Stucky One-shots

Make You Feel My Love

"You're gonna be okay, right, Stevie?" Bucky asked, his hand leaning against the bed, causing the side of the mattress to dip slightly. His blue eyes were contorted with concern, tarnishing the image of the popular, carefree, and athletic boy that Steve saw every day.

Steve smiled bravely before sneezing. He started shivering again, even under the two blankets that Bucky had piled on top of him. Seeing him in such a fragile state, Bucky stroked his hot feverish head with a cloth and a caring smile. "Well, I've been worse, Buck," Steve started.

"I told you not to come find me if it started raining. I was perfectly fine and would've been home in another five minutes. The rain only slightly delayed me."

"By 27 minutes." Steve looked at Bucky in feigned annoyance.

Rolling his eyes, Bucky sighed. "That cute girl in my class was there. Dolores." He shrugged. "I just gave her a hug and said 'hi'." Furrowing his brow slightly the way he did when he was thinking, he looked at Steve. "It's probably better to have no girls chasing after you than all of them," he whispered. "Especially when there's only one person who you truly like."

There it was again.

Steve knew that Bucky would never love him the way he did. He was tall, and charming, with the brightest smile he'd seen. He had his free pick of dames wherever he went.

"Hey... Stevie..." Bucky called, and Steve's mind returned. Bucky smiled, and Steve felt a surge of affection for him.

A moment passed in comfortable silence.

As if on cue, a 12-year-old Becca knocked on Bucky's room door, smiling. "Hey, Becs," Bucky grinned, and his sister rolled her eyes. "You know that I hate it when you call me that, James," her eyes drifted over to Steve. "Hey, Steve." Bucky ran his fingers through his hair, "You love it, Becca, come on!" Becca wordlessly came over with a bowl of soup and placed it in her brother's hands, smiling in spite of herself. "Thank you, Rebecca," Bucky grinned, pulling her into a tight hug, which she reciprocated. Bucky ruffled her long hair and smiled lovingly. Becca gave him a goofy smile and walked towards the door.

"Love you!" Bucky shouted as Becca left the room, rolling her eyes. "You're insufferable, James!" She called. Bucky shook his head affectionately. Ever since his father died in a tragic car accident, Bucky had made it a point to tell his mum and three sisters that he loved them every time they left the room. He knew full well how easily they could just disappear. Just like the sick sixteen-year-old on his bed. Steve had nearly died on him on multiple occasions, including this one, when he'd run out in the rain despite having an asthma attack and a rattle in his chest. Even now, as he lay recovering, Bucky was scared as hell. He was afraid that Steve would suddenly stop breathing in front of him, or that the next time he coughed there'd be blood in his hand. Bucky knew that just like that Steve could be gone from him, just like that, the same way his dad or Steve's mum before him. He'd rather die himself than see Steve dead. Bucky knew full well that if it came down to it, he wouldn't be able to stand having to bury his best friend.

Then, he looked at Steve and pushed all of that deep inside his heart. He knew telling Steve something like that would hurt his best friend to the verge of tears, and he couldn't do that. He hated seeing Steve cry. So he buried that pain deep inside his heart so that it would hurt him. Bucky looked at Steve sadly and ruffled his hair in adoration as another pang of pain rushed through him.

Steve soon began sneezing and coughing again. His whimpering and shaking under the covers made Bucky's heart shatter. As Steve began to sneeze again, he heard Bucky gently shushing him and stroking his back.

"Easy, you little punk. You're gonna be fine."

Steve weakly smiled up at Bucky, taking his hand in his, "You are such a jerk." Steve chuckled then coughed and whimpered, shutting his eyes from the fever and feeling Bucky pressing his hand on his feverish head with a caring yet sad smile. Bucky smiles and his hand gripping his even tighter.