ℜ𝔲𝔰𝔱 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔅𝔬𝔫𝔢 | Winter Soldier | Bucky Barnes

IX

✪

Athena was exhaustedly leaning against Steve as they entered the secret facility Hill had taken them to.

"What am I dealing with?" A man in a black uniform ran towards them; referring to Athena's wounds. He looked more like an agent than a doctor, and already, Athena had decided not to let him touch her shoulder with a ten foot pole.
Maria Hill's answer was short and precise, but to Athena everything sounded muffled at this point. "Gunshot wound, bullet went all the way through. She's lost at least a pint."

"-More likely two." Sam muttered worriedly noticing how Steve was almost carrying her at this point.
The doctor looked at her too and walked to Steve who was preparing to lift her up and carry her bridal style. 
"Let me take her."

Athena weakly put her hand up refusing the doctor's help. "Don't touch me. I'm fine." Steve sighed picking her up as she stumbled trying to stand her ground.

"I'll go with her.." He said giving the young woman a tired smile before looking back at the doctor. "Lead the way."

After a while, Athena found the silence to be too thick.
"I can walk on my own." Doubtful stares met her as she moved in Steve's arms. "-seriously its not that bad, I don't think I even need stitches?"

"Stop being difficult." Steve said his voice filled with authority as he adjusted her in his arms again as she squirmed as a weak attempt to be sat down. "-Stop being a dick." She mumbled, hissing slightly as she tried to adjust her damaged shoulder.

"Language." Steve simply said in a scolding tone someone would chastise a child with. "..- LaNGuAge." Athena mumbled in mocking tone rolling her eyes.

Steve looked at her, unimpressed by her childish behaviour as he placed her on a medical slab. "Seriously?"

Athena rolled her eyes and put her healthy hand on her forehead pretending to faint, "CaPTaIn AMerICa! rEscUe uS! ShE sAid A baD LanGuAge wOrd."

"Are you done?" Steve asked, tiredly clenching the bridge of his nose as the doctor began scanning Athena and run some different tests.

"Are you aware that you have two broken ribs?" Athena looked bored at the man. "So?"

"Well if you keep running around you risk puncturing your lung."

"So?" Steve gently smacked her healthy arm. "So, puncturing a lung can be fatal if it's not treated and the whole lung collapses." The doctor pointed around on the x-ray while explaining like it would convince her of something.

"It'll be fine.. Just do your job and close the bullet wound so we can stop Hydra before a third of the earth's population is murdered." The doctor lifted an eyebrow at Steve as if he would be able to control Athena, but the super soldier barely noticed, having been too occupied looking at the young woman in front of him, who was growing paler and drowsier by the second.

"-If there's needles involved, hand them to Steve." Athena said breathless from the effort it took to form the words. Steve was quick to step between her legs and catch her upper body as it began tilting forwards. Athena's forehead fell tiredly on his upper chest and shoulder, not able to keep herself up any longer. "I don't like needles." She whispered to him pleadingly.
Athena had nothing but bad experiences with needles.

The doctor moved over to her right side putting down the things he needed for stitching her up. Steve stood frozen not knowing what to do.
The doctor connected Athena to a bag of blood with an I.V, and when Steve heard no complains as the doctor put the needle in her arm, he moved wanting to check her pulse, but two cold hands grabbed his arms weakly.