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Chapter Text

Can love really travel back in time and heal a broken heart? Was it our joined hands that finally lifted Maria's curse? I'd like to think so. But there are some things I know for certain: always throw spilt salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck, and fall in love whenever you can. - Sally Owens (Practical Magic 1998)

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“Darcy Maria Owens! It had been far too long since you’ve been home.”
“Owens? I thought your last name was Lewis?” Steve tilted his head to look away from the women hovering on the porch steps to meet Darcy’s gaze as he stood in the open door of the car.
“Uh family name. All women born in the family are Owens, no exceptions. My dad’s name was Lewis. It’s...It’s complicated and there might be a few things I haven’t told you. I promise. “Darcy muttered before slamming the car door harder than Steve thought was strictly necessary and marching through the garden gate and along the pathway. Darcy ran up the steps and threw herself into the arms of the aunts. Steve looked equal parts confused and amused as he shuffled through the garden gate awkwardly shutting it behind him with his and Darcy’s suitcases in his hands.
“No spells. No meddling. Steve is my friend, I work with him. Leave him be.” Darcy whispered fiercely to the aunts before turning a bright smile at Steve.
“Whatever do you mean dear? What do you take us for?”
“My aunts. Owens witches. Witches who meddle in people’s lives.” Darcy admonished but she couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her face as the aunts shared a look. “Aunt Fran, Aunt Jet this is Captain Steve Rogers. Steve these are my aunts, Frances Owens and Jet Owens, be careful they bite.”
“Oh how we have missed you Darcy. Good evening Captain Rogers.” Jet smiled warmly and reached out to shake Steve hand.
“Thank you ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Please call me Steve.” Steve smiled politely as he juggled the suitcases from hand to hand to enable him to shake the aunts hands.
“Welcome Steven.” Aunt Frances grinned, a wicked glint in her eyes as her eyes swept over Steve. Steve shifted slightly focusing on the bags in his hands and the peeling paint of the wooden porch. “I’m afraid Darcy’s mother isn’t here to meet you” Frances frowned slightly gaze meeting Darcy’s wide blue eyes. “Darcy, why don’t you go and show Steven his room, and put your things away. Jet let’s go brew some tea.”
Darcy shrugged a shoulder, frowning slightly but this was nothing new. Gillian was Gillian after all. She wasn’t really surprised that Gillian had broken another promise and hit the road before Darcy could see her again. “Come on Steve I’ll show you to your room.” Darcy shook off the frown and smiled brightly at Steve before bounding through the door and headed for the stairs leaving Steve to trail after her. Steve glanced around taking in all the exits and entrances of the house absently while resolutely not watching the swing of Darcy’s hips as she climbed up the stairs ahead of him.

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“Does he look a little familiar to you?” Frances murmured as she closed the door and headed into the kitchen.
“Perhaps. But that ass is something I wouldn’t think you could ever forget. Hmmm...now that you mention it, he does remind me of someone. A long time ago. Skinny little thing. New York....” Jet grinned as she gathered together tea cups and chose a soothing blend of tea.
“That Stark thing. The Expo of Future Technologies in forty-two.”
“Oh my yes. Oh that night....”
“Mmm Sgt James....Brown? Barton? Barnes. Sgt. James Barnes. Oh yes, that was a fun...night. What was his friend’s name? The skinny one...”
“Steve.... It was Steve something. Oh...You don’t think?”
“Mmmmm.” Frances replied as both the aunts looked up at the ceiling as the kettle began to whistle on the stove. “What have you brought us home my darling girl?”

Chapter Text

Darcy opened the bedroom door on the second floor nearest the stairs that lead to her own attic bedroom. “This is you. The bathroom is right next door and I’m just up the stairs in the attic bedroom.” She explained as she swept into Aunt Sally’s old room. The room was simply decorated and newly painted white with heavy oak and pine furniture, an over abundance of pillows and paintings in guilt frames. The room smelled of dried lavender and the fresh green sent of small bunch of cheerful red flowers in a small slightly chipped red metal coffee pot. Darcy’s fingertips brushed against the red, white and blue quilt on the bed as she looked up into Steve’s eyes her lips twitching before grinning at him. “I mean you could say the quilt is made for my...er our favourite Patriotic Superhero.” Darcy winced slightly at stumbling over her words.
Steve arched a brow but couldn’t quite keep his the smirk off of his face. “It’s fine. Shall I take this to your room?” he replied lifting her battered brown leather suitcase as he placed his own black suitcase at the foot of the bed. Darcy reached to take her case from him, her fingers brushing against the warm skin on the back of Steve’s hand.

“It’s ok I can take it. It’s only up the stairs.”
“My mother taught me to always be polite and carry a lady’s bags for her.”
“Pfft. You just want to get me alone in my room.” Darcy said without thinking and her eyes grew wide. Steve was her friend. She was not going to flirt with him. He was her friend, her babysitter, Captain Freaking America and so...so.. Steve. A flirting free zone. “I er damn. I don’t mean. Uh god. Fine. Whatever. This way Rogers.” She muttered turning around quickly so Steve wouldn’t see the flush of embarrassment staining her cheeks. She led the way up the stairs and into the attic bedroom and threw herself face down onto her white wrought iron bed. “Oh bed how I have missed thee.” She mumbled into her pillows.

Steve chuckled as he examined Darcy’s room, the butterflies and birds above the bed, small stuffed animals sitting on top of a wooden chest. Shells and crystals, glass bottles and all bits and pieces of Darcy’s life before SHIELD swallowed her down. Things that seemed so different from the girl that attending the Avengers ‘family’’ dinners, watched movies with them, seemed to be forever rushing back and forth carrying coffee and food and more often than not happily and quite fiercely arguing with SHIELD agents watched protectively over the scientists in the labs. There were books, comics pens and papers piled haphazardly on a large wooden desk and before Steve could pick one up to read the spine Darcy bounce up from the bed and grabbed Steve by the wrist. “Come on the Aunts are waiting. And there will be cookies.”

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Not long after serving Steve and Darcy steaming cups of tea and setting out platters of sandwiches and cookies Aunt Fran and Aunt Jet said good night and left Steve and Darcy alone in the kitchen comparing favourite cookie recipes and arguing over books and movies. Steve paused, lips twitching up into a slight smirk, blue eyes glittering with mischief. “So Captain America’s your favourite Superhero then huh?”
Darcy spluttered around a mouthful of tea eyes wide. “I didn’t say that." Darcy fished her phone out of her pocket and she held it up.“Hey Steve smile.” She ordered as she snapped a picture as he held up a cookie in one and his stoneware cup of milky tea.

To: Son of Coul
Picture attached.
Hey Bossman we arrived safe. Nobody got tazed along the way. Proof Cap is alive and in one piece. The aunts have even fed and watered him.
Darcy

PS. You didn't tell me Cap is a speed demon.

"Sending Coulson a text to let him know we arrived." Darcy explained as she texted as Steve leaned in close to read.
“I’m not a speed demon and you make it sound like I’m a dog.” Steve wrinkled his nose as he reached for another chocolate chip cookie.
“Aw. Who’s a good boy? Is it Stevie? Does Stevie want a treat? Shall I scratch behind your ears?” Darcy cooed as she reached up to ruffle his immaculate hair tickling behind his right ear.
"Stop that." Steve huffed carefully batting her hands away and running his fingers though his hair to get it back in some semblance of order.
Steve paused for a moment lips twitching, blue eyes glittering with mischief as he waited for Darcy to take a sip of her tea. “So Captain America is your favourite Superhero then huh?”
Darcy spluttered. “I didn’t say that."
Steve grinned his head cocked to the side. "No?"
"No." Darcy denied with a firm shake of her head, loose curls bouncing around her shoulders. "Everyone knows Dum-E is my favourite."
"Really?"
"Yup." Darcy replied popping the p as she grabbed a cookie from the plate. Her phone trilled and Darcy grabbed it up.

Son of Coul: Stay out of trouble Lewis. There will be repercussions. Forms filled out in triplicate, if anything happens to you or Captain Rogers.

P.S. Remember to take Cap for walkies. All his shots are up to date. Don't bring him back with fleas.

Darcy snorted and clicked the screen over, smiling down into her tea cup.
"What?"
"Nothing." Darcy smiled sweetly looking up at Steve's impassive face with her most innocent expression. The she started to giggle and Steve plucked the Stark phone from her hands. "Hey! Give that back! It's mine!" Darcy squeaked jumping to her feet grabbing for her phone. Behind Steve a small candle flickered into life.
Steve ignored Darcy’s pleas as she grabbed at his arm and held on as he held the phone over her head and opened the text from Coulson. "Stop being so damn tall." Darcy muttered.
“Walkies?” Steve questioned eyebrows creeping up his forehead.
“You know when you take a dog for a walk. We just need a spangly collar for you.” Darcy giggled as she let go of Steve’s arm to step back fiddling with the cups and plates on the table as she realized she had been literally hanging off Steve’s arm.
“I’m not a dog.”
“Aw come on Steven. I promise to take you into town tomorrow after breakfast. If you’re a good boy.” Darcy grinned wickedly and reached up to tickle behind Steve’s ear again.
“Darcy!” Steve grumbled pushing Darcy’s hand away but he couldn’t quite keep himself from laughing.

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Chapter Text

In this house we have chocolate cake for breakfast, and never bother with silly little things like bedtimes, or brushing our teeth. Aunt Frances (Practical Magic 1998)

Darcy woke slowly breathing in the scent of lavender on her pillow, the scent of chocolate and coffee heavy in the air, rich and bitter against her tongue. The spark of magic tingling against her skin. Home. She smiled and made a happy little squeal before throwing back the covers and slipping down the stairs. Biting her lip she knocked on Steve’s bedroom door. “Rise and shine soldier. It’s breakfast time.” She called cheerfully bouncing on her heels, listening to a thud and muttered curse before the door swung open to show a rather dishevelled looking Steve Rogers. “Sleep well Cap?” Darcy smiled brightly as she leaned against the door frame and twisted her hands in the pockets of her robe to prevent herself from reaching out and running her fingers through Steve’s wild hair.
“I yeah... yeah I think I did.” Steve murmured looking slightly confused standing in his pale blue pyjama bottoms, white t-shirt and bare feet, as he ran a hand through his tousled hair.
“You sure about that? I don’t think I have ever seen you this rumpled.” Darcy smirked deliberately letting her eyes run over the length of Steve’s body.
“Yeah. Yeah I actually did.” Steve replied ducking his head down and nervously scratching at the back of his neck under Darcy’s scrutiny.
“Come on then breakfast is waiting. Coffee Steve.”
“Let me get dressed first.” Steve replied reaching for the door to back to close it but Darcy was quicker grabbing hold of his arm and tugging Steve a step forward. “Darcy.”
“Coffee Steve. Darcy needs coffee! Believe me the aunts won’t care if you walk down to breakfast naked. Actually I think they would prefer it. I know I wouldn’t mind.” Darcy grinned wickedly up at Steve tugging at his arm again.
“Miss Lewis!” Steve tried for a tone that was halfway to sounding scandalized with a good dash of Captain America thrown in.
“Really Captain Rogers? Do you think I’m as gullible as the baby shield agents who jump at you calling them son? I’ll never know why they seem to think you are this paragon of virginal virtuosity. Seriously the army set a newly testosteroned up blond hair blue eyed hunk of a Super Soldier on tour with a bunch of scantily clad chorus girls.” Darcy replied dryly with a stubborn thrust of her chin, blue eyes glinting and dark braids flying as she twisted around grinning to herself as Steve let her drag him down the stairs. “Coffee is singing her siren song at me Captain Rogers. And bacon, chocolate cake, fluffy eggs, more coffee. Did I mention the coffee?”

“Chocolate cake? For breakfast?” Steve couldn’t help the rueful grin that spread across his face, or the slight flush to his cheeks as he let the small dark haired girl manhandle him down the stairs. She wasn’t really wrong in her assessment of him, he had always been quick to learn and if he played up the man out of time more than he should well Darcy was the only one who ever cottoned on to it. She was bold and brash and Steve found himself thankful that he got this chance to play at being her bodyguard. Though he still thought he should be dressed properly for breakfast, but the thought fled his mind as they reached the landing and Darcy let go of Steve’s arm to rush to the coffee pot.

“Good Morning Darcy, Steven. Help yourself to breakfast and coffee, if our darling girl has left you any. Sleep well I hope?”
“Bite me.” Darcy muttered as she passed by Jet and leaned over to kiss her aunt as she handed a mug of coffee to him and sat herself at the table, absently adding cream and sugar into her coffee as she looked over the spread on the table and Steve gingerly sat down in a chair beside Darcy sipping from his coffee cup. “You know you can’t seduce Steve with your wily cookery skills Aunt Fran. Aunt Jet?” Darcy called our and Steve choked on a mouthful of coffee and glared at Darcy who grinned happily and took a bite of a piece of bacon.
“Oh I don’t know Darcy food has a certain magic to it don’t you think?” Jet winked setting dish of brownies on the table directly in front of Steve. Darcy grimaced and wrinkled her nose as she swiped a brownie off the plate and took a bite of it.

Steve savoured each bite of food. For the first time since he was a boy and his ma was still alive he had a meal that wasn’t rations, from the SHIELD canteen, what simple fair he cooked for himself or whatever Stark had delivered to the tower. He slotted in amongst Darcy and her aunts as they bantered back and forth. Steve was just reaching for a second slice of chocolate cake when he glanced across at Darcy, his gaze veering away from the revealing v neck of her red camisole that dipped low revealing a glimpse of the cleft between her pale breasts, to her coffee cup. Steve faltered the slice of cake he had been helping himself to falling to the table cloth as he caught sight of the spoon slowly stirring Darcy’s cup on its own. “Darcy?”
“Shit.” Darcy swore as she glanced down at her cup and winced. “So you know how I said my family is kinda different? Not really normal? Um Really not so much different as...well we’re witches.”
“Witches? As in spells, potions, pointy hats and broomsticks?” Steve arched a brow and leaned back in his chair glancing back and forth between the aunts and Darcy.
“More or less. Well not so much flying on broomsticks as falling with style. The aunts tend to meddle with love spells more than they should, Aunt Sally owns a shop in town selling lotions and cosmetics, Gillian... well I really don’t presume to know what my mother does when she is travelling. I guess I should have told you on the drive but really it’s a SHIELD car, and spies have tiny mechanical ears. You can’t tell SHIELD. Or Tony. Especially Tony I don’t think I could live with the Sabrina and Bewitched puns. TV shows about witches. Nothing at all like the real thing. I... I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. We’re good witches. No flying monkeys here Captain America.” Darcy babbled a bit but she really didn’t know how Steve would take it. Though she should worry after all aliens, mutants, and alien gods were an everyday occurrence back at Avengers Tower. Normal really wasn’t in their wheelhouse.
Steve opened his mouth to speak when his phone began to ring upstairs. “I’m sorry I have to get that.” He apologized and leapt to his feet and headed out of the room. Darcy put her head down on the table wrapped her arms around her head and groaned. A small vase of flowers burst on the table sending a tiny torrent of water and chunks of glass skittering across the table. Stray pink flower petals swirled about the room before tumbling to rest on the tabletop.
“That went well.” Darcy mumbled into the table.
“So Captain America?” Aunt Frances inquired as she patted Darcy’s back as Jet bustled across the kitchen and Darcy groaned again.

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Chapter Text

Your badge - it's just a star, just another symbol. Your talisman. It can't stop criminals in their tracks, can it? It has power because you believe it does. Wish you could believe in me. – Sally Owens, (Practical Magic 1998)

Alone in her room after being interrogated by the aunts Darcy put a record on to play as she dressed herself in warm layers of clothes. Internally berating herself for having screwed up everything. Steve was nice, too nice to have to deal with her crazy family. But she missed this being home so much. There was no money during college, and she wasn’t going to ask for any help from the aunts, her choice to go to Culver and her choice to pay her own way as much as possible.

But then an alien god fell from the sky while she was playing at being a normal college student and not the daughter of centuries of witches. Just a normal girl with a talked for making coffee, hacking computers and making fake IDs. Normal as apple pie. Normal as Jane’s Lab monkey, scampering about antagonizing SHIELD agents. Normal as any secretary sorting out Coulson’s filing. Well maybe her job wasn’t so normal. She frowned as her thoughts kept circling around and around. Eventually she gave up and threw herself on the unmade bed and covered her face with a pillow screaming at it.

“I should have just said ‘Hi Steve nice of you to play babysitter, thanks for the ride but you can go home now. I’m a strong independent witch. From a long line of witches, from a fucked up little island, nobody ever wants to visit. I can take care of myself just fine. Did I mention the family curse? And my crazy aunts, which are technically my great great aunts? But nobody really knows because Owens women age incredibly well. Bye bye out the door you go. No don’t give me the puppy dog eyes, Coulson can shove it I have my taser. Don’t smile that charming good boy smile and call me Miss Lewis in that way makes me want to ki-“

“Darcy?”

“Oh fu...udge.” Darcy jumped up and the attic door slammed shut. “I don’t suppose you missed my monologue there.” Darcy blushed hugging her pillow tightly to her stomach.

“Uh....If I say no would you believe me?” Steve smiled rubbing the back of his neck. He was dressed in his perfectly pressed old man clothes again, plaid shirt, dark trousers, with the addition of a pale blue sweater to keep the winter cold away. She knew he hated the cold more than anything.

“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t tell SHIELD. I’m pretty sure Coulson suspects something. Well Coulson suspects everything. But that’s beside the point. So...”

“So...witch?”

“Yup. No green skin and I quite like baths.”

“You did that with the door just now.” Steve said leaning on Darcy’s desk and cocking his head towards the door.

“It’s small magics mostly, sometimes when we get upset things happen. Little bursts of magic that hiss and spit and snap, like fat that falls off a roast and hits the coals.”

“And curses?” Steve enquired crossing his arms over his chest.

“Not in the way that you mean. Curses have a way of turning on a witch. We don’t deal in curses. Mostly it’s spells, growing flowers and herbs, mixing soaps and lotions. It’s the belief in doing the right thing even when it’s the most difficult thing. It’s the aunts mixing love spells. Mostly harmless. ” Darcy smiled ruefully, fiddling with the hole in the arm of her faded green cardigan listening to the record playing its gravelly tune. She threw the pillow away and hopped off the bed walking to the window beside her desk.

She could feel Steve’s eyes on her as her fingertips brushed against the window frame. Darcy leaned forward and blew a puff of air against the glass and watched as her breath swirled against the glass and ice crystals began to form in lacy patterns against the inside of the glass. “Witches.”

Darcy pulled the sleeves of her cardigan over he hands and looked up at Steve who shifted from his perch on the corner of her desk to reach out to almost but not quite touch the frost on the glass, his eyes flicking back and forth from her face to the pattern of the ice. “It’s beautiful.” Steve finally said into the silence that stretched out between them. Darcy huffed out a laugh and felt some of the nervous tension that had been spiking along her spine since the kitchen, slowly fade away.

“I think I need coffee or maybe another slice of chocolate cake. Come on Steven the cake is calling us. It needs us.” Darcy chirped and reached out to grab Steve’s hand but hesitated fingertips hovering but not quite touching the skin on the back of Steve’s hand.

“We best go rescue it from certain doom then.” Steve smirked and turned his hand to lace his fingers with Darcy’s.

“I’ve had a thought that it’s a good thing it’s not summer.”

“Why?” Steve furrowed his brow quizzically.

“Because if it was summer, and the moon is full, the Owens women will be dancing under it....buck naked.” Darcy grinned wickedly eyes dancing with humour as Steve step faltered. “Well the nudity is optional. You’re welcome to join us next summer.” Darcy laughed as colour crept up Steve neck at the same rate his eyebrows rose to nearly touch his hairline.

Chapter Text

You ever put your arms out and spin really, really fast? –Gillian Owens (Practical Magic)

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Later in the day Darcy sat on the kitchen counter, eating and apple as she reads from her childhood spell book, wrinkling her nose at her younger self’s terrible attempt at rhyming. Aunt Jet is stirring a large pot on the stove. It’s not the cauldron but the cooking pot, though sometimes Darcy wonders if there really is much of a difference, as half the potions the aunts brew are edible, or at least wearable. Her mind wanders over to Steve, who had gone for a run out in the gently falling snow with Darcy’s ipod in his pocket and the buds in his ears. Darcy bites her lip but can’t quite keep the smile off her face at Steve’s disbelieving face when she threatened to beat him if he lost her ipod.

“Aw young love how deliciously sweet.” Aunt Frances chuckled as she walked into the room.

“What? No. No no.” Darcy spluttered dropping her book to the floor. “NO definitely not. I’m not in love with Steve. We work together. He is my friend. He is a spandex wearing superhero. Captain America remember? I’m pretty sure witches have a long history of not being with the good guy.” She rambles as she hops off the counter to retrieve her book.

“Should we have a talk with the good Captain when he returns? See what his intentions are for our baby niece?” Jet waved a wooden spoon as she stood beside the warm stove.

“Steve has no intentions towards me. And no meddling in my lack of a love life like you did with Aunt Sally! No spells on Steve period,”

“Oh my darling little witch, you are so adorable. Do you even stop to think that there is a reason that man lets you drag him around like a little lost puppy dog? That he lets you talk circles round him?”

“Steve is Steve. He’s good and nice and everything a prince in a story book should be. He tolerates me back at the tower and he tolerates me here. There is nothing to it,” Darcy huffed, because really there wasn’t anything to it, really, just a bit of flirting. Really she should stop that but the temptation was just too great to get Steve to laugh, or those rare occasions when he would blush in embarrassment. Darcy bit her lip and admonished herself to stop flirting with a certain National Treasure.

“I have something for you and your Captain,” Frances grins pinching Darcy’s cheek and dropping a cracked leather photo album on the counter.

“Ow. That hurts and he is not my Captain! Oh a present? Gimme!” Darcy dropped her book on the counter beside the photo album and made grabby hands. Aunt Frances handed Darcy a small paper covered record. ‘The Star Spangled Man with a Plan’ was written in block lettering and there was a painted likeness of Steve in all his vintage Captain America glory. Darcy made a high pitched squealing noise and hugged Aunt Frances. “Oh my god this is amazing. Please tell me it will play? Where did you get this?”

“It plays. Jetty had a crush on Captain America back in the forties. Even went to see him at Carnegie Hall when he lifted that motorcycle with those USO girls sitting on it. Do you think the Captain would mind lifting some furniture for us?”

“Or just dressing up in that lovely tight red, white and blue suit of his?”

“Riiiiiight. Well I’m going to go put this up in my room before Steve sees it.”

Darcy had just gotten back down stairs from hiding the record away in her room when the front door open letting in a swirl of snowflakes and a red cheeked, snow covered Steve. “Hey Steve have fun out on your run? You didn’t lose my ipod did you?”

“No, I still have it safe,” Steve smiled eyes crinkling as he stripped the gloves from his fingers and unwound the red scarf around his neck. “Uh thanks for the scarf too. I uh don’t like the cold much,” he murmured ducking his head down and holding out her scratched little blue ipod, ear buds dangling between his fingers. Darcy tilted her head back and smiled, eyes locking with Steve’s as their hands entwined for a moment. The cold metal case of the ipod pressed between their warm hands. Darcy was sure she felt a little like she had been spinning too fast as Steve’s mouth twitched up in a lopsided smile of his “Thank you.”

“Come on ace, take your boots and coat off and let’s get you some hot chocolate, and something to eat too. It’s nearly an hour until dinner time, you might expire and I don’t want to be the one to have to tell Coulson I failed in the care and feeding of Captain America.”

“No we don’t want that. They might not let you have a pet again.” Steve said dryly as he unzipped his coat and toed off his boots.

“And that would be a damn shame. I’ve been taking such good care of you so far. I didn’t even turn you into a frog. Although I think you would make a better puppy dog,” Darcy chuckled and Steve rolled his eyes but caught her hand when she reached up to ruffle his snow dampened hair. “Now tell me what did you think of the playlists?”

“The music was...interesting. Better than some of the stuff Tony tries to make me listen to.”

“Pfft Tony has no taste in music beyond what to play while he is welding,” Darcy tugged on Steve’s hand and started dragging him towards the kitchen. It wasn’t till the stopped in the doorway that she realised they were holding hands. She glanced up a Steve and he smiled warmly back at her still holding onto his winter coat in his free hand but not letting go of hers.

Chapter Text

Eye of newt, toe of frog, wing of bat, tongue of dog.
Adder’s fork and blind worm’s sting…
Barbados lime is just the thing.
Fragias salt, like a sailors stubble…
Flip the switch, and let the cauldron bubble!
The Aunts (Practical Magic 1998)

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“Wake up Stevie boy it’s time,” Darcy said softly as she knelt on the edge of Steve’s bed. She leaned forward and scratched the end of his nose with her nail. His nose twitched, brow adorably furrowed, Darcy grinned and scratched again. Steve’s hand came up to wrap around her wrist at the same time his eyes fluttered open. It really was quite unfair that he had such pretty eyelashes. “It’s just not fair you have such long eyelashes.”

“Uh thanks. I think. What time is it? And why are you in my bed?” Steve said rubbing his eyes. He scooted up to the head of the bed, dragging the quilt with him.

“It’s midnight, a holy time for witches to partake in the most sacred of drinks. Margaritas,” Darcy’s grinned, hopped off the bed, and gave the quilt a fierce tug. The quilt didn’t budge.

“It’s midnight,” Steve said flatly brows arched high on his forehead. Darcy fought the temptation to touch his eyebrows and smooth them out.

“Come on Steve, Midnight Margaritas, an Owens’ family tradition you can’t miss out on. Up and at ‘em soldier. Don’t make me drag your sorry ass out of bed,” Darcy grinned and Steve sighed heavily tossed the quilt back and stepping out of bed. His hair was mussed from sleep, falling over his forehead and sticking straight up at the back. His white t-shirt had rucked up in the night leaving a stretch of bare skin between the white cotton and his low slung blue pyjamas bottoms. Really not fair.

“You know I can’t get drunk right? M’metabolism’s too fast. The serum,” Steve said and rubbed along his jaw with his knuckles as he tugged down his shirt.

Darcy grinned and pushed up on her toes and whispered “Witches,” in his ear. She laced their fingers together tugging him along down the stairs and into the warmly lit kitchen. The floor cold on their bare feet, but the stove was warm, the candles glowed happily and Fleetwood Mac played softly on the stereo in the corner.

“Drink up Captain,” aunt Jet said with a wicked grin and slapped a heavy glass into Steve’s hand.

“Uh thanks,” Steve said dubiously. He cautiously sipped from the glass, eyeing Darcy warily as she bounced on her toes. He swallowed, and Darcy found herself captivated watching his Adam’s apple bob up and down. “S’good.”

“Told you so,” she smirked and stuck her tongue out at him.

“No you said it was the most sacred of drinks,” Steve said dryly brow quirked.

“Minor detail,” Darcy said lifting herself up on the countertop and making grabby hands at Aunt Fran.

“Children,” Aunt Frances admonished as she handed Darcy her own glass.

“Thank you Auntie Fran,” Darcy smiled and sipped from her glass. “When I was little I would sit on the stairs with my cousins listening to the Aunts, Aunt Sally and Gillian laughing and signing while they got drunk off their asses.”

“We were merely tipsy my dear,” Jet said against the rim of her cup. “Bottoms up, Captain.”

When Steve finished his glass he frowned down at the bottom of it shaking his head. Before he could say anything Frances filled the glass from the half empty pitcher. “What’s in this?” Steve asked as he leaned against the counter beside Darcy while the Aunts laughed together.

“Tequila, lime, Cointreau, ice, salt, magic, the usual stuff,” Darcy grinned and tapped her half empty glass on Steve’s. “Witches remember.”

“There’s a spell in the Margaritas?”

“Mmmm yeah. They tend to worm their way into everything. Nothing harmful, just a little something to lighten hearts from heavy burdens and sleep blissfully the rest of the night. I promise nothing to slander Captain America’s good name,” she said and placed her right hand over her left breast. Steve’s eyes tracked the motion, he cleared his throat loudly, and dragged his gaze away.

“What’s that?” Steve asked and nodded to the black photo album at her hip.

“One of the Aunts’ albums. There are lots of them,” Darcy said and turned the book around opening the cover for Steve to see. The leaves of the book were of thick heavy off white paper, names, sketches, notes and spells written in a careful hand, beside black and white photographs. She hopped off the counter and hugged the aunts, danced around them in a circle until her toes were cold from the floor and her heart was filled with laughter.

She could feel it every time that Steve’s eyes landed on her and a faint blush bloomed on her cheeks. Steve’s glass was empty on the counter, his jaw tightly clenched as he stared down at the photo album as if it might attack him. “What’s wrong,” she said and without thought she reached out to thread her hand in Steve’s.

“S’Bucky. In the photo,” Steve said softly.

“From the news reels? The comics?” Darcy asked and Steve nodded. The photo showed a handsome dark haired man in a service uniform with a young and beautiful aunt Frances on one side and aunt Jet on the other. “Bucky Barnes,” Darcy breathed out and brushed her fingers along the edge of the photo. Beside them and slightly apart stood another man, fair haired and slight of stature. The eyes though, she knew that face. “That’s you isn’t it?”

“Yeah, s’me before....before Erskine and the serum.”

“Still cute though. Not as worried as you are now by the world,” she murmured.

“You wouldn’ta looked at me twice back then. They never looked at me. Even the ones Bucky would set me up to date. Bucky’d smile, say a cheesy line and that was it,“ Steve laughed bitterly.
“I call bullshit Steven,” Darcy snorted and sipped her drink. “So you were short, so am I. Those girls that didn’t look at you? They didn’t deserve you...including the aunts. Peggy Carter liked you right?”

“She was my friend...before,” Steve said voice strained.

“It just proves that your friend had terrible taste in women and that Agent Carter had impeccable taste in men. Now finish my drink so I can make some more,” Darcy said and handed Steve her glass and took a step away. Steve held onto her hand, giving her a little tug, until she bounced back into his side.

“If this was back in my day I’d ask you to dance,” Steve smiled sadly and sipped from her glass.

“Bottoms up, Steve,” she said and tapped the bottom of the glass. “If you wanna dance all you have to do is ask.” Darcy bumped her hip into Steve’s thigh and he swayed, a bit of drink trickled down the side of his mouth. Steve set the glass down, swiped the back of his hand across his mouth and swallowed hard.

“I think you’re swell Darcy. Dance with me?”

“I thought you’d never ask Captain,” Darcy grinned impishly. “Come on I have the perfect thing to dance to upstairs.”

“Why does that worry me?” Steve said with a wide smile. Darcy squeezed his hand and tugged hard and after a moment Steve straightened up to his full height and let her tug him along up the staircase and into her attic bedroom. She bit her lip and bounced on her toes.

“Okay close your eyes,” Darcy ordered and covered Steve’s eyes with her hands.

“M’pretty sure you don’t need to see music.”

“Just do it,” Darcy huffed and stepped backwards towards the record player. “Keep em shut. I’m watching you Captain.”

“Yes ma’am,” Steve laughed and covered his eyes with his own hands. Smartass. Darcy fiddled with the old record player, and muttered under her breath. Steve’s lips twitched and his cheeks pinked up as soon as the music started playing.

“We are not dancing to this,” he said with a slightly strangled laugh.

“Aw come on Steve, it’s your song, literally,” she pouted and grabbed Steve’s hands lacing their fingers together. “Please?”

“No, I don’t care how adorable you are when you pout. M’not dancing to this.”

“Aww you think I’m adorable. That’s like the cutest thing ever,” Darcy laughed, her cheeks tinged a faint pink and Steve glared at her until she reluctantly released his hands and played a different record.

“The Andrews Sisters,” Steve said with a soft smile.
“Better?” Darcy asked fingers twisted in the hem of her pyjama top.

“Yeah,” Steve said and reached out to take her hand a small tug had her stumbling into his chest. Darcy laughed and smiled up at him and Steve slid his free hand around her waist to settle warmly on the small of her back.

“Nice move Captain,” she said and Steve shrugged, the tips of his ears reddened.

They were both terrible dancers, they stepped on each other’s toes, stumbled and laughed until they were both breathless and grinning like fools. Steve’s hand slipped under the hem of her shirt, his fingertips traced small circular patterns on her skin, Darcy shivered and her eyes fluttered shut.

Steve kissed her then, while her eyes were closed and her mouth was still curved in a smile. He traced a path along her bottom lip with his tongue and licked into her mouth when she opened for him. Steve’s hand slid up and down her spine as he kissed her, and she tangled her hands in his messy hair. He kissed her until she was dizzy and breathless, and she couldn’t stop grinning.

.................

“So who do you think made the first move? Our darling girl, or the handsome Captain?" Frances asked as she lifted her glass towards the ceiling.

"Mmmm I have a feeling my money should be on the Captain," Jet smiled and began humming the Star Spangled Man.

“...From Hoboken to Spokane, the Star Spangled Man with a Plan!”

“You think Darcy will find out about the spell?”

“It was only a little push. I think she has better things to think about right now than two meddling old bats,” Frances said with a laugh.

“Mind who you’re calling old,” Jet smirked and sipped her drink.

fin.