Bucky hadnt left the house in 2 months.
He was so scared of what the public would think of him, still, even though he hadnt been under HYDRAs controll in 6 years, and he had fought with the avengers since. He struggled like this, sometimes, there would be months where he just couldnt handle it, his thoughts and panic taking over every time he was asked to leave their apartment in brooklyn, steve staying with him inside as much as he could.
Their apartment was safe, the outside, the opposite.
He was safe from judgement, safe from potential threats, attacks, even dirty stares if he stayed indoors, he didnt want to endanger anyone.
He was startled out of his stare by steves hand against the door, knocking gently. "You coming, buck? Sam wont be mad if you dont feel up to it" steve asked, eyes drifting to buckys bare chest, smirking at the sight. He pulled the hoodie over his head, making sure the sleeve covered the glint of metal of his wrist, pulling the gloves over, too.
He let out a shaky breath. "Yeah, im- im coming with" he smiled up at steve, standing and falling into his arms, pressing a kiss to his neck. "No one will say anything, okay? If they do ive got you, tell me if you want to come back here" steve reassured, brushing the strand of hair out of his face, behind his ear.
"I will, stevie"
As they ordered their drinks, the smell of hot coffee filled buckys nose, the familiar scent bringing some comfort. They had found a table in the back corner, big enough for all three, but bucky still scanned every corner of the room for threats, it was habit.
"Relax, buck, its alright" steve squeezed his flesh hand, it was too hot for his gloves, he had been forced to remove them twenty minutes ago. His eyes darted around the cafe, unable to focus as they waited for sam, until he noticed a woman and her child, maybe 11 years old. She was nagging her mother for something, and she looked reluctant, steve caught on to bucky staring.
"I bet she wants a photo with you" bucky smirked, used to the usual parades of children bombarding steve every time they left the house. The little girl looked over to bucky, standing up and rushing over. Her mum quickly followed, bucky tensed up, steve holding onto his hand.
"Mr barnes!" The girl called as her mum grabbed her hand, slowing down her rapid approach. Bucky tensed further, she knew who he was?
"Think shes here to see you, buck" steve smiled, squeezing his hand as she rushed over.
What the fuck did she want with bucky?
The mum held her hand and walked her over to where steve and bucky were sat, the mums eyes wide but, a spark of happiness behind them.
Steve stroked his knee as he noticed buckys fear. "Its okay, buck" he murmured, voice below a whisper. He relaxed into the touch, he knew they probably just wanted a photo with the pair.
The little girl stood next to bucky, her mum holding her back slightly, until bucky noticed, her arm. She had a bionic arm, it was an older model, nowhere near the level of his own. She looked shy, timid, as if she had a question or something important to say. There was a glint of awe behind the glazed eyes which stared up at him.
"Mr barnes, i am so sorry for interupting, my daughter wanted to say hello" she apologetically spoke, steves face twisting into a smile as he watched buckys shock form.
She looked up to him, a smile on her face as her eyes glossed over. "You are my hero" she whispered, he could tell she was nervous. Bucky couldnt form words, every fear and worry he had evaporating. His eyes welled with tears, the overwhelm of positive feeling a shock to the usual negativity he experienced in public.
She looked up to him?
"You gave my daughter hope, mr barnes, and mr rogers- thank you for protecting our country" the mother spoke, a smile on her face. Bucky couldnt speak, he just felt a smile crawl onto his face. "Whats your name, sweetie? Please call me bucky" Bucky asked the girl, still taken aback at the new encounter, A smile now hurting his cheeks as he processed the new apreciation.
he beamed back at the girl who was still looking up to him. She smiled back, "im maisie" her voice was sweet and innocent, he could hear the pure joy in her voice. "Maisie, it is a pleasure to meet you-" his voice was slightly shaky, steve smiling down at the girl aswell.
Bucky rolled up his sleeve, showing the little girl his arm. She looked fascinated, eyes widening as she scanned over the black and gold metal plating. "You are very brave, maisie, i tend to hide mine, i think your confidence is admirable" he honestly spoke, smile shaking as he held back his tears. She frowned. "You are the reason i let the world see it"
Buckys eyes watered, a small tear rolling down his face. "Im sorry- i didnt mean to upset you-" maisie paniced, holding onto her mothers hand now. Bucky quickly shook his head. "No- no- you didnt upset me, maisie, i am just honoured to meet you- would you- like a photo?" He wiped his tear quickly and pushed another smile. She nodded quickly, a huge smile locked to her face, as her mum rummaged for her phone in her pocket.
As she rolled her sleeve up more, bucky and steve realised how battered and scratched her arm was, it brought an ache to his heart. She stood next to bucky, flexing her metal arm the best she could with its minimal functionality, and bucky mirrored the same as he forced his best smile.
Once she took the photo with bucky, and her mum had a photo with steve, and he insisted the pair sit down at the table with them for a while.
She was struggling to contain her excitement, a large grin plastered to her face, half bouncing in her seat.
"Can you feel stuff with it?" She asked curiously, her mum taking her hand. She looked down at her daughter, a warning look.
"Im sorry- you dont- have to answer anything-" his mum insisted, smiling as bucky shook his head. "No, its okay- yeah, i have some sensation, i can feel temperature and if im touching something i can feel it, i can feel some textures too- just no pain" he smiled. Her jaw dropped, eyes widening. "Thats so cool bucky-" she began, before her mum interupted, a phone ringing. "I am so sorry, we have to go- its dad" she spoke to maisie who let out a reluctant groan.
"mr barnes, mr rogers it was such a pleasure to meet you and thank you for taking the time out of your day-" maisies mum beamed, taking her hand as she gathered her belongings.
"Its our pleasure-" steve insisted, bucky standing up with the mother. "Can i have your number? I can put a request in for an upcoming stark programme- hes working on enrolling a new series of tech to the public-" he began, crouching infront of where maisie was still sat. "How does that sound?" He asked, her face lit up. It healed something in buckys soul.
"Really?" She grinned, sitting forwards. Bucky simply nodded, his smile somehow growing with hers, she launched herself into buckys arms before he could see what was coming. He hugged her gently, she leant into his touch, he could see her mum and steves eyes watering at the sight. "Thank you, bucky" she whispered, pulling away from the hug, beaming up at him, who was still miles taller even crouched.
"You are always welcome, maisie, it has been a pleasure to meet you" he smiled as his mum wrote her number down,
They said their goodbyes, as they left the coffee shop, maisie waved at him through the window, a broken movement with the stiff metal joints.
Bucky waved back, a small smile still on his face, tears in his eyes. He felt steves hand on his shoulder, stroking circles into the hoodie above it. He was dazed, shocked that he was an inspiration to someone.
"You okay, buck?" Steve asked beside him, he quickly turned to face the blonde. He let out a shaky sigh. "She said i was the reason she- didnt hide her arm-" he confuzedly spoke to himself, processing what had happened. Looking back at steve who stared back at him with watery eyes, he let out a laugh of shock, while steve nodded, taking buckys hand. "Yeah, buck"
"I- ive never had- that- before" he was clearly still in shock from the experience. Steve couldnt hold back the smile on his face. His eyes watered, pulling bucky into a hug. "C'mere- pal" he laughed with a tear, holding his boyfriend for a while, until sam showed up.
Maybe he was inspiring to some after all, maybe outside wasnt all bad.