My Love, He Keeps Me Warm

Chapter Five

Groaning, Loki blinked his eyes quickly against the bright light. His arms hurt. And so did his face. He tried to bring one arm up to shield his eyes from the light, but looked down at it in surprise when it wouldn't budge. He was strapped down in another hospital bed. Loki sighed heavily, closing his eyes.

"Loki? Are you awake?" A voice asked gently, and he opened his eyes again, only to gape in surprise. He froze for a moment, before beginning to slam his arms against the bed and fight his restraints in a desperate attempt to get free. His fear was evident as he looked back up, panting, unable to escape and hardly able to move.

"Loki, Loki, calm down," Banner murmured, tightening the straps around his limbs. "I know that this situation is kind of scary right now, but I had to do it. I can't let you hurt yourself in my care, and frankly? I don't trust you alone," He said, stepping back from the writhing god.

Suddenly, Loki stilled and glared at the doctor. "Release me, now. I will not take being tied down like a dog," He growled, and Banner looked at him worriedly. "Loki, I know that you don't have the Asgardian strength you had the last time you were here. If you antagonize me too much, it's perfectly possible that the other guy would kill you. And if I need to, I will put a muzzle on you," He promised, holding one up where Loki could see it.

Loki's eyes widened but his mouth clamped shut, and he looked away. He watched the doctor busy himself around the room, and flinched away when he came to his side to fiddle with a machine hooked to him. Finally, Loki grew tired and opened his mouth to speak again. "W-where am I?" He asked, his voice quavering with uncertainty.

The doctor looked at him and smiled, and Loki blinked in surprise. "You're at the Stark Tower infirmary. Tony's asleep right now. That's why he's not in here, but he watched over you the entire time you slept. You owe him a thank you," He said, and Loki looked at him in surprise once more. But he still feared the doctor's other side, so he said nothing, instead nodding his head once.

Loki sighed heavily, looking up at the ceiling. The doctor somehow managed to stay busy as Loki just sat there, doing nothing. He looked down at one of his hands and flexed it, watching his restraints keeping almost his entire arm still. He moved his fingers around, simply watching the muscles move.

"You're not getting out of that, you know," The doctor said pointedly, and Loki realized he had been watching him. He blinked in surprise and looked back up at him, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion. "I assure you, I was not planning to escape," Loki said haltingly, his confusion evident. He had simply been watching his hand move.... how did that constitute escape?

"Then what were you doing?"

Loki could feel his face heat up as he looked away to hide it. Finally, he looked back down at his hand and mumbled something. "I can't hear you," Banner said, a tone of annoyance creeping into his voice. Loki winced, looking back up at him. "I'm bored," He sighed, closing his eyes. Boredom was for the simple minded.

Banner tried to hide it, but he couldn't help that laugh that escaped his lips. Loki's head immediately jerked up to look him in the eyes, and he glowered at him. "Well, what did you like to do back on Asgard? I might be able to help," He suggested, and Loki looked at him warningly before he covered it with contempt. "Magic," He answered, his tone radiating how stupid the doctor was.

Banner's face broke into a grin, and Loki gaped at him. He wasn't trying to be funny. "Okay, that was a pretty obvious question. But, what else did you do? I highly doubt the only things you enjoy are taking over worlds and doing magic ," He said, fiddling with something Loki couldn't see. "Nothing," He answered smoothly, eyeing Banner. "You know what? Fine. It doesn't hurt me if all you want to do is sit there staring at the ceiling," The doctor shrugged, walking out of the room.