It was a warm, summer day in Brooklyn - naturally, Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers were wandering around. Nothing too eventful really ever happened, most summer afternoons were filled with small activities and conversations. But today it seemed like second nature to suggest going for a walk.
Both teenagers were content with the silence, one of the many things the two enjoyed about their friendship.
It almost was just their luck that they would stubble into the wrong place, at the the wrong time.
It was Bucky who heard it, the distinct sound of a dame whimpering. Steve realized that something was off when Bucky stopped walking and peered into an alley they almost passed.
Just pass the corner of the alley was a brightly colored fabric. Only someone with good eyes like Bucky would even notice it, and it was a really good thing she did.
"Bucky, wha - " a hand came up to cover Steve's mouth, and he almost bit it out of stubbornness, but once Steve saw Bucky's stance he decided to gently bring it down with his hands instead.
The brunette shifted a tad before turning to face Steve. "Shush, look over there. Listen," she instructed.
Bucky knew Steve had trouble hearing, but she didn't use it against him in any way. If he didn't hear what she was talking about, so what? He'll end up understanding the situation one way or another.
Oddly enough however, when Steve leaned towards the alley and settled his gaze on place Bucky's was, he somehow could make out the sound his friend was referring to.
"Let's check it out." Steve nodded even though he knew Bucky wouldn't see him, since she wasn't facing him and all.
As the two neared the corner, the sound stopped abruptly and a male voice replaced it almost instantly. "Come on, doll. Don't be like that!" It drawled, heavily Brooklyn-sounding. The two teenagers rounded the corner just in time to see a tall man push a woman to the ground, dirtying her fabric dress. "Hey!" The blonde and brunette shouted in unison.
The tall man turned swiftly to face them, his greasy black hair and pimple-covered face revealed that it wasn't a man - but a teenager, closely around Bucky's age. Steve's gaze intuitively went to the ground where the girl landed, whereas Bucky's went to the teenage boy.
Steve was usually the one who got into fights, and he would've jumped into this one too if it wasn't for his bestfriend's eyes. He only looked up at her for a second, but he saw the pure rage in her barely-blue eyes, and for some reason that made him hesitate.
"Christ - listen kids, me and my girl here are just having a disagreement. Why don't you back to where ever you were and play stick-ball or somethin', huh?" He said putting his hands up slightly, already turning back around to face the female on the ground.
The girl had hardened brown eyes that were almost invisible due to her curly blonde hair - which was ruffled in all the ways that said she'd been in fight. Purple and blue painted almost all of her viable skin, even her face. Her short blue dress was covered in grease and dirt, very much ruined, and she was visibly trembling. Fear was evident in her eyes, but a flicker of hope rested behind the terror.
Steve almost threw up at the sight of the abused woman.
"So that you can keep abusing that poor girl? No, I don't think we'll be leavin'!" Bucky hissed, reaching out and grabbing the boy's wrist, in turn forcing him to spin around. He hissed right back at her before smacking Bucky with his free arm, sending her to the ground very similarly to the other girl. Steve's protest was lost in the older man's words, and knowing Bucky could handle herself, he quickly approached the blonde teen.
She flinched at him, but Steve chose to ignore it, focusing on his goal. His goal was of course to get the girl to safety. And far, far away from this man. "Hey, it's okay. That's my friend. Me and her are gunna help you, okay?" The asthmatic said to her calmly, kneeling next to her. When she didn't make any hints of listening to him, Steve opted for whispering smoothing words to her instead.
Backing up to the moment Bucky was hit however, the abuser shouted, "Are all you cunts the same? You just can't fuckin' listen!" The brunette rubbed her teeth together, noticing he knocked one a bit loose and dodged a kick from her attacker, rising to her feet to get into a proper fighting stance.
"Funny how your insultin' the only thing you like about us, huh?" Bucky retorted, ready to contend. She spit out the small pool of blood that was forming in her mouth at him. "Fellas like you make me disappointed to even breath the same air, what makes you people think hittin' women is okay?" She continued angrily, a bit of red leaking out of her mouth.
The male actually had the nerve to laugh right then, adding gasoline to the raging fire in Bucky's stomach. "That's a lot of talk for a walkin' object. The Bible says God created women for men, therefore yer only here for our enjoyment!" He took a swing at Bucky, which promptly connected to her chin.
Tears formed in her eyes, but she punched him back. He clutched his stomach in agony, leaning over subtly. Bucky used the opportunity to knee the man's face, sending him to the ground.
Rolling over, his hands flew to his throbbing forehead. Again, seeing the chance, Bucky kicked him right between his legs. He howled in pain, nearly biting his own tongue off. Instead of walking it off, he chose smartly and decided to stay on the ground to squirm in pain.
"Assuming you have one - why don't ya try thinkin' with your upstairs brain, jackass," Bucky commented, her eyes raking over the sorry excuse for a man. Just when she was about to go join Steve and the girl, she instead knelt down next to the pimply boy's face for one last statement.
With their faces now inches way, Bucky whispered threateningly, "And if you ever lay your hands on another girl again - and I promise that I'll find out - I will hunt you down and cut off your cock." Without another word, she rose to her feet and stumbled away from the fallen man with a faint trance of shame in her expression.
Then the brunette looked up at Steve feverishly - which Steve didn't even have the slightest clue why - before she hurried around the corner again, uncharacteristically leaving Steve. "...Buck? Wait! Bucky!
But she didn't wait, nor did she come back.
Directing his attention back to the girl, which during the fight he learned was named Darla, he once again asked her to stand up. This time however, a bit more forceful, sprinkles of panic joined his tone as well - obviously because of Bucky's abrupt disappearing act. Steve felt bad when she flinched at his voice, but when she stood up with him it was quickly forgotten.
They stared at each other for a moment and a flare of anger pooled in Steve's tummy when he realized her curious expression was because she was in awe that he was so short. He can't blame her for not noticing until now but, dammit doesn't she understand that it's rude?
"If this happens again, you have to get help okay? Whatever he's said to you isn't true," Steve kept his tone calm, hoping to stress his point. Thankfully Darla nodded and muttered gingerly, "Thank you."
Steve nodded back at her with a small smile paying at his lips before turning to face the teenager still writhing on the ground. His lips dropped, and a sickening scowl formed on his face.
"And you better stay the hell away from her. Don't think my friend will break her promise." Steve intended to find Bucky right after he said that but he deferred the thought and instead made sure Darla left - knowing there was still a possibility she'd return to the abusive man with open arms.
Once she was out of Steve's sight he rubbed the back of his neck. Bucky had never left like that after a fight. She was usually the picture of elation, so very proud to have given her opponent what they deserved. But she looked almost ashamed at what she'd done.
Wait, was that shame flickering in her eyes before she left? Steve wondered.
The only place Steve could think of that Bucky would return to was their crappy, little apartment. Because of this, he decided to take a shot in the dark and return home. Hopefully Bucky would be there.
They'd been living together in that apartment for a few year now. Bucky had purchased it the second she had enough money to buy it. No one stopped her from leaving the orphanage because they knew she could handle herself - and because if she left, two much younger children could take her place. To Bucky, it was a win, win.
When Steve's mom died, Bucky made it very clear that Steve was welcome to move in at anytime. She was very persistent about it, so a week or two later he finally moved in with her and the small, dusty living space became theirs.
Turning to face the desired destination the asthmatic realized that the street he was on was completely empty, save for a single woman - most likely in her twenties - on the other side of the street. She had gorgeous, coal-color hair. Her skin was very pale, but she seemed perfectly healthy. The woman was wearing some very weird clothes however, and she seemed lost.
Maybe I should help her, Steve thought. Frantically running to catch up with the strange woman, the blonde reached her in ten seconds flat. "Excuse me, miss!" Steve inquired. She was a good two feet taller then him, and it was evident when she turned to face him.
"Uh, sorry but - you look lost. Do you need directions or anything?" He continued, finally getting a good look at her face and clothing. Almost everything she was wearing had some sort of shade of green on it, and some of her jewelry appeared to be made out of pure gold. It looked...Swedish? Canadian? Well, whatever she was wearing wasn't anything Steve had ever seen. But it looked very pricey.
Her face appeared as if it was chiselled from marble, and it seemed as though she wasn't wearing any makeup at all - that her face was naturally shaded in all the right places. For some weird reason it reminded Steve of a illusion. The only thing that stood out to Steve was her puffy, green eyes, they were so very vibrant and life-filled but she had definitely cried recently.
"Oh, umm, no. I just haven't been here in a while...thank you however," The black-haired woman muttered. Her voice was very silky, but it didn't hide the sad tone her words had. His eyebrows dropped and his eyes softened, instinctively attempting to comfort her. "Are you okay, miss? I mean, it's really not my business but...are you alright?"
The woman smiled softly, but it looked forced. "Honestly? Not really. Family problems. Not really something you could help with," She answered, her gaze transferring to the ground. The blonde noticed that she didn't look at him like everyone else did - like Darla did - it resembled the way Bucky does.
"But I can't just ignore a pretty dam - I mean, woman..." Steve paused awkwardly, hopefully she would see he's trying to help, not flirt. Bucky's the only girl he really knows how to talk to and this is getting harder by the minute.
He tries again. "I gotta try you know? Don't like to ignore peoples' sadness when I might be able to make 'em feel better," He revises, ending with a sigh. She's looking at him again, her expression is so soft and innocent. A very real smile forms at Steve's words, finding humor in his difficulty to talk properly. She parts her shiny, red lips to speak but she hesitates. A beat passes before she murmurs, "Well, I have this...sibling...that I really look up to," She starts, taking a pause to sit on the bench conveniently beside them. Steve follows suit.
"But he has these friends, he has for a while, and they're pretty...rude to me. And my sibling, we used to be really, really close you know? But these days...I think he avoids me...It'd be okay if I had someone else to spend time with but I really don't. No one really cares for my presence at all."
The green-eyed woman sounds like she's on the verge of crying, and actually looking at her green eyes you could confirm that inference. Steve places his hand on her shoulder and replies, "Have you tried talking to your sibling about it?"
Her reaction is instant. Her green eyes turn frantic and she faces him, nodding her head insistently. "I've tried so many times! But he doesn't believe me! He thinks those four idiots are angels from Valhalla herself! He just won't listen!"
Steve's hand leaves her as soon as she answers him and whoa, she might be a little more unstable than he originally thought. He rubs his hands together, breaking eye contact, yet she still stares expectantly at him. "Have you done anything else to get them to stop...being rude?" He tries.
"...Not really. But I don't think there's much else I can do."
Meeting her gaze once more - mostly because her tone became soft again and lost that edge to it that made Steve's skin crawl - he sighs softly. He can relate to being bullied, but he has a feeling his coping methods are more violent then this woman's. "Have you tried being nice to them?"
She seems to think about this for a moment, her eyes shift to the right before settling on Steve once more. "...Mostly." The woman answers quietly. "I can't help you if you lie to me," Steve stated tiredly. What is he doing? He should get back to Bucky.
"Honestly, I am polite to them. I only respond harshly when they start the argument," She says thoughtfully, her voice wavers, but she doesn't sound like she's about to cry anymore. "Try being nice no matter what, and if that doesn't work you can always resort to fighting back again."
"I'm not really...never mind, thank you. I'll try. But, what of my sibling?" The green-eyed woman asks, her voice almost silent. Steve has to focus very hard to hear her because of his bad ear. "Arrange a...private gathering or something. If he really doesn't want anything to do with you, then he doesn't deserve your attention."
Something dances in her eyes when he says that, and a huge smile forms on her lips. Standing back up she adopts a cheerful tone. "You're right, mortal. If he doesn't respect me then I refuse to respect him! He gets everything he wants and leaves me with nothing!" The woman pauses as Steve rises to his feet and she turns to him.
Mortal?
"Thank you very much for your wise words. Maybe I should give your people more credit," She says the last sentence like an afterthought, and he chooses to ignore her strange choice of words and replies, "Um, anytime I guess. I'm glad I could help."
A small breeze causes her hair to flow freely, her presence almost giving off a carefree feeling. "I must go now however, I hope you live a long, happy life. I give you my blessing." She curtsies afterwards, smiling happily. Steve laughs.
"You're not from 'round here, are you?"
Her grin shifts into a knowing smile.
"You could say that."
Suddenly Steve becomes very aware that a good ten minutes has passed, and he should really go find Bucky. "Yes, well...goodbye, miss." He nods at her with a smile of his own before continuing down the road by himself.
He hears a very strange sound as he walks away - like thunder and electricity - but he forces himself to not look back. He needs to get home quickly, assuming Bucky is there he's got to take a crack at whatever's wrong. It already seems like he's playing therapist today.
Luckily his and Bucky's apartment wasn't too far from where Steve currently was, and he managed to arrive a good twenty minutes later. He wasn't sweating from the long walk, but God did his legs hurt.
Since Bucky - nor Steve for that matter - owned a car, so there was really no way of knowing if Bucky was home. If it was night a light would most likely be on, but since it was still daytime, natural light permeated the rooms since Steve always keeps the curtains drawn back.
And since he was already at the door he wasn't going to go look through the windows, even so, the thought went right over Steve's head.
With a loud sigh he attempted to open the door. Finding it to be unlocked was definitely a pleasant surprise, but the situation hit him ahead on at that moment. Usually Bucky comforted Steve, she has never really had a lot of problems of her own. So, how was he going to handle this?
The door swung open unceremoniously, creaking until it hit the wall with the loud, usual thump. We really need one of those door-stop thingies, Steve thinks absentmindedly. He entered the house cautiously, taking a moment to gently close the door instead of carelessly pushing it back.
"Bucky?" He calls. Steve knows that the walls are paper thin, he really doesn't need to speak any louder for anyone in the apartment to hear. A few moments pass before a grunt emanates from the couch. Steve approaches it to find Bucky laying on it, her long lings taking up the entire object and then some.
But, Bucky being Bucky moves instantly when she realizes Steve has no place to lay. Normally this would've upset the blonde a bit, but he can't really complain when he finally sits down on it. They sit in awkward silence for about five minutes. Steve can hear cars honking and people yelling, he can also smell gasoline and smoke. He coughs.
"Shit, sorry," Bucky curses getting up to close the window out of habit. Steve notices the packet of cigarettes on the coffee table, she has been smoking obviously. Hence the open window. The brunette closes the window, but her arms stay put on it and she sighs heavily. "Look, Stevie...I'm sorry I left you hanging there earlier. That wasn't okay."
Letting go of the window she moseys back over to the cough and plops back into her seat, refusing to make eye contact with Steve. "It's fine, Bucky, but...why did you?" Steve decides to skip to the point, no use chit-chatting about why she was smoking earlier when the answer to that is also the answer to what he's asking now.
A few beats pass, and Steve crosses his arms. He's prepared to give her as long as she needs.
"I don't know. I just - ugh! It's...it's hard to put into words. Gimme a second," She says, frustration sewn in her tone. Steve nods patiently with a smile, simply happy to be in his best friend's presence.
"I know that he was a bad guy and all but...I didn't like hittin' him. He deserved it, yeah...hell, he deserved much worse then what I did but...I don't know," She pauses bringing her hand up to bite her nails for a split second before laying it back down on the couch. "I guess I felt like he needed to be dealt with without violence. That was the problem, with how he was treating that girl, right? Tellin' someone to stop hittin' someone by hittin' them...that's what felt wrong."
Steve's eyebrows knitted together at first, but then he finally understood what Bucky was trying to say.
"Either way, Bucky, you sure put him in his place," Steve comments fondly, a slight edge of jealousy in his voice. Thankfully however, she doesn't seem to catch it. "Yeah. Sometimes I swear that you're the only decent man in this entire world, Stevie."
He smiles at that. It was always been funny to the both of them that they thought so highly of the other but nothing of themselves.
"Anyway, where were you? I expected you to be here almost a half hour ago," Bucky asked, switching subjects. The two best friends were now looking straight at each other, so close that their knees brushed each other's.
The asthmatic sighed softly at that. What was he doing? The conversation he had with that woman was definitely one of the weirder ones he has had, but she seemed nice enough. "Helpin' some girl. She needed some advice. Did you take care of that tooth?" Steve asked.
"Yep. He only knocked it loose. Don't think it'll fall out," Bucky answers, subconsciously rubbing the side of her face where a huge bruise had formed. No one will think twice about it though, Bucky always seemed to have a few bruises - usually on her knuckles.
The blonde hummed and allowed himself to cuddle up next to Bucky. "You gunna take a nap?" She asked unimpressed, shifting a little. "I think."
"I'll join you." Steve can hear the smile in her tone, and he feels her arms snack around to hold him just before he falls into peacefully unconsciousness.