Touch Me I'm Going to Scream // [Stucky]

Chapter 6

Steve observes the Winter Soldier crash to his knees as if he's sitting on his couch just watching a movie—for a moment he doesn't feel like someone physically present. He hears him moan out with pain, hand going to grip his bleeding stump, and Steve finally snaps out of it. He wishes not to be able to hear what he's chanting under his breath.

"What is he saying?" Stark asks, armor opening up so he can hastily step out. It closes and stays active and ever vigilant. Stark makes to approach the kneeling man and Steve's arm shoots out on its own accord, successfully stopping the engineer from taking another step. With a reassuring half-smile Stark removes Steve's arm from his way and crouches. Steve tenses up, still expecting the other man to attack.

The Soldier's voice fades gradually until he can't hold his own weight and topples over. One more time, Steve catches him before his face can smash against the floor.

"Those numbers, were th—?"

"Yes." He loads the body into his arms, ignoring Stark's troubled gaze, pressing like a thorn when Stark doesn't look away.

(The skin through the fabric feels almost as cold as the first time Steve carried him.)

Stark is not one to be ignored, though. "What chair is he talking about?"

"How should I know?"

He stalks through the doors that J.A.R.V.I.S. opens for them, Stark by his side. Once they reach the doctors, Steve feels a weight lifting off his shoulders when he leaves the Winter Soldier in their capable hands. He's already turning away from the gurney when Stark, after saying something quick to his med team, follows him.

"I already got the substance from his wounds analyzed." Stark is still looking over his shoulder while Steve tries to ignore the drive that is forcing him to turn and go back. There is so much he doesn't know, so much that doesn't add up, and it's making him vibrate with energy.

"Yeah?" Steve looks at him sideways with real interest, slowing down so Stark doesn't have to jog to keep up with him. "What is it?"

"A mix of things. I won't bore you with the details but..." He presses a finger to his chin while he mulls over his answer. They enter the elevator, both consciously giving a wide berth to the wall that is now carrying a bloody print—the syringe has already been disposed of. Steve presses the button that will lead them to the gym. "It's a bit like the opposite of a spray-on nanofiber skin."

Steve stares at him, not completely sure he understands. "It keeps his wounds from healing?" Stark nods his head vigorously, clearly excited by the idea of such a thing existing. Steve won't point out how creepy it is that he's smiling like a loon over an invention that prevents someone from healing.

"I got in touch with Bruce 'cause I wanted to bounce some ideas off him and also get his input." They have already reached Steve's destination but he's too invested in the information to step out of the cabin.

"Now we think that, after we get some samples of his blood and urine—my med team will take care of that before his body can eliminate all of it—we will find similar components in his system that are currently preventing his body from healing properly."

"That's..."

"Evil?" Stark supplies.

"For starters." Steve blinks owlishly, surprise getting the better of him. He rubs his tired eyes. "Fuck. I hate HYDRA so fucking much."

Stark snorts at the feeling his words pack and pats the taller man's shoulder. "By the way, what are we doing with the other two? We won't be sending them to S.H.I.E.L.D. H.Q. any time soon so..."