screwyoumarvel | 33 Apocalypse, Basement, Wednesday Afternoon

During a break from finalizing his Art History syllabus, Steve went to pick up his mail, then returned to his basement to go through it. Junk, junk, bill for art supplies, junk...envelope with no return address and Bucky's handwriting on his address.

Steve stared at the enclosed drawing for well over a minute before picking up the other object the envelope had contained, a piece of paper with a phone number on it, and heading for the nearest phone.

Bucky picked up on the first ring and started talking before Steve could even open his mouth. "Look," he said in a fierce voice, "you told me not to kill him. And it was either kill him or this, because he wants to save me, so now look what you've done."

Steve couldn't help but grin. "I think you'll be good at it." His amusement came through in his voice, which only served to annoy poor Bucky more.

"Did you hit your head really hard recently? Captain America is supposed to be a good guy. That's not me."

"Is too."

"Steve."

"Buck."

"I was a killer long before I was the Winter Soldier. And we both know it."

"You've also been my best friend since 1941. Please give me a little credit for taste, Mr. Barnes."

Bucky sighed, and conceded. "What do you think of the uniform design?"

"Kind of shiny, isn't it?"

"A little shiny."

"I kind of like the shiny. It suits you."

"Because I'm kind of shiny?"

"Well, your arm is. Why do you have the Puerto Rican flag on your chest?"

"I--what?"

"Never mind. You'll need the shield."

"The shield is yours," Bucky said, in that same fierce voice he'd had at the beginning. Steve paid it no mind.

"The shield is Captain America's. Which is you, now. Besides. Tony already thinks you have it. Is there somewhere I can send it?"

"Through the mail?" Bucky's tone suggested he really thought Steve had lost it now.

"Belay that. Can you get down to Washington?"

"Probably. Yes."

"Are you being tracked?"

Bucky snorted. "No. If he tried Fury'd smack him down."

"Great. I'll meet you at the National Gallery on Saturday. Noon." And Bucky hung up on him. Steve sighed and went to burn the piece of paper with the phone number. The drawing he kept, though.

He really hoped the uniform was less shiny in reality.

((OOC: NFI, OOC OK. I could not resist. Under the cut are spoilers for recent Captain America-related events.))