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.

"There is a way," Loki finally told the room, having made some difficult decision. You could see it in his eyes. He shoved up his sleeves. The movement seemed leftover from preparations to do complex magic on Asgard where the clothing styles were different. He seemed to want his hands free. "but there is a cost, and it is not a small one,"

"Loki," Thor's voice was a warning.

"This is not a trick, Brother. There is a cost to all magic," Loki explained quickly. There wasn't a lot of time. "Healing is not one of my gifts. Yes, I can manage a scrape, a bruise, a small cut, but nothing like this, and nothing like what Lady Y/N can accomplish. However, since my magic is also Asgardian, I can supply the power for the spells." He stepped over to Tony and held his wrist out. "For this to work, I will need every drop of my magic."

Stark started to protest, but Cap stopped him. "Do it. We all owe this kid. He's running out of time and if there's a way to save him..."

"We can't trust him!" Tony yelled in reply.

"Then trust me," you said softly. All the eyes in the room turned to you. "Trust me to hold the leash, trust me to be his control if you won't trust him." You spoke firmly, but calmly. You would and did trust Loki with every fiber of your being. He would never do anything that would hurt you and you knew he would do exactly what he was offering and save this kid.

Fetterer. The word came unbidden to your mind. It didn't have any place here, so you shoved it away, intending to analyze why it was bothering you when you had time.

"Lady Y/N is right. She has been a good influence on my brother. You can trust her, if you refuse to trust him," Thor jumped to your aid. Tony finally relented and removed his tech from Loki's wrist.

Loki rushed back over to you. "This is going to hurt both of us. Are you sure- of course you're sure," he sighed when he saw your expression. "I will feed you the magic, just heal him like usual," he explained as he took your hand. The green glow of his magic flared around your joined hands. You took a breath, steadying yourself before you reached for you power to heal the spider-kid. You placed a hand on his too-thin chest, focusing on the power you needed. Your magic was gone, but Loki's was there. It was uncomfortable and so very draining to convert his raw power into healing magic you could use. You somehow both managed and the magic around your hand glowed the typical blue of your power.

You tried to use Loki's magic sparingly, not wanting to drain him any more than necessary. "Stop trying to be polite," Loki told you. "Now is not the time false restraint," he hesitated a single moment, then added: "Take what you need." The words were ritual, sacrifice, surrender. You felt him throw open his barriers, throw open all of his shielding, giving you every ounce of power, every fiber of his being without restraint. It was the ultimate act of trust.

How you knew all of this you didn't know, but you knew it was true.

You also didn't have time to worry about it. You tapped Loki's power, though it was draining at an alarming rate as you slammed healing power into the kid in front of you. He had been fading fast and it took a lot to bring him back from the brink of death. It took way too much power to do the healing this way. No wonder Loki had been hesitant to suggest this. At least the pain he had mentioned was missing.

It seemed to take forever to heal the teen, but finally, finally the wounds closed. The blood he had lost was replenished. His mind tied back to his body, strengthened so he wouldn't fade away. He had been too close to the land of the dead. When you were sure he would be ok, you lifted your hand from his chest. An instant later you dropped Loki's hand, breaking the link between your magics.

*

The next thing you knew, you were in Cap's arms and he was getting off of the elevator on the floor your suite was on. "Cap?" you asked softly, your voice weak. You felt drained and didn't even bother trying to move. You had never felt this weary in your life.

"You gave us a scare," Cap said gently. "You and Loki both. Thor has him, he's fine." Cap added quickly. You heard Loki yelling and cursing at Thor to put him down from behind you. You looked behind Cap to see that Thor was carrying Loki over his shoulder.

"I am fine! Put me down oaf!" Loki growled. "Where is Y/N?!" he demanded.

"She's here, and fine," Cap called back to Loki. Loki wouldn't stop yelling at Thor.

"Ignore my brother. He has poor manners when he is tired and drained of power," Thor apologized on Loki's behalf, making you giggle. That worked better to get Loki to hush.

Cap turned his attention back to you. "The second you stopped working on Spiderman, that's what the guy you healed calls himself, you and Loki both dropped like stones, with no warning. Spiderman's ok. He's sore as hell, but the wounds are closed. He's going to be staying here for a couple of days to make sure he's healed before we let him go home. He won't be allowed up here, but have care when you're downstairs. He helped us out in this fight, but we don't really know anything about him. Think you can walk?" Cap asked when he got to your suite's door.

"I'm ok," you said instead. He set you gently on your feet, but looked worried. Thor stepped up and wrapped his free arm around your waist.

"I will stay with the children," Thor teased both you and Loki, causing you both to grumble at him that you weren't children. "Return to the man of spiders,"

Cap nodded. "Call if you need anything. Good work today you two. None of us are going to forget this." He left, still having work to do revolving around the spider-kid. You opened your suite's door. Thor brushed past you to check the room before you entered. You had forgotten that particular idiosyncrasy of the Asgardians. You stepped into the room after him, just wanting to get to your bed.

"Thor. Put. Me. Down!" Loki snarled again. He was so drained of power he couldn't even summon a dagger to stab Thor with.

"I would not like to pick you back up again when you fall on your face," Thor commented. "Lady Y/N, go to bed before you pass out again. I will get Loki settled on the couch,"

"I'm not going to condemn him to a couch, not after everything he's done, especially in the last 24 hours,"

"I am in the room and can hear you talking about me," Loki grumbled from where he was still thrown over Thor's shoulder. You and Thor both ignored him.

"He can share my bed or you two can find your own beds,"

Thor just gave you a look. "I am not leaving you undefended," he protested."If you are sure, then Loki can share your bed and I will take the couch," you nodded and led the way to your bedroom. You all just needed sleep. Loki could share your bed for that. Plus you'd stolen his last night. It was only fair. Thor hovered, his hand on the small of your back, obviously not trusting that you would remain standing. Thor finally set Loki back on his feet. "Get some sleep," he bid you both. He left the room and you could hear him turn on the TV in your livingroom. You climbed into your bed and looked expectantly at Loki when he didn't immediately join you.

"Are you sure-?"

"Loki. I'm sure. I wouldn't have said you were welcome to stay if you weren't. You let me stay in your bed last night." You were exhausted and your words were coming out sharper than intended. "All either of us want right now is rest, sleep, and safety. I trust you, so please get in the bed so we can sleep and feel better,"

He chuckled and climbed into the bed. "Thank you for letting me stay,"

"Thor was going to be a problem otherwise," you grinned at him. "Besides, I'm sure I would've been across the hall in your bed tonight again anyway,"

"That is true, witchling," he laughed and settled himself comfortably among the pillows. You curled yourself up with him.

"That didn't hurt like you said it would," you told him once you were comfortably in the safety of his arms. He stroked your hair, seeming to want the reassurance that you were ok.

"No. It didn't. It should have," he commented distractedly.

"Maybe because you've been teaching me magic?" you asked, surmising the answer from your studies.

He shook his head. "That is not it. The only other time I have done that particular piece of magic was with Mother, and she was the one who taught me magic. Trust me, that was not a pleasant experience, which was part of why I was so hesitant to attempt it tonight. I did not wish to cause you pain, or more strain on your already taxed body and magic,"

"I love you too," you murmured sleepily, your eyes already closing again though you'd only been conscious again for a few minutes.

You had neglected to remember that you'd never said you love him prior to this. Nor had he to you. It still didn't dawn on you while you were falling asleep in his arms, content and safe.