Call It What You Want: Home Series 1 (Trans!Steve and Pan!Bucky Summer AU)

Six

With someone shaking his shoulder, Steve awoke to realize that he had fallen asleep. Steve's eyelids fluttered open to find that they were pulled over on the side of the road. Alarmed from his grogginess, Steve sat up straight and looked over at Natasha to find that she was visibly annoyed.

"What's going on?" Steve asked, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands and blinked his eyes. Stretching, Steve noticed Bucky's reflection in the side mirror as he leaned against the side of the Bronco.

"Bucky," Natasha said in distaste before continuing, "Said that we should call our parents to let them know that we've arrived safely because there might not be reception on the mountain."

"They live on a reception-free mountain?" Steve questioned, finding the idea oddly appealing.

"Apparently," Natasha sighed in annoyance.

Deciding not to waste too much time, Steve pulled out his cellphone. Foregoing calling Sarah, Steve sent a quick text that was sweet and to the point. Making sure that the message was delivered, Steve slid his phone into his cargo shorts pocket and noticed that Natasha made no move to message Ivan.

"Aren't you going to --"

"No," Natasha curtly answered.

"Oh, c'mon," Steve nudged Natasha, "Just a quick --"

"'Hey, I didn't die'?"

Steve gave her a pointed look, but Natasha rolled her eyes. Feeling Steve watching her, Natasha sighed and admitted, "I posted on instagram. If he cares to look, it's right there that I arrived safely."

Sighing, Steve decided not to say anything else. Then, Natasha moved onto her knees and crawled over Steve to call out the window, "Let's get this show on the road."

Bucky waited for Natasha to move back to her seat before he climbed back into the cab of the Bronco. Cheerily, Bucky asked, "You get a hold of your parents?"

"He did," Natasha answered. When she noticed sympathy crossing his expression, Natasha snipped at Bucky, "Can we go? Like, now?"

Steve closed his eyes, trying to remain levelheaded, Bucky started the engine of the Bronco and cautiously pulled onto the nearly deserted road. And all those back-road-road-trip-cabin-in-the-woods-inbred-cannibal movies flashed through Steve's mind, causing Steve to shift uncomfortably. Bucky shifted then too, as though he was trying to give Steve more room. Which Steve was extremely grateful for Bucky's consideration.

"So," Bucky started, breaking the silence as he turned down another road, "How did you two meet?"

"One of the faculty picnics at the college that our dads work at," Steve answered since Natasha had decided not to.

"That's pretty cool," Bucky politely said.

Steve looked down at his lap. Pulling at his shorts so they'd be further down on his slender legs, and looked over at Bucky when he cleared his throat. Shifting in his seat as well, Bucky conversationally asked, "You go to the same school then, yeah?"

"Yeah," Steve confirmed and added, "We're going to be seniors this fall."

"So, you must be excited, huh?" Bucky smirked at Steve, causing Steve's heart to stutter in his chest.

"Hella excited," Natasha stated, keeping her gaze on her phone, "Wait. No. What's more than, 'hella'?"

Eagerly, Steve averted his gaze from Bucky's mesmerizing eyes and answered Natasha, "It'd probably be, 'af'."

As soon as the words left his mouth however, Steve regretted it. He didn't want to sound stupid in front of someone that he just met. Especially not an attractive someone.

"That'd be my bet," Bucky agreed though, pleasantly surprising Steve and instantly gaining his attention once again.

Steve pressed his lips together in hopes of suppressing his grin, but knew that he was failing miserably. So, Steve faced the front again and decided to ask, "What about you?" Once the words were out of his mouth, Steve realized that they didn't make any sense. Steve elaborated, "Do you... um... go to high school?"

"Um, no," Bucky admitted, "I'm a junior in college."

Steve's eyes widened in surprise at that, causing Bucky to softly chuckle and mock himself, "I know, I have a bad case of baby-face."

"'Baby-face,' my ass," Natasha scoffed. Calling Bucky out on his supposed bullshit as she claimed, "You're only a year older than me. You can't have, 'baby-face,' when you're still a baby."

Biting his lower lip to keep himself from laughing, Steve gazed down at his lap. But then his brows furrowed and he questioned, "How are you a junior in college if you're only eighteen?"

Shifting in his seat, Bucky confessed, "I graduated high school early."

"Oh," Steve lamely replied, instantly regretting it. Especially after finding out that Bucky was practically a genius. Steve felt even more stupid in the moment. And, as he often did, Steve wanted nothing more than to just disappear.

"Yeah, oh," Bucky agreed though. Steve gave Bucky a sideways glance to find Bucky smirking.

"Nerd," Natasha teased, putting her phone away when she earned a chuckle from Bucky.

A chuckle that was so musical and heartfelt that Steve just sat there for a moment, looking up at Bucky. A small, sweet smile was on Steve's lips and he knew that he was done for.