Yes, I know - I have 2 WIPs that need updating, but this silly one-shot wouldn't leave my brain. Also, sorry for the delay...100-mph straight-line winds & no power for a week will do that to you! I'm fine & no damage to the house just had to live out of a suitcase for a week. Anyway, enough about me - now, on to Winterhawk!
Clint groaned as Doctor Cho gave him the news. "A torn ligament?" He put his head in his hands. "I'm not going to be sidelined, am I?"
The doctor sighed. "I'm afraid so, Clint. If you take it easy, you may be able to avoid surgery. You can still walk on it around the tower, but if you leave, you'll need to wear a brace. Otherwise, it'll be surgery. The hope is that it will heal on its own, but that will be up to you."
The door swung open, and Bucky strutted toward Clint. "Don't worry, Doctor Cho. I'll make sure he follows directions."
"And if I don't?"
Bucky smirked. "I have my ways of making sure you do."
Clint rolled his eyes. "Do we really need to talk about this in front of the good doctor?" He turned and gave Doctor Cho one of his thousand-watt smiles.
She, of course, was utterly immune to it, having seen the look way too many times. "Just make sure he doesn't go climbing through the vents, and he should be fine. Short walks will be fine, though I would suggest next time don't take Lucky since that's what brought him here this time." The doctor patted him, smiled, and left the room.
"Aw, Lucky, no," Clint whined. "It wasn't his fault I stepped in a hole."
Bucky shook his head. "How can someone so capable during a mission and stay still for hours on end find new ways to injure himself almost daily?"
Clint shrugged. "Part of my charm, naturally. I like to keep people on their toes. Now, let's get back home. I miss Lucky. Need to make sure he's okay." The two split their time between the apartment in Bed-Stuy and their rooms in Avengers Tower. Since Lucky was in Brooklyn, that's where they would head. Clint went to slide off the medical bed and naturally put down his left leg. "Ow, damn it!"
Bucky figured he would get a headache from all the eye-rolling he was doing. He took Clint's arm, propped it over his shoulders, then put his left arm around Clint's waist. "It's a good thing I love you, doll. I'm not sure who else would put up with you." Bucky shifted Clint and took on most of his weight.
When they went through the door, Doctor Cho handed something to Clint. "Don't forget the knee brace." She smiled again, then watched as the two men left, wondering how long it would be before Clint returned.
When Clint and Bucky returned to the apartment, Bucky was glad to see the repairmen had been there. "Aw, elevator, yes," Clint said. "The repair guy showed up?"
Bucky shook his head. "Nope, I fixed it. I needed something to do." Bucky had found that he didn't do well sitting and worrying about Clint when he was on a mission, so he took up repair work around the apartment. He'd helped Aimee with her sink, fixed up Grills' stove, and dug a stuffed animal out of Simone's toilet. He was doing something worthwhile after all the disaster he'd caused as the Winter Soldier felt good. He thought he knew what Clint and Natasha meant about getting the red out of their ledger.
The elevator dinged, and before Bucky could stop him, Clint had limped over to the apartment door and unlocked it. "Lucky!" Bucky heard the dog barking and prayed he didn't jump up and hit Clint's knee, or worse, that Clint would decide to kneel and pet his dog. "Come on, boy, up on the couch." As Bucky walked in, he saw Clint and Lucky on the couch, with Lucky leaving slobbery kisses all over Clint's face. "Aw, good boy! I'm not mad at you." Clint ruffled Lucky's fur. "It wasn't your fault. You didn't make the hole." After locking the door, Bucky placed the knee brace on the coffee table, then collapsed on the other end of the couch. Lucky turned and greeted him as enthusiastically as he had Clint. Clint laughed and leaned toward the table. "I'll head up and change clothes, then put this monstrosity on." Clint stood and started limping toward the staircase to the loft. Before Bucky could say anything, Clint stepped on one of Lucky's toys. "Shit!" Clint said before crumpling to the ground.
Bucky immediately jumped up and hurried over to Clint. "Same knee, I'm guessing?" He asked, kneeling next to Clint.
Clint nodded, grabbing his left knee. "Was I born under a bad sign or something?"
Bucky bit back a chuckle before answering. "Only if there's a disaster sign, doll." Without any effort, Bucky picked Clint up bridal style and carried him up the stairs, warning Lucky to stay out of the way. When he got to the bedroom, he casually tossed Clint on the bed, then turned around to go back downstairs to feed and water Lucky. "Stay."
Clint grimaced, then smirked. "Make me."
Bucky turned around and saw Clint had already shimmied out of his jeans. "Who can pass up a challenge like that?" Bucky strutted back over to the bed, stripping off his shirt and tossing it aside. As soon as he started to climb on the bed, Lucky burst through the door and leaped on the bed, and of course, his head made contact with Clint's already twice-injured knee. Clint yelped and grabbed his knee.
"What the flock of seagulls is going on? I'm beginning to think you have pissed off someone somewhere." Bucky shook his head and looked at the ceiling as if someone would answer him. "I'll call Stevie to come and get us to take us back. They're never going to believe this."