Kiss My Bruises

It was a warm, summer day in Brooklyn - naturally, Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers were wandering around. Nothing too eventful really ever happened, most summer afternoons were filled with small activities and conversations. But today it seemed like second nature to suggest going for a walk.

Both teenagers were content with the silence, one of the many things the two enjoyed about their friendship.

It almost was just their luck that they would stubble into the wrong place, at the the wrong time.

It was Bucky who heard it, the distinct sound of a dame whimpering. Steve realized that something was off when Bucky stopped walking and peered into an alley they almost passed.

Just pass the corner of the alley was a brightly colored fabric. Only someone with good eyes like Bucky would even notice it, and it was a really good thing she did.

"Bucky, wha - " a hand came up to cover Steve's mouth, and he almost bit it out of stubbornness, but once Steve saw Bucky's stance he decided to gently bring it down with his hands instead.

The brunette shifted a tad before turning to face Steve. "Shush, look over there. Listen," she instructed.

Bucky knew Steve had trouble hearing, but she didn't use it against him in any way. If he didn't hear what she was talking about, so what? He'll end up understanding the situation one way or another.

Oddly enough however, when Steve leaned towards the alley and settled his gaze on place Bucky's was, he somehow could make out the sound his friend was referring to.

"Let's check it out." Steve nodded even though he knew Bucky wouldn't see him, since she wasn't facing him and all.

As the two neared the corner, the sound stopped abruptly and a male voice replaced it almost instantly. "Come on, doll. Don't be like that!" It drawled, heavily Brooklyn-sounding. The two teenagers rounded the corner just in time to see a tall man push a woman to the ground, dirtying her fabric dress. "Hey!" The blonde and brunette shouted in unison.

The tall man turned swiftly to face them, his greasy black hair and pimple-covered face revealed that it wasn't a man - but a teenager, closely around Bucky's age. Steve's gaze intuitively went to the ground where the girl landed, whereas Bucky's went to the teenage boy.

Steve was usually the one who got into fights, and he would've jumped into this one too if it wasn't for his bestfriend's eyes. He only looked up at her for a second, but he saw the pure rage in her barely-blue eyes, and for some reason that made him hesitate.

"Christ - listen kids, me and my girl here are just having a disagreement. Why don't you back to where ever you were and play stick-ball or somethin', huh?" He said putting his hands up slightly, already turning back around to face the female on the ground.

The girl had hardened brown eyes that were almost invisible due to her curly blonde hair - which was ruffled in all the ways that said she'd been in fight. Purple and blue painted almost all of her viable skin, even her face. Her short blue dress was covered in grease and dirt, very much ruined, and she was visibly trembling. Fear was evident in her eyes, but a flicker of hope rested behind the terror.

Steve almost threw up at the sight of the abused woman.

"So that you can keep abusing that poor girl? No, I don't think we'll be leavin'!" Bucky hissed, reaching out and grabbing the boy's wrist, in turn forcing him to spin around. He hissed right back at her before smacking Bucky with his free arm, sending her to the ground very similarly to the other girl. Steve's protest was lost in the older man's words, and knowing Bucky could handle herself, he quickly approached the blonde teen.