As James and Steve walk along the streets of New York City, a small pair of braided rope bracelets hanging innocently on the jewelry stand of a street vendor catches James's eye. Actually, it should be said that they also caught the eye of Bucky and the Winter Soldier, two personas still buried inside his mind. With quiet and encoded whispers, they persuade James to stop whatever he is doing and walk to the jewelry stand to examine the bracelets. James unknowingly does as he is told and fingers the objects thoughtfully. This is no time for worrying, Bucky urges him. We have to go after her! As for the Winter Soldier himself, he knows that this is a present his Natalia would have appreciated.
James, unaware that the shadows from his past are influencing him, tries to think rationally about his interest in Natalia. It's probably been years since the Winter Soldier was separated from her. Even though she did come back for him (and he is grateful for this), James suspects from the archer's passionate words that Natalia could have moved on by now. She had every right to. Again, Bucky tries to reach through to James and say, Well, the worst that can happen is that she rejects you, right?
The voices from James's past tell him in urgent whispers to take a chance. Whether James knew it or not, he was still just like Bucky: redheads were ultimately their great weaknesses in life. Bucky would have taken extra care to do everything that was foolish in the world for the attentions of just such a beautiful girl, and the Winter Soldier himself would have impulsively killed everyone else in the Red Room, if he could, just so Natalia could keep the present.
Steve observes James carefully examining the bracelets, and swears to himself that he just saw a glimpse of Bucky in the other man's expression. Maybe James still felt something, after all. He recognizes that his brother still harbors undiscovered feelings for yet another fiery redhead. But whatever is going on with James, Steve figures that even Bucky would have approved of Natalia. He almost calls the other man "Bucky" before he corrects himself.
"James," Steve calls to the man, nodding toward the bracelets, "you want me to buy that for you?"
"Okay."