Jump then Fall: Falling Series 2 (Modern Stucky College AU)

Five

A little more content than he had been in a few months, Steve entered his dorm room a little more cheery than usual. He didn't even mind when he found Bucky sitting on his bed. Instead, he removed his bag and teased, "Do you just live here now?"

"Is that an invitation?" Bucky tantalizing replied, wiggling his eyebrows.

Playfully, Steve rolled his eyes and slipped off his sneakers. Removing his jacket, he was quick to hang it up on the hook. Although his back was towards the bed, he could feel eyes on him. Once he turned back around, Steve's suspicions were confirmed as he found Bucky looking at him. As soon as their gazes locked, however, Bucky averted his eyeline to the textbook in his lap.

As Steve brought his bag over to his bed, Bucky couldn't help but glance over at him. That was until Sam threw a big pink eraser at him, bouncing off his chest and landing on his open book. Confused, Bucky turned his attention to Sam and scoffed, "Hey!"

"You're a shit tutor, you know that?" Sam teasingly accused.

Steve chuckled under his breath while he took a seat on the other end of his bed. Putting as much distance between himself and Bucky as he could in that moment. Of course, when Bucky smartly remarked, "Maybe you're just a shit pupil," Steve could only laugh.

"Rude," Sam feigned offense and threw his pencil at Bucky.

"Says the person throwing things," Bucky scoffed.

Pausing, Steve turned to watch the bickering pair. Completely amused as they, not only, kept throwing things at each other, but kept arguing as well. After a moment, Bucky turned to look at Steve and questioned, "What?"

"Nothing," Steve casually and sincerely replied, going back to removing his items from his messenger bag.

As Steve pulled out his sketchbook, Bucky started, "Hey."

"What?" Steve asked, hoping that Bucky wasn't going to bring up the fact that it wasn't the sketchbook that he had gifted him for Christmas. The very sketchbook that was buried in the bottom of Steve's desk drawer.

Bucky picked at a loose string on his jeans and questioned, "Do you have any plans this weekend?"

"Actually," Steve perked. He climbed off his bed and headed over to his jacket. Reaching into his pocket, he took out the neon pink flyer and went back to his bed.

Climbing back on the bed, Steve eagerly handed the flyer to Bucky. Bucky unfolded the paper with a curious smirk on his face. A curious smirk that only grew as he asked, "You asking me to the Valentine Mixer, Stevie?"

Despite his best efforts, Steve still blushed. After all the time that Steve had been trying to build up some type of immunity to Bucky's flirtatious antics, Steve still couldn't help the way that his body naturally reacted. So, Steve tried to hide his blush while correcting, "Um, no. Actually this girl -- Sharon -- she invited me."

"Yeah?" Bucky asked. There was a teasing tone to his voice and Steve looked over at him, especially as he continued, "She hot?"

Shaking his head, Steve rolled his eyes, but the smile stayed on his face. Steve informed Bucky, "Sharon, as in Sharon Carter."

Bucky quirked a brow and glanced over at Sam. Sam simply shrugged and as Bucky turned his gaze back to Steve, Bucky shrugged too, "Is that supposed to... I don't know...?"

"Well, she knows you," Steve sighed, not wanting to be annoyed at Bucky's obliviousness. Then, Steve added, "She's Professor Carter's niece though, if that means anything."

"Really," Bucky's brows arched with renewed interest, and again, Steve rolled his eyes. Bucky looked back down at the flyer for the mixer, "Why'd she ask you?"

Scoffing, Steve didn't feel bad in the slightest that he wasn't using Bucky's gift as he opened up the sketchbook that wasn't from Bucky.

"That's not what I meant," Bucky backtracked. Trying to explain himself, "I just, uh... How'd did you even meet? Let alone get to the point where she'd ask you to a Valentine Mixer." Bucky flipped the flyer over and found Sharon's phone number. Bucky's brows were furrowed as he stated the obvious, "I mean, you're gay."

"We have Contemporary Art together," Steve shrugged, trying not to take Bucky's questions too seriously, and absolutely failing. Although, yes, Steve was gay, it still felt like a personal dig at him. Coming from Bucky made it feel even worse. Steve still admitted, "She knows that we're friends. Was asking about you."

Since Bucky was silent, Steve glanced over at him. Bucky was worrying his lower lip with his teeth while looking down at the flyer. Steve wondered if he should've said anything at all. But then Bucky repeated, "So, she's hot?"

"Dude," Sam scoffed, crumpling up a piece of paper and tossing it at Bucky. Steve appreciatively glanced over at Sam. Once again, thankful to have Sam as, not only his roommate, but as his friend.

"But we're going, right?" Bucky eagerly questioned, clearly enthusiastic about the prospect.

Steve shrugged. A large smile crossed his face as he said, "I don't see why not."

Bucky looked over at Sam then. Brows arched to see what Sam thought. Sam rubbed his hand over his face as he agreed, "Okay."

"Yes!" Bucky theatrically pumped his fist in the air in victory.

In his dramatics, Bucky looked over at Steve with an eager, pleased grin on his face. There was something there in Bucky's expression though. Something a bit off. If Steve had to put his finger on it, he'd wager it to be self-doubt.