The Child of Winter ~ Book 1

2. New Friends & Allies

New Objective: Try not to get killed by an Avenger.

Steve and Bucky slowly guided Steven through the luxurious building to the elevators. The teen had never been in a place as fancy as this one before and he had to admit it was a little bit too much for him; however, he kept quiet as he always had in the past.

Bucky pounced on his silence, "You okay?"

A simple nod.

The ex-assassin rolled his eyes and threw up his hands, "You're allowed to talk, Steven! Use your words!"

A ghost of a smirk appeared on Steven's face and he obliged by saying, "I just don't want to have anyone misinterpret my words right now, Bucky." He glanced at the grizzled veteran and murmured, "Thanks."

"You're welcome, kid," was the reply he got from the man who used to just be a mission.

Steve steadied the teen as the bell sounded, alerting them they'd reached their desired floor, "It'll be fine, kid. You'll be just fine."

Another simple nod.

Bucky groaned, "Your daughter will eat him alive if he continues to be this quiet, Steve."

"She will do no such thing, Buck! Peggy knows when a person needs some space," Steve chuckled as the doors opened to reveal the penthouse that The Avengers frequented.

It looked as modern as modern could get in Steven's rookie opinion. He cautiously began to explore the main living space while Steve went back out into the city to get some new clothes for the newest arrival. A beautiful grand piano caught his eye and he sat on the bench, flesh and metal fingers hovering over the ivory keys. Could he still play? There was only one way to find out.

The song he chose to play was simple, yet it was an elegant piece and the sound of it brought back the memories of the woman, the one he'd see in his dreams, teaching him the notes and how to play. He ended the song and slowly covered the keys once more before moving towards the windows, admiring the view.

"That was beautiful."

Steven jumped at Bucky's sudden praise and he gazed at his hands quietly a moment. His voice barely reached a whisper, "I think I was taught by a woman I used to know... I can't remember her name though."

"I know the feeling," Bucky murmured as he stood beside the kid. He then looked at the boy beside him and asked, "How tall are you?"

"6'2"... I'm the same height as Captain America," Steven allowed a small smile to appear. He wasn't good at showing emotion too much just yet, but at least he was trying to come out of his shell.

The veteran shook his head slowly, "Wow... That's not something you see every day."

Steven's smile faded away.

Bucky noticed and instantly went on damage control, "I didn't mean anything mean by what I said!!"

A laugh now escaped Steven. He froze for a second after he realized what he'd just done and mouthed, "I can still laugh...? After everything I've been through, I can still... Have I lost my mind?"

Bucky's laugh now resounded through the room, a warm sound in Steven's opinion. He shook his head, "You haven't lost your mind, kid. It's a good thing to show emotion around here. Learn that lesson quickly, 'kay?"

"I'll try to remember that and my name is Steven you know, Bucky," the teen stated as the veteran began to walk towards the fridge.

The veteran pulled out two bottles of water and tossed one to Steven, "I know what your name is and I'll warn you that I won't be the only one who calls you 'kid'."