“Bucky?” Steve called into the dark room.
“Mmm” is all he heard from the bed.
“You alright it’s noon!?” Steve asked concerned. Normally Bucky was up early like he was, at least lately seeing as how they were preparing for an event, but
there was no answer from Bucky.
Steve switched on the light and saw Bucky laying on his stomach in the bed. He was moving his legs ever so slightly.
“Buck, why are you still In bed this late, we have so much to do!” Steve said as he entered the room slowly.
He was just about to open the window coverings when suddenly Bucky pushed himself off his stomach and threw up everywhere in front of him.
“Oh Jesus!” Steve said as he went over to help him and he realized he’d need something to catch the vomit if there was more. He quickly turned around searching frantically when Bucky heaved again and spilled another torrential amount beneath himself. He spit and quickly took a breath before coughing and gaged again spilling even more. By that point Steve gave up and just went over to help support him.
“You’re sick…” Steve said gently.
“You didn’t sneak out drinking last night did you?” He asked half joking half serious. Bucky had done that before.
Bucky just shook his head as he gaged again. Nothing came up.
“You sh’d go.” He spluttered. “If you ca..(gag) catch this….” And he trailed off to retch painfully.
“Don’t be stupid Buck..you know I’m not going anywhere.” Steve retorted.
Bucky took some deep breaths and side glanced at Steve.
“You look like crap!” Steve said as he noticed sweat and tears streak Buckys cheeks.
Bucky shook his head and stared back at his mess. “I swear if you catch this and it kills you, I’m gonna kill you!” He joked, it was literally all he had at the moment.
“If I catch this Bucky you can take care of me, like you always do. Now it’s my turn to take care of you ok?”
Bucky just nodded. “Could I have some water please?” He gave in and asked so softly Steves heart melted a bit.
“Yes of course.” Steve said and fetched some water. Bucky rinsed and spit it out. “Let’s get you to the washroom, its soaking into you a bit there.” And Steve rested a hand to Buckys back.
With that Bucky started to shift to the edge of the bed. The position was awkward so Steve couldn’t really help him as much as he’d like to but he did his best. The vomit pooled around him as he moved soaking into his boxers and getting all over him.
“Hop in tub ok, and we’ll rinse you off.” Steve said as he helped him sit on the edge of the bed then stand. He could feel right away that Bucky was very unsteady.
“I feel really weak Steve.” Bucky said, not used to being ill.
“Yeah I know, it’s not a very nice feeling. But I gotcha, I’ll steady you.” And Steve felt proud saying it. He always wished he could return the favour to Bucky somehow for always helping him when he was sick. Always going out of his way, cancelling plans just so he could make sure his best friend wasn’t alone. Now it was Steves turn, though he wished he could repay him in a way that didn’t involve his best friend feeling miserable.
When they reached the washroom Bucky was looking quite Green. Steve contemplated just taking him to the toilet but he was well and covered In sick so he thought why not just let him handle this in the tub. So that’s what he did, he redirected to the tub.
He half expected Bucky to say something when he brought a fist to hover in front of his mouth. Perhaps he understood Steves plans.
Steve helped Bucky into the tub and he just went right to his hands and knees heaving. Steve could see Buckys abs and lats flexing as he urged and he only wished he had muscles like that. He almost got lost in it, and he couldn’t help but look next to Buckys arms as they flexed, slightly bent at the elbows as another gag pulled him down deeper. Then to his back. Every muscle tensed and rigid, letting up only to tense up again as another heave tore through him. It was almost like it was in slow motion. He wished so bad he had a body like that. Hell he’d even take puking just so his muscles could do that, so he could feel his muscles do that.
All he heard next was a cough and Bucky spitting the bile that strung from his lips. A stream of sick was slowly snaking it’s way to the drain. Bucky groaned and Steve snapped back into action. “You ok? Feel better?” And he placed his hand on Buckys back again. Was it to feel the muscles there as Bucky caught his breath? Maybe?! He saw them, now he was curious to feel them. His longing to have muscles like that of his own was overwhelming.
Steve reached to turn on the tubs tap, then rinsed away the sick. “You ok? Feeling a bit better?” He asked.
Bucky sat back on his knees, nodded and started using the water to rinse the sick from his body, Over his abs and legs. “I’m so tired Steve.” He said almost hoarsely. In fact it seemed like he was close to crying, although he was just completely drained.
“I know Buck, we’ll clean you up then you can go back to bed. I’ll put the garbage bin there too for you just in case.” He said softly.
Bucky just tentatively looked to Steve and nodded. “Thankyou for helping me.”
“I’m always here for you Bucky, you know that.” Steve said with a genuine smile.
Bucky tried to give him one back but it was more like a grimace. Steve took that as a sign to hurry it along so he grabbed the soap and started helping him clean up.
Getting out of the tub was risky. Bucky was so weak that even the slightest slip he wouldn’t be able to recover from, and if he went down there was no way Steve could catch him. “Easy does it.” Steve said as Bucky lifted his leg out of the tub. At this point Bucky was naked but they’d seen each other this way many times so it didn’t faze them one bit.
Steve wrapped a towel around Buckys waste and led him to the sink to brush his teeth.
Upon entering the bedroom, Steve motioned to the drawer. “Boxers?” He asked.
Bucky just shook his head and went to the chair in the corner and sat down curling in on himself. The bed was still soiled.
Steve quickly removed the sheets and cleaned the mattress which was now a hefty wet spot. He then got Bucky and led him to the opposite side of the bed. Steve laid towels over the wet spot just in case Bucky rolled into it while he slept. He’d offered the couch and even his own bed, but Bucky declined them both. He removed the towel amd crawled in.
After placing the garbage bin on the floor next to the bed, Steve sat on the edge wondering what else he could do. “Can I get you anything at all?” He asked.
“Water..please.” Bucky weakly responded, and Steve was up in a flash hustling to get water for his sick friend. When he got back he laid it on the night stand. “If you need to get sick use the bin ok?”
Bucky just nodded into the pillow and fell fast asleep.
Steve ended up sleeping on the bed next to him. He hoped the wet spot wouldn’t soak through the towels and make his clothes damp. Luckily it didn’t as he certainly wouldn’t be able to sleep if he was feeling Damp. Not that it mattered though, Bucky was up numerous times to get sick in the middle of the night. One of those times was a rush to the toilet so he could empty out the other end. That was a close call, and by the time morning came, Steve was like a zombie. Exhausted. He secretly hoped Bucky would sleep most the day if his stomach or bowels would allow him.
——————
Steve jerked awake. He didn’t know what woke him….untill he heard it. Bucky was getting sick. He looked around himself so he could help but Bucky wasn’t there.
He heard another retch and realized it was coming from the bathroom. He quickly got up and rushed to the washroom, almost falling over In the process due to a wave of dizziness. He’d gotten up way too fast.
When he reached the door he saw Bucky in a heap on the floor haphazardly hanging on to the toilet bowl as sick poured from his mouth.
“Omg Bucky..” Steve said and went over to him. He grabbed a towel off the edge of the tub and wrapped it around Buckys naked body. He could feel then that Bucky was shaking.
“Bucky I’m so sorry I must have fell asleep.”
Bucky shook his head “no….don’feel…bad…m’ok..jsst’got’ere.” He said hardly done getting sick.
Steve was glad Bucky hadn’t been suffering there alone for long, but he still wished he could have helped him.
He sat next to his best friend on the floor for the rest of the afternoon. Bucky shifted from laying in front of the toilet to kneeling in front of it many times until he was eventually feeling safe enough to go back to bed.
Steve brought him some soup as he hadn’t eaten in a while, and was surprised when he actually ate all of it up. It didn’t stay down for long but he would still get at least some nutrients from it.
They even played a board game, stratego. It was a game of strategy. Pawns were stood up facing away from the opposing player. You would blindly challenge one of these pawns not knowing if it was a night or a bomb. If the number on the pawn was lower than the number on your own pawn you won and could advance forward. If you hit a bomb you would not advance and your pawn would be removed. Your goal was to get to the king and capture him. Steve won most the time.
By day three Bucky was able to keep food down. He still felt weak though, and if it wasn’t for Steve these few days would have been a nightmare.
A lot of the planning they still needed to do they could tackle together now even though Bucky was still in bed, which was a great thing cuz this event was only a couple days away. Miraculously Steve never caught the bug!
The end.