#marvel college au
state of grace- Chapter 8
Meag looks up as Stephen walks into the cafe, walking past Steve’s table as the latter flares at him.
“Hey, sorry I’m late,” he says loudly, taking a seat across from Meag. He lowers his voice to a whisper.”You okay?”
“Fine. Sorry, I overreacted a bit..”
“No, you didn’t. Besides, who would turn down free coffee?” he replies with a chuckle.
Meag takes a sip of her coffee and starts to calm as Stephen tells her a funny story about his childhood. He’d come from Nebraska, she had learned. He’d lived on a farm, and was the oldest of three siblings. His parents were very proud of him. His younger brother, Victor, was still in high school.
“What about your other sibling?”
“Oh um… My sister, Donna. She passed away last year.”
Well, now Meag felt like a huge jerk.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t-“
“It’s okay. You didn’t know,” he assures her. “So, Bruce is your brother, right?”
“Yep, he’s my only sibling. I’m the baby of the family. Though Tony’s been his best friend since we were kids so he’s like another brother to me.”
“So, what do you want to do after you graduate?” Stephen asks.
“First, grad school. Then, I’m gonna go work at a fancy lab. I’m applying to internships for next summer at Stark Industries and Pym Tech.”
“Wow. I’m pre-med so I’m headed to med school. I want to be a neurosurgeon.”
Meag looks up to see Steve staring at them from a few tables away, and Stephen takes her hand.
“What are you doing?”
“Giving them something to stare at,” he replies with a smirk.
state of grace
8. xoxo gossip scott
state of grace- Chapter 6
Everyone starts to gather in the main room of the frat house. The couches are pushed out of the way by some of the football players so everyone can sit in the floor. As everyone gathers in one big circle, Tony enters, wearing his glow stick getup, and holding a glass bottle.
“We just needed a beer bottle, Tony,” Bruce says.
“I’m bougie, bitch.”
Tony takes his place in the circle between Clint and Rhodey. He elects to go first and Meag sighs in relief. Her friend could be a bit too much sometimes. He turned the bottle round and round until it stopped, pointing towards his girlfriend, Pepper, who breathed a sigh of relief. They both crawled to meet in the middle of the circle and kissed quickly before returning to their seats.
Meag watches as a few people take their turns, and thankfully no one lands on her. Bucky drags Stephen into the circle, taking seats across the circle from Meag. Bucky takes the bottle and spins it, watching as it slows near Hope. But it doesn’t stop. It stops in front of Sharon.
Bucky exchanges a dissapointed look with Hope before giving Sharon a quick kiss.
A few more turns pass and Meag watches Stephen the whole time. He hadn’t taken a turn, and he also hadn’t been picked yet. Meag loos up as Hope spins the bottle, and it spins around the circle for a moment before landing across the circle. Meag’s eyes go wide. It had stopped just short of Bucky and landed on Peter.
Hope and Peter both blush profusely as they crawl to the middle of the circle and he gives her a quick peck on the lips.
Tony laughs and takes the bottle as they return to their seats. “My turn, again!”
He spins the bottle and it lands on Bruce. “Pucker up, Brucie bear!”
“Seriously, Stark?” Thor pipes up from beside his boyfriend.
“There’s enough of me to go around, Point Break, all you had to do was ask.” Tony smirks, leaving the 6’3” football player speechless.
“Why don’t I take a turn,” Meag says, trying to change the subject. She takes the bottle and spins it a little too fast. It goes around the circle three times before it slows to a stop. She looks up to where the bottle is pointing and locks eyes with Stephen.
Her jaw practically falls open. She couldn’t believe out of all the people.. Why did it have to be that arrogant jerk, Stephen Strange. Color rose ok her cheeks and she realized she had frozen in place.
“This is the part where you kiss him,” Tony tells her. Bruce gives him a pointed look.
Meag nods and goes to the center of the circle, where Stephen was already waiting with a smirk on his face.
“Don’t worry,” he whispers. “I’m a very good kisser.”
She scoffs but is cut off when he presses his lips to hers. Stephen was kissing her. And she wouldn’t admit it, but she didn’t actually mind. She pulled away after a few seconds and hurried back to her seat as Tony whistled at them.
A few more turns passed, Sam kissed Sharon, Wanda kissed Vision, Carol kissed Val, though a surprising development occurred when Em took a turn and it landed on Nat. Meag smiled to herself, knowing those two would be great together.
Minnie had ducked out of the game earlier on, as it was clear Tony was trying to take as many turns as he could. A couple others had left as well.
Someone picked up the bottle and decided to spin it. It was Steve. The bottles turned a couple of times around the circle, and Meag let out a sigh of relief every time it passed her. But as it started to slow, the end started getting closer and closer to her until it stopped, pointing directly at her. She looked down at the bottle, and up at Steve, who didn’t look the least bit surprised or weirded out.
She stands up. “I’m done playing.” Meag turns on her heel, heading out to the backyard. Stephen watches her for a moment and stands up as well.
“I think we’re done,” Tony says, and the group dispersed.
Stephen heads through the kitchen and stops at the screen door. Meag was sitting on a bench on the back patio, looking up at the moon.
He walks up to the bench and clears his throat. “Can I sit here?”
“Go ahead.”
He takes a seat beside her and she wrinkles her nose in disgust at the whiff of something pungent.
“Are you wearing cologne?” she asks.
“A little,” he admits. “Are you okay?”
“Not really,” she admits. “I thought I was over him, but.. I saw him with Peggy earlier this week, and then what just happened…”
“It’s okay,” Stephen says. “Everyone heals in their own time.”
“He broke up with me in May, giving me the bs excuse that he didn’t have time for me. The week after, I see pictures of him online with Peggy. And now, with the game, I just don’t know…”
“Do you want me to drive you home?” Stephen asks.
“I’d like that,” she replies. Meag sends a text to the group that Stephen is taking her home, and he walks her out to an old gray Toyota.
“Nice car.”
“It’s not much, my dad got it for me when I started college,” Stephen says. “One day, I’m gonna have a Lamborghini.”
“I bet you will,” Meag replies. Stephen walks around the hood to get to the driver’s seat. Meag got in the passenger side and Stephen started up the car, backing out of the driveway.
“So, friends?” Meag asks.
“Friends,” Stephen agrees. A couple minutes pass and he stops in front of the sorority house.
“See you on monday,” he says.
Meag waves to him as she walks towards the door, her heart fluttering as Stephen drove away.
state of grace
6.spin the bottle
state of grace- Chapter 5
Meag, Hope, Em, and Minnie enter the fraternity house, and the party was already in full swing. People were dancing, drinking, and laughing, among other things.
Meag spotted Tony at the entrance to the kitchen, carrying a tray of jell-o shots so bright they looked like they’d give you superpowers. He wore a pair of large plastic sunglasses and had a glow stick necklace around his neck.
“You think Bucky is here yet?” Hope asks.
“He’ll show up if he’s not already,” Em assured her.
“I’m gonna go get a drink!” Minnie exclaims, wandering off to find the refreshments. The three of them scatter as well, hoping to enjoy themselves.
Hope wanders through the crowd and bumps into a guy, whose face goes red as he starts to apologize. She laughs. “It’s okay. Are you new around here? I haven’t seen you before.”
“I just started. I’m a freshman,” he says. “My name is Peter. Peter Parker.”
“Nice to meet you, Peter. I’m Hope, second year, and member of the sorority alpha lambda phi.”
“Oh, the sister sorority,” he says. “I’m a pledge for this frat. What are you majoring in?”
“English. You?”
“Chemistry with a minor in Photography.”
“Oh! Photography! Can you show me your photos?” Hope asks. Peter brings out his phone to show Hope some of his favorite photos.
-
Em grabbed a cookie from the food table as Natasha walked up.
“Hey, angel. Having fun?”
“Yes! It’s so nice to meet all these new friends,” Em says.
“If you say so.”
“It looks like they’re having fun,” Em says, gesturing to Tony, who had somehow acquired even more glow sticks and was waving them around wildly.
“Is he high?” Nat asks, clearly in disbelief that the one of the top students of the university was dancing like he was in a nightclub on some sort of drugs.
“I think he’s just like that,” Em replies. They both break into a laugh at the ridiculousness that is Tony.
-
Minnie was wading through the crowd, a red plastic cup in hand. When she was a pledge for the sorority, she didn’t have nearly as much fun at the initiation party. She was too nervous. Now, she had great friends, and she was going to have a good time.
She took a sip from her cup and as she did, her eyes locked with a pair of green ones across the room. He was tall, with slicked back black hair. He wore a dark green button down with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of black jeans, and matching boots. He smirked at her, and Minnie realized she was staring. She was staring and choking on her drink. She stops after a moment and turns red from embarrassment. This hot guy just saw her almost choke to death.
“Very charming,” he says, clearly amused.
“I haven’t seen you around the fraternity before.”
“I’m not a member,” he says. “I’m assuming you’re a sorority girl?”
“Alpha lambda phi,” she replies. “I’m Minnie.”
“Loki Odinson.”
-
Meag leaned on the threshold of the kitchen door, taking a sip from her soda as Stephen walked up.
“I didn’t think you’d show up.”
“And miss the chance to see you in your natural habitat?” he jokes.
“Have a drink. You look like you’re being held hostage,” Meag says.
“He is,” Bucky says, walking up and putting an arm around his roommate’s shoulder. “Meagie, Stephen here is my new roommate.”
“What an interesting combination,” Meag says.
“Have you seen Hope?” Bucky asks. “I’ve been looking all over for her.”
“Last time I saw her, she was talking to a pledge,” Meag says. “By the speakers.”
“Thanks.” Bucky wanders off to find Hope and Stephen stands there awkwardly.
“So…” he trails off.
Meag’s eyes dart in another direction and then back towards him. “Quick, pretend I said something funny!”
Stephen laughs just as Steve walks up.
“Hey,” Steve says, looking at Meag.
“Hi.”
“I didn’t think you’d be here,” he says.
“Well, I am.”
Steve looks between her and Stephen. “Is this your-“
“Stephen Strange. Meag’s friend in the chemistry department,” Stephen interjects.
“Steve Rogers. Part of the frat. You should really think about joining, Stefan.”
“Stephen. I can spell it out if you need me to,” he says sarcastically. Meag laughs quietly as Steve’s expression turns angry. He walks away and Meag bursts into laughter.
“Hey guys!” Tony calls to the crowd through a megaphone he has mysterious acquired. “We’re going to play spin the bottle!”
state of grace
5. party
state of grace- Chapter 13
state of grace
13. the big game
Hope showed the tickets to the ticket vendor, who ushered them into the stadium. This wasn’t her first time coming to a game. Her first year, she went to all of the games to support Thor, but as her schedule got more hectic, she was unable to go to every game.
This was the first game she’d been to in a while, and this was the first time her friends had been to a game. They were about to climb the stairs of the bleachers when Bucky called out to her.
“Hopie!”
She turned to see Bucky in his football uniform, running up to her.
“Hey! Thanks for coming,” he says. “Can I have a kiss for good luck?”
Hope giggles, and gives him a peck on the lips.
“Barnes! Get back here!”
“Gotta go,” he says. Bucky runs back to join his team and Hope turns around to find her friends sporting matching grins.
-
Stephen entered the stadium to find it packed. These people really loved football. He was a bit hesitant to come to the game, especially since it was against his old alma mater.
He looked up when he reached the bleachers to see Meag waving. He climbed the steps to reach the group. There was an empty seat at the end of the bleacher to Meag’s left. Hope sat to her right, Em to her right, Natasha to their right, Minnie to her right, and Loki sat at the other end of the bleacher with his arms crossed. Stephen slid into the seat beside Meag.
“Didn’t know you guys liked football,” Stephen says.
“We used to come to every game,” Meag says. Back when she dated Steve, she was his biggest cheerleader. She eyed Peggy and her sister Sharon a few rows down and turned towards Stephen.
“You sign up for that fellowship at the hospital this summer?”
“Yeah, I’m super excited,” he replies. “You heard back from Stark Industries or Pym Tech?”
She shakes her head. “Not yet. I probably won’t find out for a few months.”
During the third quarter, Meag suggests they go to the concession stand, and Stephen follows. As Meag goes to the counter and orders for them, Stephen stands off to the side, waiting.
“Stephen?”
He looks up to see Christine Palmer, his ex girlfriend, with a group of other girls from Columbia.
“Hey.”
“So, you go to SHIELD now?”
“Yeah,” he replies. “Columbia just didn’t feel right after everything.”
“I hope you’re doing well. If you ever need-“
She’s cut off when Meag approaches, handing Stephen a corn dog and a soda.
“Hey, Stephen. Who is this?” Meag asks.
“Meagan, this is Christine.“
“We used to date at Columbia,” Christine says. “Are you one of his new friends?”
“Uh.. Yeah,” Meag says. “Stephen and I are both in the chem department.” Christine nods, but she wasn’t paying attention, just staring at Stephen longingly.
“Well, I have to go, see you around Stephen.” She turns to Meag. “It was nice to you, Morgan!”
“Did she just call me Morgan?” Meag asks. She looks over at Stephen. “You ok?”
“Yeah,” he replies. “Let’s get back to the stands.”
Meag follows Stephen, holding her nachos as they walk up the stairs. They sat in awkward silence for the rest of the game.
People started filing out of the stadium, and the group was in the parking lot, as Hope was looking for Bucky. Em and Natasha had already left, and Minnie dragged Loki to the car. Meag had driven herself and Hope, so she stayed with her friend, and Stephen stayed with them.
Bucky walked up and hugged Hope. “We won, Hopie!”
“I’m so proud of you!”
“You’re my good luck charm,” Bucky declares, and Hope chuckles. He looks up at Meag and his roommate.
“Hey guys. You like the game?”
“I was surprised. I didn’t think you’d be a match for Columbia’s team,” Stephen says.
“You clearly don’t know much about football,” a voice says from behind them. They all turn to see Steve standing there in his uniform.
“Good job out there, Buck,” Steve says. “Hey Meag, Hope.”
Stephen takes Meag’s hand into his and glares at the blond quarterback.
“Let’s go, guys. I’ll walk you to your car,” Stephen says.
“Actually, you wanna get some food, Hopie?” Bucky asks.
“Uh..sure,” Hope replies. “I’ll see you at home, Luna.”
“Have fun,” Meag calls as Hope and Bucky walk away.
Steve walks away to find Peggy, leaving Meag and Stephen alone. Meag jerks her hand out of his.
“Can you stop? I didn’t ask you to pretend to be my boyfriend!”
“Yes, you did.”
“When?!” Meag demands. “Tell me when I asked you to be my boyfriend.”
“The day we got coffee,” he answers.
“I asked you to hang out with me! You’re the one that held my hand and made everyone think we were dating!” Meag exclaims. “I just can’t with this. You kissed me at the party, and we’ve hung out, and it’s felt so real.. But then earlier, with Christine, you’re clearly not over her.”
“Yes, I am,” he says. “And why do you care anyway? Like you said, we’re not dating. We’re not pretending to date.”
“Because I like you, you idiot!”
Silence fell over them, and a few people around looked up at them after Meag’s outburst. Stephen blinked in surprise for a moment, and Meag turned to walk away.
She liked him. She liked him and he blew it. What she didn’t know is that he liked her too.
state of grace- Chapter 11
Hope smoothed out the wrinkles on her dress and took a deep breath. Tonight, she was going on a date with Bucky. The bathroom door opened, and Meag stood on the other side.
“He’s here, Hopie!”
Hope nods. “Thanks, Luna. I’ll be down in a minute.”
She closes the door and leaves, and Hope puts on some lips gloss before heading downstairs. Bucky was waiting by the door, and Minnie was talking to him.
“If you ever hurt her, I’m not afraid to go back to jail,” Minnie says, staring him in the eyes.
“You’ve never been to jail,” Meag points out.
“Regardless, you’ll face the wrath of the sorority,” Minnie says.
Bucky swallows thickly. “Ok..” He looks up just as Hope reaches them and smiles at her.
“Hey, Hopie. You look gorgeous,” he says.
“Thanks.”
“You ready to go?”
She nods, following him out the door and into his car. It was a red classic car, though Hope knew nothing about cars, so she couldn’t tell what kind it was. He started up the car and backed out of the driveway, and they sat there for a moment in awkward silence.
“Bucky,” Hope says. “Where are we going?”
“There’s this place in town,” he replies. “They make the best milkshakes.”
They walked into the restaraunt a few minutes later. It was a retro themed diner. Bucky led her to a booth and they sat, just before a waitress walked up. She was a middle aged woman with her brown hair up in a bun. Her name tag read May.
“What can I get you kids?” She pulls out her notepad and pen.
“I’ll have a cheeseburger and fries,” Bucky says.
“I’ll have the same,” Hope tells her.
“And a strawberry milkshake with two straws,” Bucky says.
Hope blushes at that. Who knew Bucky was such a romantic? The waitress went behind the counter right when another college student enters and takes a seat at the counter.
“Hey, May. Can I get a chocolate milkshake?” he asks. It was Peter.
“Coming right up.”
Hope couldn’t help but stare at him as he sat there, talking to the waitress. They had to be related. Maybe his mom? Or his aunt? They had the same brown eyes.
May returned with their milkshake and Hope smiled at Bucky as he opened two straws and put them in the milkshake. She didn’t notice Peter staring at them from the counter.
“Can I ask why you’re not in the frat?”
“I’m not big on partying,” Bucky replies. “It also seems kind of cliquey to me. I mostly hang out with Sam and my roommate these days.”
“What about Steve?” Hope asks.
“Him too, I just.. It’s been weird since he broke up with Meag and started dating Peggy. I don’t think he’s over Meag, and Peggy doesn’t want him hanging around her.”
“Interesting,” Hope says. “How are classes going?”
“Good, how about you?”
“Pretty good. I’ve got a big project coming up. I have to write a short story for my writing class and I’m having some trouble getting started. Whoever writes the best story will win a scholarship.”
“That’s awesome,” he says. “I’m sure you’ll win. What about the sorority? Doing anything interesting?”
“Us and the frat are taking a joint trip to the beach when the semester is over,” Hope says. “We’re renting a couple of houses. It’ll be super fun.”
“Sounds like it.”
The two of them talk, laugh, and eat, oblivious to the boy at the counter who could hear every word.
state of grace
11. the date
