“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me right now. It’s freezing outside and there obviously isn’t a fire so would you please let us back in already?”
Steve mentally agrees with the disgruntled boy’s argument. He knows it’s a futile protest but it doesn’t mean he isn’t irritated with the current turn of events. See in accordance with the city’s safety procedures, all the college dorms had been outfitted with numerous fire alarms. And sure they were great in terms of security but they were also ridiculously sensitive. And when Steve said sensitive he meant sensitive. They had been known to be triggered by people making toast or taking long showers.
Once the fire alarm went off, there was nothing that could be done except wait outside for fire department to show up and turn off the alarm system. Until then you had to wait outside and pray that you didn’t freeze.
Today’s fire alarm seemed to be a false alarm and judging by the sheepish residents from one of the apartment complexes, it looked like someone had triggered it by cooking. Steve rolls his eyes and shivers, wishing he had time to grab a coat.
The alarm had gone off in the middle of the night and Steve had rushed out the door without grabbing much else than his keys and phone. Except that night, he had been working on a paper for college and had been totally exhausted at the end of the day, barely managing to change into a pair of soft sleeping pants before collapsing into his bed. Which was why he was outside turning into Frosty the Snowman.
Around him, some of the other residents looked as pissed off as he felt. One of the girls from the floor above him, Natasha, he thinks her name is, is scowling with her arms crossed in front of her chest. She’s better dressed than he is, with a hoodie and track pants, but to her side, Sam (at least he thinks that’s his name, he’s totally not been eavesdropping when he sits alone at the café) is wearing only a pair of boxers and Steve can’t help but feel sorry for him because it is really, really cold.
The security guard waves his hands at the complainant and explains that as much as he wants to let them back in, he really can’t do anything until the fire brigade gets here and it is for their own safety. Steve ticks his name off the checklist and rubs his arms in the futile hope of warming up. His other roommates are out for the night so they’ve missed all the action, something Steve envies quite a bit at this moment.
He’s rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet when a familiar voice calls out to him.
“Stevie?”
Steve turns around and sees Bucky striding up to him, wearing his Resident Assistant name tag.
“Bucky? Hey I didn’t know you were on duty today.”
Smiling at him, Bucky replies, “I’m not. Heard the commotion and came to see what was going on. And then I saw you doing your best impression of Old Man Frost and came to say hi.”
Steve smiles sheepishly as another shiver wracks his skinny frame. Noting this, Bucky frowns and shrugs off his hoodie he was wearing, handing it wordlessly to Steve.
“Aw, Bucky no, it’s fine. I’m sure we’ll be allowed back in soon.”
“Nothing doing Steve. You’re practically freezing out here and don’t think I don’t remember that you get asthma attacks.” And with that he bundles Steve into his hoodie. Steve resolutely doesn’t burrow into the warm fleece lined material until Bucky has turned around, taking in what he suspects is Bucky’s own scent and cologne.
Bucky’s chatting with the security guard when the fire truck roars into the parking lot. A couple of firefighters rush into the building while another lifts a giant fan and places it at the entrance of the building. Bucky comes back to stand next to Steve and he absently mutters, “You know, there was a point in my life where I wanted to be a firefighter?”
“Really? So what stopped you?”
Steve smiles bitterly, “Come on Buck, I mean, who’s going to want to recruit a firefighter who’s going to have an asthma attack in the middle of the fire.”
Bucky just leans closer to Steve and he allows himself to momentarily bask in his warmth. But as the minutes tick on, Steve can’t help but wonder why they aren’t being allowed back into the building. Apparently Bucky feels the same because his brows furrow and he says, “Come on, I want to know what’s going on.” And he loosely grabs hold of Steve’s wrist and leads him through the crowd.
It turns out that the same genius flat that had set off the fire alarm had also tried to cover up the alarm with a sock and had somehow managed to damage the circuitry. The alarm would now not go off and the fire fighters couldn’t allow anyone back into the building as it was a security issue.
Steve wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. He was so tired, he could literally feel himself swaying. It’s when his eyes are fluttering shut that Bucky notices and grins. “Paper due for a class?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“We’ve all been there punk.” Bucky looks over at Steve once more before raking a hand through his hair. “Come on Stevie, you look like you’re going to fall over. You can stay the night at my place.”
Startled, Steve immediately explains that he wouldn’t want to impose and it was nice of Bucky to offer.
Bucky grins and throws an arm over Steve’s shoulders, which he suspects more than anything is to make sure that Steve doesn’t fall over. “You’re not going to be imposing, I wouldn’t have invited you if I didn’t want to.” He all but drags Steve to his apartment and unlocks the door with one hand, never once letting go of Steve which is a good thing because Steve can feel the exhaustion setting into his bones.
When they get in, Steve looks at Bucky’s apartments. He’s been here three weeks, but he’s been too busy with classes and life to get to see Bucky too much. His apartment is more decorated than Steve’s with touches of home dotted throughout. Steve can make out tickets of trips Bucky’s been on, along with a few photos and some posters pinned up. There are stacks of books and receipts and he notes with no small amusement, laundry on the table and the chairs.
“Uh, I’ve been meaning to clean, it isn’t always this messy, honest.” Bucky says embarrassedly and he lets go of Steve to push some of the clothes to the side.
Steve chuckles and says, “Honestly Buck, I don’t mind, my room’s pretty much the same. I like your room though, it’s got character.”
Some of the tension drains out of Bucky’s shoulders and he pulls out a sleeping bag from the cupboard. “My sister stayed over a couple of times.” He says, as a way of explanation.
Steve assumes he’ll be sleeping on the sleeping bag until Bucky starts to lie down on it. “Wait, Bucky, you’ve already done so much for me! I can’t turn you out of your bed too, it wouldn’t be right.”
“Relax punk, it’s just for a night. Besides you look like if a strong gust of wind hit you right now, you’d fall over. And what are friends for, am I right?”
Steve’s face must show his surprise, because Bucky asks a little unsurely, “Did I say something wrong?”
“No! I mean, no, it’s just that you’re the first friend I’ve made since I’ve moved here.” Flushing, he tucks his chin inwards, “I’m uh, not too great with talking to people.”
“Well,” Bucky says gently, “It’s everyone else’s loss. I think you’re a great friend.” He lays down on the sleeping bag and stretches like a cat, letting out an almost obscene groan. “Well, I’m going to call it a night Stevie. See you in the morning.”
“Good night Buck.” Steve whispers. He lays awake for a while after that, listening to Bucky snuffle and snore in his sleep, trying to wipe the stupid smile from his face before he drifts off to sleep, dreaming about firefighters in hoodies that swooped in to rescue him from a burning building.