I Promise.

The Flu.

Chapter 22
Just as I thought. The doctor came out and told us that Bucky had the flu. He gave him some antibiotics and a shot to flush it out of his system, but I already knew it was too late for me. I already expected to get the flu, and I stood corrected. Saturday night I was completely fine, still helping around with Bucky. By Sunday morning Bucky finally felt better and got over his fit. However, while Bucky went out for his run there I sat. Kneeling on a towel puking my guts up. Whenever I throw up, my body has the instinct to cry, so when Mrs. Barnes went upstairs to go to the laundry room she heard the sounds of me violently throwing up and crying. I was so weak that I couldn't even stand. When I get sick, it gets bad. I can't even bathe myself on my own. I always pass out and fall asleep too often to bathe myself. My mom was always afraid I'd pass out, which actually happened. She would always run me bath water and bathe me while I would drift off into my seventh nap of the day. I honestly had no idea what I was going to do now. Mrs. Barnes helped me get up, and she guided me to Bucky's bed. She let me stay on his because it was under the fan and air conditioner and she wanted to cool me off, and his was more comfortable than mine. He had a nicer mattress than I did. When Bucky came back after his run and didn't see his mom, he knew something was wrong. He came upstairs and there he saw me, curled up in his bed with a cold towel over my forehead. Mrs. Barnes instructed him to take a shower before he even stepped foot towards me. I was lucky I didn't have to vomit while he was in the shower, I would've been in deep shit if I did have to. As soon as he got out the shower he took over Mrs. Barnes job.
  "Jesus fuck, Steve. You're super pale!" Bucky exclaimed. I tried to make the same joke he made on Friday, but I was too weak to even try and speak. It was harder for me to get up and throw up, but somehow I managed. By somehow I mean that when I would start aggressively coughing, Bucky would help me get to the bathroom and set me on the floor. I feel like any other person would be disgusted by this, but Bucky was fine with it. I sat on the ground for a good second. I felt disgusting.
  "I need a shower." I mumbled.
  "No offense, but you can't even stand up. How do you expect to shower?" Bucky asked.
  "Then I need to take a bath." I muttered.
  "You keep falling asleep. You'd probably drown." He said. I audibly groaned. This was so much easier when my mom was alive.
  "How'd you take baths before? You know, when you'd get sick." He asked. I explained to him about how my mom would start the water and bathe me. Sure it made me feel like a four year old, but I felt even worse when I wouldn't bathe.
  "Do you want me to do it? Or my mom or something? Whatever makes you more comfortable." He asked. I nodded my head at him saying for him to do it. We've taken showers together. This won't be anything different. I was sick and he was caring for me. That's all that was happening right now. Besides, I only needed him in there for really the top half of my body. I could get the rest, I was just never able to move my arms up enough to wash my chest and neck, and definitely not my back. It was sometimes even a struggle to wash my stomach. However, I was able to reach my legs and feet.
  "Do you want me to start the water?" He asked me. I nodded my head yes again. He got up, put the drain blocker in the bathtub, and started running the water. He knew I liked my water warmer so that's how he adjusted it. He then grabbed me clothes from my dresser. He walked back in the bathroom and locked the door behind him.
  "Are you able to pull your shirt over your head?" He asked. I nodded my head no. I could barely lift my arms over my head right now. He then pulled off my shirt, and then his hand lingered over my pants. "Is this okay? Can I do this." He asked.
  "It's fine." I said. I figured he wanted verbal consent, not just a shake of my head. After he pulled off my pants, I told him I had it from there and I took off everything else and put myself in the tub. Thankfully, he turned towards the door while I did all of that. He then walked over and turned off the water. I leaned my head against the side of the bathtub. Before he even started to touch me, he asks if this was alright and I said yes. He didn't need to ask me anymore. I was too sick to enjoy any part of it. I just wanted to get back in the bed. He stopped as soon as he got down to my waist.
  "Can you take it from here?" He asked.
  "Yeah." I answered. He didn't leave the bathroom, he just sat by the corner. I guess he wanted to make sure that I wouldn't pass out or something.
  "Can you hand me the towel, please?" I asked.
  "Sure." He handed me the towel and promptly turned around again. I drained the water and wrapped the towel around my waist. Making sure Bucky wasn't staring at me, I dropped the towel and started drying off. I then slipped on my boxers.
  "You can turn back around." I told him. He then turned around and gently grabbed my shoulder. I was glad he did that because I didn't even notice myself rocking back and forth.
  "Let's get you back to the bed." Bucky said.
  I told Bucky I could take my bed, but he insisted I take his. Instead of sleeping in my bed, he opted in sleeping with me. I wasn't complaining. I enjoyed cuddling into his chest. I liked feeling his chest rise and fall. Plus, he always rubs small circles into my back when I sleep with him.
I ran to the bathroom all night. I practically slept on the floor. Bucky kept trying to get up to fool with me, but he has school in the morning. I don't want him to stay awake with me. I explained this to him, and then he finally left. He felt awful, but I told him it was alright. I stayed there all night. Before I knew it, his alarm was going off to go to school and he was long gone, and it was just me at home alone.