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

Fifty-Eight

"What the fuck is even going on with you and Brock?" Sam questioned, gritting his teeth and dramatically tilting his hands this way and that -- as though that was going to help his gaming abilities.

"Yeah," Clint joined in, leaning forward in his seat on the futon. Aggressively hitting the controller buttons, he asked, "Are you two a thing or something?"

Even though neither were looking at Steve, he was positive that they still knew that Steve was blushing. Especially when he stuttered, "Noth, nothing. We're just, just fr-friends."

"Yeah, okay," Sam sarcastically agreed while Clint scoffed, "Bullshit."

Then, Clint added, "Like how you and Bucky were --"

Steve was grateful for Sam, who happened to elbow Clint sharply in his ribs. Sure, it might've been a little ridiculous to still be heartbroken. And yes, there might've been people who thought that Steve was just moping around. But Steve couldn't speed up the process. No matter how hard he tried.

Sheepishly and sincerely, Clint apologized, "Dude, I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Yeah, and what else is new?" Steve teased, letting Clint know that it was all good between them. Steve had spent enough time around the other blond to know that Clint didn't have a mean bone in his body. It was also clear that Clint just didn't think a lot of the time before he spoke.

Playfully, Clint rolled his eyes. Then he ended both Steve's and Sam's avatars' lives. Sam complained, "C'mon, dude!"

Of course, Clint only maniacally laughed. Sam slumped in his seat while Steve simply set his controller on top of the mini fridge. Taking a moment, Steve just allowed himself to feel content in the moment. Even though it was Bucky's dorm. And even though the dorm held both good -- the many nights wrapped up in each other -- and, unfortunately, bad -- finding the delivery girl. Steve was determined to focus on the now.

However, life didn't seem to ever work out in Steve's favor.

Especially now. As Bucky walked into his dorm room, completely unanticipated. After all, Bucky was supposed to be in a three hour lecture. Since that was his schedule, and had been for the start of the semester. So, yeah, Steve was extremely surprised to find the devilishly handsome brunet there.

Steve wasn't the only surprised one though. Bucky stood there, just staring at Steve. Bucky's eyes were wide, as though he genuinely wasn't expecting to see Steve there. Which wasn't that odd considering Steve had been working around Bucky's schedule to make sure that he wouldn't have to see Bucky. It was intentional.

Although Steve wanted to look away, he couldn't. It was as though Steve was trapped by the same steel-blue eyes that Steve had once wished to gaze forever into. Now, Steve wanted nothing more than to run out of the dorm as fast as possible.

Visibly, Bucky swallowed harshly and quickly licking his tongue over his still attractively red lips. Steve wished that he still didn't have the desire to sink his teeth into those damn-near edible lips. It would've been so much easier if Steve wasn't still undeniably attracted to Bucky. Yet...

"Hey," Bucky finally greeted Steve. There was a lilt to Bucky's usually calm tone that made Steve's brows briefly furrow. Steve wasn't used to Bucky sounding... nervous...? Was that what Bucky was? Nervous?

If Steve was judging just based off the awkward little wave that Bucky gave him, Steve would have to say, yes. Yes, Bucky was nervous. Which was quite odd. Steve was used to the charismatic Bucky that he had met. The Bucky that was the epitome of Etta James' At Last. The Bucky that shook up Steve's life and broke his heart.

The Bucky that Steve had been expecting.

As Bucky raked his hand through his tousled brown tresses, Steve allowed himself to look over the brunet. Dark circles under his beautiful blue eyes. Messy, patchy, stubble dusted along his prominent jaw. Wrinkled black tee sticking out from under a gray sweatshirt that seemed to have a recent coffee stain on his clothed chest.

In all honesty, Bucky was a mess.

Steve knew that he shouldn't have felt bad for Bucky. After all, his heart was the broken one. He was the one that felt as though his heart had been ripped out of his heart, dipped in duck sauce, and eaten by Bucky. No, not just eaten. Shared with the delivery girl. Lady and the Tramp style.

However, Steve couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible. Especially when just looking at Steve, no one would be able to tell just how broken he was. Steve was disheveled, but on the inside.

Almost aggressively, Bucky raked his hand through his hair and suggested, "I can leave." Nodding to himself, Bucky agreed with himself, "Yeah, I'm, I'm gonna leave."

Steve didn't want that though. So, Steve stood from the futon, "No, that's -- Buck, that's -- that's crazy. You don't have to leave."

"Are you..." Bucky paused. With an expression that perfectly showed his hopefulness and hopelessness, Bucky asked, "Are you sure? I can, I can leave. It's not a big deal."

"I'm... I'm sure," Steve reassured. Trying not to pay too close attention to the relief that spread across Bucky's expression, but also realizing that he had already failed since he had noticed it to begin with. Steve shoved his phone into his pocket as he offered, "I can leave."

"You don't have to," Bucky pleaded.

Steve worried his lower lip with his teeth as he agreed, "Okay."

With Bucky and Steve just standing there, both consciously looking and not looking at one another, it was clear that the pair had unfinished business. It wasn't just Steve and Bucky who felt this either. Soon enough, Sam was standing from the futon as he tugged Clint up too. Once he gained Steve's attention, Sam clarified, "I'm starving."

Steve's brows furrowed and he pointedly looked at Clint. Sam scoffed and answered, "You know how Clint is. Always hungry."

Clint seemed just as clueless as the other two boys. Well, actually Clint seemed more clueless than Steve and Bucky. At least Steve had the sense to realize what Sam was attempting.

Trying to get Clint on the same page as him, Sam elbowed Clint in his ribs. Again. With furrowed brows of his own, Clint glanced at Sam. Just the one glance was enough needed though, and recognition washed over Clint's face as he said, "Oh, yeah. Always hungry. Starving! In fact."

Before Steve could politely protest. Or even ask if he could join, Sam and Clint were out the door. Leaving Steve and Bucky alone. For the first time in almost two months.