Chapter Text
The sun scorched the grass on the playground but it had almost no effect on the kids running about. Behind the tree on the far side of the playground a skinny blonde boy, whilst reading sensed something moving to his left. Looking over he saw three boys, the middle one was tall and beefy with a red face- Arnold Smith. Smith was also holding his lunch. He didn’t know the other boys but the one on the right was grinning and the other had a rather constipated expression.
‘Do you want it back Rogers?’
‘Yes please’
‘Get it then punk’
To his sidekicks amusement the bully launched the paper bag over the blonde boy and straight into the rubbish bin. He watched eagerly as the bag disappeared over the rim of the steel can before feeling a small pang of guilt, the small guy was tearing up. His guilt quickly turned to anger as ‘the big book on big animals’ slammed into his shoulder once and then twice again. ‘oww! Stop it!’ Managing to dodge the next book assault he reached out his arms and pushed his attacker. Steve Rogers was even lighter than he looked and was sprawled on the grass, his book at his feet.
‘Wimp’ turning around he expected his friends to be awed by his mini fight but instead they looked amused. Especially the one on his right whose lips were squished together trying to contain a laugh. ‘Shut up Bucky’
‘I didn’t even say anything yet’
‘Let’s go’
‘Aren’t you gonna make Rogers eat his trash food?’ Bucky remarked laughing.
‘I want to go’ the ache in his shoulders was throbbing now.
‘Imma stay’
Grabbing his left sided friend he marched out declaring Bucky officially out of the group.
‘You wanna share my lunch?’
‘No’ the blonde boy was still a little teary and his eyebrows seemed to almost touch.
After a series of apologies and a couple of jokes the dark haired boy finally got him to try the crushed potato crisps he had taken from his pocket.
‘They’re so salty’
‘I know, its good right’
Steve smiled, he remembered asking his mother to buy them yesterday but she had gently refused, saying they were outrageously expensive and so Steve had brought his buttered slice of bread in his paper bag. He hadn’t even got to eat it. He looked at Bucky his supposedly new friend. To Steve’s surprise Bucky was going through his book reading the page on winter wolves and arctic bunnies.
They walked out of school together that day as well as every day after that. Except for the days that Steve was sick. On those days Bucky ran out of school and straight to his friend’s house.