Trauma Team • Bucky Barnes

Coffee IV

You've finally found a bit of time to start your charting in peace when a hand clasps your eyewear and covers your view of the world. Without hesitation, you put your hand up to pull your goggles off and remove the alien hand from your head. It doesn't take a genius to figure out who made his way back to your unit.

"There was a time where that would scare you."

"There was also a time when you didn't know you'd get it for not bringing me a coffee at the ass-crack of the morning-" You hold out your open hand in waiting.

Sam clucks his tongue and puts a small cup in your grasp. "Doppio con Panna. Buck suggested you could change up your order from just straight-up drip coffee."

"Oh hell yes." You immediately put the drink to your lips, feeling the bitter notes meet the whipped cream concoction created a caramel blend.

"You deserve it, you healthcare hero."

"Sam, I think I'd rather have you call me a slur... Healthcare hero." Sam laughs hard.

You pull out your phone to Venmo Sam back for the coffee, but Sam gestures to Buck, who was standing next to the Daisy Awards Nomination box, staring at the cheesy decorations.

"Buck paid."

"Oh, what's his username then?"

"He has a flip phone."

"Huh?" You ask, not understanding the implication at first. "Oh god, I don't carry cash on me-"

"I'm pretty sure it's a gift. Does he seem concerned about getting paid back to you?"

Buck was now attempting in vain to stabilize the tiny smiling solar dancing daisy ornament.

"Not right now. I just don't want to be in debt, you know?"

"What kind of- You owe me 20 dollars right now in coffee money."

"The EMS break room has free snacks and coffee. I don't owe you anything."

"I'm your personal barista, deliveryman, and traitor to all the EMS personnel in this hospital. You're still expected to pay for my services. And tip...

"I'll start tipping you when you start putting IVs anywhere else except the AC on my patients."

"You see that. That was out of line."

"But I was RIGHT."

"It's the easiest place!"

"Just do a hand for once, Samuel." You reach for your personal station, pull out an IV kit, and place it on the nurse's station countertop.

"I did ICU nursing for 5 years. With you. People call us from all over the hospital when they can't land an IV"

"I'm not joking. Just try it."

"You know what? This is where I'm drawing the boundary in our friendship. I'm not starting an IV on you. I don't care if you want me to do it as a stupid joke or have a medical emergency in this hallway. I'm not doing it."

"Then you can act as my living will and make sure John doesn't get to be on my case if I do drop dead in the hallway. Only Steve can."

John and Steve look towards the two of you from the physicians' office, figuring out if they heard you say their names.

Steve was Nat's chief resident and was a great doctor who had a bright future in critical care in front of him. He was also every nurse's favourite because he took the time to explain electrolyte replacement protocols to the new residents and presented in almost every policy committee meeting.

"Deal. Any other requirements for your impromptu advanced directive here?"

You giggle to yourself, thinking about the power you could wield with ridiculous requests as you move your mask out of the way to take another sip of your coffee.

Buck apparently got fed up with the small plastic daisy because he began to walk towards you and Sam again. Sam decided to interject at this moment before Buck was within earshot, "Maybe you want Buck to lead the transfer to get treated by another hospital entirely? Especially if there's CPR involved?"

You start to choke at the image.

"Samuel-" You sputter out between laboured breaths.

Buck looks at you and back at Sam. "What did you say to her?"

"Nothing. She just started dying all by herself."

That was a load of BS, but it was easier to go with it than explain to Buck that you had a work-crush on him and Sam had picked up on it.

"Are you okay?" Buck asks with genuine concern as you finally get a handle on your breathing.

You may have aspirated some of your coffee, but you weren't above asking Natasha during their morning rounds whether you could still metabolize the caffeine or not.

"I'm fine." Buck's eyes reset from a moment of worry back to his usual unperturbed demeanour. "How do you want me to pay you back for the coffee?"

"Don't worry about it. You deserve it after today."

Bucky goes to the door to leave, while Sam mimes saying, "I told you so," followed by you shooing him off the unit.

There went 15 minutes of valuable charting time you'll never get back, but at least you got some lovely coffee out of the deal.