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“I’m not staying in bed,” said Sarah.
Or.
Well.
More like rasped, barely comprehensible, words between sneezes and deep breaths up the nose to try to hide the run, everything about Sarah screaming “This is a Pretty Bad Flu, Not Bad Enough to Go to the Hospital, But Definitely Bad Enough to Stay Home Today”.
Bucky frowned at it all.
Sam groaned into his hands.
“Again, we already told Carlos you won’t be coming. It’s fine, you can take a day off,” said Sam, his phone starting to buzz the Avengers S.O.S., glancing over at Bucky with a “Please make sure my sister doesn’t try to swim to the Paul & Darlene”, pulling his phone out of his running shorts as he said, “Bucky’s in charge since he’s the oldest. Don’t sneak out while I save the world.”
Bucky watched Sam walk out of the house, taking that call, leaving Bucky to deal with Sarah, who was… trying to sneak out the back door, but was currently stuck in the kitchen cupboard, saying, “Who renovated the porch?”
Bucky rushed over to the cupboard, corralling Sarah out so that he could pick her up, Sarah looking up at Bucky as she wheezed out some giggles, snot starting to run. Bucky couldn’t help but smile down.
“What?” asked Bucky.
“You’re too powerful,” giggled Sarah, “Like, it’s over nine thousand.”
“I… I don’t know what that means?” said Bucky.
Sarah snorted.
“You could probably toss me in the air over my house, run to the other side, and catch me,” said Sarah, Bucky starting his walk upstairs with Sarah in his arms.
“Is that a good thing?” asked Bucky, getting into Sarah’s room, starting to situate her in her bed, trying to make it as comfy as possible for Sarah.
“It’s pretty hot,” said Sarah, Bucky feeling blush take over his entire face at the thought of Sarah thinking he was hot, Sarah noticing it and reaching her hands up to Bucky’s face and… squishing it, “You're a cutie. A cute bright tomato man.”
Bucky opened his mouth.
He closed it.
He tried to figure out how to react to that. He placed his hands on hers, holding them for just a moment before he slowly moved them off of his face.
“That’s very sweet of you to say,” said Bucky, “But you really do need to get some rest.”
“Why haven’t we gone out yet?” asked Sarah, groaning as she flopped down, laying on the bed fully.
Bucky choked on his own spit.
“What?” asked Bucky, not sure if he heard that right.
“You,” said Sarah, flailing her arms wildly as she motioned, “Me. Out. On a date. I like you. You like me. You like my kids. My kids like you. My brother’s your best friend. We’re basically family. Why haven’t we gone out yet?”
“I – I didn’t know you’d want to go out with me,” said Bucky, honestly.
Sarah cackled.
“You didn’t think I wanted to go out with you?” said Sarah through the laughter, “You’re like the densest man who’s ever lived, James Buchanan Barnes Jr. Truly.”
“If you promise to stay in bed as I drop off and pick up Cass and AJ at school, I’ll go out with you once you’re feeling better,” said Bucky, Sarah’s eyes lighting up.
“Fucking finally,” said Sarah, the tiredness of the flu overriding Sarah’s sheer willpower, her eyelids drooping, her body relaxing more into the bed, “Okay. I’ll stay in my dumb bed. But then you take me out someplace nice. Like an art museum. Or the botanical gardens.”
Bucky smiled, sitting down on the edge of the bed, moving some hair away from Sarah’s face, making a note to put a wet washcloth on her before waking up Cass and AJ for school, seeing Sarah lean into the touch, making affirmative noises at it.
“I’d love to,” said Bucky, sitting there for a little while more.
Sarah snorted.
“Of course you would,” she yawned, definitely falling asleep right before Bucky’s eyes, “I’m awesome.”
Bucky stood up, getting that washcloth, thinking about what kind of picnic would be best for a date at the botanical gardens.