Steve opened the door to find a neat apartment, much like the one that SHIELD had provided, but with a lot more gadgets and gizmos. Steve took a deep breath as he went into the kitchen. Bucky looked around and found the television. He had seen pictures of them in ads and such, but he had never actually seen the newest models. He picked up the remote and started to flip through channels, trying to figure it out.
Steve looked at the office space compared to the main bedroom size and found them to be about equal size. There was a bathroom, but it wasn't directly connected to the main bedroom, which was good in Steve's book. When Steve came back into the living room, he found Bucky watching the Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.
"I remember," Bucky whispered, watching the characters and scenes. He had started to retain his memory slowly since Steve freed him. Bucky remembered that he had read the Lord of the Rings books in secret during high school. Steve looked at the screen and narrowed his eyes.
"You remember this?" Steve whispered.
"It's a book," Bucky replied, making Steve nod.
"I didn't know you read these books," Steve commented before Bucky shrugged. "When did you read them?"
"A long time ago," Bucky answered vaguely, unable to pinpoint exactly when. "They have left out major plot points."
"The books are always better than the movie," Steve replied, hearing that quote over and over again since he woke up from the ice. Bucky nodded, thinking that it was true so far.
"This movie isn't too bad," Bucky replied, unable to stop watching. Steve smiled and walked into the kitchen to see if there was anything to eat. As he opened the fridge he jumped back at the automated voice.
"The fridge is thirty nine degrees fahrenheit," JARVIS informed as Steve held his face in his hand while the other clutched the handle, bending the metal slightly.
"Thank you," Steve groaned before shutting it. He glanced over at Bucky, who had jumped up from his seat, ready to attack. "It's okay, Buck."
"The fridge spoke," Bucky replied, upset that the appliance might have grown a conscience.
"Yeah, Tony programmed it that way," Steve sighed, knowing that he would have to get rid of that. Bucky reluctantly sat back down, but stared at the kitchen as if he was waiting for the dishwasher to sprout legs and walk away. Steve took a deep breath and decided to take a shower.
About a half an hour later, Steve got out of the bathroom and was rubbing his hair with the towel. He paused a moment, hearing something. He glanced around the apartment and found no sign of Bucky. Steve threw the towel back into the bathroom and opened the front door. Banner had come back from the lab and was talking to Bucky downstairs. As Steve leaned over the balcony, Bruce looked up and waved.
"Hey Steve," he greeted before he turned to Bucky again. Steve climbed down the staircase, hearing their conversation about how to get used to New York. "Just be patient when you're going down the street. People usually don't like to be attacked on their way to work."
"Yeah," Bucky whispered with an attempt at a smile. Steve walked over to them as Bruce turned to him.
"You have an interesting friend here," Bruce informed as Bucky pursed his lips, not denying it. "I was just telling how to survive in New York without hurting anyone."
"He destroyed Harlem," Bucky spoke up as Bruce shrugged. Steve looked at Bruce.
"I didn't know that," Steve admitted.
"You probably could have guessed. Anyway, I want to know how you convinced Tony to let him room with you," Bruce asked as Steve shrugged.
"Asked him to give Buck here a chance. That's all," Steve answered as Bucky shrugged. Bruce glanced between the two, unsure if that was really all. "Well, he said just as long as he doesn't do anything completely crazy."
"Right. Well, I don't think you'll have anything to worry about. He seems pretty harmless right now," Bruce answered, choosing his words carefully. Bucky dipped his head, wanting to stay. "Anyway, it was nice seeing you, but I have to get back to work."
"Are you always working?" Steve inquired, worried about his friend.
"Mostly, yeah. I'm just trying to keep myself busy, like I did before. Keeps me calm," Bruce admitted before ducking into his apartment. Steve nodded and looked at Bucky.
"So how much do you know about the twenty first century?" Steve asked before Bucky raised his shoulders again.
"Not too much. I know that the cars here are a lot faster and sleeker. Movies are in color now. People dress terribly most of the time. And what is that thing on the small computers? The Interweb?" Bucky listed, looking up at Steve.
"The Internet. It's like a library on your computer or phone. Anything you want to know is at your fingertips," Steve informed as Bucky gave him a confused look.
"Why would we have the internet on phones?"
"Because some guy decided it was necessary for the world to be constantly connected with technology," Steve answered, bewildering Bucky even more. Steve shook his head. "Never mind. I'll have Tony explain that portion."
"I also know about half the stuff Howard Stark promised isn't here," Bucky informed, attempting at a joke.
"Yeah, no flying cars, unfortunately. That would be something," Steve smiled as Bucky nodded.
"And dancing isn't the popular thing to do anymore," Bucky added.
"Well, there is dancing, but not the kind we're used to. This is more jumping up and down and swaying one's hips in a way no should be able to," Steve informed, rubbing the back of his neck. Bucky pursed his lips at the thought. "Anyway, I was thinking that we could go out an explore. Get you used to civilian life again."
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Bucky admitted as Steve nodded. He led Bucky downstairs, passed the help desk and onto the street. There were quite a few people walking by, which made Bucky nervous. He spent most of his life vanishing and being invisible, and he wasn't sure if he could keep that up in a crowd.
"You alright?" Steve inquired before Bucky nodded, pulling down his baseball cap. Steve took a deep breath and started walking toward the small cafe outside the tower, where there were less people.
"What is this place?" Bucky whispered, seeing so many people in ray ban glasses and scarves playing on strange devices that flipped up with a keyboard at the base.
"It's a coffee bar," Steve explained before ordering two coffees. Bucky went and sat down, staring at his surroundings. He was uncomfortable with the constant clicking of the keys and blabber of pointless calls. Steve sat across from him, looking around as well.
"What happened to the world?" Bucky muttered, glancing over at Steve, who sighed.
"It takes some getting used to," Steve admitted.
"That's an understatement," Bucky complained before the barista brought their coffees. "These are normal, right?"
"As normal as they can be. The coffee is finer than back then, but I like it," Steve reassured before raising the cup in the air. Bucky took off the lid and sniffed.
"Smells alright," Bucky murmured as a little boy came up to the table, his eyes wide and staring at Steve. Bucky looked away, scared that the kid would recognize him and slightly jealous of Steve's reputation.
"Hey, kid, what's up?" Steve asked, giving a winning smile. The boy grinned sheepishly before handing him a slip of paper. "Autograph then?"
"Yes, pwease," the little child whispered as Steve took the paper and politely signed it. His mother stood behind him, rather embarrassed. Steve smiled and wished them well as they left. Bucky stared at him, shocked.
"What?" Steve asked, wondering if there was something on his face.
"Nothing has changed."
"What?" Steve repeated, confused still.
"Your charisma. That transformation really did you good," Bucky answered softly, remembering when it first happened. Steve sighed and slumped.
"I just try and be nice," Steve whispered, embarrassed about it. Bucky sighed and sipped the coffee. Bucky made a face and nearly spit it out.
"Dear god that's sweet," he mumbled, taking off the lid. Steve chuckled.
"I thought you liked sugar in my coffee," Steve answered as Bucky wiped his mouth.
"I do, but I don't like coffee in my sugar!" Bucky stated, making Steve laugh. Bucky froze, unsure of what to do.
"Do you want me to get you another one?" Steve asked, calming down a little. Bucky shook his head and looked away. He hadn't heard Steve laugh in decades, and he forgot how to respond. Steve leaned back in his chair and looked out he window, smiling. "You'll get the hang of it again eventually. You were a fast learner."
"I hope so," Bucky whispered before choking down the sugar coffee.