broken soldier // pre-serum!steve x bucky

one

steve

letting out a shaky breath, i pulled on my jacket and left my apartment for the first time since the funeral.

"c'mon stevie, it'll be fun!" nat encouraged, grabbing my hand and dragging me down the street to her group therapy session. she said it'd be good for me, and literally begged me to come.

it wasn't long til we arrived at the building, big and white and much like a hospital.

"steve? you okay?" nat waved a hand in front of my face, offering me a small smile. i nodded and followed her to a room that wasn't as white, with chairs around a circle table.

we settled down in the chairs and started to talk, waiting for the session to start. the door suddenly creeked open and a tall guy entered, nodding at nat and sitting a few seats away from us.

"hey james, this is steve." nat introduced us, and i gave him a small smile.

he took off his cap and ran a hand through his shoulder length hair, letting out a small sigh and leaning back in his chair.

a few more people arrived and soon enough the session started.

"okay, so we have a few new members here today, so how about we all introduce ourselves? say your name and something about you, i'll start," the therapist stated and my throat closed up. "hi, i'm alexander, and sometimes i like to wear crocs."

there was a few laughs and cries of disgust, which slightly eased the tension in the room.

"hi, my names sam and i really like birds."

"my names bruce, and i like science."

"you know who i am." a guy with coloured sunglasses and an iron maiden shirt said smugly, earning a frown from alexander.
"fine. i'm tony. got a pacemaker instead of a heart. pretty fun."

"hey. i'm clint. uh, i like pizza?" he stuttered, slightly unsure and earned a slight laugh from nat which made him blush.

"my names natasha, and i do ballet."
nat squeezed my hand and inhaled sharply.

"hi, my names steve. i like to draw."
we all turned to james who looked a bit flustered and confused, trying to think of what to say.

"i'm... james." he said quietly, as if unsure of his own name. he drummed the fingers of his gloved hand on the table, and then his eyes lit up.
"and i, uh, have a metal arm." he took of his glove to show the shiny silver instead of skin, and i felt myself raise my eyebrows in shock. he smiled shyly and put his glove back on.

"hello, my name is loki, and i like puzzles."

we spent the rest of the session getting to know each other, but i kept sneaking glimpses at james.
he a big guy, built thick with muscle, which was probably why nat thought i was checking him out.
he seemed out of place, and slightly troubled. every so often his expression would harden and he would clench his fist, as if he was in danger.

when the session came to an end, he was the first out the door. as the room emptied i looked at his abandoned seat and saw his cap.

"hey nat, i'll catch up with you later okay?" she nodded and squeezed my shoulder before turning round to talk to clint.
i grabbed the cap and rushed off after him, wheezing as i tried to keep up.

man, this guy is fast.

he left the clinic and turned down an alleyway, and i followed him without even thinking.

when i entered the alley, i couldn't see him anywhere, and it was a dead end.
i shrugged it off and turned to leave, but was suddenly grabbed by the shoulder and shoved into a wall.
i let out a grunt and struggled against my attacker, unable to shout because the air had just been knocked out of me.
"what do you want? who are you?"
james' shouted, his grip around my throat tightening. i let out a small gasp of air and raised my hand, showing him the cap.
"you left this."
his eyes darted from me to the cap, and then back to me.
his grip slowly loosened, but not before i blacked out.