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Steve went out on stage as he did every other night. He was sick of it, sick of being a monkey in spandex. Goodman it, he was a supersoldier not a circus act. The soldiers hated it and would often throw tomatoes at him. He hated it. He hated how he was used for selling bonds instead of doing important work. Like serving, it just wasn’t fair!
He’d only just arrived at this particular base, he hadn’t the faintest clue who was there and honestly he did give a damn anymore. To him they were all the same, either 10 year old boys and girls clamouring for attention or full-grown men with a penchant for hating him.
This crowd was no different, he got up there to do his thing, starting to get better at ignoring the jeers and shouts. The calls to “bring the girls back on”, the rotted tomatoes no one wanted to eat or maybe were saving for this, having heard about him from other bases. He stubbornly ignored their silence, only plastering a huge albeit slightly uncomfortable grin on his face.
The soldiers were silent until he heard a familiar laugh and he made eye contact with his best mate, smiling. “Steve, get your punk arse back here.”
Interested murmurs went through the crowd, this was the best thing to happen all day as Steve flushed bright red. A soldier nudged his shoulder, “ This is Steve? I thought he was smaller.” He looked genuinely confused.
“Yeah well, so did I.” A dark look passed over his face, “Steven fucking Rogers get your star-spangled havin’ arse back here right now so I can beat the tiny back into you, you’re supposed to be smaller than me how did you grow two goddamn feet?”
He was yelling by the end, his face furious and spit flying out. The crowd’s murmurs started getting louder, but one look from Bucky silenced them.
“Language.” Was all the flustered boy could manage rubbing a hand against the back of his neck.
He was ready to yank him off the stage, dragging himself out of the dirt and ignoring any superior officers telling him to stand down.
“Steven Rogers. I swear to god that better be a padded suit underneath otherwise you're in for it!” He was yelling while storming over to the man in question and smiling as he cowered. By now the ladies on stage were being ignored in favour of watching this shitshow as Bucky started tearing Steve a new one.
The words irresponsible and experimental and quite a few that should not be repeated in this recount, were thrown around. Most of the men were overjoyed at seeing the ‘great Captain America’ being torn into by someone shorter than him. At the jeers of the men, Bucky turned around again and all but growled out. “And if anyone has a problem with him, you can take it up with me.” The soldiers stopped silent, Bucky wasn’t aggressive but he was severely overprotective about Steve. He didn’t tend to get into fights but between the stories they’d heard about Steve’s ‘glory days’ and him beating up the last guy who made a joke about them being boyfriends, it was needless to say they stopped terrified.
He dragged Steve off the stage, giving anyone the stink-eye who dared day something.
“What the fuck happened? Fucking experimental drugs. That’s what you took. Drugs!” Steve flinched back, used to being on this side of the yelling, but never taller than him.
“I’m making PSAs now about not taking them.” He shrugged as Bucky started laughing. In all honesty he could’ve pulled the card ‘that he was ok’ or that ‘he was an adult’ but he didn’t. He didn’t because Bucky was right, he was irresponsible and stupid. He did do something dumb, was it worth the risk? Maybe. Would he do it again? Yeah, a hundred times over.
“You idiot.” He shook his head fondly grabbing Steve close.
Steve wrapped his arms around Bucky, Bucky’s head under Steve’s chin. At this discovery Steve broke down.
“I’m taller than you.” The realisation only just hit him and he was sobbing.
Bucky pulled him down to the closest bed and removed his head from Steve’s chest and pulled Steve into his.
“You’ll never be too tall to sleep in my arms. Okay Stevie?”
He just snuggled closer and Bucky pulled him tighter.
“You idiot, I love you.” He murmured as Steve fell asleep.