Forward to the Past [Steggy] ✔

Chapter Seven

Steve's POV

Flashback

"Here, try this," Sasha tells me, shoving a shake and a basket of fries into my face. "Dip a fry into the shake and eat it."

"What? That's nasty!" I exclaim, laughing. "I've never heard of anyone doing that in my life!"

Sasha shrugs, smiling. Sasha's smile is like the sun- it seems to make everything seem brighter. I don't know what it is about her, but she seems too perfect to be true. "It's not the most well known cuisine," she says in a faked "commercial" voice, "but it certainly has the taste to get you into a healthy mood the rest of the day. Lasts twenty four hours, some side effects may include obsession, addiction, and obesity."

"Why am I eating this?" I say, laughing but dipping a fry into the shake nonetheless and popping it into my mouth.

"So? What do you think?" Sasha asks, and I think for a moment.

"It's... interesting. The sweet and salty combo is different."

"You don't like it," Sasha guesses.

"Not really," I admit through a grin, which Sasha returns with a small giggle.

"I really like old restaurants anyways. You can't go wrong with a hamburger, fries, and a shake. The classic."

Sasha took me to an diner built in the thirties because she thinks they're cute. Little does she know, I saw this place being built. Bucky and I used to come here all the time. I had to physically restrain myself from gasping when I saw that the place was still open. What were the chances anyways?

"Hey, Steve?" Sasha asks suddenly, leaning on her elbows on the table. "I have something to ask you."

"Ask away," I respond.

"I saw the way you looked at this place when we got here," she starts tentatively. "Almost like you've been here before, but not for a VERY long time." I sigh, knowing what's coming. "I've had a few suspicions, but... are you Captain America?" Sasha keeps her voice down, and I nod, slightly reluctantly.

"Yeah. I am."

"I knew it," Sasha says. "You know, I thought I recognized you from someplace when we first met, but I wasn't sure from where. We'd clearly never met before. But I was reading something on the internet, and I sort of came across something about World War Two. So...."

"Oh."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone," Sasha assures me. "I just wanted to know."

"Well, now you know," I say, smiling.

"What about James?" Sasha queries, and I tense, fiddling with my fork as she looks at me expectantly. "Is he James Barnes?"

"Come with me," I say, pushing my chair back and exiting quickly, Sasha in tow right behind me. I take her outside, looking around to make sure nobody is listening. "I trust you, okay?" I say, looking Sasha dead in the eye. "You can't tell anybody about Bucky- James- because it could very well get him killed, okay?"

"O-okay," Sasha says nervously. "Why?"

"Because Bucky was the Winter Soldier," I say in a hushed whisper, and Sasha's eyes widen. "He was captured by Hydra shortly after he almost died after falling off a train. They brainwashed him into becoming an assassin. I had a run in with him a couple years ago and I realized it was him. He's not the Winter Soldier anymore, but there are still people out there that want to kill him, okay? So you can't tell anyone."

"But... but the Winter Soldier has a metal arm, doesn't he? James doesn't."

I shake my head. "We had to make him a new one after his old one got blown off. The new one has holographic capabilities, so it can be disguised as a real arm."

"Okay," Sasha says, nodding vigorously. "I won't tell anyone. You can trust me."

"I do trust you," I tell her, watching as her pure blue eyes stare into mine, mingled surprise and determination in their depths.

"I trust you too." Sasha slides her hand into mine, and I inevitably smile at her touch. It's a new feeling, yet strangely pleasant. "Do you want to go home?" She asks me, and I smile.

"Why not?" I lead her back to the car, and I open the door for her. She looks surprised, but thanks me and I get in after her.

"I really like you, Steve," Sasha says once we're on the road. "A lot."

"I like you too," I say back to her with a smile.

"As soon as I met you, I knew you'd be different," Sasha says. "I've known a lot of guys that are just friends with me because I'm pretty. Guys that pretend to be nice and then blow it off once they've gotten what they want. But you seem different, you know? You're genuinely nice."

"Thanks," I say. "Do guys do that? Take advantage of you like that?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Sasha says sighing. "Guys are assholes sometimes. Lots of them."

"I've had experience with assholes." I chuckle, remembering the amount of times I'd gotten beat up as a kid. "You just have to stand up to them."

"That's hard. It seems like it should be easy. Sometimes it feels like the safer choice would be to just run." Sasha shakes her head.

"Well, if you start running, they'll never let you stop," I respond.

"I need a reason to not run." Sasha looks out the window, buildings flashing by on either side. "Someone that wants me to stay. Or someone that'll run with me. Will you be that person?"

I'm silent for a moment, lost in memories. For me, that person was Bucky. I doubt I could've gotten along without him. I depended so much on his friendship. Who am I to deny that right to someone else?

"Steve?" Sasha asks.

"Yeah," I say. "Yeah. I'll be there for you. Don't worry."

Sasha grins, then leans across the center console, kissing me on the cheek. "Thanks."

After a moment of stunned silence, a smile spreads across my face.