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Steve could instantly tell something was wrong with Bucky the moment he woke up. He was wheezing in his sleep and he was sweating. All his blankets were on the floor but he was curled up in ball.
"Bucky, baby, wake up." Steve touched his shoulder. Bucky woke up and rubbed his face.
"Daddy."
"Good morning, you don't look too good. You feeling okay?"
"Hot." Bucky sneezed twice.
"Yeah, let's go take a quick bath and I'll fix your favorite breakfast. Bless you." Steve brought him in the bath tub and let Bucky sit in the cool water. Steve went in their bedroom again and got a lighter pair of pajamas and a diaper. He saw that Bucky had sweated through the sheets, so he threw those in the washer machine. He went back in the bathroom and sat with Bucky.
"You look better. Probably just got a little overheated during the night." Steve dried him off and changed him and clothed him. They went in the living room, Bucky sat on the couch and sucked his thumb. Steve finished preparing his milk and gave him his eggs.
Bucky didn't eat, but he was drinking a little. That was red flag number one. Bucky loved eggs, anytime they were fixed he would've cleaned his plate. It was weird that he suddenly didn't have an appetite.
Things started to get a little more worrisome when Bucky was sleeping before and after his nap time. Steve let him sleep in the living room while he worked on a few reports. Bucky was sweating again and mumbling Russian. Steve let him be for a while until his mumbling turned into growling.
"Bucky bear, wake up." Steve touched his shoulder, Bucky gasped and grabbed his hand.
"It's okay, it's just daddy." Bucky whined and slid onto the floor.
"Oh bud." That was red flag number two. Steve kissed his head, Bucky relaxed under his touch a little.
"Hey can I make a call right quick?" Bucky somewhat nodded. Steve got up and called Bruce.
"Hey, Steve, what's going on?"
"I think Bucky has a fever."
"Well in a two year old case, I would say don't worry about it too much. But in Bucky's case, I would be concerned. Is he doing anything unusual?"
"He's sweating and sleeping a lot. And I can't get him to eat."
"But is he drinking?"
"He's only had a cup of milk all day."
"Okay, so him sleeping and sweating a lot is the fever sort of burning itself out. Has he complained of his head hurting?"
"No he hasn't said anything about that but then again he hasn't talked much today."
"Okay if you have liquid ibuprofen, give that to him and see if it settles him a bit."
"You don't think this could be serious?"
"I would be more concerned if his head was hurting or if he was having seizures. But right now, it sounds like a simple fever. He should be okay. Just monitor him and keep him comfortable, he'll be fine." Steve sighed and hung up. Bucky was awake and was sucking his thumb. Steve sat in front of him and took his thumb out of his mouth.
"I'm sorry you feel so bad, do you want something?" Bucky sat up and crawled onto Steve's lap.
"I guess I could spoil you today. Alright, look I'll fix you some chicken noddle soup, I'll go get Lamby and we can watch a few movies sound good?" Bucky nodded. Steve sat him on the couch and went to the kitchen to start the soup. He went in their room and got his Lamby. He went in the living room and gave Bucky his lamb but now Bucky wanted to be picked up.
"Bucky, I can't serve soup while holding you." Bucky whined and made grabby hands at him. Steve sighed and picked him up.
"This is not what I had in mind when I said I was going to spoil you." Bucky put his head on his shoulder and watched Steve fixed the soup. Bucky smelled the steam coming from the soup and put his face near the steam.
"Oh baby, be careful. That's hot." Bucky looked at him, then sniffled.
"I guess the steam from it might help with a runny nose, but don't do that. It's ready anyways." Steve fixed a bowl for Bucky, he would have been able to fix a bowl for himself if his other hand wasn't holding a two year old.
"Okay, you're going to have to take your thumb out of your mouth. Hold this and don't let go." Bucky took his thumb out and held the plastic bowl. Steve fixed himself a bowl and got two spoons. They walked to the couch, Steve let him pick the movie. SpongeBob SquarePants the movie. Interesting choice. Bucky has seen it but has slept through it every time. Steve has yet to understand the silly movie.
"Okay, put this in you're lap." Steve sat him on the couch, Bucky put the bowl in his lap, but was confused. Steve put the movie in, then he heard a sneeze.
"Bless you, oh." Bucky really had a runny nose. Steve got a napkin and wiped his face. Bucky looked at him then scrunched his face.
"You okay?" Bucky sneezed twice.
"A double sneeze attack. Bless you, Bucky." Steve wiped his face his again and sat by him. Bucky looked at the spoon, how does one use this? Instead he tried to pick up a noddle with his fingers but was burned.
"Owie."
"I gave you a spoon for a reason. He doesn't know how to use a spoon, stupid Steve. Sorry bud, um, okay dip the spoon in here then bring it to your mouth." Bucky dipped the spoon and pouted when most of the noddles slipped out.
"I know it's a little frustrating. But you're getting the hang of it. Good job." Bucky was sipping his soup, not that Steve minded as long as he ate something. Thirty minutes into the movie, Bucky was finished with his soup and was, surprisingly, not asleep. He was sneezing more but he wasn't sweating as much.
"How do you feel?" Asked Steve.
"Okay." Bucky sucked on his thumb again, Steve wanted to stop him but today he decided to just let Bucky have his way since he was sick. Bucky crawled onto his lap and sneezed on Steve.
"Bless you. Okay, next time let's cover our mouths." Bucky smiled and laid on him. Steve knew there was a good chance whatever Bucky has he wouldn't catch. But still Bucky needed to learn some manners about, well, everything.
They watched the rest of the SpongeBob movie. Bucky liked the ending and the music. Steve still doesn't understand the movie. How was the sponge and the starfish adults but sounded like children? But Bucky enjoyed it, so whatever.
"Okay, it's bath time. Get up." Steve sat up and stretched. Bucky raised his arms.
"Spoiled boy." Steve carried him to the bath tub. He ran warm water then left the bathroom. He put the sheets in the dryer and got new pajamas for him. He went back in the bathroom and saw that Bucky was drawing circles in the water but he was snotty.
"Oh Bucky." Steve wiped his nose. Bucky didn't like when he did that and hit his arm.
"Stop. Why are you hitting?"
"No like."
"Well Bucky, nobody wants you to be snotty and gross so don't hit please." Steve took off Bucky's clothes and put him in the tub. Bucky played with his toys and got water on Steve, like he usually did. He was feeling better. Steve was glad but also concerned.
Would Bucky try to get sick more often so he could be spoiled more?
"Alright, come on out. You got a lot of medicine to take tonight." Steve dried him off and put on his pajamas. They went in the kitchen, Steve warmed his milk and added liquid ibuprofen.
"Tired."
"I know, just a few more minutes. Open." Bucky opened his mouth for the pills. Bucky swallowed the pills and drank his milk.
"Bed time." Bucky took his milk with him to bed. Steve got his favorite book and read to Bucky. Steve felt Bucky lean on him more, he was asleep. Steve took his cup from him, despite him not finishing it. Bucky had his thumb in his mouth again, Steve took his hand out and put his pacifier in. Bucky was becoming warm again and it concerned Steve that maybe Bucky wasn't getting better. He would have to wait till morning to find out.
When Steve woke up, Bucky was on his tablet and smiling at his show.
"Hey, good morning." Said Steve. Bucky looked at him and smiled. He curled up against Steve and giggled.
"You look and sound so much better. How are you feeling?"
"Good. Hungry." He had an appetite, that was good.
"Alright, how about eggs and rice?"
"Yah, daddy up." He held up his arms, Steve sighed this is what he was scared of.
"Bucky, I carried you all day yesterday, you can walk." Bucky whined and made grabby hands.
"Last time, okay?" Steve hoisted him up. Bucky smiled and laughed, Steve could honestly say he missed his laugh. Steve sat him on the couch and fixed his food. Bucky finished his entire plate and was full of energy again. He got a text from Bruce asking how was he doing and Steve replied that he was back to normal spoiled self.
Then he heard a sneeze.
"Bless you, Bucky." The sickly sneezing would probably stop in a few hours or the next day. But Steve was glad he was acting himself again.