So, I've been having some major college Sam feels lately. Probably going to funnel some of this into my current series but I wanted to share some insights I've found doing research. I’ve also worked in US Higher Education industry for quite some time as well as obtained degrees at multiple levels of education, so a lot of this insight is from real life experience. Hopefully, this gives a little more info than what you will find in US media.
Disclaimer: I haven’t worked for Stanford University directly, so a lot of that info is from their current website.
University and Dorm Life
California operates in quarters, not tri-semesters. This means they have a fall/autumn, winter, spring, and summer term schedule. Some states will follow the tri-semester schedule and will combine the spring and summer semesters into one term. Depending on the academic calendar, schools will typically have 1-3 weeks between terms. The largest is typically winter break which can be 2-3 weeks long due to all the holidays. Spring break is the weird one that can happen in the middle of a term for many colleges. Stanford appears to set Spring break as the small week between Winter and Spring term. They do not require students to move from the dorms during this break.
Summer quarter is typically optional and may require a special application to stay in the dorms during the term. Unlike skipping the other semesters, skipping summer term is not held against you academically and does not require a student to have to re-enroll into their program or risk losing a scholarship. Colleges may also move students to a specific dorm hall during this term.
A lot of students will take summer semester off, but I could see Sam taking this term to keep his housing. Getting an apartment during this term wouldn’t be covered under a full-time scholarship if he decided to skip it. As it is also optional for many academic programs, it’s possible it might not be covered under a full-time scholarship. I know many state colleges likely wouldn’t cover it unless there were specific conditions in the scholarship terms. Stanford might be different as they have more private funding to support students.
Conversely, a lot of colleges will actually kick students out of the dorms if they are not taking classes during the summer or will have students commute for their summer classes (i.e. can’t stay in the dorms). This is how a lot of colleges complete renovation, construction, and technology projects in the dorms during this quieter period. There is actually a lot of ceremony involved in moving the students in during fall and back out again in the spring for many colleges. For most schools, students don’t have to move their stuff during holiday breaks or between semester breaks during the regular academic year. However, I did find Stanford does force its students to move out for their winter break so Sam would need to find housing during this period (usually 2-3 weeks). This would not be covered by a full-ride scholarship so Sam would have to find a way to cover this himself or stay with a friend.
Upside to taking summer semester, Sam would likely get further into his degree program than he would normally. This may explain why he was interviewing with law schools so early in his 4th year at Stanford. There is actually some debate on how long he was at Stanford for. I personally believe he was there for 3 years and was just starting his 4th year in his fall semester when the Pilot occurred.
Another thing to note about dorms, some schools will have specific restrictions on dorms and when they can be used. Some schools will require freshmen to stay in the dorms for their first academic year while others will have it as optional. Some schools may require students to stay in the dorms till they are 21 (though it’s become less common). Others will organize students based on declared major while others will completely randomize the process. Some dorm halls may be completely dedicated to upperclassmen while others may be freshmen only.
Outside of the dorm halls, there are usually onsite campus apartments that students can apply for. However, I’m not sure if this would be covered by the full-time scholarship as they are often pricier than a regular dorm. These accommodations typically come with a small kitchen, living room, bathroom, and a dedicated bedroom. Students can also live off campus for cheaper(usually), but this wouldn’t be covered under a full-time scholarship.
A college or university will have multiple dorms and/or student halls dotted across their campus. The quality and design will largely depend on the age of the dorm, the capacity of the college, and whether the school in question is offering larger, better facilities as a recruitment tool to boost attendance at the school. From my experience, a school will often have many different types of dorms, from many different eras, available on their campus. Some may even be over a hundred years old depending on the age of the campus. Colleges will typically raze, renovate, or build new dorms as funding becomes available, the the shape/quality of the dorm in question, and the priorities of the college.
A traditional dorm room usually houses two students is typically a small to medium sized room with two beds (separate or bunk beds depending on the space), two small desks, and a small closet space (possibly a small dresser or two if you are lucky). Some halls will have a dorm space with a common living room and a shared bedroom with multiple bunk beds that can house up to 4 students. Students can often request to be roomed with a specific person or people, but this is largely determined by seniority and a first come, first served basis. Freshmen being the lowest grade, typically have to go with the luck of the draw unless space opens up later in the term. Some schools may also offer single dorm rooms but from what I’ve seen, these are typically rare. They would also be highly sought after and might be held at a higher price point than a shared space (i.e. might not be eligible for scholarship students). They would also be small rooms as colleges like to maximize space in order to house as many students as possible.
Each dorm will typically have one or more resident assistants (RAs) assigned to each floor. The job of the RA is to handle any conflicts within the dorm, help with room assignments, and act as advisor and mentor when needed. This position is typically paid and is held by an upper classman. Upside to being an RA is you usually get your own room. You may also get a discount on housing. RAs also often organize many of the events that are held at the dorms. They also often act as the first form of security at the dorm and will report any suspicious activity to campus security. Depending on the dorm, access may be restricted similar to an apartment building where you need to be a resident or be invited in by a resident to gain access (be buzzed in or have an access card). This has become especially true in the US with the prevalence of on-campus violence that has occurred in the last two decades. In Sam’s time, it likely would have been laxer.
When it comes to the bathroom situation, it largely depends on the dorm or hall, but these are often shared with the other students on the same floor. It’s typically a large room with dedicated areas for showering, toilets, and sinks. Depending on the age of the facility, they may be coed or have dedicated rooms for males and females. Students will typically have a shower caddy, a pair of flip flops or shower shoes (optional), and towels that they take to the showering area. Some may also take a change of clothes and change in the shower room. Shower stalls are typically small stalls that have privacy curtains for each person. Again, use is on a first come, first served basis.
Some dorms might also have laundry facilities available for use in the basement but often students are expected to use laundromats available off campus. Some students will also often take their laundry back home if they or their parents live nearby.
Other items of note in the dorms may be communal sitting areas, usually found on the first floor but there may be other sitting areas on each floor that allow this. Each dorm would also likely have multiple vending machines available. During Sam’s time, you would also often see multiple pay phones available throughout the dorm to be used by students. Students may also have access to a dedicated landline connection in their dorm that they would have to pay for at the end of the month. Cable TV may also be available for an extra fee or be included as a part of tuition. Many of the communal sitting spaces will have a shared tv for entertainment purposes that the college covers. There may also be a microwave available to reheat or prepare food. Microwaves might be allowed in the dorm rooms, but it depends on the school if they allow them or not. The dorm rooms might also be too small to try to house and operate them safely.
During the early 2000s, cell phones were available but not super prevalent. A lot of people still relied on landline connections or pay phones to make calls. Cellular coverage could also be spotty and expensive. Wi-Fi would largely be non-existent in dorms and would be restricted to computer labs and selective classrooms at best. If you wanted an internet connection in the dorms, it would likely be an ethernet connection that had to be plugged in manually to a laptop or computer tower. Depending on the dorm/school, this might also be an extra charge similar to the landline bill. For mail service, many schools have a dedicated mailing center that a student can use to collect their mail. Again, depending on the school, this service might be part of their tuition or an extra service.
Fraternities and sororities would be housed separately from the dorms but are typically still on school grounds or near to the school. Fraternities and sororities largely have their own rules for membership and housing but still need to operate within school bylaws. Otherwise, they would be disbanded and shut down from operating. And yes, they are often a place for partying. You’ll typically see pledging and a lot of recruitment activities happening at the beginning of the school year. Welcome back activities are also very common at the beginning of the academic year during the fall semester.
Other than the dorms, most colleges act like a small city with a food hall, smaller cafes, libraries, computer labs, and a health center. Most colleges will have a dedicated food hall or café for student use along with other independent cafes and coffeeshops available onsite or near the college campus. You will also likely see at least one dedicated college bookstore that sells textbooks, school supplies, and college memorabilia/swag to the populace. Sam would likely have a small stipend to use at the bookstore for school supplies and textbooks as a part of his full ride.
Outside of these locations, you have the buildings that house the academic classrooms, labs, art, industrial buildings, etc. The type and variety of these buildings and classroom depends largely on what academic programs the university teaches. For example, a college I worked for had dedicated spaces to automotive, welding, construction, CNC, drafting/engineering, medical fields, chemical and bio engineering, hospitality, and art. We also had a small observatory for our astronomy classes. This didn’t include all the other programs and classes that could be taught in a traditional classroom space or lecture hall. I also attended a school that had a large number of agricultural sciences programs that had many dedicated areas for animal husbandry and farming. Again, it can vary wildly between schools.
Depending on the school, many colleges have meal plans that students may use to help cover the cost of food. This typically comes as part of their aid package or will be paid out of pocket by the student themselves (or a parent). Some of these meal plans might restrict students to a certain dollar amount for the full term or to be used x times a day (breakfast/lunch/dinner for example). Sam, as a full-ride student, may have a meal plan as part of his covered fees to attend. However, it’s likely restricted to only the main food hall and would not cover extras like the coffee shops or other cafes. These meal plans would also likely only be active when school is in session. A lot of schools restrict or close these food halls during breaks. This would mean during semester breaks; students would need to find other ways to access food. In my career, I actually talked with a student that found a school she was planning to attend that closed their main food hall during the weekends and expected students to cover their own food (outside a meal plan) during this time.
Student Organizations, Festivals, Celebrations
Student life on a college or university campus can be very active. Throughout the year, different celebrations and events will occur for various reasons. Some celebrations might be due to various holidays, institution initiatives, or awareness campaigns. One thing many institutions do is hold various activities that follow the national themes set for each month of the calendar year. To give a few examples; September is suicide prevention month, November is Native American Heritage month, and March is Women’s History month. Some months might have multiple themes being highlighted.
During these celebrations, there is often signage bringing awareness to the initiative as well as different events scheduled. The institution may organize student awareness as well as invite guest speakers to highlight the issue. Along with these activities, student organizations might hold their own events that might tie into the larger ongoing initiative or have nothing to do with it.
Along with these activities, various fairs and festivals may be held throughout the year for the students to take part in. A common set of activities that is held by an institution would be welcome back activities at the beginning of academic year (typically in the fall) which are used to welcome the new and returning students back to the institution and get them accustomed to the environment. Activities that might be held during this time could include scavenger hunts, ice cream/pizza socials, concerts, bake sales, campus tours, etc. Some events may be university-wide while others might be restricted to specific colleges, departments, or dorms. An institution may also hold similar activities at the beginning of each term after the short breaks. Student organizations will often hold recruitment and awareness activities during this time as well.
University Structure and Different Types of Institutions
While the terms university and college may be used interchangeably to describe institutions in the higher education industry, there are distinct differences in the U.S. Universities are typically 4-year program institutions that give out various degrees for completing educational programs. The most common of these is a bachelor’s degree program but some may also offer various certificate and associate degree programs as well. Many of these institutions are also accredited to give out graduate and professional academic degrees like doctorates.
A university is also comprised of multiple, smaller colleges that focus on a specific field of study. For example, a university might have a separate college for education, business, engineering, science, liberal arts/humanities, etc. Each degree program offered by the institution will be associated to one of these colleges. These colleges will often make requirements for their programs that a student needs to complete in order to graduate from their college. This would be required for all students at this college regardless of the degree being pursued. For example, a college of business might require students to complete various business and marketing classes whereas a college of engineering may require their students to take a large amount of math and science classes.
Along with the internal colleges, an institution may also have separate schools for very rigorous fields of study such as law school or medical school. These schools typically require a separate application and admission process to attend. They also usually require an applicant to have completed or be close to completing a 4-year degree before they can apply. Some may also require the completion of an aptitude test in that field of study in order to be considered.
Conversely, a college is typically a 2-year institution that offers associate degree or certificate programs for students to complete. A college will not have other internal colleges in its institutional structure but will have departments that operate very similarly in its support structure. Common 2-year institutions are community colleges and private colleges.
A major difference between college and university degrees will be the number of credits needed to obtain a degree. Associate degrees typically require 60-75 credits to complete whereas a bachelor's degree will require around 120 credits to complete. A graduate degree typically requires 2-3 years to complete while a doctoral degree can take 4-6 years to complete.
Public vs Private
The higher education industry in the U.S. is comprised of a mixture of private and public institutions. Stanford would be an example of a private university. This basically means they receive little to no funding from the government and largely operate from private funding such as donations, tuition, and fees. Due to being private, Stanford has a large amount of leeway in how they operate and teach but they are still required to adhere to various state and federal laws as well as various standard committees in order to receive accreditation in their fields of study. There are many private universities other than the Ivy League schools that operate in the U.S. Most are very expensive when compared to their public counterparts.
Outside of private institutions, public universities are also very popular. Many of these state universities receive funding from the state government they are operating in, the federal government, private donations, and student tuition. For state universities, they have to adhere to state and federal standards in order to continue to receive funding. They must also be much more transparent in their yearly activities and budget than their private counterparts. These institutions are also required to give a break on the cost of tuition for in-state students versus out-of-state and international students.
For colleges, private and public 2-year colleges operate very similarly to their 4-year counterparts. The main difference comes into play for community colleges. Community colleges receive funding from the communities they are based in in the form of millages. These millages are voted on by the taxpayers and largely fund these colleges along with the state and federal funding received through financial aid. Many community colleges will offer tuition discounts to the communities they have active millages in. These communities will also vote for members to the college board of trustees who hold a lot of power in how the college is run.
End of Semester and Finals Week
End of Semester activities typically start a couple of weeks before a class officially ends. Most instructors will assign end of term projects and/or a final exam for the class. Sometimes these projects will be group projects where a small group of students might have to complete a presentation, paper, or project in order to pass the class. Ergo, you actually see the stress from finals start to occur 2-3 weeks before finals week.
Finals week is the last week of the academic term. It can be a very stressful, chaotic, and sometimes hilarious time for students. Many universities will hold various activities to help students destress from finals. Many dorms will hold parties or activities near the end of the week (when most tests are completed) to also celebrate the end of semester. To give examples, I’ve seen colleges bring in animals in to help students destress, host concerts in a courtyard, video game tournaments, or yard game competitions, etc. And yes, finals can be a highly stressful time and I have seen students have mental breakdowns over a grade. At the Ivy League level, this would be even more present. Sam as a scholarship student would be under immense pressure to maintain his good grades in order to maintain his place at the institution. He may also have to reapply for his scholarship every year as a part of his financial aid application. If he dipped below a certain grade point average or didn’t maintain his full-time status, he would likely lose his full-ride scholarship.
Academic Advising
Most colleges have a counseling and advising office that is tasked with helping students with academic advising. They may also offer supportive services like a traditional counseling office including help with family issues, stress management, drug/addiction management, etc. Advisors may be assigned to a pool of students, to specific areas of study/degree programs, or may be assigned depending on availability to a waiting student.
Depending on the college or university, students may have to meet with a counselor or academic advisor before they are able to sign up for term classes. Other institutions may allow students to sign up for classes without formal advising but will make it a requirement if the student is trying to overload on classes for a term (typically more than 12-15 credits for a term). Either way, if a student wanted to make a change to their classes, they would be able to do so by working through an advisor. An advisor also has the power to waive different requirements for classes or co-register a student for classes so they can complete multiple requirements for a program at once. For example, say a student wants to take a creative writing class that has English 101 as a prerequisite. Normally, a student wouldn’t be able to register for the writing class until the prerequisite is completed but an advisor might be able to co-register a student to both English 101 and the creative writing class to be taken at the same time.
Outside of the counseling office, most college programs will often have an instructor/professor set as an overall program advisor. Their job is to answer student questions on the program, help advise on what classes a student needs to take to complete the program, mentor students, and work as a program advocate/administrator in the greater college system. Counselors may reach out to the program advisor when they have questions, need approval from the program advisor to register a student for a specific class, etc.
Majors
When a prospective student applies to a college or university, it is often asked what degree or program they plan to pursue. Back in the 90s and early 2000s, it was very common to remain undeclared as a major. These students typically would spend a year or two (or more), pursuing general education credits before they would declare a major. This gives students the opportunity to explore various classes and programs before deciding whether to focus on one specific course of study or not. Some universities may even offer general education programs that students can fulfill before deciding to transfer or pursue further education in another field or school. It’s also not uncommon for students to change their mind several times on what degree and career to pursue in school while attending. This is true even today.
During the late 90s and early 2000s, there was a change of mindset that occurred in the higher education industry. Back then, higher education was still regarded of as a way to enrich the mind and better oneself in order to prepare for adulthood. Career education was often considered secondary (depending on the mindset of the institution) and traditional academics were often pushed and pursued by universities. It was also common to think that having a college degree would guarantee success later in life and could open the door to many career fields.
However, with the rising cost of education and the onset of the Great Recession in 2008, many college students found themselves unable to find work after graduating as the market became saturated with those who had been laid off or without a job due to economy turmoil. Universities were pushed to focus more and more heavily on career education over traditional academics. In 2012, further restrictions were imposed on Pell Grant recipients that added a lifetime limit on how long students could apply for federal aid for higher education (approx. 6 years). Prior, students could continually apply for grants as long as they attended an institution and were in good standing. These restrictions were further added to recently where students now must focus only on classes that are within their declared program in order to be covered by federal aid. This is to curb higher education costs that may go “unused” by a student to obtain a credential.
Now personally, I feel like Sam would have been an undeclared or general studies major for his few years at Stanford University. I feel like when he applied to the institution, he didn’t have a clear idea on what he wanted to pursue as a career, he just wanted “out” of the hunting life and pursuing college was the way to do that. The want to pursue law school came later and may have been an influence from Jess or his friends in college.
Sam’s need for safety and using college to obtain it reminds me of a book called, “A Chance in the World”, where the author Steve Pemberton describes in his memoir of using college as a way to escape his hellish foster care situation. Like Sam, Steve was able to defy the odds and made it successfully to college through hard work and determination. College for him meant a place of safety and hope (which I very much see reflected in Sam).
Class Schedules and Academic Standing
When attending classes, most universities follow a credit hour system. Credit hours are assigned to classes based upon how much time the institution feels a student will be dedicating to the academic course. 1 unit is equal to 3 hours of work performed by the average student per week. So, if a academic course is assigned 3 credit hours, a student is expected to dedicate at least 9 hours of work to that course (most of which would be outside the classroom) per week. Generally, higher level courses are considered more rigorous than lower-level courses.
In my experience, the reality is heavily dependent on the course and how it is designed as well as the subject matter. I’ve experienced one credit courses that were harder and more time-consuming than 3 credit courses. Time and effort requirements can also vary from student to student. Instructors heavily play a factor in the level of difficulty for a course as well. Additionally, the quality of education at an institutional level at a university is very dependent on the level and excellence of its faculty.
Most students will sign up for 4-6 courses for a term (depending on the various credit levels assigned) in order to be considered enrolled full-time. Generally, anything under 12 credits is considered part-time. If a student is receiving aid (whether from an institution or federally), they are often expected to maintain a full-time status with the institution along with a good grade point average. For federal financial aid, the threshold is a 2.0 GPA, but scholarships and full-ride programs often have higher thresholds to maintain or for reapplication of the scholarship at the end of academic year. If the student should dip below full-time status, they often will see their aid reduced or removed entirely (depending on the terms and conditions of the aid given). Students may also decide to overload classes (typically 15 credits or more) in order to complete their degree quicker or to complete other credentials within the institution (dual majors, minors, certificates, honors, etc.). Often times, institutions will require a student to meet with an advisor before they will be able to overload on classes.
If a student’s GPA should dip below a certain level, they may be put on academic probation and risk losing their aid, or having it withheld until they complete measures to come back into good standing. Some factors may be considered (such as a loss of a family member, serious illness, hardship, etc) on a student’s academic standing but its generally considered that the student has the responsibility to inform their instructors and the college of their circumstances before it affects their academic standing. Students have options to change their grade to a pass or fail, drop, or withdraw from a class before it permanently affects their standing within a college.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
One of the major hurdles that students need to complete in order to attend a higher education institution is finding a way to pay for it. As most higher education institutions are extremely expensive to attend, most will try to pay for their education through either financial aid or scholarships. Financial aid usually refers to the monetary aid offered to a student from the state and federal government. Currently, this is requested via the FAFSA application (which has been in use since 1992). Depending on the student’s calculated need score (which is calculated based on available funds and assets from the student and their family), the student may be offered grants or access to low interest loans in order to pay for college. If these sources do not fully cover the cost, a student may apply for other scholarships, institutional aid, or private loans for additional money. Grants and scholarships do not need to be paid back by the student while loans do.
Scholarships are typically gifts of money that are given in order for a student to afford to attend a higher education institution. These funds can be offered by an institution, private entity, foundation, or person that wishes to help a student or group of students. Scholarships are typically awarded on a mixture of merit and need to a student. Some require separate applications to be submitted or will be included as part of the aid package awarded to an incoming student to an institution. Many of these scholarships will have conditions in how the money may be spent and what will be covered by the scholarship. Full ride scholarships are unique in the fact they often cover all the major expenses a student may incur in attending the institution that is offering the scholarship. However, even with full ride scholarships, many will have requirements for reapplication or to stay in the scholarship program year after year. This may include a minimum GPA, reporting of end of term grades, academic good standing, and/or other conditions such as an essay component to be submitted.
Registration
In order to take classes at an institution, a student must first register for them. Registration is basically a formal agreement between a student and the institution that covers how much a class will cost, when it will be held, and that the student registering will pay for and attend the course. A student can register for classes in various ways, including via phone, mail, computer, internet, counselor, or in person meeting. Nowadays, many students register via the internet. However, during the period Sam would have been attending, internet registration may not have been available or was very new to higher education.
For incoming freshmen, many institutions may require other goals to be completed in order for freshmen students to register for classes. This can include completing an orientation session and/or meeting with an academic advisor before their course list is finalized. Some courses may also have prerequisites needed in order to successfully enroll in a course. These prerequisites may include test scores or other classes to be taken first before a student can be enrolled.
Many institutions may also restrict when registration is available for future terms. For example, when opening registration, many institutions will open access based on how many credits a student has completed overall at an institution. This structure allows the institution to group students and control the flow of registration for a term. It also allows the upperclassmen the best chance to register and complete the classes they may need for graduation. Freshmen are often the last group allowed to register as they have the most flexibility when it comes to what courses they have left to complete. Conversely, instead of using registration groups, some institutions may also participate in what is called open registration where students are registered on a first come, first served basis where the entire student body has an equal chance of registering for a course. I’ve heard this technique referred to as “cattle call” registration as its similar to ringing bell to bring in cattle for dinner.
When registering and planning courses, most students will follow a recommended degree plan. This degree plan will detail what courses are needed to be taken in order to complete the degree to graduate. Some degree requirements might have flexibility in how they are completed. For example, some degree programs will have a humanities or culture requirement where a student has to complete x number of courses to complete (often 3 classes or more). The list of available courses that might be used to complete this requirement might be a pool of 10 classes or more, giving students an option in what courses they can take to fulfill the requirement. Other requirements, like core classes of a degree, may not be as flexible.
Depending on the level of detail offered, the degree plan will often have information on what classes can be substituted, which have prerequisites, and what classes might be offered when if they are classes that are only held during specific terms. It may also detail what are requirements from the institution, which are requirements from the college (if a 4-year institution), and what are requirements from the degree program itself.
Outside of completing academic courses, many degree programs may have requirements to complete industry certifications, complete volunteer hours, or gain work experience before completing a degree.
Forbidden Items and Activities
Many institutions will restrict what items are allowed on campus. In particular, campuses often forbid any type of weaponry from being housed or carried on a college campus. However, some state laws can supersede these restrictions when come to concealed carry of firearms. Other than weaponry, some institutions will restrict cooking items from dorm rooms. Latex can also be restricted due to allergy considerations.
Some activities may also be restricted or forbidden on a campus. This is often the case when it comes to consuming alcohol, taking drugs, or smoking. Any type of violence is also forbidden and can get participants fined and/or kicked out of school. Specific areas of the campus may also be restricted to specific personnel or students attending. For example, many universities participate in sensitive research grants that might be restricted to specific faculty and graduate level students participating in the study or project.
A/N: this is for @perfectluminarylight who is sick. Please enjoy your fluffy little dreams
word count: 969
“Hey, baby. I forgot my library card, do you mind if I still check you out?” The words came out of the man’s mouth and Myin hiccuped before looking up at him.
“What?” She asked absolutely disgusted that she had almost found the joke funny. She had been sitting at the bar for almost an hour and the bartender kept filling her drink up, telling her it was ‘on the house’. She should have been paying more attention to the number of drinks she had finished but it was hard when he would refill it before it was empty.
“I said I’d like to take you home and look between the sheets at you,” he got real close to her face and ran his hands over her shoulders and down her arms.
“You are really bad at this,” Myin started to giggle uncontrollably. “Maybe you should drop the book references and go for something simpler.” She grinned drunkenly.
“God, you’re such a lightweight, nerd.” He snarled rudely. Myin was taken aback. It wasn’t that she had meant to be rude to him, just that she didn’t want to hear him talk anymore. He started to lean in closer to her with his lips puckered and Myin leaned away from him unsteady on her stool.
“I think you should leave,” Came a firm voice from behind the man. Myin looked over his head and recognized the taller man from one of her classes. She thought his name was Sam.
“I don’t think you are part of this conversation.” Myin decided that she would call the man who had been hitting on her asshole.
“Hey, asshole, he asked you to leave. Maybe you should do what he says before someone gets hurt,” Myin slurred and both the asshole and Sam looked at her. The asshole with some measure of amusement and Sam with a level of concern. Myin thought Sam might study law. Which was ultimately a waste of shoulders like that.
“Pre-law here isn’t going to hurt anyone. Are you Sam,” Asshole was really pushing her buttons, but at least she was right about Sam’s name.
“No one has to get hurt,” Sam affirmed putting his hands up defensively. Myin saw Asshole grip his beer bottle a little differently as he started to raise it.
“Look out!” she shouted as she tried to stand and fell on top of asshole knocking them both to the ground with a groan and a gasp from the crowd at the bar.
“You alright there miss?” The bartender asked as he noticed the incident.
“She’s fine, I’ll take her home,” Sam said smiling tightly as he held up her keys. Myin looked at the shine of her keys wondering how Sam had gotten the from her pocket before Sam was standing her up and walking her out of the bar.
“Did he hurt you?” Myin asked. Sam chuckled as he realized she had no idea she had come to getting hurt.
“I’m fine, thanks for saving my ass. I’m not used to being the damsel in distress,” Myin laughed brightly at his joke as she regained some of her own footing and directed them back to her dorm.
“I find it hard to believe with hair like that,” She jested.
“Want me to walk you up the stairs, Myin?” He asked fairly sure she wouldn’t make it. Myin looked at him suddenly aware of the fact that Sam had remembered her name from their class. There were at least a hundred students in the class.
“Sure,” She said quietly. Her mind was still working really slowly from the alcohol as they went slowly up the stairs to her third floor dorm.
“You really got lucky with where your room was located,” Sam laughed as they were going up the last flight of steps.
“Yes same with my roommate,” Myin chuckled getting a little dizzy from turning.
“Tell me about her?” Sam prompted. Myin was sure that he didn’t care. He just wanted more information about her.
“She dropped out of class two weeks in. I live alone.” Myin realized she might have said too much as they got to her door. Sam pulled out her keys and unlocked the dorm and walked her to her room.
“Sit,” Sam ordered as he knelt down in front of her and slipped her shoes off.
“Where are you going?” Myin asked as Sam walked out of her room. He came back a moment later with a cup of water and a bottle of Asprin.
“How much did you drink?” Sam asked as he knelt back down to be on level with her.
“No idea.” She swallowed hard as she realized she was alone with a man she barely knew and she was completely wasted.
“If you think you’re gonna be sick just shout for me,” Sam said as he started to move away.
“Wait,” She said. He turned to look her in the eyes. The warm chocolate of her eyes met the calming hazel of his. “How did you remember my name?” Sam chuckled.
“You don’t remember me, huh?” He asked as he reached out gently and pushed her hair out of her face. She realized he was putting her hair in a ponytail.
“Sam?” She whispered his name for the first time. She felt his hand cup her cheek in comfort as their faces moved close together.
“You left your backpack in class the other week, remember?” His breath warmed her lips they were so close to each other. Sam couldn’t say why, but he just wanted to be close to her.
He huffed a short laugh as her forehead tipped forward and she rested against his chin. Sam laid her back on her pillow before covering her up and going to lie on her couch.
Request: “#41 with Sam + ‘going shopping’.” by @awesomesusiebstuff
Prompt: “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”
Pairing: college!Sam x Reader
Word count: 1K
Warnings: Sam’s being a bit annoying but we love him anyway
A/N: Again, I apologize for the wait. I came up with the idea for this fic when the theme was a little more relevant. You’ll understand once you start reading ;)
The mall was surprisingly crowded for the early hour at which you had decided to stop by. Your hand was holding Sam’s, not just because you enjoyed it but because you were practically forced to drag him along in order to actually get him to come inside with you. He could be such a baby sometimes, especially when he didn’t get his way. You, however, were in a very good mood and felt determined to show Sam this was worth his time.
It didn’t take you long to reach the store toward which your visit that morning had been aimed specifically. Since you had moved to Stanford for college, you had been to this mall countless times to go shopping with friends. Never with Sam, though.
Sam did not like to go shopping. And he hated Halloween.
Which was why his frown grew deeper the second you approached ‘Mr. Gregory’s Costume Shop’ and – seeing as your hand was still tightly holding on to his – by extent forced him to enter the store with you.
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this,” he muttered, quietly enough for you to pretend you hadn’t heard him. His eyes roamed around the space before landing on a mannequin that was wearing a pirate costume with about every matching accessory one could think of, right down to the fake parrot on its shoulder. He looked it over a couple of times with a slightly disgusted look on his face.
You gave a tug on Sam’s hand to bring his focus back to the task at hand. “Stop flirting with the pirate, Sam. Let’s start at the back of the store and work our way to the front.”
Sam rolled his eyes, but when they landed on you, his face softened and he even showed somewhat of a smile. “I can’t promise you I’ll be any good at pretending to care about what you pick out,” he informed you. It wasn’t a snarky comment, he was simply leveling your expectations to his reality.
“Come on, look around you!” you said, letting go of his hand to make wide gestures at the costume-packed clothing racks. “There has to be at least one thing in this entire store that you’ll like. Look alive, Sammy!”
“If you wanted me to look alive you shouldn’t have dragged me out of bed so early,” Sam was quick to strike back.
You couldn’t help but laugh a little. Usually, he was the one having to wake you up because you were the queen of snoozing your alarm and being late to all of your early classes. You had a feeling he had hoped the same thing would happen today with your shopping trip. But you were too excited about this all to let your bad habits ruin any of it. You wanted to have enough time to try on different costume options and pick the perfect one while still being able to make it back to campus in time for your 11:00 AM lecture.
“What about this one?” you asked as you held up one of the more colorful options that had immediately caught your eye.
Sam just raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips, waiting for you to catch on.
“All right, I get it. You don’t care,” you sighed as you put the costume back. “At least you know I’m not getting anything ‘slutty’ just like ninety-nine percent of the other girls at the party will probably be wearing.”
You weren't against those kinds of outfits, you just weren’t really into it yourself. Before you met Sam, when you went to what would become your last Halloween party until now, you had dressed as a knight, with your best friend as the damsel. Your impressive armor had given you full coverage, along with a huge struggle whenever you had to use the bathroom.
Two months later, you started dating Sam, and from that moment on he had always been able to somehow persuade you to stay home during Halloween. Until this year, that was. You had finally won the battle of never-ending nagging, and you were planning to celebrate your victory by showing him how much fun this was truly going to be.
Sam was letting his fingers graze the black fabric of a Zorro costume, and for a second, you could have sworn it seemed as if he was actually considering picking it off the rack. Then he cleared his throat and turned back to you.
"You know I don't care about that kind of stuff," he reminded you. "It's your body, no one else but you should have a say in the way you dress." A grin crept up on his lips when he had a thought. He stepped his large body closer and leaned down so his lips were at your ear. "As long as I get to be the one helping you out of your costume when we get home."
You sucked your bottom lip between your teeth and pretended to mull it over. “That depends, Winchester.” Your hands pressed against his chest to make him step back and look at you. “Will you behave during the party?”
“You mean, will I act normal and avoid standing in a corner somewhere with a long face the entire evening?” he scoffed. “I told you, the only reason I’m doing this is for you.” He grabbed your hand and pressed a kiss to the back. “In other words; yes, I shall behave, my love.”
You chuckled at the theatrical manner in which he concluded his promise. “Why, thank you, my kind sir,” you responded before picking up the invisible skirt of your invisible dress and bending your jean-clad legs in a small bow.
That seemed to help Sam’s mood brighten up a little. He grinned and pulled you into his side to tuck you under one of his arms. “All right, let’s do this,” he said with an unforeseen tone of determination in his voice.
The two of you set off, side by side, further into the maze of mismatched colors and sparkling accessories, ready to embark on a quest to find the perfect outfits.
Pairing - Sam x Reader, Dean, Stacey (oc), Tom (oc).
Word count - 3.6k
Warnings - Fluff, angst, drinking, party, drunk reader, douchey guys, Sam is a good guy.
Written for - @spnfluffbingo2019
Squares filled - College AU
Fluff Bingo Masterlist
“Why not?’ Your roommate Stacey whined as she jumped on your bed pulling the sheets away from your face.
Ripping the sheets out of her hand you covered your head again. “Cause I don’t want to.” She had been trying for nearly an hour to convince you to go to a party with her tonight, It was the last thing you wanted to do, you just wanted to be alone, ever since a few weeks ago when you had walked in on your boyfriend of thirteen months in bed with a girl you had up until that point had considered a friend.
Stacey pulled the sheets off you. “You need to stop hiding away from the world you’re gorgeous, we’ll get you all dressed up and we’ll have a great night.” She winked at you.
“Stace, I really don’t feel like going to a party.” Reaching out you tried to grab the sheets from her hand.
“No.” Throwing the sheets off the end of the bed she straddled your waist her palms cupping your cheeks making you look up at her. “We’re not doing this, we’ve done the whole wallowing around eating ice cream in our pyjamas shit you need to get over Scott you deserve so much better than him, we’re over this, we’re going out we’re finding you a new guy even if it’s just for the night.” She grinned down at you. “Get your ass in the shower, I’ll do your hair.” Getting off you she grabbed your arms hauling you into a sitting position, walking out of your room she left you alone.
“Stace-“
“I’m not arguing! We’re going to the party!” She called back as she shut her bedroom door. “Wear that red dress!’ She shouted as she knocked on the wall connecting your bedrooms.
Rolling out of bed you headed towards your bathroom, giving in to Stacey’s plan and going to the party for an hour or two would be much easier than to fight her, stay in bed and watch movies, which is what you really wanted to do. Clicking on the radio you got ready, fresh out of the shower you wrapped a towel around yourself you walked through your bedroom towards your wardrobe, pulling out the red dress Stacey suggested you hung it up on the front of your wardrobe. Maybe going out tonight wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
-
“Hey.” Stacey wrapped her arm around your waist distracting you from your chat with Lydia who was quickly giggling away with her boyfriend. “Are you good?” She asked with a smile.
“I’m good.” Taking a sip from your drink you smiled at her.
“Want to go home?” Stacey asked knowing that you didn’t want to be there in the first place.
“Nope, I’m having fun.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yep.” You were genuinely having fun, letting your hair down for the first time in over a year you were spending time with you had only seen in classes since you started dating Scott. This was the first party you had been to in God knows how long and you were going to enjoy it.
“Stacey!” Tyler, Stacey’s boyfriend called for her from across the room.
“I’ll be back in a minute okay?”
“Yeah, okay, I’m fine anyway.” Drinking the last of your vodka soda from the cup you watched Stacey fight her way through the crowded room to reach her boyfriend. Looking down at the empty cup in your hand you walked into the kitchen for a refill.
A group of guys shoved past you sending you straight into someone knocking his drink to the floor.
“Shit, sorry.”
“It’s okay, are you okay?” He asked.
Looking up at who you had bumped into a handsome guy stood staring down at you waiting for your response. “Yeah, yeah I’m okay, sorry about your drink.”
“It’s fine, looks like yours is empty too, want to get another one?” He asked.
“Yeah, sure.” Smiling at him you were genuinely enjoying the first bit of male attention in what felt like months, Scott hadn’t shown you any interest in a while and with the way the handsome stranger was looking at you it made you forget all about your ex.
“I’m Tom.”
“Y/N.”
“Nice to meet you Y/N, let's get that drink huh?”
Stumbling through the bustling house you bumped straight into a guy the cup in his hand tipped over sending the drink straight down the front of your dress.
“I’m so sorry.” The man apologised looking at you wide-eyed.
“It’s fine, my fault.” Looking up at him you recognised the guy you’d walked straight into. “Sam?” You shared a few classes at him you weren’t close friends with him but you always said hello when you saw him.
“Y/N? You look beautiful, I’m sorry about your dress.” His smile soon disappeared from his face.
Waving a hand out you smiled at him. “Seriously it’s fine.”
“You okay?” Sam asked reaching out his hand grabbed your elbow steadying you as you swayed slightly.
“Yeah, yeah.”
“You sure?”
“I’m just tipsy, Sam.”
“Are you here with someone?” He asked looking up to see if anyone was searching for you.
Truthfully you had no idea where Stacey was, the last time you’d seen her was before you met Tom.
“I don’t think so.” You shook your head.
“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Tom walked towards you wrapping his arm around your waist.
“Hi.”
“You ready to go?” He asked tugging you closer to his side.
“No, I’m talking to Sam.” You glanced towards your classmate.
“C’mon we’re leaving, I’ve got us a ride,” Tom informed you taking hold of your wrist.
“I’m talking to Sam, Tom.” You tried to pull your hand away from his grasp not moving at all.
Giving your waist a firm squeeze his whole demeanour changed, the look in his eyes made your stomach drop. “We’re leaving.”
“Let go of me.” Trying to take a step away from him you couldn’t get out of his grip. “Tom.”
“Let go of her.” Sam took a step towards the two of you.
“Back off Winchester.” Tom snapped. “This has nothing to do with you.”
“Let go of her.” Sam repeated louder this time.
“Just fuck off.” Tom grunted throwing a glance towards Sam. “Y/N, c’mon.”
“Y/N.” Sam said your name drawing your attention to him, your eyes locking with his. “Is he your boyfriend?” Sam asked.
“No.” You didn’t dare look at Tom you could feel his fingertips digging into your side.
“Do you want to leave with him?”
“No.” Shaking your head you answered Sam.
“Let go of her.” Sam repeated again.
“Sam, fucking back o-” Tom didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence. Sam had him up against the wall in the blink of an eye, Sam’s forearm against Tom’s throat pinning him in place, Tom’s hands left you as you took a step behind Sam.
“If someone tells you to let go of them you fucking let go of them,” Sam growled. “You’re going to go home, alone and you’re not going to talk to Y/N again, got it?”
Tom nodded swallowing hard, the second Sam’s arm released him he was scurrying off down the corridor and out of sight.
“Are you okay?” Sam asked turning to face you.
“Yes, thank you.” Answering him with a small nod you tried to blink away the tears forming on your lash line.
Sam’s palm gently rested on your forearm. “I can drive you home, if you want me to I’ve only had one beer.”
“Please.”
“C’mon.” Sam’s arm wrapped around your shoulders as he pushed through the crowd towards the front door. “Let’s get you home.”
Sam guided you out of the house and towards a beautiful black classic car, Sam got you into the passenger seat before climbing behind the wheel next to you. Resting your head against Sam’s shoulder you felt safe in his company, keeping your eyes on the road you could slowly feel yourself falling asleep from the mix of alcohol and emotion.
“Y/N, where do you live?” Sam asked his palm shaking your shoulder.
“With Stacey -” You mumbled closing your eyes.
“Y/N... Y/N…”
-
The lights in the lounge flicked on as soon as Sam shut the front door, Dean was watching his younger brother from where he rested against the doorframe to his bedroom. “What are you doing?”
“I … erm, I’m …” Sam looked down at you asleep in his arms then back to his brother.
“Girlfriend drink too much?” Dean asked with a raised brow.
“No, well yeah, she’s not my girlfriend she’s a friend this guy got a little too aggressive and I said I’d drive her home she fell asleep in the car before I could ask her where she lives.” Sam filled Dean in as he walked towards his room.
“She must be a new friend if you don’t know where she lives.”
“Dean, stop it.” Sam snapped at his brother as he placed you down on his bed.
“You taking the couch?”
“Yes I am, stop asking stupid questions and go back to bed.”
“Alright.” Dean took a step back holding up his hands. “You know where I am if you need me.”
Sam pulled your heels off your feet placing them at the side of his bed walking into the kitchen he poured you a glass of water placing it onto his nightstand with your clutch. Grabbing one of his hoodies from his wardrobe he put it on you the best he could over your dress, reaching down he grabbed the corner of his sheets pulling them over you. Leaving his bedroom door ajar he kicked off his shoes as he got settled on the couch dragging the blanket off the back of the couch over himself he settled in for the night.
The second you opened your eyes you instantly regretted it you weren’t in your room or Stacey’s you weren’t even on the couch. You had no idea where the hell you were. Sitting up your stomach churned grabbing the glass of water from the nightstand you took a sip trying to recall any memory as to where you were, one positive that you were alone in bed and hadn’t woken up next to a stranger.
Getting out of bed the hoody you don’t remember putting on fell to almost your knees as you walked towards the slightly open bedroom door. Pulling the door open you froze when it creaked cringing at the sound as you tried not to wake anyone in the apartment.
“Y/N?” A familiar voice called your name as he sat up on the couch you finally put a face to the voice. Memories from last night started to piece together, you remembered the party, Tom, Sam stepping in and taking you home… you weren’t home you were at Sam’s place.
“Sam?” Pushing the door fully open you walked out into the lounge.
“You feeling okay?” He asked, pulling the blanket from his lap.
“Not really.”
“Would you like a cup of coffee?” He asked as he got up off the couch walking into the tiny kitchen the layout of the small apartment feeling very familiar to you.
“Coffee would be great, thanks.”
“Sit, how do you take it?”
Pulling a chair out at the kitchen table you sat down watching Sam move around the kitchen. “Black one sugar please.”
Watching Sam move around his kitchen he placed a mug of black coffee in front of you as he sat down opposite you with his own mug in his hand.
“Thank you for this…” Keeping your eyes on the mug in your hands you hadn’t had a chance to look in the mirror and you already knew you looked rough. Your memories from last night ended in Sam driving you home, despite the fact you woke up alone and with Sam on the couch you needed to know if you’d really spent the night alone. “Sam, last night… did we …”
“No.” Sam sat forward looking at you wide-eyed. “No we didn’t, you fell asleep in the car I carried you up here and put you to bed.”
“Thank you.”
“What for?”
“For everything you did last night.”
“You don’t have to thank me.”
“I do, if I hadn’t bumped into you last night, if you weren’t there last night could have been very different.” Reaching across the table you took his hand in your giving it a squeeze. “Thank you Sam.”
Someone cleared their throat behind you, pulling your hand away from Sam you sat back in your chair. “You two want some breakfast?” A gruff voice asked.
“Y/N, this is my brother Dean.” Sam rolled his eyes at his brother.
Looking up at Dean you smiled at him. “Nice to meet you Dean.”
“Nice to see you conscious sweetheart.”
“Dean.” Sam shot his brother a warning glare.
“So bacon and eggs?” Dean asked completely unphased by Sam.
Leaning forward Sam glanced towards his brother. “I can take you home if you want me to you don’t have to stay because Dean’s offering to make us breakfast.”
“I’m a little hungry.” You shrugged at Sam. “But if you want me to go home, I’ll go.”
“No, no.” Sam scrambled to answer you. “I just didn’t want you to be uncomfortable staying here, I’ll take you home whenever you want me to.”
“Thanks Sam, can I use your bathroom?”
“Sure, room next to mine.” Sam nodded towards his bedroom.
“Thanks.” Getting up you smiled at Dean as he looked over his shoulder at you, leaning both brothers alone you walked into the bathroom.
“Now I get it.” Dean smirked at his little brother.
“Get what?” Sam asked sipping on his coffee.
“You like her?”
“Dean, stop it.”
“Just ask her to dinner she seems like a nice girl, she’s hot -”
“Dean!”
“What’s the worst that could happen Sammy?”
“She could say no, she’s only just gotten out of a relationship with a complete dick.”
“Well then you can show her what she deserves you’ve already proven yourself to be a good guy with what you did for her last night, just ask her out Sammy I can’t deal with you when you get all mopey over a girl.”
“I don’t get mopey.”
“You walk around here looking like a kicked puppy.”
“Dean, drop it.”
Looking at yourself in the mirror you didn’t look as dreadful as you expected you would, sure you had the usual panda eyes from sleeping in your mascara and you were a little pale but nothing to horrendous. Cleaning yourself up the best you could you wiped as much makeup off your face making yourself look a little more human. Walking back towards the kitchen you could hear the Winchesters talking in hushed tones.
“Dean drop it.” Sam snapped at his brother, Sam smiled at you when he saw you walking towards him. “You okay?”
“Fine.”
“Here ya go.” Dean placed a plate of bacon and scrambled eggs in front of each of you. “Enjoy.”
“Thank you Dean.”
“No problem sweetheart.” Winking at you he grabbed his own plate and mug of coffee leaving you and Sam alone in the kitchen.
“Well I think I should probably get to know the man whose bed I spent the night in last night.”
“What?”
Chuckling you picked up your fork. “I think last night and now are the first times I’ve properly spoken to you outside of class. “Talk to me, Sammy.”
You spent hours talking to Sam finally getting to really know your classmate. Sam Winchester was smart, funny and so kind, yet he had known more trauma in his life than you could ever imagine someone experiencing in their whole life. Losing a mother he never got the chance to know when he was 6 months old, his Father falling off the rails shortly after, John Winchester tried his best for his boys but eventually chose the bottle over his boys.
Dean had worked since he was 16 years old, he worked hard to give everything Sam he ever wanted that’s how they ended up living together with Dean working 40 hours or more a week helping to put his younger brother through college. They were fighters.
You spent nearly all morning with Sam sat at the tiny kitchen table drinking cup after cup of coffee with him.
Knocking on the open kitchen door Dean held your phone out towards you. “It’s been going off for a while, I didn’t want to snoop but it’s pissing me off.”
“Thanks Dean.” Taking your phone from him you saw Stacey’s name flash across the screen as the call ended, looking at the time it was nearly 2pm. “Sam I really should head back.”
“Give me two minutes to change then I’ll drive you home.” Sam got up from the table walking towards his bedroom
“Thanks.” Drinking the rest of the coffee in your cup Sam reappeared in a pair of jeans and a hoodie.
“Ready?” Sam asked.
Looking down at yourself Sam’s hoody covered you to mid-thigh your dress underneath only shorter, you knew you’d raise a few brows if you walked into your apartment block in what looked like a hoodie and nothing else. “Any chance you have a pair of sweatpants, I look half-naked.”
“I’ll find you something.” Sam chuckled. “Might be a little big though.”
Getting into the same car Sam drove you to his in last night he roared it to life he turned to face you. “So, where do you live?”
Taking a real look at the buildings surrounding Sam and Dean’s apartment building you looked at Sam wide-eyed. “Shut the car off.”
“What?”
“You don’t need to drive me home.”
“Why?”
“I live at the end of the street, I can walk home.”
Killing the engine he pulled the keys from the ignition. “Then I’ll walk you home.”
“Sam, you don’t have to -”
“I want to, c’mon.”
Sam walked you the short distance to your apartment and to your front door. The second your key was in the lock the door flew open as Stacey ran forwards wrapping her arms around your waist hugging you hard.
“Why haven’t you answered your phone? Where have you been?” Stacey asked as she held you at arms length slowly looking over your shoulder at Sam then to what you were wearing. “Oh, ohh.” She pieced together an image of how you’d spent your night. “You okay?” She whispered pulling you closer to her.
“I’m fine, I’ll explain later.”
“Okay.” She winked at you letting go of your arms she gave Sam one last look up and down before walking into the apartment.
Turning to face Sam you smiled at him. “Thank you for everything.”
“Stop thanking me.”
“Not going to happen, I have a lot to thank you for.”
“Y/N/N, you want coffee?” Stacey called from inside the apartment.
“I’ll leave you to your afternoon, I’ll see you in class next week Y/N.” Sam smiled at you as he turned to walk away.
“Y/N! Coffee?”
“Yes, please.” Rolling your eyes at her she walked back into the kitchen, turning to face Sam he was gone before you could say goodbye to him. “Shit.” Closing the door you headed straight towards the bathroom in need of a shower and change of clothes. Pulling off Sam’s hoodie and sweatpants your dress and underwear soon followed as you stepped into the shower pulling the curtain closed.
“So, what happened last night?” Stacey asked as you turned on the shower, listening to the toilet lid closed she sat down kicking her feet up to rest on the sink.
You filled Stacey in on everything that happened since she last saw you at the party as you washed your hair
“Sam sounds nice, he’s hot too.”
“He is nice, hand me my towel would you?” Shutting off the shower you held your hand around the curtain.
“Sure.” Grabbing your towel off the rail she placed it into your hand. “So what now?”
Wrapping the towel around yourself you stepped out of the shower. “I don’t know.” You shrugged looking at her she was grinning at you. “What?”
“I haven’t seen you talk about a boy and smile in a while.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m serious Y/N, he sounds like a really nice guy, possibly a keeper.”
“He’s something.”
“Coffee’s in the kitchen.” Winking at you she got up and headed towards her bedroom.
-
Walking out of your room in jeans and a top with your hair styled in loose waves Stacey watched from the couch as you moved around the apartment. “Where are you going?” She asked when you took the 6 pack of beer out of the fridge.
“Out.”
“Should I expect you home tonight?” She smirked at you.
“Yes, no, maybe I don’t know.”
“Look at my girl going to get her man!”
“Shut up.” Grabbing your bag off the couch you walked towards the front door. “I’ll see you later.”
“Stay safe! You look hot!”
“Thank you!”
Knocking on the door to Sam and Dean’s apartment you took a deep breath. The door flew open Dean stood in front of you. “Hell - Y/N?”
“Hi Dean, is Sam here?”
“Yeah, he is, Sammy!” Dean called over his shoulder smiling back at you.
“What?” He called back from his bedroom.
“You have a visitor.”
Sam walked out of his bedroom towards you and Dean. “Who is - Y/N?”
“Hi.”
“What are you doing here?” He asked with a smile on his face.
“Well, I thought I’d thank you properly so I have beer and pizza.” You nodded towards the 6 pack and pizza box in your hands.
“I’ll get my jacket.” Dean winked at his brother. “You two enjoy.” Grabbing his keys and jacket he walked out of the apartment shutting the door behind him he left you and Sam alone.
A/N: It’s been a minute, but I really love lap dances and stripteases, so here you go. This is for @ruckystarnes kinktober challenge!
-----
Sam loves nights like this.
Steve is drunk. Eyes glazed and sparkly, speech starting to slur, everything - and Sam does mean everything - is the funniest thing Steve has ever heard, drunk. He’s loud and clumsy, knocking over his empty glass, dropping his phone and then hitting his head on the underside of the table on his way from picking his phone up kinda clumsy.
Sam loves it because it’s different. Steve almost never gets drunk. This may be the second time in the two years they’ve been together. He’s always so put together, so in control, so tempered. It’s nice to see the golden boy really let loose. Be human for a change.
Sam also loves it because Steve gets touchy. Steve’s strong, big hands are all over him as they sit side by side, Sam nursing his one and only Corona. Steve’s long arms have been slung over Sam’s shoulder, his hands gripping Sam’s bicep, both arms wrapped around his waist. His lips are everywhere just the same - Sam’s temple, his cheek, his nose, his ear.
Steve’s not like this usually. Not this open, this comfortable with who he is and who they are.
That’s why Sam loves nights like this.
Steve drags Sam back to his dorm room, giggling as he slams the door harder than he intended. Sam rolls his eyes but smirks as he falls back onto the twin sized mattress and shoves his hands underneath his head. His eyes move with Steve as he traipses to the radio and turns it on, switching from station to station until he finds something he likes.
Some old country song - Sam’s not even sure who it is, but he smiles as Steve starts to hum and sway with the music. Steve turns back to face Sam, stumbling to the side, causing Sam to sit up quickly from his laid back position. Steve laughs, holding out his hands as he steadies himself and Sam relaxes, shaking his head all the while.
“The creek goes ripplin’ by, I been barefootin’ all day with my baby.” Steve sings, or rather, slurs, “You know this song, babe?”
Sam scoffs, “Not all of us grew up on a farm in Kentucky, Steve.”
“Shut up, Tim McGraw is the fucking best - oh I love this part! So let’s lay down in the tall grass, dreamin’ away.”
He pulls at the bottom of his shirt, tugging it over his head as his hips sway back and forth. He dips down as his hips continue to move, his twinkly eyes set on Sam’s as a smirk covers his face while he dances. He throws his shirt toward Sam, hitting the dark eyed man in the face with the cotton before he bites his bottom lip and starts on his pants.
Sam discards the shirt to the floor and throws his head back as laughter rolls through his chest. Steve shimmies his shoulders as he puckers his lips, a broad smile breaking out on his face. He turns back around as his jeans slip down his hips, revealing his blue boxer briefs, and shoots his eyes over his shoulder at Sam seductively. He lets his jeans fall to his ankles and wiggles his ass, purely for Sam’s enjoyment.
Sam inhales sharply before winking, “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you have got to have the greatest ass in America.”
Steve saunters toward him and throws his leg over both of Sam’s, settling down in his lap, “And don’t you forget it, baby.” He drops his lips to Sam’s, kissing him deeply before resting his hands on Sam’s shoulders, “And all I want to do is let it be and be with you and let the wind blow by,” He sings softly as he rolls his hips.
Sam curls his arms around Steve’s small waist and pushes his fingers underneath the band of his underwear as the smirk returns to his lips. Steve pushes him down to the mattress and closes his eyes, throwing the rest of his inhibitions to the wind as he gives his boyfriend his first - and last - lap dance.
Request: Could I request some College!sam x reader? After the two of them fight the reader goes out to a party and on her way home this man is following her so she calls Sam to come save her? Thanks!
Sam fumes, it was one thing to waste her time at a party. But looking like this. Y/n’s arms were crossed and she glared from the door of their shared apartment. “No.” He says it bluntly, arms crossed.
Y/n scoffs and shakes her head, she smiles unamused at Sam, “I don’t know if you’ve forgotten, but you are not the boss of me. Okay?”
“You know what the guys are like at those parties, Y/n.” Sam struggled to keep his voice leveled. “I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
“Then come with me!” Y/n huffs, “You could keep me safe if you actually came. I want to have fun, Sam. My head hurts from all the studying and being cooped up.”
“No,” Sam shakes his head and leans back against the wall where he stood. He shakes his head again, “You know I don’t like parties.”
“Fine.” Y/n spins around and twists the door handle, “I’m not gonna let that stop me from having fun.” With that being said, Y/n stomps out of the apartment and slams the door shut behind her. Sam stares at the door for a second before sighing heavily and raking his hands through his hair.
*
Giggling drunkenly, Y/n stumbles out onto the sidewalk. She stops mid-giggle to swallow thickly as all the booze she’d drank threatened to come back up. The second she’d regained control of her stomach Y/n lets out another string of giggles.
She stands still, or as still as she could, and pulls out her phone to check the time. 2:30. Y/n’s face pulls into a grimace. Sam’s not going to like that. But the grimace turns into a scowl. Who cares what he thinks, he’s being a jerk. She was going to call him to ask him to pick her up, but now Y/n’s thought twice. She doesn’t want to talk to him. With that in mind, Y/n turns in the direction of their apartment and makes her way there.
*
Y/n feels as if she’s been walking forever. Her feet feel heavy and every step feels like she’s walking on glass. Groaning, she stops and bends down to peel off her heels and pick them up, carrying them in one hand. As she goes to straighten back up, she catches someone’s shadow in the corner of her eye duck behind a building. Faltering, Y/n pretends she didn’t see it and continues walking.
Now, with the cool breeze and fear sobering her up, Y/n’s paying more attention. There was a place where the buildings were too close together and the yard’s too bare for anyone to duck and hide. She pretends to build up to a sneeze before tucking her nose into the crook of her elbow. She looks to the side as she does and once again sees a shadow following her.
Feeling the blood rush from her face, Y/n fumbles for her phone and hurriedly moves to text Sam. Her fingers dance across the screen as she works, telling her where she is and what’s happening.
Sam responds in seconds:
Sam: I’m on my way.
Y/n’s pace quickens and she breathes as calmly as possible. She hears the scrape of the man’s shoes as he follows and it feels like lightning strikes her spine. Her heart thumps roughly in her chest and her stomach rolls with fear.
It wasn’t long until she hears the squeals of tires and sees the bright lights as I car rides towards her. Y/n’s heart stops for a moment. Did he call for a friend? Is it Sam? Please let it be Sam! The car comes to a shortstop right next to her and Y/n almost sobs with relief. Sam storms out of the car and bypasses Y/n, he walks straight to the man who stood panicked.
“Are you fucking following her?”
“N-No,” the man stutters, holding his hands up defensively as he starts to back away.
“Are you sure?” Sam growls, narrowing his eyes at the man.
“Listen... man, I’m sorry! I w-was just making sure she got home safe is all! You should have seen her. Drunk as hell.” The man chuckles nervously, “I-I’m sorry.”
“How about you fuck off before I beat your lying ass, huh?”
The man pales and nods his head, “Got it.” He turns and sprints in the other direction.
Y/n stands still, she watches Sam’s back. His shoulders rise and fall with each angry pant and his fists were clenched. “S-Sammy?” His head moves to the side at the sound of her voice. Y/n looks down and stares at her shoes, “Thank you.”
She hears Sam exhale and looks up to see him turned towards her. Sam’s eyes soften as he takes in Y/n’s rattled look. “Come here,” he murmurs. He opens his arms and Y/n smiles tearfully before falling into them. She cries into his shirt and holds onto him tightly. Relief floods Sam’s body when he sees that the only thing wrong with Y/n is that she’s scared. He shushes her softly and runs one of his hand over her hair. “Let’s go home, okay?”
“Mhm.” Y/n sniffs and pulls back, she smiles softly.
*
When they get home it’s very quiet. Y/n lets her heels fall to the floor as she stumbles into the apartment. Sam follows her closely and helps lead her to their bedroom.
“Sit down on the bed,” he says softly.
Y/n nods and does as told, she slumps down and falls back. Sam works on finding her some clothes, he grabs one of his own shirts on the way knowing it would make her feel better. Once he has some fresh clothes for her, Sam makes his way back to her and sits beside Y/n. “Let me get you out of those clothes, okay?”
“Mm.”
Sam pulls at Y/n’s skirt first, tugging it down her legs. Then he moves to her sheer blouse and unbuttons it carefully. Sitting Y/n up, he pulls the blouse off and then the tank top she had on underneath. Her bra dug painfully into her skin and Sam could tell. He unhooks the bra and adds it to the pile of clothes. He pulls the shirt on over her head then the sweats he’d grabbed.
“There, all dressed.” He smiles softly and looks up at Y/n.
“Thank you, Sam.” Y/n seemed sullen and depressed. She pulls her legs up and wraps her arms around them before looking away from him.
“Are you alright?”
Y/n chuckles dryly but nods her head, “Yeah.”
“Y/n...”
The tone in his voice was all Y/n needed to hear. She lets out an aggravated sigh and mumbles, “I should have listened to you. Or called you when I had the chance. I was mad and I didn’t want to talk to you. If I had, it wouldn’t have happened.”
“Next time, I’ll come with.”
“I think that I’m done with parties,” Y/n grumbles. She pushes her head further into the crook of her elbow.
Sam chuckles, “How ‘bout we just have our own parties? Huh?”
Y/n doesn’t respond at first but then she peeks up and turns to smile at Sam. “Okay.” She giggles softly and lets her legs fall down before crawling onto Sam’s lap. Inhaling deeply, Sam wraps his strong arms around her and holds on tightly. Y/n’s cheek rests on his shoulder and he could feel her smile.
“I love you,” he murmurs, “there’s not a thing I wouldn’t do to keep you safe. I’d fight all the monsters in the world to do it.”
She chuckles and pulls her head back to stare at him. Y/n’s surprised to see Sam look so serious. “I know,” she says finally. Her lips pull up into a soft smile, “I love you.”
The words make Sam’s chest fill with warmth and he pulls her back into his chest. “I love you too.”
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