There were some things Steve Rogers just didn't like about the future, but that didn't mean there weren't things he did. The future could be confusing at times, seventy years were a lot of time to miss, but Steve had decided he would try his best to figure it out the best he could. He wouldn't ever be able to change what happened, so he'd have to make the best of it.

Traveling across the country on his motorcycle to see how much the world had changed seemed like a good enough start. He didn't want to be some bitter old man, like Tony suggested he was, ranting about the good old days, and with his back pay from the military he was pretty well off as far as finances were concerned. Tony had offered them all a place to stay at his tower, but Steve wasn't ready for that yet. He and Tony were on better terms, and the other Avengers too, but Steve needed some time on his own first.

Sometimes being on his own did get to him some nights, and he'd consider calling Tony and Bruce even though he couldn't understand their science talk sometimes he at least knew their phone numbers. He did know Natasha's number but non-business phone wasn't good for covert Shield missions' same thing went for Clint. They would contact him on occasion, but Steve knew how busy they were. It didn't help much that Natasha had started trying to set him up with agents, and Clint would usually try and help her out. Steve really appreciated the concern, but if he was going to meet anyone he wanted it to be on his own. As for Thor, he was a good fella, but Steve was sure there weren't any phones on Asgard. The rest of Shield he couldn't care much about. He wasn't going to call Fury up if he got a little lonely.

Other than Shield and the Avengers he didn't know anyone else, but he tried Without the shield and the 'spangles' almost everyone didn't know he was actually Captain America. Rather than hide out in a motel, resting up, or going on runs alone he'd slow his pace to match a jogger who didn't mind his company, he'd occasionally go out to eat or a bar just to be around other people.

He met a nice waitress in a coffee shop in New York, there had been a nice old man in Ohio who helped him get to a gas station after he accidently ran his bike out of gas without realizing it, he didn't act like a hermit and not talk to people like Tony thought he did. Natasha thought he was just being friendly, but he really did like being around other people. When people sat down to talk to him, although not many really did, he'd talk to them. Most people kept to themselves or their friends, so he didn't intrude.

He hadn't really been West before just for leisure. Before the war started he hadn't been out of New York due to his ill health; not even once. After he had been pretty busy with the USO shows and then fighting overseas. He didn't think he was quite ready yet for Las Vegas, like Tony had suggested he visit, but he did enjoy rolling through the small towns and the peaceful deserts. Tonopah, Nevada was supposed to have some of the best night skies for stargazing, and a historic mining park, so Steve thought he might check it out.

It took him a while to find it but he eventually found a cafe a old woman at a rest stop had recommended to him. Stage Stop cafe' wasn't too ritzy, but it looked nice enough and he was really hungry enough to eat anything. Having a metabolism four times the speed of a normal man did have it's disadvantages at times. The waitress had dark brown hair cut very short, but it accented her cheekbones nicely. Back in the forties he couldn't think of a single woman who would cut her hair that short, but nowadays woman did and Steve could see the advantages. Easily manageable, less hassle, harder to grab in a fight; he didn't tell the girl, Laurie, that but he did compliment her and his chicken, potatoes, and greens and drink came out pretty quickly. She seemed a bit worried he was eating alone, and asked if he was waiting for anyone. He hadn't been, until a green eyed man in a leather jacket slid into his booth.

"Ford, right? My little brother's doing some research at the library, before we check out the Mizbah hotel and-"

Steve interrupted him, "I prefer Chevy's but I just have a bike, so no Ford isn't right."

The man's eyes widened and his mouth fell open slightly, "Wait, you're not Ford Harrison?"

Steve shrugged, "Uh, I'm Steve Rogers. Nice to meet you."
The man was obviously still confused but his mouth twitched into a small smile, "I'm Dean; Dean Winchester." His phone vibrated in his pocket. He quickly glanced at it to check the text and rolled his eyes, "Jesus, can't believe that little twerp already met up with Ford at the damned library. Sorry, man you just have that look I thought you were well-"

Steve raised a brow, "Military? I get that alot. You serving?"

Dean muttered where it almost couldn't be heard, at least by anyone else who didn't have super hearing, "Nowhere you heard of, buddy." His voice returned to a normal level, "You?"

"I used to."

Lauren had her little notepad all ready when she returned to Steve's booth, "Oh, I see you've got someone sitting with you now? Anything I can get you, sir?"

Dean glanced at Steve, and he just shrugged in return. He didn't mind Dean sitting there if he wanted to. Dean grinned, and Steve couldn't help thinking he had a pretty nice smile, "Well, I already interrupted your lunch anyway, so I guess I might as well. I'll have the burger and fries with a- Hey Steve, whatcha got?"

"Pepsi-Cola." He replied.

Dean chuckled, "You can just say Pepsi, dude. Well, a Coke will be good even if it puts me at odds with Mr. Pepsi over there."

Lauren giggled, "Alright, I'll be right back with that."

Dean asked, "You really replied with me asking if you're name was Ford by saying you were a Chevy man? What's you're favorite?"

Steve replied, "1942 Coupe."

During the war most of everything was being put to the war effort, but before the war him and Bucky would go out and watch some of the cool cars drove by those with money riding down the road. No one in their neighborhood had a car, some didn't even have food on the table, but they'd dreamed of taking a road trip in one of those.

"Ah, getting really vintage. Well I guess from that era I'd choose a 49' Hudson, but I drive a 67' black Impala and she runs like a dream."

Steve rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't have a car at the moment, but I do have a Harley." He hadn't ever seen a 49' Hudson or a 67' Impala, but he wasn't going to tell Dean that the 'really vintage' era had been his era.

"Softail Slim? You strike me as a Softtail Slim kind of guy."

"Yeah." Steve replied, "That's the one."

Steve could really see the difference, more actually put, the generation gap, between himself and Dean. While Steve kept blonde his hair combed in a neatly, but what he thought looked respectable Dean's was a darker dirty blond hair was gelled to spike up at the front. Steve had been told a clean shave was respectable and proper, but Dean wore slight scruff around his jaw.

Natasha had claimed his plaid shirt looked like a tablecloth when she saw it, but he liked it. He buttoned it up, and tucked his shirt in because his mother had always told him not to look disheveled. Dean's plaid shirt was more muted in color and much more casual. He wore it as a layer to a black undershirt with none of the buttons done up, and the shirt definitely not tucked in. Steve wore khaki's while Dean wore worn-in Jeans, and they both wore a leather jacket but that was their only similarity.

Lauren brought Dean's food and he dug in with gusto. Steve hadn't noticed he'd taken the pencil out of the pocket and started sketching on a napkin. Dean was busy singing the praises of the burger, but the artist in Steve was too distracted. The scruff made him look a bit older in contrast to his wide eyes and freckles. It also made him look more masculine with his very full lips. His eyes would probably take a while to get right in paint, but it'd be worth it. There was just something so aesthetically pleasing about the man's face he couldn't put his finger on it; was it the symmetry?

He had been briefed in on a bit of the changes in the world, such as segregation laws being no longer in place and you couldn't be jailed for being homosexual. The agents when he first woke up had walked on eggshells around him about everything, but there were some things Steve Rogers was not and homophobic and racist were some of those things. He was in some ways an old man, but he definitely didn't miss those things about his time. They hadn't completely gone away, but there was definitely some more support from the general public. No one suspected Captain America just might look at fellas the same way as dames, so he had to research that little bit more himself. His inner artist aside, he thought Dean as attractive, but that didn't mean he'd tell him that. He knew sometimes people still didn't react kindly to things of that sort if they weren't also, but it didn't matter.

It wasn't like he had gotten far with many girls without Bucky's intervention, and his interactions of that sort with men were almost none. He had been kissed in a alley by a friend's older brother, but he had only visited once and never spoke to Steve again even when he was around. Him and Bucky had kissed once when they were still boys and wondered what it had been like. It had been alright, except Bucky had thrown himself to the floor and went on and on about 'Steve cooties.'

His mother had thought it was some crack about him being sick all the time, not knowing what had gone on before the jokes, and Bucky's ear had been red for a week. In the war Bucky had made a crack about Peggy catching 'Steve cooties', and Bucky had laughed at Steve's red face, but no longer being so thin a tough breeze might blow him over it could actually hurt when he punched his obnoxious best friend in the arm.

Dean spoke after he swallowed a chunk of his burger, "Wow, that looks pretty good let me see!"

Steve looked at the napkin with Dean drawn on it, and then back to Dean who tried to peer across the table to see his drawing. He quickly held it under the table, "Oh, no, it's not that good. It's just a doodle."

Dean stuck out his hand for it, "Come on, I'm not gonna shit on it or anything."

Steve replied, "I sure hope not."

Dean rolled his eyes, "I mean I won't make fun of it. Come on, Steve."

Steve lowered his eyes and huffed, "It's kinda crummy. I just did it real quick."

"Come on, Stevie!"

Steve signed, "Fine, just don't call me Stevie."

Dean shrugged, "Makes me think of Stevie Wonder or Stevie Nicks, but fine I'll stick with Steve."

Steve slowly pulled the napkin out from underneath the table and slid it over to Dean. He stared at his lap so he wouldn't know if Dean's eyes were on him or not. He really didn't want Dean to tell him to get lost because he was offended or something. It wasn't even one of his best works, so he might even say something like 'Do I really look like that?' He waited for Dean to let him have it.

"Wow!" Dean's voice didn't sound mad, "Steve, this is seriously awesome! It's pretty detailed and pretty damn accurate. It's not even a drawing of me stuffing my face. Did you do it from memory? Why didn't you want to show me this? It's great!"

Steve smiled, "You really think it's swell?"

Dean cracked up laughing. Steve thought he looked pretty nice like that. His eyes would crinkle up, and he'd flash a toothy grin. Steve didn't think Dean was laughing at him, but he looked generally happy. Making someone happy was much better than getting them riled up and angry, "Yeah, dude, it's really fuckin' swell. Wanna Fry?"

Steve asked, "Pardon?"

Dean wiggled a fry in front of his face, "Does Steven want a fry? Seriously, man it won't kill you. I also will not try that weird vegetable medley thing you have because my little brother has been trying to get me to eat peas for God knows how long, and I have not given in yet."

Steve took the fry but made sure to give Dean a firm look, "Eating vegetables is important and good for your health. Also why are you going with Steven now? It's the name on my birth certificate yeah, but I prefer Steve."

Dean smirked, "Dude, your health looks like it's good as it can get." Steve didn't quite understand what that meant exactly, but he thought it might be a compliment. Dean continued, "As for Steven; Steven Tyler, Steven Seagal, Steven Spielberg."

Steve knew who Steven Tyler was because Tony had once tried it out as a nickname that wasn't ice or Captain related. He knew who Steven Seagal was because he had watched it in his motel after Clint had texted him telling him he needed to watch it. "I don't know who Steven Spielberg is."

Dean explained, "Dude's like a filmmaker. Seriously, E.T, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Close Encounters, A.I, Goonies, Poltergeist, Schindler's List, Raiders of the Lost Ark; Harrison Ford Raiders of the Lost Arc era!"

Movie titles; most of which he had not even heard or didn't even sound like words! Steve was just going to have to wing it, "Uh, Schindler sounds German."

"Well yeah, the guy in the movie played by Liam Neeson, is German. It's a movie kinda centered around what happened in World War 2. I think it was made in 1992 or maybe it was 93' I'm not sure."

Abort the mission! Abort Abort!

He had actually seen the movie titled A.I. Tony had said a bit about his A.I which was the disembodied voice in his home. Steve had first thought he was some sort of machine that replied to voice commands, but seeing Tony treat the A.I like his buddy, assistant, butler, and in some cases his own child he learned better. Tony had been a little disappointed in his reaction, but it made up for it when Clint thought there was a ghost since no one at Shield had debriefed him of JARVIS. Steve just wished he had listened a bit more closely to Tony's tech talk, so he could at least try to sound smart.

Steve rubbed the back of his neck, "I haven't seen those other movies, but I have seen A.I."

Dean grinned and it helped Steve feel a bit better to know Dean wouldn't bust his chops over his lack of knowledge, "That one's great. I, Robot, Bicentennial Man, A Space Odyssey, Terminator. A.I's seem pretty cool. Don't tell anyone, but I love Sci-fi. You ever read Vonnegut or Asimov? Those guy's are probably my favorites. Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five for Vonnegut are definitely high on the list. Asimov did the whole 3 laws of robotics thing. Palahniuk and Bukowski are good on occasion, but I can't read then all the time like I could Vonnegut. Bradbury's alright; who doesn't like the Martian Chronicles or 451! Orwell and Huxley are good ones although I'll admit Brave New World did freak me out a little, but it was good. I liked Eyeless in Gaza. For Orwell, 1984 and A Clergyman's Daughter."

Steve nodded. He had actually knew and read a number of those authors back in the day. Orwell and Huxley had been publishing back then. He had read A Clergyman's Daughter and Down in Out in Paris and London by Orwell. "I've read a few works by Huxley and Brave New World was pretty good. I remember the first time I read it, I read it straight through until I went to bed and had nightmares about it. I ended up having an Asthma attack. I still read it quite a few times after that."
Dean quoted, "Linda had been a slave, Linda had died; others should live in freedom, and the world be made beautiful. A reparation, a duty. And suddenly it was luminously clear to the Savage what he must do; it was as though a shutter had been opened, a curtain drawn back."

Steve quoted, ""Chronic remorse, as all the moralists are agreed, is a most undesirable sentiment. If you have behaved badly, repent, make what amends you can and address yourself to the task of behaving better next time. On no account brood over your wrongdoing. Rolling in the muck is not the best way of getting clean."

""Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the overcompensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."

Dean was pretty good at quoting paragraphs. Steve knew the one he had said, but he didn't so much as remember paragraphs even if his memory was nearly photographic when it came to images. Steve tried to sort through all the book's he knew trying to find a Brave New World quote when Dean started up again, "'I'd rather be myself,' he said. 'Myself and nasty'. Not somebody else, however jolly."

Steve burst out laughing, but quickly covered his mouth when Lauren's head peered around the corner looking like he'd grown a second head. Steve hoped Dean didn't see his tinted cheeks, "You're really good at that."

Dean replied, "I can do a Braveheart and RENT speech too."

Steve couldn't help but feel sheepish, "I'm sorry, I don't know what those are."

Dean nodded slowly, "Sheltered kid, huh? No worries I got a buddy like that. So where you headed?"

"California. I've mostly just been driving around and sightseeing some. I figured I'd just keep driving before I head back East. I think I'll go North this time around. You?"

"Me and My brother travel cross country all the time for work. We're almost always on the road. Probably after this we're going to Washington State."

Lauren came to their table and put down the check, "You boy's enjoy the food. Sounded like you were having a good time over here."

Steve blushed and smiled, but Dean outright cackled, "It was great. Steve here's a riot though. Don't let the dimples or blue puppy eyes fool ya."

Lauren laughed, "Course, have a good day then."

Steve replied, "Thank you. Have a nice day."

Steve had plans to pay the check fully, since it had really been his to start with, and it was the polite thing to do, and it wasn't like he didn't have enough money, but Dean already had his hand on it, "Oh, let me. It'd be no trouble. Besides, it was my table to begin with."

Dean said, "Dude, I jacked your table in the first place! I can take the check just fine."

Steve huffed, "Fine, we can split it, but I'll get the tip."

"On one condition: Gimme your phone."

"Pardon?"

"I'm not gonna steal it." Dean explained, "I'm just gonna put my number in it. Not everyday you meet someone as cool as you, and just in case you happen to come across anything weird. You can give me a call and my brother and I will take care of it."

Steve was still feeling warm over the fact someone had actually called him cool when he thought over what Dean might think as weird that he and his brother would be able to handle. A supersoldier from 1943 unfrozen 70 years in the future who worked with a team that involved Thor and a guy who turned giant and green when he got angry seemed a bit weird, but Dean didn't need to know that. He thought it better to just go along with it, "Okay, I think."

He handed Dean his phone and Dean turned it over in his hands, "This a Stark Phone? Unexpected, but cool."

Steve's first phone has been a Nokia given to him by Shield. He had gotten the hang of it before Tony and seen it and promptly smashed it with his Iron Man armor, shot it with a repulsor, and then tossed it into an incinerator. He'd been given a Stark Phone to replace it, but it was a bit more difficult than the Nokia had been. Still, apparently Nokia's were not cool but Stark Phones were. Steve wanted to be cool and by some miracle Dean thought he was, "Alright, come on Steve I'll show you my car before you head off. She's my baby."

Steve put a twenty down on the table for the tip and followed Dean towards the door. Dean asked in a whisper, "Tipped the waitress pretty well. She was pretty, but kinda young."

Steve shrugged, "She was polite, nice, and did her job very well, so why not?"

"You're something else, Steve Rogers."

Steve smiled, "I'll take that as a compliment."

Steve had never seen a '67 Chevy Impala, but the car Dean showed him was impressive: sleek, shiny, and big, "You must take really good care of her. She's really swanky."

Dean patted Steve's back, "Yeah, she's my pride and joy right after my brother. Before him on some days when he's being a bitch. Your Harley ain't half bad either. You're headed to Cali I'm headed to Washington. I know a pretty good bakery in Oregon. You wanna meet in the middle?"

If Steve was one to brag he just might call Clint, Natasha, Tony, and Bruce about him possibly making a friend all on his own without any of their help, but he wasn't one to brad. He didn't want to mess up the first possible actual friendship with someone outside his team from the time he was now living in, and even if Steve had no idea what his plan was he was going to try his best. "Sure, I'll hold you to it. You're a pretty keen, Dean."

Steve smiled with his mouth closed so he wouldn't let on how horrified he was. He had actually rhymed. Keen, Dean! God help him.

Dean smiled, "You too, Steve. You too. See ya."

"Take care!"

Jesus, no one could help him. He felt ridiculous. He'd have to watch himself better. God, if he so greeted Dean with 'What's buzzin' cousin?' He'd be done for. Steve knew some of the slang he knew was no longer being used. If he wanted to fit in he would have to try and keep up with the again, there had been something liberating about being able to just say whatever and not catch himself on using slang he'd grown up with. Dean hadn't seemed to mind, and was almost, dare he say, endeared by it. Dean seemed cool, and drove a cool car and yet he seemed to think a knucklehead like Steve, Bucky had confirmed on numerous accounts of him being a knucklehead, was cool. Tony and Clint would laugh themselves to death if they knew.

Dean drove away giving Steve a small wave, and Steve a small salute that made Dean smile again. Steve got on his bike thinking that he had the most successful non-Avenger interaction in a long while. He just needed to sort out a few things before he got started.

Tony picked up on the first ring, "What's up, Capsicle?"

Steve got right to the point, "What Vonnegut book should I read?"

"Uh...what?"

"What about Asimov? I feel like you've heard of him."

Tony replied hesitantly, "Yeah, I've got alot of Asimov actually. You'd probably want an actual book, Hell, I've seen you read an actual Newspaper, but you can just get them on your phone to read."

Steve sighed, "I don't know how."

"I can send some Vonnegut and Asimov to you then. You'll just have to tap on the little book symbol. JARVIS, you got any fav Asimov stories? Okay, you should be set."

"Thanks, Tony. Thanks, JARVIS."

Tony's voice was a little suspicious, but more so amused, "Sure thing, Spangles. Anytime."