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Bucky pulled the Wilson’s pickup truck into the parent zone outside the school gates five minutes before the bell was due to ring. The zone was almost entirely full already, cars and trucks left idling as parents congregated in groups on the sidewalk, enjoying the last warm rays of summer sunshine before fall arrived and catching up on the school gate gossip.
He sat for a moment, listening to the end of a song. AJ had shown him how Spotify worked a few weeks earlier and he had begrudgingly begun to use the app to find music he remembered from his youth. It had taken him an embarrassingly short time to compile playlist upon playlist with all his favourite singers from the thirties and forties; Billie Holiday, Glen Miller, Frank Sinatra. As soon as the final few notes ended, he turned off the engine and hopped out of the car, pulling his sunglasses down on to his nose and slamming the door shut a little harder than he intended. He leant against the truck and folded his arms. The sunlight glinted against his vibranium arm and it felt hot, even through his t-shirt. It wasn’t likely that the mechanics would overheat, it had held up under the Wakandan sun, after all, but it did get pretty hot to touch, even in the waning September sun.
He had offered to pick the boys up from school earlier that afternoon, surprising himself as much as Sarah. She had forgotten about an appointment with the bank about a loan that had mysteriously become available after Sam had become Captain America. Bucky had watched her make a few frantic phone calls to see if anyone could collect the boys but they had all ended with a thanks anyway and a sigh.
“I’ll pick them up,” he offered from where he sat on the dock, working on part of the engine.
Sarah had started, unaware he had been listening.
“You don’t have to.”
“It’s the least I can do,” he smiled, “I can drop you at the bank, get the boys, pick up some pizza?”
“You’re going to make them the coolest kids in school, you know that,” Sarah laughed, and it was settled.
Now, Bucky shifted uncomfortably against the truck. The atmosphere in the surrounding groups of parents had changed. The laughter had slowly died down, replaced by hushed conversations and unstealthy glances in his direction. He silently wished he had brought a jacket to cover up the metal arm. The people in Delacroix weren’t phased by it anymore but the next town over, where the boys went to school, was apparently a different matter. But he knew that AJ and Cass thought it was cool and he had wanted to surprise them, he just hadn’t considered what the parents might think.
Did they think he was dangerous? Were they worried about him being near their kids? It was obvious that they knew who he was, more than a few were just openly staring. What if they asked him to leave? Maybe he shouldn’t have come to the school gates, he could have parked down the street and still picked the boys up just fine.
He tried to remember some of the grounding techniques Dr Raynor had shown him, his heart was racing and he was sure he wasn’t breathing. There had perhaps been one about counting breathes? He squirmed, crossing and uncrossing his arms as he counted to eight through each breath. It didn’t seem to help.
Just as he felt certain he was going to get back in the truck and drive further down the street, the bell rang and hordes of school children swarmed out of the building. A cacophony arose from them, brightly coloured backpacks and t-shirts everywhere, like a flock of cockatiels, overwhelming his senses.
“Uncle Buck!!! You came!!!” A yell above the odious din cut through and before he could think, Cass was hurtling towards him and leaping into his arms.
Bucky grinned, catching the young boy easily.
“Surprised?” He asked, spinning Cass around before placing him gently on the sidewalk again.
Cass nodded vigorously.
“Wait there! I want you to meet my friends!” Cass shouted, darting off into the throng of kids, dropping his backpack at Bucky’s feet.
“Uncle Bucky!” AJ grinned broadly, walking over more sedately with a group of older kids.
“Hey kid. Surprise,” Bucky nodded, pushing his sunglasses on top of his head.
“Oh my god, you didn’t tell us both of your uncles are avengers,” one of AJ’s friends squealed.
Bucky couldn’t help but laugh. Any trepidation he had felt had vanished as soon as the boys had appeared.
“Uncle Buck! Uncle Buck! These are all my friends! Can you show them your metal arm?” Cass came bounding up with at least six other kids in hot pursuit.
They skidded to a stop and crowded around Bucky. As soon as he stretched his arm out they eagerly reached forward to touch it.
“Cool!”
“I told you it was real!”
“It’s hot!”
Bucky felt his heart rate slow, relaxing as the kids giggled and chattered excitedly. AJ leant against the truck next to him.
“Do you know what’s for dinner?” He asked, waving to his friends.
“Pizza?”
“Seriously,” AJ asked excitedly, “can you come pick us up every day?”