Set after: Civil War is all fixed up.
For beatlegirl9 (sorry gorgeous, I misspelt your name in the first publishing 🙃)
Sorry it took so long, but I hope you like it!
———
In all his years out of the ice, Steve had never once gotten sick. In all his time out of hibernation, neither had Bucky. So it stood to reason that both soldiers immune systems were pretty damn good.
Which made (Y/N) all the more worried when Bucky Barnes failed to arrive for their usual morning run. Ordinarily, she'd think nothing of it. As an Avenger and slightly unstable war veteran, Bucky occasionally missed runs because of missions or a bout of PTSD, but whenever either event occurred, Steve would stay close to Bucky and neither man would turn up.
Plus one of them would usually text (Y/N). The younger woman had become friends with the two soldiers after her own running partner, Sam Wilson, introduced them one morning. They'd all become quite close, despite the undeniable bond the three men shared over their numerous adventures that occasionally left (Y/N) feeling left out.
However, she'd developed quite the crush on Bucky making her want to become even closer to him than Steve or even Sam.
Surprisingly kind, quiet but alert and extremely smart (not to mention good looking!), Bucky was just her type and Sam loved to remind (Y/N) about it. He enjoyed seeing her bluster and blush whenever he brought up the handsome man and when Bucky ran past, he always inevitable nudged the woman.
And if Sam knew, Steve knew and Steve wasn't nearly as good at secrecy as Sam. He made comments and winked at (Y/N) whenever the subject of his best friend came up, often making her want to curl up with embarrassment.
(Y/N) failed to realise this was Steve's way of giving her the go-ahead, of course. Her other romantic endeavours had, more often than not, failed due to her obliviousness.
But back to the matter at hand, Steve and Sam had both turned up to their morning run but there was no sign of Bucky. Steve had said something about Bucky saying he didn't feel well but had thought nothing of it. (Y/N) wasn't so sure.
Steve couldn't get sick. He'd told (Y/N) himself and he'd shown her his records (what wasn't blacked out anyway). The government literally thought his blood had the cure for the common cold. But Bucky... she'd always just assumed he was the same as Steve.
Apparently, Captain America had been under the same impression. (Y/N) brought it up to Steve and he was going to head back to his and Bucky's shared apartment to see what had happened to his friend (as no one really knew what had happened to Bucky, they were running purely on assumptions after all) when Happy pulled up and he and Sam were whisked away to wherever they were going now.
As the men got into the car, (Y/N) joked she'd know exactly what they were up to in a couple of hours when the news blew up with the event. Happy chuckled but Sam gave her a black look and colour rushed to Steve's cheeks. The Avengers failed attempts at secrecy was the one ways (Y/N) could get back at her running partners for their innumerable comments on her crush on the White Wolf.
———
The apartment was warm and relatively dark as (Y/N) entered, especially when compared to the brisk cold of New York's autumn. Furnished with plush leather couches and books from the forties and earlier, the apartment was homey but luxurious, just the way Tony Stark liked it. It had been a gift to Steve and Bucky after the events of the so-called 'Civil War'. Tony had bought Bucky's old apartment and refurbished it to make it liveable for the two friends as an act of forgiveness, because he knew neither man could afford a place in Brooklyn, let alone either of their old homes. He would have bought Steve's apartment as well, but its' new owners had turned the ground level apartment into a scarf shop and wouldn't give it up.
(Y/N) grinned to herself as she placed Steve's keys on a conveniently located bench and made her way to Bucky's room. Having been over a fair few times, she knew the small apartment inside out and navigating through the semidarkness was no issue. Bucky's room wasn't an issue either but Bucky certainly was.
(Y/N) turned the lights onto a dim setting as she entered, allowing for a little light as Tony had used blackout blinds to ensure the soldiers were never woken by the lights of New York City. The lumpy figure on the bed that she assumed was Bucky groaned and shifted slightly.
"Bucky?" She whispered, unwilling to surprise him. The super soldier was known to hurt people when they surprised him after he'd been sleeping.
There was another groan in response to her voice. "What's happening there? You feeling alright?" (Y/N) asked tentatively.
Why did I tell Steve I could do this? She wondered with an internal groan. (Y/N) knew nothing about how to care for sick people and despite her best attempts, people under her care were usually better off without her.
"'m fine," was the unconvincing response she received.
"Sure you are, Buck. Wanna tell me what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"I came all the way into Brooklyn for you. You're going to tell me what's wrong with you or I'll tell Steve," she said, allowing just a hint of agitation to seep into her voice.
"Damn Steve! I said I'm fine. Just didn't want to run today!" Bucky defended. He shifted and suddenly he was up on his elbows, eyes looking into yours, filled with fire despite the dark bags underneath.
(Y/N) shrugged and walked out of the room. Now what?
Her solution was tea and maybe breakfast so she set about preparing the meal. If Bucky has some sort of stomach thing, then it was his fault for refusing to tell me anything she thought, feeling the anger rising as she put on the kettle and placed toast in the toaster.
If she was being honest, (Y/N) had no idea what Bucky drank but there was tea in the cupboard so she pulled out a box, checked that it was herbal and didn't smell awful and put that in the mug. Then, with nothing else to do, she lifted the blinds in the central living area and looked out onto the busy Brooklyn street.
"Doll?" A scratchy voice called out.
"Yeah? What's up, Buck?" (Y/N) replied, moving away from the window.
"I didn't mean- I'm sorry. You were trying to help and I was rude," he says, propped up against some pillows on his bed.
(Y/N) shrugged, "It's fine, seriously, I get pretty defensive when I'm sick too."
Bucky gave her a weak smile and the woman was reminded of what she was asking before. "Are you actually ok though? Is it alright that I'm here?"
He nodded, the smile growing slightly at (Y/N)'s discomfort, but the young woman took that as a sign that she could continue, "so... what's actually wrong with you? Is it your stomach or head or...?"
"It's not really anything. I'm just tired and sore."
(Y/N) reached out and placed a hand on his forehead. "And a fever. Jeez Bucky, this is kind of high. Where's your thermometer?"
"Bathroom."
Glad to have a clear destination and something she could actually do, (Y/N) started making her way towards the bathroom when the kettle finally decided it was done and the toast sprung up at the same time. Must be Tony's doing. How else would all the kitchen appliances be so in-sync? (Y/N) poured the water and buttered the toast, aware that her friend probably wouldn't be too hungry and make her way back to his room, plate balanced on one hand and mug held tightly in the other.
"Mind taking this?" She asked, holding out the plate. Bucky grimaced at the toast but took it anyway.
"I'm not hungry."
"Still gotta eat it."
"But I'm not hungry."
"You can't take medicine on an empty stomach," (Y/N) replied, leaving the room to get the thermometer and medicine.
And then she stuck her head back into his room a second later. "What medicine do you take? Normal stuff or did Dr Banner make you something for your weird metabolism?"
Bucky paused, looking disdainfully down at his toast. "I don't know. Never had a cold before. I just don't seem to get 'em. Fever reducers in the cabinet though."
His voice sounded scratchy and sore and (Y/N) decided to see if she could find some lozenges to soothe it a little.
As luck would have it, the bathroom cabinet was stocked. (Y/N) almost called out to Bucky to make fun of him when she heard him attempting to smother a cough and thought better of it. Running under the assumption Bucky brought these for Steve, remembering how he used to be constantly sick, she brought out some fever reducers, lozenges, thermometer and something for his nose which sounded pretty blocked up.
"Ok, here's some stuff, take what you will and I'll grab you some tissues and a glass of water," (Y/N) said as she deposited everything on Bucky's bed.
She was almost out of the room when she heard him say "(Y/N), doll, it's fine, you don't need to do all this, I know you're busy."
"Buck, it's fine, I've got the day off anyway. I'll help you get rid of this cold, I really don't mind."
———
It didn't take long to convince Bucky to take some of the fever reducers and before long, he'd fallen asleep and (Y/N) was sitting on his couch in the living room, texting Steve.
Bucky has a cold. I'm staying at
yours to look after him. Any tips?
Make him listen to you.
He's stubborn. SR
Have you been home? SR
No, why?
If you want, you can borrow
some clothes and take a shower. SR
Not to say that you stink SR
But I know it's gross sitting
in your running gear SR
(Y/N). Sam here. Steve says Bucky
has a clean hoodie and shorts in the
laundry basket. He's too embarrassed
to say anything though
Thanks boys xx
(Y/N) giggled softly to herself at the conversation before deciding to take up Steve's offer, hunting first for the clothes and then a clean towel. Fifteen minutes later, (Y/N) felt like a new woman, dressed in Bucky's clothes which drowned her smaller figure. They smelt like laundry detergent and Bucky which was a delightful combination and (Y/N) elected to steal them if possible.
With nothing better to do, (Y/N) decided to take advantage of Steve and Bucky's fully stocked pantry and fridge and began making a simple chicken noodle soup. Phone propped on a windowsill facing out onto the street, (Y/N) moves about the kitchen, keeping as quiet as possible so as not to wake Bucky but also so that she could hear her music which she'd turned down low, again so as not to wake Bucky.
She was just adding the cooked noodles and pulling apart the chicken strips when she heard Bucky start to stir.
Well, she heard a thud followed by muffled swearing, which she assumed meant he'd fallen onto the floor. Stifling a giggle, (Y/N) called out, "Bucky? You alright?"
The swearing cut off. "(Y/N)? What- where am I?"
"You're at home. You feeling alright? Should I call Steve?" The smile was gone, as Bucky's question led (Y/N) to wonder if he was about to become the Winter Soldier again. If she was being honest, (Y/N) had absolutely no idea how Bucky's Winter Soldier thing worked.
"No, I'm alright. Just a little disorientated. I think whatever you gave me fucked with my dreams," he replied, leaning lightly on the doorframe of his bedroom. He was still dressed in that slightly too loose t-shirt and trackies and his long hair looked tousled. (Y/N) forced herself to look back to the soup before he caught her staring at his muscled torso.
"That's good, but I'm sure Steve wouldn't like that language," she said, grinning as she heard Bucky chuckle.
"No, I'm sure he wouldn't. Watcha' making, Doll?"
"Some chicken noodle soup. It's almost done, did you want to wait on the couch?"
A grunt was his response but then (Y/N) heard a stool moving from the island and glanced behind her to find Bucky watching her.
He made no comment though, so (Y/N) didn't feel obliged to make any either and soon enough the soup was finished. Aromatic and light, (Y/N) ladled it into two bowls and fetched two spoons and forks.
"You wanna eat on the couch or there?"
"Let's sit on the couch. You can show me one of those Star Fight movies you like."
"That's Star Wars," (Y/N) replied, leading the larger man to the couch and handing him a bowl.
It wasn't long before Bucky was looking drowsy again. (Y/N) forced him to take more of the fever reducers despite his being almost back to normal. Only ten minutes later, she found him slumping on her, his head resting on her shoulder and his eyes closed with small snores escaping him.
As for (Y/N), well she'd had a 5 am start and she'd gone to bed late and...
Steve came home hours later to find the pair asleep with (Y/N) somehow on top of Bucky. They were both underneath a blanket with Captain America's shield on it and the TV was asking if they were still watching.
———
Hi! Hope you all enjoyed this, I've been a little absent recently because I'm working on a proper Rangers Apprentice/Brotherband fic for those who know that fandoms.
I'm thinking about doing another one for Natasha if anyone has any suggestions, otherwise, I'll keep working through my requests.
Anyway, thanks for all the gorgeous comments, I love them all heaps! Hope everyone's doing alright, feel free to contact me if you ever need to xx