Shadows and Light

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve's sleep is troubled tonight.

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[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve shivers deeply.

He's never liked the cold.


Worse, he's lost sight of Bucky and there's not even a shivering tree branch to show where he's gone.

[nerves_of_ice]

CRACK!

The rifle fire rips through the air like a knife.

No one else reacts. No one else is there; the Commandos have all vanished into the snow.

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK--

Suddenly the gunshots stop, replaced by a harsh, agonized scream.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Bucky," Steve whispers and runs in the direction Bucky went, praying what he just heard meant Bucky took out whoever was following them and not--not--

[nerves_of_ice]

"Could use a hand."

He staggers from the trees, his rifle slung over his back and his left arm pressed tight across his middle.

Bucky's trying to smile, even as he stumbles and reaches out.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve reaches out to catch him. "Bucky--"

Not like this. Not like this.

[nerves_of_ice]

His fingers just brush the tips of Steve's as he falls, barely out of reach.

Leaves explode from the ground where he lands, hiding any sight of him.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"What?"

Steve falls to his knees and starts digging in the dirt and fallen leaves, gasping, "Bucky, Bucky," as if that will help him find Bucky faster.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Lose something?"

There's laughter in his voice, coming from behind Steve.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve whirls.

There's Bucky at the end of the alley, tall and handsome in his uniform--and Steve is tiny again, lungs constricting with every breath and an ache in his knuckles and his face.

"Thought I lost you." He manages to muster up a smile. "Shoulda known you'd turn up like a bad penny."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Always do, don't I?"

He comes forward, kicking a trashcan lid out of the way as he slings his right arm around Steve's shoulders.

"Come on. You're a mess; we've got to get you cleaned up before tonight."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"What's tonight?" He stops, despite Bucky's arm around his shoulders. "Not another blind date, Buck."

[nerves_of_ice]

He grins, a little sheepishly.

"You'll like this one. She's a real nice gal. Smart, too."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve shakes his head. "They're all nice gals, 'til they see me."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Okay, so some of them haven't been -- but this dame's different, I know it," Bucky insists. "Like I said, she's smart. She'll be able to see the real you."

A beat, as he considers something.

"Pretty, too. Red hair."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve glances at Bucky. "Sounds more like your type."

[nerves_of_ice]

He shrugs.

"Listen, if you really don't want to go, I can cancel. We can see a movie or something instead."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"I'd rather see a movie," Steve says, because no amount of nice girls is ever better than spending time with his friend.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Okay. I'll go call them; why don't we meet at the theater?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"See you there," Steve says, and watches Bucky walk away before he turns to go himself.

[nerves_of_ice]

He's late. Late enough, in fact, that it's beginning to look like he'll miss the cartoons and things before the film itself.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

By then, Steve has bought tickets for himself and Bucky, and gives him a stern look before they hurry into the dark theater and find two empty seats.

"At least we should see the newsreel, right?"

[nerves_of_ice]

He's out of breath and apologetic, both.

"Yeah, we will, I promise -- here, get the seats, I'll run get popcorn for us, okay?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Hurry," Steve says, more teasing than stern, and goes into the theater proper.

[nerves_of_ice]

It's not very crowded inside, not at this showing. There are plenty of seats available.

The newsreel's just starting to flicker.

"And now let's see the latest from our boys at the front!"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve chooses seats near the center and sits.

"Our own Captain America and the brave Howling Commands sure have Jerry on the run!"

Steve sits up straighter. The narrator's cheerful delivery has a strangely forced tone--but how--why--

"That's not me," Steve whispers at the sight of the big man gesturing the other Commandos into the fray.

But it is Bucky.

It is Bucky on the screen, in the forests of Germany when he's supposed to be home, in Brooklyn, buying popcorn.

Steve looks down at his hands.

They seem bigger.