Sickfics- Multi-fandom

More than just a chill Pt 2- Bucky Barnes (Marvel)

Y/N woke to a slight vibration. She opened her eyes to see Bucky's phone buzzing on his bedside.

Oh. My. God. she thought. She was in Bucky's room.

The previous night's mission and concerns came crawling back to her. The rain, the chills and the rescuing. She had come in here to check on Bucky and stayed when she determined he needed to be kept warm. 

She reached out and turned off Bucky's alarm. She looked behind her to see the man in question still buried under the blankets. His face damp with sweat. She sighed. She knew he was going to be sick from all that rain.

As an adult they tell you it's a myth - you don't actually get sick going outside in the cold with wet hair. But going outside in a storm and getting so soaked your body and lungs hurt - that will put an end to a long standing streak of not getting sick. Buck was not going to be happy he lost his streak.

She quietly slid out of Bucky's bed. She was highly surprised the trained assassin did not stir except to cough. She pulled the curtains closed so that Bucky might sleep a little longer. She doubted it would really help, but she suspected his body had taken a hit and he would fail to admit it.

She quietly padded out of his room and closed the door quietly behind her. "Morning, kiddo." Tony said as he walked past her, yawning. She jumped at his presence, but he was still half asleep. So asleep that he did not seem to notice she was not exiting her own room.

"Morning." she said. She followed him out into the kitchen. "You want something to eat? I can make....cereal." Tony said looking around.

Y/N shook her head. "Don't take this the wrong way, Tony, but you are basically useless in the morning without coffee." She quickly started the coffee maker. Tony shrugged. "Rude but true."

Y/N started to work her way around the kitchen. She scrambled enough eggs for all the Avengers and even started making some toast.

She was now trying to figure out how she was going to check on Bucky and get him to eat some toast and take some medicine.

Most of the team had come down and silently started to eat. Who could get through to Bucky? Y/N bit her lip.

Buck would try to push through for Steve. No way in hell would he take orders from Tony or Bruce. He just marriage-bickered with Sam. Natasha and Clint were scary to her, but that had more to do with her lack of authority figures until she met them.

"Where's Bucky?" Steve asked, breaking Y/N from her thoughts. "Well..." she started. Suddenly all eyes turned to look at her.

She took a breath. "I don't think he was feeling too hot after last night's mission."

Everyone shrugged or looked back to their meals. They seemed to buy it. She didn't know why but she did not want any of them to know she spent the night in his bed, even if it was just as a concerned friend.

It's not like any of them really cared, except Steve. "I'll go check on him." Cap said.   

"Wait, I'll come with you." Y/N grabbed a small plate and some toast. Cap gave her a strange look. "He might be hungry?" she shrugged.

Steve knocked on Bucky's door but there was no answer. He gently pushed the door open to find Bucky still in bed, just as Y/N suspected.

Steve walked over to the bed and laid a hand to his forehead. "Oh man. He's burning up." Y/N walked over to the ensuite bathroom. "I'll get some medicine." As she looked through the cabinets she found nothing except for Advil.

"Do you think he can take regular medicine or should I ask Bruce for your special metabolism stuff?" Y/N asked. She brought the ibuprofen back into the room but immediately dropped it at the sight before her.

Bucky's eyes were wide open but he was not awake. Sitting straight up in bed, his metal hand was wrapped around Steve's neck and basically cutting off his oxygen supply. He was lifting. Steve up just inches above the ground.

"No, no, no. Bucky, it's us. It's Y/N and that's Steve. Steve Rogers- your best friend." Y/N inched closer and tried to rest a calming palm on his forehead despite her shaking hands.

"You are James Bucky Barnes. You were born in Brooklyn. You are not the winter soldier. You are not in danger. You are sick and we want to help you." Despite Y/N's quaking voice, Bucky seemed to recognize it as one he could trust. He let go of Steve and dropped him to the ground.  

Steve lay on the ground for a minute, trying to catch his breath. He wheezed and coughed trying to get air back into his lungs "Are you okay?" Y/N said instantly by his side. Steve nodded. "How is he?" Y/N rolled her eyes. Typical Steve.

Bucky was still sitting up in bed and looking slightly glossed over. "Bucky, it's me. Y/N. Do you know where you are? Do you know who I am?"

Bucky jerked his head towards her. "Little Lark?" Y/N nodded. "Yeah." She soothingly ran a hand over his arms. His breathing slowed and he was becoming more himself.

"JARVIS I need Bruce and some fever reducers that work on super soldier metabolisms."

"Yes, Agent." JARVIS responded.

Despite her fear, Y/N gently inched her way back into Bucky's bed. Almost immediately he leaned into her and relaxed at her touch.

"I'm in New York. It's 2016." Bucky said sleepily. He closed his eyes and leaned into Y/N's body.

Steve looked at the two in pure surprise. "I..uh..I don't know how much was winter soldier and how much is delirium." Y/N said.

Cap nodded seemingly distracted. "I haven't see him let anyone touch him except for me since I got him back." Y/N shrugs. "I think he just needed someone." Steve raised a brow. "I think he needed you."

Before Y/N could respond, Bruce burst in with the medicine. He successfully got Bucky to take it and hooked Bucky up to an IV.

Bruce looked over to Steve. "What the hell happened to you?" Bruce immediately wanted to look at Steve's neck which was already starting to bruise.

"Oh it's...I don't want to..." Steve stuttered. Y/N smiled. "Go let Bruce check you out. I'll stay with Buck." Steve raised a quizzical brow again. "I'm fine. He's asleep. He's going to stay asleep."

Steve nodded and left the room with Bruce.

Y/N tried to stay as still as possible with the big lug of a man sprawled across her lap. She could not believe he responded so quickly to her voice. She wasn't usually good at that.

"Y/N?" she looked down at his groggy voice. "Hey bud. Just sleep for now."

He tried to sit up. "No, no. I'm okay." Y/N gave a gently push on his chest to lay him back down. "I'm sure you are. Lie down with me anyways." Her quiet request was enough convince Bucky to lay down and relax.

His temperature was already coming down, but Y/N was still worried about him. "You'll get wrinkles if you stare like that." Bucky mumbles.

"Your eyes are closed. You have no idea what my face is doing." Y/N smiled. 

Bucky gave a hearty cough. "Damn rain."

"Stop talking and sleep." Y/N demanded.

"Stop worrying and come here." Bucky requested.

Without hesitation Y/N moved out from under Bucky and instead lay her head on his chest, just like the previous night. "As you wish." Bucky's hand wrapped around her, sucking in all her warmth.

Y/N couldn't believe they had barely made conversation until 48 hours ago. Besides the fact that Bucky was so sick, she knew something was just right about this.

"What am I going to with you?" she mumbled to a Bucky. "You tell me."

And for the second time, the pair fell fast asleep in Bucky's bed.