Wrote this while choking on Toxic Waste- I think my tongue is bleeding? Is there a limit to how many of these things you can eat at a time? Cuz' I just had five-
Steve's life seemed to have turned upside down- not for the first time, mind you, but hopefully for the last. Loki was just a bloody kid? A child? Albeit, a very misguided one, but a kid nonetheless.
And the full extent of what had happened to Bucky- his brother, his best friend- was barely sinking in. He doubted what the screen had shown was more than a small glimpse of the horrors Bucky had gone through.
Though he was good at containing it, and keeping his fury from bursting forth- Steve was near his breaking point, he wanted to scream, to break something, to cry at the injustices that had been forced upon his brother.
He still remembered being a small child, hand in hand with Bucky, running through fields. He remembered when their worst problems had been schoolyard bullies and failing grades- what would their past selves think now, looking at them?
Bucky, who was almost a shadow of his former shelf, head bowed and scarred beyond belief- both physically and mentally. And Steve, now muscular, strong and being crushed under the weight of responsibilities.
Had it been worth it? Trading away their innocence and lives to the war? Of course, maybe it was only Steve at fault, for accepting that serum. But all the lives that would've been lost if he hadn't- hell, Bucky would most certainly be dead if he hadn't.
He was snapped rudely out of his thoughts by Loki's arrogant voice, "Ehem, whomever is having an internal crisis, please cease at once. I have better things to do than this." The young god said, scratching at a fingernail.
Thor rolled his eye at his brother, "Like what?"
"You know, the usual, threaten innocents, wreak chaos and anarchy, steal, pick up watermelon from Midgard's so-called 'Wal of the Mart'." Loki explained.
Steve rolled his eyes, how had they not realized Loki was a child? Bucky was giving the black haired god a very amused look from his place leaning against Steve.
"Wal of the Mart?" Tony scoffed, and Loki gave the Avenger a childish look.
[back at the secret facility]
Nick Fury: [looking at a photo of Pierce] This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize. He said, "Peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility." See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues.
Steve's arm tightened around Bucky upon seeing the picture.
Natasha Romanoff: We have to stop the launch.
Nick Fury: I don't think the Council's accepting my calls anymore. [Fury opens a case containing three chips]
"I'd be concerned if they took advice from someone who's supposedly dead," Bucky spoke up, and Natasha rolled her green eyes at the other assassin.
"You're supposed to be dead," The red-head pointed out, and Bucky rolled his eyes at her.
"I'd be more concerned about why the Council would be listening to The Winter Soldier's advice in the first place," Clint pointed out, and Bucky snickered.
"What advice would that be anyways?" Steve asked after a second, and Bucky lifted a metal finger into the air.
"Thou shalt heed my noble words of advice, thy Peirce is a hag, thou shalt kill thy Peirce." Bucky's accent took on a British lilt.
Everyone snickered at the assassin's decree, even Thor, though he looked a little confused.
Sam Wilson: What's that?
Maria Hill: Once the Helicarriers reach three thousand feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites becoming fully weaponized.
Nick Fury: We need to breach those carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own.
"Oh, fantastic. That won't be difficult at all." Tony scoffed, and Steve couldn't even deny the trust behind the eccentric billionaire.
Maria Hill: One or two won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work, because if even one of those ships remains operational a whole lot of people are gonna die.
"Yay," Loki said sarcastically and Thor hit him over the head gently, causing the younger god to grumble about 'stupid oafish brothers' who were 'dull and blond'. Steve decided not to be offended by the blond part of Loki's complaints.
Nick Fury: We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers is HYDRA. We need to get pass them, insert the server blades, and maybe, just maybe, we can salvage what's left...
Steve Rogers: We're not salvaging anything. We're not just taking down the carriers, Nick, we're taking down SHIELD.
Nick Fury: SHIELD had nothing to do with it.
Steve Rogers: You gave me this mission, this is how it ends. SHIELD's been compromised, you said so yourself. HYDRA grew right under your nose and nobody noticed.
"Smite them." Bucky said quietly under his breath, and Steve rolled his eyes once again- however, Loki seemed ecstatic at the idea of 'smiting'.
"So, if I was in Midgard during this specific time period, would I, perhaps, be able to smite these Hydra?" Loki asked, looking hopeful.
"Well, considering your timeline is ahead of ours, I highly doubt that's possible." Steve said, shooting the now sulking god a look.
"Ah, bah humbug." Loki groaned, unhappy that he couldn't wreak chaos and havoc upon the humans. Well, at least he was trying to take out the bad guys now. So, improvement?
"Bah humbug?" Bucky asked, "Do you even know what that means, or what it's from?"
Loki shrugged, "Does it matter? It sounds, how do you midgardians say it, lit."
Tony, Clint, Natasha and even Bruce groaned at that.
Nick Fury: Why do you think we're meeting in this cave? I noticed.
Steve Rogers: And how many paid the price before you did?
Nick Fury: Look, I didn't know about Barnes.
And the mood was dampened as everyone was reminded of future Steve and future Bucky's precarious position. Steve knew that he could change the outcome, knowing what he knew now. But it didn't change the pang in his chest, knowing this easily could've been his future.
Bucky's future.
Steve Rogers: Even if you have, would you have told me? Or would you have compartmentalized that too? SHIELD, HYDRA, it all goes.
Tony, attempting to lighten the mood, sucked in a dramatic amount of air, before gasping. Bucky untensed from where he sat next to Steve, barely.
Steve, however, knew that this alternative version of himself had a point.
Maria Hill: He's right. [Fury looks at Natasha then Sam]
Sam Wilson: Don't look at me. I do what he does, just slower.
"Oi, how dare this boy claim my best friend?" Bucky pouted, crossing his arms. Steve rolled his eyes, patting his brother's shoulder with mock sympathy.
"Oh please, I don't know much about your little brotherhood thingy," Clint spoke up, smirking, "But it's quite obvious Steve has no intention of replacing you. You drama Queen."
Bucky let out an offended gasp, placing his metal hand over his chest, "How could you," He paused dramatically, proving Clint's point, "I'm the drama assassin."
Snickers rose up around the room, and Thor looked at his brother for a moment, before smirking and speaking up, "Loki here is obviously the Drama Queen."
Steve snickered along with the others as Loki sent his brother a poisonous green gaze, "Excuse me, I am the Drama King." The young god spoke up, causing most of the room to laugh even louder.
Nick Fury: Well... Looks like you're giving the orders now, Captain.
[Steve stands on a bridge and has a flashback to the time he spent with Bucky after Steve's mother's funeral]
"Oh my gosh, you're so tiny," Natasha exclaimed, throwing Steve a look. Steve just groaned, rubbing his eyes. Bucky, however, perked up.
"He was so small and sickly, I swear he almost died nine times each winter." Bucky said, speaking in a voice a mother would use when looking back on her now grown children.
Steve just rolled his eyes, smiling faintly. He remembered this- how his whole being had hurt, how the loss of his mother had stung him so deeply. But even when he'd felt smaller than ever, and so alone- he'd never actually been alone.
Because Bucky was there, and he'd lent Steve a shoulder to cry on, and a place to stay at.
Bucky Barnes: We looked for you after. My folks wanted to give you a ride to the cemetery. [they walk towards Steve's apartment]
Steve Rogers: I know, I'm sorry. I just...kind of wanted to be alone.
Bucky Barnes: How was it?
Steve Rogers: It was okay. She's next to Dad.
Bucky Barnes: I was gonna ask...
Steve Rogers: I know what you're gonna say, Buck, I just...
Bucky Barnes: We can put the couch cushions on the floor like when we were kids. It'll be fun. All you gotta do is shine my shoes, maybe take out the trash.
It had been years ago, and while a small part of Steve would always miss his mother, he could now look back on this memory fondly, "Am I nothing but a servant to you?" He asked his brother sarcastically.
Bucky smirked, "I expect my dishes washed, and the windows cleaned."
Natasha snickered, "What dishes?" And Tony added in, "And what windows?"
"Ah, right." Bucky said, then used his ridiculous British accent, "I expect my knives to be cleaned, and my guns reloaded."
Steve rolled his blue eyes, flicking Bucky lightly on the forehead.
[as they get to the apartment door, Steve tries to find his keys, Bucky kicks a brick aside, picks up the apartment keys from under it and gives it to Steve] Come on.
Steve Rogers: Thank you, Buck, but I can get by on my own.
Bucky Barnes: The thing is, you don't have to. [Bucky gives Steve a friendly pat on the shoulder] I'm with you to the end of the line, pal.
"Awww, so cuteeeee," Tony chirped, an evil glint in his eyes.
Bucky growled- Steve was still slightly concerned about that- and made a show of clenching his metal fist.
"Wanna go, metal boy?" Tony challenged, and Bucky smirked.
"Watch it, tin can."
"And why would I do that?"
"Because I'm known to be good at kicking cans." Bucky replied, earning scoffs all across the room.
"Would you all please shut up?" Loki said, eating popcorn- uh, since when was there popcorn?- "I'm invested in this story." Steve decided to not dwell on that.
[Steve's thoughts of Bucky are interrupted as Sam joins him on the bridge]
Sam Wilson: He's gonna be there, you know?
Steve Rogers: I know.
Sam Wilson: Look, whoever he used to be, the guy he is now, I don't think he's the kind you save. He's the kind you stop.
Steve's arm tightened around Bucky's shoulder at that, pulling his brother closer to him. He knew Sam had a point, but that didn't change the fact that someone was telling him to let Bucky go. To give up on his brother and best friend.
"It's alright," Bucky said quietly, "He has a point."
Steve gave Bucky a look, "No one is beyond saving."
"But sometimes, he can't save them," Bucky replied, "Steve, you know this, you couldn't save the Redskull, and you… can't save this version of me." Steve clenched his teeth, sadness clouding his vision.
Steve's eyes caught on a stiff looking Loki- of course, what Sam had just said, would affect him too. After all, he had been that villian beyond saving too. And no one had even thought to try and save him- even his own brother had looked the other way.
Steve's eyes met Thor's, and the captain could see the regret in the god's one remaining eye.
Steve Rogers: I don't know if I can do that.
No. No version of himself would be able to competently give up on Bucky- yes, it was a possibility that he'd have to fight him- as match as that thought sickened him- but he would never, could never, let go of Bucky.
Since he could remember- it had been him and Bucky against the world, hand in hand they had faced everything together, school, bullies, bad teachers, sickness, injuries, everything life could throw at them.
And Steve used to look up at Bucky, and think 'why?', because why was Bucky- who was fit and amusing, someone who could easily become popular, hanging around with him?
Bucky had chosen to be disliked and scoffed at, because he'd cared about Steve. And that's what had mattered- that they were there with each other 'til the end of the line.
Sam Wilson: Well, he might not give you a choice. He doesn't know you.
Steve Rogers: He will. Gear up, it's time. [Steve turns and starts to walk off]
Bucky's eyes met Steve's, and for a moment they just shared a look. Well, at least they both knew any version of Bucky would eventually remember Steve.
Sam Wilson: You gonna wear that?
Steve Rogers: No. If you're gonna fight a war, you gotta wear a uniform. [later as a guard walks in the Smithsonian Museum when he looks over to the Captain America exhibit he notices the Captain America WWII uniform on that was on the dummy has been stolen]
Smithsonian Guard: Oh, man. I am so fired!
Laughter rang out across the room, and Steve shoved his head into his hands.
"I'm so proud," Bucky said, "My best friend's a petty thief!"
Steve rolled his eyes, "And you're not?" He raised an eyebrow.
"No, I'm a professional thief. Not a petty one." Bucky said, and Steve groaned, giving up.