Captain

1

Brielle

I'm sitting in the enlistment room with Steve anxiously waiting for his name to be called. We're sharing a newspaper, one of us each holding up a side of it. The war is all anyone talks about so of course that's the only thing in here. Even the ads are asking people to join the army or buy bonds.

I glance at Steve out of the corner of my eye and I can practically see the gears turning in his head. I've tried time and time again to tell him to not enlist, that it will kill him. However considering this is the fifth time I've been here, proves my attempts are futile. Steve is my best friend but his self righteousness has become very irritating.

This is my final attempt to talk Steve out of this.

"Steve can you please stop torturing yourself with this? There is a reason why you keep getting turned away."

"Not a chance."

Just then the enlistment officer calls "Rogers, Steven."

Steve stands up and hands me his side of the newspaper. I watch his bony frame make it's way to the front table. His shirt was off and the outline of each of his ribs was clearly seen through his pasty white skin.

Realizing how long I was staring at his bare chest I quickly looked away. I hid my face behind the newspaper but then I was reading about the damn war all over again. Resigned, I put the paper down. I reached for my small worn handbag next to me and pulled out a small brown notebook and chewed up pencil. I flipped open the notebook to the page I was working in last night and sighed at the mess of incoherent scribbles. This is what happens when you're struck with inspiration in the middle of the night.

When I was kid I spent my time coming up with stories. Some nights at the orphanage when me and Steve couldn't sleep, we would sneak out of our rooms onto the roof. There I would tell him my latest story. I was always told I had an "overreactive imagination" but I took it as a compliment. Making up new worlds that we could disappear to for hours at a time, was a welcome distraction from reality.

My new idea was about a superhero and like all the best ideas, it came to me in a dream. Unfortunately all I could remember was that they were dressed like a walking American flag. I thought is was probably my subconscious turning this war into something a little more light hearted.

"What's that?"

I looked up and saw Steve walking towards me. Judging by his defeated expression, he didn't get enlisted and probably didn't want to talk about it either. I almost sighed in relief but held it in for his sake.

"I got a new idea for a story. I had a dream about a superhero so I'm doing some brainstorming."

"Have you come up with a name yet?" he asked.

Steve grabbed his stuff in the seat next to me. He pulled on his shirt and jacket before grabbing the abandoned newspaper and folded it neatly before putting it into his pocket.

"No not yet, but I'll think of one."

"Yeah you always do," Steve said smiling half heartedly.

I stood up, also putting on my coat. I pulled Steve into a side hug with my arm around his shoulders. We walked out of the building and towards the movie theater.

"Come on there's a new movie out let's go see if it's any good."

—

I should have known better then to leave Steve alone.

After the movie was over, I told Steve that I was going to use the restroom and I would meet him outside. However once I had finished up and left the building there was no Steve in sight. Confused, I walked up and down the street peering into alleyways until I heard grunts coming from the one up ahead.

"Please don't be him, please don't be him." I muttered under my breath and peered in the alleyway.

Damn it

Steve was lying on his back, splayed across a couple of busted up trash cans. Blood gushed from a probably broken nose. His right eye was swollen, with a bruise already forming.

But there was another man there as well. I couldn't get a good look at his face because of his military uniform with a hat shadowing his face in the dim alleyway. I watched as he punched the old drunk in the face and kicked his ass out into the street. Then he turned and pulled Steve up, patting him on the back. Steve looked up at him grumbling and that's when it clicked.

Bucky

My stomach dropped. He got in. I look at Steve and can see the envy oozing from his features. Steve has always been first in line to march up to death's door but not Bucky never Bucky.

I step out of my hiding spot and walk towards them. Bucky sees me first and flashes me his dazzling smile that gets girls weak in the knees.

"Hey Bri! Where did you come from?"

I smile back though mine is a little more forced. "Steve and I went to go see the new movie. I left to use the restroom but when I came back, he was gone. So I wandered around until I found you two here."

Bucky nods his head then turns to Steve. "Sometimes I think you like getting punched."

Steve tried to look nonchalant about it. "I had him on the ropes." He wiped the blood off his nose but just ended up smearing it.

I grimace at the mess on Steve's face. "Come here," I tell him.

I open my handbag and pull out a handkerchief. I gently hold his face steady with one hand, while I used the other to try and get off most of the blood. As the handkerchief glided across his face I could feel his eyes fixed on me. I looked up and met his gaze. Deep pools of ocean blue clashing against my chocolate brown. Suddenly the temperature seemed to rise and I quickly stepped back clearing my throat.

"That will have to do until we get back home." I turn my head to hide the heat rising in my cheeks.

Thankfully Steve didn't seem to notice and was more interested in Bucky's new uniform.

"You get your orders?"

Bucky nodded and the smile fell from his face. "The 107th Sergeant James Barnes. Shipping out for England first thing tomorrow."

Steve and I exchanged glances but said nothing.

"Oh come on guys" Bucky said. "It's my last night, we're going out. Our whole group together."

Bucky wrapped an arm around Steve's shoulders, shaking him a little bit. Then he pulled me under his other arm. We walked in step out of the dingy alleyway and onto the sidewalk.

"So where we going?" Steve asked.

"The future."