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In the Way (College!AU, Steve Rogers x fem!OC) — Chapter 7

Summary: Devyn is sick and Steve takes care of her

Word Count: 1904

Note: Please let me know what you think!

Steve’s POV:

I knock on Devyn’s door, though I’m surprised when it takes a few minutes for her to open the door. When it does finally open, she leans on the doorframe. Her eyes are barely open, she looks pale, and she’s sweaty.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

She shakes her head slowly.

With one hand, I guide her back inside, and with the other, I open the door enough for us both to go through then close and lock it behind me. I guide her back to her bed and help her to lay back down. Once she’s settled, I pull the blankets back over her then feel her forehead.

“I’ll bring you lunch and dinner, and I’ll run to the store to pick up some medicine for you,” I state. “You stay here and rest.”

Her eyes blink open slowly, and she looks up at me for a moment.

“If you need anything else, text or call me.”

She nods slowly but curls up on the bed.

“Do you need another blanket?”

She stares across the room, silent, for a moment before she nods again. “Please.”

I frown at the hoarseness of her voice but get up and find her another blanket, draping it over her before taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

“Do you need anything else before I go?” I whisper.

She shakes her head, her eyes already closed again.

“Where’s your key?” I request. “I don’t want you to have to keep getting up for me to come in.”

“In the side pocket… on my backpack,” she breathes. “It’s with my ID.”

I stand and go to where her backpack sits, in the chair of her desk, then return with her key tucked into my pocket. I go back to her, lean down, and kiss her cheek.

“I’ll be back around lunch time,” I whisper. “You rest. Let me know if you need anything, okay?”

She nods, her eyes still closed.

I leave her room and lock the door behind me before heading down to the main floor and then to my first class of the day.

. . . . . .

I unlock Devyn’s door and head inside, a couple foam to-go containers and a plastic shopping bag in one hand. She’s still asleep and in bed. I set everything on her desk then take a seat on the edge of her bed. She stirs a little, but her eyes remain closed.

I rest a hand on her side and shake her gently. Her eyes blink open a moment later, so I stop shaking her. She stares across the room for a few seconds then looks up at me.

I smile gently at her. “How’re you feeling?”

She shrugs her shoulders, her eyes half closed.

“I’ve got lunch and some medicine.”

She sits up a little, and I offer my arm to her to help her get comfortable. She uses my arm to help her fully sit up then she moves to sit back against the headboard.

Once she’s settled, I get up and grab one of the foam containers. I hand it to her with some plastic utensils. She takes it and begins eating, though rather slowly. I turn around, grab mine, and return to the bed to take a seat on the edge, facing her. She looks up when I sit down.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

She nods.

“What do you need?”

A blush reddens her cheeks more brightly, and she looks down at her food. She mumbles something, but I can’t understand or hear her.

“One more time?”

She glances up at me for a second before looking down at her food again. “Can you sit next to me?”

I smile and stand, going around the bed to the other side. I then take a seat and move up to the headboard. Almost immediately, she lays her head on my shoulder. As I dig in, with another class before ROTC, I notice she’s eating rather slowly, but I don’t say anything to her about it.

It’s several minutes before I finish eating and set my nearly empty foam box aside. Devyn seems to notice and moves to set hers aside as well, though it’s not even half finished.

I gently grab her arm. “You keep eating.” She’s still frozen, so I continue. “You don’t have to be finished if you don’t want to. I’ve got class in a bit.”

She frowns.

“Unfortunately, I won’t be back until after ROTC tonight with dinner. I’ll get something for us both. You’ll take your medicine?”

She nods. “Yeah. What will you bring for dinner?”

“What would you like?”

She stares up at me for a moment before her eyes wander down to the bed. “I don’t know... Do you have any idea what they might be serving?”

I shrug. “Not a clue. Anything I should keep an eye out for? Would some soup be better?”

She nods quickly then, as her head nods slow, she blushes. “Maybe some fries, too?”

I chuckle but nod. “If you want.”

“Please.”

“Anything else I can get for you?”

“A soda, maybe a tea from the coffeeshop?”

I frown. “Probably not a soda right now.”

“What about a white soda?”

I sigh, shaking my head, though I smile. “Alright, I’ll concede to that.”

“Thank you for getting food and medicine for me. I think going up and down this many stairs would kill me right now.”

I smile at her. “I’m happy to help you feel better.”

After a little longer, I get up and throw the trash away then set aside some medicine for Devyn on her nightstand with some water. I take a seat on the edge of the bed but face her.

“Anything you need before I head to class?” I ask.

She’s silent for a moment, clearly thinking about her answer. “No, I don’t think so. I should get up anyway. Have a lot of work to do if I’m not going to class at all today…”

“You need to be taking it very easy right now for you to get better.”

“But-”

“No, you need to take it easy. What can I do?”

“Maybe get my computer and charger from my bag?”

I almost glare at her, looking at her in disbelief.

“I won’t do any work, and if I do, it won’t be for very long. I promise.”

“No textbooks today. We’ll see how you feel tomorrow.”

She nods, and I take it as agreement. It’s then I go to her bag and get her computer and charger, setting the computer beside her on the bed and plugging in the charger for her.

“I’ll see you after class, alright?” I state.

She nods. “Thank you, Steve.”

I lean down and kiss her cheek before getting my things and leaving.

. . . . . .

I approach Devyn’s door again, my hands full of food and drinks and my backpack on my back. I pull her key out of my pocket, unlock the door, and enter, locking the door behind me. My heart rate picks up a bit when I don’t see her in bed or even in the main part of her dorm room. Seconds later, I hear her.

Throwing up in the bathroom.

I quickly set the food and drinks down on her desk then begin rushing to the bathroom, dropping my backpack somewhere along the way. Once inside, I find her hunched over the toilet, her hair obscuring her face from my view.

I kneel next to her and pull her hair back. She jumps, but when she feels my hand on her back, she relaxes. It only lasts a moment before she’s throwing up again. It continues for a moment before she leans back a bit.

“When did this start?” I question, rubbing her back gently.

“I started feeling nauseous… an hour after lunch? And I was fine until a few minutes ago.”

I frown a little. “You need to stay a little longer?”

She sits there for a brief moment then shakes her head. “I don’t really feel nauseous now.”

I let go of her hair and move my arm around her waist. I use that to hold her steady as we both stand. We stay still for a moment before I move us closer to the sink. With one hand, I keep Devyn steady, and with the other, I wet down a washcloth left on the counter. After I shut off the water, I gently wipe off her face, paying close attention to her mouth and chin.

“Better?” I check.

She nods. “Thank you.”

I guide her out into the main room of her dorm and help her get comfortable on her bed before returning to the bathroom. I flush the toilet and close the lid then wash my hands.

When I return to the main room, she’s still seated on her bed, and I notice my backpack is laying on the floor not far from the foot of her bed. As I approach her desk, I pick up my bag and set it neatly by her chair.

“I’ve got chicken noodle soup with crackers,” I say, “and I got tea from the coffeeshop and a soda for you.” I look over my shoulder at her. “What would you like to start with?”

She looks over at me and the stuff on her desk, silent briefly. “Um,” she pauses, “maybe the crackers and soda…”

I fish the crackers out of the bag our dinners are in and take them and her soda to her. She sets the drink on her nightstand after taking a small sip then opens one of the packages of crackers. I turn and grab my dinner to join her.

As I settle into a comfortable position beside her, she grabs her laptop, opens it, and pulls up whatever she was watching before.

Devyn looks at me over her shoulder. “Let me know if I should change it.”

I smile but shake my head. “Watch whatever you want.”

There’s no talking as we begin eating, only her video plays in the background. After a few minutes, I get her soup and tea, bringing them to her so she has something more substantial for dinner than just crackers. She eats, and when she’s finished, I make sure she takes some medicine then clean up our trash.

When I return to the bed, she’s already comfortably laying. She blinks rather slowly as she continues watching the video. I settle in behind her, keeping a little distance between us for the moment, then wrap an arm around her. She jumps a little, turning slightly to look at me over her shoulder.

“I don’t want to get you sick,” she insists.

“I probably won’t get sick,” I reply.

“Are you sure-”

I nod. “I’m sure.”

She stares for a couple more seconds before settling back into the position she was in previously. She’s still for quite a while, so I carefully get up to not wake her. I close her laptop and put it on her desk. I double check her lock and turn off the lights before joining her once again. After I settle into place, she shifts closer to me, so I wrap an arm around her. A few more minutes pass, and she shifts again, this time onto her other side so her head rests on my chest. I smile a little and allow my eyes to close.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

She shakes her head slowly.

“I’ll bring you lunch and dinner, and I’ll run to the store to pick up some medicine for you,” I state. “You stay here and rest.”

Her eyes blink open slowly, and she looks up at me for a moment.

“If you need anything else, text or call me.”

She nods slowly but curls up on the bed.

“Do you need another blanket?”

She stares across the room, silent, for a moment before she nods again. “Please.”

I frown at the hoarseness of her voice but get up and find her another blanket, draping it over her before taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

“Do you need anything else before I go?” I whisper.

She shakes her head, her eyes already closed again.

“Where’s your key?” I request. “I don’t want you to have to keep getting up for me to come in.”

“In the side pocket… on my backpack,” she breathes. “It’s with my ID.”

I stand and go to where her backpack sits, in the chair of her desk, then return with her key tucked into my pocket. I go back to her, lean down, and kiss her cheek.

“I’ll be back around lunch time,” I whisper. “You rest. Let me know if you need anything, okay?”

She nods, her eyes still closed.

I leave her room and lock the door behind me before heading down to the main floor and then to my first class of the day.

. . . . . .

I rest a hand on her side and shake her gently. Her eyes blink open a moment later, so I stop shaking her. She stares across the room for a few seconds then looks up at me.

I smile gently at her. “How’re you feeling?”

She shrugs her shoulders, her eyes half closed.

“I’ve got lunch and some medicine.”

She sits up a little, and I offer my arm to her to help her get comfortable. She uses my arm to help her fully sit up then she moves to sit back against the headboard.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

She nods.

“What do you need?”

A blush reddens her cheeks more brightly, and she looks down at her food. She mumbles something, but I can’t understand or hear her.

“One more time?”

She glances up at me for a second before looking down at her food again. “Can you sit next to me?”

It’s several minutes before I finish eating and set my nearly empty foam box aside. Devyn seems to notice and moves to set hers aside as well, though it’s not even half finished.

I gently grab her arm. “You keep eating.” She’s still frozen, so I continue. “You don’t have to be finished if you don’t want to. I’ve got class in a bit.”

She frowns.

“Unfortunately, I won’t be back until after ROTC tonight with dinner. I’ll get something for us both. You’ll take your medicine?”

She nods. “Yeah. What will you bring for dinner?”

“What would you like?”

She stares up at me for a moment before her eyes wander down to the bed. “I don’t know... Do you have any idea what they might be serving?”

I shrug. “Not a clue. Anything I should keep an eye out for? Would some soup be better?”

She nods quickly then, as her head nods slow, she blushes. “Maybe some fries, too?”

I chuckle but nod. “If you want.”

“Please.”

“Anything else I can get for you?”

“A soda, maybe a tea from the coffeeshop?”

I frown. “Probably not a soda right now.”

“What about a white soda?”

I sigh, shaking my head, though I smile. “Alright, I’ll concede to that.”

“Thank you for getting food and medicine for me. I think going up and down this many stairs would kill me right now.”

I smile at her. “I’m happy to help you feel better.”

After a little longer, I get up and throw the trash away then set aside some medicine for Devyn on her nightstand with some water. I take a seat on the edge of the bed but face her.

“Anything you need before I head to class?” I ask.

She’s silent for a moment, clearly thinking about her answer. “No, I don’t think so. I should get up anyway. Have a lot of work to do if I’m not going to class at all today…”

“You need to be taking it very easy right now for you to get better.”

“But-”

“No, you need to take it easy. What can I do?”

“Maybe get my computer and charger from my bag?”

I almost glare at her, looking at her in disbelief.

“I won’t do any work, and if I do, it won’t be for very long. I promise.”

“No textbooks today. We’ll see how you feel tomorrow.”

She nods, and I take it as agreement. It’s then I go to her bag and get her computer and charger, setting the computer beside her on the bed and plugging in the charger for her.

“I’ll see you after class, alright?” I state.

She nods. “Thank you, Steve.”

I lean down and kiss her cheek before getting my things and leaving.

. . . . . .

Throwing up in the bathroom.

“When did this start?” I question, rubbing her back gently.

“I started feeling nauseous… an hour after lunch? And I was fine until a few minutes ago.”

I frown a little. “You need to stay a little longer?”

She sits there for a brief moment then shakes her head. “I don’t really feel nauseous now.”

“Better?” I check.

She nods. “Thank you.”

I guide her out into the main room of her dorm and help her get comfortable on her bed before returning to the bathroom. I flush the toilet and close the lid then wash my hands.

“I’ve got chicken noodle soup with crackers,” I say, “and I got tea from the coffeeshop and a soda for you.” I look over my shoulder at her. “What would you like to start with?”

She looks over at me and the stuff on her desk, silent briefly. “Um,” she pauses, “maybe the crackers and soda…”

As I settle into a comfortable position beside her, she grabs her laptop, opens it, and pulls up whatever she was watching before.

Devyn looks at me over her shoulder. “Let me know if I should change it.”

I smile but shake my head. “Watch whatever you want.”

“I don’t want to get you sick,” she insists.

“I probably won’t get sick,” I reply.

“Are you sure-”

I nod. “I’m sure.”

#chloewritesfandoms #steve rogers #marvel #captain america #steve rogers x oc #chris evans

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fandomwritings-cm13 · 5 days ago

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In the Way (College!AU, Steve Rogers x fem!OC) — Chapter 6

Summary: a farewell before spring break and a (slightly steamy) return from spring break

Word Count: 1136

Note: there’s no smut in this chapter and the “steam” is brief. Please let me know what you think so far!

Devyn’s POV:

“Drive home safely,” Steve commands, squeezing me a little tighter for a moment.

I nod, my cheek rubbing against his soft shirt. “I will.”

“Let me know when you make it, alright?”

Again, I nod.

There’s a brief moment of silence before he pulls back, but his hands linger on my sides.

“It’s gonna be really weird not seeing you all next week,” I comment.

Steve frowns, his eyes leaving mine. “Yeah…”

I rest a hand on his chest, blushing at the muscle I feel. “At least it’s just a week.”

He nods, but he doesn’t look me in the eye.

Deciding to be a little brave for once, I lean up and peck his cheek. His cheeks grow very pink very quickly. But he does look at me.

“I’m gonna miss you,” he states.

“I’m gonna miss you, too,” I reply.

Steve opens my car door for me, staring longingly as I get into the driver’s seat. I start the car and roll down the window. He shuts the door and leans down on the open window.

“Be careful,” he states.

“I will,” I reply.

He looks torn for a few seconds before he leans into the car and kisses my cheek quickly.

I blush and look away, shifting the car into reverse. As I drive away, I can still see Steve watching me go in the rearview mirror. He disappears from view when I turn onto the street to begin making my way home.

. . . . . .

I turn the corner, finally approaching the parking lot for my dorm. I pull into the first space I can find, shift into park, shut off the engine, and scramble out. I grab my backpack and duffle from the backseat, throwing both over my shoulders, then walk quickly toward the front door of the dorm, locking my car as I walk away.

I scan my ID card and quickly open the front door, immediately searching for Steve. I spot him within seconds. He’s seated across the lobby in one of the chairs. We make eye contact, frozen for only a couple seconds. Then I’m racing towards him, dropping my duffle and backpack in my wake. Once I’m close enough, I jump into his arms, my arms tightly wrapped around his neck and my legs around his waist. He groans softly from the impact but immediately wraps his arms tightly around me.

“I’m so glad to see you,” I whisper, squeezing him a little tighter.

“I’m glad you made it safely,” he replies.

I pull back a little, my arms loosening around his neck, and look at him. He’s smiling and looks genuinely relieved. His arms loosen slightly, and he carefully lowers me to stand in front of him. We stare up at each other for several seconds, sometimes staring at each other’s lips instead.

“Ready to go up to your room?” Steve asks, his voice light and airy.

I nod quickly.

He releases me but takes my hand. He then walks over to where my backpack and duffle lay on the floor, picking them up and situating them on his shoulders before taking my hand again. I walk beside him to the door to the stairs then up the stairs to my floor, unable to keep our eyes off each other. He waits beside me as I unlock the door then follows me inside.

“Where would you like your things?” he asks.

“By my desk is fine,” I answer.

I watch as he sets the duffel bag on the floor by my desk then sets my backpack on the top of the desk. He stands there for a second before turning to me. A blush heats my cheeks as we make eye contact, so I look away and move to take a seat on the edge of my bed. Steve is beside me less than a moment later.

“How’d things go with ROTC, since you came back early?” I inquire, glancing at him briefly.

“Pretty well,” he answers. “I was able to finish my online work before getting back to campus, which meant I had some free time when I got back here.”

“Why’s that?”

“Most of the guys didn’t get theirs completely done. A few didn’t even start, but they were mostly freshmen.”

“Did Bucky?”

He chuckles, which causes me to laugh with him.

“He didn’t have his finished,” Steve explains, “but he was able to finish pretty quickly. So we were able to hang out for a bit before Captain Woods had us begin with some training stuff.”

“What did you do with your free time?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Mostly just work on some homework that’s due this week.” He pauses, his eyes lingering on me then my lips then going to his lap. He scratches the back of his neck. “How was work?”

I shrug, looking across the room. “It was fine, I guess. I’d rather have been here, honestly…”

I look down at my hand when he takes hold of it. My eyes linger there for several seconds before Steve’s other hand lifts my chin up to meet his gaze. He makes eye contact for a second before looking down at my lips. He looks back into my eyes, an eyebrow raised in a silent question. I nod in response, my heart racing as he leans forward slightly. My eyes linger on his lips, watching as they slowly get closer, until my eyes are practically closed.

Steve’s lips meet mine and stay there for a moment before he pulls back slightly, his hands resting on my cheek and waist. My eyes stay closed, but my hands move to rest on his chest.

He’s still for a moment too long, so I tilt my head up to meet his lips. He jumps a little but quickly begins kissing me back. His hand on my cheek moves into my hair, holding my face close to his as he deepens the kiss. He pulls my bottom lip between his, and I grip his shirt tightly. In response, he pulls me closer so I’m seated in his lap.

His hand at my waist drifts lower, into my back pocket. A moan escapes my lips, and I feel him smirk into the kiss. His lips drift down my cheek to my neck, and I tilt my head back. One of my hands moves into his hair, causing him to groan.

His lips move up and down, across my neck for a few minutes before he’s tilting my head back down and kissing me rather gently, especially in comparison to mere moments ago. He pulls away after a moment and rests his forehead on mine.

“Does this mean you’re ready for something more serious?” Steve whispers, his breath fanning my lips and neck.

I nod slowly. “If that’s alright with you.”

#chloewritesfandoms #steve rogers #marvel #captain america #steve rogers x oc #chris evans

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fandomwritings-cm13 · 8 days ago

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In the Way (College!AU, Steve Rogers x fem!OC) — Chapter 5

Summary: Steve comforts and helps Devyn, a little bit of conflict with Devyn’s ex

Word Count: 1892

Note: Please let me know what you think! If you’d like to read ahead, the first several chapters are already posted on my AO3 (linked in my master list) :)

Steve’s POV:

I knock on Devyn’s door and wait until the door swings open a few seconds later. She sniffles as she opens the door, and when she looks up at me, she blinks quickly several times.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, my brows furrowed.

She shakes her head dismissively and turns around, leaving the door open for me to follow her. I quickly step inside, shutting the door with my foot, and catch up to Devyn. I gently grab her arms and turn her around to face me.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” I ask.

She stares up at me, her lower lip trembling, with tears in the corners of her eyes. She doesn’t say anything for a few moments, looking away when a tear slips down her cheek. I quickly and carefully wipe it away before settling my hands on her waist.

“I have another test in my legal class tomorrow,” she mumbles while still avoiding my gaze.

“You’re gonna do great,” I encourage, gently squeezing her sides.

She shakes her head quickly. “That’s what I thought last time, and I got a D…”

Her breaths quicken, and a moment later, one sob leaves her then she’s full on crying. I pull her closer and rub her back as she cries into my chest. After a few minutes, she’s calmed down considerably and slowly pulls back, still not looking up at me.

“How long have you been studying?” I ask, my voice quiet.

Her cheeks redden before she answers in a mumble, “Since I got out of class…”

“At 3?”

She nods, staring across the room.

“You need to take a break. Let’s go get some dinner, and when we get back, I’ll help you study.”

Her head quickly lifts, and she looks in my direction again. “But I need to keep studying! I can’t afford to do badly on this test!”

“And if you keep studying like this, you’re not going to do well either. Take a break. You need it.”

She grimaces briefly before sighing and nodding.

“Is it okay if I leave my things here while we eat?”

She nods again, her gaze drifting across the room.

I stare at her for a second longer before going to her desk and setting my backpack on the floor by her chair. I quickly return to her side and offer her my hand. She stares at it for a few seconds before placing her hand in mine. I lead the way out of her room, wait for her to lock her door, then continue out of the building.

Devyn is unusually quiet as we walk to the dining hall. She doesn’t even glance in my direction, let alone any other, as we walk. Her eyes are dull and unfocused.

Dinner passes slowly with Devyn’s silence and since she picks at her food. My heart aches to see her this way.

After she finishes her plate, we throw our trash away and return our dishes before leaving. She remains silent as we walk back to our dorm. Once there, only our footsteps echo in the stairwell as we head up to her room. Without a word, she unlocks and enters her room, and I follow right behind.

I watch for a moment, standing by the door, as she settles back into place at her desk. She moves her open textbook in front of her, shifting her laptop, notebook, and flashcards out of the way. She hunches over it, a hand in her hair and the other on the page running under the words.

The rest of the evening, I help her study by sitting with her, quizzing her, and having her explain things to me. I leave after helping her pack up her things for class tomorrow as she gets ready for bed.

“Good night,” I murmur, squeezing her hand gently as I stand right outside her door.

“Thank you for tonight, Steve,” Devyn replies. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

I smile a little. “I’m glad I was able to help. Get some good rest tonight. You’ll need it for tomorrow.”

“Will you be walking me to class tomorrow?”

I nod. “Yeah, if that’s still okay.”

She nods. “Yeah, it’s fine. You still won’t get in trouble for being late though, right?”

“Maybe, since Captain Woods isn’t requiring us to walk you around anymore. But it’ll be okay. I’ll just get lots of running in every day.”

She smiles a little, a hint of a laugh on her lips. “Well, I wouldn’t want to make you miss class or anything. Do you have a lot to do tonight?”

I shrug. “Not too much.”

She frowns. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to keep you-”

“No, it’s alright. I’ll get done what I can and I won’t worry about the rest. I’ll see you in the morning, alright?”

She nods quickly. “Good night.”

I grin. “Good night, Devyn.”

. . . . . .

I stand off to the side of the entrance, waiting by a bench as I watch the door for Devyn. After a brief moment, a large group of people exit the building. Devyn’s not in the group, so I remain where I am.

A few moments later, she’s pushing the doors open and exiting the building. She’s staring down at the ground as she exits the building but looks up and makes eye contact with me after a moment. There’s a small smile on her lips as she approaches, causing me to smile.

“How’d it go?” I ask once she’s next to me.

“Okay, I think,” she answers.

I begin walking us toward one of the dining halls. “Good. Do you know when it’ll be graded?”

She shakes her head. “Probably not until spring break or after.”

“Any plans for spring break?”

She shakes her head again. “Just going home to work and working on whatever assignments I have. You?”

I shrug. “The same.”

“Do you have ROTC stuff you have to do?”

I nod. “Some online stuff over the break then we come back a little earlier for some drill stuff.”

“Oh, that sucks.”

I shrug dismissively. “Kinda used to it at this point.”

The rest of the walk is silent, though it’s only a few minutes. I hold the door open for her when we arrive to the dining hall then follow her inside for our ID cards to be scanned. I’m kept for a moment longer at the cashier but don’t pay much mind to it until I hear someone calling Devyn’s name, the tone sharp and mean.

“You have no right to be moving on so quickly!” a guy shouts at her, and I look in his direction. His face is red, and he scowls at her. He’s approaching her quickly, a plate of food in his hand.

I quickly walk over and put myself between him and Devyn, keeping her behind me. Almost immediately, I feel her grab onto my hand tightly.

“Back off, man,” I state, trying to keep my tone firm but relatively calm.

“No, you back off, man,” the guy responds sharply. “She has no business moving on so quickly from me.”

Ah. “Weren’t you the one who cheated on her?”

His face drops, and he backs up a step. “I-... I don’t see why that matters. Plus, how do you know that?”

“She told me. And you have no business telling her what to do in her relationships. Not only because you cheated on her but because you were the one who moved on a lot quicker than she did. Now get out of my face.”

He glares up at me for a couple seconds longer before he walks away, over to a girl I hadn’t noticed before. She stares at me and Devyn as he puts his arm around her and leads her out of sight. I wait until I can’t see them to turn to Devyn.

She’s crying.

Keeping a firm grip on her hand, I lead the way out of the dining hall. I wind back across campus to our dorm then go down the stairs to my room. I bring her inside then lock the door behind me and pull her close. I pull my hand from her grip and wrap that arm around her waist instead. She holds onto my arm instead, sniffling and still crying. I gently lift her head up so she looks at me, my hand along her jaw then her cheek.

“I’m sorry that happened,” I whisper.

Several more tears slide down her cheeks.

“She just stood there,” Devyn sobs.

“I didn’t see Brenna anywhere,” I reply, my brow furrowed.

She shakes her head. “Katelyn.” She swipes away some tears, looking away from me. “I didn’t think she would just stand there and let him talk to me like that.”

“Maybe she wasn’t expecting that from him either.”

She shrugs.

“Are you hungry?”

She shakes her head, frowning.

I stare at her for another moment before taking her hand again and guiding her over to my bed. I take a seat, slip off my shoes, take off my backpack and leave it on the floor, then scoot back to lean back on the headboard and pillows. Devyn stands, still at the edge, and stares at my shoes and backpack on the floor beside the bed.

“You can get comfortable if you’d like,” I offer.

She looks up at me for a second before taking off her backpack and setting it on the floor by the foot of the bed. Then she slips off her shoes and sits on the edge of the bed, where I sat moments ago. She avoids looking at me for a moment before meeting my eyes by looking over her shoulder. Her cheeks are still wet with her tears, but no more fall from her eyes.

“Where would you like to sit?” I inquire.

She glances around for a moment before shrugging.

“Come sit next to me.”

She stays on the edge of the bed for another couple seconds before she moves up the bed and sits next to me. She doesn’t look at me or say anything. So I let her get comfortable. It’s silent for what feels like several minutes before she leans over, her head laying on my shoulder. I smile a little and wrap my arm around her.

“I’m sorry that happened,” I murmur.

She shrugs, staring down at her lap. “I was hoping that I wouldn’t have to face him again…”

“Well, hopefully, he doesn’t try anything like that again. I don’t foresee him doing anything again anytime soon.”

She nods slowly.

“Want me to get you anything before we head to class?”

She shakes her head, curling up a little bit more into my side.

The room remains quiet, and eventually, she falls asleep.When I have to leave for my 12:30 class, I shift her to lay down on the bed and tuck her in. I don’t dare to wake her.

When I return from ROTC, she’s still asleep, so I let her sleep while I shower. Once I’m out and dressed again, I go to wake her. She still seems sleepy as we head out of the dorm and to dinner. After making sure we’ve both eaten, we return to the dorm and go up to her room to study for a bit.

I knock on Devyn’s door and wait until the door swings open a few seconds later. She sniffles as she opens the door, and when she looks up at me, she blinks quickly several times.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, my brows furrowed.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” I ask.

“I have another test in my legal class tomorrow,” she mumbles while still avoiding my gaze.

“You’re gonna do great,” I encourage, gently squeezing her sides.

She shakes her head quickly. “That’s what I thought last time, and I got a D…”

“How long have you been studying?” I ask, my voice quiet.

Her cheeks redden before she answers in a mumble, “Since I got out of class…”

“At 3?”

She nods, staring across the room.

“You need to take a break. Let’s go get some dinner, and when we get back, I’ll help you study.”

Her head quickly lifts, and she looks in my direction again. “But I need to keep studying! I can’t afford to do badly on this test!”

“And if you keep studying like this, you’re not going to do well either. Take a break. You need it.”

She grimaces briefly before sighing and nodding.

“Is it okay if I leave my things here while we eat?”

She nods again, her gaze drifting across the room.

Devyn is unusually quiet as we walk to the dining hall. She doesn’t even glance in my direction, let alone any other, as we walk. Her eyes are dull and unfocused.

Dinner passes slowly with Devyn’s silence and since she picks at her food. My heart aches to see her this way.

“Good night,” I murmur, squeezing her hand gently as I stand right outside her door.

“Thank you for tonight, Steve,” Devyn replies. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

I smile a little. “I’m glad I was able to help. Get some good rest tonight. You’ll need it for tomorrow.”

“Will you be walking me to class tomorrow?”

I nod. “Yeah, if that’s still okay.”

She nods. “Yeah, it’s fine. You still won’t get in trouble for being late though, right?”

“Maybe, since Captain Woods isn’t requiring us to walk you around anymore. But it’ll be okay. I’ll just get lots of running in every day.”

She smiles a little, a hint of a laugh on her lips. “Well, I wouldn’t want to make you miss class or anything. Do you have a lot to do tonight?”

I shrug. “Not too much.”

She frowns. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to keep you-”

“No, it’s alright. I’ll get done what I can and I won’t worry about the rest. I��ll see you in the morning, alright?”

She nods quickly. “Good night.”

I grin. “Good night, Devyn.”

. . . . . .

“How’d it go?” I ask once she’s next to me.

“Okay, I think,” she answers.

I begin walking us toward one of the dining halls. “Good. Do you know when it’ll be graded?”

She shakes her head. “Probably not until spring break or after.”

“Any plans for spring break?”

She shakes her head again. “Just going home to work and working on whatever assignments I have. You?”

I shrug. “The same.”

“Do you have ROTC stuff you have to do?”

I nod. “Some online stuff over the break then we come back a little earlier for some drill stuff.”

“Oh, that sucks.”

I shrug dismissively. “Kinda used to it at this point.”

I quickly walk over and put myself between him and Devyn, keeping her behind me. Almost immediately, I feel her grab onto my hand tightly.

“Back off, man,” I state, trying to keep my tone firm but relatively calm.

“No, you back off, man,” the guy responds sharply. “She has no business moving on so quickly from me.”

Ah. “Weren’t you the one who cheated on her?”

His face drops, and he backs up a step. “I-... I don’t see why that matters. Plus, how do you know that?”

She’s crying.

“I’m sorry that happened,” I whisper.

Several more tears slide down her cheeks.

“She just stood there,” Devyn sobs.

“I didn’t see Brenna anywhere,” I reply, my brow furrowed.

She shakes her head. “Katelyn.” She swipes away some tears, looking away from me. “I didn’t think she would just stand there and let him talk to me like that.”

“Maybe she wasn’t expecting that from him either.”

She shrugs.

“Are you hungry?”

She shakes her head, frowning.

“You can get comfortable if you’d like,” I offer.

“Where would you like to sit?” I inquire.

She glances around for a moment before shrugging.

“Come sit next to me.”

“I’m sorry that happened,” I murmur.

She shrugs, staring down at her lap. “I was hoping that I wouldn’t have to face him again…”

“Well, hopefully, he doesn’t try anything like that again. I don’t foresee him doing anything again anytime soon.”

She nods slowly.

“Want me to get you anything before we head to class?”

She shakes her head, curling up a little bit more into my side.

The room remains quiet, and eventually, she falls asleep.When I have to leave for my 12:30 class, I shift her to lay down on the bed and tuck her in. I don’t dare to wake her.

#chloewritesfandoms #steve rogers #marvel #steve rogers x oc #captain america #chris evans

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fandomwritings-cm13 · 12 days ago

Text

In the Way (College!AU, Steve Rogers x fem!OC) — Chapter 4

Summary: Brenna and Devyn catch up about Steve and Bucky, and Brenna convinces Devyn to consider Steve in a new light.

Word Count: 1805

Note: Let me know what you think! The first several chapters are posted on my AO3 if you want to read ahead (the link is in my master list) :)

A little awkwardness between Steve and Devyn this chapter, just a warning lol

Devyn’s POV:

“We’ll see you later,” Brenna says, obviously flirting.

I can’t see if Steve or Bucky respond, and Brenna shuts the door behind them. A second later, she turns to me with a smirk.

“What?” I inquire, pulling my legal textbook and laptop out of my backpack.

“Nothing, nothing,” she quickly replies.

She takes a seat on the foot of my bed and begins digging through her backpack.

“Didn’t sound like nothing,” I reply, watching her.

“Welllll…” she begins, drawing out the word, and still avoids looking at me.

“Well what?”

“I might be pursuing something with Bucky.”

I frown, my brow furrowing, but I don’t say anything.

Brenna finally looks at me. “What? What’s wrong with Bucky?”

“We barely know them.”

She shrugs. “Bucky has been quite talkative while he’s been escorting me to class. Has Steve just not been saying anything? Giving you the cold shoulder?”

I shake my head and open up my laptop. “He’s been trying to talk.”

“Trying? What do you mean trying?”

“He tries to make conversation, and I just answer the question or whatever.”

“You don’t like him?” She pauses. “Do you not have eyes?”

I look up at her. “What do you mean, do I not have eyes?”

“Steve is really cute.”

“And?”

“He’s clearly into you!”

“He’s not.”

Brenna sighs and rolls her eyes, setting her things aside. She turns to face me. “He spent most of dinner tonight staring at you. When we went to the library and you said you were going to get a coffee, he stopped you and offered to get it for you.”

“He’s just being nice.”

“Yeah, because he likes you, Dev.”

I shake my head. “He wouldn’t be interested in me.”

She laughs. “Right. That’s why he volunteered to walk you all over campus and miss parts of his classes and ROTC training.”

“Like I said, he’s just being nice.”

She groans. “Come on! You act like no one else will ever like you.”

I stare at her for a few seconds before looking away.

“Do you like him?”

I shrug.

“Well?”

“I-... I don’t know…”

“That’s not an answer.”

“I know, but-”

“But what?”

“I just don’t want to get hurt again…”

“But do you like him!”

I stare at her for a second before nodding slowly.

She squeals and grabs my hands. “This is so exciting!”

. . . . . .

I sit in front of my easel, just staring at my painting for a few minutes before picking up my palette and brush again. Looking back at my reference image, I begin working on my painting again.

I’m not sure how much time passes before I hear a door down the hall open. I keep focused on my painting since it’s likely just another art student coming in to work on their assignment.

“Hey, Devyn,” Steve’s voice comes from the open door of the studio, and I jump, staring up at him with my hand on my chest. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

I shake my head and set both my palette and brush to the side. “It’s fine.” I stretch my arms over my head.

“Do you need some more time? I can wait, or I can go grab you something and come back.”

I shake my head quickly. “No, I need to take a break from this before I completely lose my sanity.”

He leans on the doorframe, his hair damp from his shower. “What do you want to do?”

“Dinner at least. But I need to come back sometime tonight to finish. I don’t want to have to do that tomorrow…”

I start cleaning up and packing up my things.

“Do you need any help?” Steve asks, stepping into the studio and approaching my easel.

I shake my head as I turn away from him to put up my supplies. “No, I’m okay, thanks. It’ll take me just a couple minutes to clean up.”

“Alright…”

I quickly clean off my palette and brushes then put them beside my easel. I sling my backpack over my shoulder and grab my sweatshirt before meeting him where he still stands at the door.

“It’s pretty chilly outside,” Steve states and holds out his hand. “I’ll hold your bag while you put your sweatshirt on.”

I stare at him for a moment before sliding my backpack off my shoulder and handing it to him. He watches as I put my sweatshirt on. Once it’s in place over my torso, he hands me my backpack again, and I put it on. He leads the way out of the art building, seeming to match my pace easily. As we head to dinner, he doesn’t say anything.

When we arrive at the closer dining hall, he holds the door open for me. He follows behind me as the cashier scans my ID and I wander a little to see what’s available this evening.

I look at him over my shoulder. “Do you have a preference for dinner?”

He shakes his head. “I’m not picky.”

“You sure?”

He nods with a gentle smile. “Positive.”

I continue to the line ahead of us, with chicken tenders and fries. I grab a plate then get a soda, and Steve is right behind me. I go to a smaller table and take a seat, putting my backpack on the floor by my feet.

“Do you know how you did on your legal test yet?” Steve asks as I begin eating.

Since I’m chewing, I just shake my head no.

He shakes his head. “I’m sorry.”

I shrug. “It is what it is. Just gotta wait.”

We finish eating in relative silence then clean up and begin walking out.

“Do you want to head back to the art studio?” Steve inquires.

I think for a moment before nodding. “I don’t want to keep you out all night.”

“We’ll stay as long as you need to.”

He leads the way back to the art building with no other words exchanged between us. He’s silent as I input the code to enter the art building then gets the door for me. I duck my head, my cheeks heated with a blush as I enter the art building fully. He’s, as usual, right behind me as I enter the studio for my painting class. As I take a seat at my easel, he pulls a chair over to sit beside me. He gets out some work from his backpack while I get my palette and brushes ready.

The hours tick by rather slowly as I attempt to finish my painting assignment. When I finally stop to give myself another break, I check my phone to see that it’s already past eight. My shoulders slump, and I allow my eyes to close.

“What is it?” Steve asks, his voice soft and gentle.

“I just didn’t realize how late it was getting,” I grumble.

There’s a small pause.

“How much more do you need to do?” he inquires.

I shrug, finally opening my eyes and sitting up a bit straighter. “It just doesn’t feel right.”

“Do you need a break?”

I nod quickly, looking over at him.

“What do you need?”

I shrug, setting my palette and brush aside.

When I turn back around, Steve’s hands brush my face and side. As I look towards his face, he’s leaning in, his eyes trained on my lips.

I put my hand in the middle of his chest and push hard enough for him to back away but not to hurt him; the action successfully puts a little distance between us, especially our faces. My hand lingers on his chest for a few seconds as my heart races and my cheeks heat with a blush. I pull my hand away after a few seconds, relishing in the feel of his muscles hidden beneath his hoodie.

“I-... I’m sorry,” he states, drawing my gaze up to his face again.

The blush in my cheeks blazes, engulfing my cheeks with a flame.

“I shouldn’t have done that, shouldn’t have assumed-...” He grimaces. “I’ll just go wait in the lobby for you to finish. Come get me when you’re ready to go back to your dorm.”

He quickly picks up his things and his backpack, avoiding looking at me as he begins heading towards the door.

“Steve,” I call, “wait!”

He stops, pauses for a moment, then turns to look at me.

“You don’t have to leave.”

His brow furrows. “But I crossed a line.”

I stare at him for a couple seconds before hiding my face in my hands. “I don’t know how to explain it…!”

His footsteps echo off the concrete floor and sound like they’re getting closer. There’s the sound of his backpack thudding dully against the floor and the soft swish of his pants as he again takes a seat beside me. I keep my face hidden from his view behind my hands, still feeling the intense heat of the blush.

“Devyn,” he murmurs, and I peek out from behind one hand. “Help me understand.” He pauses, pleading with his eyes. “Please.”

“The reason I pushed you away has nothing to do with liking you,” I mumble. “It’s not that I don’t like you…” I look away again but lower my hands a little, staring in the direction of my easel instead of him. “I-... I do…”

“But?”

“But it’s complicated…”

His hand rests palm up on my knee, inviting. I stare for a couple seconds before placing my hand in his. Almost immediately, his thumb runs a gentle line up and down my index finger.

“We started as friends, Josh and I,” I explain, staring at our hands. “We met in the library by chance one evening and got to talking. It was nice, so we kept meeting up and spending time together. When we came back in the fall, he asked me out, officially.” I pause, blinking back tears. “Everything was going well, until we came back from fall break and I discovered he had been cheating on me with my now former best friend.” I cautiously glance at him. “She’s now pregnant with his baby, dropping out or graduating early at the end of this semester.”

Steve nods slowly. He’s silent for a few moments before speaking again. “Are you interested in a relationship or do you want a fling?”

I shake my head quickly, my gaze wandering across the room and away from him. “I don’t want a fling. I don’t think I could handle that, keep my feelings together and under control.”

His free hand goes to my chin and tilts my gaze back to him. “Do you want a relationship with me?”

I stare up into his eyes for a few seconds before nodding slowly. “Yes… Yes, I do.”

He smiles a little. “Then we’ll go at your pace.”

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fandomwritings-cm13 · 15 days ago

Text

In the Way (College!AU, Steve Rogers x fem!OC) — Chapter 3

Summary: Steve and Bucky catch up about taking care of Devyn and Brenna

Word Count: 1164

Note: Please let me know what you think! If you want to read ahead, the first several chapters have already been posted on my AO3 :)

Steve’s POV:

“How’re things going with Devyn so far?” Bucky asks me.

“What do you mean?” I reply, pulling on a pair of clean socks.

He leans on the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest. “Like, how’s she doing with everything? Does she like you at all?”

I shrug, turning my attention to my shoes so I don’t have to look at him. “She’s accepted the fact that I’m walking her to class, but she’s not thrilled about it in the least. She’s having to change around her normal schedule to accommodate the addition of us to her life.” I glance up at him as I grab my other shoe to put it on. “What about you? How’s Brenna taking it?”

A blush flares up in his cheeks, and he avoids looking at me. “Well…”

“Well?” I reply, eyebrows raised.

“She’s doing fine with it, I guess.”

“You guess?” I sit up and look at him properly, practically ready to head to dinner now. “What happened, Buck?”

He scratches the back of his neck. “We may have made out a little after she got out of class…”

“You sly dog!”

He chuckles. “Well, she’s attractive, she finds me attractive, and this extra time together is paying off. Hopefully, it lasts after we no longer have to walk them around campus.”

I stand and get my backpack. “I’m sure it will.”

“Do you want the same with Devyn?”

This time, a blush heats my own cheeks, and I avoid looking at him as I shift my backpack onto my shoulder. “Yeah, if she’s okay with that…”

“Why wouldn’t she be?”

I shrug. “She doesn’t seem to be interested in me or my presence in her life period.”

“Maybe that will change as you two spend more time together.”

“Maybe…”

“I’m gonna go get Brenna. Meet you at the dining hall by the library?”

I nod quickly. “Devyn and I will probably be there before you.”

He smirks then waves as he heads out the door. I sigh, my shoulders slumping after he’s disappeared. I’m sure Devyn won’t be thrilled to see me, and there’s a part of me that’s disappointed. But I don’t really have a choice. I volunteered to do this, and I don’t really want to give this up to anyone else.

I thought maybe she had noticed me, as I had her, when she moved into this dorm. I thought maybe she would’ve developed some sort of crush, as I had. But this doesn’t seem to be the case.

Pushing these thoughts aside, I head out of my dorm room and lock the door behind me before heading up the stairs. I move quickly, despite the ache in my legs, and am soon knocking on Devyn’s door. A moment later, she’s standing in the open door with her backpack over one shoulder.

“Ready to go to dinner?” I ask.

She nods and steps out of her room. Before she turns to me, she locks the door. Without saying anything, she walks beside me to the stairwell, down the stairs, and out of the dorm building.

“Were you able to get plenty done?” I inquire, trying to make light conversation.

“I guess,” she mumbles.

“What do you have to finish for tomorrow?”

“I have a test later in the week to review for and some more reading to finish for my legal class.”

“In business?”

She nods. “It’s not enough to become a lawyer, but there are a lot of laws related to the legal running of any business.”

“I see…” I pause. “What’s your test in?”

She lets out a long and heavy sigh. “My legal class…”

“Yikes.”

“And I have to find some extra time to finish off my painting before next Wednesday’s class.”

“Do you want to go tonight?”

She shakes her head. “No, I want to finish my legal class readings for this week and review for my legal test. I’ll go another night or stay late after class.”

I glance over at her. “Are you sure?”

She nods without even looking at me.

When I look ahead again, we’re closing in on the dining hall I told Bucky to meet us at. So I stay silent.

I grab the door for her then follow her inside. They scan our IDs for our meal payment, and we enter. I follow close behind Devyn, keeping an eye out for any trouble and for something to eat.

She ventures over to one of the hot food lines, and I join her. They’re serving mixed veggies, mashed potatoes, and grilled chicken with some kind of sauce.

Devyn gets a plate then heads for the drinks. I follow close behind her with my own plate. She doesn’t even glance my way, a blank look in her eyes, as she fills her cup with one of the sodas. I grab water and follow her to a four-top table.

Before digging in, I send Bucky a quick text to let him know where Devyn and I are sitting.

When I look towards Devyn, she’s staring down at her plate as she eats.

“How did your classes go today?” I ask.

She shrugs but doesn’t respond verbally.

I purse my lips and keep quiet, starting to eat. There’s only a few minutes that pass before Brenna and Bucky are approaching the table.

“Hey!” Brenna greets, a huge smile on her face as she looks at her friend.

Devyn smiles at her. “Hey.”

“We’ll be right back, promise!”

Both she and Bucky drop their backpacks into the remaining two chairs and disappear into the dining hall’s crowd. Devyn returns to eating silently as she waits for her friend to return. A few minutes pass slowly, and they return.

“I haven’t seen you all day,” Brenna states, pouting. “Tell me everything that happened.”

“You’ll be bored to tears,” Devyn replies with a smirk, again glancing up from her plate.

Brenna laughs. “Tell me anyway!”

“It was just like any other day. Class in the morning, class in the afternoon. Boring, boring, boring.”

“How’s your painting coming though?”

Devyn shrugs, her gaze returning to her plate. “I feel like I need to start it over…”

“Why?”

Bucky’s busy eating and isn’t engaging in, or seeming to pay much attention to, this conversation. I keep quiet, in an attempt at avoiding making Devyn upset.

“I heard what Dr. Garretts said as he was walking around the room. Mine got the harshest criticism,” Devyn answers.

“Maybe he just sees your potential and is trying to push you to be better,” Brenna replies.

Devyn just shakes her head and takes another bite of food. “How’s that art history class going?”

Brenna groans and rolls her eyes. “Don’t even get me started.”

Most of the rest of the time we spend in the dining hall, Brenna complains about her art history class. Bucky eventually chimes in a little, but I remain silent. The topic, thankfully, changes as we begin heading to the library.

#chloewritesfandoms #steve rogers #marvel #captain america #steve rogers x oc #chris evans

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fandomwritings-cm13 · 17 days ago

Text

In the Way (College!AU, Steve Rogers x fem!OC): Chapter 2

Summary: Steve walks Devyn back to her dorm and reveals the plan to prevent a repeat of the incident with the frat guy.

Word Count: 1103

Note: Please let me know what you think of this! The first several chapters have already been posted on my AO3 if you want to read ahead :)

Devyn’s POV:

When the game ends, both Brenna and I stand then gather our things. We both begin toward the stairs, right next to Brenna’s seat on the bleachers.

“Hey, Devyn, wait!” Steve calls.

I stop, turning to look back at him.

“We’ll walk you back to your dorm.”

“That’s not really necessary,” I reply. “We’re fine.”

“We insist,” his friend Bucky adds, looking at us over Steve’s shoulder.

Brenna leads the way down the stairs and out of the gym amongst the large crowd of students. After we’re off the stairs, Bucky comes around from the back and walks beside Brenna. Steve walks right next to me.

The air has a slight chill as we exit the building, and I rub my arms in an attempt to adjust to the change of temperature.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Brenna states.

I nod quickly. “Lunch, the usual time.”

She smiles in response and waves. “Later.”

I watch for a few seconds as she disappears in the direction of her dorm, Bucky still at her side.

“Which way are we going?” Steve asks.

“Unfortunately, the opposite way,” I answer.

We begin walking in the direction of my dorm.

“Which dorm?” Steve inquires.

“Baird,” I reply.

He pauses in his steps, and I stop to look back at him.

“What?” I ask.

“How long have you been living there?” Steve replies.

“Since the start of this semester. Why?”

“That’s where Captain Woods has all of us ROTC guys.”

I pause for a moment. “The bottom floors?”

Steve nods.

“So you’re the reason I have to walk up six flights of stairs to get to my room.”

His eyes widen a little, and he doesn’t say anything.

“I’m kidding.” I pause as his shoulders relax. “Mostly.”

He shakes his head, but he’s smiling.

“Well, at least we’re heading the same direction and I’m not keeping you out too late.”

“I don’t mind. I’d-... Well, we’d rather you and your friend get back safely, without any more issues.”

“I don’t think there will be anything else from those guys.”

“Better safe than sorry,” Steve states with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.

“Well, thank you,” I reply. “I appreciate you looking out for us.”

The rest of the walk to the dorm is fairly quiet, with some small talk mixed in. When we arrive to our dorm, Steve holds the front door open for me then rushes ahead to get the door to the stairwell. He lets me lead the way up the stairs but reaches around me to get the door to my floor. Even as I approach my door, Steve lingers close by.

“I’ll be back in the morning to walk you to class,” Steve states as I unlock my door.

My key still in the lock, I turn to look at him. “What do you mean?”

“Just until things have died down for sure, we’ll be escorting you around campus.”

“Nothing is going to happen.”

“Again, better-”

“Safe than sorry. Yeah, you said that already…”

Steve shrugs his shoulders. “Still mean it.”

“You really don’t have to-”

“Would you stop me if I wanted to?”

I pause but shake my head a moment later. “No, I just don’t want you to have to completely rearrange your schedule and life just for me. Even if it’s only temporary.”

“Well, I don’t mind,” Steve assures, “I promise.”

. . . . . . .

I’m nearly ready when a knock comes from the door. I pause with brushing my hair and go to the door, brush still in hand. When I open the door, Steve is standing just outside, dressed in a pair of loose jeans and a sweatshirt.

“Mind if I come in?” he asks, an eyebrow raised.

“Come on in,” I say as I step aside. He steps in and I return to the bathroom to finish getting ready. “I’m almost done!”

“Take your time,” he calls back.

I finish brushing out my hair and pull it back into a messy bun at the nape of my neck. I set the brush down on the counter and go back out to my room. Steve is still standing by the door. He watches as I get my backpack from my desk and sling it over my shoulder.

“Are you supposed to walk me to all my classes?” I ask, my voice quiet.

He nods. “Yes. There’s no way of knowing when you could run into one of those guys.”

“For how long?”

He shrugs his shoulders. “We’ll have to play that part by ear.”

“I don’t want to inconvenience you or make you late for your classes.”

Steve shakes his head dismissively. “Captain Woods has written to my professors, asking them to excuse any tardiness for the foreseeable future since I’m doing some work for him.” He looks at his watch. “We best get going.”

He opens the door and leads the way out. I follow close behind, locking the door before heading for the stairwell.

The morning air is more chilled than I expected, and I shiver as we begin walking towards my first class, Steve walking right beside me.

“Do you need to go back to grab another jacket?” Steve asks.

I shake my head no. “I’ll manage, but thanks.”

There’s a few moments of silence before he speaks again.

“What class do you have first?”

“Digital Marketing,” I answer.

It’s a couple minutes later that we arrive at the business building. Steve opens the door for me and steps into the lobby with me.

“I’ll have class in this building until about 11,” I inform him.

“Then lunch and another class?” he continues.

I nod. “My next class will be at one. I hope that’s not inconvenient for you.”

“What time will you get out?”

“At three…”

He frowns and looks away from me. “I’ll let the captain know that I’ll be a little late in the afternoon so I can see you wherever you need to go.”

“Brenna and I usually go to the library until dinner.”

He purses his lips, taking a breath before responding. “Neither Bucky or myself will be able to be there. Could you go to one of your dorms? At least until six.”

“Why six?”

“We have ROTC until 5, and we usually shower and change before going to dinner.”

“So, dinner at 6 then the library after?”

“If that’s okay with you.”

I shrug. “Doesn’t sound like there’s much of a choice.”

“I can talk to the captain and try to figure something else out.”

“Do you have ROTC everyday at three?”

He nods.

I sigh. “I guess it’ll have to do. At least temporarily.”