Devotion

C1: Steven Grant Rogers

"My name is James."

That's the first thing I ever said to him. It was 9 years ago and I still remember it like yesterday.

He was 7 years old when I picked him up off the sidewalk. His blonde hair was spotted with the blood from the bruise on his face. Some kids were kicking him to a pulp on the side of school yard, until I decided to step in. An un-Bucky Barnes thing to do, yet I did it anyways.

"Hey losers, back off he's mine!"

They all ran, as I expected them to. Everyone in the school knew...no one ever stands up to James Buchanan Barnes. I tended to have a bully reputation, but I wasn't actually that bad, unless you consider bullying watching out for little kids and picking on my sister.

As I reached over he quivered in fear that I was going to hurt him worse than they did, but instead I put my hand out and reached down to help him up.

"My name is James."

He looked up surprised and took my hand to pull himself up.

"Uh...I'm Steve."

"Yeah I know, I heard them calling your name earlier."

He looked down ashamed as he brushed the dirt off his pants.

"Why do you always start fights with them? You know you'll never win."

His blue eyes looked up at me, actually questioning whether or not I was talking to him. I shrugged and he thought about answering me.

"I don't like them, they bully too many people, and I don't think they should be able to get away with it."

"Sometimes you got to let it go Steve, it's not your fight."

The way I talked to him sounded like I'd been his friend for a long time, little did I know some day I actually would be.

"I know."

I reached out and lightly hit his shoulder.

"Come on dude, don't act so serious."

He smiled and started walking with me down the sidewalk.

"Sorry, I've never really had someone be so nice to me before."

"Get used to it buddy." I laughed.

"So your name is James?"

"Yep. James Buchanan Barnes. But a lot of people call me Bucky.

"Steven Grant Rogers. You already know you can call me Steve. Can I call you Bucky too?"

I smirked down at him.

"What do you think?"

"I'm guessing that's a yes then?"

I laughed and grabbed his arm.

"Come on! My mom is making spaghetti for dinner."

A simple offer. Dinner. Isn't that where it all starts? Even for kids.

"Alright I'm coming!"

He caught up with me and I walked by his side for the rest of the night, as I planed to for every day following that for the rest of my life.