Sunset (English Version)

Unexpected Newcome

"You can put him there."

Steve lifted his head and looked wearily around the room he and Jason had just entered.

It wasn't particularly big or well furnished, with nothing but a table, a chair, a few boxes and a bed that, although it didn't look like much either, seemed more than welcome right now.

"Are you sure?" Jason asked, who had stopped and was looking around uncertainly.

Steve grimaced slightly by hearing the exhaustion in his voice.

He so, so much hated to be a burden, even though he knew Jason didn't mind.

But still, this knowledge hurt incredibly and was almost more painful than the physical pain that he was currently feeling.

"Yeah, go ahead," Alex confirmed with a smile as she went to the dresser and placed a glass and a jug of water down on the table, "I don't need to use it anyway."

"Oh okay..." Jason replied, still a little reluctant, before turning his face to Steve and smiling, "Are you looking forward to finally sleeping in a real bed again?"

Despite his pain and agonizing tiredness, Steve smiled.

"Oh please," he replied teasingly, "you know very well that I could just as well sleep on a rock..."

A sharp flare-up of pain silenced him and his face contorted as he slipped off Jason's back and he had to put weight on his legs again.

Normally he would have collapsed immediately, but fortunately Jason caught him in time and gently guided him the last few steps over to the bed, where he sat Steve gratefully sat down.

He barely noticed as Jason helped him remove his soiled and tattered T-shirt and trousers, replacing them with softer and warmer clothes, before his head fell onto the pillow and he was gently tucked in.

Despite his tiredness, he forced himself to open his eyes again and look around for Jason, who was still kneeling beside him, his blue eyes full of worry and sadness.

But before he could say anything to him, he heard footsteps and Alex appeared behind Jason's face.

"Thank you for your help," she said to him a moment later, "Would you leave me alone with him for a moment? I need to talk to him for a bit."

Jason tensed at her words and there was no mistaking that he didn't like this request at all, but he nodded anyway.

"Sure," he replied quietly, before giving Steve another longing look, still hesitant to actually leave his side, but finally, with a sigh, he stood up and walked towards the door.

"I'll wait outside until you're finished," he added curtly to Alex before disappearing outside, which made Steve's heart sink.

I hope Jason dosen't have to wait too long... he thought tiredly as Alex sat down on the bed next to him and smiled gently at him with her green eyes.

"Hey." she murmured shortly afterwards as she gently wiped the sweat and dirt from his face with a wet cloth, "How are you?"

"Never better..." Steve replied with a weak grin, which was immediately broken by a coughing fit that left him exhausted and in pain.

"Well... no," he responded in an ashamed voice, "I'm actually feeling pretty bad. But you already know that."

Alex just nodded sadly.

Steve hadn't noticed much of it when Jason and the others had told her their whole story but he was awake enough at the time to know it happend.

Something he was very grateful for because he wouldn't have had the strength to tell the whole thing himself.