Stucky Highschool Au

The drive home

It was a few weeks before Steve saw James again but when he did it wasn't pretty. Sharp bruises cut across his face and there was a stitched cut on his forehead

Steve felt his heart sink, James looked small and fragile. The way he walked and the way he wrapped his arms around his stomach like his was holding his guys in. Steve ran over to him and tried to place a hand on his shoulder but he flinched away.

"Shit, did I do that?" Steve heard the panic in his own voice.

"Don't kid yourself." Barnes turned his head away, Steve wasn't sure if it was shame or awkwardness.

"Then who did?"

"Why do you care all of a sudden?"

"Eh," Steve rubbed the back of his head and chuckled hoping he'd put the other boy at ease, "I'm a mother by nature I guess."

"You're not my mother." James spat as he stomped away muttering obscenitys under his breath.

It wasn't long after that Steve started noticing Barnes more often. He sat at the back of his math class, with his head on the table most of the time and across from him in scientific. It was strange how one encounter had suddenly made Steve notice Barnes existed but something made him want to get closer still.

Maybe it was the lack of a parental role in his life; his father was killed when he was young leaving his mother to work long hours to keep them comfortable so he rarely saw her. Something stirred within him every time he saw someone in pain, he just couldn't stop himself from helping out, call it stubbornness.

So every time he saw Barnes with a new cut or an new bruise on what little skin he showed Steve just couldn't sit back and ignore it.

Then one day after school, Steve finished a little later after doing a few more laps off the track than normal he saw Barnes cornered by the very same guy that landed him in detention. Anger stirred within him as Steve watched the older boy and his lackies push Barnes back into the wall. He watched as James snarled and lunged like a trapped animal at the older boys but they were to hyped up on bravado to be threatened.

"Hey!" Steve was running towards them before he even knew what he was doing, "what the hell are you doing!"

The bully turned around to scorn Steve but he was cut off by James launching himself at the older boy and taking him down. He straddled his chest and send a strong sharp punch into his face. The other bullies stood there in shock for a moment before scooping their leader off the floor and running off.

"You're welcome." Steve smiled and offered a hand to Barnes.

"I didn't need any help." He scowled.

"What a way to speak to the guy who just saved your life." Steve let out a easy laugh.

"I didn't need your help." Barnes rolled his eyes.

"The bus has gone now, so it looks like you could do with a ride. The names Steve by the way."

"Bucky. I'll just walk."

"I thought they called you James?"

"People who know me call me Bucky"

"Oh, so I know you." Steve smirked

"Leave me alone."

"Only if you let me drive you home."

"Ugh, fine. Only if it'll make you stop pestering me."

Steve smiled, at least he wasn't the only one with weird nickname. They walked to the carpark where Steve's car sat sparkling in the afternoon sun, it was some ancient muscle car from the 70's that his dad bought straight off the line. He left it with Steve's uncle to keep nice until Steve passed his test.

"Nice car." Bucky's eyes traced the graceful curves of the car.

"Thanks, it was my dad's."

"I'd never give up a car like this to my kid." Bucky said, mystified.

"Well, he isn't around anymore so he couldn't say no." Steve patted on the car with a sad smile before sliding into the driver's seat.

They drove down the road a little in a comfortable silence broken by Bucky pointing out a turning every now and then until they reached the edge of town. Suddenly the nice houses fell away replaced with ramshackle flats and dodgy looking terreced houses.

"Here..."

Steve slammed on the breaks as Bucky hopped out onto the street. Suddenly a bottle flew out of the doorway of a house and smashed at his feet. An angry man stormed out of his house dressed in nothing more that too short shorts and a white vest.

"You better get out of here Steve before someone steals your tires." Bucky gave Steve a limo smile as he started running down the road and down a side alley up into one of the flats above.

"See you..."

Steve follow the other boy with his eyes for a bit before speeding away from the street. He was amazed that anyone could live on such a crappy street and how one like that could still be around in a first world country.