Infectious

Chapter 9

When steve woke up, he didn't know how he felt. Maybe he was better, maybe the super-soldier serum was doing its job and fighting away the other serum.

So he sat up. Yup, he felt better. Still crappy, but not as crappy as the day before.

He saw his sketch from last night, of Natasha. She had obviously seen it since she was probably the one who took it off of him and, well, tucked him in.

He picked it up, examined it, then closed it. Out it back down on the night stand then made his way to the kitchen.

Clint and Thor were already there. Clint into a whole pot of coffee and Thor into a box of pop tarts. They both looked up to him, almost stunned to see him out and about. "'Morning" Clint said.

"Morning." Steve replied and headed for the fridge. He got out a tray of eggs and some bacon.

"Wait, you actually cook?" Clint said in slight disbelief.

"Well, I had nothing better to do some days. Might as well learn how to use the damn stove." He put a frying pan on the stove and turned it on after putting some oil and butter in the pan.

"Bacon?" Clint said, as if he hadn't had it in ages.

"Yea, want some?"

"Hell yeah." He took another sip of coffee from the pot.

"Thor?" Steve asked.

"Of course my friend!" Steve smirked when he turned back around and threw the bacon in the pan. Next we're the eggs and soon the whole floor of the tower smelt like breakfast goodness.

Clint devoured it like there was no tomorrow. So did Thor. Steve ate it slower than he usually would.

Soon, tony came out of hiding in his lab along with Bruce and Natasha. "I smell bacon!" That was most certainly tony.

He looked around the kitchen and saw a dirty pan on the stove cooling down that must've kept bacon in it because it still sizzled, and smelled like bacon, and looked like bacon was cooked in it, and bacon bacon bacon. "No more?"

"I can make some more if you want." Steve said.

Natasha sat next to him. "You feeling better though?"

Steve turned his head. "Actually, yeah. So how much do you guys want?" He stood up quickly and got a head rush. He gripped the back of the chair he was just sitting in to balance himself and he closed his eyes.

"Steve? What's wrong?" Bruce asked and went to stand up but steve walked forwards and to the fridge to get the bacon and eggs.

"Nothing, nothing, I'm fine. Just a head rush." He shook it off. No, I don't want to feel like shit today. I want to make food. Cause that alone makes him feel better.

He turned the stove back on and threw on some bacon, the whole team watching him closely. He went to crack one egg and drop it in the pan, but another head rush, wave of dizziness and a hot flash caused him to drop it right on the floor and have him stumble back.

Tony grabbed his arm this time and held him up, "c'mon steve, sit down."

"No, I-I'm fine." He blinked a few times then walked back to the counter, of course Natasha had stood up and followed him there to stand right behind him. Good thing she had because he fell right to the floor when he moved to grab a few eggs, the whole carton came falling down with him and all broke by his feet.

"Oh my-!" She got him from under the armpits and slowly lowered him to the ground. Everyone either stood up from their chairs or rushed over to his side.

He was still conscious and insisted he was fine. "I'm f-fine... j-just lemme go..."

"Steve you just collapsed, don't try to tell me you're fine." Natasha said just as she did the night before.

"Thor, can you get him to the couch?" Tony asked and the god nodded and started to bend over when steve shooed him away.

"I can walk on my own..." he swallowed and sat up, "just, help me up, please?"

Bruce frowned and tilted his head before reaching out his hand and helping steve stand. He shook his head and blinked a few more times before taking a few steps to turn around. He slowly walked to where the table was, and immediately grabbed onto one of the chairs to stop himself from falling.

Not like he absolutely needed to. The team was already hovering right behind him.

He tried taking one more step before losing his footing and well, Thor picked him up and brought him to the couch across the large room.

Steve whined, and rubbed his face in frustration. Now he felt like a child. Like he always needs help with literally everything, like he can't even get places without holding someone's hand... he felt useless.

Thor set him down on the big couch and he pulled the blankets over himself, even if Thor also offered to do so.

Tony and Bruce had disappeared into the lab again. Clint went to deal with the burning food, Thor to help him and Natasha sat with steve.

She noticed him staring at the wall, blankly and just knew something was up, well, obviously there was, but he seemed almost... depressed. "What's on your mind?"

He looked down at the floor and sighed. "It's..."

"Do. Not. Say nothing." She made very clear.

He glanced at her, then returned his gaze to the floor. "It's just... I'm useless, and I just get in you guys' way now."

She was a bit shocked, but understood why he would think that. It's steve, he always wanted to help and do the right thing. "Steve, you're sick, and we're your friends and team mates. We have each other's backs, we help each other out. Right now, you need it, and we're willing to give it." She got up from the chair she was sitting in and sat down right beside him. "You're not useless, and you're not in our way."

He continued to stare at the floor, so she pulled him into a hug, something he hadn't received since the 40's. That, he just realized and made him feel good, some hugged back and let a single tear fall down his cheek.