English is not my native language, but I hope, it will be enjoyable. ^-^ (It's not beta'd so please point out some significant or careless mistakes if there are some. I tried my best but sometimes it's not enough. ^-^")

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

Steve helplessly picked up the papers in front of him and leaned back. Over his head an old air conditioner was trying to cope with the tropical heat, insects swarmed through the open window into the room − they found every gap in the metal mesh.

Pathetic. It was all so miserably pathetic. Desperate gasps for nothing, a series of favors and promises that he would repay every tiny shred of information, endless pleading, foolish hope... And all for what? To rush after fake leads and finally get here again… Just another dead end at the end of the world.

Steve angrily dug is fingers in his messy hair, sweat trickling down his back and a huge mosquito settled on his dirty face. He flicked it away, while he stood up and stepped to the window, leaning against the worn frame. One and a half stories below, the everyday life of the bolivian town pulsed; ragged, neglected mass of people milling about on the thin street, that stunk from garbage and sewer water. The twilight sun still poured scorching, unbearable heat; it intensifying the smell of rot and waste. The stench choked Steve.

'Just give up!' murmured an evil little voice in his mind, but he almost immediately slammed that phantom-door and refused to notice it. He could not hear it because he would have had to face what lay behind the guilt's voice. The fear that maybe Bucky hated him and fled to consciously, because he never wanted to see him again. The excruciating pain, the possibility that his friend would send him away and he would be just as lonely as every damn day since his awakening.

'You won't be able to find him. He doesn't want you to.' whispered the doubt.

'I'll find him!'

'And what? He will send you away! He doesn't need a weak fool like you.'

'Shut up!'

'If you can't find him, he can't send you away.'

"I will find you, Bucky!" Steve promised himself stubbornly. "I swear, I will."

The sky shed its tears unstoppably, but it brought no relief after the heat of the day. The fat, smelly rain drops rolled down his cheeks, fell on the roof, rolled down the tiles and were eventually lost in the street's filth. He did not bother to wiping them, did not bother with the insignificant inconvenience they caused. Actually… Few things bothered him.

Even less caught his attention and held it for such a long time.

I will find you, Bucky! I swear, I will.

The soldier sneered when he read the words from those inviting lips. He made just a hint of moving to sit in a more comfortable hiding place while he continued to watch the strange, yet familiar man in the opposite building.

So the little boy wanted to find him? Good.

After all, he had enough time to follow him to the end of the world and find out, how far the other would be willing to go following the signs he left behind.