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At first Bucky doesn’t pay any attention to his roommate. He doesn’t care that his father says becoming friends with your roommates is essential to your college experience. He and Steve are too different for that. Steve is an athlete and Bucky is the biggest nerd on the planet. Steve is as straight as they come with his perfect British girlfriend and Bucky is so queer it could be seen from space. They clearly don't run in the same circles at all. And it's fine, truly. They say hi to each other when they enter the room, Steve doesn’t leave his dirty clothes on the floor, and he never brings his friends over without asking Bucky first. Bucky gives him the same courtesy.
Everything changes a few months into the academic year. Bucky comes home one night after a party with his friends Carol and Maria, his lips still a little red and bruised from the guy he made out with biting them. Steve is sitting on the floor, resting his head against the bathroom door. His hands are shaking and his face is wet with tears.
"Hey," Bucky says softly.
Steve immediately wipes away his tears. "Sorry," he says quickly.
"What are you sorry for, letting me witness you have feelings?" Bucky asks. "Seriously, though, what's the matter?"
Steve swallows. "Some of the guys on the team made some comments. It's stupid," he says.
"It's not stupid if it hurts you," Bucky says. "Can I sit down next to you?"
Steve nods so Bucky gets down on the floor and sits down, his left arm pressed against Steve’s right.
"I know it's like a thing that guys say a bunch of dumb shit and then we all have to laugh it off but I think that's bullshit. If it hurts, it hurts, you know?" he says. "What did they say, if you don't mind me asking?"
"They talked shit about my Ma, about what she had to think about me. Asked if she wouldn't be disappointed having a queer kid like me…" Steve sighs. "She's… she's ill you know? It's bad enough knowing I could lose her, I don't need a bunch of assholes saying shit about her. She has always accepted me. Mostly. She didn't really like my girlfriend but Pegs is old news anyway," he rambles on, "and Ma just isn't used to posh people. It's never been a sexuality thing or anything like that. She has known I am bi since I was like fourteen."
Impulsively Bucky takes Steve’s hand and squeezes it. "They are assholes. Your Ma sounds amazing though. Thank you for telling me," he says.
"I always wanted to talk to you more," Steve says earnestly.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"I made a lot of assumptions about you, based on the fact that you are on the football team. I now realize that wasn't fair of me," Bucky admits. "You're a good guy, I knew that much already. I'd… I'd like to talk to you more."
"Cool," Steve says. He pauses for a moment. "How was your party?"
"Good. I made out with this guy, he was half-decent at kissing and it's always good to see my friends," Bucky says.
"You deserve better than half-decent," Steve says, sounding incredibly earnest again.
"Yeah?" Bucky asks. "I feel like I can't be too picky though. The pool of guys to make out with is small enough already."
"I'd make out with you. I am known to kiss well," Steve says.
"Yeah? Prove it," Bucky says, his heart beating faster and threatening to escape his chest.
Steve shifts and takes Bucky’s face between his hands. First he presses their lips together gently but he quickly deepens the kiss, licking and nipping at Bucky’s mouth to demand access. Bucky gives it freely, parting his lips so Steve’s tongue can slip inside. He lets Steve lead the kiss, lets their tongues move together. It's so good.
"So?" Steve asks when they part for air.
Bucky bites his lip in a way he hopes is cute. "I think we need to kiss again, have a fair sample size," he says.
Steve nods. "Yes, scientific research. Very important," he says with a faux-serious expression.
They kiss again and again and again.
Steve is the best damn kisser Bucky has ever locked lips with. He hopes they can keep trying this. For research. Obviously.