It's been a few days since Steve had collapsed. The doctors had come in multiple times, but couldn't come up with a cure. They had no idea what was even in his system, and that he might just have to fight it off on his own.
But that wasn't going so well.
Steve's condition was gradually decreasing. He seems to just be continuously getting weaker and weaker as the days pass. His body is struggling to fight off whatever was in that syringe given to him while both him and Bucky were captured.
He was nervous that Steve wouldn't make it. And if he didn't….
God, he can't think about that now. He has to stay strong, for Steve.
Bucky sat in the chair next to his friend's bed. Steve remained hooked up to a bunch of machines, some of which were continuously beeping with the slow pace of his heart.
He sighed and just watched Steve's chest rise and fall slowly. It was too slow for his liking, but he had to accept it. Steve was in serious trouble.
Thoughts floated around in his head. He ignored most of them though, as he just sat there and watched Steve's unconscious body.
The peace and quiet was soon interrupted by a sudden screech from the heart monitors. Steve's body began to convulse horribly, and multiple machines screeched loudly.
He jumped up and ran over, grabbing Steve's arm. "STEVE!"
The man's body continued to shake violently before multiple doctors rushed in. They quickly ushered Bucky, who was reluctant to leave, from the room.
He was stuck outside, forced to wait in horrible agony as the doctors did what they could to assist his friend. Bucky was struck with extreme anxiety, and the thoughts he ignored earlier flooded his mind once again.
What if Steve died?
Would he die painfully?
He can't leave him...right?
Steve can't die! He's my friend and he said he'd be with me to the end of the line..
They were interrupted by the door swinging open. The doctors emerged from the room and allowing him entrance back in to see Steve. Though, they warned him that he was in an extremely weak state, but he was conscious.
Bucky acknowledged that, and then quickly strode into the room to see Steve. The man groaned and turned his head weakly to watch his friend lower himself into the chair next to him.
"Hey…" he rasped.
Bucky gave a sad smile and sighed. "Hey..how are ya feelin'?"
"Not too great.." Steve murmured. His hand twitched.
Bucky leaned over and gripped Steve's hand gently. He noticed Steve's weak grip back on his, and it just felt horribly wrong..
The last time he had seen him this weak was when they were younger. But at the time, the small, skinny Steve was always being beaten up by his asthma, and multiple other illnesses that he was more vulnerable to due to how thin he was.
When he looked at Steve again, he could easily imagine the much younger Steve, lying in the hospital bed after catching a horrible case of pneumonia.
Steve didn't deserve this…
He coughed again, his grip tightening around Bucky's hand. He made an unexpected jerking motion upward, but Bucky instantly caught him in his arms and embraced him.
"It'll be okay, Steve.."
Steve coughed again, and he could somewhat tell he was smiling. "I know...hopefully," another coughed wrecked him as he tightened the embrace. The heart monitor's beeping gradually began to increase as Steve's distress grew. His breathing quickened.
"Hey, hey," Bucky cupped Steve's cheeks with his hands. "Look at me. Steve."
Steve managed to make eye-contact with his friend, which seemed to comfort him, as the beeping slowed down back to its normal rate.
"You okay?"
Steve swallowed hard and nodded, allowing Bucky to gently ease him back onto the soft mattress.
"Get some sleep," Bucky pat Steve's shoulder. "You need it. I want you to get better."
Steve didn't have the strength to reply, so he just gave a quiet nod and closed his eyes, letting the darkness swallow him.