You’d known Steve practically your whole life — you’d met when you were just two teenagers in Brooklyn. Steve had received yet another beating by some random kids he didn’t even know. You didn’t quite have the confidence to defend him, but you made sure he was okay once the group had left. The effort counted, right? At least you didn’t ignore it like everyone else seemed to do.

Then came Bucky. You met him when Steve was — yet again — getting beaten up in some dark alley in Brooklyn, and from then on it was the three of you, and you were always — always — there for each other: you went to the Stark Expo together, you went with Steve to his mother’s funeral, you did everything together.

Until the war came along. Bucky was assigned to the 107th and had to leave for England. Steve was continuously rejected from enlisting, thanks to his many health problems. You had managed to land yourself a job as a nurse, treating injured soldiers. You’d overheard Erskine and Phillips talking about a soldier Erskine had drafted, much to Phillips’ chagrin.

You just didn’t expect it to be Steve that had been drafted. After catching up over gauze and bandages, Steve told you he’d been chosen to take part in Project Rebirth — a project designed to enhance the human body to its full potential.

That brings you to now: with Steve’s body completely changed, and him being paraded around as Captain America rather than a member of the U.S. Army.

After another performance of The Star Spangled Man, you found him sitting outside in the rain, sketching in a notebook. You took a seat beside him, unsure of how to break the tension. You wished Bucky were here, he was a natural. “I like the costume. Costume? Is it a costume? Suit? Either way, I… Steve, I know this isn’t how you imagined any of it.”

He paused his sketching, taking in your words. He didn’t look over at you, instead opting for staring straight ahead as he spoke. Just from the way he conversed with you, you could tell every little thing about those performances were fake — the smiles, the enthusiasm, everything was rehearsed.

“Finally get everything I wanted, and I’m wearing tights. I should be on the frontlines like I was supposed to be, not walking propaganda for Brandt.”