#coldstories

Inspired by @softersteve ’s Wintertime Sickfic Prompts. 

Summary: Steve and Bucky are sent to the Mount Denali region in Alaska shortly after New Year’s. It was supposed to be a simple overnight mission to check out an old HYDRA base. The weather has other plans.

Disclaimer 1:  I do not own anything in the MCU.

Disclaimer 2: Steve deals with his trauma related to the plane crash and freezing by facing it head on. I am not an expert in dealing with trauma, so I do not recommend this method for everyone. 

****

One fateful night in late January, Steve and Bucky were assigned a mission near Mount Denali in Alaska. It was a simple mission to scan the area to make sure the previous HYDRA base was still inactive. The last few years had shown no signs of activity in the area. SHIELD had plans to convert it into one of their own bases. The rustic cabin above the underground storage was a cozy place for long distance travelers to rest while the underground storage could hold any supplies they needed to restock. Everyone else was examining their own inactive HYDRA bases around the world. Alaska was the only mission that required two people because it was just the one base. And so, Steve and Bucky were selected. Director Fury proposed the idea as a little romantic getaway for the two of them.

Steve’s flight anxiety had improved significantly and he wanted to conquer the last piece of his trauma: flying over ice. Directory Fury and the other Avengers assured Steve that he had nothing to prove, but the Captain was determined to overcome his fears. After all, he never knew when he might have to take the controls over a snowy environment. It was better for him to test this with a recon mission rather than a dangerous escape. Besides, Bucky would be there to help him through the memories and to take over the controls if it became too much.

Both super soldiers were a little congested and had sore throats on the day they were to depart, but they didn’t pay it much mind. They had fought with worse symptoms before. Neither Steve or Bucky wanted to make the other worry over something that was likely just a small head cold. 

The mission began without a hitch. Steve felt comfortable controlling the Quinjet for most of the journey. He let his boyfriend take over a few times when Bucky became restless. The mountain was scheduled to have a bit of snowfall overnight, and the two super soldiers landed just in time to avoid getting caught in it. They were dusted with a light snowfall as they entered the cabin. 

The cabin was rather small. It was one room with a bathroom wedged into the corner. It had a huge clawfoot tub inside that took up most of the space. The rest of the cabin was divided into a small kitchen with a gas stove, sink, and small dining table, a bed with a stiff mattress, and a sofa in front of the fireplace. 

The underground base was about the size of a small convenience store. Despite being fairly certain it was empty, they carefully inspected every room and every nook or cranny they found just to be safe. It was completely empty except for some dust that made their congestion even worse. There was evidence something had been stored there, mostly discoloration of the walls and floor.

Steve got a nasty whiff of dust when he and Bucky returned upstairs. “*snff…snffsnff…  hih’IHSHuugh! hiph’TSCH! hihiTSHSHuughh! Ngh… snff…,*” Steve wiped the back of his glove under his nose. 

“You alright, Stevie?” Bucky asked.

“Y-Yeah, Bun. Just got blasted by dust. *snff,*” Steve answered.

Bucky stared at him with his arms crossed and his eyebrows raised. “You sure? You know you only sneeze in threes when you’re sick or about to be sick,” he chided. Just as Steve was struggling to come up with a good excuse, Bucky started sneezing. 

“See? Told’ja it was dust. Unless… you’re coming down with something?” Steve teased. 

“I-I’mb *hih…snff* I’m fi-*ihTSHCHH!* fide, Steeb. *huhpphTSHSH!*” Bucky argued. He sniffed, paused to make sure his sneezing fit was over, then said “we should ged out of here before dhe snow geds worse.”

The super soldiers braced themselves for the blast of cold air that would assault them the second they opened the door. It was much colder than they expected: cold enough that Steve shivered from head to toe and Bucky's teeth chattered noisily. They huddled together as they stared out at the snowy landscape. The snow had turned to white out conditions while they were inside with at least another inch and a half of snow on the ground. 

"Scratch that. *sdff…* Led's just g-g-grab our stuff ad c-camp here for dhe nnnight," Bucky stuttered.

"*sn-snff* thingk we could do dhis in one tridp?" Steve sniffled with a shudder.

Bucky nodded. He was just as eager to get back inside where they could warm up. He pulled his scarf over his nose and ears so only his eyes peeked over the top. He and Steve huddled together as they trudged through the snow. Steve was on Bucky's right side and taking the brunt of the winds. But the frigid mountain cooled Bucky's arm so much he worried about frostbite on his shoulder. 

They hurried up the ramp and into the Quinjet. It had already cooled down from the temperature outside. Although, it hadn't exactly been toasty when they flew, it kept them warm enough. Steve and Bucky loaded their packs of supplies and bags of food onto themselves like pack mules. They double and triple checked that they had everything they needed because neither of them wanted to come back out.

Bucky and Steve hurried back inside of the small cabin. They set their supplies down by the door, then scrambled to huddle in front of the fireplace. Steve went to work making a fire. He checked that the chimney was open and that the fire would stay contained. Then, using his lighter and some bark, Steve managed to coax a healthy fire to life. Bucky handed him a couple of logs from the wood pile until the fire was big enough to last them a few hours. Steve closed the grill and sat back with his shaking palms held towards the blaze. 

"Y-Y-You ok-kay, St-St-St-Stev-v-vie?" Bucky asked, his whole body shuddering. 

"Y-Yeah. J-J-Just ch-chilly. Wh-Wh-Wh-What ab-bout y-y-you?" Steve checked. He noticed Bucky was shaking worse than he was. The Captain reached behind him to grab a blanket from the couch to wrap around him. 

Bucky shakily pulled the blanket tighter around himself as he muttered "*ffff*fine." Steve looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Bucky looked away and sheepishly admitted, "c-c-cold-d. *hetKSHCH!*"

"B-Bless y-you B-B-Bun," Steve cooed. He sniffled, then sneezed. "*ht'GSHH! ht'KSHHT! eihh-t'sheww!*" 

"B-B-Bless y-yourssself, bab-byd-d-doll," Bucky grabbed another blanket off of the couch to drape over Steve’s lap. Then, Bucky wrapped his blanket around his shoulders, too. Steve smiled and kissed his cheek while covering Bucky's lap with the second blanket. They snuggled together under the covers trying to warm each other up. Bucky sighed contentedly as the chill in his bones slowly started to melt. 

Steve's shivering finally stopped, but Bucky's hadn't. He nuzzled his face into Steve's neck. The blond giggled and rested his head on Bucky's hair. Steve dotted kisses along Bucky's forehead. "You're so cold, baby," he worried. 

"W-Well, it's f-f-f-freezing he-here," Bucky stated. 

"Want me to heat up some soup for you? Or I could make you some tea? I've got the teabags in my pack," Steve offered. 

"N-N-Nah, s-s-s-save 'e-em f-f-f-for d-d-dinner," Bucky shakily brought his hands up to his mouth and blew into them. 

Steve cupped Bucky's hands to blow hot breath over them. He took care to massage both of Bucky's hands and spent extra time on his metal one. 

"Your hand is like ice, Bun," Steve worried. That was when he realized "Is your whole arm this cold?!" He didn't bother to wait for a reply. He started to run his hand over Bucky's arm. The chill seeped through the layers of winter clothes and Steve's gloves. 

"Honey…," Steve murmured. "Why didn't you say something? No wonder you're so chilly." He rubbed his hands up and down Bucky's arm to help him warm up.

"D-Didn't w-w-want ya t-to w-w-w-worry," Bucky admitted with a shudder.

"I could've brought something to help you if I knew," Steve argued.

"N-N-Nothing he-helps," Bucky sighed. 

Steve was quiet for a moment. Then, he had an idea. He scooted out from under the blankets and went to sit on Bucky's left side. 

"Wh-Wh-What're y-you-," Bucky began.

"Moving to your other side so my body heat can help your arm get warm. How's that? Comfy?" Steve checked, settling down next to his boyfriend. Bucky adjusted the blankets so they were both covered once more. Bucky melted against Steve's warm, warm chest with his head in the crook of his neck and his arm sandwiched between them. Already Steve's body heat was helping. 

"You're s-so warm," Bucky sighed, pressing a kiss to Steve's neck. Steve wrapped his arms around Bucky so he could help massage the last of the shivers out. 

Bucky was about to drift off when Steve sneezed. "*hihshchmmph! Uh'ptCHmmff! Huh-huh… uh'ISHfff! HihiTSHSHXX! Ittchshsh!*"

That made Bucky pull his head off of Steve's shoulder. Steve was sniffling and wiping his nose on the back of his hand. His nose and cheeks were pink and he just looked so worn out. 

"S-Sorry, Buck, I… I… *ih-hih-ihhTSHSH! Huhtshughh! Eihh-t'SHeww!*" Steve sniffled. 

"Aww, bless you sweetheart!" Bucky exclaimed. He took his gloves off of his human hand and placed it on Steve's forehead. "You feel warm, honey. You alright?" 

"Ye-Yeah. *snffSNFFsnff… hetKSHCH!*" 

Bucky moved to get up, but Steve pulled him back. "Y'just got warmb, Bun," he protested.

"You're not gonna stop sneezing 'til you blow your nose. And it's a little hard to sleep on a sneezing pillow," Bucky smiled. He kissed the blond as he sat up.

"Is that dhe only readson you lobe me? *huhpphTSHSH!* I make a good piddow," Steve teased with a little pout on his lips. 

"Nah, pillows aren't this difficult," Bucky retorted. He returned back to Steve with a whole box of kleenex in hand. 

"You're lucky I'mb freezing or I wouldn't led you back id," Steve returned. He took the topmost tissue, folded it over, then blew a few times. 

"Better?" Bucky asked. Steve nodded. 

"You brought a whole box with you? Did you know I'd get sick or somethin'?" Steve asked.

"I know how sniffly you get when you're cold," Bucky answered. "And I actually brought two boxes." 

"I love you," Steve sighed, blowing into another tissue. 

Bucky smirked. "Is that the only reason you love me? I bring you tissues?"

"Shut up!" Steve laughed. Bucky started laughing too at how Steve's cheeks flushed. It devolved into a coughing fit that almost made Bucky double over.

"You gettin' sick, Bun?" Steve worried.

"I think it's just allergies. Unless you gave me your cold?" Bucky answered. 

"I'm not sick!" Steve argued. 

"You are sick, honey," Bucky insisted. 

"So are you…," Steve muttered, sheepishly burrowing into their blanket burrito. 

"Soon as we get back home tomorrow, we're takin' a long, hot bubble bath. Might even have someone bring the hot tub inside so we can use that," Bucky mused. Then, he thought "we can't put bubbles in the hot tub, though…" 

"We can do whatever the Hell we want," Steve declared. Bucky snorted out a laugh. "We're sick, and we're cold, and we're stuck here for the night. We earned that bubble hot tub."

"Now that's why I love you," Bucky grinned, kissing Steve's nose.

****

Steve curled into himself with a shiver. He reached for the blankets to pull them up, only to find air. Steve opened his eyes and sat up. He chuckled when he saw Bucky had rolled over with the blankets cocooning him. Steve shivered again and rubbed his arms. He didn't want to wake Bucky, but if he didn't, his chattering teeth would.

"B-B-Bun…," Steve whispered. He lightly nudged Bucky's shoulder, but got no response. He nudged him again. "Y-Y-You're ho-hog-g-gging all-all th-th-the bbbblank-kets."

Bucky shifted in his sleep, but didn't wake up.

"P-P-P-Please, B-Bun. I'm s-s-s-so c-cold," Steve chattered. 

Bucky still didn't respond. So, Steve slipped off of the bed, shivering when he felt the freezing hardwood floor through his socks. He shuffled around to the other side of the bed and crawled under the covers with Bucky. It was a tight fit, but worth it for the warmth. Steve sighed as the heat enveloped him. 

Finally, Bucky stirred. "Ngh… Stevie? What're you doin'?" He wriggled over towards where Steve had been sleeping to give him more space. Steve pressed himself as close to Bucky as he could to keep absorbing his warmth. Bucky wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and felt how harshly he was shuddering. 

"Oh, honey!" Bucky gasped when he realized the blankets had been mostly on his side. "I'm so sorry. Are you alright? You want me to turn on the fireplace?"

"D-d-d-don't mo-move. Y-Y-You're l-l-l-like a-a f-f-f-f-f-furn-nace," Steve shivered. He tucked his hands under Bucky's shirt to warm them up and shoved his feet between Bucky's legs. For once, Bucky didn't complain about how cold his appendages felt. He began rubbing his hands over Steve's side and back. Bucky felt how much Steve's muscles were spasming, and he felt the bed quivering as well.

"My poor babydoll. You're shakin' like a leaf," Bucky worried, tucking Steve's head under his chin. He brought one hand up to tousle Steve's fluffy blond hair and kept his vibranium arm over him. 

"W-W-Well, i-it's fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-fuhfreez-z-zing he-here," Steve teased, hoping to make Bucky feel better. 

"I know, honey," Bucky cooed, dotting Steve's face with soft kisses. 

Steve wanted to do more to reassure him, but felt himself slipping back to sleep. The lingering smell of Bucky's cologne and his gentle touch always lulled Steve to sleep and the coziness of their little blanket cocoon made it ten times as strong. His shivering was calmed and his teeth clattered softly enough for him to speak.

"Love you, Bun." 

"I love you, too, babydoll," Bucky smiled, giving Steve one last forehead kiss before they both fell asleep. 

****

Bucky briefly woke up around sunrise. He didn't need to look out the window to know the snowstorm was still going strong. He could hear the howling winds. It was obvious they wouldn't be leaving today, so Bucky let himself relax. He glanced down to see his boyfriend still fast asleep and most importantly, toasty warm. 

Steve was in the same position he fell asleep, but this time he was leaning more on Bucky. Bucky tucked the covers up and over the back of Steve's head so only his face and top of his head were exposed to the chilly morning air. It was so cold in the cabin that Bucky could see their breath fogging in front of them. Steve's nose and cheeks were a little rosy from the cold, but there was no sign of frostbite. 

The chilly cabin air made Bucky want to hold Steve tighter. If he hadn't woken up last night, the love of his life might've frozen to death beside him. Bucky couldn't stand that thought. He was going to make sure his Stevie stayed nice and toasty all day, and for the rest of this damn impromptu vacation. 

GAHHH!! I'm so, so, so sorry this took so long! College coursework sucks sometimes.

I too think about how Steve dealt with winter before the serum! That's one of those fluffy scenarios I play in my mind before going to sleep. It usually involves cuddles with his best guy. I had a little drabble about that in my drive, so I fed it your ask and created this:

Please enjoy this fluffy little pre-war Stucky Fic

Steve cursed under his breath. He had tried to redraw this same line three times now, but every time, he was interrupted by a shiver running up his spine. His hands were already trembling without his gloves on–they made it difficult to grip the pencil–and his full body tremors made it so there was no way he could draw properly.

So, Steve decided to do some charcoal work instead. He had a piece that he needed to work on, and charcoal was a little more forgiving than graphite. Steve put away his sketching materials into his bag, then began trying to set up his charcoal. He blew into his hands and rubbed them to chase away the creeping numbness. He felt so weak and pathetic, shivering in the corner of the art studio in his heavy coat while everyone else was unbothered.

Steve ignored that feeling and focused on his charcoal work. The studio had its monthly showcase in a couple of weeks, and Steve needed to complete as many pieces as he could so he could sell them and make enough money to take Bucky on a date. Of course, it wouldn't look like a date to anyone else. He figured they could go back to Coney Island, just the two of them. And this time, Steve would keep extra train money in his pocket instead of letting Bucky spend it on a dame.

His daydream was cut short by a fit of sneezing. He managed to catch them in his left hand so he didn't mess up his piece. "*Hih'GSHSH! HihiTSHSHmmmphh! Ih'teh-heh'KSHCH!*"

The owner of the studio, Ms. Brown came over to where he was working. She was a tall, opinionated middle-aged woman with black hair that had just a touch of grey. Steve often felt intimidated by her, but she was actually really nice.

"Steven, I think you should just go home, today. It's obvious you aren't feeling well and pushing yourself is just going to make things worse," Ms. Brown said.

"I-I-I'mm *fffff*fin-ne, m-m-m-ma'am-m," Steve chattered.

Ms. Brown rolled her eyes. "Steven," she tried again. "You're cold. You're sick. Go home. Don't make me call James."

Steve fumbled to put away his materials as quickly as he could. She smiled, then went to check on her other students. She paused to say to him, "Steven, if you come in tomorrow not feeling better, I will personally drag you back home by your ears. Get some rest, dear."

"Y-Y-Yes, m-m-m-m-ma-a'ammm," Steve assured.

Ms. Brown had a patented brand of tough love that came from surviving the first World War, getting the Spanish flu, living through the Great Depression, and fighting to open her own art studio for young, aspiring artists in Brooklyn. She was tough, but her students knew how much she cared for them.

Steve double checked he had everything packed and put away before heading out. The second he stepped outside, he was bombarded by freezing wind. Steve's teeth started chattering even worse, now. He stuffed his hands under his arms and walked to the streetcar stop a few blocks away.

Brooklyn was just starting to change from fall to winter. There was some snow sticking to the ground here and there, even more in areas that had frequent shade. A few buildings even had the beginning drips of icicles. The day was overcast and cloudy, so the morning frost was able to stick around. Without the sun, the below freezing temperatures felt even colder. All of this was painfully obvious to Steve as he stood in the unsheltered streetcar stop.

Steve hugged himself and rubbed his arms. Gust after gust after gust of frigid wind buffeted him, like it was trying to knock him over or freeze him solid: Steve wasn't sure which. He kept shuffling his feet and stomping them from time to time in a futile attempt to fight off frostbite. His toes might've already froze off for all he knew. Steve kept telling himself the streetcar would be there soon, then it would take him back to his and Bucky's warm apartment.

The blonde brought his hands up to his mouth to rub and blow into them again. His gloves weren't warm enough. None of his clothes layered on seemed to be warm enough. At this point, Steve could set himself on fire and still be cold. His nose, his ears, and his cheeks were red from the cold. His nose kept running, but Steve kept sniffling to stop it. It didn't work, and he ended up muffling sneezes into his hand. "*huh'TCHSH! uh'kSHSH! Huh-TSCHSHmmphh! uh'TSHSHXX! uhh'tSCHmphh!*"

He brought the collar of his coat up over his mouth and nose to thaw his face a bit. That made him feel a little warmer until a breeze sucked away said warmth, leaving him shivering and shaking and miserable and freezing!

Steve's hands were losing feeling again, so he stuck them in his coat pockets, keeping his face buried under the collar. The wind took advantage of his exposed chest, making Steve shiver so violently he nearly doubled over. His teeth chattered loudly and painfully. He reluctantly took his hands out of his pockets to hug himself again.

He could just see the streetcar in the distance. He double checked he had the right amount of change in his left pocket. Steve's hands were trembling so bad he didn't think he could count out the change without spilling it everywhere. He silently thanked his past self for always keeping transport money in his left pocket.

Finally, the streetcar arrived. Since it was so late in the morning, there were only a few people on board. A couple of other people were at the stop with Steve, so he let them board first. It gave him enough time to get the change out of his pocket. He managed to get it into the collection tin. Steve shoved his hands in his pockets and stiffened his shoulders to fight back shivers. He waited until he was behind the other passengers and sitting down before giving up the fight.

The inside of the streetcar was much warmer than outside, but the chill was so deep in his bones Steve didn't think he would thaw completely until April or May at least. It was November. Steve groaned at the thought. A woman a few seats ahead of him turned around to look at him. Steve did everything he could not to look as pathetic as he felt. It didn't help though, as he was still shaking uncontrollably.

She stood up and started to approach him. Steve braced himself for the usual lecture of "it's not that cold" and "buck up, sissy pants" and, his personal favorite, "man up." What the Hell did "man up" even mean?! Act like a man? He is a man!… sort of. He was only 19, which is technically still a kid. It has "teen" right in the name after all.

Steve was pulled out of his thoughts when the woman sat on the bench next to his. She reached into her purse and pulled out a blue knit scarf. It was the same pattern as the green one she had on. "Here, you look like you need this," she offered, handing him the scarf.

"Th-Th-Th-Thank y-you, mmma-a'am, b-b-b-b-but I-I'm a-a-alr-right. I-I-It's c-c-c-c-cold ou-out th-th-there. Y-You sh-sh-should k-k-k-keep-p i-it," Steve insisted.

"I know it's cold out there. You're shakin' so hard I'm surprised the Earth hasn't started trembling," she replied. Steve smiled at that. The woman was still holding the scarf out for him. "My arm is getting tired."

That convinced Steve to take the scarf. He wrapped it around himself a couple of times. It was wide enough to cover his shoulders and his nose. He pulled it down a little. "Th-Th-Thank y-y-y-you."

"You're welcome, young man. And do me a favor would'ja? Get a hat before your beautiful hair freezes off!" She and Steve both laughed at that. The woman got off at the next stop a few moments later. Steve waved to her as the streetcar took off again, and she waved back.

The scarf was so warm! It chased away the worst of his shivers after a few minutes. Steve was about to drift off when he realized his stop was next. Thankfully, he didn't need to pull the signal because a few people were standing at the stop. Steve gathered his bag and stepped off from the streetcar.

A light snowfall had started during the ride. It was just barely enough to stick to the pavement. Steve couldn't help worrying about Bucky working at the docks in this weather. He prayed his boyfriend was working in one of the warehouses today. He couldn't imagine how frozen Bucky might be by now, even as Steve himself was half frozen.

Steve was shivering so violently that he struggled to get his key out from his pocket. He fumbled it and dropped it a couple of times before he finally unlocked the door. He closed the door with his foot and locked it again. It was easier for his trembling fingers to grip the lock than the key, but his hand still slipped once. Steve took off his outermost layer of clothes that had been lightly dusted by the snowfall. He set them on a chair in front of the wood stove to dry out so he could wear them again.

The apartment was so cold that Steve could see his breath. He blew into his hands a couple of times to ease the trembling. He opened the stove and put in a log, sticks, and some shredded paper. Steve had to take his hands out of his gloves so he could use the matches. He fought back a shiver to strike the match. But as soon as the match touched the side of the box, Steve shivered so hard he broke the match in half.

He cursed again, then sneezed into his arm. Steve picked up the broken match, let himself shiver again, then tried to strike the match once more. This time, he lit the match. His fingers were so close to the flame Steve felt them getting burned. He quickly tossed it into the stove so it landed on the shredded paper. Steve stuck his burned fingers in his mouth to stop the burning. It worked until his teeth started rattling again. He pulled his gloves back on and watched the fire grow.

Steve huddled as close as he could to the stove. It took every ounce of willpower he had to keep from crawling into the fire. He hugged his knees to his chest to help warm up. No matter what he did, he just couldn’t stop shivering! Steve longed for Bucky to come home and cuddle him. Bucky’s cuddles always warmed him up.

****

"Brrr!" Bucky shivered, setting the bag of food on their kitchen counter. "Oh, it's freezing out there! Hope the studio was warm today."

Bucky glanced around their small apartment looking for Steve. The stove was out and the lights were off, but Bucky knew Steve was here somewhere. He couldn't see him, so he checked their room. Sure enough, Steve was curled up in their bed with the covers up past his nose and one of Bucky's hats over his head. Bucky smiled. "Guess the art studio was a little chilly, huh?"

His smile turned to a frown when Steve didn't respond. "Stevie? You awake?" Bucky kneeled down beside his boyfriend to check on him. That was when he noticed how much Steve was shaking. Bucky placed the back of his hand on Steve’s forehead, then immediately yanked it back. He was ice cold! “Stevie?! Hey, babydoll, wake up for me, yeah?”

Steve forced his eyes open, then curled into himself with a violent tremor. Bucky could hear his teeth chatter. Bucky kissed his forehead and rubbed his sides. “Hey, baby. How're you feelin'?” he sighed.

“C-C-C-C-Co-Co-Cold-d-d, *buh-buh-buh*Bun-n-n,” Steve moaned.

Bucky felt his heart ache. “I know, honey. Wait here, I’ll light the stove.” He started to walk back to the living room, but Steve reached his hand out to grab the edge of his sleeve. Bucky turned around to see two wide, blue eyes pleading for him to stay. Bucky kneeled by his side and kissed him again. Steve was starting to pull himself into Bucky’s chest, but Bucky stopped him. “Just give me a second, baby. I’ll be right back. I promise.”

Steve finally let go with a whine. Bucky tucked the blankets back around him, then hurried back out to the main room. He opened the grate to the stove and saw some embers still glowing. Bucky poked at them with the poker to coax the fire back to life. He had to toss in a few more sticks and paper, then added a couple of logs once the fire was strong enough. He set the containers of stew onto the cast iron surface of the stove to keep warm while he checked on Steve.

Bucky went back to his and Steve’s room. It was too far away to feel the warmth of the stove. It was no wonder Steve couldn’t get warm. Bucky crouched in front of him again. He scooped Steve into his arms, blankets and all, then carried him out to the main room. Steve nuzzled his face into Bucky’s shoulder.

“I know, babydoll. I know. I got’cha. You’re okay,” Bucky soothed when he heard Steve whimper.

“...c-c-c-cold-d-d,” Steve moaned. Bucky sat in front of the stove with Steve in his lap.

“Shh… shh… shh… it’s okay. I’ve got’cha,” Bucky murmured as he tucked the blankets tighter around Steve so there was no way the cold could get to him. Bucky squeezed his boyfriend tightly, dotting kisses over the exposed parts of his face around his eyes. Steve cried out as he was wracked by a violent full body shudder.

“My poor babydoll. You must’ve been so chilled in the studio today,” Bucky sighed.

“C-C-C-C-Could-dn’t ssss-s-sto-op-p-p… sh-sh-sh-shak-k-king. *huh-tuh-tuh-tuh-tuh-tuh-tuh*... M-M-M-Missss B-B-BBB-B-Brown ssss…s-s-s-sent m-m-m-me *huh-huh*hom-m-me,” Steve chattered out. "*heh'TSCHSHuugh! ehh-t'SHSHeew! eh'heh-heh'KSHSHuugh!*"

“Aww, bless you, honey. How long have you been home?” Bucky asked, massaging Steve’s limbs through the blankets.

“... l-l-l-l-lev-v-ven,” Steve mumbled.

“Eleven?” Bucky asked. Steve nodded. Bucky looked at the clock. It was nearly eight o’ clock! That means Steve had been freezing to death for over nine hours! Probably longer if Ms. Brown sent him home! Bucky was pulled out of his thoughts when Steve began coughing. Bucky kissed his head again. “Poor guy.”

The young couple sat in front of the stove for over half an hour, talking about nothing in particular. Bucky kept massaging Steve’s limbs as his shivering finally eased. Steve was nearly asleep when Bucky moved him to the couch in front of the stove. Bucky brought over the containers of stew and the bread that got slightly toasted sitting on top of the stove.

“Figured stew would be good today. It was freezing at the docks!” Bucky commented.

Steve took a sip of the broth and shivered before he responded. “I was worried about you when it started to snow.”

“Wasn’t too bad for us. We were moving around a lot and took a bunch of coffee breaks. If that was coffee, that is. Tasted like crap, even to a bunch of guys freezing their bits off,” Bucky said.

“With all the money they save with your crap paychecks, you think they could at least get you decent coffee! At least Folgers,” Steve agreed. He could see Bucky starting to shiver beside him, so he brought the blankets over his lap too.

Steve and Bucky spent the rest of the night on the couch, bundled in blankets, cuddled together, and enjoying each other’s company. Eventually, they both laid back with Steve on top of Bucky, nestled between his boyfriend and the couch. Steve was so tired from shivering all day that he fell asleep in seconds.

It’s been really cold where I live, so I wrote some fluffy Stucky fluff inspired by it! Enjoy this little ficlet!

Bucky pulled the warm, fuzzy blankets out of the dryer. It took every ounce of willpower not to crawl into the dryer and warm himself. He carried the large bundle of blankets back to the couch where Steve was waiting. He had two of their heaters on the coffee table in front of the sofa, one more on each of the side tables, and the largest heater on the dining table he dragged to be behind the couch. Steve was wrapped in the thin blanket they usually draped over the cushions, shivering so hard his teeth chattered.. 

“Hot off the press!” Bucky announced as he dumped the blankets on the couch and on Steve. The captain almost purred as he felt the heat ease away his shivers. He and Bucky wrapped themselves in the blankets like a two-person burrito. Steve nuzzled his face into Bucky’s shoulder to warm up. Bucky held him close as he felt shivers trailing up his spine. 

“It’s s-so c-co-cold in here!” Steve whimpered. 

“I know, honey. I’m sorry,” Bucky murmured, pressing kisses to his boyfriend’s head. 

“Wh-Wh-When d-did they s-s-say the he-heat was g-gonna b-b-be *fffff*fixed?” Steve asked, nearly biting off his tongue. 

“Tuesday,” Bucky answered. It was Thursday. Steve stuffed his hands under Bucky’s arms with a full body shudder. Bucky held him tighter and ran his hands over his back to help him get warm. “It’s okay, Stevie. I’ll keep you warm.”

“Th-Th-Th-Thanksss *BBBB*Bun. I-I’ll k-k-k-keep y-y-you w-w-w-w-warm, t-t-too,” Steve replied. 

Bucky smiled and ran his hand through Steve’s soft hair. “Why don’t we watch something to take your mind off of this?” Steve nodded into Bucky’s neck. “You wanna watch baking? That’s nice and cozy.” Steve nodded again. 

Bucky reached out of the blankets to grab the remote while letting as little cold air as possible penetrate their burrito. He then positioned the remote so the sensor was outside of the blankets so he could press the buttons from under their covers. Bucky turned on their favorite baking show, then set it up to automatically play the next episode. That way, he could just hold Steve and keep him safe from the cold. 

Steve’s shivering was starting to calm down from full body shudders to occasional tremors. His teeth were still chattering like crazy. He kept trying to stop them, but nothing worked. His tongue muffled the sound a little, but it was painful! And no matter how much he fought it, his jaw kept spasming. Bucky heard the irregular clicking.

“What’re you doing, babydoll?” he chuckled. Steve was looking down past his nose, as if he was trying to see what his jaw was doing.

“T-T-Tryin’ t-to s-s-s-stop th-them,” Steve responded. His expression resembled that of a confused golden retriever. 

Bucky smiled fondly. “It’s alright, Stevie. Just let ‘em do their job of trying to warm you up.”

“Ok-k-kay. Th-There an-n-n-noy-ying th-th-though,” Steve muttered. 

“I don’t mind. C’mere,” Bucky insisted, pulling Steve on top of him. Steve was nestled between his boyfriend and the couch with his head just under his chin. This was the perfect position for Bucky to give Steve lots of head kisses and nuzzles. Bucky adjusted the covers again to keep them warm. 

Word Count: 1816

Sam, Steve, and Bucky had been sent out on a mission to check on a suspected supply of Super Soldier Serum. The developers of the serum hadn't been too keen to let anyone, especially not the Avengers, get their hands on it. In a last ditch attempt to keep it out of their reach, the lead scientist chucked the case containing the serum out of the helicopter and into the lake.

Steve and Bucky knew they had to find it before it disappeared. Something like that was too powerful to be left alone. Despite the frigid temperatures, both soldiers leaped out of the chopper before it flew too high, leaving Sam to stop the scientists from escaping.

The lake was a shock to both of them. Despite their military training, they gasped on impact and inhaled water. Steve continued to dive deeper, hoping to reach the case before it sunk all the way to the bottom. Bucky on the other hand had resurfaced to catch a breath. He started to panic when he didn't see Steve.

"Steve!" He called. When he didn't get a response, he dove under once more. The lake was dark, even with the sun shining down onto its surface. Steve had been wearing his shield when he jumped, so Bucky looked for its shine. He saw something flash out of the corner of his eye and swam in that direction.

The water was chilling him to the bone. His limbs ached from the cold. Bucky felt his movements becoming sluggish, but refused to give up. Steve had been in water for two minutes now and needed to get air. Bucky finally found his boyfriend near the bottom of the lake. Steve's back had been towards Bucky at the time. The sergeant swam as close to Steve as he could to get his attention.

Steve saw movement creeping beside him. He was startled by how close it was. Normally he'd see something like that before it got so close. Steve braced for a fight, but saw it was only Bucky.

Bucky grabbed Steve around his waist and pushed them up from the bottom of the lake. It took an agonizingly long time for them to breach the surface. Steve's vision had started to tunnel from a lack of air and excess of lakewater in his lungs. Once they were up, Bucky held Steve's head above water while he used his prosthetic arm to tread water. The captain was still coughing and gasping for a breath. He clung to Bucky like a koala.

"*huh-tuh-tuh-tuh* I-I cuh-cuh-cuh-cuh- couldn't f-f-f-f-f-f... cou-couldn't *fuh-fuh-fuh* find-d-d it-t," Steve admitted. He shivered so violently that he created little waves in the water. He sniffled, then turned his head and sneezed. "*Huhtshughh!*'

"I-It's alr-r-right, St-Stev-v-vie," Bucky soothed. Then, Steve pushed off of him to dive into the lake once more.

"S-S-S-So-Sonnnov-v-va b-b-bi-bi-bi-bi *bih... ih... ih'TCHEW!" Bucky cursed. He was beyond cold and just wanted to take a hot bath with his boyfriend. But his friggin' boyfriend was as stubborn as a mule!

Bucky dove after Steve once more. He decided to start looking for the serum in another location to make the search faster. Bucky and Steve could see better than the average person, even underwater and in the dark. His vision was a little impaired by the cold, but it was enough for him to find that metal box.

It was much heavier than Bucky assumed. He grabbed it with both hands and sprung up from the rocks covering the bottom of the lake. The box weighed him down. It didn't help that he couldn't use his arms to push himself up. Bucky finally reached the surface. He moved the box so it was on his left arm and shoulder, his hand and head keeping it in place.

Bucky fumbled to get out his radio and keep his head above water at the same time. Before he could, he saw a large shadow overhead. He looked up to see Sam flying above him.

"*sssss*S-S-S-Sam-m!" Bucky called. Sam flew back around. He flew so close to the water Bucky worried he would crash. At the last second, he grabbed Bucky under his arms and pulled him out of the water. Bucky held onto the handles on either side of the box. There was no way he was diving back into that lake.

"W-W-W-What ab-b-bbout-t St-St-St-Ste-eve?" Bucky worried.

"I'm gonna drop you off with the medics, then go get him. I won't let him freeze out there, I promise," Sam assured. He and Bucky landed on the dock. It was a bumpy landing since Bucky couldn't roll with Sam.

"Sorry, man. You good?" He asked.

Bucky could only nod in reply. The flight over the lake made the cold air cut through him. He could feel the fabric of his clothes freezing solid. If he hadn't been wearing a glove on his human hand, it would've frozen to the box. A few SHIELD agents were standing by to accept it. Bucky felt a hand on him, then instinctively pushed it off.

"Sorry to startle you, Sergeant. I'm one of the medics. I'm just here to help you," a lady said. She tried to wrap Bucky in a towel but he pushed her off again. "Sergeant Barnes?"

"N-N-N-N-No-Not un-unt-t-t-til S-S-St-St-St-St...," Bucky protested, violently shuddering as he sat on the dock with his knees to his chest.

"Sergeant Barnes, you're going to freeze to death," the medic argued.

Bucky wanted to say something sarcastic in response, but his teeth were just chattering too much. Unfortunately, this just proved the medic's point. The super soldier had no choice but to submit to her ministrations.

****

Bucky had an icicle hanging off of his nose.

Sam was trying not to laugh.

"Maybe instead of 'White Wolf' they shoulda called you 'Blue Bucky,'" he teased as he yet wrapped the half frozen super soldier in another blanket.

Bucky huddled deeper into his mass of towels and blankets, his whole body shuddering so violently he looked like he might cause an earthquake. "*ffffff... fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh-fuh*ck-ck o-offff, *suh-suh-suh-suh-suh-suh-suh...,*" he forced out through dark blue lips.

"Is that any way to talk to the guy who's gotta warm your cyborg ass up?" Sam continued. He pulled Bucky into a side hug to help him walk.

Bucky cursed. "*huh-duh-duh-duh*damn y-you W-W-W-W-W-Wils-s-s-s..."

Sam chuckled. "C'mon, Blue Bucky: let's go get your boyfriend."

A harsh gale blew across the water, spraying some of it onto the dock. Bucky started shaking impossibly harder to the point his knees buckled under him. Sam caught him in time to keep him from falling. Poor Bucky was so cold he clung to Sam with stiff fingers to absorb some of his heat.

"Shit, Buck! You with me?" Sam gasped.

"*kgh-kgh-kgh-kgh*can't ffffffeel m-m-my f-f-f-feet a-an-and m-my l-l-l-l-l-legs wwwwon't st-t-t-to-op sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh...," Bucky said. Sam glanced down to see Bucky's frost-covered jeans peeking out from a gap in the blankets as his knees knocked together from the severity of his shaking.

Another wind blew over them. Bucky cried out in pain as his shuddering increased for a moment. Sam pulled Bucky close to support him while they walked to where they would be picked up. Steve was already there and being looked at by two more medics. He wasn't shaking as badly as Bucky despite being in the water longer. His eyes looked lidded and heavy and the poor guy couldn't even hold his towels. His hands were stiff and blue, just avoiding frostbite thanks to Steve's increased healing. One of the medics had to keep tucking the covers around him since Steve kept shaking them off by accident. Bucky might've found it cute if A) he and his boyfriend weren't freezing their asses off and B) he and his boyfriend weren't freezing their asses off.

Once Sam and Bucky were close enough, Sam reached an arm out to pull Steve into their little huddle. The poor guy was nearly frozen from head to toe. His blonde hair, eyebrows and eyelashes were coated in so much ice they looked white. Steve hadn't been able to wipe his nose in between sneezing, so he had two little "snotcicles" dangling from his nose.

"*huh-huh*o-ohhh... *buh-buh-buh-buh-buh* brrrrr!" Steve whimpered, huddling closer to his boyfriend. He pulled away when his sniffling increased. Then, he let out three tiny sneezes. "*hih'TSHSH! ih'kshsh! ihtxhshooo!*"

"Bless you. D'aww! Look at that; you have matching nosecicles!" Sam laughed

Bucky brought his human hand up to break off the ice dangling from Steve’s nose. Thankfully, they didn't damage his skin beyond mild frostbite. Steve raised a hand to do the same for Bucky, but his hand was trembling so much he kept lightly slapping his boyfriend's cheek by mistake. Bucky wiped his nose on the outermost blanket, then pulled Steve into a warm hug.

"C-C-C-Can w-w-we *guh-guh-guh-guh*go innnsi-side n-n-nnn-now? I-I'm r-r-r-r-real-ly *cuh-cuh-cuh*cold-d-d," Steve pleaded, his voice slightly muffled by the blankets. His shivering was starting to increase as his body slowly warmed.

"*muh-muh-muh-muh-muh-muh*me-e t-tt-t-t-tto-too," Bucky agreed, running his hands along Steve's back and arms.

The medics who helped Steve and Bucky helped the soldiers into the Quinjet. Sam walked ahead to reach the pilot's seat. The two super soldiers clung to each other as they were guided to the passenger seats. The three medics unwrapped them from the blankets, then helped them into a dry change of clothes. It was a simple tee shirt and sweatpants, but it was warm and dry.

Steve kept trying to push off the medics so he could get to Bucky. When the blonde tried to explain it, all that came out was, "nnnn-n-n ne-ed-dda *kgh-kgh-kgh-kgh-kgh*ge-get-t-ta

Bu-Bu-BBu-Bu-BBBu-BBu-..."

Two of the medics had to hold him down so he wouldn't start fighting them. It was torture for Bucky to listen to his boyfriend's cries without being able to comfort him. Steve just dealt with three major reminders of trauma: plane rides, cold water, and nearly freezing solid. Bucky could still see ice chips in his hair. He finally cooperated with his medic, changing into his dry clothes as quickly as he could. One his shirt was on, Bucky slid into the seat beside Steve.

He was wearing socks and gloves now, and had blankets around his shoulders and over his legs. With a towel getting the ice out of his hair, only Steve's blue eyes could be seen. Bucky's medic helped him into similar attire, then wrapped both Steve and Bucky in some larger covers. Both soldiers were still shivering madly. Their teeth were chattering loudly enough that Sam could almost hear them over the roar of the jet engines.

First Post! Let's see how this goes....

Becky kidnaps Sam and Dean: Sam to try and make him fall in love with her by using a cliché fanfiction trope, and Dean to make sure he stays out of the way.

Word Count: 3704

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The first thing Sam noticed as he woke was that it was cold. Very cold. He heard his teeth rattle and felt his body quiver moments before he finally opened his eyes. He scanned the dark room for any sign of his brother. Sam could see a few barred, hole-in-the-wall windows near the ceiling that let in some moonlight and some falling snow from outside. That was when he noticed he was directly under one of those snow showers.

He was too cold to move much, but he was able to curl into himself. That's when Sam heard the chains clinking around him. The younger Winchester shuddered brutally as the icy metal hit his skin. He moved his hands under his armpits, hissing as more of him touched the chains. Sam groaned at the realization that everything but his boxers had been removed. Awesome.

"D-DDD-D-D-D'nnnnnn?" He mumbled. No response. The hunter let out a very shaky "brrr" when a gust of wind pushed more snow onto him. It was piled up all around and on him in little mountains, some of it melting then freezing back on him to create icicles. A door somewhere to his left opened just before he could call out again. Sam prepared to fight.

"Sammy?" a female voice called. Sam looked over as a small figure, completely bundled up in winter gear approached him.

"B-B-B-B-B-B-B-Be-eck-k-k-ky-y?" he chattered. The fangirl crouched in front of her idol, placing a gloved hand on his trembling jaw.

"Aww... Poor thing, you're frozen! C'mere: let's get you warm," Becky cooed, wiping the snow and ice off of the shivering hunter. Sam couldn't help but lean into her warm touch, even unwrapping his hands to hold zir arm. Becky beamed as she ran her other hand through his hair to clean out the frozen water. Once she was satisfied with it, she put her warm hat on his head, then wrapped her scarf around his neck, unfolding it to cover his shoulders too.

Becky gently uncurled the hunter's frostbitten fingers from her arm, kissing the knuckles on both hands before setting them in her lap. Sam's hazel eyes peeked out from behind the scarf to watch her pick his chains with a pin.

"Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Whe-ere's*huh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh* DDD-D-D-DD-D'n-n-n-n?" Sam pleaded.

"He's safe, honey. Don't worry," Becky assured. Sam's arms curled around himself and tucked under his armpits once the chains were off. "He's staying at a motel until the roads are cleared for driving. Until then, you're gonna stay with me and I'm gonna take care of you."

Now that the chains around his ankles were gone, Becky wrapped her arms around Sam to help him stand. His numb feet and shaking legs forced him to lean on her for support. Becky murmured soothing encouragements every time Sam took a step. Together, they ascended the stairs from the basement into the main room of the house. It was much warmer compared to the concrete wind-chilled cellar he was in, but just as dark.

"Stay right here while I go find some warm clothes," Becky instructed, setting him down on a couch in the living room. Sam actually whimpered as her heat moved away. He somehow managed to shudder even harder now that it was gone. Something soft wrapped around his shoulders. He weakly clung to the edges, trying to pull it tighter around his quivering frame. By the time his sluggish brain realized it was a blanket, another was draped across his legs.

Sam curled his knees up to his chest so he could overlap the blankets more. He then tried to blow on his hands to chase away the numbness. The little breath he could force through the scarf was weakened further by how much he chattered. Sam let out another whimper as a particularly strong wave of cold wracked his bones. All he could do was hug himself until it stopped. Thankfully, that was when Becky finally returned.

"How are you doing, Sammy?" she checked, sitting beside him on the couch. The fangirl wrapped her arms around the hunter and he instinctively huddled against her.

"S-SS-S-S-So-SSo-So-o-o-o c-c-cccco-co-old-dd," he forced out. Becky rubbed his back and shoulders, being very careful not to move the blankets too much.

"Don't worry, baby, I'm here," she soothed. It took a few minutes of coaxing to get Sam to uncurl his arms long enough for her to dress him in the thick and heavy down parka. He refused to take the blanket off, so he put his arms through the sleeves with the blanket tied around his shoulders like a cape. Becky pulled his hood up, then adjusted the hat and scarf so only his eyes peeked out. Then, she let him lean on her as she helped him into the sweatpants she found. Finally, Becky put socks and tennis shoes on his feet.

She couldn't stop herself from taking a moment to admire the scene in front of her. Her favorite character seemed so small and helpless as he sat there, all huddled up in the warm winter gear, shaking so furiously that she could still see his shoulders and arms quake. He kept making these little shivery whimpers and mumbling about the cold. This time, the only person who could help him was Becky. Not Dean, Becky.

"Okay, honey pie, we're gonna go a few blocks down to my place, sound good? Just lean on me and take it one step at a time!" She encouraged, helping Sam to his feet. Things were going well until Becky opened the front door. The rush of cold air and snow made Sam tremble so hard he fell over.

"Sammy!" Becky exclaimed, rushing to him.

"T-T-TT-T-T-To-o-o cc-ccc-co-o-o-old-d-d...," he protested, curling into himself and vigorously rubbing his arms.

"I know, baby, I know," Becky sighed. His rescuer quickly reached over to the other blanket, wrapping it around his upper arms so it could cover his legs too. Becky finally got him up and walking again. She didn't bother to close the door as they left. She was too focused on keeping Sam as warm as possible while they walked down the sidewalk.

Despite Becky's best efforts, he shivered and chattered unendingly. Each gust of wind nearly made Sam collapse into a trembling ball in the snow. He was so cold that every inch of him ached or was too numb to feel it. The young hunter wished his brother was with him. Dean, like all Winchesters, ran hot like a fire. He was also strong enough to carry his baby brother if need be.

"D-DDD-D-De-De-ean-n*nnn*...," Sam cried.

"It's okay, honey. Dean's going to come later when the roads are safe," Becky assured.

"... wwwwwa-an'm-mm-m'b-b-bbb-bb- *brrrr* -o-o-oth-thth-ther*rrrr*...."

"Shh.... You'll see him soon. I'll get you warm just as soon as we make it to that house over there," Becky promised. Sam didn't seem to hear her. He kept trying to call out for his big brother. Although, in his weakened state, the cries were more like quite pleas.

Becky and Sam arrived at her house after a few more minutes that seemed like hours. The walk didn't help Sam warm up at all; it just made him feel even colder. The hunter was shaking so hard that Becky had to rest him between herself and the wall while she unlocked the door.

Sam didn't wait for Becky to guide him in. He was so frozen that he'd nearly forgotten what it felt like to be warm. He unceremoniously fell across the doorway. The younger Winchester didn't bother trying to move. He just folded himself into the tightest ball he could make and allowed full body shivers to consume him.

He was so focused on the cold that he barely noticed when he was pulled into Becky's lap. She let his head rest on her shoulder while she unzipped his coat. Then, she pulled her idol close, wrapping her arms around him and resting her cheek on his head. Sam gravitated towards the warmth, and even burried his arms in the back of her sweater.

"How are you, my dearest?" Becky checked.

"FFF*FFFFFFF*-F-Fro-oz-zz-z-zen *bbb*bu-bbu'b-*bbbbb*-be-ett-t-t-terrrr...," Sam sighed. Becky massaged his back and shoulders as the violent shudders made him whimper in pain. The hunter relaxed into the touch, almost purring as his shaking began to slow.

"Y-Y-Y-Y-Yo-ou're ss-*sss*-s-so-o ww-wwa-warm-mmm *huh-uh-uh*," he commented while trying to bury himself deeper into his rescuer's warmth. Becky giggled, nuzzling his hair and planting a few lingering kisses.

"You're so cute, Sammy!" She cooed as the tall man kept trying to cuddle closer to her smaller frame.

"*SSSSS*-So-Sorry.... m'c-cc-co-old-dd...," he stammered. Becky giggled again.

"Do you wanna stay here or go to the guest bedroom upstairs?" She offered.

"BB-BBB-Be-Be-ed-d-d...," he requested. Becky gently helped Sam get to his feet. Even though the stairs seemed daunting, it was much easier than expected because Sam could hold onto the rail and Becky. Once they made it to the guest room, Becky lead him over to the desk chair. She quickly peeled back the covers on the bed before helping Sam over. She took off his shoes and parka before tucking him in.

"*thththth*-Tha-Thank yy-y-yo-ou...," Sam smiled. Becky nodded as she smoothed the covers over his quivering form. Despite the fact that the blankets were only a thin sheet and light blanket, Sam burrowed under them gratefully.

"Just lay here and focus on getting warm while I make you something hot," Becky insisted, tucking another throw blanket over the hunter. Once he seemed content, the fangirl made her way downstairs and into the backyard. She opened the shed door to smirk at the shackled man in front of her. Though he was fully dressed, his shirt and flannel offered little protection from the cold.

Becky watched the hunter with great interest. Unlike Sam, he kept pacing back and forth with the little room the chains permitted. His jaw clenched to stop his teeth jittering, but there was an obvious quake in his shoulders. No amount of blowing into his hands or rubbing his arms made a difference. Finally, he noticed Becky's presence.

"Wh-Wh-Wher-r-re's *SSSSS*-Sa-ammm?" He demanded, stepping forward despite his limbs being pulled behind him.

"Now, now, Deanie: Sammy's just fine. He's a little chilly, but I know just how to get him warm," Becky taunted.

"D-DD-D-Do-on't *tttt*-to-ouch 'immmm!" Dean threatened, struggling to reach her.

"Oh, please! What're you gonna do; turn into an ice sculpture?"

"I-II'll k-k-k-ki-ill y-*yyy*-yo-ou."

"You tell yourself whatever you need to keep warm. I'd love to stay and chat, but Sammy needs me," Becky sang. Dean muttered something that sounded like "bitch" as she skipped away.

Now that she didn't have to go out again, she removed her winter gear. She kept on her leggings and low cut midriff shirt as she began to boil water for a hot drink. Becky was startled by a loud *THUMP* upstairs. Abandoning the hot tea, she sprinted up to check on Sam. She skidded to a stop in the doorway to find the young hunter kneeling on the hardwood floor and trying to burrow under the blanket still around his shoulders.

"Sammy, what are you doing out of bed? I told you I'd bring you something soon," she chided, sitting beside her idol. Sam didn't respond. He stayed huddled in a ball, keeping his blanketed arms crossed over his otherwise bare chest. Becky realized his teeth were chattering too hard to get a word out. She was surprised they hadn't chipped yet!

"*huh-uh-uhhuh-uh-uh-uh*ppp-pa-pa-pa-pa-*ppppp*-pa-pa-pa *ngh!-huh-uh*...." After struggling for nearly a minute, Sam finally drew a trembling hand out from his cocoon to point at what he was trying to reach.

"Oh! You want the parka?" Sam nodded.

"Sorry, sweetie, but the parka's too thick. You aren't producing enough body heat to warm it up, so it would just make you colder. That's why your blankets are so thin: so the outside heat can warm you up," Becky explained. Her reasoning was little comfort to the hunter.

"Come, on! Back to bed," she grinned, moving to help him up. This time, Sam actually moved away from her.

"What's wrong, baby?"

Sam gave her his best puppy eyes which were even more effective with how much he was shaking and shivering. Becky felt her heart melt at the sight. She helped him onto the bed before enveloping him in a tight hug, snaking her arms under the blanket so she could feel his back. Sam melted into the hug. He was almost purring as Becky's heat helped his trembling slow. The hunter nuzzled into the crook of her shoulder, burrying his face in her hair, breathing in the smell of sweet coconut shampoo.

He was so sore from the shivering and so tired from his freezing experience that he began to drift off. It didn't matter that he was still quaking; all he could think about was that he was finally getting warm. Becky rested her head on his, gently rocking them from side to side. Sam closed his eyes and allowed the delicious warmth to lull him to sleep.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

His hands were numb. His feet were numb. Hell, even his face was numb. The rest of his body burned painfully in the frigid night air. Dean shook uncontrollably as he continued to fight against his shackles. He'd been kicking and pulling and thrashing ever since he gained consciousness. But the wood was young and refused to give easily.

With one last powerful tug, Dean broke through the beam that held him captive. He maneuvered the chain around his ankles over the broken wood before retrieving the key left just out of reach to taunt him. Dean had to blow into his hands and rub them together for a few minutes. Once the tingling sensation began to revive his feeling, he unlocked himself. He hissed slightly when he saw where the chains dug into his skin, and even created some freeze burns.

But that wasn't important. What was important - or rather, who was important - was Sammy. Dean didn't notice how the snow slithered into his boots as he trudged up to the house. His only concern was his baby brother. Becky hadn't bothered to lock the door after she went in, which saved Dean the trouble of kicking it down.

The house was quiet. Too quiet. The only sounds the older hunter could hear were his chattering teeth and stuttered breathing. Looking to his left, he found a tea kettle on the lit stove; he turned it off, hoping to remain undiscovered until he got Sam warm and safe. He could make Becky pay later. Dean held his numb hands up to where the fire had been so he could defrost his hands completely. Then, he began to search the house for his brother.

The bottom floor was an open floor plan with a bathroom and den to the right. Sam must be upstairs. Dean bit his tounge while he walked up to snuff out the sound of his chattering teeth. Even though he could easily take out Becky, he didn't want to push her to hurt Sam.

Dean walked down the hall, peering around the corner and into each room before moving on. As he stood in front of the last door, he heard muffled whimpering and tiny cries of pain.

Sammy.

Without a second thought, Dean stormed into the room. He was met with a very surprised Becky who had Sam curled up to her like an infant. Dean ripped her away from his brother so harshly that she flew off the bed. Sam let out a mewling cry at the loss of heat, but it was quickly replaced by joy.

Dean was here!

"DDD-DD-D-D-De-De-," Sam tried. Dean was sitting on the bed in front of him with his hands on his soulders.

"S-SS-Sam-m-m-my...," Dean replied, pulling his baby brother close to his chest. Even when he too was freezing, Dean radiated warmth. Sam wrapped his limbs around his brother, cocooning them in the blankets. The older hunter hefted him up with one arm, using the other to grab the parka on the chair.

Becky took advantage of his occupied state. She ran out of the room, closing and locking the door. As an added precaution, she jammed the dresser from the second guest room between the walls and in front of that locked door. No way they were getting out.

But Dean hadn't planned on using the door. He was going to carry his brother out through the window on his back. Now that Becky was gone, Dean could take more time to make sure his brother would stay as warm as possible for the trek back to the Impala. He set Sam down on the bed to bundle him into the parka. He added gloves, a scarf, hat, and the sneakers as well. The task was nearly impossible with how much they were both shaking, but as always, they managed.

"Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-Wha-a-a 'b-b-bb-b-bou *yyyyyy*-y-," Sam asked.

"Y-Y-Y-Yo-ou *fffff*f-f-fi-irsttt," Dean insisted, wrapping him in a blanket as a precaution. He opened the window, shivering wildly when the snow and wind attacked him.

"*DDDDDDDDDDDDDD*...," Sam protested. Dean, thinking his kid was still getting colder, brought him another blanket. Sam shakily grabbed the blanket and pushed it back. Dean nodded, tying the blanket around his shoulders so he could help Sam up.

"C-C-CC-Co-om*mmm*me o-onnn," he encouraged. The brothers embraced one another as they shuffled towards the open window. Dean hoisted Sam up piggyback style, hoping it would be easier to carry him down. Sam wrapped his limbs tightly around his brother. He burried his face in the blanket as another powerful shudder rattled his teeth.

"C-CC-C-CCC-C-Co-o-o-old-d-d," he murmured.

"Ha-Ha-Ha-anggg o-o-onnn," Dean pleaded. He held onto his brother's legs with his left hand so his right hand could support their descent to the ground. The snow was thick enough that it cushioned their landing. But it was also cold enough and wet enough to soak Dean up past his knees. He had to cling to the fence post as shudders tore through him. It was a testament to how cold he was when Sam managed to slide down without him noticing.

Sam unhuddled from his blanket to wrap it around his big brother. Dean shakily pulled the blankets around him. His teeth were knocking together so furiously that he couldn't get more than a whimper out. Sam decided to bundle him up in the hat and scarf he was wearing. He unzipped the parka, hugged Dean close, then started leading them away from Becky's house.

He thought he saw the Impala parked a ways away, but it was too snowy to see properly. The brothers were so cold and so shaky and so frozen that they collapsed in the middle of the road. They huddled as close together as possible to conserve any remaining heat. The duo stayed there for several minutes when a pair of headlights shone over them. The boys were too frozen to notice.

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"Dean!? Sam!?" Bobby gasped. He ran over to the frozen brothers to check on their heartbeats. They were weak, but they were there. "Balls! C'mon, boys, let's get you warm!"

It took a lot of effort, but the older hunter eased both Winchesters up and into the passenger side of his truck. In the light, he could see how pale and almost blue they looked! Despite how out of it they were, they still clung to one another. Sam nuzzled into Dean's neck and he burried his face in his hair. Bobby wrapped the emergency blanket around them.

"Hang on, boys! I'll get'cha warm in no time!" He promised, cranking up the heat. The brothers just shivered in response.

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Dean woke up slowly, nuzzling into his pillow and snuggling into the warm covers. He still felt cold and shivery, but at least he could feel his extremities. Glancing up, he saw his baby brother --still a little pale and chilly-- but recovering. He reached under the covers to gently grab onto his hand. He was about to fall back asleep until he realized he had no idea where they were.

The older brother groaned as he tried to sit up. His muscles were so sore from the shaking and escaping that he flopped back down onto the bed.

"Hey, hey, hey! Take it easy, son! You've been through a lot."

"Bobby?" He asked, recognizing the nickname and tone immediately.

"How're you doing?" He asked.

"Is Sammy okay?"

"He's got a bit of frostnip on his fingers, toes, nose, and ears, but it wasn't severe. No damage at all. He's still pretty cold, but not nearly as hypothermic as earlier." Bobby explained.

"Thank you... for taking care of us," Dean said, tucking his brother under his chin as he starts to drift off. He heard his brother's breathing get a little staggered as he wakes up, then he shakes his head a little.

"*huh'NNSHH!*"

"Hey, there, Sammy," Dean smiles.

"Hey." Sam sniffles. "You ogkay?"

"Still cold and sore beyond belief, but better." Sam coughs and Dean hears the congestion moving around his lungs.

"You catch a cold or somethin'?" Dean asks, feeling his forehead.

"*heh-heh-PSHH! hih'GSHH! HEPSHhuuh!*" 

That was all the answer Dean needed.

"Hey, we made it. We're okay now. Bobby rescued us!" Dean assured. Sam nodded then sneezed again. He shivered.

"De, I'b stdill code."

Dean doesn't have much time to come up with a solution. Bobby bundles a few warm coats around them since all of the blankets and towels are being used to defrost the poor chilly boys. Sam shifts, then sniffles.

"That's better, huh?" Dean checks.

"*heh...heheh...heh'SHHH!* Ngh... Cuddhul?"

"Don't think we could be much closer baby brother," Dean explains. That doesn't stop Sam from wriggling into his brother's chest. Dean sighs, making sure the covers are secure, then hugs his brother.

"Yeah, kiddo. Let's get you warm," he agreed. Sam hummed, then coughed, then started to drift off.

The boys are on an early season 1 hunt in Michigan but aren't quite used to how cold it is. (Words: 2086)

I might continue this if anyone is interested.

Dean shoved Sam through the entrance of the nearest store, the little bell above jingling. The younger hunter was shaking so harshly from the frigid Michigan air that Dean feared it was a seizure. He steered Sam over to the nearest vent, then began brushing off the snow while hot air blew over him.

"You okay?" Dean checked.

"F-F-FFF-F-Fi-Finnne," Sam stuttered.

"You're not fine, you're frozen! The Hell were you thinkin', man?!" Dean scolded. Sam looked at him with the most heart-wrenching puppy eyes he'd ever pulled. Of course him being all huddled up and shivery made it all the more effective.

Dean sighed. He brought his brother's icy hands out from his jacket sleeves to check for frostbite. "Look: I don't care how close you think the library is. When it's this freakin' cold, you call me to pick you up. You don't walk! Man, look at you! You better have all your toes."

"*fffffuhuhuhuhuh* N-N-NN-NN-No-ot th-th-that *buh-buh-buh-buh*bad," Sam denied. He then shuddered so hard Dean had to stop him from falling.

"Yeah, tell that to your teeth," Dean interrupted. "Geez, Sammy! If you're gonna be so underdressed, at least wear gloves."

"D-D-D-Do-on't ha-ha-avvve 'nnnny-y," Sam explained. Dean lightly smacked him upside his head.

"You should've said something! I told you we'd be close to Canada this hunt! Are these the warmest clothes you have?" He berated. Sam's lack of eye contact was all the answer Dean needed. He sighed, washing a hand over his face. "You trying kill me, Sammy?"

"Y-Y-You-u'd c-c-c-co-co-com*mmm*ee b-b-bb-back a-a-an *huhuhuh*haunt m-m-m-me."

"Damn right I'd haunt your ass," Dean smirked. "Now let's see if this place has anything to keep you from turning into the abominable snowman."

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The brothers have stayed in some pretty awful places: motels that reek of cigar smoke, empty houses infested with pests, even outside on cold concrete if the situation was dire enough. This cabin might be their least favorite place. Sure it looked beautiful, was clean, and free from rodents or bugs, but it was not built for winter.

It's insulation is nonexistent, the windows are single paned which let the chill seep into the cabin, there is no fireplace, and no matter where they are, there is always a draft to send shivers up their spines. Dean was convinced that the cabin was colder than the snowy forest outside. He was tempted to sleep in the Impala, but since she was made of metal, she would be even colder (though he doubted it was possible for colder temperatures to exist).

Their father trained them to withstand cold temperatures and how to deal with cold weather emergencies. Dean kept trying to regulate his breathing like he was taught. Every inhale felt like a brain freeze to his sinuses, even inside! Despite all of this, Dean was still more worried for his brother.

Sam has never been very cold tolerant. His skinny body just didn't hold in enough heat. Living in the warmer climate of the Bay Area made him even less tolerant. Dean's stomach clenched at the memory of his baby brother shivering through cold weather training, his teeth clacking together so intensely that even their father allowed him to wear another layer. It was excruciating to see his little brother freezing without helping him.

This time wasn't cold training. This is one of the circumstances they trained for. Only this time, Dean won't sit idly by while Sammy freezes to death. He'll do whatever it takes to keep him warm. Whatever he did, he knew he'd have to do it quickly. Dean could already see his brother shaking from the cold, even in his new winter clothes.

"Why don't you go find some more blankets and I'll see if I can pump some heat into this place," Dean suggested. Sam nodded, rubbing his arms as he walked away. Dean examined the cabin, trying to find a thermostat or a furnace: anything. He nearly cheered when he found the water heater. All he had to do was relight the pilot light and... done! In an hour, it would be warm enough for a hot shower or two.

"D-D-Dean!" The older brother sprinted to where he heard Sam call. "We d-d-don't have p-p-p-p-power."

"Hang tight, Sammy! I'll try to find the generator. Stay here!" Dean ordered before running off. He checked the kitchen, the living room, the hallway, the bedrooms, the closets, even the bathroom. It must be outside. Dean rushed outside and around the perimeter of the cabin. Finally, he found the generator piled under a mountain of snow. His gloved hands made opening the control panel very difficult, but if he took them off, he'd lose fingers to frostbite. Dean's hopes fell when the door opened to reveal every piece either rusted or frozen.

"Sonovabitch...," he grumbled, slamming the door shut. Hopefully whatever they had in the Impala could help, just until they could drive back into town for supplies. Dean ruffled through the trunk, the hidden compartment, the interior: all he found were a few more scraps of clothing and a lighter. He sighed.

"Generator's busted. We'll pick up stuff to fix it tomorrow. I did find a few more gloves and socks though," Dean explained, shaking off the snow from his jacket before putting it back on again.

"Don't worry, Dean. The stove's gas powered with a full tank of propane. It's kinda cozy," Sam replied, holding his gloved hands close to the lit burner. Dean was glad Sam wasn't shivering anymore. He knew from experience that it made his muscles sore as Hell.

"You wanna roast marshmallows and chestnuts?" The older brother teased.

"I know you're joking, but I could seriously use some hot chocolate right about now," Sam smirked, rubbing his arms again.

"You said it. We should get some mix. And some milk! Watery hot chocolate is disgusting," Dean added.

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After a couple of hours researching, Dean heated up a few cans of soup over the fire. It was getting dark, especially with the increasing snowfall. It wasn't too bad thanks to the candles they lit. They also provided some much needed warmth. Both boys divided the remaining clothes and blankets among themselves, Dean making sure Sam got whatever was warmest. His kid was bundled up in as many layers as he thought he could wear without Dean noticing. Of course, he did. But he wouldn't say anything.

Out of the corner of his eye, Dean watched Sam blow into his gloved hands and bounce his legs. While waiting for the soup to warm up, he rifled through the cabinets in search of something that could help Sam. He found a few heat packs and even one of those aqua bead pouches that could be heated or cooled. There was also some tea and sugar. Dean started to heat another pot of water for the tea and to heat up the aqua pouch.

"*huh-huh'PSHH! h'NSHuuh! hih-GISHhuuh!*"

"Hey, Sammy. Why don't you take a break for a bit. Stretch thise freakishly long legs of yours," Dean suggested, hoping to lure his brother closer to the heat source.

Sam happily left the dining room chairs, taking the long route to the kitchen so he wouldn't be too obvious.

"*HISHhuuh! tchSHOO! Heh-hih-ihHSHSH!*"

"You getting sick?"

"No. My nose is just running 'cause it's cold in here. And my scarf tickles sometimes," Sam explained, hugging himself.

"Wanna try one of these hot pack things? They're suplosed to be for injuries but they advertise heat," Dean offered, already preparing a pack. Sam nodded, but Dean would've put the pack on him anyways. The younger hunter shuddered violently when his shirt was pulled up in the back. He felt the pack stick to him, then Dean let go of him.

As upset as Sam wanted to be with Dean for invading his personal space, the glorious warmth of the pack started to kick in. He sighed contentedly, almost purring, as it helped his shivery muscles loosen.

"It's so warm," he thought aloud.

"That's why it's called a hot pack, Sammy. Here, eat up," Dean explained as he handed Sam a bowl of soup. The brothers stood by the stove as they ate the soup and drank the tea. Both were savoring the warmth from the dishes as well as their contents.

"You think you're gonna be warm enough, tonight Sammy?" Dean checked, handing him the warmed aqua pouch.

"Yeah, I'm good. What about you, though?" Sam worried.

"I'm too hot to freeze!"

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Dean let out another shuddery breath as a chill wracked him. He tried to curl himself into a tighter ball, but it wasn't helping. The hunter was so cold he couldn't stop shivering. His teeth kept making that annoying chattering sound no matter how much he wrapped himself in the blankets. He even used some spare towels from the closets!

"S-S-S-S-Sa-ammmy's w-ww-wwarm-m-m," Dean kept telling himself. "*huhuhuh*He's wwwwa-warm a-a-and s-s-s-s-sa*fffff*fe." He then shivered so hard it rocked the bed. Dean was wearing every piece of clothing he could. Everything else (minus the Fed Suit) was mingled in with the towels and covers. How was he still this cold?!

Finally fed up with turning into a popsicle, Dean eased himself out of the blankets to stand by the stove for a while. He was amazed to feel how much colder the room was outside of his cocoon. All his shivering reminded him to check on Sam. Dean shuffled around the corner and into the kitchen. He turned on the gas for the stove, but couldn't work the lighter with his gloves. He took them off then shuddered impossibly harder.

He dropped his lighter with a loud *THUNK!*. Dean winced, hoping the noise didn't wake his little brother. He decided to turn off the gas until he could find another way to light the stove. No sense in poisoning them both. While he waited for an idea to come, he saw one of the hot packs on the counter. Dean took off his gloves on the other hand so he could open their package. But he was shaking too much to properly grasp it.

"I knew it!"

Dean whipped around as Sam came out of his room with a blanket wrapped around him.

"You lecture me about the importance of of staying warm and wearing plenty of layers while you go and do the exact opposite!"

"M'f-f-ff-fi-ine S-S-S-Sam," Dean assured.

"You're not fine, you're frozen!" Sam echoed, wrapping the blanket around his brother. He grabbed the dropped lighter, then lit the front burners. Dean gave a shuddery sigh as he felt the warmth and held his palms out.

"Here: put these back on." Sam watched Dean struggle to put the gloves on for a few seconds before doing it himself. Dean looked away as he huddled into the blanket. Sam opened the hot pack and slipped it onto his brother's back before he had a chance to protest.

"Why didn't you tell me you were freezing? I could've added more layers and given you more blankets!" Sam demanded, preparing a pot of water for tea.

"Y-Y-Y-You wwwere *cuh-cuh-cuh*co-old a-all ddday," Dean explained.

"And you've been freezing all night. Maybe even longer!"

"*muh-muh-muh-muh*my-y j-j-jjjob-b... p-p-p-prot-tect y-y-yo-ou...."

"What's my job then? Sit around all warm and cozy while my big brother freezes to death? I can deal with being cold. I can't deal with losing you too." Sam looked away and took a breath to compose himself.

"S-S-Sam-m-my?"

"I'm fine!"

Dean unhuddled from the blanket so he could pull his brother into a hug. Sam burried his face in Dean's shoulder as he relaxed into the embrace.

"S'ok-k-kay S-Sammy. I-I'm g-g-getting warm-m-mer nno-ow. M-M-M'ok-k-k-kay."

Sam nodded into his shoulder. Dean's shivering slowed to a stop after a few minutes. Neither brother was willing to let go of the other just yet.

"You wanna try to sleep a bit more?" Sam offered, suppressing a yawn. "You can stay in my room 'cause it's warm."

"Yeah. Let's get'cha to bed, Sammy," Dean chuckled. Reluctantly, they let go to walk into Sam's room. They crawled under the covers on opposite sides of the bed, but they ended up gravitating towards each other. Their chilly and sleepy minds only registered the soft warmth and the presence of his brother.