Get Schooled

Chapter Thirteen: I'll Help You

"Steve." Bucky breathes out, going over. He scoops the trash away and finds his boyfriend lying there on his side. Bucky kneels down next to him, feeling panic rise in his throat. He forces it down and swallows thickly, hoping that the blonde would be okay.

"Stevie? Can you hear me?" He asks softly, laying a hand on Steve's shoulder and shaking it lightly. The blonde looked a state; bruises splotched his face, made his eye swell to the point of it being shut. His legs were at an awkward angle and his left ankle looked swollen and bruised. He would most certainly have bruises on his stomach and chest from being kicked there so often, and at least three of his ribs were damaged.

"Stevie, c'mon, wake up." Bucky breathes softly, gently shaking Steve's shoulder. The blonde moans quietly but doesn't wake. Bucky sighs and somehow, with difficulty, picks up his boyfriend bridal-style and decides to take him home. Apparently his ma's boyfriend wasn't even home today, neither was his ma. So Bucky chose to take Steve to his place and patch him up there.

He walks slowly but steadily, making sure he doesn't jolt Steve around too badly when he walked. The blonde's head falls against Bucky's shoulder and the brunette sighs, looking down at Steve.

They make it home, and it must've been either magic or a miracle that Bucky got the door open while still holding Steve. He closes the door with his foot and it creaks shut, Bucky turns and carefully lays Steve on the couch.

Steve doesn't move, but his breathing was steady, so that was good. Bucky racks his brain, trying to come up with some knowledge about medical stuff. Once he remembers enough he goes off and finds the first aid kit.

"What have they done to you, Stevie." Bucky sighs, asking a rhetorical question. Bucky first has to assess the damage, so he does a check up of sorts on Steve. Upon seeing the state of he blonde's ankle, he wraps it up and deals with it that way. He had no clue what to do with his head, which had a large lump on it. He had no idea about the many bruises on Steve's stomach and chest, so he just left that be.

After doing the best that he can for his boyfriend, Bucky sits down on a chair from the table and turns it to face Steve's direction. He sighs and rubs his face with his metal hand, shocking himself with how cold it must be in his place. Keeping that in mind, he gets up and grabs a blanket, laying it on the blonde. An hour passes with no response from Steve.

Steve's one free eye slowly opens, he blinks and looks up at the ceiling. His head was killing him along with his chest, although his ankle wasn't too bad. His face had several scratches and many bruises.

He swallows and closes his eyes again, trying to ward off the pain.

"Steve?" Bucky says softly, watching the blonde. Steve opens his good eye and turns his head to look at the brunette. Bucky sighs quietly in relief, glad that Steve had finally woken up.

"Hey." Steve mumbles, blinking to clear the sleep from his eyes.

"How're you feeling?" Bucky asks quietly, worried about him. Steve gives a small shrug in return.

"Could be better." He confesses. Steve tries to sit up but his head begins pounding loudly, he moans softly but tries to cut it off, not wanting to sound pitiful or weak. He puts his head in his hands, Bucky gets a glass of water and an aspirin for the blonde, who accepts them gratefully.

"Thank you." Steve whispers to Bucky sincerely, gazing up at him. Bucky smiles softly, looking at Steve.

"No problem, Stevie. So any other injuries you have? Besides the head and the ankle." Bucky asks. Steve isn't surprised as to why Bucky knew his injuries.

"Uhm, possibly some cracked ribs, probably lots of bruises." Steve says, Bucky sighs and nods. Steve carefully sits up again, wincing when his chest protests.

"Uh, could you help me up? I should probably go check and see how bad it is." Steve asks quietly, Bucky nods and helps him up. He helps Steve walk to the bathroom and then the blonde closes the door, Bucky waits outside.

The blonde leans against the wall for support and sighs, running a hand through his hair. Slowly, gently, Steve pulls his shirt off over his head, wincing as it rubs against the bruises.

He looks at himself in the mirror; bruises ranging in color from dark purple to green to yellow were spread across his chest and stomach, making him look like a canvas covered in paint. He frowns, turning to see any other injuries he might've gotten during the fight.

"You okay in there?" Bucky calls through the door, Steve sighs.

"Uh, yeah... I'm fine." Steve replies, eyeing his discolored body and frowning. He huffs and tugs his shirt back on, opens the door and sighs. Bucky looks at him and raises an eyebrow.

"So? Anything else?" He asks quietly, Steve swallows thickly.

"Well, besides the point that I look like a watercolor from all the bruises, I'm fine." Steve huffs, Bucky sighs softly.

"Sorry." Steve sighs, he wasn't usually the type to get huffy and pouty. Bucky looks up at Steve and musters a smile, Steve manages a smile back.

"That's alright." Bucky assures him, Steve sighs quietly. He starts to head towards the couch again but his ankle gives out and he crashes to the floor. Bucky kneels down next to him to hear Steve breathe out a swear. Bucky sighs and helps Steve up, the blonde leaning heavily on his boyfriend.

"Sorry." Steve whispers again, he hated to be a burden. Bucky shakes his head and lightly kisses Steve's cheek, leading him to the couch.

"Hey, it's fine." Bucky promises, Steve nods quietly.