The Animal Lover ~ Steve Rogers

Chapter 13

A pained moan.

That's what you heard while walking down the street. Or maybe it was just your mind tricking you.

But then you heard it again.

Looking down the dark alleyway. You could see a silhouette of a man against the dumpster. "Hello?" You called out.

"H-Help me." The man said.

Getting closer you could see the man clutching onto his stomach. Taking out your phone you turned on the flash light and saw that he was bleeding. "Oh my God. You're bleeding." Turning the flash light towards the man you gasped in shock when you saw who it was. "Y-You are James Barnes."

"How do you know me?" Bucky asked you, letting out a pained groan.

"You are Steve's best friend." 

"Steve?" Bucky groaned out, "You know him?"

"Yes. I know him. But first we need to take you to a hospital. You're bleeding."

"No. No hospitals." Bucky stated. 

"Okay. How about we go to my place? Will that be okay?"

"H-How can I trust you?" Bucky clutched his wound tightly, "You could be helping those people after me."

"Umm.... you might remember that Steve used to wear newspaper in his shoes?" You remembered what Steve had told you about his past.

"He did." Bucky had a small smile on his face as he knew that fact. "Do you know Steve personally?"

"Yes." You smiled back, "Now, come on. Let's go before you bleed out."

"Yeah." Bucky took your hand to stand up and you led him back to your apartment.

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"Here. Sit." You set Bucky on your couch. "I'll be right back." You went to the bedroom to tell Steve. But he wasn't there. "Steve? You there?" No answer. "Damnit." He must have gone out. Taking the first aid kit from the bathroom, you went back to the living room. "I've got the kit. But I have no idea how to help. Can you tell me?"

Bucky nodded, "Clean the wound first. It might need stitches."

"Stitches? Oh God."

"Hey. You can do it." Bucky nodded at you. 

"I don't know, James. My hands aren't that still. I'm gonna call Steve." You said and called Steve, while you cleaned Bucky's wound and put pressure on it when he started to bleed again. "H-Hey. Can you come home quickly, please? I need you here."

"What's wrong, love?" Steve asked.

"Just come. Please."

"Okay. I'm on my way." Steve hung up.

"Are you Steve's roommate?" Bucky asked.

"No. I'm his girlfriend." 

"Wow." Bucky chuckled. "He got a girl, eh?"

"He did." You cleaned his wound again. "He's on his way. Don't worry."

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Steve stared at the files in front of him. He couldn't believe what he saw. "This is impossible, Stark. HYDRA went down with Schmidt."

"No, Rogers. As much as you hate knowing this. They're still active. Just under the radar." Tony pointed at the desk filled with files as he munched on some berries.