If how the day went was based on how the night went, Steve would've been put through the wringer. Luckily for him though, it was a surprisingly good day. Not that he was a betting man, but he'd wager that it was, in no small part, because of Bucky.
Holding Bucky's hand in between classes; their fingers laced. Bucky surprising Steve at their locker by poking his sides to make him squirm. Or wrapping Steve's petite frame up in his arms and lifting him off the ground, just to hear Steve laugh. Slinging his arm around Steve's shoulders, bringing him close to his frame because he knew that Steve ran cold due to poor circulation. And that wasn't even taking into account all the shared kisses.
"Okay, I got one," Bucky announced a few feet from their locker, causing other students in the hallway to snap their attention to him.
Steve was already standing there, carelessly shoving his books in his bag. He quirked a brow at his boyfriend, wondering what he was talking about. They hadn't been discussing anything in particular prior to class. So, Steve stood there, waiting for Bucky to finish his thought.
Reaching over Steve's head for his own books on the top shelf, Bucky bit back his grin as he tried to tell Steve without bursting into a fit of giggles, "Okay."
Then, of course, he giggled and Steve turned to look up at him. Bucky pressed his lips together to control his laughter as he tried again, "Okay. What did one eye say to the other?"
"Um," Steve's brows furrowed and a smirk crossed his face. He thought for a moment before shrugging and caving, "I don't know. What?"
"'Don't. Look. Now,'" Bucky spoke slowly, really struggling to refrain from laughing, "'But there's something between us --'" a high-pitch giggle "'-- that smells.'"
"Oh my god," Steve groaned in embarrassment and nuzzled into Bucky's strong chest. Shaking his head, Steve proclaimed, "I'm in love with a dork."
At that, Bucky stopped getting his things around and sat his backpack on the floor so he could wrap his arms around Steve's frame. Kissing Steve's forehead before resting his cheek on the top of Steve's head, Bucky confirmed, "Yeah, you are. And I'm in love with --"
"Someone who's mature," Steve offered.
"Nah," Bucky giggled and shifted his head. Burying his face in Steve's floppy blond hair, Bucky softly corrected, "A stick in the mud."
"Oh," Steve turned his head and blew a raspberry in the air in distaste. Poking Bucky's side to make him giggle, Steve playfully pulled away and exaggerated, "I take it all back! I'm not in love with you! Nope, not at --"
Bucky pressed his lips to Steve's. Which was precisely the best way to stop Steve from talking. Steve eased into Bucky's arms again and held his lean body to his own petite body. This was worth it. Worth being excommunicated. Worth being nothing more than a footnote in his family tree. Bucky was more than worth it.
Speaking against Steve's lips, Bucky admitted, "I'd ask you to just stay the night, but you know how the 'rents have been ever since we made it official."
"Yeah, I know," Steve scoffed, turning around to slide the straps of his backpack on his shoulders.
Their weekly Friday sleepovers used to be something that Steve looked forward to every week. When they were growing up, it was a gift to Steve. He saw it that way, at least. Even then he had a crush on Bucky and adored waking up in a sleeping bag next to his.
Once they started dating, they had still kept up the ritual. For the most part, the sleepovers had continued in the same stride as the past ones did. They watched a movie or binged a show. Pigged out on junk food that Thor would've had a conniption over. And the sleepovers would've been allowed to continue in Bucky's room, if Winifred Barnes hadn't walked in on the pair hungrily making out on Bucky's twin bed with 80 pound Stevie straddling her son.
From then on out, all other sleepovers required the boys to sleep in the living room. Which wasn't ideal with how early George Barnes woke up in the morning and how much noise Winifred Barnes made as she got breakfast around. Not to mention how the other household members were. It only reminded Steve of how things had been before, how much better they were since they started dating, and how much he wished for privacy at the Barnes' house.
As Steve waited for Bucky to slip on his brown leather jacket and his own backpack, something in his periphery caught his attention. It was a flash of a white lab coat. No one wore those here. A chill ran down his spine as a deep voice taunted, "You think that you can run from fate, junge? That you can protect the dirty-blooded mortal with your broken body?"
Feeling breath on the back of his neck, Steve's eyes widened and his body stood as ramrod straight as a person with his severe condition could. Goose bumps blossomed along his skin. No matter how much he wanted to turn to see if anyone was actually there, he didn't. If there wasn't, he'd seem crazy. If it was Alveus, like before, he'd seem even crazier.
The slam of the locker door caused Steve to jerk, and Bucky chuckled. Until he realized Steve's skittish state. Instantly, Bucky stepped into his role as Protective Boyfriend™️ and placed a comforting hand on Steve's shoulder as he cautiously questioned, "Stevie?"
"I'm fine," Steve reflexively replied, avoiding looking Bucky in the eye. Instead, keeping his focus on the short, bald man with a long lab coat and small circle frame glasses. He vaguely remembered seeing him in his nightmare. Steve knew to keep an eye on him. Whether the man was actually there or not.
"Steve," Bucky firmly stated. A tone that was reserved for when Steve was being a reckless putz and on the possible cusp of harming himself in some way.
Quirking a brow, Steve leveled A Look at him before declaring, "James."
Shaking his head, a smile started tugging at the corners of his red lips as he sighed and pulled Steve into him. Deciding to wrap his arm along Steve's shoulders, Bucky held him close and kissed Steve's temple as he suggested, "Let's go, yeah?"
Mutely, Steve nodded and wrapped his arm around Bucky's waist. Nuzzling his face into his boyfriend's strong frame, letting Bucky turn them around and start leading them down the hallway towards the exit. Not for the first time, Steve realized that he was pretty lucky when it came to James Buchanan Barnes. He didn't know what he'd do without him and he had no intentions in ever finding out.
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The Chilling Adventures of Steve Rogers: Book One (Magical Hydra Horror AU)
Fanfiction"As though his feet were controlled by something other than himself, Steve stepped out of the trees. Not paying attention to any of the other figures standing as still as statues, Steve crossed the well-lit area. His eyes roamed over the boy. He was...
