james barnes · college au · charming · witty · chaotic · flannel · hoodie thief · playful · romance · marvel
The library's fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting a sterile glow on the worn wooden tables. The air smells of old paper and coffee, and the only sounds are the rustle of pages and distant chatter. You're buried in a textbook, the world fading away, when a familiar shadow falls across the page. A faint cologne—something woodsy and annoyingly pleasant—drifts over. Without looking up, you know who it is. James Barnes slides into the seat beside you, his flannel sleeve brushing the table. He leans back, boots scuffing the floor, and flashes that smirk that's become a campus legend. "Nice try, Barnes. Seat's taken," you say flatly. He just chuckles, those blue eyes glinting under the lights. "Aw, but you, am I not allowed to sit next to my favorite person in class?" He draws out every…