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

Fifteen

The way that Clint and Bucky's dorm was set up was with their beds on the highest notch; maximizing the space of the room. Underneath Clint's bed was a dresser with a decent sized flat screen TV. Underneath Bucky's was a futon and a mini fridge.

Steve and Bucky sat on the futon while they marathoned Buzzfeed Unsolved, and Steve couldn't help but notice the almost nonexistent distance between them. All Steve would have to do to touch Bucky was to stretch his leg just slightly, and that thought alone was enough to make Steve's heart stutter.

"Do you believe in ghosts?" Bucky suddenly questioned, instantly gaining Steve's attention.

Staring into Bucky's sincere eyes, Steve wasn't able to form a single thought other than, Bucky. Nothing whatsoever. Steve knew that he was staring too long. Extremely too long. Suspiciously too long. Steve knew that he should've looked away. But Steve couldn't. All Steve could do was stare at Bucky.

Bucky was looking expectantly at Steve and Steve managed to ask, "What?"

A smirk tugged at the corner of Bucky's attractively red lips as he repeated, "Do you believe in ghosts?"

"Oh," Steve breathlessly chuckled and averted his gaze from the beautiful brunet. A blush was coloring Steve's cheeks and Steve cleared his throat before answering, "No. Do you?"

"I mean," Bucky started. Cocking his head from side-to-side as he thought, Bucky admitted, "I don't want to rule anything out, ya know?"

"I guess," Steve bashfully agreed, still not looking over at Bucky.

"Hey, uh," Bucky knocked his knee against Steve's, causing Steve's breath to briefly hitch. Bucky turned to face Steve and Steve couldn't help but do the same. And when Steve noticed the excitement in Bucky's eyes, Steve's own enthusiasm grew. Animatedly, Bucky stated, "My mom said that the house she grew up in was haunted."

"Yeah?" Steve softly chuckled.

"Yeah," Bucky confirmed with an eager giggle. Shifting in his seat, Bucky brought his legs up to sit crisscross and continued, "She told me this one story about how one night she came home and as she got ready for bed, the cat started hissing at the doorway."

Silently, Steve arched his eyebrows, intrigued by the story. But really he was just intrigued in finding out more about Bucky.

"So, my mom said that she tried to calm the cat down, but when she looked into the cat's pupils, she saw the reflection of a dark figure standing in the doorway," Bucky relayed.

"No way," Steve said, shaking off the story as false.

"No, like my mom swears that she saw this," Bucky continued, completely involved in the story.

Steve laughed at that. He wasn't quite sure why he found it so funny, but he did, and the laughter effortlessly bubbled up out of Steve's petite frame. As he threw his head back and held his chest, Steve was relieved when Bucky joined in.

Gasping, Bucky said, "My mom is convinced that my grandma's house is haunted."

Continuing to laugh, Steve reclined back on the futon. Soon enough, the laughter died down, but Steve just laid there for a moment. It was only then that Steve realized just how exhausted he was. It had been a long night. A good night. And Steve was completely content.

Bucky stood up then. Stretching his arms high above his head. Steve had to redirect his attention when Bucky's shirt rucked up, exposing the bottom part of his abdomen and the v-lines that stretched well beyond Bucky's jeans. Just like the patch of dark hair that fuzzed down from his belly button. The least that Steve could do was to look away.

"Do you want to borrow some pants?" Bucky offered as he headed over to his closet.

Steve sat up and tugged at the crotch of his own jeans to try and hide his semi. Clearing his throat, Steve agreed, "Sure."

Grabbing a pair of soft plaid pajama pants, Bucky tossed them to Steve. Steve discreetly situated himself before standing up to change out of his jeans and into the pajama pants. However, Steve was distracted as Bucky started removing his clothes.

As Steve's heart started racing, his eyes roamed over Bucky's wiry frame. There was an attractive patch of brown chest hair scattered down his sternum and across his defined pecs. Although that alone was enough to fuel Steve's fantasies for the next couple of months, it was the simple silver barbells pierced through each of Bucky's pert nipples that was sure to have Steve waking up with soaked boxer briefs for the rest of the semester.

When Bucky started undoing his jeans, Steve was quick to avert his gaze. Trying to focus on anything else than his crush casually undressing in the same room with him, Steve changed out of his own jeans and into Bucky's pajama pants. Which was really just as tantalizing as Steve could've imagined.

Completely shirtless and in a pair of gray sweatpants, Bucky headed for the bathroom and told Steve, "We should have a spare toothbrush for you."

"Okay," Steve breathlessly replied.

Following Bucky over to the conjoined bathroom that Clint and Bucky shared with their neighbors, Steve paused in the doorway and watched as Bucky dug through the cabinet under the sink. Victoriously, Bucky stood up holding two different colored toothbrushes. Bucky questioned, "Blue --" the one in his right hand "-- or green?"

"Um," Steve's mind was blank with Bucky looking undeniably tempting; especially with the obvious outline of Bucky's bulge. Blinking a few times in hopes of clearing his mind, Steve gestured towards Bucky's left hand, "Green, I guess."

"Good choice," Bucky stated, handing the toothbrush over to Steve.

As the toothbrush exchanged their hands, a shock of electricity lit up Steve as their fingers brushed one another. Nearly causing Steve to drop the toothbrush entirely, but luckily, he was able to hold onto it. With shaky hands, Steve opened the package, consciously choosing not to look at Bucky as Bucky started brushing his own teeth.

Finally removing the green toothbrush from the packaging, Steve used Bucky's toothpaste and quickly ran it under the water before brushing his teeth. Steve wasn't sure if Bucky could feel it, but the air between them seemed charged.

Once Bucky was done brushing his teeth, he spit the foamy dregs into the sink and wiped his face of any remnants. When he stood straight again, Steve leaned over the sink to dispose of his own frothy spit. Standing, Steve gave Bucky a sideways glance and found a simple, sincere grin on his disastrously handsome face.

How could Steve not be completely and totally enamored in all that was Bucky?

Especially when they went back into the dorm and Bucky grabbed a pillow from the stack on his bed and started getting comfortable on the futon. Steve's brows furrowed and Bucky offered, "The bed's more comfortable."

"Right," Steve breathed out. He could feel his body vibrate with the sole thought of sleeping in Bucky's bed, and Steve asked, "You, you don't, um... Are you, you, sure?"

"Yeah, it's fine," Bucky smirked and pulled the throw blanket from the back of the futon over himself. He reassured Steve, "Trust me, it's totally fine."

So, on wobbly legs, Steve climbed up and onto Bucky's bed. Steve pressed his lips together to concentrate on the pain from pressing them so harshly rather than sleeping in his crush's bed while his crush slept under him. Then, Steve climbed under the gray down comforter and instantly regretted it.

It was no secret that Bucky smelled amazing. It was a wonder that Steve wasn't constantly tipping his head towards Bucky in class while inhaling the intoxicating scent. Now though, in the dark where no one could see, Steve buried his face in the linens and inhaled deeply.

Citrusy and woodsy with a hint of something that was solely Bucky. Steve was becoming drunk on it when Bucky's voice broke through the silence.

"Hey, Steve?" Bucky softly called out.

Freezing, like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Steve peeked his face out from the comforter. Clearing his throat, Steve quietly asked, "Yeah?"

"Goodnight," Bucky declared.

Steve agreed, "Good night."