54 Bedrest
Steve was positively coddled when he was brought home. He was ordered, both by his doctor and multiple times by Bucky, to stay put and rest. Natasha brought him blankets and pillows and Sharon hovered by awkwardly, saying, do you need anything?
No, I'm fine.
Really, if you need something...
Sharon, please.
Okay, but if you need anything at all, anything.
He wasn't sure where Bucky was then. Natasha said, in discrete words, that he was avoiding Sharon and that he was back at his apartment, trying to pull together something for Steve to eat. Steve put his head back down on his pillow and sighed and said okay again.
That night, when everyone was gone, Steve heard Bucky knock and let himself in. He entered Steve's room with a big tupperware bowl with a lid and he stood at the end of the bed, holding it in both hands and looking at Steve.
"Hi," Steve said and Bucky swallowed and pressed his mouth together and looked down at the bowl in his hands.
"That stuff you made me once," Bucky said. "I should have remembered it."
"What?" Steve said and Bucky screwed his face up in frustration.
"You made me soup," he said.
"Oh," Steve said. "It's fine if you don't remember. You're not going to be able to remember everything."
"I know," Bucky said. "Just the stuff I don't want to remember." He cleared his throat and swallowed again, and then thrust the bowl forward until Steve took it from him. "It doesn't taste like the way you made it," he said. "Something's missing, I dunno, I tried all day. Natalia's angry because I used up all the chicken broth from her food storage. And it's still not right." Steve smiled a little up at Bucky.
"Tasha?" He said. "Mad at you?" Bucky smiled a little back and shrugged.
"Well, she's not happy, at least," he said. Then, "Sorry about the soup."
"Don't be," Steve said. "I really appreciate it. Sorry about the, uh, jumping into bombs." Bucky looked like he wanted to say something, but instead, he stood there in silence and his face grew dark and finally, he looked away. "I was sort of… Making a joke," Steve said and Bucky nodded slowly.
"Yeah, I know," he said and then he looked at Steve and shrugged. "You gonna be okay if I go back home?"
"Yeah," Steve said and Bucky nodded and began backing out.
"Get some rest," he instructed gently. "Feel better."
Maybe I'll have to post inconsistently, but that doesn't mean I can't post something small in between hiatuses. I'm nearly ready to bring back consistent posting again! :)
[In response to StephanieSum, who left a very sweet Guest review with questions I need to answer, I do typically post every single day, Sundays included. However, given that I'm in school, I've been having a more difficult time being consistent, so sometimes, I have to take breaks in order to keep writing and catch myself up. :) And as for updating on General Conference and Stake Conference, I actually have to admit that these were coincidences. XD Normally, if I was able, I would have posted on those days as well.
I'm glad you're liking it and I'm excited to see another LDS member here! :) Thanks for commenting!] -BB