"Anthony."

Tony looked over from the screen he was viewing.

"Yes?"

Loki was sitting on a bench in his workshop. They'd been working on projects together. Loki was incredibly intelligent, and Tony actually liked working with him. Today, though, something seemed off. For one, Loki was practically gripping onto the table as if he would fall if he didn't.

"Um. You okay, there?"

"Anthony… the room… it's spinning."

Tony raised an eyebrow and stood up. As he got closer to Loki, he realized that the ex-god was sweating. He was pale, too. Paler than usual. Tony touched his forehead.

"You feel warm. Probably have a fever."

"It hurts," Loki whined, coughing a second later.

"What does?"

"Everything. My legs… chest." More coughing.

"I see. Let's get you to bed. I'll ask Bruce to come take a look at you."

Tony waited for Loki to stand up, but this proved to be a challenge. The second Loki's feet hit the ground, he felt as though he was going to fall. Everything was blurry and he felt so weak…

"Shit," Tony whispered. He quickly helped Loki up, wrapping an arm around his waist. Then, slowly, the two made their way to the elevator.

00

An hour later, Loki lay in bed, dressed in a pair of silk pajama bottoms and a ratty AC-DC shirt. The thing was tattered, but it was Loki's favorite, if only because it had belonged to Anthony for so many years, and because it was soft and comfortable. He held in his arms Dusty, the teddy bear that Tony had won for him on one of their first dates. Loki sometimes slept with it if he was upset, so Tony was not surprised to see him holding it to his chest. The fact that he was doing it in front of Bruce was a little disconcerting, though.

A wet rag was laid out over Loki's forehead and his eyes were closed. He groaned and mumbled something about dying before another wave of coughing overtook him.

"Yeah, looks like the flu," Bruce said. "It makes sense and all. His immune system is basically new. I'm surprised he didn't get sick earlier than this."

"Can you give him anything?" Tony asked. He was rubbing Loki's back with his right hand, trying to comfort his lover.

"It's too late to try Tamiflu. I can ask my friend - you know, the real doctor who has a license and all and who you won't let see anyone - to write a prescription for cough syrup with codeine. Besides that, he needs some Tylenol to try to bring the fever down. He should be fine in a week or so."

As Bruce finished that sentence, Loki began to look distinctly green.

"Ah, crap. Hand me the wastebasket."

Bruce reacted just in time. Tony was able to get the basket in front of Loki right before he began to vomit.

Tony sighed and began rubbing Loki's back once again, using his other hand to hold back Loki's hair.

"Make it stop," Loki rasped out when he was done. He held Dusty a little tighter. Thankfully the bear had escaped getting any sick on it.

Tony frowned. It was going to be a long week.