I.

Steve sat back on his bunk and sighed, stretching his fingers and examining their length. His skin was smooth and taut, and his forearms rippled with the movement. These little things had become so noticeable after the serum; Steve could feel every inch of his body tighten and relax. He liked it. Being so aware of his healthy body reminded him of the fortune he came into with the doctor (God rest his soul) and his serum. The only problem with the serum was that his mind had been affected as well; every memory could suddenly be pulled back into focus with ease. Unfortunately for Steve, his recent struggle with Bucky had caused a lot of bad memories to come flooding in.

His worst memory of Bucky - besides the most recent - happened when they were both fourteen. Steve's parents had already died, and Bucky had been going through a stage of sexual obsession. He was with a girl every other night, and if he couldn't find one he released his sexual frustration in other ways. One night, while Steve was out looking for scrap metal, Bucky had brought a girl home with him. His mother had gone out for the first night in a very long time, so she wasn't expected home for a while. After his scrapping Steve was meant to be out on a date with Janine - a dame that Bucky picked up for him - who was very disappointed that Steve wasn't Bucky. The date had lasted less than an hour before she had made up some excuse to run off. Steve didn't mind much honestly. He was much more excited to go back home to Buck.

Bucky's mother's house was warm and welcoming - even if it was one of the smallest and poorest homes in the neighborhood. Mrs. Barnes had kept it clean and comfortable, and the fireplace was roaring when Steve stepped into the front door. He pulled his shoes off and unwrapped the ratty scarf hanging around his neck. Toes on worn wood - he wiggled them happily. The whole house felt comfortable, and more like home than most places.

He left his ear muffs on as well. Quiet. Steve loved the quiet - he allowed it to encase him. He stayed like that for a moment - feeling the warmth from the fire, enjoying the silence - he should have taken his ear muffs off. If he had taken them off, he would have hear the lightest of moans and shushes. He would have heard the bed creaking and the shallow breaths. But he didn't - so he couldn't avoid what he saw. He probably could have guess what would happen - Mrs. Barnes was out and he was supposed to be gone for a while.

Her body was smooth and curved as she lay on her stomach gripping the sheets. The curve of her breast created the slightest indent beneath her, and a light sheen of sweat made her body shine. Steve would have seen all of that if he wasn't staring at Bucky. Steve had seen Bucky naked plenty of times, but never like this. Never grunting and thrusting his hips into some poor girl who had no idea what she had gotten herself into. His body was just as smooth as hers - still at the stage between the lankiness of a pre-teen and the muscles of puberty - and it rolled with every thrust. Steve was mesmerized by his tantalizing movements. He could have watched them all night, but the girl let out a screech when she looked up at him.

"What the fuck Steve?"

"You said he wouldn't be here! Now he's seen me naked!" she shrieked.

"He wasn't even look'n at you!"

"What…?"

Steve saw the fear rising in Bucky's eyes, and the disgust in hers.

"Is your buddy some kinda queer or something? Cause I'm not fucking some queer lover!"

"Stevie ain't no queer! You take that back or I swear on my mother I'll throw you out in nothing but your skin!"

Steve had already taken a few steps back, and was now contemplating taking off at a sprint towards the door. But he didn't want to seem suspicious, so he willed himself to stand straight and speak.

"No ma'am I'm not queer," Steve said "and I'll just leave you to your business."

Steve had turned on his heels and hightailed it right out of the apartment. As he was leaving he could hear whispers of "I told you he ain't queer," and "Are you sure? He looks it", and within a minute he heard shrieks and saw the young lady practically fall out of the front door in nothing but her undergarments. She yelled a slur of profanities and turned away from the door as Bucky slammed it.

"Uh.. ma'am?" Steve approached her like a wild animal. He was slow and deliberate so as not to spook her.

"Sorry little man but I'm not interested..."

Steve blushed, "No I… I was just going to offer you my coat."

The girl looked confused for a moment, but eventually softened her expression and accepted his jacket.

"You may be scrawny, but you're a much bigger man than Bucky." She kissed him on the cheek and turned to leave with his jacket around her shoulders.

When he got back inside he was planning to chew Bucky out, but instead he just looked at him sitting at the kitchen table with a disappointed glance and went into their room.

II.

The way Bucky spit out the word queer like it was venom rocked Steve to the core. He had planned for so long to ask him for advice about his feelings, but now he wasn't so sure. Steve had known there was something off about him since he showed a bit more interest in Father Jonathan in catholic school than he should have, but that was a sin. Steve had always tried to uphold his beliefs, but this was something that he had eventually given into. He knew he was in love with Bucky by the time he was 15.

"Are you ready to go Captain?"

Steve looked up at a young girl smiling back at him. They were about to perform for yet another division that cared more about the dancing girls than his speech.

"I'm coming Jess. And I'm not really a captain."

She just nodded sympathetically and left.