Hell Froze Over*Avengers*Captain America*Reader*

6) Hanging on a thread

You found him on the ground, lying on his side – curled up into himself. Minus the helmet, of course, because this was Steve and he always lost him helmet in a fight. His voice fell silent as he gritted his teeth, his eyes squeezed shut, face twisted in a grimace that could only mean agony.

You scanned the surrounding as you sprung his direction, finding a smirking man with heavy weapon resembling a flame-thrower in his hands. Before you could send him to hell yourself, his smile froze and blood emerged from his mouth.

You didn't care who you had to thank for that, simply grateful you could kneel beside Steve's crumpled form.

He looked like he wanted to clutch his upper arm he was lying on, so you assumed that was the point of impact of whatever that son of a bitch hit him with.

"Steve-"

Your hand barely made contact with his healthy arm when his eyes snapped open, pools of blue suffering staring at you.

"Don't touch me!" he strained through his teeth, shying away. You quickly raised your arm, alarmed you had caused him more pain.

Your eyes widened in horror as he rolled over and you saw the black stain – which wasn't a stain. Whatever was in that gun, it seemed to burn through Steve armour, turning his skin to black. And it looked like it was... spreading, angry tentacles of black as if swallowing up the tissue – and you were suddenly sure what Steve meant was 'don't touch it'. It looked as if the substance was climbing up his arm. Very slowly, but very effectively and clearly very painfully.

"Oh god- Sam!" you yelled as you touched your earpiece. "I need you to pick up Steve and get him to the quinjet. I'm taking him to Bruce."

"On my way. What's wrong?"

You gulped, terror eating you alive just like the bioweapon(?!) creeping up Steve's arm.

"I have no fucking clue."

Sam landed few feet from you, running to your side before you could say more.

"Steve, we're gonna get you to Bruce, okay? Sam's gonna have to touch you-" you informed him gently, your voice shaking.

"No!" he panted, sweat breaking on his forehead as he clenched his teeth again. "Can't touch the-"

"Yeah, I got that, let's hope we can avoid that," you hissed, making space for you friend.

"Jesus shit, what is that?!" Sam cried out, bending to Steve.

"Don't know, wouldn't touch it if I were you," you threw over your shoulder, jumping to your feet, and you sprinted to the quinjet.

You created a thick layer of ice for you to jump on and slide the rest of the way. You almost made it before Sam. Almost. Sam managed to drag Steve's now barely conscious ass to the tiny jets prepared for the rainy days. Oh, now was definitely pouring.

You slipped to the pilot seat, starting the engines.

Sam jumped back to the fight, leaving you alone as you were murmuring under your breath. Steve's body was trying to fight shit you knew nothing about, clearly was running out of time and it was up to you to save him – or rather deliver him to someone who could know a lot more than you did.

"Well, shit. This isn't familiar at all."

---

Bruce was waiting for you with Doctor Cho in the room already, since you had brought him up to speed during the flight. It also meant Clint was sent back to the battle instead of you and Steve.