The One Shot Chapters (18+)

Steve Rogers - Abrasion (PT 3)

Why was it that his dates never manifested.

Well, the two he'd planned in his life and not actually made it. To one at least, however this was a belated one with no thanks to the whole incident with Ultron.

The only good thing that had come out of it was that they'd gained new team members and were having a new compound built to accommodate. The tower had been useful while it lasted, but something more permanent and private was needed. Tony had stated it would be used as their base whilst research and also military training would be conducted on site along with other things.

Clint had already pretty much taken a step back to be with family and Tony had briefly mentioned about stepping down in his role. However nothing was set in stone yet.

What was, was the date that was weeks overdue.

Steve was sat in the coffee shop he and Darcie had agreed to meet at. He'd got there early and had chosen a private corner where they could talk and he couldn't be spotted as easily. He'd got her favourite. A caramel latte - that piece of information he'd learnt from JARVIS just before the AI had been destroyed during the attack on the tower.

Now he looked up, hearing the door to the shop open and seeing a more casual looking Darcie than he was used to. She looked effortlessly flawless in his eyes and now gave him a shy wave on spotting him.

"Hi, sorry I'm late". She checked her watch to see whether she was.

"You're not, we're both early" He smirked. "Got you a caramel latte".

She looked at him surprised. "How did you know?"

"JARVIS" He admitted.

"And you remembered".

"Good memory, part of serum perks, remember?" He reminded her, knowing that she studied his and others genetic codes.

She smiled at this. "Ah yes. How could I forget? And thank you". She shrugged off her jacket and took the seat opposite him. "How have things been since the whole Sokovia thing?" Darcie hadn't seen him as much, having to slowly pack up her office in the tower so as when the time came to relocate, she would to the new compound. Steve himself had been busy so just meeting for coffee was finally something.

"Busy, what about you? Tony said you were relocating there once it's done?"

"I'm still a doctor to you all, I think if I were to join a private practice I'd be a little bored after this". She smirked. "And with all the new tech that is being installed there? I'll be in my element, which sounds kind of sad".

He grinned. "Not sad, I saw how fascinated you are by genetics".

"Well, yours mainly. I would read about Erskine's work, but to see it in that form? It's fascinating. To think something like that could rewrite your code, have your body change in the way it has..."

"Shame he left out the perk about getting drunk". Darcie chuckled as he said this. "How'd you come to study Erskine anyway? Or what made you?" Steve now asked, wondering a little about how she'd got into her line of work.

At this she looked a little guilty. "I grew up on stories about you. I guess like everyone else had, but mine? The ones told to me were more personal.

He frowned, "How so?"

"My grandfather fought during the war". She smiled fondly to herself. "Even during the last days before he died, he could vividly remember things. I started to look into Erskine's work more, and you - wow, ok that made me sound like a creep".

Steve smiled. "You're not, trust me people have said worse - what regiment was your grandfather in?"

"The 107th". He now looked at her, face changing. "He was one of the men who you rescued after he was captured at Azzano, so I suppose I should thank you - I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you". She now got her purse and opened it. "You may recognise the face. I suppose I didn't want to tell you in case I sparked some kind of PTSD or memories of the war". She told him, now taking a small old photograph from her wallet and pushing it across the table.

Steve took it and looked at it, before looking up at her, then back down at the photo and let out a small laugh. "You're Dugan's granddaughter..."

Darcie nodded, "I am, that's why it's kind of been hard to try and talk to you. Not just because I'm not as cool as he was". She laughed nervously and then sipped her latte. "Honestly, he could hook you in with stories with just one word. Most grandkids would roll their eyes, but not us. Because the stories he told about you and some of your missions? They just sucked us all in".

"He was a great friend, did he ever get the girl in the picture that he had on him?"

"Dolores? Yeah" Darcie smirked. "My grandmother".

Steve chuckled at this. "He'd never shut up about her - at one point Jacques almost blew him up during a mission and even then he'd dramatize and tell us to let her know he went out with style".

Darcie laughed at this. "Sounds like him! He was a character, I miss him a lot".

"Yeah, me too..."

She looked at him. "I'm sorry if it's put a downer on this..." Her intention hadn't been to dig up the past and depress him, but he'd have only found out about her sooner or later.

He shook his head. "No, if anything? It's kind of a form of closure. I feel...good? If that makes sense".

"If it's any consolation. He missed you, even after all those years you were gone? It still never left him".

"The war doesn't leave anyone, no matter how hard you try to forget".

Darcie looked across at him. "Do you still find it hard?"

He nodded. "Sometimes. I'm getting better with time though, coming to accept what happened to me - I can't change that, and the more I think about it? Maybe it's not as bad as it first seemed when I came outta the ice".

"Well, you know where I am if you need any sleeping aids, or whatnot".

Steve smiled warmly at this. "I know, and if you have anything for making talking to women easier? I'll take that too"

Darcie smirked. "You're doing fine. Trust me".

"I'm surprised you even said yes to this". 

"Why?" 

He shrugged. "I know you said older guys were your type, but my 'old'? I wasn't sure you'd be interested". 

"Would you want to do this again?" She now asked. 

"I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't". 

"Good, because I'd like to - I mean, when you get time not doing 'Captain America' things and stuff..." She suddenly felt very shy again. 

He sat back and thought to himself. "What are you doing tomorrow night?" 

"Nothing, why?" 

"Would you fancy having dinner with an old man like Cap?" 

She shook her head. "No, but I'd like to with Steve Rogers, if that offer is there?" 

That was the moment Steve knew that this woman didn't want him for the person he was known as just so she could say to friends she'd had dinner with 'Captain America'. Not that she was the kind to anyway. 

She wanted the little guy from Brooklyn. Who he was behind the name and under the suit. 

She wanted Steve Rogers, and he was perfectly fine with that.