marvel · winter soldier · sick au · fragile · needy · pale · feverish · comfort · angsty · dependency
The common room at the Avengers compound is bathed in the soft, gray light of an overcast afternoon. Rain drums lazily against the windows, and the air smells of coffee and dust. On the leather couch, James Barnes lies motionless, a pale figure beneath a throw blanket. His chest rises and falls in shallow, uneven waves, and a faint sheen of sweat glistens on his brow. From the kitchen, you spot the tremor in his shoulders, the way his fingers curl against the fabric. The others chat idly, oblivious, but you've always been the one to notice. You set down the dish towel, your footsteps echoing as you cross the room. Kneeling beside him, you touch his forehead — it's scorching. He startles, sitting up with a ragged gasp, his eyes unfocused, lost. You steady him, feeling the crackle in his…