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

Twelve

Reaching the two pretty girls, Bucky affectionately wrapped his arm around the petite blonde's waist. As Bucky nuzzled his face into the young woman's neck, Steve quickly directed his attention to his intended date. Steve's date, an equally attractive brunette who looked about as thrilled about this arrangement as Steve did.

She probably expected someone more like Bucky, Steve reasoned, trying not to take it to heart. After all, she wasn't necessarily who Steve expected to be on a date with either.

With a large grin on his face, Bucky pulled his face away from the petite blonde as he introduced the girls, "Jessica --" the one Bucky was cozying up to "-- and Emily; this is Steve."

"Hi," the petite blonde, Jessica, merrily greeted Steve, before wrapping her arms around Bucky's torso.

Finding it difficult to speak, Steve simply nodded in acknowledgment. Steve shoved his hands into his pockets while his intended date pulled out her phone, completely ignoring Steve. Although Steve wasn't interested in the girl, it still stung a bit.

Averting his gaze to the ground, Steve prayed that he could keep his emotions at bay until he could get back to his dorm. All Steve wanted to do was to curl up in bed and watch reruns of paranormal shows while mourning his broken heart.

"Who's ready?" Bucky asked, so undeniably cheery that in any other circumstance, it'd be contagious.

Solemnly, Steve followed the trio of attractive people, feeling entirely out of place. Sure, Steve knew that even if Bucky was interested in men, it would be a long shot for him to be interested in him. Steve knew that. But being surrounded by two other gorgeous people, it made the differences even more glaringly obvious. And Steve couldn't believe how he had even entertained the idea that Bucky would be interested in him to begin with. Stupid and blind optimism was obviously to blame.

Companionably, Bucky patted Steve on his slender shoulder and happily told Steve, "C'mon! You don't wanna miss the show!"

Despite his best effort to stay somber, Steve couldn't deny Bucky a smile. It was small though, so Steve didn't feel too self-betraying. Following Bucky over to the theater where a show was going to be put on, Steve knew that he'd follow Bucky anywhere. Even into the depths of hell. Steve was a sorry sucker, that was sure.

"Hey, uh," Bucky started. He removed his arm from around his date's waist and gestured for the girls to enter into the theater as he suggested, "You find some seats, and we'll get the snacks."

"Okay," Jessica smiled and stood on her toes to press a chaste kiss to Bucky's lips.

Steve rolled his eyes and started heading towards the concession stand without waiting for Bucky. Of course, with Steve's naturally shorter legs and slower stride, it didn't take long for Bucky to catch up to him. Once Bucky reached Steve, he playfully nudged his shoulder against the smaller boy's. Usually when Bucky did something like that, Steve damn near passed out due to how much he thrived on any and every casual touch from Bucky. However, that time, Steve barely recognized the fond gesture at all.

"So," Bucky excitedly smirked. Waiting expectantly with arched brows, Bucky seemed quite pleased with himself. When Steve didn't say anything, Bucky's brow briefly furrowed as he asked Steve, "What, what, uh. What do you, do you think?"

For a moment, Steve thought about telling Bucky the truth. That Steve would never be interested in Emily. That Steve was gay. That Steve was crushing so pathetically hard on Bucky that it could be considered funny if it wasn't downright sad.

But Steve was afraid that if he told Bucky that, he'd lose everything that came along with Bucky. Like the way that Bucky leaned in to softly talk during class. The inside jokes that only he and Steve had. Or the way that sometimes, Bucky would wrap his arm around Steve's shoulder, pulling Steve in close.

Steve knew that Bucky was kind and that Bucky was a good person, but Steve was just too afraid of everything that he might lose if Bucky knew. Having a first-hand account of how Bucky acted towards acquaintances, and Steve really hoped that Bucky would never turn polite like that with him.

So, Steve simply said, "I think she'd be happier with someone else."

"Oh, c'mon," Bucky playfully rolled his eyes and lightly elbowed Steve's ribs in jest, "What's not to like about you?"

"Please," Steve scoffed and rolled his eyes. As they moved up in line, Steve assumed, "I think she'd be happier with someone like you."

"Like me?!" Bucky incredulously exclaimed while touching his chest, like Steve couldn't possibly be talking about him. "Why would she want me?"

Steve looked over at Bucky to see if he could possibly be that oblivious, and Bucky seemed completely in denial of his own charm and good looks. Steve quirked an unimpressed brow at Bucky and asked, "You're joking, right?"

"Look," Bucky started, "Jessica said that Emily was into blond hair, blue-eyed guys. That's you!"

There was absolutely no way that Bucky was this impervious to his clear attractiveness, nor Steve's lack of such. There was just no way. Bucky was overtly the most enticing person that Steve had never met. How could Bucky not know this about himself?

"I think she would've been better with Clint," Steve finally answered, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets.

Steve could feel Bucky watching him, but he consciously didn't look at Bucky. Instead, he kept his focus on the concession stand line and moved up when the people in front of him moved. Steve could feel it. That Bucky was going to deny his claim. But Steve knew that even if he was interested in the opposite sex, there was no way that he stood a chance with Emily. Steve knew this from how his former classmates had acted. Knew it from all of the personal experience that kept stacking up in someone else's favor.

After a moment, Bucky playfully nudged his shoulder against Steve's and said, "Nah. There's no way that they would've worked out."

"Don't get me wrong," Bucky continued, finally gaining Steve's attention again. "I love Clint, but I think you've got him beat in the dreamboat category."

With a confident statement like that, how could Steve not fall head over heels for Bucky?