It didn’t actually matter that James didn’t know him. Steve was never the sort of guy that could shut his feelings off because they were one way only. He just sucked it up and moved on. He’d done it with Bucky before. Mostly out of shared necessity. And now he could do it again.

It just wasn’t so easy now. Losing him once had been a kick to the system. Gaining him back to lose him again had been all the push he needed to go on his final suicide mission.

And now this.

“It’s... advanced. More advanced than you’d think you’d ever see. Does it hurt?” He had to ask questions or he’d babble. Or try to hug a guy who probably hadn’t been able to recognize anyone in decades.