Silence

Four

I woke up not being able to breathe. I sat up and sucked in a few deep breaths. Yep, just as I suspected, Pneumonia. I felt the door open and I squinted to look at the figure through the light. "Friday, dim the lights." I read and the lights around me grew darker. The person walked closer and I recognized him as Clint. 'Hey.' He signed and handed me my hearing aids. I slipped them in and laid back in the bed. "Brucey says you've got Pneumonia and a bad case at that. He says you're allowed upstairs, only if you wear a face mask." I nodded and he handed me a hospital mask. I slipped it over my head and climbed out of the bed.

I followed Clint to the living room. Everyone but Mr. Stark was in there. "Hey Kiddo." Bruce greeted and stood up. "I took your temperature when you fell asleep, but I want to take it again. Take out your right aid please." I nodded and popped the little device out, holding it in my hand. Bruce put one of those really fancy thermometers in my ear and waited until the beep. He hummed and he pulled the thermometer out. "He's at a one O' four." I slipped the hearing aid back in and Clint pulled me into his chest. "What was it at earlier?" Bruce looked hesitant. "Shouldn't Tony be here?" Clint sighed and he slipped my hearing aids out. I looked up at him.

"Tony's pissed he responds to me better and demanded that if he liked me more, I might as well take him. I agreed and he's working on switching the guardianship into my name and getting me adoption papers." I gasped and he looked down at me. He slipped the hearing aids back in my ears. "He's being childish, but you have been acting more like a dad recently." Natasha pointed out and Bruce nodded. "In that case, he was at one O' one earlier. We need to make sure it doesn't get too high or we will have to hospitalize him. I'm not too sure giving him medicine will help because of his metabolism." I nodded and rubbed my tired eyes. "My fever usually hits a high one hundred and five before breaking. I normally pass out and wake up two or three days later just fine."

Clint had me eat something before I went back to sleep. He also has me laying in his room, that way he can keep an eye on me just in case. "I'm sorry Tony is acting like a baby." Clint muttered, running his hands through my hair. I hummed and closed my eyes, already feeling the lull of sleep take me. "I never really saw him as a dad. He felt more like," I paused to yawn, "that one guy that was forced to babysit even though he really didn't want to. I'm sure he's just jealous." I curled into Clint's side and felt him fumble to take my hearing aids out before I passed out.

Clint
I left Peter to sleep, but I asked Friday to update me every hour. I crossed the threshold into the kitchen and hopped up onto the bar, sitting there while everyone talked. "How is he?" Nat asked, her back against the fridge. "Sleeping. His fever seems to be going down." Bruce smiled and took a drink of something, probably tea. "He's a good kid." Steve said suddenly and I nodded in agreement, wringing my hands. "What's got you turned up?" Nat questioned, nudging me with the end of her foot. "I'm worried that I'm not a good role model." I confessed and she smiled softly, the most emotion she's shown to anyone but me or Steve. "You've got your issues, but Peter also has his. I've never seen you be so gentle and caring for someone. As soon as we found out he's deaf, you took it upon yourself to make sure he had his hearing aids and if he didn't want them, you translated. You were there when he disappeared to grieve and you're going to be there for him when the funeral comes around. He's a good kid and you don't really have to worry about him going around starting trouble. You can teach him your pranking habits and I'm sure he can teach you a thing or two. Besides, he's your ticket to retirement."

I smiled and played with ends of my jacket. "Thanks Nat." She grinned and tossed me a bottle she has pulled from the fridge. "You think Fury will let me off?" I questioned and she shrugged. "He might. You heard what he offered Tony, called only when needed. No random missions or spy work. You can rest easy." I nodded and took a sip of the beer she got me. I looked around the kitchen, realizing that everyone left. "Who's turn is it for dinner?" She pointed at me and I groaned. "I'm just gonna order from Grubhub." I muttered and pulled out my phone.

I sat down at the table, a bunch of paperwork in front of me. I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to wake Peter by tossing and turning all night. I got half way through the stack when I heard light footsteps heading for the kitchen. I looked up and found Peter, wrapped in a blanket and crying. I pushed away from the table and took a few steps toward him, knowing he can't hear me but he can feel me. He looks up and his eyes are glassy. I sigh and reach for him, which he let's me pull him into my arms. He sniffs and put his head on my chest. "I miss May." He whispers and I feel my stomach drop. I think he might've had a nightmare. I pressed a kiss to the top of his head and picked him up.

I sat on the couch, sitting him next to me. He put his head in my lap and I played with the ends of his hair. He fell asleep shortly after and I followed, the paperwork long forgotten.