Not Like This (Stucky AU)

CHAPTER EIGHT

BUCKY'S POV

Today is Wednesday and I'm going back to school despite my parents wanting me to stay home and rest. I hate sitting around with nothing to do, and because most of the pain in my body has died down a smidgen, I want to go to school and see my friends. Steve came by yesterday morning asking if I wanted to come but I said no because I was in pain. He was cool with it and reminded me that I can always call him if I need him but I didn't want to admit that I wanted him to stick around. He also told me that he told our friends I was jumped but didn't tell them who did it or the other part, and for that I'm thankful because I don't want to talk about it just yet.
Getting ready for school is a long and slow process because I haven't taken my meds yet to ease my body's aching. I don't know what hurts more, bending down to pull my pants up or lifting my arms above my head to pull on my shirt. I ease my hoodie and leather jacket on before making my way to the kitchen where my dad is making my younger two siblings Jay and Dawn breakfast while Josh is nowhere to be seen but that's not surprising. I kiss my little sisters head then limp over to the couch and sit down.
"Can I make you anything, bud?" Dad asks, sliding plates to the kids.
"No, thank you. I'm okay, just need to take my meds." I give him a smile and he nods, bringing over my meds and a glass of water. I was going to grab it myself but I'm more than grateful he did for me. "Thanks, dad. Where's mum?"
"She left for work just before you woke up." He rubs my shoulder with a kind smile. "Steve did a good job on your hair."
I chuckle and take my meds. Dawn clambers over the second she finishes her breakfast and plops next to me.
"I like your hair but I can't braid it now." My little sister sticks out her bottom lip in a pout as she plays with my hair. "Can I make you a flower crown while you put on your shoes?"
"I'll wear it all day, I promise." I can't help but smile, watching her skip over to the small garden on the balcony to pick blooming flowers.
As she sets about her task, I go about mine; my boots. Grabbing them from their spot by the front door is easy enough but putting them on without ripping open any stitches is a different story entirely. Bending over hurts so bad and using the coffee table to prop my foot on to help, doesn't help. After a few attempts, I get frustrated and give up with my face in my hands. I feel my foot being lifted and lowered. I peek through my fingers to see Josh tying my boots for me.
"Thank you, Joshy." I smile a little. I feel stupid and useless because I'm in too much pain to tie my own damn shoes but I'm so grateful for my family.
"I don't want to see you back in hospital," He says finally, placing my right foot back on the floor then gently taking my other foot into his lap. "Not even for ripping stitches by tying your boots."
That makes me belt out a laugh. Just as he finishes, Dawn runs over with five flower crowns, each a different colour. How she manages to do five in less than half an hour, I will never know but she places the red flowered one on my head, the yellow one on Josh's head. He just sighs before smiling and thanking our always happy sister. Jay reluctantly takes the white one while she places the pink one on her head.
"Can you give this to Steb?" Dawn asks, holding out the final blue crown, her blue eyes big with hope. She has never been able to say Steve, she's always called him 'Steb' but no one, not even Steve, seem to correct her because it's cute.
"Why don't you come over here and give it to me with a hug?" Steve chuckles. The four of us look over to see him in jeans with his grey shirt tucked in and his thick hoodie, our dad let him in. Dawn squeals excitedly and runs over to him.
"You saw him yesterday." I laugh as Steve picks her up for a hug and allows her to place the crown on his head.
"I knowwwww," She drags out with a cheeky pout as Steve places her down on the ground. "Are you two dating?"
I don't know whose eyes are bigger, mine or Steve's, and I think my jaw fell through the floor while Steve is coughing and spluttering. We're going to homecoming together, and I would LOVE him to be my boyfriend but I'm too much of a pussy to ask him that particular question.
"We're going to be late." Thank god for my dad for saving everyone from this awkward situation.
Before I can even step in the school gates, Nat wraps me in a hug and asks if I'm okay while Bruce fusses over the stitches on my cheek and my mangled eyebrow while Clint is being Clint; up a tree and waving at me. Bruce applies some cream to my cheek and eyebrow and mumbles something about how it's going to get infected if I don't look after it. It's funny watching them fuss over me, it makes me feel warm inside. I promise Nat I'm okay and sign to Clint to get his ass out of the tree.
"Look, I know you want to know more about what happened but I..." My breathing hitches, Rumlow once more in my head screaming at me. I feel lightheaded and shaky, unsure where I am or who I'm with.
"Bucky, come back. You're safe, I promise, just listen to me, Steve. Your Stevie." I faintly hear Steve's voice but it sounds far away. "You're safe, Bucky, I promise you that you're safe. He isn't here, it's just me, your Stevie, Natasha, Clint and Bruce."
I reach out, trying to push those images from my head, wanting to know Steve is really here. They're all forced back when I feel Steve's hand clasp around mine. My breathing goes back to normal but the shaking stays and I realise I'm on my knees, Clint, Bruce and Nat forming a wall around me while Steve is right in front of me, his blueish green eyes full of worry for me. He takes his hand out of mine and places both hands gently on my cheeks.
"I've got you, til the end of the line." I can't stop staring at his lips but I nod at his words, hearing and understanding them. "Can you stand?"
"I think so." I mutter, letting him grab my forearms so he can help me to my unsteady feet. Thankfully my stitches in my leg didn't rip open. I look around at the others and smile at them because none of them have pity in their eyes. "Thank you, all of you."