Bucky had told Nat she would catch her death living in an ice box of a house. For fucks sake bitch you have a thermostat and central heating!! But did Natasha listen? No.. no she did not. So here we are Steve is watching Alpine for the foreseeable future. While he plays live in nurse.. but first things first her heart is racing. Old wives trick? Hot to warm soup and drink raising the body temp right up. Nat had the right idea with the bath but what happened when you’ve depleted the heater? Plus getting sick from being water logged is a thing.
The first thing he did when he got in the house was turn the damn thermostat up. When he got to her room he about throttled her. Feeling her pulse point “jesus fuck Nat your heart is racing.” He’d set down his supplies on her kitchen table.. she’s lucky he’s an excellent driver. Because it’s a damn blizzard outside “I know you’re stubborn and stuck in your ways. But you’re lucky you haven’t died!!” Is it an exaggeration? Most likely but he reserves the right to be salty. He started her K-cup machine up put some honey in a cup and put it under the spout. He went back to her room with it “wait five minutes then drink it slowly. Honey has antioxidants perfect for a racing heart and a sore throat.” He explained having held it with his prosthetic arm that a genius friend made for him. After he lost his organic one in a car wreck they’d had to amputate. She took it shivering some as she did.
Honey as he learned from his ma is akin to a cure all. Pain relief? Honey water. Constipated? Honey water. Sore throat? Honey water. Racing heart? Honey water. It’s something you keep in the pantry at all times. Upset stomach? Honey water. The end of the list does not exist in Bucky’s opinion. As a kitchen witch he prides himself on his holistic alternatives to some over the counter things. Especially after Buck had developed sensitivities to some otc meds. Heating treatments, natural antioxidants and rest and fluids make the dream work. He also as a good friend got personal on her and asked if she’s been leaving her BC in too long. Or using it incorrectly even though he’d heard TSS is rare it still scares Buck shitless. Becca regretted telling him about it when she was eighteen.
“I know you don’t like me getting that personal with you Nat but I need to check off all the boxes.” She’d only nodded which is a sign that she must really be miserable. When he felt her pulse point again and took her temperature Buck decided more.. proactive measures were needed. Aka the hot water bottle method two on each side. Insulated for both heat capturing and safety “do you feel nauseous at all? I know why your core temp is low. But it’ll help make diagnosing easier.” It also helps that back in New York City he was a resident for years. So he knows of what he speaks Health Care burn out is a bitch. Especially when he’d worked his ass off to get to that point. Buck was already planning out when it would be time to load her into the car and get to an ER. A baseline and nothing more right now depending on how much she’d accidentally lowered her core temp by. It can still be reversible Buck diligently went through the list. Even texting an old colleague Wilson to double check some things including his baseline criteria for when it’s beyond his capabilities.
‘I don’t know man just keep doing what you’re doing. How long was she in this kind of temps anyway?’ Buck sat on her sofa texting his friend and colleague while Nat laid in her room. With the door open so he could periodically check on her. Bucky texted back ‘dunno she claims it doesn’t happen often. But she was shivering almost uncontrollably when I first got here. Best guess all night just about for several nights.’ Was he reaching on that? Oh yeah, but he also knows her better than she knows herself most times. She doesn’t even remember her social security unless Buck tells her. Though in her defense that’s all trauma related bad home life. A subject he didn’t want to bring up at all costs.
By four am she was looking much better he’d jokingly told her that was canceling his funeral plans for her. To which she smiled “sorry I worried you Buck you didn’t deserve the stress of dealing with my self inflicted cold.” Bucky waved her off “I would rather you had called than doing nothing. It’s no trouble Nat I’ll always do my best to look out for you. Besides I need to get some use out of this medical degree somehow.” While not out of the woods yet she could easily be self treated now. And Bucky has some new stuff to add to his Grimoire.