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

Twenty-Eight

After the diner, the doomed double dates headed back to Bucky's dorm room. How Bucky managed to persuade Steve in joining them all for some movies, Steve didn't know. But Steve didn't know how Bucky effortlessly persuaded him to do anything. So, at least Bucky was consistent.

Which was more than Steve could say about Brock. Honestly, Steve didn't know what to think. In class, Brock seemed to simmer with something one could possibly construe as hate. But now, sitting on Bucky and Clint's futon? Well, Brock seemed like an entirely different person. In fact, Brock was acting like he was interested in Steve.

So, there they were. All four of them on the futon. Admittedly, it wasn't that tight of a fit with Steve and Bridgette being naturally petite. And there they watched whatever horror movies they could agree on.

Currently the quartet were watching Final Destination 3. Steve sat in between Brock and Bucky, and decided to shove his mouth with popcorn in hopes of distracting himself. On one side, literally, Steve had Bucky. Bucky who was undeniably charming and handsome and dreamy and... everything that Steve could ever possibly want in a boyfriend.

However, Steve wasn't the only one who felt that way. Obviously.  As Bridgette cuddled up to Bucky and dramatically hid her face in Bucky's neck whenever anything remotely scary happened. Really, it was a bit much in Steve's opinion.

And on Steve's other side was Brock who, despite his efforts to try and seem like a tough guy, was very jumpy. Almost like a jack in a box. It was easy to spot. First it started with Brock's hands clenching into fists. Next, his thigh muscles tightened. Then, he slightly turned towards Steve, as though he was going to cower into the petite man just like Bridgette was doing with Bucky.

For a moment, Steve thought about making himself more available. More ready in case Brock did decide to turn into him. Steve's heart stuttered in his chest. Did he even want Brock to find comfort in him? If the way that his heart was hammering in his chest was any indication, the answer was yes.

Steve's eyes widened at that revelation, and he started to choke on the mouthful of popcorn.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" Bridgette sincerely questioned, leaning across Bucky to gently touch Steve's knee.

Steve nodded, even though he was still choking and his eyes were watering. To make matters even worse, Steve could feel an asthma attack coming on. And the fact that Bucky was patting his back wasn't really helping each other.

Brock got up from the futon then and headed into the bathroom. Quickly, he returned with a glass of water in hand for Steve, that Bucky immediately intercepted. Once the coughing had momentarily eased, Bucky held the glass and helped Steve drink.

"Are you okay?" Brock asked, taking his seat next to Steve again.

Closing his eyes, Steve nodded. But he still wasn't breathing right. Couldn't get any air into his lungs. Or at least, that was what it felt like to Steve. Steve just sat there, trying to calm himself. Trying to pull himself together enough to reach for his inhaler.

However, Steve's hands continued to shake, and his arms felt like they had been dipped in concrete. All he needed to do was to reach into his pocket and pull out his god damn inhaler.

Bucky must have realized that because he suddenly asked, "Where's your inhaler?"

Taking in as deep of a breath as he could in that moment, Steve exhaled, "Pocket."

Without a moment of hesitancy, Bucky kneeled in front of Steve and started patting Steve's thighs in search of the inhaler. If Steve was in his right mind, he would be extremely aware of the many wet dreams this resembled and how many more this moment would produce.

Steve wasn't in his right mind though. Not yet, at least.

Grabbing Steve's inhaler from his pocket, Bucky held it up to Steve's mouth. Steve wrapped his lips around the device. Bringing his shaky hand up, Steve covered Bucky's hand and tapped Bucky's finger so he'd press down on the inhaler just as Steve took a breath in.

"There ya go, Stevie," Bucky encouraged, pressing down on the button to release the medication just when Steve tapped his finger again. "There ya go."

Finally able to take in a deep breath, filling his lungs completely, Steve removed his mouth from the inhaler. Steve relaxed in himself and rested his head back on the futon. Bucky stayed on the floor, on his knees, in front of Steve, rubbing his hands soothingly along Steve's thighs.

"Perhaps we should go," Bridgette suggested like a saint. Steve's wheezy body and fuzzy mind couldn't help but think that maybe Bridgette wasn't so bad after all.

"Okay," Bucky nodded, agreeing and stood up where he received a kiss from the awaiting blonde.  Or maybe she was just as bad as Steve thought she was.

"See you in class?" Brock said with an arched brow.

Steve nodded his confirmation and weakly repeated, "See you in class."

For a moment, Brock looked as though he was debating something. Steve hoped, for the life of him, that Brock wasn't thinking about kissing him. So, Steve closed his eyes and focused on his breathing instead.

"It was nice to finally meet you," Bridgette stated.

Steve opened his eyes and quietly declared, "You too."

Then, Bridgette and Brock left Bucky's dorm, leaving Bucky and Steve by themselves. Closing the door, Bucky raked his hand through his dark hair and headed over to his closet. As he changed out of his own clothes for pajamas, he remembered to pull a pair out for Steve as well.