Not Another Teen Fic...

Chapter One

A/N: Alex (sun_angel_ ) will write Steve's chapters, and
Becca (bexie161 ) will write Bucky's chapters.
If that's confusing, basically: if there's lots of descriptions that's Becca. If there's a lot of speech, it's Alex, because she never shuts up and is about as observant as a brick wall.

Steve

"Hey, Steve." Tony falls in step beside Steve as they walk through the school gates. Tony is wearing a blue sports jacket over a plain black shirt and jeans. He's also wearing his black, thick-rimmed glasses, which is rare. He prefers his contacts, and only wears his glasses when he's in a particularly pretentious mood.

He looks amused, which is also rare. Tony usually looks pissed at this time; he's not a morning person, and the school is enough to depress even the most optimistic of people.
"Hi, Tony." Steve replies, giving him a brief smile. Tony and Steve aren't really that close- Steve isn't super close to any of his 'friends'- but Steve always tries to be polite, especially to Tony. Rich and powerful, Tony is not somebody you would want as your enemy.

"You know the art assignment we were given yesterday? You're working with me, aren't you?" Tony says it as more of a statement than a question. "Because we end to work with a partner, and Clint wants you to work with him, but I've already told him that you've paired up with me."
"I'll work with you in art if you work with me in technology." Steve bargains.

"But... Technology is meant to be individual work."
"Yeah, but I'm rubbish at it. I don't understand it." Steve reminds him. "I'll only need a little bit of help." He adds. He doesn't want to cheat, but he really needs to do well in school, and technology is pretty much vital for the career he wants. Steve wants to join the army, mostly because it's the only way he can think of escaping this town. With a little bit of Tony's help, he'll be able to get a decent grade.
"Okay." Tony agrees. "Deal." He makes a big show of shaking Steve's hand, then they walk into the school together.

The school is a wreck. The building is graffitied and falling apart, not to mention too damn small, but near the entrance there is enough free space for a few tables, and Steve's friends have claimed one for their own. It's actually two small square tables pushed together with six chairs surrounding it, then four more chairs pushed close to it. All of his other friends are already there.

Natasha, a fierce redhead who is a skilled dancer, is sprawled across one chair with her legs across Clint's lap. Clint himself doesn't seem to mind, just chatting with her casually. Wanda sits at one of the outer chairs, looking around worriedly. Vision is sitting beside her, looking flustered as he tries- to no avail- to get her attention.

Bruce is sitting at the opposite end of the table from Natasha, sipping coffee from a disposable cup, revising and frowning at all the noise. Thor is standing behind him, trying to get his attention. Loki, his brother, stands beside him uncomfortably. Nobody except Thor wants Loki near them, and Loki himself doesn't like anybody else, so Steve can deduce that he must be in trouble with somebody; only the threat of violence would make Loki stand near his brother, who will reluctantly protect him.

Sam and Scott are chatting, and their faces light up when they spot Steve. He takes a seat beside Sam as Tony squeezes onto Bruce's seat, taking the coffee from him and taking a sip. Bruce gives him a disapproving look but doesn't object out loud, so Tony takes another sip and smiles cheekily at him. Bruce rolls his eyes and goes back to the book in front of him. Thor frowns.

Natasha greets them both and Wanda looks at Steve, giving him a tense smile as a greeting. Everybody can sense that the group is close to falling apart. The only reason it hasn't yet is that people in this small town are terrified of change, and a lot of them have been friends since childhood.