"I thought we were going out for dinner." Adeline frowned at Howard and Peggy.
The two exchanged looks, Howard turning back to her with a smile. "We are; Pegs has just got a few errands to run. Mind joining her in there for, uh, protection? I'll wait here." Adeline scowled suspiciously, but nodded, following Peggy out of the car, careful not to step on the woman's heels – whilst keeping her own balance. "Did I mention you look absolutely stunning tonight, Ads?" Howard called after her.
She rolled her eyes, but felt her lips curl in happiness.
There was something about having a man smile at her in a way other than pity – and although it was Howard Stark of all people – it still felt nice.
Peggy swanned into the dingy pub like she owned the place – giving Adeline no time to scan the outside for visible threats. So she settled for hurrying after the brunette – and covering her back.
She was so focused on the building's surroundings, exits and entrances that she completely missed the change of atmosphere.
It was only when Peggy stopped walking that she realized the noise in the pub had dropped, and instead of raucous cheers and singing, there was only murmurs. And eyes on them.
Steve turned at Bucky's audible intake of breath – and found himself suddenly short of air as well.
If he had ever thought Peggy pretty – he now had to retract the statement.
She was nothing short of beautiful.
Automatically, the two men stood.
In her red dress, and the way her lipstick matched –
Well, Steve fell in love for a second. His fingers itched for a pencil.
Catching his eyes, Peggy smirked, and stepped aside. Hidden behind her was another woman – green dress almost scandalously tight on her curves and tiny waist. Her glossy hair was perfectly curled, falling over her bare shoulder.
Her head was turned away from him, and he could just make out the swoop of her neck and chin when she turned.
And the whole world stopped.
Adeline Wolfe met his gaze – red painted lips parted.
He felt his heart stutter as the two women started towards him, Adeline looking uncertain in her shoes.
Peggy stood in front of him, but he was unable to tear his eyes from Adeline as her full lips quirked in her greeting for Bucky. He had never noticed she had freckled shoulders. She still had bandaged fingertips, but it didn't detract from… everything. And green made her eyes look strangely blue somehow – a silver-blue. But perhaps it was also this light – which was warm and orange – making her hair more gold, rather than the icy blonde it usually was-
"Steve."
Her lips shaped his name, and he shook his head, feeling like he had just come up out of water. "Sorry?"
Adeline smiled her little half-smile of private amusement at him – and gestured towards Peggy. "Agent Carter was speaking to you." Bucky smirked at him over her shoulder.
He blushed, and turned towards Peggy. "I'm sorry, Agent Carter. I was just-"
"Drooling?" Bucky cut in, laughing slightly.
"It's alright, Captain, I know the sight of a beautiful woman in a dress can be disarming." Peggy said drily. Steve snuck a glance at Adeline again to see her cheeks were slightly pink. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "Sergeant, why don't you take the Commander for a drink?"
His smile fell as Bucky steered her away.
"Now that we're distraction free, I'll repeat;" Peggy said, but humour still coloured her voice. "Howard has some new equipment for you to test out – if you could come in tomorrow morning it would be much appreciated."
Steve nodded. "Sounds good." He tried to keep the impatience out of his voice but guessing by her knowing look as his eyes darted over to where Bucky and Adeline were sitting, he knew he had failed.
"You'd better send the Sergeant over. I need to debrief him a little more." Peggy smiled. Steve nodded, and headed for Bucky.
Adeline watched Steve as he sat down in Bucky's vacated seat. He was still red around the ears and looking anywhere but her. She cleared her throat. This was never her strong point.
Socialising.
She looked away from him, towards the other room. "I see your new squad is preparing for duty." She said, smirking as the men started another drinking song.
"You don't like the singing?" Steve asked.
Adeline turned back to him, so he could see the upturn of her lips. "I… I do. I enjoy music." She said. For some reason, he blushed again. For some reason, she decided to go out on a limb. "I think I would enjoy dancing too. If I had the right partner."
This time he didn't look away – and this time she didn't deny that her heart skipped a beat. Steve's eyes darted down towards her lips – and she didn't know if it was the dress, the cigar smoke making her head dizzy, or the way he was looking at her; like she was the only star in the sky – but she shifted closer.
"I-" Steve started nervously, gulping. She tilted her head in question, eyes falling lazily half shut. He let out a small huff of air. "I just wanted to tell you-"
"0800, Captain." A voice startled the both of them – heads whipping around to Peggy. Adeline hadn't realized she'd moved back, as if caught in a guilty act. "Come on, Ads. Howard made the booking for in 10 minutes."
Adeline nodded jerkily, and stood from the barstool. For a second the dress caught her legs, and she stumbled. A warm hand caught her elbow, steadying her. "Careful." Steve murmured. She found herself flushing as he released her, allowing Peggy to steer her away. "I'll be there, ma'am!" he called after them.
Adeline sat cross-legged on a low desk, watching Howard through narrowed eyes, as he tinkered with some glowing residue from some of the weaponry they had brought back from HYDRA.
"Emission signature is unusual." He murmured, "Alpha and beta ray neutral. Though I doubt you picked up on that." He threw over his shoulder at Adeline.
She rolled her eyes. "If only I was as smart as you, Stark."
"If you were as smart as me, you'd have single-handedly ended the war." He said distractedly. Adeline frowned again, unsure what he meant. "Seems harmless enough." He muttered, already distracted. "Hard to see what all the fuss is about…" he used another motor controlled claw to approach the bit of weapon power.
Adeline's skin prickled, and she was on her feet as Howard touched the blue glow with an electric current. There was a crash of shattering glass as the observation tank exploded outwards, sending Howard flying.
"Howard!" she skidded on her knees to his side, propping him up. Her hands fluttered over him anxiously – thankfully he was conscious and had only a few cuts from the glass.
He tried to wave her off. "Write that down!" he looked up at her, smiling weakly, "I'm fine, Ads. Perfectly fine." Adeline huffed an annoyed breath, but released him.
A chunk of glass was still stuck in her bandaged fingers. She pulled it out of the cloth, frowning at the lack of pain – despite the bloom of red. "You need to be more careful." She mumbled.
Howard grinned broadly, and clapped her on the shoulder. "Concerned about my welfare, Commander Wolfe?"
Adeline shoved him away from her, smirking as he skidded a few feet back, mouth wide in surprise. "I'm gonna go look for Steve. He's supposed to be here."
She stood, and headed for the door.
"Really, its not a big deal."
For a second, the blonde girl was replaced with someone else – with white blonde hair and smirking lips.
But when he blinked, she was gone.
"Tell that to their wives." The young woman stood.
Steve suddenly realised what she was doing when she prowled towards him. She was trying so hard to be graceful – but she had nothing on the natural feline refinement of-
"I don't think they were all married." He said hurriedly, pushing the inappropriate thought of Commander Wolfe out of his head, and crossing his arms awkwardly.
"You're a hero." The blonde said seriously, and Steve's eyes widened at their closeness.
He shifted nervously, "Well that depends on the definition, really." He scratched his forehead twitchily.
"The women of America," her hand fastened around his tie, pulling him down slightly. "They owe you their thanks. And, uh, seeing as they're not here…" for all his superhuman strength – Steve was powerless against her sudden tug, as she led him into the corner. And then pressed her lips to his.
This was his first kiss.
That's all he could think as the taste of her waxy lipstick reached his tongue. Then he started thinking about something else.
This was his first kiss and he couldn't stop thinking about her.
When the woman touched his face, her hands were so soft that he remembered exactly what he was doing. In a panic, he remembered Bucky's advice.
Don't go all floppy – women like it when you touch them.
Automatically, he raised his hand to grasp her upper arm.
"Captain!"
He leapt back – horror flooding his system as he turned, wiping his mouth. There, standing in front of him like two stone statues was Peggy Carter and… Adeline Wolfe.
It had been Adeline who had shouted.
But it was Peggy who spoke first. "We're ready for you, if you're not otherwise occupied." Her voice was the sharpest he'd ever heard it, and he winced.
He looked to Adeline, expecting some kind of rebuke as well – but there was nothing on her face, no emotion in her eyes, and even her body language said nothing.
She stood, as if frozen, arms by her sides, just… looking. Her steely eyes slid to the woman he had just been kissing, and for a second, something red hot flared. But before he could understand it, she had spun on her heel, and stalked back the way she had come.
Peggy gave the two of them a disgusted look, before turned to follow the other woman. Steve's stomach dropped, and he hurried after them.
"Agent Carter, Adeline, wait-"
"It is Commander Wolfe." Adeline spoke, and her voice was so void of emotion it took on a new form of coldness. Steve blanched.
No, no, no, no!
"Looks like finding the right partner wasn't that hard after all." Peggy spoke now, and Steve flushed.
Adeline talked about him to her?
"Peggy, Ad- Commander, that's not what you thought it was." He tried again, trying to fall into step with Adeline, but he couldn't match her stride.
"I don't think anything, Captain. Not one thing." Peggy said.
Adeline shook her head slightly. "You have always wanted to be a soldier, Captain. Now you are just like the rest of them." The curl to her lip was the most emotion she'd displayed yet – but it was a low blow, and Steve couldn't help the anger that rose in him.
"Well, what about you and Stark? How do I know you two haven't been… canoodling?"
Adeline stopped in her tracks, and Steve actually saw her whole body tense up as she very slowly turned to face him. Her face twitched, but her lips stayed shut. Steve's eyes widened at the cold fury on her face.
Then, once again, like she had put on a mask, her face slid smoothly blank. She turned again and stalked into the lab, shaking off Peggy's hand. Peggy remained. She shook her head at him, and he got the oddest memory of his mother doing the exact same thing. "You still don't know a bloody thing about her – or any woman, for that matter." She turned and followed Adeline, leaving Steve behind, shame and realization growing in the pit of his stomach.
He fucked up.