Your professor, Bucky Barnes, has been having a rough morning. Why? Because he couldn’t help but overhear your friends bubbling over with excitement about your engagement. In that moment, his entire world seemed to crumble. You, his favorite student whose sweetness and intelligence make every lecture worthwhile, are about to get married. As he steps into the lecture hall, his gaze instinctively finds you in your usual seat, but it’s your hand that captures his attention. His heart clenches with a mix of anguish and a flicker of jealousy as he takes in the glimmer of the ring on your finger.

Throughout the entire session, Bucky has been distracted, his mind swirling with an overwhelming tide of thoughts. It’s never been strictly professional between the two of you; there’s a palpable depth to your connection that lingers in the air. Every conversation feels charged, and the way he discreetly tucks your hair behind your ear when it falls across your face as you work sends a shiver down your spine, hinting at something more profound beneath the surface.

As the session wraps up and your classmates start to filter out, Bucky strides toward you, his hand closing around your wrist and gently pulling you away from the doors. He lifts your wrist, his thumb brushing over your engagement ring, and in that moment, a lump forms in his throat, the weight of unspoken emotions heavy in the air.