3,143 words.... stil shorter than what i would like but hope you enjoy.
~ 𝒥 ~ 𝐵~ 𝐵 ~
2024, Brooklyn.
12:30am.
Bucky sat at his table, it was the middle of the night, even though sometimes the floor left him a weird feeling- but not uncomfortable at all, the bed's still too uncomfortable to use. His chest felt tight, it was suffocating, all he wanted was to rip his heart out of his chest to somehow make it stop. Though even if it stopped, that dreadfull feeling would linger on for a good while.
He wanted a distraction, so now that's how he found himself looking at old pictures and other things that used to belong to him and Steve, agent Hill got them for him, supposedly from Sarah and Rebbeca's things, and some from Hydra's expedients and storage. A box he hadn't had the courage to open before, but now it didn't seemed a bad moment at all.
However his reasons for all this weren't out of the blue. He had a nightmare, from there the attack, but at least after it came something good. He now fully remembered that day, the day he met Steve.
~ 𝒥 ~ 𝐵~ 𝐵 ~
1931, Brooklyn
"Hey! Leave him alone!" The boy shouted as he aproached a group of kids, with one curled up on the ground groaning and stained with blood
"This isn't your deal Barnes" one of them said walking over to the brown haired boy before he got too close and slightly blocking the view
"Oh it very much is, since when do you pick up on smaller kids huh Jack?"
"As i said, not your problem" Jack answered and shrugged nonchalantly
"Also, he always runs away to mommy. He needs to learn a little lesson" other kid said chiming in and pointing a finger behing him without looking back
"And that gives you no right to beat him up, he didn't do anythin' did he?" He asked raising an eyebrow
"No but he started to tell his sermons on us of this and that and-" the second boy that had aproached said, Jack turned his head around glared at the boy, then looked back at him
"Barnes just go away, don't make a big deal of this"
"What if i do hm?"
"You don't wanna fight us Barnes" he warned annoyed
"The thing is Jack, that you don't want to fight me, i win you all for much"
"Don't be stubborn"
"Fine, fine" he said and turned around "Don't say i didn' warned ya" he said trough gritted teeth, loud enough so the others heard. Without them looking, he curled his hand into and fist and, before they could react, he turned around again and brought his hand up to succesfully land a blow directly at Jack's jaw.
"You didn't." he spat while bringing up his hand to touch the place the other boy had landed the punch, there would surely be a mark later.
"Oh i'm pretty sure i did." He said with a smirk on his face
The five boys left the one they had been previously been fighting and circled around Jack, he signaled for them to go ahead, the other boy stood firm without fear. He keept a vigilant eye on each one at all times, his stance defensive and precise. All of them started to get near, the first one that aproached went in for a quick jab at the boy, which he dodged smoothly.
A second boy to tried with a quick blow, only to pull back and go in again with kick instead. The boy once again dodged effortlessly, and followed up with a spinning back kick straight to the other boy's abdomen, knocking him down.
It went on and on, after a good ten minutes they were all either complaining of the pain or laying on the ground. It wasn't after beating up the other five guys that the boy finally got Jack to back away and leave. He sighted and then looked behind, only to see the kid they had punched still laying on the ground, now his breath was even but he still had a few bruises from when he most likely had fallen to the ground for not being able to stand the beatings.
"Hey, you okay?" He asked the other boy as he crouched down to check on him.
"Yeah. You didn't had to do that."
"Eh, i've been wanting to punch them for a good while, you did me a favor more than i did to you- i only did what is correct" he said and held his hand out for the boy to grab, when he did he pulled him up with him and slightly steping back giving him space.
After the other boy had cleaned the dust off of his clothes, he once again extended his hand, but this time for the boy to shake. "I'm James Barnes-" he though for a moment and then smiled before saying his next words "But... You can call me Bucky"
He took Bucky's hand shaking it and then said "Steven Rogers. Or Steve" introducing himself like Bucky had just done
"Nice to oficially meet you Steve" Bucky said, for he had seen Steve countless times before, normally alone or with teachers.
"Uh, thanks again for what you did" he said
"No one's helped you before have they?" He said but his words were more of a conclusion rather than a question
"Nope, always on my own" Steve replied
"Hm, i've noticed- not to be rude" he said and quickly added the last "Also, you ever need help? Call for me, or use my name, i give you permission."
"They fear you don't they?" He asked and Bucky motioned Steve to follow him and sit in a bench that was just behind them, when Steve had sat by his side he continued talking
His father went to war, a respected man with respected actions and hight ranking. "Well thank my father. He taugh me all i know, but with the condicion i wouldn't just go around picking senceless fights." They knew damn well what his dad did and that he taught Bucky "I mean i may or may not beat up a soldier once because he disrespected Miss Kings, it proved them i wasn't lying" The man was ten thousand times bigger and stronger than him. "So of course they are afraid." He said proudly,
That one time he went back home all bruised, when he explained to his father what had happened, he slightly smiled and before anything helped him get cleaned up. Mr Barnes promised to move contacts and make sure that the man and those like him were properly punished. He was a man of his word, and he did it, the 'soldier' was forced to go and apologise to the teacher in front of the class whatever grade she was with at the moment he arrived. James got a very gratefull 'thank you' from the teacher and the director, plus admiration from many younger and older kids.
"So it wasn't a lie." He said remembering the 'rumors' that now he knew weren't only that "You are a good guy Bucky" Steve said gratefully and with admiration in his voice
"Like you are not." Then he snorted emotionless, and said "I've seen you Steve, you have an amazing heart, and i've seen you helping others. I have to say i admire you"
"That's a lot but thank you i guess. I just-" he stoped himself and sighted hanging his head "forget about it"
"No, no way, go ahead, what did you wanted to say?"
"Well, i just do it because i like to help others- but i didn't though anyone ever noticed. I mean it's not that it is important, helping others should be out of good will, not for a reward or any sort of recognition. That, and the fact that normally people doesn't like me, either they ignore me, they want to take advantage of me for my grades, or they try to beat me up. But it's okay, there are others that have it worst i guess"
"Well Steve, i'm sorry to tell you this but you are wrong in that. I mean, think about it this way: if you only go to the doctor when you know you are in more pain than other person, then how much extra pain and even deaths would there be? You have a right to ask for help and be who you are." He said and as Steve went to talk he stopped him and pointed a finger at him, serious but not rude in the slightless "And to make sure you got it, think about this other example: A person who's drowning 7 feet under water is still suffering the same as a person who's drowning 15 feet under. Drowning is drowning; pond, river or sea."
"Your reputation is nothing compared to what i can see you are. Thank you for that."
"Always. If they beat you up again and i'm not there or they don't back up when you tell 'em what i said, you go tell me as soon as you can. What happens after will be on me."
"Oh no, as much as i thank you for helping me i can't let you take my problems"
"Did it not registered on your brain what i just said? Don't make me say it again, i spent enough time thinking on it and now i have to come with a whole new backup speech, so better shut it can ya?"
"Your mind is made up already ain't it?"
"What do you think hm?"
"Okay okay, i get it." He said and both laughted.
Then Bucky looked at the sky, soon it would start to hide, it would leav a soft golden paint in it's wake wich would create a beautifull sight as it embraced the blue, in a signal for it to go rest with the shining start the sun was. The trees would dance and blend with the sky, their dance would shake their leaves off from within their branches, the sight was hypnoticing, the light the oeeked from within them came as if it was a rain of gold-dust. The breeze wasn't too warm, nor was it freezing, it was soothing. Birds chirping happily at the sky while they gave their temporal farewell to the sun. A perfect syncrony of nature. But for the two boys, it wasn't a farewell but the warm beginning of a new chapter in their lifes.
~ 𝒥 ~ 𝐵~ 𝐵 ~
'1:00 am' was marked at the clock he gave a quick glance to, not really worried for time, just curious about it- and maybe of how much he had slept this time before ending up at his table.
Bucky smiled sadly at the memory, a time he wished he could go back to, to when he was a kid, yes, he was 12- and the punk of Steve 11, but even then things were easier, the difference one or two years could make, it hurted to know that he had been so happy, yet never really clinging onto anything until he had lost it all. Until he had lost himself and sometimes even the will to live, he still didn't understood how he made it out of Hydra, what had gave him the smallest bit of hope- or perhaps, and the most reasonable thing was that they just didn't let him die competely, he didn't even deserved that with them. Yet he certainly was gratefull to have that memory back, even if it saddened him, it also reminded him that once he had been happy, and he prayed to god that he would be happy again, even the slightless, all he wanted was for his hell to end.
Before he could dive deeper into that though, another item in the box he had opened got his attention.
There was one thing in special, it was a peper from an investigation Steve made, it of course was already worn off by the time it had, but it was still in good condition, whoever it had belonged to took good care of it. That day he had been helping Steve after classes wich caused them both to be late for their parents to pick them up.
A bittersweet day.
~ 𝒥 ~ 𝐵~ 𝐵 ~
2 weeks later.
"STEVE?!" A woman shouted from the door to the small park inside the school "Steven i swear to god." She muttered, after a few minutes a man stepped by her side
"Searching for someone miss?" He asked politely
"Yes, my son, i don't find him. He was always sitting on a bech here by the door, and these days i can't- ah, there he is" as she was talking she got a sight of her son walking towards the doors- with another boy, where she happened to be standing
"That's your son?" He asked
"Yes?" Yes replied a bit confused.
"Then my son's the boy with him." He said with a faint but proud smile
"Oh so he must be the famous Bucky."
"And your son is Steve" he concluded and laughted
"Indeed he is- you must be doing something incredible, because my son looks up to yours, he speaks very highly of him."
"I would hope. I'm happy both made a friend."
"I think the same"
"Then i guess it's just proper to introduce myself, James Barnes." He said and extended his hand,
"I'm Sarah Rogers." She said taking his hand and smiled at him politely
"Dad!" Bucky shouted as he aproached, one arm hooked over Steve's shoulder, though by spotting his dad he lowered his arm and walked slightly faster to him.
"There you are, been searching for you trough the whole place pal." His dad said greeting him happily, both shaking hands
"Yeah sorry, Steve needed help with something."
"It's okay, just tell a teacher next time so i don't go around searching for you like a maniac"
"Could say the same to you Steven." His mom leaned down and muttered to him, both Bucky and his father missing it "yeah, sorry"
"Got it." Bucky said, then paused for a moment "oh dad, i forgot. Remember the boy i told you about? This is Steve." He said as he grabbed Steve's shoulder and introduced him to his dad.
"Steve" he said now turning to his friend "This is my dad- Also James."
"Nice to meet you sir."
"Likewise, young man."
"And me? Am i invisible now?" Steve's mom said mockingly hurt
"Oh- sorry" he said to his mom and turned to Bucky "This is my mom, Sarah."
"Nice to meet you Mrs Rogers"
"Nice to meet you too"
"Well, i apologise for this but you'll have to excuse us, there is something we needed to do." He said as he put a hand on Bucky's back
"That's no problem, we also should be going. It was nice meeting you both."
"Bye Bucky."
"See ya later"
Then both parents bid farewell to each other going separate ways with their boys.
Bucky and his dad walked for a while, after about ten minutes and on the way to their house he spoke to his dad.
"You are wearing your uniform." He pointed out, quite emotionless.
"Knew you noticed."
"I mean it's not exactlt subtle."
"I know, i know. It's just a week" his dad said trying to apologise, he knew Buck didn't exactly liked when this happened
"You just came back. What about Beca?" He asked, even though he knew words wouldn't avoid it.
"She's staying back there- i didn't said anything for that reason. Listen, i know this isn't the ideal, don't think i like it, but it's for a best life"
"I don't want a 'best life' if it costs me you dad, i'd rather drop school and work but be with my family than this, and i can understand it, but Rebecca doesn't." He said, and even when his tone was slightly and almost unnoticeably annoyed, he was also mad, upset, and many other things.
"I'll tell you something. One- i'm not that old, killing me so soon?" He mocked trying to lighten up the situatiom, Bucky just side eyed and glared at him "I'm not going anywhere. Two you can't and won't drop school. Three, you have us. Four, go knock that in their heads. Last. I can't tell you not to worry, but just try not to worry too much that you are already killing me dude"
"Okay" 'yeah, okay. It's not like i have an option anyways.'
It turned slightly uncomfortable for both, Bucky didn't blamed his father, but it didn't stopped him from being upset, and it was either shuting up and it eating him alive or express it and work it out together, the good thing was that Buck knew his father always listened to him, let him speak his thoughs and feelings with no judgement, and for that he was gratefull, most men at the time weren't exactly like that, some didn't even minded their children but to show them off as a trophy or beat them up either actually beating or mentally beating blaming them for their hard lifes.
Bucky's father wasn't like that, James didn't had abuse so bad, but his father wasn't exactly emotional. He prommised himself that even having a rather good life if he ever had children- wich he did, theirs would be even better, maybe they weren't rich, but at least he wanted them to know they were loved in many ways, just the reason he was upset of having to leave so soon after just arriving home. His younger child, Rebecca, she was at a boarding school- not like he loved the situation. And Bucky being older choose to stay at home- alone, wich was always on James' mind, and thank god his son was a book-nerd and introduced him to Sam and Ellie, a couple a few years older than him that owned a book store, they always checked up on Bucky, yet he was mostly alone, and it worried him.
He loved his children, and his son being an almost exact copy of him wasn't relieving- being hard on themselves was something that even as he tried to talk Bucky out of it, he knew his son better than that.
After a few minutes more in silence, his dad spoke again, with quite the regretful and apologetic tone
"We are together in this pal, remember?"
"Together forever?" He asked, somehow hopefull, not of his dad staying the next days, that was already decided. But that maybe they would work it out.
"Together forever, 'till the end." He said promisingly
And they were together, 'till the very end.