Steve reeled back as pain exploded in his jaw; the punch that had connected was harsh and the older boy sure didn't hold back at all. His bright blue eyes locked with his attacker in defiance. Steve had never run from a fight and he wouldn't start now. He scrambled up, grabbing the lid off of the trash can behind him to try and use it as a makeshift shield, but it was ripped away from him and there was another blinding pain in his jaw that knocked him to the ground. Climbing up, the man in front of him scoffed.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" he mocked, trying to hide his surprise that such a small fry could hold up to his punches.

A small smirk appeared on the younger blonde's face and in between heavy pants he wittily replied, "I can do this all day."

Steve charged forward with his own punch, but it was dodged and he was hit in the face yet again, this time it threw him for a loop as the world spun slightly. He slightly registered that his face had connected with the metal trash can.

The voice of an older man drew the bully's attention away from Steve. "Hey, pick on someone your own size."

The new man pulled the attacker away by the arm, throwing him slightly away from Steve. The angered man threw a punch, but the man dressed in the military uniform easily dodged it by leaning backwards. He countered with his own punch then kicked the man in the ass, causing him to flee. The military man turned back to Steve as he stood up and hunched over to catch his breath. The inhales and exhales had an almost wheezy quality to them, but he would be fine this time.

"Sometimes I think you like getting punched," Bucky told his longtime friend.

Steve looked at himself, accounting for the damage done. "I had him on the ropes."

Bucky leaned down, picking up an enlistment form. "How many times is this?"

He gave it a quick read. He mentally sighed as he realized that Steve had tried to enlist and was again rejected. He couldn't understand why his friend kept doing this to himself. He turned his disapproving and questioning eyes to Steve.

"Oh, you're from Paramus now," he chided. "You know it's illegal to lie on your enlistment form. And seriously, Jersey?"

Bucky folded the paper before handing it back to his friend that was wiping his mouth; obviously still recovering from the beating he had just received. The blonde took this time to look over his friend and Bucky saw a look pass over his face. He couldn't tell whether it was hurt, jealousy, or something else, but it was something that weighed down on Steve in his next words were anything to judge by.

"You get your orders?"

"The 107th. Sergeant James Barnes shipping out for England and first thing tomorrow," he informed his lifelong friend.

Steve looked away and shook his head; disappointment in himself could be felt in the air. "I should be going."

Bucky frowned and in a desperate attempt to cheer him up, the older boy threw an arm around the smaller blonde's shoulders, pulling him against him in a side hug and steering him out of the alley way. Maybe this would be good for Steve. Maybe he would finally realize that he could help another way, but he doubted it would happen.

"Come on man. My last night. Gotta get you cleaned off," Bucky said.

"Why? Where are we going?" Steve asked as he walked next to his taller friend.

Bucky handed a paper to Steve which he opened to see an article about the World Exposition of Tomorrow being tonight. "The future."

"Who's going?" Steve asked, already expecting two others there. "And who are you trying to set me up with?"

Bucky gave him a sheepish grin. "You know I'm taking your sister out and I can't leave my sister out. Don't worry you will like the gal though, she's a doll."

Steve sighed and hung his head, but didn't object. He allowed himself to be steered back to his apartment where Bucky picked out a nice looking outfit for him, which was a challenge considering he didn't have a lot of clothes in the first place. It was a quarter to 4 when they left their apartment to go to the downtown district where the convention was being held.