#shield bakery

               CHAPTER TWO- IT'S NEVER TOO LATE

"Ah, Rogers. You're everywhere. You don't even know the half of it. Art shows, the showcases, the talk at tables." Steve snorted at that. "Seriously! The art teacher talks non. Stop. About you." Rogers shook his head. "Oh, James. You should ask Steven Rogers about how to draw that. He could show you."                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~     "Look, Banner, I'm sorry I couldn'ta been there. I was running late. I knew they were gonna take it too far one day. I just like calling ya Duracell." Tony nodded along with James' speech. "It is a clever name," he interjected. "Thanks. I never wanted to physically harm you. I never did, did I?" Bruce shook his head. "Only the other three." He spoke quietly. "Look, Banner. I'm so sorry about the whole Duracell thing. I thought you were cool with it. You gotta say somethin'." Bruce nodded, pushing his glasses up. "It's alright, James. I forgive you." Bucky smirked. "You're a pretty cool dude, you know? Call me Bucky. Or Buck." Bruce nodded again, smiling at Bucky. "Hey," Clint said. "You wanna come with us for lunch? Our treat."     They waltzed into the cafeteria area just outside the Hawk's Nest Flowes and SHIELD Bakery. The food court was way down the mall, and they didn't want anyone recognizing them. Clint tossed Bucky a sandwich in a baggie. "I really appreciate this, guys. The way I yelled at them," Bucky's voice caught on a laugh. "I don't think I'd be able to face them." "Are you kidding me? They like, worship you." Steve snorted. Bucky scoffed. "Likely." Bruce nodded furiously. "They seriously do, Buck," he smirked at that, how Bruce was already comfortable around him. He liked it. "You should see the way their faces play through a hundred different emotions when you tell them off." James raised an eyebrow. Tony nodded, his face in his shawarma.                                Meanwhile, Bucky studied the 'Vengers. There was Tony, he was rich, but not really as punk. Then Clint, who was fiercely protective of the Maximoff twins, who were missing. Natasha, who was even more fierce than Clint. Bucky actually felt intimidated by her. And then you have Bruce, a total nerd, and Tony would do anything for him. Thor, all brawn and some brains. Then there was Steven Rogers. Covered in tattoos, had two eyebrow piercings, his ears pierced, his nose, AND his tongue. Bucky had noticed him before. The was actually pretty cute. Bucky didn't shake that feeling off the way he did when he saw Steve sketching on a bench, golden hair falling into his eyes, jacket practically swallowing him whole. "I don't think," Bucky suddenly said. "I don't think they'd ever let me sit with them again...you saw them, they hate me. They'd kill me." Everyone was silently stunned. "Bucky," Steve started, but James cut him off. "No. They'd. Kill. Me." He said, punctuating every word. "Guys, we gotta tell Principal Coulson.." Bruce said urgently. "No. Coulson cannot know about this!" Nat said through her teeth. Maria came out of the bakery, wiping her hands on her apron. "Hey, hard workers!" "Ms. Maria!" Tony called. "Come meet Bucky!" Bruce said excitedly. Maria Hill is the owner of SHIELD Bakery. "I've never seen you around the mall before." She said, passing out the cupcakes she'd brought them. "Oh," Bucky sounded surprised. "I didn't hang out here much, but, it kinda sounds like I'm gonna be around them more." Nat and Clint nodded furiously in agreement. "Well, we're hiring! You should sign up. It's really a lot of fun, right bakers?" Tony laughed sarcastically. "Anyway, Bucky. My name is Maria Hill, but, everyone calls me Ms. M or Ms. Maria. Even if you don't sign up, stop in often, even if you don't buy anything, okay?" Bucky laughed. "Oh, I promise, you guys are gonna see so much of me that you'll get sick of me hanging around." But Steve thinks differently.

                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Oh, yes. Bucky did in fact notice Rogers noticing him. Rogers noticing him noticing him was even more embarrassing. Rogers turned his head with a red tint spotting his cheeks. Banner and Stark get along nicely, going over the science homework on elements. Banner is more biology-oriented, so Stark had to help him out. "What metal melts at room temperature? Come on, Bruce. You know this one." Bruce tapped his chin a moment, thinking. "Mercury!" He cried. Stark pumped a fist. Meanwhile, Barton was showing Tasha an arrow tip that Quill gave him. Rogers was alone. Sam gone, so he sat quietly. "Heya, Rogers." Bucky said, sliding his chair near his. He looked up from his sandwich. "Hi, James." "Bucky." He corrected him. Rogers nodded. "Named after a president, huh?" Bucky was taken aback. "No one ever knows who James Buchanan is. My ma's favorite president, though. You wouldn't believe it, but, my older sister, she's like 22, her name is Lincoln. Most people call her Lin though. But, imagine it. First day of school. The teacher is calling roll and says, 'Lincoln Barnes'. Imagine it, Rogers." Rogers laughed a bit, sipping his Sprite. "How'd you know my last name?" Steve inquired. "Ah, Rogers. You're everywhere. You don't even know the half of it. Art shows, the showcases, the talk at tables." Steve snorted at that. "Seriously! The art teacher talks non. Stop. About you." Rogers shook his head. "Oh, James. You should ask Steven Rogers about how to draw that. He could show you." "She said that?" Bucky rolled his eyes. "No, I made it up. Yes, she said that! Good God, insulting my exquisite art to my face like that. Tsk tsk." Rogers laughed again. "I couldn't help but notice that you and your friends are never at any meets or games." Steve stared him down. "They're your friends, too, Buck." Bucky sighed. "I know, will you listen?" He laughed. "Look, there's a track meet next weekend. You guys wanna come?" Steve looked around the table, as everyone had stopped what they were doing. Steve smirked, speaking for the group. "Sure, Barnes."