Chapter 6- Make Me Feel Alive

Unsurprisingly to everyone involved, Steve was the first person out of the six to initiate contact after the lunch argument. Steve hated conflict between friends, even when he had been the partial cause of it. After their last class of the day, which they all shared together, Steve wandered up to them, an apology all but bubbling on his tongue.

"I'm sorry!" He blurted out before anybody could stop him. He directed it mostly at Natasha, for she had been the one to vocalise the group's concerns. Natasha just smiled.

"We're sorry, too, Steve. We talked it over and we're going to support you in this. There's nothing we want more for you than for you to be happy."

Bruce nodded. "And if something bad does happen from it, and I'm not saying we think it will, then we'll be there for you in whatever way you need us. Tony, don't," Bruce added, sensing Tony's quip hovering in the air. Tony pouted.

"Thank you all. I shouldn't have snapped at you guys, I should've known you were just looking out for me."

Clint clapped him on the shoulder. "You were feeling ganged up on. Everyone's been there."

"Tony, don't," Bruce scolded softly.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Can a guy not have any fun around here?"

Steve chuckled. "I certainly can," he said, smirking at Clint.

Clint frowned and Natasha gave him a pointed look. The boy watched Bruce smirk as he realised he was missing out on the joke. He waved his hand.

"I'm sure I don't even want to know."

Steve shrugged. "I'm not sure that you do."

"So," Thor smiled, "what are we doing tonight?"

"My English teacher," Tony replied. "Wait, nope. Wrong Avenger, sorry. That's you, right Steve?"

Steve hoped to distract from his blush by rolling his eyes.

Bruce smirked. "Wait, you're actually doing our English teacher tonight?"

"I'm not sure what will happen, but he invited me over to his house."

Everyone, surprisingly including Bruce, looked at him with a smirk.

"We all know what's going to be happening tonight."

Steve shrugged. "I don't know, Clint. Maybe, I don't know. I just…"

"Don't know?" Natasha supplied helpfully.

Steve nudged her into the wall gently, grinning from ear to ear. "I made a friend today, Nat. Did you see who I was sat with in History?"

"Who?" Steve had piqued her curiosity.

"A certain quarterback of the football team."

She blushed immediately. "What did you say to him?"

Thor laughed loudly. "It seems that only Sam Wilson can get our Nat to blush."

Clint tapped rapidly on his phone and grimaced. "Sorry, guys. Mom wants me home like…well, now. Something about my browser history."

Every other member of the group winced.

Tony clapped Clint's shoulder firmly. "Tough break, man. Good luck."

The others echoed similar sentiments.

Tony, Bruce and Thor were all riding together and headed to Thor's car, parting ways with Natasha and Steve.

If Steve was pressed, Natasha was probably his best friend out of the five of them, even though he was closer to each of them in a different way. Natasha, with the help of Bruce mostly, was his problem solver and he did his best to help her too. Which was why he spent the majority of History trying to gauge how Sam Wilson felt about her. From what Steve could gather, Sam was even more of a closed book than Nat herself was.

"So," She broached carefully, "are you ready for tonight?"

Steve exhaled deeply. "Sort of. We both know I haven't done anything like that. The furthest I've gotten is that drunken Spin The Bottle kiss with Tony."

Nat rolled her eyes. "And he wouldn't let any of us forget it for days."

"Weeks for me," Steve corrected. "He kept asking me if I kissed better than Leo Fitz."

Natasha raised her eyebrow. "Did he?"

Steve smirked, licking his lips. "Let's just say that it was his first kiss and he knew exactly what he was doing."

"We're digressing. But make sure to come back to that later. Are you…ready for everything that might come with today?"

Steve debated it briefly. "I think I'll know in the moment, if that moment actually happens. When I look at him, I think of how good it would be to be with him and it all just seems so simple. But thinking about it rationally, I have to put my mind before my…"

"Dick?"

"Thank you for finishing all of my sentences today, I really appreciate it," Steve deadpanned.

"Are you headed there now?"

Steve shook his head. "Definitely not. He's got…grading to do and I need to prepare for anything that might go on tonight."

Natasha elbowed him playfully. "Do you think he's going to grade you?"

He knew what she was trying to do. She was trying to get him to blush, to squirm. Well, not this time. Steve wouldn't allow it.

"Only if we fuck on his desk. A nighttime detour to the school sounds pretty naughty."

She faltered, but only momentarily. "Well played, Rogers."

He chuckled and slung an arm around her neck.

Before they parted ways, she turned to him seriously.

"Remember that we're all rooting for you. But, like Bruce said before, if anything does go not the way you planned it to, call one of us and we'll all be there for you, Steve."

Steve grinned. "Thank you."

She shrugged. "Whatever. It's not like any of us have got anything better to do on a school night. Enjoy your homework, Steve."

Steve instantly knew what she meant and from the moment she drove away, he was scared. Completely exhilarated, but also scared.

After intensely rushing around preparing everything he possibly could (Steve definitely didn't want to dwell on some of the things he had had to do), he was finally there.

At Bucky's house.

Where he lived.

Bucky had gotten Steve's email from the school system and set up an entirely new email just for their interactions. Using the school servers, of course, which Steve thought was smart because Tony and Nat could intervene if anything technical would threaten to catch them out. Steve knew that the less time he spent thinking about technology, the better. It just didn't agree with him. Bucky had emailed him a time and the address and Steve had stared at the message for longer than he would have cared to admit to anybody he didn't trust completely.

It was a small enough house, possibly two bedrooms Steve thought, and oddly it was perfect for Bucky. Steve could definitely imagine Bucky living there. And he was about to witness it firsthand.

Once he knocked on the door, that was. He couldn't quite bring himself to raise his knuckle to the glass in front of him. And it would turn out that he didn't have to.

Slowly, the door opened to reveal Bucky dressed in a simple combination of blue jeans and a short white tee that showed off his build. Steve felt slightly overdressed, but figured that it might not even matter what clothes he was wearing.

"Hey, Steve," Bucky chirped, a smile taking over his face upon seeing his student. His eyes quickly darted around for any of his nosy neighbors, but they didn't seem to be out in force at this time of the evening.

"Hey," Steve whispered, being quickly ushered in by Bucky.

"Can I get you anything? A drink, maybe?"

Steve shrugged. "Some water would be good."

"Sure you don't want a beer?"

He smirked. "Are you trying to trick me into underage drinking or get me drunk and take advantage? Either way, your morals are questionable at best."

Bucky laughed loudly, the way that he did when Steve made one of his jokes. He had Bucky's exact same sense of humor and it went a long way with the man. "Touché."

As Bucky went into the kitchen, Steve quickly followed, losing all of his anxieties just locking eyes with the former. Replacing that came the desire that always took hold of him whenever he and Bucky were in the same room. And pretty much whenever he thought about the older man.

Bucky filled the glass with water at the sink, Steve slipping his arms around his teacher's waist, pressing his lips lightly against the back of his neck. Bucky's grip tightened slightly around the glass as a shiver ripped through them. He felt the warmth of Steve's lips and immediately placed the glass on the counter, turning to face his student.

"Hi," he said, tongue brushing across Steve's parted lips.

"Hi," Steve replied breathily, intoxicating by Bucky's sheer closeness.

"We should sit and talk. You know, cover our bases," Bucky suggested, hands moving up Steve's trained arms.

Steve nodded in acquiescence, the words muddled in his brain as he began to focus on the pulse thrumming through his body and how it was increasing with every second that passed, every second that Bucky was connected to him. "Yeah…we should. Talk."

Bucky smirked, seeing how breathless Steve had become under his touch, and kissed Steve's mouth chastely. "Let's go then, Steve."

Steve's feet took him on autopilot to Bucky's living room, where he perched on the edge of the sofa. Bucky shook his head.

"Sit back, make yourself comfortable. I don't want you to feel awkward here, Steve. I want you to be able to come here and be yourself, be comfortable."

Steve nodded, leaning back on the piece of furniture. Bucky laughed at how rigid he still was. There would be time for rigidity later. But for now…

"So," Bucky "now that we've decided to make something of this, there have to be some ground rules. Right?"

"Right," Steve nodded.

"Obviously, no being together on school grounds. That's the important one."

"No telling anybody about us. As far as everybody else is concerned, we're both single."

Bucky thought about it. "Maybe you should take an interest in somebody. Just to throw people off the scent."

"This isn't CSI, people are used to me being single. The options for a gay guy in the senior class aren't exactly in the double digits."

"So I've noticed. That's why I snapped you up pretty quickly."

"Best decision of your life as far as I'm concerned."

"It's proving to be up there with the greats," Bucky smirked. "Well, I think that's it for the rules. That's all I can think of anyway."

"It's pretty straightforward, just no talking about us in school and no being together. We follow those and we'll be fine."

"In theory. Things could always go wrong."

Steve ran his hand up Bucky's thigh experimentally. "You really want to think about that right now?"

Bucky sat up straighter in his seat and let out a heavy breath. "Nope. You just keep your hand right there."

Steve tilted his head, realizing that he had all the power. "What? You don't want it…here?" Steve's hand found Bucky's crotch, cupping it firmly. Bucky sucked in a breath through his teeth and grinned.

"Damn, Steve."

Then he thought of something. Why was he allowing Steve to take control? It felt good, but their dynamic involved him taking over and not Steve. He was the teacher, after all.

Bucky expertly swung his leg across the other side of Steve, straddling him closely.

Steve, quickly getting over his surprise, ran his hands down Bucky's back and settled on his ass, pulling him closer still. "For god's sake, Mrs. Robinson. Here we are. You got me into your house. You give me a drink. You... put on music. Now you start opening up your personal life to me and tell me your husband won't be home for hours."

Bucky chuckled. "So?"

"Mrs. Robinson…you're trying to seduce me."

"Huh?"

"Aren't you?"

Bucky broke character and pressed his lips against Steve's firmly. "You bet I am, Rogers." Bucky kissed Steve deeply, enjoying the feeling that he had been craving since it happened for the first time.

Steve was feeling much of the same, the rough tenderness of Bucky's lips melting into his own, a fine embrace.

Bucky pushed his hips forward, trying to maintain the amount of friction that Steve's hand had been providing for him. Steve groaned at the feeling and pushed upwards, meeting Bucky in a shower of sparks that danced behind their eyes. Steve was almost delirious with pleasure and clenched a fistful of Bucky's hair in response to the sensation.

"Are we going to do this?" Steve whispered in between kisses.

Bucky yearned for Steve's lips to be back on his and almost moaned out his answer. "If you're sure you want to."

Steve nipped at Bucky's neck, sending the older man into a frenzy of sensation and pleasure. "I've never wanted anymore more in my whole life."

Bucky smirked. "Not even for me to assign Othello as the next drama reading?"

Steve blushed. "Shut up and take your clothes off."

James Barnes did not need to be told twice.

Steve and Bucky ended up on the floor.

A thin blanket wrapped around them from their stomachs down. Steve's head was rested on Bucky's shoulder and Bucky had his arm around his lover.

"Not to be a movie cliché right now, but that was…amazing."

Bucky chuckled. "I'm not surprised. I know how good I am and there was no way you were going to be bad."

Steve tilted his head. "It was my first time, I could've been terrible."

Bucky just stared at him. "Not likely."

Steve sighed and smiled widely. "I'm glad you were my first."

"That means a lot, Steve. I'm glad I could make it enjoyable for you."

Steve sat up, turning to face his teacher. "Not just enjoyable. It felt special. I felt special."

Bucky kissed him quickly. "Well, that's because you are special, Steve."

"That's not what I mean," Steve corrected quickly, "I just meant that I always thought about sex as something that's done out of necessity because it's a life experience. You made it so much more than that. I've never felt so connected to one person before."

Bucky was warmed by Steve's words. "I feel the same. I've had sex before, but nothing ever like that. Sure, other guys were more experienced, but you made me feel things. There was passion and fire and everything that you read about in every great piece of romantic literature."

"You know, up until this very moment, I was never one-hundred percent sure if we made the right choice here. With us. Now I know that we have."

"Damn right we have. Our first test is tomorrow, though. How am I going to look at you in the same way as I do the other students?"

Steve shrugged. "Just…do it, I guess."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Okay, Nike, I could just do that. But there's just one little thing you're forgetting. I haven't literally been inside the other students."

A blush rolled across Steve's cheeks. "Okay, still, just teach as you always do. I may or may not decide to go commando tomorrow."

Bucky threw his hands up. "See, why? You had to go and say something like that. Now I'll be thinking about it."

Steve stood up and winked. "That's the point, Buck."

Bucky stared shamelessly at Steve's ass as he walked away, feeling nothing but happiness about their current situation. As memories of just minutes before trickled through his mind, he had a good feeling that they were going to be alright. They could do it, they could survive the next few months until Steve graduated.

Couldn't they?