Just Some Friends From Brooklyn!

June 23, 1927

   "Hi Rogers," Gilmore Harge said with a smug smile as he started to lurk behind Steve.

"Back off Gil," Steve shot coldly.

   "Why beanpole?  Is the sissy too scared to fight without his boyfriend  Bucky?" Gil mocked.  Steve was livid.  He threw his books to the ground and swiveled around in a somewhat fluid motion, hooking Harge in the jaw before his books could even skitter to a stop.

"I'm not a sissy" he proclaimed, "Bucky is my friend...and I definitely don't NEED him to defend me."
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   Bucky was on his way home again when he saw books scattered across the side of the road.
   Concerned, he thought, 'Wonder why those-' his train of thought was interrupted by a sudden observation. They all said Rogers. "Aw golly, not again," he sighed. Buck entered the alley closest to him, ready to protect his friend, but when he arrived on the scene all he saw was Steve slumped against the russet brick in the corner of the alley, blood dripping out of his mouth. He promptly walked over and pulled him to his feet.

"I won," Steve croaked with a proad smile as Bucky took on his weight and walked him back over to their books.

"Do you like getting punched??*" he asked.

"No," Steve said giving a face as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve.  Bucky let go of him and he started swaying dizzily, but then grabbed the wall next to him.  As his friend collected his books Steve explained the reason for the fight. "He called me a sissy...then he called you my boyfriend, then," anger boiled up inside him "he thought I couldn't defend myself without you."

"So you asked him to beat you up?" Bucky teased as he tucked Steve's books under his arm.  He was awarded with a swift kick in the shin. "Ow!"  The kick had left Steve off balance again and he nearly fell over.  "Are you alright?" Bucky questioned.

"I'm fine! I can take those books back," Steve demanded grabbing them angrily.

Bucky gave in, "Still wanna come over to my house?"

"Yeah" Steve answered, "...Thanks for helpin' me up" he added.

"No problem...What's that book?"  Bucky asked, swiftly changing the subject as Steve's stubbornness often outweighed his graditude. He pointed at a faded leather backed notebook in Steve's hand.  "I never got it when I was in third grade..."

"It's my sketchbook," Steve said. "It's for drawing,"

"Are you an artist?"  Bucky asked.

"I wanna be one...or a soldier," Steve answered.

"You're outta luck.  They say there won't be anymore wars," Bucky answered plainly.

"Artist," Steve responded.

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"You have a tree house???! Wow..." Steve said looking up at it in awe. He loved the hide-out, but he was honestly more shocked by the fact that Bucky actually had a tree to put it in.

"Me and my pa built it last summer."  Bucky explained, beaming proudly.  "There isn't a ladder.  You're going to have to climb up."

"I'll race ya," Steve said. "1, 2, 3 go!"  He jumped up to reach a low branch and pulled himself  about halfway up.  That's about as much as his arms would do, so he rolled his shoulder onto the branch, eventually working his way to the top. While reaching up to the next branch he lost his footing. The side of the bark broke off as his shoe was taken hold by gravity. Bucky, who had easily clibmed to the enterance of his abode, grabbed his wrist as he slipped, pulled him up to the entrance. He probably couldn't have aided anyone else, but Steve was almost as light as his kid sister.

"I win," Bucky said grinning. Steve scowled at him, but curiousity stifled a sarcastic comment and he started exploring the hide out.

"This is really something," he said.

"Thanks." Bucky said.

"Why do you like me?" Steve asked abruptly.

"What???" Bucky said, off guard.

"No one else likes me. All the guys I know either beat me up or ignore me. Why do you like me?" Steve repeated.

"I don't know...before I just felt bad for you...but," Bucky began explaining.

"Gee thanks, a pity friend," Steve interjected.

"Did you not hear the-" Bucky started oblivious of his joking tone.

"I'm just foolin," Steve answered, chuckling.

"You're a punk," Bucky said.

"Jerk,*" Steve answered.

"Dinner's ready boys!"  Mrs. Barnes shouted a half an hour later.

"I can beat you down," Steve bragged.

"Cannot," Bucky answered, "3, 2-" Steve took off early.  "Wait up!" Bucky shouted.  Hoping for a competitive advantage, Steve skipped the climb down and jumped.

"Sometimes you're a sap**," Bucky said when he got to the bottom.

   Steve just laughed and followed him inside.

*Captain America: the first avenger references!! Plenty more where that came from. I've seen the movie so many times I can recite it from start to finish and I LOVE it. Oh and if you haven't noticed Gilmore Harge is the guy that Phillips wanted for Project Rebirth...the bully that beat up Steve behind the movie theater...don't like that guy. (that was a small tangent) Any comments/critique?? I hope you're loving this story as much as I am!! Rogersbarnes22 out *salute*

**20's slang! Sap=foolish person or idiot