The Winter Soldier: Master of Madripoor

41

"I think I might have to carry you," Bucky said, only half joking. The snow was deep enough to be a headache to slog through, and Steve was struggling more than he'd ever admit. Bucky didn't like to hear the slight wheeze in his friend's breathing or see him shivering when he thought Bucky wasn't looking.

"I'm fine, Buck," Steve replied irritably. "I've made it through worse than this."

"It's a lot colder today," Bucky pointed out. "And there's more snow than yesterday."

"I don't need any help."

Bucky slowed his pace to be sure to walk next to Steve so he could help him if he had to. The snow was still falling, lighter, with an icy wind blowing the flakes into their faces, forcing them both have to turn away from what felt like frozen sand blasting their skin.

"Is that the warmest coat you have?" Bucky asked, concerned as Steve shivered more noticeably.

"Yeah, it is. Lay off will 'ya? My mom does the best she can." Steve coughed slightly, but he glared at Bucky and Bucky frowned back.

"I'm not trying to make fun of you, Steve, you idiot. I'm just asking, and I know your mom does everything she can. She's a tough woman." He did admire Steve's mom, but Bucky still wished he could help both her and Steve, make sure both of them were safe, warm, and healthy. "I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine, I already said it." Steve tripped on something he couldn't see in the snow and almost fell. Bucky caught his arm just in time. Steve's expression softened as he continued walking. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." They walked in silence for a block, as Steve continued to look more and more frozen. The school was only another four blocks, but Bucky was outright alarmed at how his friend looked and sounded. The storm wasn't the worst they'd seen in New York, but it was the worst they'd had so far that winter. Bucky wished Steve had stayed at home where the heat had been working last he knew, but Steve hadn't wanted to stay home when everyone else would be in school.

In Madripoor, he looked up, dazed for a moment as he came out of the memory, surprised that there was no snow around. The view from the window was one of darkness punctuated by the continuous bright lights of a city that never slept. Rain was once again falling steadily, a constant harsh sound on the metal roof of the building he was currently living in. He corrected himself: he wasn't living anywhere; he was existing and that was all he could have for the foreseeable future. He looked back at the memory he'd been immersed in, when he and Steve were only about nine years old, walking to school as they did every day. He couldn't decide why that memory was important, but maybe it didn't have to be important, since it was a memory of the time when he was Bucky Barnes and all such memories had value. He'd already filled the journal he'd taken from the apartment in D.C. and had half-filled another one with the memories and thoughts he'd had when he was only Bucky. He had to concentrate, and when he did the memory came back, as some did, so he could continue to experience that winter day in the mid 1920's in New York.

Bucky finally couldn't take it anymore and took off his coat, throwing it around Steve's shoulders. Steve shouted in surprise until he realized what Bucky had done, then he tried to throw off the coat.

"What are you doing, idiot?" Steve yelled.

"Keeping you warm. And you're the idiot!" Bucky shouted back.

"You need to keep warm too!"

"I have a sweater, I'm fine. But I'm afraid you're going to freeze to death and then how would I explain that to your mom?" Bucky folded his arms, trying to look fierce, but he was actually very cold and didn't want to show that to Steve.