Title: Fairytale of New York
Author: Sgt. Pepperony
Fandom: Captain America (Movies)
Main Pairings: Steve/Wanda
Rating: G/K
Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers characters. Property of Marvel and Disney. Songs do not belong to me either.
So, a happier story for you this Christmas Eve. For those who have read my WIP 'Infinity and Beyond', you will know what I mean. So, I have an AU holiday story set in the 1940s. Enjoy.
You were handsome
(You were pretty
Queen of New York City).
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more.
Sinatra was swinging,
All the drunks they were singing.
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night
13th December 1941
"Buck, I can carry all this myself," Steve protested as Bucky took three bags off of him.
"Well, you looked as though you were going to drop them," Bucky countered. "God knows how you are going to cook all this."
"Well, I have some of my mother's cookbooks. Maybe that should give me an idea."
"She used to boil everything, I don't think those books are going to help."
"Haha," Steve commented sarcastically as he took the bags off his friend. He turned his back and began to walk backwards. "Listen, I know it is just the two of us, but we should at least make the effort to celebrate Christmas."
"Not got much to celebrate. Roosevelt is dragging us into the War in Europe. I'll get drafted sooner or later."
"Well, I can't wait to sign up."
"Steve, you're a short-ass asthmatic. They'll take one look at you and think you'll crack a rib just walking."
"Oh I will try. Just you watch Buck-"
At that point, Steve crashed into someone, the bags dropped to the floor and he fell backwards onto something soft. Bucky shook his head and bent down to help Steve and the woman he had bumped into up.
"Sorry about that," Bucky said as he helped the dark-haired woman to her feet. "He usually concentrates on where he is looking."
"It's not a problem," the woman replied rubbing the front of her dress. Steve detected an accent in her voice and when she looked up at him, his heart skipped a beat, and not in the bad way it had done since he caught rheumatic fever. "I wasn't paying attention myself."
"Y-You okay though? I didn't hurt you or anything did I?" Steve asked quickly.
"Subtle," Bucky whispered in Steve's ear.
"I'm fine. Nothing was broken," the woman replied. "I'm Wanda. I just moved into the apartment upstairs."
"S-Steve. This - this is - is Bucky," Steve stuttered holding his hand out. "You're Eastern European right?"
"Sokovian," Wanda replied. "Just arrived last week. My brother and I." Steve felt a small chill. Sokovia had recently been invaded by the Nazis so it looked as though Wanda had escaped in time. "My parents are still home. Or at least I hope."
"Well, I heard Romania isn't doing much better," Bucky added. "My family moved here when I was a baby."
"No one in Europe is doing well at the moment," Wanda replied. There was a tone of sadness and fear in her voice that Steve understood. He had heard some of the stories of how the Nazis treated people in the countries they invaded. "Do you need a hand getting this stuff in your apartment?"
"I'll be all right, but if you want to come in and have some coffee…" Steve said. Truth be told, he was entranced by her eyes and was taking the opportunity to see them more.
"That would be nice, but I need to get my apartment clean. The first day of Hanukkah is tomorrow and I doubt Pietro will have cleaned up. It was nice to meet you, Steve."
She gave a small smile and proceeded up the stairs and Steve's eyes followed. Bucky snorted, patted Steve on the shoulder, and commented, "Smooth."
"Shut up," Steve replied as he grabbed the dropped bags. As he walked to his apartment, he took a glance at the stairs leading up to Wanda's apartment.
In the meantime, Wanda walked through the door and sighed. She did not know why he had rejected Steve's offer for coffee. Since she had moved to the United States, she had not made any friends, and while she did love her brother, she wanted more company. Steve seemed really sweet as well.
"Wanda, is that you?" Pietro called.
"Yeah," she replied walking into the tiny living room. They only had room to bring their clothes and a few family photographs so the room was a bit bare. "How was work?"
"It's like Rosh Hashanah," Pietro replied sarcastically. "Did you manage to get everything?"
"We have a chanukiah and blue candles ready for tomorrow. I met our neighbour from downstairs. He's really nice."
"He's a he?"
"Don't be like that. We need to make friends."
"Is he even Jewish?"
"I don't think so. He looked like he may have been Irish."
"I don't think Dad would be too impressed if he found out you were having relations with a nit-id."
"He married a Roma woman. He would not be able to say anything. Anyway, I just think it would be worth making friends. I was thinking of inviting Steve and his friend Bucky tomorrow for the first night of Hanukkah."
"I thought they weren't Jewish."
"Pietro, just because someone isn't Jewish, it does not mean they can't partake in celebrating with us. As I said, we need to make friends, and I doubt you've been making an effort at work."
"To be fair, the noise of the machines are not exactly great for conversation."
Wanda shook her head and sighed, "Come on, let's get this house clean."
-o-
14th December 1941
Steve did not know how to approach Wanda again. He had spent the night drawing her mesmerising eyes, which seemed a little weird but he could not get them out of his mind. He was in the midst of making his breakfast when he heard a knock on the door. He turned off his eggs and walked to the door when he saw Wanda standing with a small smile on her face and holding what looked to be a bowl of fried potato pancakes.
"Hi," he said looking at his feet.
"I was just here to bring you some latkes," Wanda replied. "I made too many last night, and I thought that you would like some."
"Sure. I like latkes." Steve looked up and shuffled his feet nervously.
"I was also wondering whether you and Bucky would like to come to light the chanukiah tonight. It's just my brother and I so we would like some more company since we don't know many other people around here."
"Oh… um… That would be nice. Thanks. Is there a time you want us to be there?"
"After sundown." Wanda handed over the latkes and smiled. "I'll see you then Steve."
"Yeah… I'll see you then."
Back in his kitchen, Steve turned off the eggs and listened to the news. It seemed more troops were to be sent over to Europe and the Pacific. Bucky had been helping him train in the gym but Steve was just too weak to join. Not that he had not tried. Bucky had been signed up immediately and Steve was scared that Bucky would be sent overseas and he would lose his best friend.
Steve ate his eggs and latkes - which he considered to be the best thing he had ever tasted - and while he was washing up, he heard Bucky's key in the latch. "Only me."
"Who else would have the key?"
Steve and Bucky had this conversation every day and it never got old. Bucky came into the kitchen and sniffed. "What smells so good?"
"Oh, Wanda bought some latkes around. She invited us to her place to light the Hanukkah candles tonight."
"Nice. So, are we going?"
"I said yes. I know we're not Jewish but she doesn't seem to know any other people."
Bucky looked around and saw the drawing of Wanda's eyes. He raised his eyebrow. "You sure it is just for friendship?"
"Shut up."
Later, Steve and Bucky knocked the door of the Maximoff apartment, only rather than the dark-haired female they were expecting, they were greeted by a stern-looking dark haired male, which judging from his eyes looked to be Wanda's brother Pietro.
"Hi, we're Steve and Bucky. You are expecting us?" Bucky asked.
Pietro nodded. "You best come in then."
Steve gulped. Wanda had not said much about her brother, but he had a sense that he was protective of his sister. Pietro turned his back and Bucky and Steve followed him into the apartment. Steve could smell some delicious food coming from the kitchen and he popped his head in to see Wanda wearing a white dress and a blue shawl. Steve had never seen a more beautiful sight.
"Hi," he blurted. Wanda turned her head and saw Steve holding something out for her to take. "We bought wine."
Wanda smiled and took it from Steve. "This is sweet. Thank you."
"The place looks nice."
"It's not much but it'll do." Wanda smiled and opened the bottle of wine. "Do you want any?"
"I can't really drink. The alcohol would make my heart beat too quickly."
"You have heart trouble?"
"I had rheumatic fever when I was younger and my heart has not been the same since." Wanda's lips went thin. She could see that Steve was a magnet for illness. She probably weighed more than he did and she had come from a war-torn country where rationing was prevalent. "So what are you cooking?"
"Brisket."
"Sounds nice. Your latkes were delicious. Probably should not have eaten all of them but… I'm rambling aren't I?"
"No," Wanda replied with a small smile on her face. "I have a tendency to ramble when I am nervous." Steve managed to give a small smile. The two remained quiet until Wanda said, "We should head to the living area. It's nearly time to light the chanukiah."
Wanda and Steve went to the living area where Pietro was already prepared as he was wearing a crocheted kippot and Bucky standing beside the table with the chanukiah and the blue candles. Bucky smirked and Steve threw him a look.
Pietro lit he shamash with a match and began to recite the first blessing, "Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha'olam, asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Hanukkah. Amen." Then he recited the second blessing, "Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha'olam, she'asah nisim l'avoteinu, b'yamim haheim bazman hazeh. Amen."
Steve and Bucky were unsure what Pietro was saying, but they did join in when Wanda said, "Amen."
"Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha'olam, shehekheyanu, v'kiyamanu vehegianu lazman hazeh," Pietro recited. He took the shamash out of the chanukiah and lit the candles. Once they were all alight, Pietro put the chanukiah by the window.
Wanda smiled and said to Steve and Bucky, "That's generally it for the lighting ceremony. Except for the food, and the telling of the story of Hanukkah. I think it might be more interesting to two people who probably don't know."
"This was the one with Moses right?" Bucky joked.
"No, that's Passover," Pietro replied shortly.
"Forgive him, he's joking," Steve explained.
"I'm sorry Bucky. Pietro doesn't have much of a sense of humour," Wanda excused with her eyebrows raised to Pietro. "I'll get the brisket."
Wanda went to the kitchen leaving the three men to stand around awkwardly. Eventually, Steve broke the silence, "So where do you work?"
"MacGyver Factory," Pietro answered. "Scottish I think."
"Oh, I work at the factory next door," Bucky said. "Not much but it puts food into my sisters' mouths."
"You have sisters?"
"Three. All younger than me. Penny is still in school but the other two work in the factory as well."
"And what do you do Steve?"
"I'm in art school," Steve replied. "Can't really work in factories. Smoke would kill me in seconds. I basically try to sell my drawings to get food."
"You any good?"
"You kidding," Bucky interrupted. "He will go far in the art world. He'll be the next Van Gogh."
"Only with two ears," Steve added.
Pietro nodded. Steve was not sure if Pietro was softening. He seemed more wary of Bucky than Steve. He guessed that Bucky looked more like a womaniser, and to some extent, Pietro would be right. Bucky had been on three dates that month alone.
Wanda came in with a smile on her face and holding a plate of brisket in her hands. It smelt really good and Steve's stomach rumbled. The four gathered around the dinner table as Pietro carved the brisket. Bucky could not help but smirk when he saw Wanda and Steve steal glances at one another. He knew when Steve had a crush, but it was very rare to have that crush reciprocate.
"So, Wanda, what do you reckon you'll do now?" Bucky asked.
"I always thought nursing was a good profession. Maybe a midwife. I love babies," Wanda answered. "It seems with the US going to war they are looking for nurses."
"Well, we've just got here, so don't think you will be going back overseas anytime soon," Pietro commented.
Wanda rolled her eyes. She hated when Pietro tried to control her. She was not a child. She was twelve minutes younger than him. After dinner, Wanda was washing the plates when Steve came into the kitchen to help her.
"You're a guest. You don't have to do this," Wanda insisted.
"Well, I would hear my mother yell at me if I did not help out," Steve responded. Wanda turned towards him and took in the details of his face. It was sunken and hollow, possibly from poor health and his low weight. However, his features could be considered handsome. His nose was a perfect slope, his eyes bright blue and hair the colour of sunflowers. She was taller than he was, but she did not think it could be a problem. "Tonight was really nice. Thank you for inviting us."
"You're welcome, Steve."
"Listen, I know you're Jewish, but if you would like to come for Christmas dinner, you and Pietro are more than welcome."
Wanda smiled brightly. "Thanks, we will."
Steve nodded awkwardly and he leaned up to press a kiss to Wanda's cheek, but somehow he pecked her lips. He pulled back sharply and his face flushed a deep shade of beetroot. "I'm sorry, Wanda. That was-" All of a sudden, he felt her lips press against his and he felt the fireworks of Independence Day and New Year's Eve alight at once. When Wanda pulled back, she smiled. "Okay, that was…"
"Nice," Wanda commented softly.
"Do you want to go out on a date with me?" he blurted, making it sound like one word mushed together.
Wanda blinked as she attempted to decipher what Steve had asked and when she got to the word date, he smiled. "Yeah, that sounds lovely, but I won't be able to it until after Hanukkah."
"So, that will be next Tuesday?"
"Next Tuesday," Wanda agreed.
When he and Bucky left the apartment, Steve was grinning from ear-to-ear. Bucky noticed and asked, "Okay, what have you taken and can I have some?"
"I have a date," Steve answered as he descended the staircase. "I asked Wanda out."
"Sweet, do you know what you're doing?"
"Dinner maybe? I could take her to Manhattan?"
"If you do so, take her to the Rockefeller Center and see the tree."
"I should take her all the way to Manhattan?"
"Well, there isn't much going on here in Brooklyn. It would be nice to show her the rest of the city."
"I guess you have a point, Buck."
"Just be yourself. She clearly likes you for you."
Steve nodded as he unlocked the door. He had a date in a week. That was more than enough time for him to plan where he was going to take Wanda.
-o-
23rd December 1941
With Hanukkah officially over, Steve was able to take Wanda on their date. He knew what his plan was: walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, take a subway to Little Italy, eat dinner and then take her to the Rockefeller Center. He told her he would be there at 17:00 to pick her up. However, being a little awkward, he was not sure what to bring her: flowers or chocolates. Granted, flowers were not easy to come across, so he settled for chocolate.
He combed his hair, put on his best shirt and trousers and at 16:55, he made his way up the Maximoff apartment. He waited until 17:00 to knock on the door. He took a deep breath and Pietro stood in the doorway.
Steve gave a nervous smile and said, "Hi, Pietro, is Wanda ready?" The Sokovian folded his arms and raised his eyebrows. Steve's smile faltered and he had to look at his feet. "I'll make sure she is home before 22:00."
"Any second later and you will have me to deal with," Pietro responded.
"Pietro," Wanda warned as she appeared in the doorway. She smiled when she saw Steve. Steve was struck dumb. Wanda was wearing a red dress that hugged her curves and her dark hair was curled so it framed her face. "Hi, Steve."
"Hi… You…. You look really beautiful," Steve stuttered. Pietro rolled his eyes. He held out the chocolates and said, "These are for you."
"Aw, thank you," Wanda said taking them from Steve. She put them on the table beside the door and grabbed her bag. "Okay, I am ready to go. Pietro, please don't wait up for me." She walked past her brother, pressed a kiss to his cheek and looped her arm through Steve's. As she and Steve descended the stairs, she asked, "So where are we going?"
"Manhattan," Steve replied. "I thought we could take a walk up along the Brooklyn Bridge, get a subway up to Little Italy and then the sub up to the Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree."
"You sure you are going to get me back by 22:00 with all that planned?"
"We can catch a cab back."
"You really have all this planned?"
"I've had a week to prepare." Wanda laughed. Steve loved her laugh. It sounded so joyous. "How was the rest of Hanukkah?"
"Not bad. When we went to the synagogue there was a family who invited us to their house for a few nights. Quite nice really to meet other Jewish families. Not that I am a hundred per cent Ashkenazi. I am also part Romani." Steve's eyebrows furrowed. "You may know us better as Gypsies."
"Oh… So I take it that is not the right term?"
"Well, the term 'gyp' means to trick someone as a Gypsy would. So, I had a double reason to leave Sokovia. Hitler isn't just after the Jews; he's after the Romani."
"So your parents got you out as soon as possible. Do you miss them?"
"Yeah. I'm scared because I don't know what will happen. The Nazis are already in Sokovia and it's only a matter of time before they start deporting people from my city if they have not done so already."
As they approached the Brooklyn Bridge, Steve gave Wanda's hand a squeeze. He wanted to say that her family would be okay, but he had heard stories of the Łódź and Warsaw ghettos and how people were treated. It would only put false hope into Wanda and he did not want to do that.
They reached the halfway point of the bridge and looked out over Manhattan. Steve pointed and told, "That's the Empire State Building. Tallest building in the world."
"If I went up there, I think my ears would explode from the pressure," Wanda commented. "The city looks so beautiful with all the lights."
"Yeah. I quite like sitting on the roof of the apartment block and drawing the view."
"Do you think they'll build more skyscrapers?"
"Well, up until ten years ago, the Chrysler Building was the tallest and that lasted for five minutes until they built the Empire State."
"They didn't name it the Empire City for nothing," Wanda commented. "Come on. I'm feeling hungry."
Half an hour later, they arrived in Little Italy. As well as the Empire City, New York was also referred to as The Melting Pot. People had come from Eastern Europe, Ireland, Italy, China and other places in the world to create a diverse city with a multitude of food, languages and traditions. Wanda and Steve were a part of this pot and they could not escape the other influences.
The found a nice little restaurant where they were greeted in an instant babble of Italian and broken English, "And a table for the lovely couple. May you like to look at our wine menu?"
"I'm okay thank you, just water," Wanda replied.
"You sure?" Steve asked.
"I had enough wine last night. The last night of Hanukkah is always quite intense and I felt a bit sick this morning."
"Good idea. Water tends to be a safe option."
Wanda looked at the menu. She had never experienced Italian food before, and she saw something called Margherita pizza that sounded quite pleasant. Steve had tried Italian food, and he did enjoy it. He looked over and saw a pizza being delivered to a table and he noted it was very large for one person to eat. Wanda turned around and then she suggested, "We could share one."
"If you want," Steve replied.
When they ordered the pizza, Wanda smiled and asked, "So, what about your parents?"
"Um, they actually arrived in the United States when they were kids. They met at school but didn't marry until around 1916. Dad got drafted into the Great War in late 1917. I'd been conceived by that point but my father died in April 1918. I was born in July."
"So you never knew your father?"
"No. Ma always talked well of him though. She did her best as she could do given she was working a hard job and raising a child by herself."
"So where is she?"
"She died about five years ago. She was a nurse on a TB ward and she caught it. So, it's basically been me. Bucky has been great and we generally look out for one another."
"I guess that is the benefit of having Pietro with me. I would not know what to do and I doubt he would know what to do without me." Their pizza arrived and they got to work to demolish it. Wanda's taste buds exploded as the mix of mozzarella and tomatoes hit them. "This is delicious."
"I've always enjoyed a pizza. Bucky and I first got one when an Italian family opened a restaurant in Brooklyn and they were giving samples out. I thought I had died and gone to heaven."
"I can see why you had that reaction."
Just then, they heard a loud voice coming from a nearby table. Steve turned his head and saw a dark-haired man with a dark moustache trying to break up an argument between a blonde woman and an overweight balding middle age man.
"You keep your filthy hands off me you sick perv," the woman yelled in a thick New York accent.
"Debbie, you go sit and I will handle this," the dark-haired man ordered.
"Isn't that Howard Stark?" Wanda asked.
"You know Howard Stark?" Steve asked.
"There was a feature in a newspaper about the Starkovas - Polish Jews who left Russia during the pogroms. Middle son was called Hosea and I recognise the face. Obviously, it seems he got better publicity when he changed his name to Howard Stark."
"He's… Eccentric."
"Clearly loves the limelight," Wanda commented.
"Oh Mr Stark," the waiter said flapping his hands. "I do apologise. Listen, prosecco on the house."
"That's fine Antonio," Howard insisted. "How about give it to the lovely couple on that table?"
Steve realised Howard was referring to him and Wanda and he did not know how to react. "It's okay Mr Stark, we're not drinking."
"Well, save it for Christmas Day. Eat it with your turkey dinner."
"I need to go to the bathroom," Wanda said as she stood up from the table.
Once she left, Howard sat by Steve and said, "She is a pretty one." Steve looked confused and was struck dumb by the famous Howard Stark sitting next to him. "You look a little nervous."
"It's sort of my first real date."
"With her?"
"With any woman."
"Well, I wouldn't be so nervous. You clearly charmed her enough to ask her on a date and she accepted. You're doing something right."
"I am?"
"Don't doubt yourself."
Antonio, the waiter, brought over the prosecco and Steve said, "I'll take it with us."
The waiter nodded as he walked away. "Good man. I might name my son after him."
Howard got out of his seat and returned to his date. Just then Wanda returned with a frown of confusion. "What did he want?"
"Oh, he thought he knew you from somewhere and was just asking if you were the same woman he was thinking of," Steve answered.
"Oh. He must know a lot of women with similar faces." Steve snorted. They finished as much of the pizza as they could before Steve asked for the bill. He insisted on paying, despite Wanda's offer to split it. "You sure?"
"It's my treat," Steve said as they got up. "Okay, to the Rockefeller Center."
They got a cab to the Rockefeller Center and Wanda gasped when she saw the Christmas tree in the middle of the plaza. It had to be over eighty-foot tall with hundred of pastel blue and red bubbles.
"Oh my God. It's beautiful," she exclaimed. Steve smiled as he saw the wonder coat Wanda's face. They got out the cab and stood and watched as people skated on the ice rink. Wanda saw the candles in the windows in the lower plaza and frowned. "How come the candles are unlit?"
"Easier I guess in case the Germans decide to drop bombs on us." Steve saw her face and her lips go thing. "Sorry."
"No, it's fine. Easier explanation."
Her hand went down to lace with his and he said, "I remember them saying that it was the ugliest building in the US."
"How can they say it is ugly when it looks so beautiful like this." She turned to him and her heart stopped. The blue of the bubbles had nothing on the blue of his eyes. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. Steve did not pull away. In fact, he dared to put his hand on her waist. He heard a choir underneath them begin to sing what sounded like 'Carol of the Bells'.
"Hark how the bells, sweet silver bells, all seem to say, throw cares away. Christmas is here, bringing good cheer, to young and old, meek and the bold. Ding dong ding dong that is their song with joyful ring all carolling. One seems to hear words of good cheer from everywhere filling the air."
Wanda broke away from in and asked, "So, I guess this is courting?"
"I guess this means you would like to go on another date?"
"After tonight, I am happy to go on many dates with you Steve Rogers."
Steve smiled and they leaned in to kiss again under the light of the tree and the sound of music and laughter. He had not really had much of a reason to celebrate Christmas but now he had plenty of optimism for the world.
After an hour of staring at the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, they caught a couple of subway trains to Brooklyn and they arrived on time to the apartment block.
"Well, at least Pietro will not kill you," Wanda commented when he walked her to her door. "Tonight was amazing."
"It really was. Will I be able to see you tomorrow?"
"You can see me all the days you like Steve."
-o-
24th December 1945
The war had been over since August, but the effects were still there. Mostly in the form of Bucky. He had returned from Europe shaken and angry from his experiences as a prisoner of war, but it seemed that he was getting a little better, even if he felt different to what he had been before he went to France. Steve never got the chance to fight with him. Given that he had Wanda, he felt he had nothing to prove. Wanda loved him despite his size and ailments. Hell, she had agreed to marry him on 29th December 1943 (the last day of Hannukkah), and they were married by Passover. Their daughters, Selina and Sarah, were born on VJ Day. While Pietro had initially distrusted Steve, but he saw how he had treated Wanda - and later his nieces - and he had found respect for Steve.
They still lived in the same block. Wanda and Pietro had hoped that their family would join them. They were still waiting for news. They wanted for their parents to meet their granddaughters.
This Christmas Eve, Steve walked home from his latest commission. He had been tasked to draw a wealthy couple in the upper east side of Manhattan, and he had been given a very generous tip. So much so that he was able to get a decent Christmas meal for him, Wanda, Pietro and Bucky. He actually had a skip in his step.
The second he opened the door, he was greeted by the sound of Selina crying into her mother's shoulder. Sarah was sleeping soundly against Bucky by the fireplace.
"Hey, her teeth pushing through?" Steve asked as he went to take Selina from Wanda.
"Yeah," Wanda replied. "I don't know how Sarah can just get on with it."
"She's like her mother. Remember when you delivered five babies in two days while seven months pregnant?"
"It did mess with my back for a month though." Steve gave Wanda a kiss and rubbed Selina's back. "Good day?"
"Yes. I managed to get us a whole turkey and some decent potatoes for tomorrow's dinner."
Pietro grabbed the bag from the floor and went to place it in the kitchen. "At least you are not boiling the damn thing."
"I knew there was a reason why I made you the cook," Steve commented. Steve turned to Bucky with Sarah on his chest and smiled. "You okay Buck?"
"Not too bad. She's quite sweet," Bucky replied. "You okay Steve?"
Steve looked between his daughters, his wife in the kitchen looking at the turkey and bantering with her brother, and the honest answer was, "Absolutely great Buck. I would not change anything for the world."
The End