Loki and the Witchling

Chapter 12

The team had to go on a mission that night. Some team of enhanced was causing trouble in Queens. You were in no shape to go with them. You knew it, but it still left you grumpy that you couldn't help.

"Reindeer Games, stay here with the kid," Tony ordered before they left. Loki gave his usual regal head incline. He was still usually reticent around the others, and he was more on edge today with your magic being out of commission.

"Don't you need his help?" you asked. You didn't really want to be alone, but if this situation was as bad at they were saying, they could use his help.

"We're not leaving a defenseless team member alone," Cap replied as he adjusted a couple straps on his uniform. You and Nat both protested that you weren't helpless just because you were without your powers. Nat had been teaching you to fight. "We're fighting enhanced," Cap reminded you both. "Nat, you know damn well that you're a super soldier with years of rigorous training. Loki stays. We'll be fine without him."

"You two try to stay out of trouble," Clint added with a grin as they all left.

You curled up on the couch to watch the footage on the news. You couldn't help. Watching what the others were going through was the best you could do. You had a feeling this fight would be bad. It was a terrible fight and it hurt you to watch your family in danger when there was nothing you could do to help them, and nothing you could do about it.

You found out exactly how bad it had been a few hours later when the team returned. Most of them had injuries, but they could wait. Even though Clint had been shot he'd be ok for a couple of days until you could heal him.

"I miss your powers already," Clint teased while Nat helped him to the medical wing.

"Sorry, Clint," you murmured. You felt really bad that you couldn't help. "You can suffer for a couple of days. Then maybe you'll remember to notget shot on missions," you added, trying to tease and lighten the mood. He laughed while Nat helped him from the room. That mission worked out alright at least.

He wasn't the worst, thought. The worst was the teenager in a homemade red and blue costume who was being carried in Cap's arms, dripping blood onto the floor from multiple bullet wounds. Loki tried to stop you from running to them, but you slipped out of his reach before he could. "Y/N," Loki's tone was a warning for you not to try anything stupid.

You walked beside Cap as he carried the teen to one of the medical rooms and laid him on the bed. "Y/N, I hate to ask. I know you said you don't have your powers, but this kid took bullets to keep the rest of us alive. I don't think he's going to make it without more intervention than we can give him. Is there any way-?" You had tears in your eyes when you shook your head. You reached for your magic anyway, but it just wasn't there.

Loki sighed heavily. "You are sure he will die within the next two days?" he demanded of Cap.

Cap nodded soberly. "I wouldn't give him two hours even with Stark's best medics,"

"Witchling, get ready. This will take both of us." You nodded and stripped off Loki's robe, setting it carefully aside. You didn't want to get blood all over the clothes you had borrowed from him. You got to work stripping the teen of his costume's shirt, briefly noting the spider painted on the front of the red hoodie. You would need to be able to see the wounds to heal them properly. Thankfully, you only had to remove his shirt. You left his mask on too, though moved it up so his mouth and nose were clear and you were sure he could breathe. If he was paranoid enough to wear a mask while he fought crime or whatever his gig was, you weren't going to display his secret to the room.