Okay I went through a couple of pages of hc & searched some keywords, but I didn't see anything on this so: What about Steve being insecure in his friendships w/ the avengers bc they only ever knew him as Captain America so how could he ever know for sure they'd have given him the time of day pre-serum? Hence why Bucky is even more important to him in the modern era, being the only one left who knew & liked (loved) Steve before he was Cool™
This is a big thing for Steve. Like I’m so sure of it. He’s spent his entire life feeling like he wasn’t enough, and it’s been reinforced by basically everyone. He was ragged on for being the little guy, for not being big enough, for not being strong enough. He was told he wasn’t good enough to fight for what he believed during the war. And then he gets the serum, and he’s bigger and he’s stronger and his heart beats steadier in his chest and he wants to go and fight, and he’s still told he wasn’t enough. Colonel Phillips literally tells him that he asked for an army and all he got was Steve, and Steve wasn’t enough. Fast forward to the 21st century and Captain America™ is the golden boy, he’s America’s sweetheart, he’s become an icon, he’s a real hero, he’s admired and idolised and revered. But people don’t really talk about Steve. People don’t know who Steve is. Steve’s forgotten behind the mask. And then Tony tells him “everything special about you came out of a bottle.” And I think part of Steve actually believes that. Believes that being Steve isn’t what makes him special. Worries that all of the Avengers - and just people generally - will have an idea of who Captain America is. Will have this idealised image of this figure head they grew up learning about and reading about, and then that won’t match with who Steve Rogers is. So like, when Sam says “Captain America needs my help, no better reason to get back in” - that’s kinda a weird situation for Steve because like, on one hand Sam wants to help him, but on the other, Steve’s questioning like “Does Sam want to help me, or does he want to help this idea of me.” And that’s why, when Sam and Nat prove multiple times, that it’s Steve Rogers they want to help, they become his closest friends in this new timeline he exists in. Because no one else that only knew him after, has taken the time to know Steve, has cared enough to find out who Steve Rogers is. Everyone else just see’s what Cap became, and not who became Cap. Sam and Nat though, they know what Erskine knew. Captain America wouldn’t be special if just anyone had been given the serum, Captain America is the heart of the person it was given to, and Steve Rogers has the best heart going. Steve Rogers is what makes Captain America special, Steve Rogers is the one worth getting to know. And Bucky knows it too, but Bucky knew it all along, Bucky knew Captain America before he got the body to match his heart and soul.
