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

Twenty-Six

To no one's surprise, Steve had decided to stay during Bucky's tutoring session. Sitting there on the futon, sketching, while Bucky and Gemma sat at Bucky's desk. Occasionally, Bucky would glance over at Steve and give him a playful wink. Which only caused Steve's cheeks to redden and hide in his sketchbook.

"Is this right?" Gemma asked, looking up from her notebook to Bucky for reassurance.

"Hmm?" Bucky hummed, turning his attention from Steve to the curvy girl. Ducking his head to look at the notebook, Bucky's brows furrowed as he said, "Um... No."

"Oh," Gemma's brows also furrowed as she looked down at the notebook, completely confused. Which honestly broke Steve's heart, since the pretty strawberry blonde was obviously genuinely trying and doing her best.

"But it's a great start," Bucky reassured with a small smile and a platonic pat on Gemma's back, before jumping right back into his lesson.

Steve already knew that Bucky was intelligent. Hell, it could've been argued that Bucky was a genius. And Steve was more than willing to play the proud boyfriend. Obviously. Especially when Steve attempted to understand the difficult calculus equation, but was unable to follow anything that Bucky was saying. So, all the kudos to Gemma.

As Gemma took another whack at the calculus equation, Bucky looked over at Steve. Even giving Steve's sketchbook a pointed look. Clearly wanting to see what Steve was currently working on. Shyly smirking, Steve turned the sketchbook so Bucky could see the rough sketch.

Furrowing his brows, trying to get a better look at the sketch of himself, Bucky mouthed, "Is that me?"

Blushing, Steve nodded his confirmation and quickly turned the sketchbook away when Gemma straightened out in her seat. Gemma set her pencil down and said, "Okay. How about now?"

Giving Steve another wink, Bucky directed his attention to the notebook again. Carefully, he read over the equation and enthusiastically confirmed, "Yeah! You got it!"

"Finally," Gemma exaggerated. Giggling, Gemma looked over at Bucky and said, "You know, you should be the professor."

That set off alarm bells in Steve's head. It wasn't the compliment, necessarily. It was the tone. Immediately, Steve snapped his gaze to the pair at the desk. Gemma was staring at Bucky with obvious heart eyes while she leaned towards him.

"Nah," Bucky smirked as he protested her compliment, seemingly unaware of the flirtatious nature of his pupil. Playfully, Bucky said, "I'd probably lose my mind if I did this for a living."

"But you're so good at it," Gemma commented.

Steve's grip on his sketchbook tightened as he tried -- and very obviously failed -- to not watch the strawberry blonde flirt with his boyfriend. Steve knew that he was being ridiculous. After all, Bucky had made it abundantly clear to Steve that he wanted to be with him. Only him. And that Bucky was going to do everything in his power to not hurt Steve again. But...

"You're just saying that," Bucky feigned humbleness as he grinned over at Gemma.

"I'm really not," Gemma reassured. Leaning in even more, Gemma set her hand on Bucky's thigh, "I bet you're good at lots of things."

In that moment, Steve felt as though he could rip that thick sketchbook in half without even meaning to. However, he wasn't focused on the sketchbook in his hands. Nor was he interested in the way that his tight grip was causing the book pages to litter his hands with small paper cuts. Nope. In that moment, Steve could only focus on the pair at the desk. More specifically, the way that Gemma's hand was creeping up Bucky's thigh.

"I mean," Bucky nervously chuckled, "I'd like to think that I am."

Steve held his breath as he contemplated whether he should say something. Possibly something along the lines of, get your hands off my boyfriend. Or perhaps, didn't your mother teach you to keep your hands to yourself? Maybe even a simple, are you lost?

Before Steve could think of the perfect response to get Gemma to remove her hand from Bucky's thigh, Bucky took Gemma's hand in his and nonchalantly removed it from his own body. Steve knew that he had probably been overreacting. But he'd be lying if he said that he wasn't relieved by Bucky's actions. Relieved and ridiculously turned on by Bucky's monogamous behavior, Steve blushed when Bucky fondly glanced over at him.

Gemma must have noticed the way that Bucky had been looking at Steve because a flash of recognition crossed her face. Practically cringing at the way that she had acted too. Which made Steve feel a little better about her failed flirtations. At least now she knew. And if she hadn't put it all together in that moment, Steve was sure that the adoring wink that Bucky gave Steve was answer enough.  Steve knew that it sure as hell was answer enough for himself.