It's always you ~ stony University

Chapter 7

Steve
Tony had been ignoring me all morning. His eyes looked red and kind of puffy when I passed him this morning, and he left the room in a hurry, his laces undone. I was worried about him, but tried to push the feeling away. I called Bucky and told him to meet me at the canteen area, since my normal breakfast partner was missing. He was happy to meet me, saying we needed to talk. I shuddered at the words. The memory of Tony's lost and alone voice last night still echoed, almost haunting me. At the canteen the look of annoyance and anger on Bucky's face was obvious. I walked quietly over, and stood next to him, trying not to bring attention to myself.

"Hey buck, what's wrong?" He turned to face me, and looked me up and down.

"You better have a really good reason as to why you ditched me last night Steve."

The harshness in his voice made me flinch, but I stood my ground. "Bucky I decided to spend the night watching films. I didn't want to ditch you I just decided it would be calming-"

"You ditched me for nerd boy. Seriously? I'm your best friend you don't just ditch me like that."

I groaned. "Dude chill out. It was one night. I'm allowed to have other friends right? Or are you gonna be toxic and not let me speak to anyone else?" He looked at me with those sorrowful eyes. "Yeah you're right. I know I know. Sorry. How was the film?"

I looked at him, and shuddered, the only answer he needed. He laughed, and patting my back he turned around to talk to other people at the table. I sat down and put my head in my hands, the worry started back up. I felt a hand on my back. It was Peggy, I'd seen her around before, Bucky had introduced me to her, I think in the hopes of love, but she just wasn't really my type.

I turned round and smiled at her, she smiled back, with a warm comforting look that pushed my worry away. "You okay?"

"Yep, thanks, just didn't sleep well." Nodding again she turned around to another girl at the table. "Hey class starts in 5 you coming?" I looked round across the canteen to see Tony, but he wasn't anywhere in sight. "Steve! For god's sake wake up idiot." I jerked my head up to the voice. "Hm yeah."

Bucky pulled on my arm. "Lesson?" I shoved him away and smiling walked down the corridor, listening to everyone around me chatting excitedly.

~later~
"Hey Nat, can you pass me another drink?" She groaned and got up mumbling about how lazy Bucky was, but got the drink anyway.

We were sitting cross-legged on Bucky's room floor, his roommate was barely ever there, so we had the most space in his dorm. I beat Bucky for the 5th time in a row on mario kart. 
"Oh shitting hell Steve, when did you get so good at mario kart?"

I laughed smugly, and Natasha patted my back, "Thank you for beating my so very vain boyfriend."

"мошенничать" Nat and I turned to each other, and in sync said "Sour loser." Bucky whacked my arm. I understood very very little of Russian, but spending so much time around Bucky, I picked up a few words. Bucky pouted, and Nat leaned over and kissed his cheek. He licked her face in return and a full blown tickle fight started.

I leaned backwards away from the lovebirds, and checked my phone again. There was a text from Tony. I rushed to click on it.
Tony: hi
Steve: heya
Steve: how'd you sleep?
Tony: fine. What about you?
Steve:hm not that well actually
Tony:cool. Sorry gtg bye
The little green dot next to his name disappeared, signalling he had turned off his phone. I sighed. Something was definitely off with him.

"Hey Stevie, we're planning to go to get ice cream, you coming?" 

"Hm. Maybe not, I think I'll go to the gym." They nodded and went on their own way, arms linked, leaving me to do my own thing.

Taking a walk to my own dorm quite a way away in the next building over, I hoped to bump into Tony. Reaching the dorm I had no such luck, and pulling on gym clothes I headed outside.

Fortunately there was a gym on campus and today it was empty. About an hour in, I felt someone watching me, and cautiously turned I came face to face with none other than Tony.

"Hey, I didn't realize you knew there was a gym." Light humour to start off an awkward conversation. He snorted quietly and gave me a light smile. "Funny, real funny."

"So um I was wondering if you wanted to get something to eat-"

"I'm really sorry Tony but today I have a teacher catch-up thingy."

His eyes widened. "Oh sorry sorry I didn't know." He looked so nervous and afraid again. It was strange.

"How about you buy pizza and save some for me?" He laughed. "Not sure I can do that but okay."

~again later~
Heading out of the room with my head spinning I welcomed the thought of pizza and maybe another film. My phone pinged, and by the sound I knew immediately it was Tony.

Tony: hey can you come down to the lab in C4 please, there's pizza!!!
Steve: yep okay

On entering the lab I was shocked. There was chemicals and mixtures everywhere. In front of me, Tony and another guy were excitedly chatting about something. "Ahem." They both swung their heads round, Tony's eyes lighting up for just a second.

"You found it! I didn't know if you even knew what building the labs were in." There was a cheeky smile on his face, the fear from earlier gone. I rolled my eyes.

"This is Bruce. He's awesome. The teachers let him use this lab and he's letting me join too." Bruce smiled kinda awkwardly at me, nodding his head. "Yep that's me." He stuck his hand out. "I'm Steve, it's lovely to meet you."

"Pizza!" I looked over to Tony again, he was leaning against one of the lab tables, a piece of pizza in his hand, his hair swept across his forehead, a thin layer of sweat glistening. "Are you sure it's safe being that close to all these chemicals?" Behind me I heard Bruce snort. Tony stuck his tongue out at us. "Yes it's okay to eat. Jeez don't be a baby Steve. But if it concerns you so much don't eat it I don't care."

Grinning, I grabbed a piece and sat up on one of the tables, listening to the music playing in the background, some ACDC mix, and watched Bruce and Tony do more work and experiments with Tony occasionally eating pizza or having his coffee.

And hello again everyone. Honestly if you're still here after my lack of updates I'm shocked. Seriously. And thank you for sticking with my mess of myself. Also, 1.2k reads and 79 votes thank you so freaking much!! Sounds so little but it means the world. Keep being chill dudes and have a good day y'all.
Ali :))