I'll Cover You (Stucky Fanfic)

Chapter 4

Bucky put his arm around Steve and pulled him up off the bed. Steve grimaced and cried out. He clutched his rib, which was most likely bruised if not broken. Bucky let go and jumped back, leaving Steve hunched over and panting.
Steve straightened up after a minute and looked at Bucky, beads of sweat running down his temples. He was more injured than Bucky had once thought.
"Maybe we should get you to the hospital? Or maybe just the doctors?" Bucky asked, running his hands through his long, unkempt hair.
"That's... Probably advisable." Steve grunted, smiling at Bucky.
"Alright. Maybe you should at least change your clothes. You've still got dirt and blood on them." Bucky said.
Steve nodded and looked down at his massive body, soaked and stained with the aftermath of a fight. He hobbled to his dresser, and pulled a shirt and pair of pants from the top drawer. Bucky left the room to look for Steve's keys and some reading for the inevitable hospital wait.
The only thing that hadn't changed between the forties and present day for Bucky was the books. He'd always loved to read, and during lunch breaks at school, he could usually be found reading whatever book he'd found in the library earlier that day.
Being in the city, there were book stores and libraries everywhere. Bucky would spend his days working his way through a list of the best books of the past seventy years which a librarian had put together for him. He'd read all kinds of books, everything from enormous non-fiction books about Medieval Europe, to the new dystopian books that kids were so crazy about these days. He found one in Steve's apartment called A Separate Peace. It was about a boarding school during World War II. Bucky had never heard about it, but it was something familiar to him.
As Bucky was looking at it, Steve walked in, still hunched over.
"A Separate Peace, eh?" Steve asked, surprisingly chipper.
"Yeah, I've been doing a lot of reading lately. I figured I'd find something to take for the waiting room." Bucky said, putting it down quickly.
"It's a great one. Reminds me of us, back before either one of us ever thought of joining up." Steve said, and looked at Bucky's face.
Bucky picked up the book and smiled sheepishly. They both grabbed jackets, and Steve called the cab to take them. Then they began the tedious walk down the stairs. Steve had to stop every few stairs to catch his breath, and often he would begin tipping one way or the other. When this happened, Bucky would grab him and place him back upright. The longer this went on, the more nervous he got.
They reached the cab, after about fifteen minutes of stairs. Steve got in first, and Bucky slid in after him. The driver asked where they were going to through the partition.
"Hospital please." Bucky asked urgently.
The driver drove in a fast and jerking manner, almost making Bucky sick on multiple occasions. When they finally reached the hospital, the driver pulled up in the emergency lane, and Bucky paid the fare. He got out, then reached in to help pull Steve out. Once Steve was upright on the pavement, they waved the driver off and walked inside.
Bucky sat Steve down in an uncomfortable plastic chair, and went to fill out the forms. Once Steve had put in all his information, he was taken to a small room. Around the hospital outside, there were groans and beeps everywhere. Steve fidgeted in his little gown. It was paper and much too small, so that he couldn't even close it around his back.
Bucky sat in the armchair across the room and opened the book. He started reading it, eyebrows furrowed. Steve watched him with a sense of longing. As hard as Bucky was trying, he just wasn't the same. There was still a wild and afraid look about his face that Steve had never seen before. But as he read the book, he looked a bit more normal, a bit more relaxed. Steve watched Bucky for a while, as he turned page after page. They'd been waiting for about an hour, and Bucky was almost through the book.
The doctor walked in as Bucky was finishing the book. He was angrily rubbing at his eyes, as tears formed.
"So, got into a fight?" The doctor said, looking Steve up and down.
"Yep. I blacked out, no clue what happened." Steve said, chuckling and trying to make light of the situation.
The doctor examined him and checked his cuts and bruises. He eventually diagnosed a broken rib.
"Guess that means I'm down and out for a while." Steve said after the doctor left the room.
"Gosh, I'm really sorry Steve. I didn't mean-"
"Oh I know you didn't mean to, don't worry about that." Steve said, patting Bucky on the back.
"I can look after you while you're hurt if you'd like. It's not like I have anything else to do." Bucky offered, hoping that he could compensate for the pain he'd caused.
"Nah, don't worry about me, I'll be fine. But if you'd like to stay for a while, you're more than welcome. I could use the company, and you could probably use somewhere to stay." Steve said.
"I'm fine on my own, I can deal with it. I can't inconvenience you like that." Bucky said, turning away.
"Inconvenience me? No, of course not! You're my best pal, Buck! I'd be honored to have you stay with me." Steve slung his arm over Bucky's shoulder, cringing as he lifted it.
"Well, if you're sure..." Bucky trailed off.
"Absolutely." Steve said with the most genuine smile.

A/N
Hey guys, long time no see! Sorry this is such a short chapter, I just found it and realized I didn't put it up!
Also, I managed to place my favorite book in here somewhere so I think I've done my job. (Gene and Finny are gayer than Steve and Bucky I'm telling you)
*ahem* don't know how that got in there oops
Like and comment what you'd like to see in the future!!! Anything can happen!
Best wishes,
Lauren