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As the sun began to set and the hot July air began to cool, Steve couldn’t believe the situation he’d found himself in yet again.
“Come on, pal,” Bucky chuckled as he pat his friend roughly on the shoulder, “I’ve never met someone who was this upset to meet up with a couple of beautiful ladies.”
“What? And somehow be the third wheel on a double date again?” Steve quipped back at his long time friend.
Bucky replied with a roll of his eyes and waved off his friend, turning his body toward the Coney Island parking lot to see if he could find the girls they were supposed to be meeting.
Steve regretted that he sounded so bitter, but these “double dates” that Bucky dragged him on were somewhat of a joke. It was always the same song and dance. The girl who Bucky was attempting to court would bring a friend, either for moral support or to try and set her up, and that friend would always be wholly disappointed when she saw that Steve was who she was stuck with. Steve knew that not every girl had to like him, of course, but occasionally it would be nice to be as sought after or wanted as Bucky was - or at least to not be looked through by every girl he met.
“There they are,” Bucky grinned, raising his arms above his head to signal the two, “over here!”
Steve took a deep breath and prepared himself for the inevitable look of disappointment that he had become so accustomed to. Instead, as he turned he was met with a stunning pair of eyes and a soft smile splayed across the most incredible pair of lips he’d ever laid his eyes on. Seeing you made him feel like all the air had been forced out of his lungs and no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t catch his breath. The only other time he remembered experiencing the sensation was after a particularly bad time that he had gotten the living hell beat out of him in the alleyway - except this time, it was a good feeling.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Steve.” You said, your voice soft and warm - like honey.
There’s no way that could be a blush on your cheeks, right?
“Well, we already got our tickets,” Bucky’s voice brought Steve back to the present, “so what do you say we head in?”
———
For the first time in, well, forever, Steve actually found himself enjoying the evening. The small talk didn’t feel stiff or forced, you never recoiled at any of the accidental touches throughout the night, and you actually looked him in the eyes when you were having a conversation. If you were disappointed in being stuck with Steve, you hid it pretty well.
The unrelenting sun had finally set and the colorful lights of various rides and booths reflected off of the water. You had been on a couple rides, enjoyed some hot dogs and funnel cakes, and now the group of you had been sucked into one of those carnival game booths. Bucky was attempting, as usual, to show off for your friend by trying to win her a stuffed animal.
“Would you like to take a walk or something?” Your voice captured Steve’s attention as he turned to look at you. You grinned a little before adding, “It’s kind of sickening to stand here and watch them act like this.”
Steve was caught off guard, both at the jab directed to your friends and the fact that you would even consider being alone with him.
“I, uh, yeah, sure, we could do that,” he nodded quickly, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
You smiled and started down the boardwalk.
This is too good to be true, right? He thought to himself. She’s obviously just trying to be nice.
“Steve?” your voice cut through his doubts. He hadn’t even realized that you made it several feet away from him and he was still planted in the same spot.
“Oh! Yeah, coming! Sorry!” Steve blushed as he hurried to catch up with you.
The two of you walked side by side for a few minutes, an oddly comfortable silence lingering between you.
“How are-”
“Have you-”
Steve’s eyes met yours as you both began to speak simultaneously and you shared a laugh together. Steve could feel the warmth rising in his face and he hoped to God that he wasn’t blushing like an idiot.
“You first,” he smiled softly.
“I was just going to ask how long you and James have known each other?” you asked, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear.
And there it was.
To anyone else the question would seem innocent, but Steve knew better. You had only drawn Steve away so you could question him about his friend - the same way every other person before you had done. There was a heat building inside Steve’s stomach. How could he be so stupid? How could he actually believe that someone like you could be interested in someone like him?
“T-the only reason I ask is,” you blurted, sounding…nervous? “well, because the two of you are so different. I mean, not in a bad way! Just like, James is so…cocky and loud and you’re…well you’re not.”
Steve stopped walking and looked at you. His thoughts were racing through his brain like a freight train. What exactly were you trying to say?
“God I’m so bad with words,” you laughed, shaking your head, “just forget I said anything at all.”
“You don’t have to feel bad for me, you know. If that’s what this is.” Steve couldn’t hold back the words, and they sounded much colder than he meant them to. He was just so tired of living in his friend’s shadow. The only time girls were ever nice to him was because they wanted to impress Bucky. He was sure that’s what you were doing too.
Once he noticed your brows furrow and a look of sadness overcome your face, he wanted nothing more than to rewind time and take his words back.
“Is that the type of person you think I am, Steve?” Your voice came out a little shaky, but Steve could still hear the hurt he had caused.
Steve sighed and rubbed his face.
“I’m sorry,” he started as his hands fell from his face and he met your gaze again, “I’m just…I’m not used to this.”
“And what exactly is this?” you asked, crossing your arms in front of your chest.
“Someone on these double dats being interested in me.”
He could tell that his words caught you off guard. You were quiet and your arms slowly fell to your side. Steve was having trouble reading your expression, but it looked somewhere between someone who saw a puppy left on the side of the road and someone who was trying to understand a foreign language.
“Just…Just forget it. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry.” Steve waved his hand, as if he was trying to dismiss the conversation.
What he didn’t expect was for your hand to intertwine with his.
Steve’s gaze lingered on your connected hands for a minute before traveling to meet your eyes.
“You’re not very good at this, Rogers.” You said with a small laugh, “Here I was, thinking I was being too obvious.”
“I-I’m afraid I don’t follow,” Steve slowly responded.
You laughed again, the sound slowly becoming one of his favorites. Before he knew what was going on, you were pressed flush against him and capturing his lips with yours.
This would make the third time Steve had felt the wind be knocked from his lungs.
The kiss was slow, soft, and unlike any other he had ever experienced. It reminded him of the time his dad told him how he knew his mom was the one.
Well, when we kissed it felt like the rest of the world melted away. At that moment in time, it was just her and I.
A shiver ran down his spine as the warmth of your lips left his. As though he was drunk or coming out of a haze, it took him a moment to open his eyes and focus his vision back on you. There was a cute pinkness to your cheeks and you had a doe-eyed expression. It took a moment for the heartbeat in his ears to fade away - the joyful screams of park patrons and whirring of machinery returning.
“I like you, Steve,” You told him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze, “In fact, I’ve liked you for a while.”
You watched as Steve’s adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he gulped.
“You,” Steve cleared his throat as the word came out as a squeak, “you do?”
That smile he adored returned to your lips as you nodded, “I do.”
Before he had an opportunity to respond, you were speaking again.
“I see you at school, you know, around town too. I’ve always noticed how kind you are to everyone. The way you hold the door open for the old ladies at Church. That one time you gave Johnny your lunch because his parents forgot to pack him one?” the smile on your face growing bigger as you recounted the times in which you fell for Steve Rogers, “I mean, what’s not to like.”
Steve felt an asthma attack coming on.
“James is nice and all,” you leaned in then, as if you were telling a secret, “but he’s also kind of a bastard.”
Steve couldn’t hold back the laugh that tumbled from his lips and you quickly joined him. This felt like some sort of twisted dream to him - you standing here, confessing your feelings to him. Never in a million years did he think someone as beautiful as you would even talk to him, let alone have feelings for him.
“Obviously I’m kidding, but in all honesty… you are one of the best men I’ve ever met, Steve. I’m sorry that any one has ever made you feel less than.” You squeezed his hand again.
This time it was Steve who initiated the kiss, holding your face between his hands as he moved his lips against yours. Your hands found a place on his waist and your bodies slotted against one another - like they were two puzzle pieces made to fit into one another. You tasted sweet, like funnel cake, and your lips were soft against his slightly chapped ones. Steve hadn’t kissed very many people in his lifetime, but if this were the last kiss he got to have - he could die a happy man.
“Ahem,”
The two of you separated to see your friend, holding a huge stuffed bear, and Bucky standing before you, grinning like fools.
“Are we interrupting something?” Bucky mocked the two of you, sending a wink to Steve.
“Shut it, Buck.” Steve warned, although he couldn’t help but grin back at his friend.
“Come on, lovebirds” Bucky teased, “my girl here wants to ride the ferris wheel again.”
You smoothed out your dress and smiled at Steve, lacing your fingers once again with his as the two of you followed your friends toward the ferris wheel.
For once, Steve was going to have to thank Bucky tomorrow.