sick. When he heard Tony bustle off towards the Nursery, the tension that had built up inside of him, relaxed only a small portion. He didn't like hearing the baby cry, the only exception to that was when Gabriel had been born and Loki knew that he was there, he was breathing, safe, alive, and that he had started his family with Tony.
He anxiously watched the television, and he knew that Gabriel had stopped crying after a few minutes, but he still couldn't relax again.
"JARVIS, do you mind telling Anthony I would like to see him?"
"Not at all, Sir." From outside of the spare room Loki heard JARVIS' voice tell Tony that Loki needed him. And he was very quickly in the spare room.
"You called?"
"Yes, what's wrong with Gabriel?"
"Oh he just woke up from a nap with a full diaper, didn't like it, so I changed him really fast. He's laying down again though, but I'm sure he's just staring up at Yggdrasil."
"Speaking of Yggdrasil, I saw and see it." Tony smiled.
"I'm going to make some soup for you, hope you don't mind chicken noodle soup?"
"Not at all, just keep me posted on the baby?"
"I will. I'll give him a peck in the forehead for you when he goes to bed."
"Thank you, Anthony," said Loki he felt terrible for leaving Tony up to all of this, but he did have to let him do some things, "I love you."
"I love you too, I'll bring dinner in here in a few hours alright?"
"Yes, that is fine. Thank you, love."
Anything for you." Then he shut the door a little bit so that Loki could sleep, though that's hard to do when you can't get comfortable in any position you lay down in. Loki turned the volume up a fraction and looked away from it, then shut his eyes. Maybe one of the worst possible ways was to close your eyes without being tired for him, but he did his best and relaxed. Eventually falling asleep.
A few hours later, a warm hand was running up and down his back and Loki rolled over slowly to see Tony with a gentle expression on his face.
"Hey, I've got your dinner right here on the nightstand, its got a trey beneath it for when you're ready to eat. I'm going to feed the baby in our room so don't worry about to two of us. Oh, and Natasha says she hopes you feel better."
"OK." Loki rolled over and gave a tired exhale, he heard Tony give a soft laugh as he left the room and shut the door again. For a few more minutes Loki dozed then he rolled over and sat himself up right. He managed to lift the trey onto his lap and the steam that was still coming from it unblocked his nose but made it more runny.
---
Tony pulled out a can of soup for Loki, he put it on the stove, the baby was laying down and same with his husband. It was a very queer business, Loki usually bustled about the house doing his own little chores and things involving the baby, it felt like he wasn't in the house right now with him not being there.
"Sir, you have a phone call from Miss. Romanoff."
"Is Loki asleep?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Put her on, J." He quickly pulled his phone from his pocket and put it to his ear with one hand. He stirred the soup a couple times with a ladle as JARVIS connected the line. He did it quickly and he put his now free hand on his hip.
"Hello, Tony."
"Hey, Natasha."
"What's going on?"
"I'm just making my hubby some dinner."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, he's getting or already has, a cold and feels like shit."
"Tell him I hope he feels better."
"I will. What's going on with you?"
"Oh not much, I'm going to be meeting up with Clint, Sam, and Steve soon. Heading to the movies actually."
"What movie are you going to go see?"
"Well, I'm going with three men, so probably something they'll want to watch, though Steve will try to be a gentlemen about it and let me have a small say."
"Cool, hope you have a good time."
"Probably won't."
"At the least try."
"I will."
"Tell them I say, and quote it, 'S'up asshats, let Natasha pick the movie.'" She burst out laughing, something rare for her, though it wasn't a complete laugh, and he could tell. He said nothing.
"Do I really have to say that?"
"With all the things you've had to say? I don't think saying that's too bad."
"... Yeah, let's not dig up all the things I've had to say in my life...."
"Sorry."
"It's fine. I'll think over it. Talk to you later, Tony."
"Yep. Bye Natasha." Though he thought it weird that him and Natasha had just talked like old school friends and not like people who both just barely tolerated each other. When the line had disconnected he set his phone down and checked on the soup. It was almost ready.
"Sir, shall I inform Mister Laufeyson?"
"Nah, I'll do it in a few minutes. Thanks J."
"Yes, Sir." Tony looked around for a bowl and spoon for a couple minutes and found a tray. He contemplated a glass of water, but figured against it. Loki could summon one or ask for it right? When he deemed it ready, he pulled the pot from off of the stove and poured it into a bowl. It was steaming heavily and he knew that Loki wouldn't eat it for a while, so he put the bowl and the spoon on the tray and carried it in.
"Hey JARVIS," Tony whispered, "can you open the door a bit?"
"Yes, Sir." Came JARVIS' voice lower than his normal volume. The door opened a fraction and Tony walked in, and set the tray down on the nightstand. Then he put his hand lightly on Loki's back, running it along it gently. He felt his relaxed muscle tense up as he woke up.
""Hey, I've got your dinner right here on the nightstand, its got a trey beneath it for when you're ready to eat. I'm going to feed the baby in our room so don't worry about to two of us. Oh, and Natasha says she hopes you feel better." Tony said.
"OK." Loki rolled right over again, and gripped tightly onto his pillow again. Tony gave a soft laugh as he left the room and he shut the door again.
"Thank you again JARVIS."
"Anything for you, Sir."
"You're amazing."
"Thank you, Mr. Stark."
"Yep."
"Young Gabriel is stirring, Sir."
"Alright, thanks J."
"Of course." Tony smiled, it was like when he was little almost. He had this one familiar voice, after Edwin Jarvis, had passed away, he was more lonely then ever. That man had been the last thing from his childhood, so when he programmed this version of him, Tony had another piece of his life back.
Very quickly he scuttled to the nursery and saw, indeed, Gabriel was waking up.
"Hey baby, how about I get you something to eat?" Gabriel rubbed his eyes, and Tony pulled him a little closer as he walked into the kitchen. He pulled a bottle out of the fridge and unscrewed the top, then put it into the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up just a bit.
He yanked it out when it beeped and somehow managed to screw the top again, but it didn't seem right and he (definitely being a first time father) put him on the kitchen island so that he could tighten the bottle's nipple.
"Anthony, really?" Loki asked coming out, Tony didn't look up, but acted like he hadn't heard Loki and hastily tightened it and lifted the baby up again. Then he looked up.
"Oh, hey, what are you doing up?" Loki had raised brow, and a faint trace of a smile had come along his overly pale features.
"Anthony, really? Did you seriously put him on the island?"
"What are you talking about?" Tony asked, not looking at him.
"Love, I came out here and saw you put him on it. Don't even try to lie to me."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Anthony Edward Stark." Loki gave the full name bit, only instead of it towards a child, a fully grown man.
"Loki I-Don't-Know-If-You-Have-A-Middle-Name Stark Laufeyson, I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Fine. I'm going back to bed, thank you for the soup. Just admit you did it, it isn't worth lying to me over and you know that."
"Loki I'm not lying to you! What are you talking about?" Tony had started to laugh by now so Loki walked back to the spare room and started to laugh but ended up coughing loudly. Gabriel looked over towards the way Loki had gone and then he looked back up at Tony.
"Yeah, Pappa saw that. Looks like I'm going to have to find another way to do that." He laughed again and Gabriel gave a large smile. Tony picked up the bottle and walked into his bedroom, he sat up again the headboard and put the bottle into the baby's mouth. Two small hands reached up and grabbed it, though Tony kept holding onto it for him. He looked down at the green eyes and smiled, this was his little guy. Nothing felt better.