Chapter Text
Heat rolled off the brick like it had weight. The fire escapes threw long stripes across the alley. Someone down the block was arguing about the Dodgers. A radio crackled through static. The bakery on the corner pushed out the smell of sugar and yeast and something sweet enough to make your teeth ache. Ah yes, the same old Brooklyn!
Bucky was fourteen and indestructible. Steve was eleven.
Steve sat beside him on the rooftop ledge, all sharp elbows and stubborn jaw, the sketchbook was balanced on one knee. His pencil moved fast on the paper.
“You’re gonna fall, Buck.” Steve said without looking up.
“I’m not! Check out this view..”
Bucky smirked and leaned farther just to hear the blonde inhale sharply. Sure enough, Steve’s hand shot out and caught a fistful of his sleeve.
“See? You’ve got me.”
“On second thought, just go ahead.”
Steve huffed and went back to his drawing. Bucky peeked over his shoulder. “Hm. You better not be making my nose crooked again..”
“It is crooked.”
Bucky tried to snatch the page, the other boy twisted away with surprising speed.
“Hey!”
“Hah.. you move too much, y’know?” Steve said.
Bucky elbowed him while gazing the sky. “Oh shut up.”
They let their shoes knock against the brick in an easy rhythm. Then the thought passed his mind.
“You ever think about what you’re gonna do?” Steve asked after a while.
“I’m doing it.”
“Leaning off buildings?”
“Being impressive!”
Steve rolled his eyes and continued drawing. “C’mon, I’m curious.”
Bucky shrugged and answered it for real this time. “Well, alright. It may sound a bit dull but, I’ve always wanted to just continue on living y’know? A normal peaceful life away from it all. There’s this place called Hudson Valley, my father once traveled there and sent me photos. It was beautiful. I’d love to settle in there.. and maybe adopt a cat on the way. A white one perhaps.”
“Pfft- you sound so prepared. Have you been waiting for me to ask you this?” Steve finally shifted his gaze off the sketchbook.
”If another person heard me they would call me optimistic.”
”So.. Is that it?”
“What else is there?” The brunette raised his eyebrow.
“Sorry its just.. I always thought you wanted to be something cooler.. like— like a soldier! That would be awesome.”
“Nah. I don’t really like fighting.”
“Really? But you fight all the time—“
“Because you don’t know when to stop clawing your way into other people’s business.” Bucky flicked Steve’s forehead teasingly and the blonde stuck out his tongue.
Steve then hesitated, and held the sketchbook out. It wasn’t a drawing of Bucky this time. It was a skyline. It had taller buildings, sharper lines, something that didn’t look like Brooklyn at all.
“Manhattan?” Bucky guessed.
“Maybe. Or further.”
“Further where?”
Steve’s jaw tightened. “Dunno, I guess somewhere big.”
Bucky let out a soft chuckle. “Is Brooklyn not big enough for you Stevie?”
“..I mean—” He struggled for it. “I don’t wanna stay small.”
The brunette scratched his chin. “Okay.. what about you?”
“What about me?”
“What will you do?”
…
“I want to be a hero to look up to.”
Bucky lifted his eyebrow at the words, “Geez. How noble.”
“Says the ‘I wanna live a boring ol’ life’ guy.”
They laughed a bit. But deep down, they believed each other on despite their dreams being quite silly.
“When you’re out living in the Hudsons, you better not forget to come visit me.”
Bucky smiled. “‘Course I would. I’d never forget my best pal!”
They sat there for a little more, watching everything from above. The sky started to fade into a nice orange.
“The sun’s getting down. We better get back before my Ma scolds us.”