The Grumpy Sunshine Series

Sick

Originally Posted: 01/27/2022

Bucky knows something is wrong.

He knows it.

You're oddly quiet today, not that he's even seen you yet- which is also odd. But normally from the time you get up to the time you're in bed, you're sending him constant text messages, whether they're actual messages or just little funny pictures that you think would make him laugh. It's only 9 in the morning, and he hasn't heard from you at all. Still, he reconciles, it's pretty early but he just can't shake the gut feeling that something isn't quite right.

Trusting his gut feeling, he goes to your room to find out what's going on. That's when he catches Sam walking right up to your door, pausing only to sigh then quietly cracking the door open.

"Sam?" Bucky asks. Sam quickly shuts the door right before either man can walk into your room and before Bucky can see what's going on inside.

"Bucky, hi..." Sam nervously exhales.

"What're you doing?"

"Me? I'm not doing anything- not a single thing."

"I just saw you about to walk in to my girl's room! What's going on?"

"So now that she's your girl I can't go to her room? We used to live together, Bucky!"

"What are you even talking about? I don't care that you were going into her room- I just want to know why you're being all secretive."

"Secretive- I'm not being secretive!" Sam exclaims, a little too defensive for someone who's feigning innocence.

Bucky sighs, shaking his head at the man in front of him. "Can you just tell me- is she mad at me? Did I do something?"

"Why would she be mad at you?" Sam chuckles.

"Don't laugh at me! Something's up- I know it."

"She's sick, okay?" Sam says, finally giving in. "She told me not to tell you, but she's sick. Stomach flu, I think."

"She's sick? Well, why didn't she say anything?"

Sam shrugs. "Don't know. Didn't want to ask."

"Real helpful, Sam," Bucky scoffs, already trying to slip by Sam, who's still blocking your door. "Move, I'm going to go take care of her."

"I wouldn't go in there- it's not pretty," Sam warns, already stepping aside. Bucky rolls his eyes, pushing past Sam into your room. "I left her right there," Sam remarks, looking at your empty bed.

It only takes Bucky a moment before he sees your bathroom door wide open. That's when he sees you lying on the tiled floor curled up next to the toilet. He sighs sympathetically, grabbing your clammy hands and pulling you up so you're sitting up. "Hi! Remember me? Your boyfriend? Committed, loving relationship? Any of that ring a bell?"

You groan, hanging your head. "No, you're not supposed to be here."

"Why didn't you tell me you were sick? I would've taken care of you," he gently remarks, tucking loose strands of your hair back.

"No," you whine, pushing his hand away. "You can't see me like this."

"And why not?"

"It's too soon," you croak. "You'll never look at me the same."

"You don't think our relationship can handle a little vomit?"

"It's not a little," Sam mumbles under his breath.

"I can take it from here, Sam."

"You sure- you know what? I'm not going to argue. You have fun," Sam quips, waving his goodbyes and leaving the two of you alone.

"Traitor," you grumble.

"What's wrong, Doll?"

You pout, a small whine leaving your throat. "Everything hurts. I'm hot and cold at the same time. And I keep-" You freeze, a fresh wave of sick rising in your throat. You lean over the toilet bowl once again, this time with Bucky holding your hair back. "Getting sick."

"Aww...you poor thing," he coos. "Let's get you back to bed."

"Go away," you haphazardly push his arm away. He chuckles, gently lifting you into his arms. You give in the second he cradles you in his arms, curling yourself even further into his chest.

"Have you taken anything? Any medicine?"

"No," you mumble into his chest.

"Do you have any medicine?"

"In the medicine cabinet."

"Was that...sarcasm?" he chuckles, smiling down at your hidden face. "You really must not be feeling good."

He gently lays you down on your bed, placing you underneath your brightly colored blankets and walking back into the bathroom to see what medicine he was going to give you. When he found something appropriate, he brought you a glass of water, the pills, and watched you practically dry swallow them.

He places a hand over your feverish forehead, pushing the hair out of your face. "Hopefully you can get some rest."

Once you're fast asleep, he grabs his coat and heads to the nearest store, hoping to be back before you wake. An hour later, he's walking back into your room with several grocery bags full of supplies to get you through the next few days.

He grabs the saltine crackers along with some ginger ale and a gatorade and places them on your nightstand for when you wake up. He takes a little time to clean up the mess around your room and bathroom, then climbs into bed to cuddle you.

You smile at the sight of Bucky lying down next to you, slightly snoring when you wake up. You don't even bother to move or get up, you just allow yourself to be lulled to sleep by his soft breathing. When the both of you are finally awake, he puts on your favorite movie and watches as you doze in and out the entire day, occasionally making sure you take sips of your drinks and the chicken broth that he made for you.

At the end of the night, you're cuddled up next to Bucky once more, already feeling much better. "Thank you for taking care of me."

He hums, gently kissing your forehead. "Always."