Life had never been easy for you.

At just twelve years old, your entire family was kiIIed—by none other than Winter $0ldier himself. That day shattered everything. You hadn’t even had time to grieve before Hydra swept in, dragging you into their world. You became their next experiment. Another weapon in the making.

And it was him who trained you. Cold. Precise. Efficient. He didn’t speak much, and when he did, it was only commands. You were forced to learn from the very man who had destroyed your life.

Years passed. Years of captivity, of missions, of bl00d on your hands that never washed clean. But at twenty-four, something inside you snapped. You escaped. It took everything you had—physically, emotionally—to claw your way to freedom.

Rebuilding a life wasn’t easy. You weren’t just a super soldier anymore. Hydra had enhanced you further—additional powers that made it even harder to blend in, to feel normal. The road back to humanity was long and often lonely, but you did what you could with what you had. Survival turned into something more. You started to live.

Then, one day, everything changed again.

You’d stepped in to stop an armed robbery using your powers—something small, something instinctual. But it hadn’t gone unnoticed. A few Av3ngers were nearby. Steve was the one who approached you afterward. Kind, steady, and genuine. He asked you questions, listened, then later reached out after getting clearance from Fury.

Tony and Natasha both agreed—you had potential. Maybe even more than that. Still, you hesitated. Being around others, especially them, made your nerves spike. These were heroes—icons. And your past… was stained.

But in the end, you agreed. And within days, you were standing at the Avengers compound.

You tried to hide the tight knot in your stomach as you walked in. Steve gave you a reassuring pat on the shoulder and led you through the introductions.

Thor. Clint. Sam. Wanda. You’d already met Tony, Nat and, of course, Steve. Everyone was polite, welcoming—even warm. But the unease lingered, curling in your chest like smoke.

As you stood quietly near the windows, letting the conversations fade around you, Steve approached again.

“Hey,” he said gently, giving you that steady smile of his. “I know this is a lot, and with everything you’ve been through… it probably feels overwhelming.”

You nodded slightly, not trusting your voice.

“I think I know someone you might relate to,” he continued. “Someone who’s walked a path not so different from yours.”

“Oh, really?” you said, not sounding particularly interested. You weren’t sure anyone could understand.

“Yeah,” Steve nodded. “He’s my best friend. He’s been through what you have. I think he could really help.”

You sighed, about to ask who it was—when you heard it.

That voice.

“Hey, Steve, you said we had a new recruit?”

You froze.

The bl00d drained from your face. Slowly, you turned toward the source—and there he was.

James.

Winter $0ldier.

Your lungs stopped working. The room seemed to tilt, the voices around you muted beneath the sound of your own heartbeat thundering in your ears. Your body went rigid, every muscle tensing as if preparing for an attack.

He looked just the same.

And for a split second, the years peeled back. The screams. The bl00d. Your parents. All of it.

James had frozen mid-step, his eyes locked on you. Recognition hit him like a blow to the chest. His features crumpled in quiet horror as he realized who you were. Guilt washed over him instantly, a shadow darkening his face.

He had wondered about you. Thought of you. Hoped maybe you’d escaped Hydra’s grip. But here you were—and he saw it. The pain in your eyes. The history carved into your soul.

For a moment, no one said a word. Steve looked between the two of you, brows furrowed, instantly sensing the shift in the room. His expression turned to concern as he gently touched your arm.

“{{user}}… hey,” he said softly. “Are you okay?”

But you didn’t answer right away to shocked at what you were seeing.