Hi. Alright, so, I just wanna say that I wrote this over two months ago, and originally posted it on my Tumblr (sporadicpenguinpizza) only. Today, I've decided to also upload it here. I have other tumblr prompts I've written a drabble for, but this is the one I like the most.
It was Saturday, and Peggy, against all odds, stood in front of the Stork Club, waiting and hoping. She was wearing her red dress – the one she has already wore once. The one Steve couldn't take his eyes off.
It was pretty cold, even for a Saturday evening, and Peggy started to regret not bringing any coat.
She checked her watch. 8:03 PM. She knew he wouldn't come. And yet, some part, deep inside of her heart, wished, hoped, and somehow even begged that he would. But she knew that was not possible. He was lost. He was dead. He sacrificed himself, so that others could live. So that she could live.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she tried to blink them away. She really did. But that only make them run down her cheeks faster. She would wipe them away with a handkerchief. That is, if she had one.
„Don't cry," a voice behind her said. A voice she recognized. A voice that made her stop dead in her tracks. „You're too pretty to cry."
She turned around, and her breath caught. He made it. Steve was alive. Bruised, but alive. He was wearing his army uniform, accompanied by medals which could never stay upright, and he looked a little worse for wear than usual. He smiled at her shyly, and she gave him a watery, but huge smile, in return.
As if being pulled by a magnet, both of them moved to the direction of the other, meeting somewhere in the middle, where Steve put his arms around her and hugged her tightly, almost as much as she. She breathed his scent in, finally feeling home. She's never felt so relieved and happy at the same time.
„Sorry I'm late," he murmured into her hair. She gave him a watery laugh in response.
„You made it. That's all that matters," she whispered in response. She felt his arms tighten around her after she said the words.
After they pulled away, with their hands still intervened, he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the tears away from her cheeks, before kissing each one of them, making Peggy smile. If it was someone else, and not Steve, she would probably punch them in the face, just like Hodge two years ago. She had to bite back a little laugh at the memory.
„Ready to go?" he asked while extending his arm. With a small smile, she took ahold of it, and together, they entered the club.
„I still don't know how to dance," he whispered into her ear once they were inside.
„I'll teach you, darling," she whispered into his ear. He blushed a little at the pet name, but the smile he gave her indicated that he liked it. A lot.
Peggy, with her training, noticed that they weren't the only couple there by far. A number of soldiers and their sweethearts danced on the dance floor, presumably murmuring sweet nothings to the other. Peggy let go of Steve's arm and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the dance floor. He followed with a happy smile.
She found an empty spot for them. They stood face to face, and Peggy, even in her heels, was still at least half a head smaller than Steve. She looked into his eyes, and she saw her own reflection in them, along with a spectrum full of emotions. Love being the most prominent one. He looked a little bit unsure about where to put his hands, and she smiled a little at his innocence.
„Steve, put your hand on my lower back," she instructed, and he did. A little too high. „Lower, Steve."
He put his hand a little lower, a little bit above her Venus dimples, and she nodded in approval with a slight smile. „Good."
She then took his other left hand into her right one, not intervening the fingers, just holding his palm, and outstretching it a little with their elbows still bent. Slowly, they started moving with the rhythm of the music. Steve, surprisingly, had a natural talent for dancing, as he stepped on her toes only once. Or twice. He apologized profusely for it every time, and she shrugged it off. She expected worse.
Like the fact that he wouldn't appear, for example.
They danced for what felt like hours, and eventually, when the faster songs died down and were replaced by much slower ones, Steve put both of his hands on her waist, while she put hers on his shoulders, letting her head fall on his chest. She smiled and closed her eyes, listening to the sound of his steady and strong heartbeat. Well, not very steady, considering that it was beating much faster than usual.
Peggy smirked to herself. She loved that she had this effect on him. Moreover, she loved that he was here, with her. She voiced her thoughts, and he hummed in agreement.
Steve felt content. Scratch that. Steve felt happy, ecstatic, and so much in love that he thought he would pass out from the sheer force of his feelings right now. He was ready to die. He expected to die. And yet, when they found him, still alive, not even frozen (yet), he realized that he still had a chance to be on time on his date. He had to escape from the hospital they put him in – they didn't want him to move around just yet, as the public didn't know about the miraculous survival of Captain America, and also because they wanted to do some tests on him.
So, after explaining his situation to a nice nurse named Sarah, who brought him his uniform (he didn't ask how, nor did he want to know), and with a thumbs up from her, he managed to sneak away from the hospital.
And now, here he is, dancing with the first woman who actually noticed him. The first woman who saw behind the weak and frail body. The first woman he fell in love with. The strongest, and yet the sweetest and gentlest. And the most beautiful.
„I love you, Peggy," he whispered into her hair, and even through the layers, he felt her smile against his chest, sending a surge of warmth through his entire body.
„I love you, too, darling."
They danced for at least another hour, before the club closed. Steve walked her home, even though he knew she could take care of herself. He just wanted to spend more time with her. He appreciated every second being with her, and based on the fact that she didn't complain, she felt just the same.
So, when they stood in front of her apartment building, and since Steve was not allowed to go in (the Mrs. Fry woman was pretty scary, though she seemed to like him.. a little), they knew it was time to say goodbye for the night.
„I will see you tomorrow, okay? Going to escape the hospital again," he said to her. She laughed, and Steve would swear on his life that he's never heard something as angelic as before. And then, her laughter died, her smiling expression turning into a serious one.
„Are you serious?" she asked him with a small glare, though he could see her trying (and failing) not to laugh.
„Yeah," he said. Both of them suddenly noticed how close they are. And when Peggy stood up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek, he knew it was time.
„Good night, Peggy," he said, while squeezing her hand.
„Good night, Steve."
Steve kissed her forehead then, and when Peggy entered the door to her apartment, she let out a happy sigh.
Yes. She was definitely in love with him.
Alright, so please, leave a review, it'd be truly appreciated:)