Steve's POV

"Beat it,scrawny!" Jace, a member of my colony snapped as he took over my nest. Ma had made it for me, it had some strips of flannel fabric, wool, and some thistledown, when I'd get sick she'd add some springs of lavender if she could find them, so I could sleep better. I glared at Jace, not only was he taking my nest, but it was winter and I needed it to survive. "Give it back, Jace!" I snarled angrily, even if I knew I couldn't take him in a fight.

"You know I'll never survive the winter without it." I added, he laughed. "You really think the colony cares Steve?" He asked me. "The only thing that made them keep you here was your mother! They want you gone now Steve! You're nothing but a liability to the colony! They can't afford to give their food to a runt who'll never be able to get any on his own! Now get lost! And don't try to take MY nest either!"

I turned away sadly. 'Guess I've gotta find a new place to go.' I thought sadly as I took the tunnel that led outside, fortunately for me, the snow had blocked it off. "Guess I'll just see if it'll melt soon." I muttered to myself as I lay down next to the exit for a short nap. I woke up hours later, it was night time, at least midnight. I shivered, it was so cold.

I felt my forehead, it was very warm. 'Bucky,'I thought. 'Maybe he'll help me until I can leave.' I crawled through the tunnels, occasionally hacking and coughing, to Bucky's room. "BUCKY!" I yelled at his sleeping form on the bed, my voice hoarse from all the coughing. He groaned and turned over. I grabbed my new hook and climbed onto his nightstand. "BUCKY!" I yelled as loud as I possibly could.

He grumbled and turned back to me, still asleep. I sighed, I couldn't wake him up, I was just too small for it to wake him. 'I guess it can wait until morning.' I thought as I looked around for something to wrap up in. Seeing nothing, I lay down, soaking wet from the snow that had melted when I slept next to the exit. 'It'll be alright,' I thought to myself. 'Bucky will wake up soon and help me.' It was a long night.

Bucky's POV

I woke up in a good mood, until I heard Steve weakly call. "Bucky?" From my nightstand. "Wha- oh Steve!" I said in alarm as I gently scooped him up, the poor guy was burning up with fever. "What happened?" I asked in alarm. "Bucky?" Steve asked again, he was delirious. "Yeah, ok, questions can wait." I said as I looked for some handkerchiefs to wrap him up in.

"Ok," I said as I found a few. "Here we go buddy, gonna get you warm and healthy again." I wrapped him up in four handkerchiefs and slipped him into my pocket as carefully as I could. "Let's get you some soup. Might help you get better." I told him as I headed to the kitchen.

It turns out making soup for a tiny person was harder than just making soup, but I finally figured out a way to do it. I would cook the soup and then cut any vegetables small enough for Steve to swallow easily. I placed the soup in a small thimble and gently pulled Steve out of my pocket. "Let go." He mumbled sleepily. "Sorry Steve," I said gently. "But you need to eat your soup." I gave him the thimble and he drank it greedily.

"You must be feeling awful." I said sympathetically as I reached for the thimble. "Here, let me get you some more." "NO!" He yelled at me. "Don't take it! I haven't eaten in three days!" I was confused for a moment before gently taking the thimble. "It's alright Steve," I told him gently. "I'm just getting you more. You can have it in a minute."

I don't think he heard me. "You always do this, take anything I find." He muttered hopelessly. "You guys are bullies." I filled his thimble again and gave it back. "There you go Stevie." I told him as he grabbed it back and drained its contents. I wrapped his 'blankets' securely around him again before sliding him back into my pocket and sitting next to the stove to help him break his fever.

Steve's POV

"Hmmm," I groaned as I woke up in a warm, dark place. "You awake Steve?" Bucky asked as he gently pulled me out of the pocket. "Yeah," I said. "Thanks Bucky." He looked at me, concerned. "I'll be right back." He said as he set me on the counter near the stove to keep warm. I stretched my arms and yawned, Bucky had taken great care of me.

"Well, well,well," said a familiar voice. I whipped around to see Jake and Mike, two bullies from my clan. "You look well-fed Stevie, What clan took you in?" Jake asked me, I knew I couldn't take them. "Yeah," Mike added. "And how many go hungry to keep your sick ass fed?" They smirked at me, expecting something.

"I met a human." I told them, staring them down. "What?!" Jake demanded, then burst out laughing. "I should have known you'd become a pet! No wonder you're so well-fed!" "Steve's not a pet!" I heard Bucky snarl, if I hadn't known Bucky wouldn't hurt me I might have run off. As it was, Jake and Mike froze in fear, too scared to run.

Bucky scooped me up. "Are they bothering you Steve?" He asked in worry. "I should introduce you," I told him. "This is Jake and Mike... they kinda... made my life hell in the colony. Stole my food a lot." Bucky glared down at them as the cowered under his gaze. "Is that so?" It was more of a statement then a question. "Well," said Bucky angrily. "If I ever find you two again... I might just send you straight to hell! Scram!" Mike and Jake ran back in terror and Bucky turned back to me.

"You wouldn't hurt them... would you?" I asked him nervously, he shook his head. "No, I'd probably just put them in their place." He said, I looked up at him. "They're gonna tell the colony I was seen." I told him sadly. "What does that mean?" He asked me, curious. "The colony is gonna move before you can get anything to catch them with." I explained, he scrunched his eyebrows together. "They'd leave you behind?" He asked me, I shrugged.

"I mean, yeah. I'm not really valued in the colony, can't do much borrowing. Besides I'm a runt, they were gonna do it eventually." I told him, his face darkened. "Why did they call you a pet?" Bucky asked, I looked up at him and sighed. "Usually, if a borrower is seen and not killed right away, they get kept in jars or cages as pets." I told him. "The humans 'train' them so a few won't even try to run." I added, Bucky growled in rage. "That is messed up!" He yelled, then he looked down at me sadly.

"You don't have to stay Steve," he said mournfully. "You can leave with your colony, your not a pet you know." "I know," I told him. "And you're my best friend, I'm staying!" His eyes widened in surprise. "Of course you're gonna have to help me, can't reach food, I could keep living in the walls if you want-" He cut me off. "No Steve, if you're staying, you need a proper bed. Let's go make you one." He said as he took us to his bedroom, I laughed. Bucky was in full on mom mode.