If it was going to be a contest about who was less useful, Steve figured he won that hands down. Even if he'd had his new body for years now, any time that he got returned to this one every self-deprecating thought returned. That need to prove himself hadn't gone away just because he'd spent about five years now being good enough.
Bucky had pointed out that neither of them needed to eat as much anymore. It was one small upside which Steve clung onto. He'd stuffed a few rations into his pack for the three of them, but he'd made sure not to take too much. All of them had lived through the war, all of them knew how to get by on hardly any food. They'd be fine.
It was almost too easy to fall back into that mindset, the one they'd all been entrenched in during the war. The only thing that mattered was survival; there was no other option. They'd leave through those gates and then they'd come back tonight, because they had to.
Bucky already looked exhausted even though the day had only just started, and Steve eyed that metal arm of his, a sigh caught somewhere in his chest. If only they could take it off, but Bucky had made it pretty clear that it wasn't a simple job. They'd need technology and equipment they didn't have access to here, which meant he was just going to have to suffer with it. Steve could have suggested that he stay behind, but why even bother?
Peggy was the only one of the trio who wouldn't be hindered in some way, and Steve was relieved for that. She'd make sure they didn't get killed out there.
One last lingering look, and then Steve nodded, his jaw set and his posture as straight as it could be. He tried to infuse every bit of authority into his smaller frame as he led them from the shanty house and then set out to find Peggy.
It didn't take long. She was near the part of the gate that they'd need to leave through, organizing supplies. Steve stopped short when he saw her. Seeing her in a setting like this, where they could have just as easily been at base camp on the European front, brought back a flood of memories and reinforced how incredible it was that she was actually here. It was her, not some mirage, not some hallucination, Peggy Carter in the flesh. He still couldn't quite believe it.
This might be her first time seeing Bucky. He'd cut his hair recently so that wouldn't be as much of a shock, at least, but Peggy would be able to notice all the other, subtler differences.
"Peggy," he said, looking up at her instead of down, though he didn't even acknowledge the change the event had put him through. "Bucky and I," he shrugged his shoulder to gesture at the imposing force standing behind him, "are gonna head out to an abandoned warehouse a few miles north of here. We could use another pair of hands."
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Bucky had pointed out that neither of them needed to eat as much anymore. It was one small upside which Steve clung onto. He'd stuffed a few rations into his pack for the three of them, but he'd made sure not to take too much. All of them had lived through the war, all of them knew how to get by on hardly any food. They'd be fine.
It was almost too easy to fall back into that mindset, the one they'd all been entrenched in during the war. The only thing that mattered was survival; there was no other option. They'd leave through those gates and then they'd come back tonight, because they had to.
Bucky already looked exhausted even though the day had only just started, and Steve eyed that metal arm of his, a sigh caught somewhere in his chest. If only they could take it off, but Bucky had made it pretty clear that it wasn't a simple job. They'd need technology and equipment they didn't have access to here, which meant he was just going to have to suffer with it. Steve could have suggested that he stay behind, but why even bother?
Peggy was the only one of the trio who wouldn't be hindered in some way, and Steve was relieved for that. She'd make sure they didn't get killed out there.
One last lingering look, and then Steve nodded, his jaw set and his posture as straight as it could be. He tried to infuse every bit of authority into his smaller frame as he led them from the shanty house and then set out to find Peggy.
It didn't take long. She was near the part of the gate that they'd need to leave through, organizing supplies. Steve stopped short when he saw her. Seeing her in a setting like this, where they could have just as easily been at base camp on the European front, brought back a flood of memories and reinforced how incredible it was that she was actually here. It was her, not some mirage, not some hallucination, Peggy Carter in the flesh. He still couldn't quite believe it.
This might be her first time seeing Bucky. He'd cut his hair recently so that wouldn't be as much of a shock, at least, but Peggy would be able to notice all the other, subtler differences.
"Peggy," he said, looking up at her instead of down, though he didn't even acknowledge the change the event had put him through. "Bucky and I," he shrugged his shoulder to gesture at the imposing force standing behind him, "are gonna head out to an abandoned warehouse a few miles north of here. We could use another pair of hands."