The sun overhead made New York’s muggy air almost unbearable. Bucky had chosen the lightest jacket he owned and yet it was still terribly hot. The glare coming off the windows only made it all worse. He looked at the schedule in his gloved hand. /It’s been… so long since I’ve been here,/ he thought, examining each word and room number. /How much has changed in two years?/ All around him, kids were greeting their friends, their classmates. Bucky didn’t recognize a single one of them. It felt so odd to be back - he’d last been at this school a week before his sophomore year was supposed to begin. Yet here he was, a senior, returning after two years of no contact with anyone in America. “...Bucky?” Bucky would’ve had to be dead to not recognize that voice. He turned to face its owner with a smile. “Steve?” The blonde was taller than he had been two years ago, with significantly more muscle. Bucky didn’t recognize the kids a few steps behind him, an elegant girl with dark hair and a grinning Black boy, but Bucky would’ve recognized Steve anywhere. “You jerk, where on earth have you been? I thought you were dead or something!” Steve caught Bucky in a bear hug, squeezing him tighter than Bucky would’ve thought possible. “I’ve been worried sick, Rebecca and Kobik said they couldn’t contact you.” “Sorry for worrying you, punk,” Bucky said with a shrug. “I was in Russia for…” The phantom skin prickled where his arm should have been but only metal was. “Medical reasons. Got injured in the crash and they couldn’t help me here.” Steve nodded, still grinning. “Well, it’s great to see you again.” He turned to the kids behind him, which Bucky realized were probably his friends. “Sam, Peg, this is Bucky Barnes. Buck, Sam Wilson and Peggy Carter.” Sam offered a handshake, which Bucky took willingly. “We’ve heard a lot about you, Barnes. Nice to finally meet the man behind the legend.” Bucky nodded. “Nice to meet you too.” He tried to ignore that Steve had made new friends while he had been alone on the other side of the world. “So, you two have been friends with this punk for what, two years?” “Sam has,” Peggy said, her voice clear but unmistakably British. “I’m an exchange student. I met Steve at an event a few weeks ago.” Bucky smirked at Steve. “You made /one/ friend while I was gone?” Steve laughed. “No, I have more friends” “Yeah right, man,” Sam said teasingly. “It’s been me and Natasha, don’t kid yourself.” “Natasha?” There was something familiar about the name that Bucky couldn’t shake. “Who’s Natasha?” “You’ll meet her soon,” Steve promised. “I’m not sure where she went, to be honest. We can look for her, I think there’s still time before-” “Look for who?” The voice was feminine, Russian accented. Bucky knew that voice. Steve smiled. “Of course. Bucky, this is Natasha.” --- This is the written version of the prologue to Another Day, my Marvel fancomic! It's still in the planning/writing stage but I hope you all enjoyed <3 I want to add some art later but the writing's done so here :)
