"Kate! Stop it!" Lisa choked out between laughs while wiping the vibrant, purple smoothie dripping down her chin with her open palm.
"It came out of your fucking nose!" I wheezed pointing my index finger towards the violet mess while clutching my rapidly rising and falling chest; trying to recenter my posture before falling from the chair.
"Wilder!" A stern voice snapped causing my body to involuntarily jump at his sharp words.
"Yes, sir." I gulped pursing my lips into a straight line, trying my best to muzzle a bubbling laugh vibrating the back of my throat.
"OR 6, now." The surgeon vaguely instructed after looking skeptically between the both of us, and instead of letting a single word escape his opening closing lips, he dropped his head in annoyance while pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I knew your weak asses couldn't last long without me." I cockily remarked looking back to Lisa with widened eyes and a mocking expression, causing a bright smile to crack across both our lips.
"Go save the shit out of them, Kate." Lisa bolstered raising her clinched fist above her head as if to say, girl power.
Leaving the comforts of another rousing conversation with one of my closest friends, I whipped my head around one last time as a small smirk cracked across my lips; observing her desperate attempts to rid her scrubs of the vibrant stains, my mind wandered to a life without her. What would I possibly do without her?
——————
"Kate! Kate!" Ripped me from a simpler reality, a reality I desperately longed to retrieve; but that was out of question, my own curiosity made sure of it. As an involuntary response to the sudden presence of sound, my clinched fist drove into my disturbers nose.
"Shit!" A familiar voice groaned pricking my ears as a sharp, pulsating pain jostled my groggy mind awake; the only thing my blurred vision bringing into focus being a silhouette holding his chin up while pinching the bridge of his nose.
"What the fuck!" I panted frantically scrambling from beneath the sheets clinging to my sweating skin, trying to choke back my raspy, deep voice. "Tony?" I croaked rubbing the sleep from my eyes as my senses registered the sweat pulling every material onto my body like a magnet; while surges of both hot and cold pulses washed over my body.
"Oh how foolish of me, I should've started with, Bucky needs you, and maybe I wouldn't have gotten the shit knocked out of me." Tony sharply inhaled positioning his available hand of his hip while tending to his nose with the other. As soon as the words, Bucky needs you, rolled off the billionaire's tongue, my body unconsciously threw itself from underneath the sheets and I found myself standing atop the the knit carpet tickling my toes. "Figures." He scoffed under his breath.
Pushing past a disgruntled Tony, I padded down the halls as my attentively listening ears caught the sound of pained groaning bouncing of the walls, sending a wave of worry crashing over my shuffling body; the gentle breeze spilling from the air vents above triggering hot flashes which alerted me of just how sweaty my body was, was this normal? Eagerly rounding the corner, my eyes immediately winced as the familiar darkness was abruptly contrasted by lights flooding my retina.
"Kate, thank god." Steve sighed in relief clutching his chest while jogging towards my figure swiftly approaching his, the sense of relief washing over his face failing to rid the noticeable look of worry picking at his defined features.
"Steve?" I implored as my eyes cautiously wandered past his masculine structure catching a glimpse of a figure sprawled out across the table; in an instant I knew it was Bucky, there wasn't an ounce of uncertainty in my accusation, it was him. Hastily pushing past Steve, a searing hole burnt inside my chest, like I'd been physically injured, while vibrant memories of him and I pulsated in and out of focus on repeat. Everything around me stopped when my eyes were filled with crimson blood painted across the only man who slowly began filling the void abiding inside of me. The only thing of importance in the life I was slowly rebuilding.
"Jesus Christ." I shakily exhaled as the muffled grunts and failed attempts of consolation overwhelmed my ears all at once. "W-what the fuck happened in the span of." I began narrowing my squinting eyes towards the analog clock adjacent from me. "In seven damn hours?!" I finished as my peripheral vision caught a glimmer of steel, I immediately clutched the bin filled to the brim with useless medical supplies; urgently burrowing my hand deeper into the container while my scanning eyes searched for anything of use.
"Hey! Hey!" I heard a gruff voice cough as my trembling hand felt an impression of warmth enveloping my skin, pulling my attention from the pestering urge to claw at my searing skull fighting for the limelight.
"W-what happened? What the hell were you doing?" Escaped my trembling lips as my heart became lodged in my throat at the sight of his weak smile and faint glimmer in his glassy eyes; while the medical part of my brain simultaneously analyzed the lacerations, oozing vibrant red, etched across his skin. However, before an answer could console my over-stimulated imagination, a painful moan split his lips as his body contracted sending the bin of frivolous items flying onto the floor. Even though fear struck me like a knife's jagged edge, my brain became triggered and switched over into a professional state. "I need benzoyl peroxide or rubbing alcohol, sterile, damp towels, latex gloves, needle and thread. Steve, elevate his head at a forty-five degree angle, Natasha apply pressure here and here." I sternly instructed as every ounce of emotion was stripped from my features, sending the team scrambling to find the needed supplies while I rushed to the sink and began sterilizing my hands. Running my hands underneath the scolding water, the cloud of steam escaping the sink dampened my skin while vivid memories tickled the back of mind; there probably wasn't a number to count the amount of times I'd done this, the amount of times surging adrenaline coursed through my veins, the amount of times the pressure of saving someone's life rested heavily on my shoulders. However, this was unlike anything I've ever done. Sure I've saved hundreds, but they were strangers. This was Bucky. Forcing myself to enter back into reality, I whipped my head around to find Tony standing with gloves, gesturing for me to take them. Nimbly slipping the skin-tight material onto my skin, the secure feeling enveloping my skin sent a wave of familiarity and confidence to wash over me.
"Hey." Tony called out in a soft tone as my arm felt a gentle tug urging for me to stop.
"Tony-" I began trying to remind him of the urgency at hand.
"It's gonna be okay, I promise." He consoled nodding towards my forced everything is ok expression, the look of confidence in his honey eyes soothing my tense nerves. Turning my back to face him, my entire body contracted as I felt his fingers lace through my mangled waves and pulling them into a simple updo; every stroke more gentle and delicate then the last.
"Thank you." I meekly answered momentarily meeting his soft expression with a smile that conveyed what words simply couldn't.
——————
The sun began to reach its peak as the main living space was slowly filling with warm sunlight spilling in through the linen curtains. The glowing rays streaking across Bucky's now steadily rising and falling chest, only exemplifying his toned structure; there was no doubt the warmth stinging my cheeks was followed by a red hue. Luckily, the remaining team members succumbed to their bodies plead to sleep; resulting in them sprawled out across the sofa residing behind me.
"This ones gonna hurt." I admitted feeling a pang of guilt prick my gut, surprised by my voice ricocheting off the walls.
"I'll try my best survive." He gruffly coxed with an amused smirk tugging the corners of his lips as I rolled my eyes at his statement, feeling slightly embarrassed by my ill though out warning; he was a damn super soldier, I'm sure a needle and thread wouldn't make the man cry. To my surprise, while delicately weaving the needle through the fragile flesh, a sharp inhale alerted my sensitive ears, followed by his abruptly contracting abs.
"You okay tough guy?" I teased choking back a chuckle vibrating the back of my throat, still maintaining my concentration.
"Oh shut up." Bucky mused quickly turning his lips inward trying to muzzle another pained moan trying to escape his lips; and of course my peripheral vision took notice of this.
Finishing the last suture, I cautiously tugged on the thread careful not to disturb the wound; intensely furrowing my brows during the process. After eagerly snipping the excess thread, I dropped my head flush against the table in relief, letting out an accomplished sigh. Allowing my body's tense structure to slump in victory, my senses became alerted when they felt a warm sensation penetrate through my gloves.
"Hey." A gentle, raspy voice vibrated my ears and filled the void of silence abiding between the two of us.
"Please, don't scare me like that again." I pleaded lifting my heavy, stinging eyes to meet his resting face; blissfully smirking at his relaxed jawline and softened features while burning the image of his sun-kissed features into my memory.
"I'll try my best, doll." He hummed caressing his thumb against the back of my hand, all while I didn't have to look at him to see the smile working onto his lips; I could here it through his words.
"C'mon big guy, lets get you to bed." I suggested removing the latex hugging my hands, continuing to delicately run my fingers through his matted hair; careful not to disturb the soldier. Opening his previously sealed eyes, his piercing blue orbs gazed into my own, a warm smile cracking across his lips at the feeling of my velvet touch.
Every ounce of pain, discomfort melted away into oblivion when her silky fingers intertwined with the super soldier's hair, the feeling of her own warmth brushing against against his skin lured him into a daydream; a reality where it was just he and her, leaving their past, their pain, their demons behind. Simply savoring each other's presence. Blissfully trapped in his haze, he hardly noticed he'd been in motion until he felt the warm, plush duvet envelope his structure; the enticing pillow pleasantly cradling his pulsating skull.
Snapping his flickering eyes from their trance, Bucky abruptly sat upright anxiously scanning the unfamiliar, darkened room as pulses of both hot and cold pricked his skin like needles; sending him into a state of panic. Fortunately, a wave of relief washed every trace of uncertainty from his system as the feeling of the same, comforting warmth from before delicately stroked his chest. Carefully reducing his aching figure back onto the inviting sheets, his eyes wandered over to the physical embodiment of comfort. Gingerly brushing the cascading, brown waves away from my porcelain skin, Bucky simply savored the sleeping beauty residing next to him; burning every feature, every detail into his long term memory. Admiring the way my lips rested in a curled smile, the way my cheeks were always rosy, the way my brows involuntarily furrowed in my sleep, the way my chestnut hair framed my features perfectly, the way my velvety touch lingered on his skin.
HEYYYY so it's been a hot second so I thought I'd give you a longer chapter to make up for it 😅 My writers block was KILLING me but I planned out how this story is gonna continue so hopefully that'll help me update more frequently🤙🏻 Also, I'm paranoid that I'm not descriptive enough so what are y'alls opinions? Should I change anything? PLEASE LET ME KNOW PLEASE🙏🏻
Xx -Maddy❤️