They saw each other again come Wednesday night, passing on the stairs. Bucky and Steve were on their way out to meet up with some of their friends at a little dancing joint down the road, probably on the fly for some pretty dames.
Neither fella even recognized her; she was dolled up, red mouth painted slick, hair pulled up in neat rolls and in a perfect wave all the way down her back. She was in a smart little skirt and shirt that came in at the waist, with a little pullover that hid her arms.
"Hi Steve, Bucky." she said mildly.
"Hiya, gorgeous." Bucky said, tossing the comment over his shoulder. She smiled, and waited for them to stop, turn around, and blink at her stupidly until the face matched the name.
"Darcy?" Steve said, and stared at her face.
"Moxie?" Bucky's once over hit her at the chest, the waist, the shapely legs propped up by the heels. "Hope you don't mind me sayin', but hot damn."
"Don't mind at all. Spent an hour tryin' to fit the part." her mouth was smiling, but Steve could see under her eyes were smudged, slightly, under the lashes. "Turns out I should've just stayed home."
"Why?" Steve said, frowning. "Someone put hands on you?"
"I wish." she scoffed. "Mighta had a chance to black his eye and get my own. But no. He didn't show."
"Oh, babydoll." Bucky said, in his careful drawl. "Well, you look too damn good to go upstairs and hide in your place. Me 'n' Steve are going out dancin' with a couple fellas from my work. Wanna come?"
Steve wanted to chastise Bucky. He really did. For what, he didn't know - Bucky was just being friendly, but Darcy looked so put out. He wanted to suggest that Bucky go on without them - he'd get outta his suit and she could get outta her fancy dress up - not, not together! Just, out of it, comfortable like, into something else. And they could... Listen to the radio, or have a drink.
But before his struck dumb brain could catch up and tell his mouth what to say, Bucky spoke up.
"We'll look after you, course." Bucky said, cracking a grin. "C'mon. Coupla dances and we'll come home."
"S'it far?" she said, her voice maybe an octave higher than her usual tone. "These shoes..." she motioned at her feet, lifting them off the floor, and damn if they didn't make her tall as Steve. He hadn't noticed before, but if he was 5'4, she must've been about 5'nothing, the shoes more than making up for it.
"Down the road." Bucky promised.
Steve was going to start protesting, because she seemed upset by her lack of a date, seemed to be really just in need of washing her face and getting out of those shoes. He wanted to suggest staying tea and the wireless on the jazz station, but he hadn't had the chance to offer, tongue tripping like it was.
"Yeah." she said, abruptly, her voice back to normal. "Yeah, why not? I bought this skirt all special and everything. Might as well get some use out of it."
"His loss, our gain." Bucky assured her, and held out his arm. She took it, but also slid her other hand through Steve's, resting it on his forearm. He braced instantly, unsure. He'd never had a girl on his arm, let alone one like Darcy.
Between the three of them, they wouldn't fit through the door, but Darcy let Bucky go through first, choosing to hold onto Steve as they went. He rationalized it was because he was smaller, and they could fit, but he didn't see Bucky offer the arm and she didn't look like she was gonna let him go, either.
"So, where do you work, Bucky?"
"I work in the woodshed up a coupla blocks. Saw things, pack the dust, you know."
"I do know, actually." she said, and sent him a grin. "I work at the shop 'round the bend, ya mooch."
"No, I never woulda picked it." he said, totally sarcastic.
"I don't run around in overalls because I like the look."
He chuckled, and she beamed.
"You know, I work with a couple boys who part time at the woodshed," she said, and brightened. "Know any that work up my way?"
"Actually, now you mention it, I think they've said somethin' about it." he said. "Huh! What're the odds."
"Same kinda business." she shrugged, rubbing her arm against Steve's shoulder. He could smell her subtle perfume, and cast his eyes down to his shoes. He did not need to fall and drag her down. "They're all in each others pockets, them big wigs."
"Yeah, no kiddin'."
"Not even a bit." she scoffed, and they entered the club.
That night was blues, and the lazy sound of a sax drifted through their senses, pitched low and warm. The smoke in the joint made Steve's asthma play up, but Bucky's boys knew the drill by then, sat next to an open window, waiting.
"Ay, Bucky!"
"Who's the pretty dame, then?"
"You watch who you call a dame, Mathew Jones, or I'll knock you on your ass." Darcy said with a snort. "I ain't no pretty lady you can drool at."
His mouth popped open. Charlie, one of the quieter friends, jumped to his feet with a big smile.
"Moxie!"
"You know it, honey." she fluttered her lashes, and the guy came up to her to give her a hug. Steve regrettably pulled away, edging toward the open window.
"Hot damn, baby! What-! What the!" Mathew got to his feet too, and rubbed both palms on his trousers before he prodded her shoulder. "You goin' with Bucky now? You lady killer, I'd never believe you 'f you hadda said anything." he shot at the taller man, who just grinned.
"Does it look like I'm goin' with Bucky, you goddamn loudmouth?" she pitched a brow. "Where's Janey?"
"She ain't comin'. Workin' tomorrow."
"So it's my job to make sure you don't get up to trouble, then?" she arched a brow, and he pulled her under one arm, giving her a quick hug.
"Naw, ruin all my fun." he teased, and let her go. "Like your hair like that, Mox."
"Don't get used to it, cuz I don't."
"Are you goin' with Steve, then?"
"Who says I'm goin' with any body?" she said, and took a seat. "I got stood up, the boys picked me up on my way back home."
"Jeeze, I'm glad they did." he took an exaggerated wiff of the air. "You even smell pretty."
She smacked his arm, rolling her eyes.
"You talk like I smell bad on the regular."
"No ma'am." they all watched as she went about smoothing her skirt down, perched on a stool, accepting Mikey's hand to steady herself. "Just prettier tonight, s'all."
"Good save." Bucky took a seat beside her, and Mathew dragged a few more chairs over to their booth.
The night, for Steve, passed as it usually did.
He sat by the window and managed to get drunk off three glasses of whatever Bucky put in front of him, sat and chatted with the guys when they weren't yelling across the table at each other. At one stage, Darcy even got up to sit with him, but a couple minutes later she had been commandeered to talk to someone on her other side.
Quite tipsy, his head spinning, he just got up when Bucky pulled him under his arm. Darcy soon bracketed him on his other side, tucking her arm around his waist.
He felt so nervous at having her hand there, so close to his bony rib cage, but even more nervous when she lifted his other arm and put it around her shoulders, holding onto his wrist. His fingers were - hovering, right above the swell of her breast. All he had to do was stretch, and he'd touch her.
So he put his hand in a fist.
They stopped several times up the stairs, Steve unable - or unwilling - to go up.
Bucky was a little bit too drunk, leaning on the banister, while Darcy, who hadn't paid for a drink all night but never went without a glass in her hand, in her heels was stumbling just as bad.
There was a close call when Steve leaned back too far and Darcy's heel slipped and Bucky had to reach across their backs and hoist them forward, which was more hilarious than they intended, despite having to break from laughter to try and hush their volume.
Trying to open the door was fun. Steve had lost the keys somewhere in his pockets and was patting them right down to the ankle, while Bucky was banging his head against the frame, trying to remember where they put the spare.
"Hang on," Darcy said, quite brightly. "I'm actually really familiar with locks, I havta make 'em sometimes."
She reached up and pulled a pin from her hair, tucking it back behind her ear. The thick brown curls swung forward anyway, regardless, and Bucky did his bit to sweep it back and brush it over her shoulder, making Darcy giggle.
"Stop, I'm con-cen-trating." She chewed off the bulbous bit at the end and jammed it into the lock, wedging the other in behind it and jiggling it around. "Jus' a second, boys, I got it."
"I swear we got a spare." Steve said, and slumped heavily against the frame next to her, sliding into a messy pile with his face dragging against the plaster. "Somewhere 'round here. Maybe down here. Hey, Darcy?"
"Hmmmm?" she looked down, pitching at the waist to see him.
He blushed, cracked a grin.
"Like your shoes." he said, and she positively beamed. "They're real pretty."
"Thanks, Stevie." she said, and ran a mostly uncoordinated pet over his cheek.
"Easy you two," Bucky let go of Darcy's hair to spatula him off the wall, keeping him upright under his arm. "Wait until we get inside 'til the pettin' starts, would yas?"
Darcy lost herself to giggle-snort-hiccup laughter, then rustled in the lock, did some kind of bizarre dip and twist, and the door swung open.
Bucky shouted his laughter, helped her off of the floor from where she'd tumbled forward, and steered Steve inside. Darcy flopped on the couch, hands on her stomach, while Steve collapsed onto the couch beside her, face down. Bucky leaned over the back of her chair.
"Wanna drink?" he said mildly.
"I shouldn't." she grinned. "I already had more than I should've."
"C'mon. One drink." he said, and reached down to wipe his thumb across the smudge on her lower lip. "Least we can do."
"One." She groaned, hid her eyes behind her hand. "Regretting it already. One drink."
"Just one." he promised, and Steve heard him clinking around, opening the cupboard above where they would have a stove, if they could afford one. "Rum or brandy, babydoll?"
"Rum. Just one drink, Bucky, just one."
"One." he agreed. "Steve?"
"Mmph." he said into the cushions, barely slitting his eyes to see that Darcy had bent her knees, bringing her feet closer to her hands to fuss at the straps keeping them on her ankles. Her skirt had ridden up a few inches and he was glad he was face down, because he was heating up. The strap keeping her stockings on peeked at him while she fiddled with the buckle.
She could pick locks, but couldn't undo her shoes? He lifted his head, ready to offer his help...
"Here'y go." Bucky said, and put her glass down on the table. Steve's head dropped back down. Darcy hastened to smooth hands over her skirt, sit up slightly, hair a little fluffy at the back.
"Thanks." she said, and lifted her drink, clinking it with his. "To... a good night out."
"A good night out!" he said, and took a swig. They both made faces, but only slightly, too used to the burn to be bothered by it now. "Can't believe some dumb shmuck left you out by yourself."
"Happens all the time." she said breezily. "I needed it, though. The night out with the boys. I like 'em better than bein' around girls. I'm not regular, so..."
"No, you're not. Certainly not regular." Bucky said mildly. "But I think you're better that way."
"Me too." she shrugged. "I mean... I think so. Sometimes. I'm never... enough."
"Don't know about that, babydoll, you're all the woman that the boys could handle." She laughed, and glanced at Steve's drink, then at Steve, who kept his eyes shut for the moment.
"Aw," she said, lower. "Should we wake him up?"
"Eh. He's out. I'll move him soon. Eventually. After I have my one drink more and go to bed. Join me for his?"
"I said one drink, Buck, just the one-"
"It's already outta the bottle. C'mon. One more."
"Well... guess it's outta the bottle. S'not gonna hurt now, is it?" she said, and Steve cracked his eyes to see she was again, fiddling with her ankle straps. "Although the way I'm goin', I can't even get my damn shoes off."
"Let me do it." he said, and put his glass down with a clink. He put his hand under her calf and brought her knee up, making her slide down on the couch. Luckily she'd taken a big draw from her glass, so nothing spilled. She did make quite a cute squeaky noise, and laughed, setting her glass down on the table behind her head.
He fumbled with the catches for a long moment, then swore under his breath, squinting at them.
"Your fingers are too big." she said mildly.
"That's nothin' no dame's complained about before." he retorted with a purely dirty grin, before he realized what he'd said and to whom he'd said it. "I- uh-"
She burst out laughing, barely managing to catch it with both hands to muffle how loud it would've otherwise been.
"Bucky, you goddamn pervert." she teased, and nudged him with her heel. He wore color high in his cheekbones, shaking his head, pressing the heel of his hand to his eyes. "Get my shoes off, please and thank you!"
"Yeah, yeah, keep your hat on." he muttered, smirking slightly, but still embarrassed. "I, uh... Forgot, for a second. You're... I forgot you're a..."
"I know." the clasp came undone for one of the shoes and she put her heel down on the carpet, making him undo the other buckle before he actually took the shoe off on her behalf. Her legs closed at the knee, pitched on a strange angle but kept off from Bucky.
"Hah!" he said, triumphant. "See! I did it! Big fingers be damned!"
The shoe slid out of his drunk fingers and bounced on the floor, making him swear and reach for it. Effectively, it pinned her hips with his own. He braced a hand on the arm of the couch to support most of his weight, reaching for the shoe, but when he finally caught it, the position they were in made him hover, slightly.
There was a beat, and then she closed the distance, kissing his lower lip timidly.
His eyes fluttered, and Steve saw his shoulders relax as she brought a hand slowly to the top of his head, nails sliding over his skull and settling on the nape of his neck. He kissed her softly, his free hand dropping the shoe back on the floor, coming up to frame her waist.
She made a small noise in the back of her throat, a tiny moan, pitched. Bucky pressed down on her slightly, and the noise came again, louder.
Steve swallowed, tried to shut his eyes against it.
There was a wet break, when Bucky dropped a red smear kiss against the hinge of her jaw, then just behind it, making her gasp. Her eyes were shut tight, hands in nervous claws on his shoulders.
"Bucky," she whispered, and pulled the back of his shirt. "Bucky."
"Whassamatter?" he breathed against her throat. "Too fast?"
"Mm." she made a strangled noise, put a fist against his shoulder and pushed up. "Mhm."
"Sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean - I thought you -"
"I'm sorry," she said. "Cuz I kissed you."
"I mean, I didn't exactly stop you." he leaned back, bring the back of his hand to swipe the red color off his mouth. She sat, scooting back on the sofa, smoothing trembling hands over her skirt. "I thought... maybe you were sweet on Steve."
"I'm not sweet on anybody." she said, maybe a little roughly, and pressed her fingers to her mouth, looking at the floor. "I can't really afford to be. I mean, it's just-... No one's sweet on me. Ever. No fella wants a dame on his arm who can make bullets or shoot 'em or fix her own door. I'm sorry, Bucky, really. I just - I ain't never been kissed before."
"You what?" his head swiveled to stare at her.
"I ain't been kissed before?" she looked at him, eyes wide. "Was it bad?"
"No one's ever-...?" he blinked at her. "No one's ever kissed you?"
She shook her head, covered her mouth with her hand.
"It was bad, wasn't it?"
"No, no, doll, I'm not sayin' that. I just-... Why not?"
"Why not what?" she was mortified, Steve could see, color filling her cheeks.
"Why hasn't anybody kissed you before?" he said it almost like a demand, running a hand over his hair, smoothing it back down from where she'd messed it up.
"Because I'm -..." she moved her hand from mouth to slightly heaving chest. "No one wanted to, that's why."
"Well, they're dumb." he said, and leaned over to knock her shoulder with his. "It was good, okay? Don't look so upset."
"I don't know why I did that." she muttered, and put her hands in her lap. "I guess I just didn't want to die alone without ever bein' kissed."
Bucky put his arm over her shoulders.
"As far as first kisses go that was pretty..." he made a noise, like a bomb exploding, and she dropped her eyes to her hands. "If I hadda known I woulda kissed you different. Sweeter."
"Doesn't matter." she muttered, and reached for Steve's drink. He propped his elbow up on the back of the couch.
"Would you let me?" he said mildly, and she stared at him over the rim of the glass. "Kiss you sweet?"
"Why?" she said, putting the drink down on her knee.
"I shoulda done it anyway. I just thought - you're always around guys, I thought that..."
"I'd have more experience."
"It sounds bad when you say it like that."
"But everyone thinks it anyway." she sighed, and looked at him, thinking. "Why'd you kiss me back, anyway?"
"Well, when a fella's got a dame pretty as you all wrapped up underneath him, and she's hanging onto his shirt like you were, I guess I thought you wanted me to."
"But you still didn't kiss me. I kissed you."
"I wasn't so sure. To be honest, Moxie, I kissed a lot of girls, so I know what one who wants a kissin' looks like." he pointed at her. "You looked a little scared."
She blushed, turned her eyes back down.
"That's cause I was." she passed him Steve's glass, and he drank the remaining dregs, smacking his lips at the taste. "I thought you were probably gonna throw me out on my ear and tell Steve I was some kinda tramp not allowed back in here again." She rubbed her mouth with her fingertips.
"Huh." he said, and stared at the back of her head. "That's sad, doll."
"It is what it is." she replied, and turned her head, possibly trying to say goodbye, when he leaned forward and caught the back of her skull, pressing a very tender kiss to both her lips, steering her head so they didn't bump noses.
She made the same quiet noise, but instead of moving on or being encouraged, Bucky put his other hand to her face, sweeping her hair behind her ear with gentle fingertips. Her hands had came up to bunch around his shirt, white knuckle tight. Steve watched as he parted her mouth with his tongue, and the sweeter kiss that followed.
They broke apart. Bucky guided her head to his shoulder, arms hanging languidly over her like he'd known her for years. She clung to his shirt for dear life, eyes closed, nose pressed against his sternum.
"That's a better first kiss." he said into her hair.
"Mm." she said, and managed to unwind the fistfuls of shirt she had scrunched in her hands, put them back on her own lap. "Uhm, thanks."
"You're welcome." he kissed the side of her face. "You know, you talk about yourself like you've got somethin' wrong with you. There ain't nothin' wrong with you."
"Sure Buck. Like that isn't all the booze talking."
"I ain't lyin'. Tell you when we're sober." he smiled at her, breaking the serious tension. "I mean it. You're not regular, like other girls, but you ain't gotta be. I like you the way you are, and I'd bet Steve'd say the same."
She glanced at Steve, who was still watching between barely open lids. He was all kinds of conflicted, unsure of what to do or say, unsure of if he'd mention it in the morning or if he'd want Bucky to tell him what had happened. He thought they had chemistry; but they were still talking about him.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I think he's sweet on you, lil' bit."
"Me?" her voice broke. "He's- me?"
"Yeah." He smiled at her, over his shoulder. "I reckon he is. So if you wanted to make a date with him..."
"Uhm." she sounded strangled, and put a hand up to her throat. "I don't know how."
"What'd you mean, you don't know how? You've set up dates before?"
"But not- like this." she swallowed. "I'm usually... in my work gear. Makes me braver, in boots. Don't laugh." she couldn't help but smile when he cackled, and swatted his arm. "It's not funny. I just feel better in boots, okay? Heels make me feel... wobbly."
"What were you gonna do next Sunday? Get lunch and draw?"
"Yeah?" she looked at him with big eyes. "Is that bad?"
"It's a bit... platonic. Steve's new to this as much as you are. Gotta be forward."
"Well I don't get called 'Moxie' for nothin'." she mused, and glanced over at Steve when Bucky cracked a laugh that might've woke him up. "Think he'll really like me?"
"Know so." he shrugged his shoulder, and looked over at him too. "But, uh, might wanna keep your kissin' history to yourself, for a bit."
"Sure?"
"Well, I wouldn't... It might make him think you're- you know. With him to get at me."
"Don't be so full of yourself." She laughed, then stared at him. "You're serious?"
"Happened before. Twice." he recalled, and leaned his head back on the couch. "Ladies hang around him to wait out whatever fling I'm in."
"That ain't no lady." she said, sneering. "That's what we in polite company call a bitch."
They dissolved into laughter, then sat in quiet for several long seconds. Darcy's eyes were already shutting.
"I gotta go." she said groggily.
"One more?" Bucky mused, but then they were both quiet, both thinking, and then Darcy's head tipped in his direction and she landed on his shoulder.
Bucky cracked open an eye to see her, for a moment, then he shifted out from under the unconscious dame and laid her out on the couch. In a few minutes, he came back with the blankets off Steve's bed, dragging the heaviest one over her and the rest over Steve. He patted the corners in, then peered into his face, tapping on his cheekbone.
"What?" Steve grumped into the couch.
"I kissed Moxie." he whispered. "But she wants to date you."
"What?" He opened an eye.
"Moxie." he said, and inclined his head at the couch behind him. "We kissed. But she doesn't wanna date me. She wants to date you."
Steve just stared at him for a long second. Didn't he just tell Darcy that she should keep it a secret? Why was he telling Steve, then, if he'd thought he'd been asleep?
"Okay, Buck." he put his head back down. "Whatever you say."
Bucky snickered, and patted his head.
"Night."
"G'night."
He pulled Darcy's legs up onto the couch while he went past, then went into his own room, shutting the door behind him.