Re: Steve and Bucky
"No, but..." he shook his head slowly, trying to think of a proper way to explain the difference between growing up through learned experiences over time and being completely cut off from those defining life moments. "I don't share any of that, those years that shaped him... me, whatever I was." Scrubbing his hand down over his face, James felt the stress clinging tightly to him. "I can't be what everyone wants. Trying feels fake, like I'm an imposter."
He closed his eyes to refocus his thoughts, to prevent the rush negativity from spiraling out of control. He wanted to get away again, wanted to crawl out of his body and from all the responsibilities he'd inherited from a past that he didn't want. But they were stuck here, in this common room, and he knew he couldn't keep putting off this talk like a coward.
And then he was staring again with almost terrified confusion, Steve's last statement catching him off guard. "What?" he asked, not wanting to misinterpret what was meant. "Through what?" he asked again, careful and tense, no idea how much the other knew about what happened to him.