Red Liquorice and Paintings | Stucky

Chapter 6

James sits alone in one of the booths at the town's coffee shop, staring blankly at the table. So many thoughts are swimming around in his head, and it's tough to keep focused.

"Why aren't you down here helping your mother cook dinner, Jimmy?"

"Sorry, sir."

"Don't 'sorry, sir' me, boy. You needa be taught a lesson." Pierce spits at him, and James feels himself shrink, watching in slow motion as the back of Pierce's hand hits him right across the face, sending him against the wall with a thud.

James' taken abruptly out of his thoughts by the cafe door opening, and spotting a familiar face walk in.

"Steve!" The woman at the cashier calls out, and Steve grins at her in response. "The usual, I assume?" She asks.

"Kinda sad when it gets to 'the usual' stage." Steve hums, and the girl chuckles, not asking for Steve's order, or confirmation, and begins to prepare it.

"How's your mother? Any better?" She asks casually, and Steve sighs.

"Better, yeah." He says, mind obviously elsewhere.

"Still trying to get you into a tuxedo for graduation?" The girl jokes, and Steve laughs.

"Attempting, but failing. No way is she going to get me into one of those things." Steve says, and gratefully accepts the cup of coffee which the girl hands him.

"On the house. Consider it payment for that painting you made for my grandma." The girl says, and Steve smiles, before pecking the girl on the cheek.

"You're a saint, Sharon." He says, and Sharon chuckles, turning away from him and busying herself with the machines.

James hears Steve's footsteps come to a halt, before he suddenly has someone sitting in front of him.

James looks up, and meets Steve's eyes. James straightens up, and tries out a grin.

"Well, if it isn't Steve Rogers." James says, trying to make it somewhat believable that he wasn't just listening in on his conversation.

"James Buchanan Barnes." Steve says, taking a sip out of his cup, before furrowing his eyebrows. "Is there any way we can shorten that? It's a bit of a mouthful." Steve hums, to James' amusement.

"Well, you could just call me James." He tries, and Steve shakes his head slightly, setting his cup down and pursing his lips.

"James doesn't go well with your red skinny jeans." Steve says, and James laughs, before leaning forward and raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah? What does?" He asks, in a voice that makes a blush rise to Steve's cheeks, which he hopes isn't noticeable.

"Bucky." He decides, and James leans back in his seat, testing out the name to himself, before pausing and grinning. He nods once.

"Bucky." James confirms. "Done, it's settled."
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"In all fairness, he asked for it." Bucky explains, and Steve begins to laugh, clutching his empty coffee cup in his hand as they walk to school.

"Asked for it? So you shipped him off to Alaska?" Steve asks, and Bucky nods proudly.

Steve shakes his head and laughs softly, wiping tears from his eyes. Bucky grins, and shoves his hands into his pockets, kicking a rock ahead of him.

"If what I've heard is correct, I'm pretty sure he's still in Alaska." Bucky adds, and Steve snorts.

"Ma always goes on about how she wants to go to Alaska. Or anywhere other than here." Steve hums, closing his eyes briefly. "Maybe Australia." He thinks out loud.

"Too many things that can kill you there. Try New Zealand." Bucky says, trying to balance on the curb as he walks.

"New Zealand?" Steve asks, eyebrows furrowed. Bucky glances at him and grins.

"Yeah, where they filmed Lord of the Rings." Bucky says, his arms outstretched to keep his balance.

Steve ponders for a bit, and chuckles slightly into the air.

"Never seen it." Steve hums, and Bucky halts in his tracks.

"You what?" Bucky asks, outraged. Steve shrugs, and chuckles gently.

"I haven't seen Lord of the Rings, okay?" Steve admits, and Bucky begins to shake his head.

"We're having a marathon of movies you've never watched. I'm forcing this on you." Bucky says, taking a step off of the curb and closer to Steve.

"Then I can teach you how to play chess." Steve hums, and Bucky groans.

"That's an old people's game, Stevie." Bucky says, shaking his head slightly. "Besides, it's boring." He pouts. Steve laughs, and bumps his shoulder.

"Don't knock it 'till you try it." Steve says, and Bucky snorts.