A Place to Fall: Falling Series 1 (skinny!Steve x Bucky Barnes College AU)

Eleven

Rushing from the classroom, Steve heard Brock comment, "Must be a pity date."

Although Steve briefly thought about turning around and giving Brock a piece of his mind, he didn't. Instead, Steve ran towards his dorm room. Well, ran as well as a scrawny, asthmatic person with mild scoliosis could run without causing further physical harm to himself. Which, admittedly, wasn't very fast nor very far.

When Steve finally reached his dorm, he unlocked the door and fell into the room. As he sat down on the floor, he reached into his bag and pulled out his inhaler. Using it, Sam arched his brows as he silently questioned if Steve was alright. Inhaling the medication, Steve waved off Sam's concern.

Leaning against the wall, Steve closed the door and just tried to relax for a moment. Sam reclined in his computer chair and watched Steve for a moment. With a smirk, Sam asked, "Exciting day?"

"Not... really," Steve wheezed. Taking another hit from his inhaler, he closed his eyes. Imagining Bucky's steel-blue eyes, helped him focus. Opening his eyes again, he noticed that Sam had rolled himself back to his desk and was busy with his work.

Checking the time, Steve realized that it was nearly six already. Rising from his spot on the floor, Steve grabbed some clean clothes from his closet and informed Sam, "I'm gonna hop in the shower real quick."

"Okay," Sam briskly answered, not turning his attention away from his homework.

Taking Sam's disinterest as a go-ahead, Steve quickly entered the bathroom and attempted to take a calming shower. But how could Steve remain calm when the most perfect -- no. Steve needed a better word to truly describe just how phenomenal Bucky was.

Sensational. Superlative. Marvelous. Heavenly. Exquisite. Stellar. Divine. Dreamy.  None of them seemed to encapsulate Bucky the way that Steve wanted them to.

Finishing in the shower, Steve thoroughly dried off before examining his reflection. Tilting his jaw just so, trying to see if he needed to shave. Although Steve shaved about three days ago, there was barely a trace of a five o'clock shadow.

Steve reached up to rub at his jaw. Not wanting to get his hopes up, but also not wanting any possibility of kissing to be undesirable from beard burn. Even Steve could laugh at that.

Deciding not to fixate on his gaunt stature for too long, Steve got dressed. Nothing too out of the ordinary. Since it was the Stark Expo, Steve chose to go familiar, casual, with a pair of jeans and a blue striped shirt. Of course, looking over his reflection, he wished that he could be broader. Larger. The ideal guy in comic books.

Keeping up with the same motif of not expecting a kiss, but wanting to be prepared for a kiss, Steve started brushing his teeth. Really scrubbing them to try and erase any lingering trace of his usual coffee and especially hoping to rid any remains from the greasy burrito he had snagged between classes.

Once done, Steve studied his reflection again. Typically, Steve wasn't this vain. But in special circumstances...

"Yeah, the Stark Expo," Steve faintly heard Bucky's voice in his dorm.

Steve's eyes widened, afraid that he had taken too long getting ready. And I'm not even ready, Steve internally mused. Sighing, Steve ran his hand through his short blond hair, realizing all too late that he was in dire need of a haircut.  Pushing the naturally floppy strands off his forehead, out of his eyes, he exited the bathroom.

"Hey," Bucky greeted with a large, welcoming grin while he lounged on Steve's bed.

Placing his dirty clothes in his hamper, Steve awkwardly stood there, trying to remain calm. Bucky climbed off of his bed and asked Steve, "Ya ready?"

"Ye-yeah," Steve stuttered out, cursing himself for not being able to speak one god damn sentence fluently; honestly Steven, get it together!

"Great," Bucky smiled and held the door open for Steve. Looking at Sam, Bucky said, "Not sure how long the expo is supposed to last."

"Well, Kristin is coming over, so just make sure you text first," Sam replied with a playful grin on his face and a mischievous glint in his eye.

All the while, Steve's heart was hammering in his chest so harshly that Steve was absolutely positive that if Bucky looked close enough, he'd be able to physically see the movement. That was one downside to being as small as Steve was. Speaking of being frail like a baby bird, Steve managed to remember to grab his inhaler and shoved it into his jeans pocket.

Walking down the hallway, Bucky complimented Steve, "I like your shirt."

"Thanks," Steve averted his gaze to the floor, praying that Bucky wouldn't notice the blush that was creeping up to the tips of his delicate ears. Looking up from beneath his lashes, Steve peeked over at Bucky and nearly lost his breath when he finally took in Bucky's appearance. His shirt was hugging his wiry frame, accentuating the toned muscles desirably. Steve praised, "I like your shirt too."

"This old thing?" Bucky teased as they left the building.

It wasn't that far of a walk from the campus to where the expo was being held, but Steve felt that it had been entirely too quick for him. Steve wanted to plant himself in this moment and truly enjoy everything that could come out of the night. With Bucky, Steve found himself always wishing for time to still while ignoring just how fast time seemed to pass by when he was with the handsome brunet.

"Hey, Bucky!" A nasally female voice beckoned.

Turning his attention to the two girls that were seemingly waiting for them, it dawned on Steve that he wasn't on a date with Bucky. He was on a double date with Bucky. And Bucky wasn't his date.