Broken Wings - (Captain America: The First Avenger) - Steve, Bucky - {For beatlelover22}

[darkness-is-the-light]

Wow, I have a ton of explaining to do… Well, first I’d like to apologize to beatlelover22 for having this request fulfilled a lot later than I had originally planned. When I had agreed to it, I was in a huge bout of testing, then I was hit with more testing, personal problems, and wicked writer’s block. But what I believe is most important about this is that I finally got the story written. I hope that you will enjoy this story, as I attempted to include your specific requests.

And now, to give a bit of background information about the story, it takes place during Captain America: The First Avenger in the time where Steve was without the serum. The Steve and Bucky relationship is viewed more as love between longtime friends, other than a romance between them, but you are more than welcome to think of this as a pre-ship.

***

Steve Rogers slowly tiptoed into the bedroom, anxious of accidentally waking the figure lying in the thick darkness. Upon noticing Bucky Barnes remained asleep, the young man slowly pulled his soaked white shirt off of his slim form. He ran a trembling hand through his dripping blonde hair, taking a quick glance around the room.

“Where were you?” A mumbled voice came from beside him, slicing through the silence.

Steve turned sharply to meet the face of Bucky, “I… I-I was…” He stumbled on his words, attempting to articulate a convincing response for his longtime friend.

“And why is your hair soaking wet?” Bucky added, shifting his position so that he was sitting upright.

“It was nice out… Before it began to pour…”

“Oh Stevie, you’re going to catch your death if you’re in the freezing rain for too long.”

“I’ll be fine, B-Buck…” Steve’s breath caught abruptly at the end of his sentence. He flinched away from the other man, fitting his nose into the crook of his arm. “Huh-ESSHH!”

“Bless—”

“Huh-PSSHH’uh!”

“—you…”

Steve gently rubbed at his pink tinged nostrils, “Thanks,”

The brunette studied him carefully, searching for any detail that would affirm his suspicion of illness.

“Steve?”

“I’m fine.” He answered quickly.

“You don’t seem fine,” Bucky shot back.

“What do you mean?”

“You’d know if you could see yourself right now.”

It was true, Steve did look horrible as a result of the combined unusually pale tint to his skin and dark circles shadowing under his bleary blue eyes.

“But I—” He began, but the other man cut him off before he could finish.

“I know, I know. You’re fine.” Bucky rolled his eyes lightly.

Steve’s eyes traveled down to his lap as he sniffed dryly.

“Look at me,”

The blonde slowly turned to face Bucky. The older man extended his hand out, pressing it against Steve’s forehead.

“You feel warm.” He informed.

“I do?”

“Oh, come on. Stop the act. I know that you’re not fine.”

Steve sighed, rubbing at his sore throat. “I know… I don’t want you to think I’m weak…”

“Why would I think that?”

“I’m always getting sick. You have given up every chance to improve your life because I’m always there to slow you down. I’m a burden.”

“That is bullshit and you know it,” Bucky said, “All I’ve ever wanted to do is make sure you’re happy and healthy.”

“But…” Steve attempted to counter him.

“No.”

“I… Huh-ESSHH!” Steve sneezed forcefully, bending forward at the waist.

Bucky’s eyes softened, “Bless you.”

“S-S… Huh-TSSHH! Sorry…” He apologized, crimson crossing his face.

“Don’t worry about it, you’re sick.” Bucky assured.

“I’m not—”

A stern glance cut through Steve’s resolve.

“Alright…”

Bucky rested his hand on Steve’s shoulder, rubbing comfortingly, “Why don’t you lie down and get some rest?” He suggested.

The young man obliged, positioning himself against Bucky’s warm body. A content sigh released from between his parted lips as Bucky began to thread his fingers through his damp hair.

“You scare the life out of me, do you know that?”

“Why?” Steve questioned.

“You’re always getting yourself into some kind of trouble.”

“It seems so…” He murmured.

“It’s my job to keep you in line.”

Steve nodded slowly, a wave of exhaustion surging through his body. Bucky averted his attention to him, a glimmer of concern swimming within his eyes.

“You tired?”

The man nodded again, struggling to keep his eyes open.

“Go to sleep…”

“But I—”

“If you’re tired, you should sleep. It will help you feel better, buddy.”

“Alright…” Steve agreed, allowing his eyes to fully close. Within five minutes he was sound asleep,

breathing heavily.

***

Six hours later, Steve’s sleeping form began to stir. His eyelids fluttered open slowly, revealing fever glazed irises. While shifting his position, he caught a glimpse of his friend slumbering. Bucky kept his arm wrapped around Steve protectively, mumbling a stray sentence every now and then.

Steve was glad to have the opportunity to observe Bucky at rest. He was always keeping a firm grasp on him, never truly doing anything for himself. Everything Bucky did, it was always to benefit Steve.

This thought began to fade out of Steve’s mind as a feathery itch pricked at the back of his sinuses, slowly blossoming into a sneeze. Before he could react properly, the sneeze forced its way out, scraping his throat in the process. “Huh-ESSHH’uh!” Steve rubbed at his throat, feeling another sneeze building. He rubbed his nose, attempting to keep it at bay. But to no avail, he failed. “Huh-TSSHH’uh!”

“Bless you...” Bucky murmured, voice thick with sleep.

The young man glanced up at Bucky, guilt present in his features. “S-Sorry… Huh…” He apologized.

The brunette watched as Steve’s eyelids fluttered shut, his lips slowly parted as he inhaled a sharp breath before exhaling. “Lost it?”

“I can still f-feel it…” His breathing became uneven once again, the process repeating itself like clockwork.

“How do you want me to help?” Bucky questioned, gazing at Steve sympathetically.

“I-I don’t know…” He sniffled thickly, feeling the congestion shift in his sinuses.

Bucky reached his hand out, gently pinching the other man’s nose shut between his frigid fingers. After a moment, Bucky retracted his hand, sensing Steve beginning to squirm. He inhaled a sharp breath, twisting away with a harsh double. “Huh-PSSHHH! …Huh-TSSSHH!” His features remained taut in a torturous pre-sneeze expression, waiting for the itch to blossom.

“What do you—”

“Huh-ESSSHHH!”

“Christ, Stevie. Are you alright?”

Steve blushed deeply, embarrassed at the volume of the last sneeze.

“Hey… It’s alright. I’m not judging.” Bucky assured.

“Please, just… don’t mention this to anyone else…”

“Not one word.” He affirmed with a small smile, patting Steve’s shoulder.

[Pyrus_Fangmon]

(Jus gonna squeeze in here.)

This was so adorable! I giggled so much my brother woke up beside me

[beatlelover22]

Let me first say THANK YOU so much! My week has been terribly stressful and this was such a wonderful surprise! You caputred their friendship perfectly, I mean really. It was fantastic, the whole thing. I had like 80 favourite parts, but I tried to keep it down to a minimum of two haha! Seriously Sophie, thank you sooo much!

“Oh Stevie, you’re going to catch your death if you’re in the freezing rain for too long.”

“I’ll be fine, B-Buck…” Steve’s breath caught abruptly at the end of his sentence. He flinched away from the other man, fitting his nose into the crook of his arm. “Huh-ESSHH!”

“Bless—”

“Huh-PSSHH’uh!”

“—you…”

Awww Steve! Poor guy can't catch a break. He's always telling Bucky he's fine when he's not. I love how worried Bucky is though, it says so much about their relationship! And I mean, not to mention it's adorable as hell!

The young man glanced up at Bucky, guilt present in his features. “S-Sorry… Huh…” He apologized.

The brunette watched as Steve’s eyelids fluttered shut, his lips slowly parted as he inhaled a sharp breath before exhaling. “Lost it?”

“I can still f-feel it…” His breathing became uneven once again, the process repeating itself like clockwork.

“How do you want me to help?” Bucky questioned, gazing at Steve sympathetically.

“I-I don’t know…” He sniffled thickly, feeling the congestion shift in his sinuses.

Bucky reached his hand out, gently pinching the other man’s nose shut between his frigid fingers. After a moment, Bucky retracted his hand, sensing Steve beginning to squirm. He inhaled a sharp breath, twisting away with a harsh double. “Huh-PSSHHH! …Huh-TSSSHH!” His features remained taut in a torturous pre-sneeze expression, waiting for the itch to blossom.

This part nearly KILLED me oh my god. Bucky's such a great friend. I have too great an imagination haha, I can picture this entire scene perfectly!

Again, thanks so much for writing this; it was AWESOME. I'll probably be re-reading this again sometime today haha! Thank youuuu

[sapphiremint]

LOVED THIS. Bucky helping Steve coax it out was the best!