Another fabulous request by: IrisPerea !!
"Goodbye, Sue. I'll see you tomorrow." You say, grabbing your purse and adjusting your hat on your head.
"See you later, doll." She smiles, waving to you as you exit the hospital. Growing up with a mother as a nurse, it all comes naturally to you. Not only that, but your brother seems to catch everything under the sun so you've dealt with many sicknesses in your life.
Although the job doesn't pay much, at least it keeps you from spending every minute fretting about the ongoing war in Europe and how many men they keep sending overseas to help.
And it keeps yourself from worrying about your brother Steve who can't seem to keep the idea of war out of his blond head. The kid has been constantly getting himself in trouble since he could toddle. He won't stop trying to enlist. Even though he's been plagued with asthma and flat feet and many other things, he keeps trying to talk them into letting him go.
Sometimes it's like he forgets he's only 5'4" and weighs under 100 pounds. Heck, even you beat him in both categories.
Though your mother, god rest her soul, tolerated his constant neighborhood brawls, it's something you don't particularly enjoy. You hate seeing him come home with a busted lip and black eyes. You would think that after all of the fights he's been in he would learn how to duck.
You hold your purse close to you as you march down the sidewalk in the early morning light. You hate working the night shift, but it pays better than dayshift. A few men whistle at you, thinking that somehow that would catch your attention.
Please, you think, all of the decent men are off fighting in the war. Whistling isn't going to make me swoon and fall for you.
You slid your keys into the apartment, unlocking the door and poking your head in. "Steve?" You call, expecting him to reply. When none comes, you let out a sigh and enter.
"I swear, Steven, if Ma was still around she wouldn't let you sleep in like this." You say, entering the one bedroom. Upon entering, you see the bed is empty. Where is he?
You walk around the apartment, searching for him. His art supplies are laying out on the table beside the window, signaling that he must have been doodling either after you left last night or earlier this morning.
You settle on the fact that he's old enough to do as he pleases and make yourself a cup of well deserved coffee. You long to have a pastry to go with it, but you had the last one a few days ago.
After finishing the rest of your coffee, you force yourself to leave the apartment and go get some groceries. You hate doing it, but you know Steve won't.
As you lock the door to the apartment, you hear a few trash cans being tossed around in an alley nearby.
Men, you think, do they have anything better to do than rough each other up?
You roll your eyes and head down the stairs. As you walk to the local market, you hear the noises getting louder and louder. You slow down, not wanting to get involved in the fight.
But then you hear it.
"I can do this all day."
You pinch your eyes, hearing the impact of another punch. You stand in the alley, your hands on your hips, your shadow casting onto the two men.
"Steven Grant Rogers!" You shout, getting both of their attentions. "If you don't mind, I would enjoy some company on my errand run."
"Hey, lady." The man says, holding Steve up by his collar. "If you can't tell, we're in the middle of a fight here."
"And if you don't get your filthy hands off him, you'll have to deal with me." You smile, batting your eyelashes at him.
"I'm not afraid of you." He smirks back.
"I am." Steve pipes up, his blue eyes wide as he looks at you.
"Zip it, kid. I'm going to deal with you later." You say, pointing a finger at him. You look back at the man. "Let him go before I have to make you."
"I don't hit ladies. My mother taught me it was impolite." He grins.
"At least she taught you some manners." You say. "Unfortunately for you, my mother taught me how to make men listen."
"And how would that be, sweetheart?"
"A swift kick where the Lord split him." You spit before carrying out the action. He groans, dropping Steve into his back. You flatten out your dress then hold out your hand to Steve.
He glares at you and stands up by himself. You turn on your heels and he follows behind you, rubbing off the blood from the tip of his nose.
"I had him, (Y/N)."
"Really? 'Cause from where I was standing, it seemed like he had you." You fire back as you keep marching forward, your eyes straight ahead. You're slightly upset that he continues to get himself into those situations though you constantly tell him to stop. He has no chance against those other men. When will he learn?
"You really didn't have to step in. I had it handled." He persists, walking beside you now. "You don't have to take care of me. I'm not some kid anymore."
You stop, looking down at him. You study his face, taking in his bruised face. His left eye is already starting to swell and turn purple. Blood is dripping from his nose, staining his white shirt. Sweat glistens on his forehead and he's slightly panting.
"Steve," you coo, brushing his messy blonde hair from his face. "You're my kid brother. It's basically my job to watch out for you."
"You can't always be there to save me from the jerks from the diner." He says. His face slightly drops. "I know you promised Ma on her deathbed you'd take care of me, but you don't have to anymore."
Instead of tackling the topic he brought up, you straighten up and fix his hair. "We need to get you back to the apartment and tend to your broken mug." You say, gesturing to his face.
"I thought you were going on an errand run." He says, picking up on your cue. He softly smiles, rolling his eyes at you.
"Not anymore. If Bucky found out that I let you walk around with a blood stained shirt he'd rip me a new one." You say, turning around and walking back to the apartment.
"You'd like it." He teases, shoving his hands into his pockets and smirking at you.
"Bucky is more of a pest than a love interest." You laugh. "I've seen the stupid things you two get into."
"Well, I'm glad that I don't have to worry about you two getting together then." He smiles, as you bump his shoulder, slightly tipping him over.
The two of you head up the stairs, greeting the neighbors you met as you reach your apartment door. You gently open it, but Steve catches the handle, holding it open for you.
"Let's tend to your eye first. It looks the worst." You yawn as you head to the kitchen. You open the icebox, grabbing out some ice and wrapping it in a towel.
"(Y/N)." Steve's says, catching your attention. "It's alright. I can handle this myself. You just got off your night shift. You should head on to bed for a while." He says, grabbing the towel from your hands.
"Steve, really, I don't mind. This is my job, after all." You say, trying to take it back from him.
"But it doesn't have to be." He frowns, pulling it father away from you. He places it onto his eye, taking a step back from you. "I got this. You just go get some rest, okay?"
You let out a sigh, slightly sagging your shoulders. Some rest does sound amazing right now, but you have to take care of Steve. This isn't the worst he's ever looked, but looking at him all bruised up still makes your stomach drop.
"Okay. But you have to wake me at a decent time. I don't want to be too messed up." You say, heading to the bedroom.
"I promise. I won't let you sleep this gorgeous day away." He teases as you close the door.
xxx
Soft knocks wake you from your sleep. "Come in." You mumble, sitting up in bed. Steve sits on the edge of the bed, giving you a soft smile.
"Hey, just wanted to let you know I'll be heading out with Buck in about an hour or so." He says, looking down at his watch. "Figured you'd freak out if you woke up and saw I was missing."
"Thanks for the heads up." You say, stretching in bed. "Though the idea of you and Buck heading out together still puts me on edge, I guess I'll allow." You tease, making him chuckle and shake his head.
It's a joke the two of you have had since the dawn of time. You've known Bucky forever and know he'd do anything to keep Steve save. You've never worried about those two being off together. Except maybe on a few occasions when you thought they'd kill themselves, but other than that they've been fairly well behaved.
"You know, you don't have to worry about me so much." Steve says, softly smiling at you. "I think you forgot that I'm not some awkward kid who can barely make it down the stairs without wheezing."
There's a pause between the two of you. Neither of you need to say anything to know what the other is thinking. "I'll always worry about. You're my baby brother." You quietly say.
"You'll worry yourself to death." He softly says back.
"I'm just fine."
"You spend almost all of your time trying to keep an eye on me that you don't make time for yourself." He argues, furrowing his eyebrows. His fists tighten as his jaw locks. "You should be going out with friends and dancing instead of staying in the apartment making sure I arrive back okay."
"I don't want to go dancing." You fire back.
"Yes, you do!" Steve shouts, rising to his feet. "You shouldn't be giving up your life to watch over me. I'm not the same kid that you had to take of care when Ma died. I get it, you feel this pity for me, but you can stop! I'm perfectly alright."
"I can't stop!" You say. "I know it drives you crazy having me watch over you like a hawk, but I don't know what I'd do if I lose you. You're all I have left and if I lose you all because I didn't make sure you came back one night, I'd go mad."
"(Y/N), that won't happen. I'm perfectly capable of watching over myself. I don't need your extra pair of eyes." He says, sitting beside you again. "Please, just let me show you tonight. Don't wait up for me."
You frown, grabbing his hand. "I just feel so guilty, Steve. It's like a habit or something. Maybe it's just because I'm afraid that if I let my guard down you'll disappear forever. I don't know. But I--I have to do it."
"Just trust me." He insists, his baby blue eyes making you feel guilty. "I swear on Ma's grave that everything will be okay."
You bite your lower lip, thinking it though. Yes, Steve is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. You don't need to wait up for him every time he goes out. You know that he'll be alright. Yet, you can't seem to stop worrying about him. Ever since Ma passed away, you've been his caretaker. You can't let anything happen.
But you know you need to give him this chance.
"Fine. I won't wait up for you tonight." You say. "But you have to promise me that you'll wake me when you return home."
"I can live with that." He smiles, melting your heart.
You open your arms, rolling your eyes. "Come here." You say. He leans in, giving you a hug. You pat his shoulder. "You know I do all that stuff because I love you, right?"
"Yeah, I know. I love you too." He chuckles back as a knock echoes through the apartment.
The door opens. "Stevie! Ready for our double date!" Bucky calls out. He enters the bedroom, giving you a soft wave. "Hey, sweetheart." He smiles, using the nickname he gave you years ago.
"Hello, Bucky." You wave back. "Where are you two boys headed off to tonight? The diner down the street? The theater?" You ask, leaning back against the headboard.
"The future." Bucky winks as Steve joins him at the door.
"Don't get sucked into Stark's crazy ideas. I don't wanna hear that one of you got roped into one of his stupid inventions or plans." You tease with smile.
"Us? I don't know about Steve, but I don't exactly wanna be experimented on like a lab rat." Bucky says, grabbing Steve's shoulder and giving it a good shake.
"(Y/N) would never even let me get near the sign up sheet." Steve chuckles.
"Well, you two stay out of trouble and don't traumatize those poor girls." You smile.
"We'll show 'em a good time. Right, Stevie?" Bucky says, bumping Steve's shoulder.
"Well, it'll be interesting for sure." Steve fires back, getting a laugh out of Bucky.
"Can't wait to hear all about it. Bye, boys." You wave as they exit the bedroom and the apartment. You had no idea about the trouble that Steve would get himself into and it was something that you couldn't protect him from.
You couldn't exactly be Captain America's bodyguard when he went over seas.
And you couldn't be his bodyguard when he saved you in New York sacrificing himself.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Again, thank you IrisPerea for this fun request! If you see anything you want fixed, just let me know and I'll be happy to do it! Thank you for being such an active fan, it really makes writing so much more fun!