Bright blue eyes peered up at Bucky from the thin couch cushions cradling his best friend. "What did I tell you about doing stupid stuff Steve?" He sighed and gently rubbed his flat chest through a worn cotton shirt.
"The guy was talking bad about you Buck. What was I supposed to do? He said all sorts of-" Coughs wracked Steve's thin frame as he got worked up again, cutting off his excuses. Bucky rolled his eyes and slapped Steve's thigh as he got to his feet.
"Calm down and focus on breathing while I get you some water, punk." Even from their tiny kitchen across the apartment Bucky could hear Steve muttering. "That isn't going to help Steve." Padding over on naked feet he thrust the cup into the smaller man's hands. With a pouting child's scowl Steve took the cup from his best friend and started sipping slowly.
"I can handle myself Bucky. You don't have to swoop in and save me every time. I'm not a dame." Bucky just smiled at the skinny man and nodded knowingly.
"I know I don't but somebody's got to keep you alive." Without another word on the subject Bucky excused himself once again to then kitchen. "Get some sleep and I'll wake you when supper is ready." He chuckled as Steve muttered about how big a bossy jerk he was.
"Wakey wakey sleeping beauty." The aroma of cooking meat pulled Steve from his dream world and into the land of the living.
"Don't. No please don't. Don't stop," he muttered still half asleep. Bucky's eyes glinted with concern, his dark brows knit together.
"Bad dream Stevie?" He gently perched on the arm of the faded couch. Steve righted himself slowly, stretching as he went, joints popping like the neighbor's back firing Ford.
"Don't remember but I don't think it was bad." Bucky nodded as the concern faded. He helped him to the small wooden table they shared their meals at. He tousled the blonde hair playfully before heading into the kitchen to fetch the food.
He always looks so cute when he's just woken. Bucky watched Steve as they both ate. Glancing up Steve caught the gaze of those chocolate brown eyes.
"What something on my face?" His mouth was half full as he spoke.
"Don't talk with your mouth full. What would your mother say?" An exasperated sigh and a disgruntled face was the only response Bucky received. After their quiet meal and the dishes were done the two young men settled onto the worn out couch to listen to the latest news reports from the front lines. Bucky could see that stubborn tenacity that burning fire in Steve's sapphire eyes as the night and the reports wore on. "Don't even think about it punk. I know that glint in your eyes." The smaller man didn't even respond. Glancing over in shadows of their living room the larger of the pair could make Steve's form slumped down on the opposite end of the couch. The steady rise and fall of his chest under the thin shirt was it took for Bucky to know his best pal was sound asleep. With a soft smile and minimal effort Bucky scooped him up from the couch cushions and carried him to their shared bedroom.
His hands made quick work to strip Steve to his boxers and undershirt, despite the slight temple that plagued them. It wasn't the first time he'd undressed a sleeping Steve but the slight tremble always started whenever he did. Being so close to the frail naked body of his closest friend, his brother really, brought to mind thoughts he could never act on and feelings he could never express.
"Rogers, Steven." The dry voice rang through the crowded enlistment center. The newspaper hid the skinny blonde who rose from his chair and approached the bored looking man at the desk. Looking down at the kid's file he sighed. How is this kid even alive? He wondered looking at the long list of diseases and ailments. "How did your father die?"
"Mustard gas, he was in the 107th and I was hoping to be assigned-"
"And your mother?"
"Tuberculosis, she was a nurse, caught it, couldn't shake it." He looked down at his nose at the kid with gleaming blue eyes. Grabbing the worn rubber stamp he sighed.
"Please just give me a chance." He sighed again at the kid's pleading eyes.
"I am. You could be denied on your asthma alone son." The shine in Steve's eyes was snuffed out like a candle as the dull thump of the 4F stamp on his file echoed in his ears.
Disheartened Steve sat in the dark movie theater, shadows shifting across the room. A few rows ahead some average joe was fussing about the news reels before the picture.
"Hey you want to shut up?" The fella stood, towering over Steve but he wasn't afraid and he wouldn't back down. He'd face bigger.
Bucky is gonna kill me if I make it out of this one.
Before he knew it Steve was back against a cold brick wall trying to fight the thug off. A blow to the jaw, a punch to the gut, the air nearly knocked out of his small frame but Steve kept fighting, scrambling for something, anything to fight with. Under a layer of discarded newspapers and cardboard Steve grasped the handle of a trash can kid. It was dented no dirty, practically trash itself, but it was enough for Steve. Ducking behind the lid he did his best to become as small as he could, not that it took much. The metal disk was wretched from his hands and thrown aside.
"Hey why do you pick on someone your own size?" The loud voice echoing in the alley was warm and familiar. Steve's heart skipped a beat and for more than one reason. The stranger turned to face the uniformed Sargent whose fist quickly connected with his ugly face. Gripping his shirt tight Bucky spun the man, pushing him toward the mouth of the alley kicking him square on the ass as he ran off scrambling to get away from the larger man.
"I could have handled it." Steve's grumbles bounces off the narrow brick walls that surrounded them.
"I know but I need to get you cleaned up. We've got a double date tonight." A thick lump formed in Steve's throat.
Oh joy, another dame who will look at me like a bug compared to Bucky. Why can't we just leave the dames behind and go together?
Steve knew the answer to his own unspoken question. Sighing softly, his shoulder slumping gently, Steve did his best to the pain he was in but Bucky, as usual, saw right through it. The papers, the ones that had escaped Steve's coat pocket in the struggle, caught Bucky's eye on the dirty ground.
"Really Steve? New Jersey?" He shook head and tossed the papers into a nearby trash can deciding his lecture would only fall on deaf ears anyway.
"Where are we going tonight anyhow?" Steve's question pulled the Sargent in jaunty hat from his own thoughts. Bucky threw his arm around Steve's thin shoulders and smiled down at him.
"The future!"
Familiar chatter fell between the two men as they passed through the crowd. "Seriously Steve, you're about to be the last eligible man left in New York." Steve simply nodded as he kept walking not bothering to acknowledge the comment with a verbal response. That may have been the case but girls weren't exactly lining up to dance with a guy they could step on.
"Hey Bucky!" The call floated to them on the breeze over the wall of people. They approached the two young ladies, one dark haired and bright eyed while the other blonde with a pinched nose and an annoyed expression, no doubt a reaction to spying Steve at Bucky's side. The slight blonde couldn't help but roll his eyes. It wasn't in his nature to be rude, especially to dames, but this girl had it coming. He hadn't said two words to the girl and as usual her mind was already made up concerning Steve. Lights flashed and music filled the air drawing their attention toward the center stage.
"Oh it's starting, come on." Bucky's date had been the one to speak as she dragged him along by the sleeve to get a closer look. Steve trailed behind quietly. Bucky watched, eyes bright with wonder his mouth hanging open slightly as the car on stage began to hover slightly.
"Steve how amazing is this?" Glancing over his shoulder Bucky found his best friend had disappeared.
The warmth and gentle glow of the enlistment center enveloped Bucky as he entered his dark eyes darting back and forth looking for any sign of Steve. The excited chatter of a couple drew his attention to a recruitment display where he spied the skinny blonde stepping up. He's too short. Bucky shook his head, the corners of his mouth turning up as he watched his friend.
"Steve do you even know the point of a double date?" His best friend's voice snapped Steve out of his own thoughts. He felt a familiar hand resting on his shoulder. Sighing Steve looked up at Bucky.
Moving away from the display the two men came to face each other and silence hung in the air between them for a brief moment even as people continued to mill around them. "Are you really going to try this again?" The warm smile had disappeared from the brunette's face. His eyes narrowed and frustration bordering on anger was written all over his face.
"You know they're going to catch you or worse accept you." Steve's glare mirrored the anger and frustration in Bucky's.
"There are men laying down their lives. How can I do any less?" An exasperated groan escaped Bucky's mouth. Neither man noticed the middle aged bespectacled observer watching their tense exchange from nearby.
"Steve-"
"Bucky I can't work in the factories! What am I supposed to do collect scrap in my little red wagon?" Bucky flinched feeling the sting of his friend's words. Both men froze hearing a female voice call for Bucky's attention.
"Hey sarge aren't we going dancing?"
"Just don't do anything stupid while I'm gone." Steve smiled weakly as the tension eases slightly between them.
"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you." Steve's shoulders slumped as he watched his best friend stride away to spend his last night at home with some ransom dame.
"Punk!" The corner of Steve's mouth turned up as he heard his friend.
"Jerk!"
Three beige walls and a curtain the same drab color surrounded the slender blonde as he waited. This was by far the furthest he'd ever gotten at an enlistment center. Steve wrung his hands, fidgeting slightly, chewing on his lower lip. The poster hanging to his right seemed to burn its words into the side of his head as he refused to look at it.
It is illegal to lie on your enlistment form
Bucky's words burned in his mind. "He's just looking out for me. He just wants what's best for me. His muttered words fell on deaf ears as he sat alone. Blue eyes widened and shoulders straightened as a middle aged man in a white coat entered through the curtain.
"Rogers?" Steve nodded as he watched the balding man. "Wait here." Without another word be walked out replaced by silent stiff backed MP. His throat tightened and his heart began to race. Once again Bucky's words echoed in his head. You know they're going to catch you...
His hands trembled as he watched the door. They've caught me. I'm dead. Taking a deep breath he had a white knuckle grip on the table. The MP hadn't made a move one way or the other but Steve knew he had no chance if he tried to run for it.
A bespectacled man not much taller than Steve walked through the curtain. "Do you want to kill Nazis?" Before he could answer the man laid out multiple files. "Where are you from Mr. Rogers? New Haven or is it Paramus perhaps?" The man had a heavy German accent that cause the hair on the back of Steve's neck to stand on end.
"That uh that might not be the right file." He glanced up looking over the rim of his glasses.
"You didn't answer my question. Do you want to kill Nazis?" The firm set to Steve's jaw was a harsh contrast to the conflicted emotions shining in his bright eyes.
"I don't want to kill anyone. I don't like bullies, I don't care where they come from." The man in the white coat smiled at the young man's words. "Where are you from?" The doctor smiled at the common question.
"Queens but Germany before that." His response was automatic and Steve was sure it was hardly the first time he'd been asked. He nodded and watched the aged scientist. Dr. Erskine proceeded to explain the organization he worked for which confused Steve a bit but be kept his questions to himself. As he followed the good doctor out of the exam room something occurred to Steve.
I won't get to tell Bucky before he leaves. Who knows when I'll be able to tell him…
He watched with bright eyes as Dr. Erskine opened the file on the metal desk. "So soldier, where's the little guy from really?" Steve smiled sheepishly as he watched the doctor work.
"Brooklyn," he answered proudly his heart swelling in his chest as the stamp in Erskine's hand thumped on his record.
A1.