The Winter's Servant {Stucky AU} COMPLETED

~Chapter Eleven ~

James finished writing out his letter to Steven about an hour after erasing and rewriting every other sentence.

He just couldn't seem to find the write words to properly tell Steven how much he missed him.

After finally getting out the words he wanted to say, he came across yet another issue.

He couldn't just sign his name on the letter, or the address. If it fell into the wrong hands, they were both done for. He would have to use a fake name.

Off the top of his head, he thought of a random name and put it down.

Forever yours, he signed it.

Bucky Barnes.

James almost laughed at the ridiculous name. He hoped Steven would figure out who it was really from. But James was sure that he would. His baby was very intelligent.

Putting the letter in an envelope, he neatly printed the palace address on the outside.

What bothered James was that Steven wouldn't be able to correspond with him. If Steven began sending letters to Natalia's palace, suspicion would more than likely be raised.

He settled for writing to Steven, even if he couldn't write back. It was the least he could do for his precious boy.

~

Steven's mother smiled as she wrapped the grey knitted scarf around his neck, tucking it under his jacket. "It brings out your eyes beautifully, Steven. " She commented.

Steven smiled back before kissing his frail parent on the cheek. "I love it, Mama."

She smiled once more before breaking into a coughing fit, her chest heaving, knocking the breath out of her.

Steven grasped onto her arm and helped her sit on down on the bed. He sat down beside her and gently rubbed her back until she stopped coughing, worry etched across his face.

His mother reassured him quickly. "I'm fine, Steven. "

Slowly, Steven nodded. "I have to go help in the courtyard. You rest until I get back. " He helped her lay down on the bed and covered her with the thin, woven blanket.

Almost enviously, Steven thought about the thick duvet in Prince James's bed, and how if his mother had a blanket like that to keep the cold winter air out with, she would've never gotten sick in the first place.

He heaved a sigh and tucked the blanket around her chin, like she did for him when he was a child.. Leaving down and kissing her forehead, her cold skin chilling his lips. "I'll be back, " he promised.

His mother coughed again, but somehow managed to smile.

Reluctantly, he made his way out of the palace and into the courtyard. He was to help a few of the other servants take care of the leaves that the trees threw down in the autumn air, leaving a colorful strew of orange, brown, and golden leaves through the yard.

Steven loved autumn. He enjoyed looking at the colorful leaves that clung to the trees and laid on the ground, and he enjoyed the crisp breeze.

Until he got another cold and nearly died.

Outside, Clint and another man that Steven had only seen a few times gathered the leaves together with rakes.

"Oh, good, you're here. " Clint commented to him. "I don't understand why they have a palace guard raking leaves. It's ridiculous. But, Bruce and I will rake, " he said, motioning to the other man. "And you'll carry the leaves to the wheelbarrows. "

Steven frowned. "I can rake, too. Let me try it." He reached for the rake that Clint held, only for Clint to pull it away.

"You'll work yourself to death. And the Prince would skin me if I hurt his precious kitten. "

His face turning as red as a rose, Steven stuttered in his defense, "I-I I'm not his kitten! " Angrily, he picked up a handful of leaves and threw them in the wheelbarrow.

"Oh, is that so? Bruce, isn't it a little bit suspicious that Steven just happens to get pulled into Prince James's bedchamber every twenty minutes? "

Bruce shook his head slowly and continued to rake. "I wouldn't know, I'm always in Mr. Stark's lab. "

"Well, he is. " Clint continued. "Little Steven here looks at Prince James like he hung the moon, and his royal highness looks at Steven like he's the cutest damn thing. "

Steven huffed as he threw more leaves into the wheelbarrow. "Are all Americans like this? "

Clint laughed and shrugged. "You mean honest? Yes, a little bit. "

"I don't know how you have this job with a mouth like that. " Steven grumbled.

"I bet the Prince doesn't complain about your mouth. " The guard remarked with a smirk.

Steven blushed again as he threw more leaves. "You're impossible. "

But his thoughts couldn't help but to wander to James's lips, how perfectly pink and plump they were, how they felt against his.

The servant shook his head, getting rid of the thought. If he constantly thought about him, he would miss him ever more.

More often than not, Steven would wake up in his bed in the middle of the night, shivering from the cold, and thought about how nice it would be to wake up next to James to feel his arms holding him close, keeping him warm. He missed him desperately.

"Well, it looks like we're about done. " Clint said minutes later as he raked up one final pile of leaves. Steven bent down and lifted them into the wheelbarrow, his chest heaving from the exertion.

"Go get some rest. " Clint commanded him.

"I'm fine, Clint. "

"You're not. Go. "

Steven rolled his eyes as he trudged back into the palace. He began to climb the stairs to the servant quarters and realized just how tired he was. If there was time, he might take a short nap before dinner.

He opened to the door to his and his mother's shared room, to find his mother sleeping soundly.

He smiled and leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek, brushing his hand over her arm.

Steven stopped suddenly.

Something was wrong.

He ran his fingers back over her wrist.

His face paled and his body shook, threatening to loose control.

His mother had no pulse.