They were poor, dirt poor. They managed to get by, sometimes with only half a plateful of food a day, or with extra long hours at the docks and hands cramping from drawing signs and posters all day. Sometimes so sick that he couldn't even move off the couch where he slept ever since his mom died. He probably wouldn't be able to get by on his own. He needed Bucky, and thank god he had Bucky. Bucky who worked long hours just so they could make rent, Bukcy who always shared his food with Steve, Bucky who kissed Steve's aching hand even if his own muscles were screaming with exhaustion, Bucky who took care of him when he was so sick he couldn't get up. He had Bucky right here, within arms reach and he loved it, appreciated it so much. Except for now.
"Steve, I can hear you shivering from my room."
"I'm not even that cold, Bucky, just go back to bed." Steve's cheeks and the bridge of his nose was flushed with the cold, and he could barely hide his shaking. He still turned his back to Bucky hiding his cold nose in between the back and seat cushion of the couch.
"You're gonna get sick."
"I'm already sick," he's had a runny nose and a bad cough for a week and a half already but by now, that was normal sickness. It still sucked but he wasn't going to complain.
"You're gonna get more sick," Bucky's voice was tight, and it made Steve's stomach churn with guilt.
"Bucky, please, just go back to bed before you get sick, too."
"Not while you're out here shivering with one blanket."
Steve pulled the one blanket over his head to ignore Bucky, at least that didn't make his socked feet stick out the bottom. He was small enough to fit fully under the blanket.
"It's been colder, I'll be fine."
"Steve," he stressed, probably running his hand though his hair.
He really wanted to ask Bucky what the big deal was all of the sudden but he thinks he already knew. Bucky had this fear of him not making it through the night when it's cold like this. Steve had insisted time and time again that he would be fine. With Bucky standing right there, worrying like crazy over something so small, made Steve squirmy with guilt. He knew Bucky only did it cause he cared, he cared a lot.
"What do you want me to do about it, I can't make it warmer in here." His voice was quiet but still defensive.
"Maybe take the fucking blanket when I offer it."
"It's your blanket." He said, rolling over and sitting up to face Bucky.
"That I'm offering you."
"I don't want it." He would have crossed his arms but he probably would have looked like a little kid pouting.
"You're gonna freeze to death," Bucky was really close to his face, and he grabbed the small thin blanket covering Steve and shook it in his face as if that would make him realize how ridiculous he was acting.
"There's nothing I can do about that. And no, I'm not taking your blanket, I dont want you to be cold."
"You are something else," Bucky shook his head, cheeks red with frustration. He grabbed Steve's shoulders hard and pulled him to his feet, the only thing keeping him from stumbling over was Bucky's firm grip on his shoudlers. "C'mon," Bucky said, tugging Steve's wrist when he refused to follow.
"Where are we going?" It wasn't really fear in his voice, he wasn't afraid of Bucky, knew the older wouldn't hurt him. There was definitely some kind of caution and hesitance in his voice.
"To bed." Bucky said, irritation still there.
"Wha - no, no, that's your bed, Bucky." He tugged his small wrist free of Bukcy's grip. "I feel bad, Buck, I'm already living here for basically nothing and you work your ass off to -"
Bucky had his wrist again and was pulling Steve into his chest, the small boy's hands braced on his chest now. He thought Steve was going to shove him away but he stay close, not looking at Bucky or moving. Bucky was warm.
"Stevie, you're freezing." Bucky sounded like a concered mom, it would have been funny if Steve didn't feel so guilty about it.
He kept one arm around the small of Steve's back to keep him close as he gently pulled them in the direction of the only bedroom in the house. They were going to shove two mattress in the room and just share it but they could only afford one. Steve had insisted that Bucky take the mattress and he can sleep on the couch. Bucky works all day and the couch would only make him more sore. ("Buck, come on, the worst I could get is a stiff neck from looking down too long.")
"Bucky, Bucky," he squirmed away, ruining their soft moment, "you - you - I can't sleep in your bed."
"Why not?"
"It's your bed."
"You let me sit on your couch." Bucky countered with a smile.
Steve laughed despite his irritation and guilt."That's our couch, hell, you probably paid for it. It's your couch."
"My couch?" He asked, Steve nodded, "So if I told you to stay off my couch and sleep on the floor instead, what would you do?"
Steve looked at Bucky with a small frown, hurt in his eyes, then he looked at the floor. "Then I'd sleep on the floor."
Bucky sighed, real sad. He grabbed both of Steve's wrists, pulled him close again, then joined them in one hand. Steve was more offended than suprised that Bucky could hold both his wrists in one hand. He easily moved Steve around so he could get one arm under his legs to haul him up into a bridal style hold.
"Put me down," he insisted, kicking his legs and trying to roll himself out of Bucky's hold. "I'm not a little kid, you can't carry me like one, put me down," he squirmed more, voice rising in pitch.
Bucky laughed even as his hold on Steve failed and sent the smaller boy tumbling to the ground. "You're throwing a tantrum like one."
Steve grumbled something about how Bucky was being an ass and stood up.
This time, Bucky just crouched so his shoudler was level with Steve's boney hips and wrapped both arms around Steve's waist in what would have been the most awkward hug if he didn't pick Steve up and swing him right over his shoulder. Steve's hips were placed over Bucky's shoudler, one of Bucky's arms placed over the back of his legs to keep him from falling. He braced one of his hands on the small of Bucky's back and the other one wrapped around his leg.
"Bucky," he panicked now, "put me down." Looking at the ground from this angle was disorientating, it was kind of hard to tell how far he would fall before his face hit the floor.
"Go 'head, kick and squirm all you want now," Bucky said, holding his legs tighter in case he actually did.
"I hate you," Steve's voice held as much venom and threat as a five foot four eighteen year old, that looks about seven could when he was talking to his six foot friend while he was throw effortlessly over said friend's shoulder. "You better put me down."
"I'll put you down in bed." He told Steve as he started walking towards the bedroom.
He thought of pounding his fists on Bucky's back until he was put down or dropped. He didn't think Bucky would put him down unless it was in the bed, just like he said.
"I hate you," he said again, hitting Bucky's back halfheartedly with each word, his voice was tired this time.
Bucky's bed was not too small but definitely not big. It was just a twin bed they had bought for cheap when the upstairs neighbor moved out. If Bucky was laying on his back, there would be room on one side of him for half of Steve.
"Buck, I can't sleep in your -" Steve yelped - yelped - when Bucky flipped him over his shoulder and dropped him onto the bed.
"Shut up and get under the covers."
"Where are gonna sleep if I'm -"
"For someone who is so good at school," Bucky started, sitting down on the bed, next to an extremely confused Steve. "You're pretty dumb sometimes." Bucky was kicking the covers back so he could slide under them and pull Steve close.
Steve squeaked out a small oh and tensed up when he was pulled half way on top of Bucky. Bucky just chuckled softly, cuddling closer to Steve, his nose was pressed cold into Steve's neck.
"Warmer?" Bucky's warm hands slipped into his shirt, rubbing and trying to warm up the cold skin on his back.
"Yeah." Steve said as he relax into Bucky.
"You know, we're only laying together for body heat, yeah?" Bucky said softly as he kissed up and down Steve's neck a few times.
"Oh, of course, was that to help with body heat too?" Bucky was still kissing his neck and rubbing his back, pulling him closer.
"Yep."