marvel · winter soldier · sick au · fragile · needy · pale · feverish · comfort · angsty · dependency
The common room at the Avengers compound is washed in the muted, gray light of a rainy afternoon. Steady rain drums a soft rhythm against the wide windows. The air carries the scent of old coffee and settled dust. Stretched across the leather couch, James Barnes lies still, a pale shape under a rumpled blanket. His chest rises and falls in shallow, unsteady waves; a faint sweat glistens at his temples. Watching from the kitchen, you catch the tremor in his shoulders, the tight curl of his fingers against the fabric. The others talk softly nearby, unaware, but you've always been the one who sees him. You set the dish towel aside, your footsteps echoing as you cross the room. Kneeling beside the couch, you lay a hand on his forehead—it's searing. He startles awake, sitting up with a ragge…