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Bucky's been doing a lot of observing lately. Omnipotent, one (himself) might even say.
It all started when school did, where there was always a kid that never there for the roll call, even if it was the first week of the third grade. Steve Rogers, that's what the name was. Bucky wondered what the guy's problem was, not showing to school for two whole weeks. Did he think he was somehow above it or something? Bucky hated those kinda guys.
Though, Bucky's guesses are proven to be wrong when the guy finally did show after two weeks and a half. Apparently he was just sick, like, very sick. Bucky felt like an ass for making assumptions about a guy he hadn't even met before. What would his Ma say? She didn't raise him like that.
Bucky found out he actually knows the guy. Well, not really, but he lives two blocks over from his home. He's seen the blond kid before, with whom he assumed was his Ma, hand in hand, a few times. He also knows he's supposed to be really sick or something, and he also walks weird with a weird back angle. And he's really, really tiny. That's about as much as much he knows about the Rogers. And being in the same class as him now doesn't really change much about that.
Steve, Bucky was on first-name basis with the guy in his had now, barely showed up for school the first month, no matter how crucial of a time it was for the education. There were kids around saying this Rogers kid was lucky, not showing up at school because he's sick, that they also wanted go be sick so they could ditch a few days. Every time he heard the others kids whining like that, Bucky felt the rightious fury flare in his hard. Wanting to silence the kids because they didn't know anything about Steve. But it would be hypocritical of Bucky, since he also didn't really know much about Steve.
He's asked his Ma about the Rogers family, and learned that Steve's Ma was a nurse. Bucky wasn't sure what to think of that, but he supposed it was a good thing. At least Steve wouldn't be alone in the hospital, and he'd have a parent who'd know how to properly take care of him. It was a small mercy on Steve's part Bucky wasn't sure why he cared, but he did. He was glad such a tiny kid wasn't alone.
The first few months, Bucky saw Steve a handful of weeks at most, and never really approached him. Which was fine, Steve never really looked like he was craving human interaction anyway. It was probably a good thing Bucky wasn't pushing him. But he still watched from afar, his cheek squished against his fist during the class as he watched the blond kid with enough attention to make the teacher scold him for it. Only a few times.
Okay, maybe it was more than a few times. But it's okay, it's worth it. As much as Bucky wanted to go talk to him, it was fine watching him from a few seats over, too.
It was just a day after another scolding he got that Bucky saw Steve outside of the school for the first time since the term had started. It's been snowing for a few days, so he was glad it was weekend, when he and Becca could huddle up under a blanket to warm each other up. Bucky was just out of the couch cuddle pile to take a leak when he saw it, just out the window on the big empty plot of land next to the apartment he lived in. A patch of golden hair peeking from under a beanie that's definitely too thin for the weather, reddened nose, cheeks and ears, hands uncovered and shaky as they held snow and threw it upwards, and the unmistakably tiny frame of Steve Rogers, playing in the snow.
Bucky halted his steps, pausing in place as he watched out the window. It was an odd sight, seeing the always-frowny guy play with the snow, smiling like an actual kid for the first time Bucky has ever laid his eyes on him. He was undoubtly freezing out there, but he looked so joyful grabbing handfuls of snow and throwing it in the air, watch it quickly land back on the ground and Steve's head and shoulders as make-shift snowing. Steve was covered in the snow he repeatedly kept tossing up in the air, looking like a tiny snowman. It made Bucky smile, until the realization dawned on him.
Didn't that guy had asthma? He heard his teacher say it, advising Steve to be extra careful during PE and sometimes even benching him because he was too stubborn to take it easy. The cold was bad, nay, horrible for the guy. He was gonna die!
Bucky quickly threw the window open, ignoring Becca's protests and complaints about the cold, and yelled down to the plot.
"Hey, dipshit! You're gonna get sick, go inside!"
Bucky didn't expect the guy to startle, looking around in panic before casting his gaze upwards to the cloudy sky.
"GOD???" He yelled, hands thrown up in the air. "I don't believe in ya, so ya better shut yer trap!"
Bucky stood there, frozen, watching the blond kid challenge what he thought was god calling down to him so he didn't kill himself with an asthma attack. It was only when Bucky's loud cackles reached his ears that Steve turned around and spotted the brunette peeking his head out the window laughing like a madman. Bucky noticed the red on the unbelievably pale cheeks weren't just from the biting cold anymore.
"God?" Bucky asked, way too amused for Steve's liking, "So you'd answer him if he called on ya, even if ya don't believe in 'im?"
Steve's jaw clenched, tiny shoulders squaring like he was getting ready for a fight. He dusted the snow off his shoulders and ran as quickly as the snow crunching under his feet and going up to his knees would allow him to. Bucky felt a bit bad for laughing, he didn't mean to embarrass or annoy Steve. But he figured it'd be better than dying because of the cold.
Oh.
Oh no.
Oh, no no. No. Bad thoughts. Shoo. Bucky never wanted to think of Steve dying ever again. Instead of dwelling on the flashing idea that left a bitter taste in his mouth, Bucky finally landed an ear to Becca's consistent complaints to finally close the window and get back inside. He was clenching his teeth as he sat back down. And it was in that moment that he remembered he was originally up to go piss anyway, so he got back up with a huff and ran to the loo.
Much to absolutely nobody's surprise, Steve was stuck back at bed rest not long after what Bucky, in the privacy of his own mind, called the "Snowman Incident". Bucky still chuckled to himself remembering Steve's face as he called to the heavens. It was even funnier to think about Steve though God would use the word "dipshit" to refer to him. How little faith did he have in God? Or was it the lack of faith he had in himself? That was a sad thought. Bucky didn't want any more sad thoughts associated with Steve. The boy had enough as it was.
It was after four days of school without Steve that Bucky learned, from his Ma, that Steve was out of bed and was going to be back at school tomorrow. Because, apparently, his Ma was friends with Ms. Rogers now? Huh. Bucky didn't know how did that happen, but only thought good for them, good for them indeed. And also good for Steve, for getting better. Fella was stronger than a stallion, standing up with all those sicknesses kicking his backside everyday. He needed a little rest every once in a while.
But he asked Ma if he could bring snacks to school as a welcome back gift to Steve the next day. Winnifred, bless her heart, squeezed an extra orange and a muffin to Bucky's satchel, making him promise to split the treat with Steve, before sending him off the next morning.
When Bucky showed up at school that morning and found Steve on the seat at the back of the class no one really wanted, and wow, he thought, I didn't know anyone could look that sick. He shook his head, internally reprimanding himself for being judgemental. Bucky took a few steps and then stopped in his tracks. What was he doing? The guy didn't even know him! Best case, he remembered Bucky making fun of him like an ass from the comfort of his house window, from a week back. And he probably wanted nothing to do with anyone right now, right after getting a bit better and being forced to go to school, especially not with Bucky if he remembered him. He was just gonna be annoying the guy even more. He didn't want that. What to do, what to do, what to do---
"Can I help you?"
The irritable voice of the tiny kid snapped Bucky out of the trance he didn't even notice falling into, making him aware of the fact that he was now hovering just two feet away from Steve's seat. When did he get here? He was just at the classroom door...
"Uh..."
It was all Bucky could get out, feeling the lamest he's ever felt in his entire lifespan of 9 years. He tentatively took another step, this time closing the gap between them consciously until he was in front of the blond's seat. The the pure annoyance and irritation he saw in those big blue eyes made Bucky blink. Wow, he really had beautiful eyes.
Focus, Barnes.
"I brought you a muffin."
Very smooth. Charming. Good job, dumbass.
"Muffin?"
"My ma," Yes, that was a good place to start off of. Smart Bucky. "She's friends with yours. She heard you was sick, and, uh,"
The sharp furrow of brows made Bucky pause. The guy was gonna get wrinkles by the time he was 15 if he was scowling like this all the time. But the implication of "so what of it?" was obvious in the smaller kid's gaze.
"She told me to give it to ya, as a get well soon gift. Since you're, ya'know, out now. Outta bed, I mean."
Bucky placed the muffin on the desk at the same time be noticed the softening on Steve's face. He couldn't help but think it was a better look on him than that nasty scowl. He seemed to hesitate, which made Bucky hesitate, too. Was it too weird? Did he not like muffins? Did he think Bucky was a creep for bringing a pastry to someone he didn't even know?
"I have diabetes, so, I can't really eat that."
Oh. That's a much sadder conclusion than anything else Bucky's sweaty brain came up with in the last 4 seconds.
"She also gave me an orange."
Bucky found himself wanting to console the boy, fishing the spare orange out of his bag. He didn't like the way Steve admitted to the confession like somehow having diabetes was his fault. He handed, more like shoved the fruit in Steve's hands and gave the top of it an awkward pat before retracting his hands. He wiggled his fingers like he could physically shake the awkwardness off. It didn't work. Steve looked down at the orange, and Bucky could swear he saw a little smile there. Pretty, he thought. Bucky should really stop thinking.
"So, guess I'll be going then. Glad you're here. Like--- because you're better, you're not so sick anymore. Not that I'm not happy you're here but, you know, it's so you won't miss any more classes and---"
Bucky is cut off but a little giggle, a straight out giggle. High pitched, sounding truly child-like, contained in a way that made Steve's shoulders curl in on themselves as a tiny snort slipped out of his troath. Oh hell. Bucky's thoughts are so out of his control today. Last time he found someone this beautiful was when his Ma and Becca were dressed match each other's dresses, as a gift for Becca's birthday. But that was a different kinda pretty. He felt proud seeing them, warm, seeing them happy and his little sister laughing so gleefully. This was... Squeezy. It made his heart flutter. The kind of pretty he wanted to see every day. Since when fellas were this pretty? There was a lot more things than his undeveloped brain could process in Bucky's head in that moment, so he only focused on Steve instead. Not even minding the fact that the guy was laughing at his rambling.
He found himself smiling as well, scratching back of his neck as he, himself, let out an embarrassed little chuckle as well.
"I'll take it."
Steve said, nodding, after he was seemingly done laughing at Bucky, though they were both still smiling. Bucky's brain unpromptedly decide he liked the smile wrinkles better than the frown wrinkles on Steve. Bucky nodded as well, stepping back to go to his own seat, thinking the conversation was over.
"I'm Steve, by the way. Steve Rogers."
Instead he was pleasantly surprised when he heard Steve offer his name like Bucky didn't already know it.
"I know," he blurted out before his brain could catch up, then immediately backtracked as to not seem like creep upon noticing the frown of confusion on Steve face. He held his hands up instead, explaining, "my ma told me! She heard from your ma, ya'know, since they're friends."
Steve seemed satisfied with the answer as the nod indicated, and Bucky sighed a discreet breath of relief, giving himself an internal pat on the shoulder for saving it. He didn't want to screw up their friendship before it even started.
Oh. Did Bucky see them as friends? He guessed they would be. Could be, now. He also noticed he'd love that.
"So do they not introduce themselves where you're from, or?"
Steve's quip made Bucky snap out a second time in the last ten minutes, shaking his head quickly.
"Barnes. James Barnes. My family calls me Bucky."
"Bucky?"
"My, uh, middle name. It's Buchanan."
"Oh. Then nice to meet you, Buck."
Bucky has a nickname already? It was truly his lucky day.
"You, too, Stevie." he said instead of gaping lamely at the guy.
"Tell your Ma I said thanks for the orange. And the muffin, I'm sure i'was delicious, even if I can't have it."
Bucky nodded quickly, taking another step back, this time 70% sure the conversation was truly over. The teacher was about to come anyway. But he was proven wrong a second time when Steve called for him again with a hint of hesitation in his voice this time.
"Do you wanna, I dunno... Play this week? Together, with me?"
Bucky's brain screeched to a halt like his dad's old, faulty record player. This was escalating way too quickly, not that Bucky was complaining. Like, at all. He considered yelling out a yes and dropping to his knees dramatically, but decided against it for several reasons. Instead, he tried for a little grin and tilted his head.
"You wanna play mate making a snowman outta yourself this time?"
The shift on Steve's face was immediate. Going from shyly hesitant to furiously blushing in the matter of a second.
"That was you?!" he exclaimed in pure American rage, face turning red in a way that made Bucky want to poke at the bony cheeks. He wondered if Steve would squeak if he did that.
"What, you didn't recognize me from the window?"
Bucky didn't know where this sudden confidence was coming from, but he wasn't backtracking after seeing Steve react so animatedly with his whole body.
"I'm part-blind, I can't see that far away!"
Steve admitted, making Bucky hesitate for a second. He didn't want to seem like he was making fun of his disability. But after noticing Steve wasn't offended, but simply embarrassed, he continued more comfortably.
"Well, maybe make sure it's actually God talking to you the next time you start to scream up at heavens."
Steve sputtered in a way that made Bucky laugh aloud and ran back to his seat, using the fact that the teacher was coming as an excuse to run.
"You jerk!"
Steve yelled over rumble of the classroom, making Bucky laugh even louder as he settled on his seat. He shot Steve one last look over his shoulder to see the guy still scowling, but also fighting back a smile threathing to tug his lips up. Bucky grinned so wide it made his cheeks hurt.
Yeah. Bucky was going to best friend the hell out of this guy.