If you're fine with it, enjoy.
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I was walking down the street when I saw a group of bullies from school walk out an alley laughing. Steve. I hadn't seen him in a while. I instantly ran down the alley to find my best friend laying in a ball. He was shaking violently. His pants stained with blood.
"Oh my god Steve," I called dropping to my knees beside him, I scooped him up into my arms, "what happened."
"T-they t-t-took adv-v-vantage o-of m-m-me," he cried into my chest, still shaking.
Tears filled my eyes. I had promised to protect him from the horrors of the world. He had opened up to me about being queer, I didn't let it ruin our friendship. The bullies must've found out somehow.
"You're safe now, they can't hurt you anymore."
"C-c-can we g-g-go h-h-home?" He cried softly.
"Of course."
That night I carried him home. When we got back I laid him on the couch. He was still shaking.
"I'm going to run you a bath, I'll be back."
I got up and walked over to the bathroom. The water started to run, but I could still hear his broken sobs. He's only 16, it wasn't fair. When the bath was filled, I walked out to find him still in the position I left him.
"Can you walk?" I asked, kneeling down next to him, placing my hand on his shoulder softly.
He didn't answer, just laid their shaking. I picked him up and carried him to the bathroom. I took his shirt off for him. A giant bruise on his stomach, which was obviously from earlier, stood out to me.
"Stevie," I spoke softly, placing a hand on his bruise only for him to smack my hand away.
"I-I'm s-s-s-sorry I'm s-s-s-such a b-b-burden."
"Don't say that, you're not a burden. Who told you that?"
"H-h-h-Harry...h-he u-u-used a s-s-stick and he...h-h-he..."
His entire body started shaking again. I ran my hand through his hair and hugged him.
"Shhh, you don't have to say anything. You just need to get clean. I'll leave the door open, I'll come check on you. Just call me if you need someone. Love you Stevie."
"Th-th-thanks B-Buck. Love you too."
I smiled at him before walking out.
A few minutes later I went to go check on him. He was unconscious under water.
"Steve!" I yelled running to his aid. I pulled his head out the water. His heart still beating, but he wasn't breathing, "wake up! Steve!"
I pulled him out the tub and laid him on the tiles. His whole body was bruised from what the bullies did.
"Stevie please, come back to me! I need you. P-please."
His heartbeat was slowing. I tried cpr. Mouth to mouth. He wasn't waking. I wrapped him up in the coat and made a run for my car. I placed him on the backseat. I hopped in and started driving. The road felt endless with my whole world slipping away. He was silent.
When I made it to the doctors office, I ran inside holding him in my arms.
"Someone help!" I yelled through tears, "he's not breathing!"
"What happened?" A nurse asks as she took him from me.
"I found him, under water. P-p-please help."
The nurse took him away. The waiting room was full of people visiting loved ones. They had all seen me running in with him in my arms. Many of them knew Steve and I. The elderly woman who lives next door to us got up. She gave me a hug.
"It's going to be ok," she comforted me.
I didn't respond. I just cried into her shoulder.
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I sat nervously in the waiting room.
"James," one of the nurses called, "you can see him now."
I instantly jumped too my feet and ran into the room. He was laying still. He watched me as I walked in.
"Steve," I ran to his side, my eyes still filled with tears, "don't you ever scare me like that ever again."
"Buck..." he said weakly.
"I thought I'd lost you. I-I thought I'd never see you again."
"It just hurts. They t-t-took advantage. I d-d-d-don't want to be h-h-here anymore," he cried.
I grabbed his hand, "you can't go, I need you."
"You'd be better off with me gone."
"Did you not hear me? I need you. I don't know what I'd do if you left," a tear ran down my cheek, "I'll get you all the help you want. I promise, j-just please...stay."
Steve's grip on my hand loosened.
"Steve? Steve!"
The nurse grabbed my shoulder and pulled me out the room. As the door closed, I could see nurses and doctors running to his beside.
"No..." I whispered to myself, "please Steve...don't let go."
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The nurses later informed me that he would be discharged later that week. They said I should go home, but I refused. I stayed at his side until he was cleared to leave.
His frail body walked out the room. He gave me the softest smile.
"Stevie," I ran up to him and gave him a hug."
"Let's go home."
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Many nights after, I awoke to him moving violently beside me. Screaming and crying.
"Steve," I shook him, "wake up!"
His eyes opened. He quickly pushed himself up so he was sitting.
"It was just a dream, you're safe, I'm here."
"I'm sorry," he started to cry, "I'm sorry for waking you."
"Don't be sorry. Don't ever be sorry, for anything. Just try go back to sleep."
He laid back down and so did I. We laid in silence, until he broke it.
"Bucky..."
"Yeah?"
"C-c-can you hold me?"
"Of course."
I moved closer to him. I wrapped my arms around him.
"Thankyou."
We both drifted off.
Many nights happened like this. Every time I held him, my heart ached. I love him, more than a friend should. I always have. I don't want him to know, I don't want him to be put in that position. Right now, he just need someone to keep him arm at night and tell him everything will be ok.
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Hey, if you guys are interested I'm going to add more to this story. I'm thinking of having this end with Steve leaving him with endgame, taking everything in the mcu as canon.
