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Steve knows what's like to be sick and near death. He had everything when he was younger. Pneumonia, asthma, and some other things. None of that was pleasant and he was glad the serum cured him. He was also glad there was proper medical treatment for these type of stuff now. But even with the best medicine, people still got sick. And Bucky was no exception.
Bucky's been sick before when he had a fever. But he got over that in a day. Today, something was off about Bucky. He had been coughing every now and then. Steve was sure it was because of the season change, but he should have adjusted to the cold by now.
"Daddy?" Asked Bucky.
"Yes?"
"Hurt." He pointed to his chest. Steve got up from his chair and placed his hand on his chest.
"Is it tight pain?" Bucky tilted his head.
"I think it's because you've been coughing. How about some warm milk?" Bucky nodded. Steve fixed a bottle of warm milk. Bucky was coloring while Steve had his stereo playing soft music. Once Steve finished the milk, Bucky started to cough again. It was beginning to sound worse as the day went on. Maybe this wasn't just a seasonal cough.
"Here you go, drink slowly." Bucky took his milk and drank while coloring. Steve cleaned up the house a little and gave Harley a peanut butter toy to keep her occupied. But what got him confused was why Harley had Lamby? Luckily, she didn't chew on it.
"Buck, Harley doesn't need-" Bucky was asleep. Steve smiled and put him on the couch and covered him with his blanket. He couldn't help but notice that Bucky was sweating a little and he sounded like he was wheezing a bit.
"I hope this is just another fever." Steve finished cleaning the apartment and started a load of laundry. Then he heard coughing. He went back to the living room, Bucky was coughing into the pillow. Steve rubbed his back, Bucky looked at him, he was definitely sick.
"Oh, that got worse fast." Bucky laid his head on Steve's lap. Steve looked at the pillow, there was yellow mucus. Now Steve was concerned.
"Hey, can we go see Uncle Bruce?" Bucky nodded. Steve called Bruce, he wasn't in town. He was in Seoul with Dr. Cho. But Bruce did recommend a doctor who could work with Bucky, but he would advise against getting Bucky anymore medication. He already had two for seizures and one for anger management. A fourth one would probably mess him up before it did any good.
"Okay, baby, we're going to the doctor."
"Uncle?"
"Bruce isn't in town, so he told us to go to his friends at the hospital." Bucky shook his head, his breathing was picking up and it didn't sound good with wheezing.
"I promise, I will stay with you the entire time. I'll make sure he won't do anything you are uncomfortable with. But we have to get you checked out, I don't like how you are breathing." Bucky was crying and trying to get away from Steve. Steve picked him up and brought him to the bedroom.
"No, go!" Bucky kept kicking out at him when he was changing him. Steve managed to at least get the diaper on him before he had to hold his legs.
"Do you like being sick?" Steve asked. Bucky shook his head. "We have to go see a doctor. I know it'll be different without Bruce but you'll feel better." Bucky settled down a little. Steve put on a pair of sweats and changed his shirt. This was going to be the tough part, he hated long sleeve shirts but it was getting colder and he had to wear them. Bucky wasn't having it.
"Alright, do you want to wear my shirt?" Bucky tilted his head, Steve got one of his long sleeve shirts and put it on him. He wasn't fighting it, this was good.
"That's very good, Bucky." So all he had to do was make sure the long sleeve shirt was covered in his scent. Steve got himself dressed and went in the bathroom.
"Brush your teeth." They were still working on that. Bucky got the put the toothbrush in the water part, but he wasn't steady with his hands so Steve had to help him with putting on the toothpaste. The actual teeth brushing part was a work in progress. He would just hold the toothbrush in one place then moved to another. Steve had Bucky copy what he did, but even that didn't work sometimes.
"Where's your hair brush?" It was sitting on the counter last night, now it was gone. Bucky looked at Harley. Steve hoped she didn't take the brush.
"Did you take the brush, Harley?" Harley went in the living room and Steve followed her. She sat on her bed and looked at Steve. Steve felt under the bed and found the brush chewed up.
"I swear, it's like I have two kids instead of one. Don't chew on brushes." Steve threw the brush away and went back to the bathroom. Steve used his own brush on Bucky and combed his. Once he finished, Bucky sat in the living room and laid on the couch.
"Come on, we have to go." Bucky shook his head and pointed to his animals, Steve put on his shoes and picked him up and gave him Lamby and Star. Bucky was putting up a fight, but the energy quickly left him and let Steve carry him to the car. As much as Steve wanted him to cooperate, he was concerned that Bucky wasn't putting up much of a fight. He could hear Bucky still wheezing, it was getting worse.
Once they got to the hospital, Bucky was becoming nervous with everyone in the waiting room. Occasionally, a child scream or someone would yell and it frightened Bucky. Steve tried to relax him with his toys and tablet, but when Bucky became nervous, he became hyper aware. Bucky couldn't look at Steve for more than five seconds without turning his head to a different noise.
"We're going to be okay, Buck." Steve said. Bucky looked at him then looked at woman coughing. Bucky shook his head and started to chew on his arm. Steve held his arm, the wait was killing him. Some of these people have been here for hours, they were lucky enough to make an appointment with the doctor.
"Okay, um, James Barnes." Said a male doctor.
"Come on." Bucky shook his head and dragged his feet. "Do you want me to carry you?" Bucky was still shaking his head, but Steve picked him up and followed the doctor.
"Alright, good morning. My name is Dr. Harold Johnson. I understand Dr. Banner sent you over."
"Yes, Bucky doesn't sound good. He's been wheezing all morning. Are you sure you can handle him, he doesn't like strangers?"
"I will do my best. Hello, Bucky." Said Dr. Johnson. Bucky turned away from him, this was about to be an experience. "I won't do anything to harm you, your daddy says you are not feeling well, right?" Bucky slightly nodded.
"Okay, I'll go just how Dr. Banner told me. Is it okay if I listen to your back and chest?" He held out a stethoscope. Bucky hated those, but he nodded. Steve lifted up his shirt, Bucky squirmed at the cold metal. This thing was always cold and no one ever wanted to warm it up. The cold thing moved to his chest.
"Thank you. His lungs do sound bad. Will he sit still for a CT scan?"
"Is it that serious?"
"Well, judging by the sound, it could either be bronchitis or pneumonia. I would like to get a scan of his chest to make sure we know what we are dealing with." Steve sighed. Bronchitis and pneumonia was the last thing on Steve's mind. He hoped it was just a bad cough, but bronchitis or pneumonia was new but also a little complicated to treat.
"Okay, let's try for a scan." They went to the room with the machine. Bucky stared at the machine. Bucky shook his head and started to cry.
"It's okay." Steve laid him on the bed, Bucky had a death grip on his arm. Steve got his blanket and covered his face. It settled him a little, but he was shaking a lot. As the scan started, Steve could tell Bucky's metal arm was becoming warm. The machine started.
"DADDY!"
"It's alright, I'm right here." Steve rubbed his leg. Bucky started to cough badly.
"Alright, that's good enough." Said Dr. Johnson. The machine stopped, Bucky crawled out of the scary machine and clung onto Steve.
"It's alright, all done." Bucky was shaking violently, Steve was shaking because of him. They went to the doctor's room, Steve was trying to calm Bucky down. His crying and his labored breathing was breaking Steve's heart.
"Can he wear an oxygen mask? It'll help calm his lungs." Steve nodded. Dr. Johnson gave Steve an oxygen mask, he tried to put it on Bucky's face. But he kept pushing it away.
"It's going to help, honey." Bucky shook his head. Steve sighed and had to force the mask on his face, Bucky was screaming. After a minute, he calmed down enough to stop screaming. The crying had taken a lot out of him, each breath he took sounded struggled.
"Okay, he does have pneumonia in his left lung."
"I was hoping that wasn't the case. What can we do?"
"I suppose he isn't good with shots."
"I wouldn't try it, he's already stressed."
"Then I would give him a breathing treatment. It is a nebulized antibiotic therapy, so like a breathing mask and it's laced with antibiotics to treat the pneumonia."
"Okay, do we have to keep coming to the hospital to get the treatment?"
"No, I'll provide you with the nebulizer and antibiotics. I'll show you how to use it. I'll be back." Dr. Johnson left the room. Steve looked at Bucky, he was pale and tired. He has pneumonia back then and it was similar to this, but Steve hadn't been afraid of any treatment. Bucky has been through a lot of "treatment" so he reasonable scared and stressed. Steve put Lamby and Star on Bucky's chest, he looked like he didn't want them, but still hung onto them. Steve hated that he was so sick, he would give anything to take away Bucky's pain, anything.
Then the doctor came back in.
"Alright, we'll just attached this here and it'll mist up but it shouldn't take more than thirty minutes to finish it." Dr. Johnson slipped the mask over Bucky's face. Bucky didn't fight it anymore. He was exhausted.
"Do you want some milk?" Bucky nodded. Luckily, Bucky wasn't too particular about the temperature of the milk. Otherwise, that would be another fight. Steve tried to give him the milk, but the mask was covering his mouth too. Steve took off the mask and gave him his milk with mask still hovering over his face.
"So how long do we have to do this?"
"I would like to see him by the end of the week to see how he is doing. But pneumonia last for 2 or 3 weeks, so I would say everyday, two or three times a day."
"Okay we'll figure it out, he should be okay before that."
"I will be back in an hour to check on him." Dr. Johnson left. Bucky had fallen asleep, Steve locked at the clock on the wall. It was a little past one. It was way past Bucky's nap time.
"Oh Buck, I'm sorry you're so sick." Steve kissed his head. He got his phone and sent in the avengers group chat plus Rumlow that Bucky had pneumonia. Immediately, Nat and Rumlow asked if there was anything they could do. Steve just asked if they could be at the apartment later in the afternoon to help him. They both responded 'yes'.
After a while, Steve and Harley was fighting sleep, Bucky was still asleep. The antibiotics had already finished and was just supplying oxygen.
"Good evening."
"Hey."
"I see he is still asleep, let's see if he sounds any different." Dr. Johnson got the stethoscope and checked Bucky's chest. Bucky didn't react, which kind of scared Steve.
"He sounds a little better. I feel comfortable sending him home, but if he sounds like he isn't getting better or coughing up blood, immediately bring him back." Steve nodded. Dr. Johnson packed up the nebulizer and packed a few antibiotics. Steve changed Bucky and carried Bucky to the car.
Once they got home, Steve carried Bucky to the apartment and opened the door. Nat and Rumlow were sitting on the couch.
"Oh, poor baby." Said Nat rubbing Bucky's back.
"How's he doing?" Asked Rumlow.
"He's exhausted. Every time he cried, it was like his energy just dropped. I mean I've had pneumonia before, but Bucky was just so scared of an unfamiliar person and place." Said Steve.
"Oh, I'm sorry kid." Said Rumlow.
"I'm going to go lay him down." Steve put Bucky in the bedroom, but didn't close the door. He had to listen out for anything unusual. Harley laid on the bed with Bucky to keep him company. Steve went back in the living room and collapsed on the couch.
"Tough day?" Asked Nat.
"He woke up with a bad cough and it wasn't getting better. Then he started to cough up mucus, I asked Bruce if he could see him but he's not in the country. I took him to the hospital and he wasn't having it. They did a CT scan of his chest and he freaked out. He didn't want the mask on, but by the time I got the mask on him, he just stopped fighting." Said Steve.
"I thought the kid couldn't get sick." Said Rumlow.
"Well his immune system probably isn't as strong as it needs to be. So he's more prone to getting sick then Steve is." Said Nat.
"Is there any non painful thing we can do about that?" Asked Steve.
"They make adult and children gummies that boost immunity and other things." Said Nat.
"I'll look into it when I go pick up the antibiotics. I just hate that he's so sick." Said Steve.
"He'll be okay." Steve closed his eyes and dozed off. It had been a long day, he need to rest or he was going to crash at a bad time.
&
When Steve woke up, he could hear the terrible coughing coming from Bucky but he could also hear him laughing. He looked around and saw Rumlow laying on the floor with Bucky watching a movie on his tablet.
"Oh, look daddy's awake." Said Rumlow. Bucky turned to Steve and smiled.
"Daddy." His voice sounded horrible.
"Hey, sorry I didn't come wake you up. I fell asleep. Do you still feel sick?" The answer to that was a bad cough. Steve rubbed his back and kissed his head.
"Where's Nat?"
"She'll be back with a few things." As weird as that answer sounded, Steve couldn't focus on it. Bucky just wanted attention and Steve didn't mind snuggling his sick boy. Then the door opened.
"I have arrived." Said Tony. Steve shook his head and Bucky stared at Tony. Then Nat and Sam came holding a bag.
"What is going on?" Asked Steve.
"We heard our favorite two year old was sick with pneumonia and as family I don't want him to think that his favorite uncle wouldn't come by and check on him." Said Tony. Sam looked at Tony and rolled his eyes.
"What he means to say is we brought some get well presents for him." Said Sam crouching in front of Bucky.
"Hey, so everyone heard you were sick and wanted to get you a little something to help you feel better. This is bear is from me, your favorite uncle. Mommy got you a Paw Patrol dog, I think his name is Chase. This other doggy is from papa and this weird thing is from Tony." Said Sam.
"Mine?"
"Yep these are all yours because we are worried about you." Said Sam.
"We also got you some get well cards and sorry Steve, there's more candy in there. And this weird thing you speak of is an iron lamb. A lamb that is dressed like me." Said Tony.
"Thanks guys, but he doesn't need all this." Said Steve.
"Of course, he does. He sick and we feel bad. You deserve all the toys in the world, don't you?" Said Nat. Bucky laughed and looked at all his new toys. It wouldn't be long before one of the toys got lost somewhere. While everyone left, Rumlow stayed with Bucky while he got his breathing treatment for the night.
"I can take care of him, Brock."
"I know you can, I just wanted to make sure he was alright." The nebulizer finished and Bucky finished his milk.
"Everyday, I think about how it's because of Hydra that he's like this and I had a part in it. You seem okay with it."
"I try not to dwell on the past. I'm haunted by the fact I couldn't grab him on that train, that I even let him on that mission. But everyday, he'll smile at me like he's telling me he's okay. And that helps the dread a little."
"If his smile could cure all, he wouldn't be sick."
"But it can't. He'll be fine before the week is out."
"Alright, keep me updated. Please."
"I will." Rumlow kissed Bucky's head then left. Steve sat down by Bucky and looked at all the toys everyone gave him.
"Do you like them?" Asked Steve. Bucky nodded. So in all, Bucky had six stuffed animals. Lamby, Star, the bear, Chase the dog, a blue dog from papa and the iron lamb from Tony.
"Okay only two of them can stay in bed with us, the others can sit on your night stand." Bucky looked at all of them, but the choice ultimately came to Lamby and Star. Steve smiled at him and brought him to bed. He put the other animals on Bucky's night stand. Bucky coughed again. Steve rubbed his back and tried to get him to sleep.
"Daddy, hurts." He said pointing to his throat.
"I know, bud. It's going to hurt for a few days, we'll take it easy for a while. That also means no screaming and yelling too." Bucky only looked at him then smiled. Steve had a feeling Bucky's tantrums weren't going to stop because he was sick. If anything, it was probably going to make things worse. Bucky feel asleep not long after Steve read a book to him. His breathing still sounded horrible, Steve couldn't but sleep on a time when he was this sick. It was going to be rough night for both of them.
Despite Steve telling Bucky that he needed to take it easy, Bucky's energy and emotions were fluctuating too much for even Bucky to keep up with. One minute, he'll cry about his chest hurting. Then he'll be fine. But then, he'll try to play with Harley and they always played too rough with each other. After breakfast, Bucky had to take his breathing treatment before nap time. He didn't want to.
"Bucky, please. It's just for thirty minutes." Said Steve. Bucky shook his head and sat in his corner, even though he wasn't in time out. Steve picked him up and he started to scream. Bucky tried to kick out, but Steve wasn't letting him down. Steve sat on the couch and put the mask on his face. Bucky tried to get away from it, but now he felt drained of all energy. Steve rubbed Bucky's chest to settle him and to loosen up his lungs a bit. Bucky looked at Steve and relaxed a little.
"I told you no screaming and yelling, your lungs are sick so you can't do that for a while." Bucky dozed off into his nap, Steve didn't want to move him, so he too slept on the couch.
After a few days, Bucky started to sound better and his energy was starting to go back to normal. The breathing treatment helped a lot and was brought down to only once a day or twice if he was having trouble breathing. Dr. Johnson was able to do a check over of him and concluded that he would be fine with a little more rest. Two year old's rarely rested when they are sick and still Bucky was no exception. But in all, Steve was glad his boy was feeling much better.
"Daddy, play." Said Bucky holding up the iron lamb.
"Okay, what are we doing?"
"You sick, daddy."
"I'm sick, okay."
"Lamby, help."
"Dr. Lamby is going to get me all better?" Bucky nodded. Steve just played along with their little game of doctor. Bucky was happy and getting better, and that's all he could ask for.