AN: Pre-Bucky/Steve/Tony; could be seen as a tie in to A Sense of Home.

SHIELD Recruit Survival Tip #537 - It is never wise to use the phrase 'not a real Avenger' to refer to anyone even remotely connected with the Initiative. The consequences can be highly unpleasant.

James rubbed his shoulder, the muscles still aching in a way that said he'd had a good workout, and smiled wearily as Steve fell into place at his side. It was nice, right to have Steve there, where he had been for many years.

The Soldier had always known something, someone had been missing for as long as he'd been in existence. He would often stare at the empty space on his left-hand side, and expected to see a short, scrappy boy at times and a tall, broad man at others. Neither image, each contradictory to the other, and yet somehow the same person, had made sense to the Soldier. But the feeling remained no matter how he'd try to shake it off.

It was only when James had emerged from the scraps of Bucky and the Soldier that he understood how two vastly different memories could converge into the same man.

"How you holding up there, pal?"

"Better than you, old man." Steve snorted, walking with his usual unconscious grace, not a hair out of place and looking none the worse for wear in spite of their grueling four-hour training session.

James wasn't so lucky despite his own enhanced body; it figured that being the peak of human perfection opposed to one with a knock-off serum would have its perks.

"I'd like to remind you, pal," James said, only halfheartedly glaring at his oldest friend, "that while I may be two years older than you chronologically, I am now younger than you physically. And Jesus fuck, how weird is that."

"And, yet, you still got your ass handed to you." Steve sent him a sharp smile; one that he'd grown to both love and hate because it usually meant that he was up to something.

"Hey, I went easy on you today."

It was a lie. James knew it was a lie. Hell they both knew it was a lie, but James couldn't keep himself from trying to save face. And damned if that statement didn't remind him a of a scrawny Steve Rogers right after James pulled him away from yet another fight, the words, 'I had him on the ropes,' echoing in his ears.

When had this become his life?

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Buck," Steve said, knowing perfectly well what James was thinking. Steve shot a grin at him as they turned a corner and passed from the training area and into the recreation halls of the Helicarrier.

James didn't even dignify that remark with an answer, merely grumbling under his breath, which just sent his traitorous best friend into sniggers at his expense. Why was he even friends with this asshole?

And then Steve sent him a smile that was pure sunlight, and James reluctantly smiled back, remembering all too well why he stuck around. It's not like his heart would let him do anything else. Too bad Steve's vision was far too focused on Stark these days to see what was at his side.

Sighing internally, James shoved the unwanted thought aside. He just wanted Steve to be happy; and if that meant that he found it with someone other than him, then so be it. He was quite aware that he'd changed from the young boy that Steve had once loved with every ounce of his soul, and Stark had already been in the picture long before James had broken through HYDRA's programming.

James couldn't blame Steve for moving on; and certainly not with the likes of Tony Fucking Stark, who was, in James' considerable opinion, one sexy fuck. Sexier than his old man even, and Howard had been the bees' knees back in those days. James probably would have jumped on that in a hot second if it hadn't been for Steve's very obvious, and often hilarious, mooning.

Not that Stark noticed. He was kind of oblivious in that way.

"I tell you, I'm the best there is," a voice drifted out of one of the lounges as they passed, interrupting James thoughts.

James turned his head to the right, and smirked when he caught one of the newbie male agents hitting on a female trainee, blind to her complete and utter boredom. They never learned. Glancing at Steve, he chuckled when Steve just shook his head at the scene, and then returned his smirk.

"Kids these days," he said, knowing that it'd make Steve laugh, and snark back.

"Get off my lawn."

James laughed loudly, which is why he likely missed the female operative's response. He readied himself with a reply, but was cut off when the true gem floated out the door.

"Please, Stark's not even a real Avenger."

James and Steve halted just a few paces from the door, and James couldn't help arch a brow when Steve stiffened, frowned and then turned slowly towards the open door with narrowed eyes. Damn it all to hell, he knew that look. Not that he didn't agree that the baby agent needed to be set straight, but he was fucking tired of this shit.

SHIELD must cater to the lack of common sense crowd, because baby agents were getting stupider and far cockier than their skill set warranted these days.

"Did he just say what I think he said?" James asked, the question rhetorical as he turned toward Steve for confirmation, only to find his friend still eyeing the door balefully. That was all the confirmation he needed.

James almost felt bad for the baby agent. Almost.

Meeting Steve's wrathful gaze, James spun on his heel and headed for the open lounge door, Steve hot on heels, his lips turning down as he heard the reckless recruit continue in an arrogant tone.

"He's just a consultant; and nothing without his suit. I could run circles around him any day."

The female agent, who he thought went by the name of Skye, just stared at the other agent impassively for a long moment before her eyes darted to the door. Her lips quirked when she spotted Steve and him leaning on either side of the doorjamb, their arms crossed over their chest and nodded in greeting.

Unfortunately, the baby agent took that nod as agreement to his statement and preened; and James couldn't help wondering where SHIELD had found someone so lacking in self-preservation skills. Not only was the agent completely unaware of his and Steve's presence, but that he'd blatantly disrespected an Avenger in a facility that was known to house the same team on occasion was so beyond stupid, it was nearly suicidal.

James glanced at Steve, a smirk twitching at the corner of his mouth as furious blue eyes met his, and mouthed, 'Wanna have some fun?'

Steve smiled that same toothy, diamond-sharp smile he'd given James earlier, and nodded; and seriously, James had a love-hate relationship with that thing.

"Is that so," James said as he slid silently into the room, Steve an equally silent specter at his side.

Skye just smirked as the baby agent slowly turned and blanched to find Steve and James standing directly behind him with stern frowns etched onto their faces.

"M-Mr. B-B-Barnes," the baby agent stuttered, quailing when James sent him a look of sharp reprisal.

"That's Agent Barnes, pal."

"S-ss-sorry, Agent Barnes."

"So," James paused as he walked to the now cowering agent and casually looked him up and down. The baby agent snapped to attention and swallowed harshly. "You think you can run circles around Iron Man."

"No...I just...I mean...I don't..."

"Not what it sounded like to me," James said, swiftly interrupting the stumbling explanation before the moron gave himself an aneurism. He turned to Steve with a tight smile. "What do you think of that, Steve?"

Steve stepped up to the plate, dragging a long, disapproving stare over the agent in question and sniffed dismissively. James couldn't help mentally cackling at the newbie's horrified expression when he realized that Captain America had judged and found him lacking. Steve was far too good at this game.

"What's your name, son," Steve asked, an unimpressed moue on his face.

"Agent Bruno Kreah, sir."

Recognition instantly flared in Steve's eyes, and James couldn't help grimacing as soon as the name flowed past the agent's lips. He'd heard of this douche, a self-proclaimed engineering genius that swore he was the up and coming Tony Stark. Much like the man he maligned, but in this case, the arrogance went unwarranted. He'd seen Stark storming the halls multiple times, swearing up a blue streak, after spending all day fixing this idiot's mistakes.

Unfortunately for the douche, Steve recognized it as well, and didn't pander to overconfident idiots. Any chance of mercy sailed right out the door as soon as he'd stated his name.

"Well then, I think Agent Kreah has just earned himself a spot on tomorrow's Avengers training roster," Steve said, his shark smile returning. "What do you think?"

And God damn it, James just wanted to roll his eyes and bang his head against something solid, (maybe Steve's head), because the man was just too damned predictable at times.

"I think you're right," James agreed, rubbing a thoughtful hand over his chin as he studied the ashen recruit; he had a role to play. "After all, anyone that can 'run circles around Iron Man' should be on the team. Right, Steve?"

James glanced away from Kreah towards Skye, who looked as if she was choking on barely suppressed laughter. He winked and flashed a brief smile before turning back to the conversation at hand.

"It's like you read my mind." Steve looked far too satisfied for the newbie agent's own good. "And seeing as Tony has to miss out on tomorrow's training op due to that mess at the Japan office, this will be the perfect time."

"Point," James nodded, feigning confusion. "Who was Tony paired with tomorrow?"

It was a pointless question. James knew very well just who Stark had been paired with since he'd been asked to take his place due to a Stark International issue. He'd even watched as Steve rewrote the schedule in order to account for the absence.

"Natasha," Steve said, again far too happy with that statement; he really needed to check that vengeful streak. The baby agent looked horrified, but quickly wiped it from his face. James gave him points for that. "They were going to work on some hand-to-hand. It will be the perfect induction for Agent Kreah, don't you think?"

James looked at the quivering agent in question and grinned.

"Absolutely. See you tomorrow, bright and early, pal."

"I do hope you'll get plenty of rest," Steve said, and then leaned in confidentially. "It's a full-day training session."

James saluted Kreah, who looked as if he wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole, turned on his heel, and walked out the door. Steve followed in his wake, a smug smile on his face, which broadened as a long, drawn out groan echoed down the hall. James chuckled and then bumped Steve's offered fist and made plans to make sure that the baby agent wouldn't try to weasel his way out of tomorrow's session.

... ... ...

The next day, James strode through the halls whistling cheerfully, a broad smile on his face and a, thankfully for him, now unconscious baby agent slung over one shoulder. Honestly, the moaning and whining had gotten to be a bit much coming from someone that said he could take on Iron Man.

James had to give Kreah more points. The man had shown up bright and early, and had taken his punishment without saying a word. Most people would have quit and been halfway across the world the instant that they heard they'd be training with the Black Widow. But Kreah had toughed it out.

He might just make it after all; if he learned to keep his mouth shut.

James rounded the corner, and had just reached medical, when Coulson popped out of nowhere, as he often does, a thin smile on his face. James would think the man was a specter if it weren't for the steady pulse at the base of his neck with the way he materialized out of thin air.

Coulson looked at James, then looked at Kreah slung over his shoulder, and then back at James, and silently moved out of the way. James just smirked and carried Kreah through the door, laid him on one of the beds, all the while motioning to the staff to take care of their new patient, and then moved out of the way.

"Do I want to know?" Coulson asked with a resigned sigh as James exited the room to give the approaching medic room to work.

"Baby agent got mouthy. Thought he had what it took to be an Avenger." James paused and looked over his shoulder when the figure on the bed groaned. He waved at Kreah who was just coming around, and smiled, fairly certain that if the agent had the energy, he'd flip James off. James turned back to Coulson. "We disabused him of that notion."

"Please tell me he's in one piece," Coulson said, frowning as he inspected the agent. "I really hate dealing with the paperwork when you guys break them."

"Just a few bruises, a pulled muscle or two, maybe a cracked rib." James grinned unrepentantly as Coulson's lips grew thinner with each detailed injury. "Thought he might have dislocated his shoulder at one point, but it's just a bit banged up."

"God help me." Coulson sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, what did he do in order to deserve the Avengers' Special?"

"He decided that Stark wasn't a real Avenger," James said, his tone cooling instantly, all amusement fading from his expression.

"No." Coulson turned back to the baby agent, disbelief clearly painted on his face.

"Yup." James popped the 'P' at the end. "Trust me; he won't be making that mistake again."

"Please tell me Captain Rogers did not overhear that remark." And Coulson just closed his eyes when James nodded and confirmed that Steve had heard the comment.

"Steve was there."

"Christ," Coulson swore under his breath. "And I just put him in charge of Agent Kreah's training class."

"Well, Agent Mouthy is in good hands then," James grinned, all but cackling in delight at such a fortuitous turn of events; he couldn't wait to tell Steve. "Be seeing you, sir. Movie night. You know how it is."

"Yes, I know how it is," Coulson said, his tone as dry as the Sahara as he cast a knowing glance James' way, not in the least fooled. He knew exactly what James had been thinking. "Have a good evening, Agent Barnes."

James just nodded and walked out the door, pausing when he overheard Coulson address Kreah for the first time.

"So, what did we learn from this?"

James quietly chuckled when the agent just groaned in answer.

"That will do," Coulson said. "By the way; I was looking for you earlier to inform you that Captain Rogers will be heading up your next training class. I do hope you'll keep this in mind and watch your tongue. He's not exactly known for his tolerance when it comes to people bad mouthing his team."

Coulson paused.

"And he's the nice one."

James smirked and continued walking, eager to get out of there and fill Steve in on what he'd learned. Plus, they were watching the first Star Wars that was worth watching according to Clint and he didn't want to miss it.

End Notes: At first I considered using Coulson for this drabble, but quickly realized that there is no way in hell that any SHIELD agent would be crazy enough to say that about Phil, even if they were thinking it. Tony on the other hand, I can see baby agents underestimating Tony's worth to the team given his initial assessment and then getting owned by overprotective Avengers.

Also, Bruno Kreah was pulled from a Wikipedia list of SHIELD agents from the Earth 616 continuity. Literally, all I know about this character is this:

Low-level engineer. He worked on the surveillance equipment used to infiltrate Datalink Systems.

The description fit with the back story I was going for with my character and thus I stole the name. I know absolutely nothing about his characterization in the actual comics.