Hello There Folks!
Well the first chapter seems to have been received quite well! Yay!
So, here is the next installment.
I'm really enjoying the 1940's Steve, and exploring this version of his past. I hope you are too!
CHAPTER 2 - Souvenir.
Steve sat at a table in the back of the bar, his shoe tapping on the wooden floor as well as his finger on the barely touched glass of scotch in front of him. His sights were mainly on the door on the other side, but he tried his best to break up his watchful gaze and try to play it cool.
He checked his watch again: 6:55. He had been waiting for twenty five minutes already, just to make sure he wouldn't be late. He smoothed his freshly washed hair again for seemingly the hundredth time, checked his blue tie was straight and there were no marks on his beige shirt. Last but not least, he breathed into his cupped hand and sniffed, just to check for any potential embarrassment. Fortunately, he was all clear. At that present time, he was as good as he was going to get. Steve just hoped it was enough so she wouldn't have second thoughts.
It was then that the familiar click of the door caught his attention and he smiled in anticipation of seeing Cora, but sighed as Bucky walked in instead with his date and started towards him. Bucky was dressed sharply as always.
"Hey pal." Bucky grinned, shaking Steve's hand. "How's it going?"
"Fine." He replied, standing to greet him but still glancing at the door. "I didn't know you were coming here too."
"Oh no, I just wanted to drop by and wish you luck."
"Thanks."
"Oh where are my manners?!" He sparked up, stepping aside to put a squeezing arm around Steve's shoulders. "Let me introduce you to Samantha. Babe, this is my partner in crme, Steve."
A young woman with short blonde hair curled into a pristine style stepped forward with a smile and offered her hand politely, though he could see the uncertain look in her eyes. Obviously she was just doing it for the sake of Bucky, but he had gotten used to that.
"Nice to meet you, ma'am." Smirked Steve, gently shaking her hand for a brief moment.
"Pleasure." She replied simply.
"We're off to Coney Island for a night she won't forget." Grinned Bucky, finally letting go of his shoulders and suavely putting his hands in his pockets to throw a charming glance at his date. Of course, she blushed and giggled as all of his dates did when he did that.
The door clicked again, grabbing Steve's attention and rewarding his patience. Cora walked in and immediately spotted him at the back. She smiled and waved as she made her way across the bar.
"That's your date?" Asked Samantha, making no attempt to hide her confusion and surprise.
Of course, he really couldn't blame her when seeing such an angel gliding across the room towards the world's most unlikely recipient of her attention. Steve was still unsure of how he had managed it himself.
"Hello again." Said Cora as she reached the little congregated group, her smooth and wonderfully enunciated accent filling the air.
"Hi." Replied Steve, slightly aghast at the thought that she was here again and looked happy to be. "You look great."
"Thank you. I like your tie." She smiled, brushing her finger quickly over it on his chest. "Brings out your eyes."
"Thanks." He replied, a little embarrassed and startled at her compliment. "Oh... Erm... I'd like you both to meet Cora. Cora, this is my best friend and burden, Bucky Barnes."
"Pleasure to meet you." She said, extending her hand for a shake which he accepted without hesitation with that gleaming smile of his.
"And this is his date, Samantha."
"Hello." Cora smiled at her, though Steve could see Bucky's date looking slightly sour or intimidated when she responded with the same.
"So," Chirped Bucky, that familiar look of mischief in his eyes that made Steve's stomach tighten with dread. "What are you two crazy kids up to for the evening?"
"I'm not entirely sure." Cora answered, looking to Steve for an idea.
"To be honest, I was kind of just winging it as I go along." Steve admitted, not wanting to make any assumptions of what Cora wanted of the evening. He still wasn't sure if this was an actual date or just a get together between two friends.
Suddenly, Bucky clapped his hands together with an enthusiastic idea, "Well you should come with us then! I'm taking Samantha to Coney Island. We could double date, it'll be fun."
Steve tried to hide his panic, "Oh Bucky, I don't know if..."
"I'm up for that." Cora chirped, grinning at Steve's nervous face though she didn't quite understand it. "But only if I'm allowed to buy the ice cream for us all."
"Ma'am, you have yourself a deal." Bucky smiled, shaking her hand to seal the pact before walking to an unsure looking Samantha and draping his arm over her shoulders. Fortunately, that seemed to perk her up again. "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?!"
"There, Bucky!" Exclaimed Samantha as she tugged on his hand. "Try and win me something!"
To Steve's surprise, the evening had gone better than he had expected when his pal had suggested the double date. Better still, he had thrilled when Cora hadn't objected to their time together being called such.
They had ridden the Wonder Wheel and eaten ice cream, Steve noting that her favourite was strawberry. They had also taken some pictures in the photo booth with everyone squeezing in for lots of laughter and fun, and with both Steve and Cora blushing as the ladies had to sit on their respective date's laps to fit into the cramped booth. Before they left though, Cora had requested some of just the two of them as a souvenir of the evening. Of course, he nervously obliged and tried to not sweat from his nerves, but luckily the photos had come out great.
They had then ridden on the Cyclone roller coaster that had made her hold on to Steve's arm from happy fright. After that, it seemed to be a natural thing for her to do when walking next to him: He would put his hands in his pockets, and Cora would gently hold onto the crook of his elbow. He didn't even mind that her heels made her a couple of inches taller than him and that some loud mouthed soldiers had spotted so. She had apologised then for her imagined thoughtlessness, and promised to wear flats next time. Steve couldn't help the grin that had spread over his face at hearing the possibility of a next time, and insisted that he didn't mind at all. He was just privately reeling with happiness that she was even there with him, smiling and laughing and actually listening with interest to their conversations. It was so refreshing to talk to a beautiful dame without worrying about being judged by his appearance.
Admittedly at the beginning of the night, he wasn't sure if this evening was a date or a friendly get-together, but as the night had progressed they had shared small bashful glances that seemed to him to hold affection. And then there was the small things like the photos and the holding his arm as if she was proud to be seen with him. The night was certainly getting his hopes up.
Now, they followed casually after the giggling couple of Bucky and Samantha as they rushed over to a baseball throwing game with three heavy looking cans stacked at the back of the lit up yellow kiosk just waiting to be demolished.
Steve and Cora stopped just off to the side of Bucky and watched with encouragement as he wound up his throwing arm and launched a baseball at the stack of cans. He missed by a hairs breadth but smashed through them on the second pitch, to the thrill of Samantha who immediately threw her arms around his neck in celebration to be twirled around. She was presented with a fluffy bear as a prize.
"Well, Steve?" Asked Samantha, with a slight air of devious snobbery that Cora instantly recognized. "Are you going to win Cora a prize?"
"Nah, sweetheart, we gotta' go line up for the Steeplechase before it gets too busy." Said Bucky, trying his best to steer her away to save his pal the humiliation. He knew that baseball wasn't Steve's best skill.
"No no, it can wait!" Samantha insisted. "I'm sure Cora would love to be won a souvenir! Just like you did for me."
Cora quietly seethed but managed to keep a pleasant expression on her features. She knew that Samantha was just trying to show off the idea that she had the better date by cruelly putting Steve on the spot to embarrass him. Just by Steve's uncertain face, she could tell he was beginning to feel the pressure a little bit. He obviously liked the idea of winning her something, but feared making a fool of himself.
Cora smirked with a plan that would put Samantha's competitive smugness to bed.
"How about it, Steve?" Asked Cora, squeezing his arm slightly for encouragement.
"Er... I'm not much of a pitcher to be honest."
Cora carefully moved to whisper in his ear, "How do you know what you can and cannot do until you try?"
She stood up straight again with a wonderful smile that was filled with faith in him, and even though he knew he was more than likely going to fail pathetically, he felt determined to at least try for her.
"Alright. Let's give it a go." He said confidently, stepping up to the bench and handing over a dollar to the game owner.
He was handed three dirty white baseballs, and Cora watched as he rolled the first one around in his hand. Bucky came up to stand next to him so Cora instinctively took a step back, knowing that he was giving his friend some brotherly instruction.
"You okay, pal?" Bucky asked.
"I will be if I don't screw this up."
"Just throw like I taught you when we were kids. Use your whole body."
"Whole body, right."
"And just remember... I don't think it will matter to her if you don't win. So try not to sweat it."
"Thanks, Bucky." Steve smiled before Bucky slapped him on the shoulder and took a step back.
"Give it to 'em, slugger!"
Steve took a deep breath and positioned the ball in his hand the way he remembered from his childhood. Then, with a step back to wind up, Steve launched the ball with a grunt towards the cans. It missed by a long shot, and the power in his throw was only a portion of what Bucky had managed to do it.
Cora immediately shot a warning glare towards the giggling Samantha, who ceased the moment she saw her expression. Steve picked up the next ball and rolled it in his hand again, though obviously deflated from his first attempt and Samantha's childish taunts.
"Come on, Steve. Send it home, baby!" Yelled Bucky, refusing to give up on his best friend.
Cora watched carefully, focusing intently on the ball in Steve's hand as he wound up again and threw. Steve blinked as it came significantly closer to the target, and even the power of the pitch had increased, though he had no idea how.
"Alright, pal. You got this now, you got this!"
Cora stepped up and placed a hand on Steve's shoulder, making him look at her glowing face as she smiled at him, "You can do this. Just give it everything you got. Focus."
She stepped back again and Steve coursed with new determination. He wanted to prove himself now. Prove that he wasn't such a weakling after all, his second throw showing him that he had more power than he realised. So, he took a step back for the last time, positioning the ball correctly in his hand and wound back his arm to fire it with a grunt of certainty that it would hit its target.
Cora watched with bated breath and utter focus on the ball as it soared across the kiosk with great power and smashed through the tower of cans with a victorious clatter.
"Yes!" Yelled Bucky, running forward to bear hug his stunned friend.
Cora grinned from ear to ear, satisfied in the dumb expression on Samantha's face as she realised Steve's final pitch had been more powerful than even Bucky's. Cora walked forward to congratulate him, wrapping her arms around his neck and having to bend a little due to her heels. Steve froze for a moment, unable to believe that he was being embraced by her so genuinely. He timidly placed his hands on her back to hold her and felt that she was indeed real.
"Well done." She beamed, pulling away to look at him.
"Thanks."
"Here you go, son. Nice pitch." Said the game owner as he handed him a brown bear with a red ribbon around it's neck.
"Thank you, Sir." Steve replied before turning his attention back to Cora and offering her the prize. "Ma'am?"
Cora smiled and gratefully accepted the toy, "Thank you."
"My pleasure."
"So are we going to the Steeplechase or what?" Samantha blurted, obviously a little sore that her plan hadn't worked out the way she had wanted.
"Yes we are." Replied Bucky, still with a grin as he draped his arm over her shoulders and started walking.
Steve stuffed his hands into his pockets and offered out his elbow to Cora, who took hold without hesitation to follow the other pair.
The sky was black now that the hour was getting later, but the lights of the rides and attractions lit everything up with exciting colour. People were all around them as they walked in comfortable silence, though the crowd was bustling with joyful noise and the rides played happy chiming music. There were so many scents on the air: hot dogs, candy floss, the sea... But Steve always came back to the fresh aura of Cora's perfume.
"You're very quiet." She said to him as they walked, her bear tucked up in her arm as she held her purse.
"Sorry." He replied, trying to chirp up again. "Just thinking."
"What about?"
He sighed a little, rubbing the back of his neck as he thought whether he should be honest or not. Finally he decided to be truthful with her, "Mainly... Why you're here."
"What do you mean?" She pressed, her brow creasing with concern as she focused on his sweet face that just looked ahead as he spoke. Even though the conversation was turning a little more serious it seemed, she still anticipated his smooth voice with satisfaction. She liked his voice. It was strong yet gentle.
"Well... You're a pretty amazing dame. And you could be on the arm of any guy you wanted tonight. Yet... you chose the scrawny one."
Cora stopped at that sentence, gently pulling him to stand with her, "Please don't talk about yourself like that, Steve."
"Sorry." He replied, though he didn't seem so to her. "I was just trying to be honest."
"Then you need to open your eyes a little wider." She softly scorned, pausing for a moment before setting a firm but kindly resolve to speak again. "Look around and tell me what you see."
Steve did as she asked with a curious smirk and furrowed brow, "Rides? Couples enjoying themselves...?"
"Look closer at the men, at how they're behaving."
He watched carefully, passing his analysing gaze from one couple to the next. Some guys were soldiers, and some were not. There were a few that were perfectly cordial, but most of them seemed to behave in very similar ways to each other: They were loud, almost brutish. Some would be looking over women, sometimes not even their own dates. Some would be touching a ladies leg or elsewhere inappropriately. And some just seemed to be ignoring the girl they were with entirely, instead fixated on their boisterous chatter with their friends.
Steve was a little shocked that he hadn't really noticed before Cora had urged him to look. Sure he saw the occasional exception, it was how he met Cora in the first place, but he never witnessed just how many men seemed to think that was a normal and perfectly acceptable way to be around women.
"I'm not interested in being treated like a piece of steak." She said gently with a slight smile, watching him as he continued to watch some soldier's shameful behaviour. "Nor am I interested in being the decoration on someone's arm and being valued only for my face."
She carefully reached out to hold his chin and direct his gaze to her. She wanted him to understand everything she was about to explain to him. She wanted it to be branded in his mind and in his heart for years to come because it was the truth.
"Appearances are changeable, Steve, they're not important. What matters is in here." She softly tapped his head, followed by his chest. "And here. Yesterday evening proved to me that there was something wonderfully different about you, and I was willing to take a chance to see if my instinct was correct."
"And was it?"
"Absolutely." She smiled. "Since I moved here I have met a few people that could be lovely but ended up being like most other men of our time. And I don't mean that as an insult, of course."
"No offence taken." He reassured her. "I know exactly the sort of guys you're talking about."
"It is a shame but... Pardon my French, but if you're a bastard you'll always be a bastard. That's something a person cannot change."
Steve couldn't help but chuckle quietly at her English accented swearing.
"But a good man, what shows through from in here," She started with a gentle smile and an endearing gaze as her palm flattened over his thumping heart, "Will always be good because he places value in integrity and respect. And most of all, he knows compassion as well as courage. The problem is that such a gentleman is hard to find."
"I'm not surprised. That's a tall order." He joked lightly whilst trying to keep his heart steady beneath her hand.
"Well then, I guess I was lucky to be rescued by one last night."
Steve beamed, thrilled at her little confession of how she saw him, and that she may actually like him romantically. Him! The scrawny sickly guy from Brooklyn that hadn't even kissed a girl properly. This night was steadily getting better and better.
"I...er... I don't know if I am a good man or not." He said, clearing his throat slightly and trying to control his words to play it cool. "I just try to do what's right."
Cora just smiled in response and tapped a gentle finger over his heart, silently repeating her previous statement about a good man. Steve knew what she meant immediately, and felt proud and even honoured in a way.
"Thank you." He said, smirking bashfully.
"Just trying to be honest." She replied, purposely repeating his earlier statement which made them both chuckle.
"Hey! You coming or what?" Called Bucky from afar.
Cora winked at Steve, taking the crook of his elbow again as they started to walk a little quicker to catch up, both excited in the knowledge that this was their first date after all.