Chapter 5
1:00 am
A few months into their Sophomore year of university Bucky and Steve laughed as they walked slowly behind their friends down the dark street.
They had all been at a house party a few blocks from the campus and had been partying all night. Bucky and Steve kept bursting out laughing as they watched Tony stumble around shit faced.
"He's definitely going to end up in someone else's bed tonight!" Steve said between breathes.
Before he knew it Bucky grabbed him throwing him over his shoulder.
"Hey! Put me down!" Steve laughed.
"Only if you can get down!" Bucky hollered and be continued to walk towards the campus.
Steve playfully slapped and pulled at Buckys hair before giving up and going limp over Buckys shoulder, "I give up,"
"Oh! Cmon Stevie what's that line you always say? 'I can do this all day'?" Bucky teased getting a chuckle back from Steve.
They reached the dorm rooms and Bucky finally put down Steve.
"Ahhh, it's so warm in here," Steve said sitting down in the bed, "It's a little too cold outside,"
"Yeah, it's definitely getting colder out. We shouldn't be out like we were or we're going to catch a cold," Bucky rubbed his arms trying to get warmer.
"Good night Stevie. Get up in your nice and warm bed, I'll see you tomorrow," Bucky kissed the top of Steve's head.
"But it's already tomorrow," Steve laughed as he kicked off his shoes.
Bucky glanced at the clock seeing the time and laughed once more, "Well, see ya when the sun comes up,"
—
Bucky sat in Steve's room waiting for him to come back from his lecture, but it was taking a little longer than usual.
Within the next few minutes Steve stormed into the room, slamming the door shut.
Bucky glanced up to see a disheveled Steve. His button up shirt rumpled, hair a mess, and his cheek was starting to bruise.
"Steve?" Bucky sat up quickly.
Steve's face was panting, his face reddening, he was having a hard time breathing, "I-I'm fine B-Buck,"
Steve grabbed his chest and leaned against the wall sliding down. Bucky ran over quickly putting a hand in his lovers shoulder.
"It's okay, just breathe. Take your time," Bucky calmly said rubbing the blondes shoulder.
Steve's breathing slowly returned to normal. He rested his head onto Buckys shoulder and sighed, "What would I do without you?"
They sat quietly for a while before Bucky started, "I thought I told you to stay outta fights?"
"You know I don't like bully's. And I don't care if I get beat up, someone needs to stand up," Steve argued.
"It's dangerous Steve! You can get seriously hurt, I know your medical history, your body won't be able to take it," Bucky says and Steve lifts his head.
"I'm not fragile Buck! It's not like I'm going to die!" Steve clenched his jaw.
Bucky stood shaking his head, "I've gotta go, I'll see you tomorrow Steve," he said leaving and closing the door on his way out.
Steve huffed an annoyed sigh before getting up. If he wasn't so tired he would have pummeled Bucky. He washed his face and started to clean the dorm. Neither of his roommates were in at the moment.
He then headed out to the corner store for some food. The cold DC air clung to his body as he walked down the road. The weather had definitely gotten drastically colder in the past 48 hours. His nose was running and his fingers freezing. He knew Bucky would kill him if he caught him out in the cold.
His chest ached as he coughed as he re entered his dorm. It felt like his lungs were full of water and it burned.
A heavy felling rested in his head and behind his eyes. He knew this feeling all too well, he was starting to get sick.
With a long list of ailments on his medical record, Steve spent many days of his childhood cooped up in his little home with his mother treating him. His immune system was weak, but Steve believed it was growing stronger as he hadn't gotten sick since before he applied for university.
Steve crawled into bed hoping it would be a small cold and all he need was rest.
-
The next morning Bucky came into Steve's dorm nervously.
"Stevie? I'm sorry about yesterday, I-I didn't mean what I said, you're not fragile," Bucky sat on the right side of Steve's bed. Steve laid on his side (back facing Bucky).
"Stevie?" Bucky leaned over feeling Steve's warm arms then went to run his fingers through Steve's blonde hair. But he realized how warm Steve felt.
"You feel real warm pal," Bucky said with concern starting to creep out.
Then Steve started to cough his chest spasmed and a wet cough racked his small frame.Bucky helped him sit up rubbing his back as he continued to cough.
"Lay back down," Bucky insisted.
The brunette quickly went to the bathroom and came back with a damp cloth that was wrung out and placed it on Steve's forehead.
"I think you have a fever," Bucky declared and Steve closed his eyes with a grimace.
Bucky stood taking the empty glass from Steve's night stand. He walked to the kitchen filling the glass up with water from the facet.
He placed it back down onto the nightstand. And sat back down placing a hand on one of Steve's knobby knees that poked out of the sheets.
"Will you be alright? I have to go the base over in Virginia, but I'll be back before you know it," Bucky told Steve watching him sleepily nod 'yes'.
Before he left Bucky scavenged around for some meds and placed them on Steve's side table.
-
By the time Bucky returned, the sun was setting and he was bringing a bag of food up hoping Steve had an appetite.
Opening the dorm door he peaked in seeing Bruce sitting in his room with the door open. Tony was no where to be seen.
Going into Steve's part of the dorm he saw the thin blonde sleeping. He looked so small but peaceful while at sleep.
Bucky sat in the end of the bed to pull off his boots, he exhaled as his feet ached from standing and doing drills with new recruits at the army base.
"Steve?" Bucky gently called as he walked to the side of Steve's bed.
Steve slowly opened his eyes to a squint. And Bucky crawled in bed with him, "How are you feeling?"
Steve started to speak but his throat croaked and a harsh cough went through him.
"Are you hungry?" Bucky asked and watched his partner give and weak thumbs down.
"It's okay, just go back to bed," Bucky soothed.
Steve closed his eyes but then whispered hoarsely, "Stay with me..."
"Of course," Bucky crawled into bed spooning Steve's smaller frame.
He was warm, but shivering. His body ached and had pains everywhere but Buckys touch made him feel like everything was going to be okay.
The next morning Bucky awoke groggily and half asleep and went to the bathroom before coming back to crawl up with Steve.
When he returned he almost froze in the place he was standing. Steve was pale as parchment and his lips started to look blue. His breathing was short and ruff.
Bucky quickly went to his side placing a hand to his head and cursed when he pulled away seeing Steve's fever had likely spiked overnight.
"Steve, you gotta get up pal. You need to drink or eat something." Bucky gently touched Steve hoping he would awake.
Steve laid in eery silence his breathing labored and face slack with emotion. Bucky started to shake Steve harder trying to get him to wake up.
"Goddamn it! Steven Grant Rogers! Open your eyes now! It's not funny!" Buckys heart pounded in his ears.
Bucky slipped his boots on then picked up Steve wrapping him in the blanket at the foot of his bed.
Quickly walking out of Steve's bedroom he frantically called to Bruce, "Where's the nearest hospital?"
Bruce came out adjusting his glasses, "What's wrong with Steve?"
"Just tell me where the goddamn hospital is Banner!" Bucky growled.
"It's just down the block! Just past the campus grounds," Bruce says quickly.
Bucky quickly walked out the door and down the hall increasing his stride trying to quicken his pace.
"Hold in there Stevie," Bucky whispered.
Bucky arrived to the hospital with Steve shivering in his arms and stomped up to the reception, "I need help! He's really sick,"
"Take a seat we will have someone come out soon," the old lady said without looking up.
Bucky sat onto one of the cushioned waiting chairs placing Steve onto the one next to him.
His leg began to bounce nervously as he kept glancing at the door that led further into the hospital.
Nearly 20 minutes went by and Steve's breathing began to grow more hoarse and his lips purple.
Bucky clenched his fists irritably and stood up as he was fed up with waiting, "I need a doctor now! My friend is dying! I'm not going to wait any longer!"
In a few short minutes a doctor and some nurses came out with a stretcher to take Steve away.
-
About an hour later the same doctor who took Steve away came out to the waiting room.
"Mr Barnes?" He asked.
Bucky stood up twisting his fingers nervously, "Yes?"
"Mr Rogers is stable and looks like he will make a full recovery. Thank goodness you got him here in time," the doctor explained.
Bucky released a relieved sigh.
"You may visit him now, but he still is asleep." The doctor led Bucky to the room where Steve lay in the sterile white bed with an IV in his forearm.
Bucky sat onto the chair next to Steve's bed huffing out a long sigh, "You really scared me there," he said quietly.
Steve's lips had returned to normal and his face calm with whatever medication they put him on.
Bucky fell into a soft slumber in the arm chair for a few hours before he was awoken by a hoarse voice.
"Buck,"
Buckys eyes flew open to see Steves eyes slightly open and his head resting on the pillow but turned towards him.
"Hey pal," Bucky rubbed his own eyes.
"You really scared me there," Bucky said with a strict tone, "I thought you were going to die,"
Steve rolled his eyes, "It's not going to be that easy to get rid of me,"
Buckys strict attitude faded away as he started to laugh. Steve joined in but had to stop a few times to cough.
"I love you Steven Grant Rogers,"
"I love you too. James Buchanan Barnes,"