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[bottledblond]

Not every universe in the far and wide cosmos is as lucky (however unlucky itself that seems) to encounter Thanos during a time where people live who can do something about it. Steve Rogers, a particular version of Steve Rogers who had only just suffered through his first night of basic training in New Jersey as part of the Army’s Project Rebirth and thus had not yet become Captain America, bent to untie his shoes and saw his hands begin to disintegrate. He doesn’t panic, panicking is for people who do not live like every breath is their last. Instead, he blinks in surprise as the barracks fill with shouting. He has time to contemplate two things. One, he wishes he’d done more with his life. And two, he hopes Bucky will do all right.

He’s still thinking about that last issue when he exhales his last in a universe where Captain America never existed and finishes it bent over in the ruins of the barracks, roof half open to the sky and walls a burnt and ashy gray.

It takes him an hour to get to the road and by then, his asthma is already getting the best of him. He blacks out for the second time ‘that day’ and wakes up staring at the ceiling of what is obviously a hospital.

It just doesn’t sound or smell like a hospital. Sure. People are running around and yelling, but it smells painfully clean, artificially so, and there are machines he’s never seen before connected by wires to his body. He does the thing people should never do and yanks them loose. The machines squawk strangely and frantically and Steve is almost out of bed when two large men in green pajamas force him back.

Nothing makes sense to him for days. People come to talk to him, to find out who he is and who his family is. Evidently Steve Rogers is a popular name, because they bring in more people to talk to him, to ask him questions about his life, but no one has any answers.

He explodes, as he’s wont to do when frustrated, demands answers, but nothing they say makes sense.

By then, the war is over. Not World War II, which has evidently been over for over half a century, but this new war. And Bucky Barnes had been told of his presence. Steve is in bed, arms crossed, looking dour and getting an infusion of something that honestly is helping him breathe better when Bucky bursts into his now private room. It’s been two months

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[bottledblond]

To Steve’s credit, he knew it was coming. He could have read it in Bucky’s body language, but they’d just confessed their love to each other. If a kiss hadn’t been coming, he would have been sorely disappointed.

Steve’s shoulders relax under Bucky’s
Touch. He wants to tell him that he hadn’t known he wanted this until a few days ago, that he’d never thought of himself in any sort of romantic tangle in his life until Bucky opened the chains like that, but there will be time to confess it.

And there will be time to wonder if he’s maybe going too fast. He knows Bucky, up to a point, and they’d only just reconnected, but—

Steve’s world is short. His health always made him understand that if he didn’t move quickly, he’d never experience anything. Ski as Bucky leans in, Steve reaches up, standing on his toes as he joins the other halfway.

[woundedwinter]

The kiss is soft and warm and so fucking perfect Bucky wants to remember it for the rest of his life. Something good to focus on instead of so many years of pain and suffering. As much as he wants more, Bucky knows they can't. Not now. He's still got a host of issues and he and Steve still need time to reconnect, get to know one another in this time and this life.

When he pulls back he's smiling.
Naturally Steve had to be the braver one and say something when he never could.

"C'mon. Let's get cleaned up and get some rest while we can." They still have a lot of work to do.

[bottledblond]

“Five minutes,” Steve insists. It’s easy to nestle himself against Bucky’s body, to lift his chin and settle his shoulder just under Bucky’s arm. He doesn’t mind being smaller than Bucky. He’s always been smaller than everyone. But just because he fits perfectly into someone’s embrace doesn’t mean he’s exactly the shy and shrinking violet.

He’s just had his first kiss and his heart is soaring with all sorts of possibilities. Eyes bright, Steve all but demands another, and it’s still soft and sweet because he actually doesn’t know what else it can be.

He likes the way Bucky’s breath curls on his cheek.

He likes being in love.

And almost five minutes later, on the dot, he lets the other man have his space. “All right. We can go get cleaned up. But I gotta know what’s in store for me if I take that serum.”

[woundedwinter]

The sound that bubbles up out of him is warm and unexpected. He's almost forgotten what it's like to laugh when you're happy. "Anything you want," he promises, bending to kiss him again.

It's been.. a long time for Bucky to put it mildly so he keeps the kisses soft and warm, not looking to deepen them yet. Everything is still new and warm and just right between them.

"We're gonna have to talk to Stark. The serum he made is different than what they pumped into me or what the other Steve volunteered for."

He sighs as they break apart and head for the bathroom. "So you made up your mind?"

[bottledblond]

It’s not like they need privacy from one another. They hadn’t before and certainly done now so Steve just follows Bucky to the bathroom. He’s going to help him clean up from that shot, even if he’s fine and healed.

The determination is back on his face again. “I’ve got a dilemma here,” Steve says. “I want to help you and fight at your side. But if I do, I distract you.” Sam’s voice carries. And Steve is always very aware of when he’s being talked about. “I’m only distracting right now because a stiff wind could kick me over. If that serum can make me strong and fast and resilient then I want it because I’m not giving up what we’ve got going, pal, and you need all the help you can, Buck.”

Nothing Steve says is inherently wrong but the serum has historically come with side effects. Red Skull, the test subjects in Siberia... of course, Steve is still Steve. And as long as Stark didn’t mess with the serum too badly it should do for him what it did the last time Bucky knew him.

[woundedwinter]

Bucky strips out of the tac jacket, checking a grimace at the pull of freshly healed skin. It doesn't bother him that Steve is close as he looks to clean up. He starts the water running as Steve lays out his decision and why he's making it. A vague frown creases his brow because of course Steve heard what Sam said about him.

He leans against the counter, metal fingers toying with the hem of his t-shirt. "We don't have to fight, Steve. You know that, right?"

But if Steve wanted to stay in the fight, to use the serum to change the world for the better, Bucky would stand with him. Sam.. he can't speak for him and he knows he might have just fucked up the only other friendship he had when he kissed Steve.

"The serum will make you stronger, healthier," which is the most important thing as far as Bucky is concerned. "But we need to talk to Stark about the changes he's made first and you need to think about what this means for you. People are going to think Captain America is back. They might expect you to step up in the other Steve Rogers' shoes."

He quirks a smile at him, "Whatever you choose pal, I'm with you."

[bottledblond]

Bucky might not have a visible wince, but Steve absolutely does. He frowns at his friend, and immediately starts in with wet, warm towels to try and clean up the area. New pink skin is already peaking through some of the breaks but Steve is gentle with it anyway. It reminded him of the post-fights he’d used to endure when Bucky would slough around of the ring and needed his lip and knuckles tended.

“I can’t fit anyone’s shoes,” Steve says. “And I can’t be Captain America. No one would even recognize me,” he says. “Tony mentioned that there’s no physical change. They wouldn’t buy it. And no one wants to follow a guy that looks like me.”

He isn’t being self disparaging. He just knows the drill.

“I want to stop these people from hurting other people. No one that gathers technology like this and does business with criminals is up to any good. That’s got to end. And when your fight is done, so is mine. I’m with you. That’s all. I’m with you.”