[ part of being a legendary strategist and the leader of multiple elite combat teams is knowing a lost cause even you see one, and the signs are clear: this cause is not just lost, it's chasing its own tail in the bermuda triangle. note to self: don't ever try to tell a teenage girl her business.

(why did that show head turn remind him of the red skull??)

steve puts his hands up, palms out, in a show of surrender. ]

Sorry, guess I was mistaken.

[ as soon as it seems like the apology is accepted, he drops his hands and stuffs them into his pockets instead, brows intensely furrowed—if she's already in love, why do any of this?—but he doesn't risk commenting again until—oh dear. ]

Ah, my name's Steve. The moment I fell in love...

[ steve looks away from her, squinting like he's thinking, trying to buy himself time to think of an answer. it takes what may be a suspiciously long time, but eventually he shrugs sort of helplessly. ]

I don't think there was one specific moment, to be honest. Or relationship happened slowly, over time. Years. And one day, I just looked at him and I realized... that's my best guy. I don't want to do anything if it's not with him.

[ no word of that is a lie, and the soft attention in his voice isn't even slightly manufactured, even if he doesn't mean it in the romantic way this girl could assume. it took years for steve to realize that not only was bucky his best friend, but he was bucky's, too. they were inseparable after that.

or, well. they wanted to be. life had other plans. ]