Trigger warning: Implied child abuse and bullying

"James?"

"Hi, Nat."

"Our lockers aren't this way."

"I know." Bucky kept walking forwards.

"Then why...?"

"Because I wanna avoid Rumlow and his bitchy friends."

Natasha stopped and put her hands on her hips. "James Buchanan Barnes, you are not making me take an extra five minutes because of your cowardice."

"I'm not a coward!"

"You're running away from them," Natasha pointed out, and okay, maybe he was.

"Well, yeah, 'cause I really don't wanna run into them right now."

"We are turning around, and if they mess with you, I'll punch them. Deal?"

"What−no! That's a terrible deal!"
Natasha had already turned around and was heading for their lockers. Bucky braced as they passed Rumlow, but nothing happened. Either he hadn't noticed them, or more likely, he was scared off by Natasha. Nobody liked to mess with Natasha.

When they got to his locker, Bucky reluctantly opened it and pulled out his backpack. Natasha looked at his expression and immediately asked, "You want to come to that new coffee shop with me and Steve?"

"God, yes," Bucky said. "Anything to get out of that damn house." He hesitated. "On the other hand, I shouldn't leave the girls alone with..."

"Is it bad?"

Bucky shrugged, trying not to make a face. "No worse than usual. Oh, except he started watching the Willow show, because he loved the movie. He didn't make it through the first episode. One look at Kit and Jade and he started ranting about how there has to be gays in everything nowadays." Bucky swallowed. "Only he didn't say gays."

Natasha's lips pressed together and her eyes narrowed. "Say the word and I'll be over there myself in a second to slap him."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Like he'd care."

Natasha sighed. "I'll call CPS, James, I will."

"Don't. We can't go live with Mom. Dad's bad, but Mom can't even feed us."

"I'll adopt you."

"Natasha, you're eighteen."

"Which means I can legally adopt you. You're seventeen."

"And what, we'll hang around your house eating your food all the time? When I'm eighteen, in a few months, I'm moving out and taking the girls with me."

Natasha sighed. "Okay. But I wish you'd let me help you."

Bucky didn't answer.

"Alright, anyways, you can bring the girls with us. I'm bringing Yelena."

Bucky nodded.

"Plus, if you want me to leave so you and Steve can have a minute..."

"Nat!"

She laughed.

They grabbed their bags and went to meet up with Steve. Yelena and Bucky's little sisters, Becca and Lily, found them at the entrance to the school.

"Hey," Bucky said. "We're going to that new coffee shop place, you want to come?"

Lily hesitated, then shook her head. "I'm supposed to go hang out with Peter and MJ to talk about a project we're working on."

"I need to go to the library," Yelena said. "Oh, hey, Natasha, did you sign up for the play?"

"Yeah, I'm going to be Tybalt," Natasha said. "You?"

"Juliet."

"Nice."

"Hey," Bucky pouted. "I signed up for Tybalt."

"You'll live," Becca said unsympathetically.

"If you can't have Tybalt, what role do you want?" Steve asked. Bucky glanced up at him.

"Mmm. Probably Paris. I'd at least get to swordfight someone."

"Swordfighting's fun," Lily said. "I wish I could be in the play."

"Sorry, Lil-Lil," Bucky said. "Next year."

"Ugh."

Bucky laughed, then winced at the bruise on his ribs. Steve cast him a concerned glance.

They reached the coffee shop. A sign saying The Screaming Goat hung above the door. Painted on the sign was a goat sitting in a coffee mug, mouth open in what was presumably a scream.

"That's cheerful," Natasha remarked.

Lily made a face. "It's like a tavern in a fantasy movie."

"It is, a little," Steve said. "Alright. Into the tavern!"

The inside of the coffee shop was charmingly warm and cozy, despite the grim name. At the counter was Carol Danvers, a girl who Bucky only knew as one of the stars of the soccer team at school.

"Hey!" she said when they reached the front of the (admittedly not very long) line. "What can I get you?"

Natasha gave her their orders and they waited while she made them. While they walked to a table, Carol turned to speak to another girl working there. Bucky thought he recognized her as Thor's sister. Valkyrie. There was no way that was her real name, but it was what everyone called her, which was basically the same thing. Right?

"Are those two dating?" Steve asked.

"Who? Carol and Val?" Natasha asked. Steve nodded and she shrugged. "Maybe. I'm on the soccer team with both of them. Yeah, I see what you mean," she added, studying them more closely. "I ship it."

"You know what I really ship?" Becca asked. Bucky glanced at her and she looked at him, then Steve.

"Becca!" Bucky yelped.

"What?" Steve asked, turning to face them.

"Nothing!" Bucky spluttered. "Becca, what the fuck?"

Becca smirked. "It's not nothing," she said.

Bucky was ready to leap across the table and strangle his sister. Natasha turned to grin at Becca. "Stop it, Rebecca, you're embarrassing your brother."

"He's blushing!" Lily laughed. Bucky scowled at her.

"Aww," Steve teased, which, of course, just made Bucky blush harder.

"We should get home," Natasha said. "Yelena needs to walk her dog. You guys okay getting home?"

"You ask that every time," Becca pointed out. "The answer is always gonna be yes."

"You know," Natasha joked. "If you ever need someone to walk you home, maybe set fire to your dad when you get there..."

Lily, Becca, and Bucky went quiet. "That's not funny," Lily said finally.

Natasha winced. "I know. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Bucky said. "We're fine."

As they were walking out of the coffee shop, waving goodbye to Valkyrie and Carol, Steve leaned over and whispered in Bucky's ear, "Are you? Okay, I mean?"

Bucky sighed, then nodded. "I'm fine."

He was. He had to be.