Millie Mae practically skipped her way into work, narrowly missing one of the buss boys who was carrying a tower of plates. Mr Bianchi attempted to scowl at the girl, but felt his frown falter and turn into a smile at the mere sight of the girl, happy and full of life.
Spring was well and truly in the air, and apart from the occasional sniffle or sneeze from Steve, the pair agreed that it was high time winter kicked the bucket for yet another year, and what better way to celebrate than to attend the opening night of the spring carnival.
Originally, Steve had asked Millie on a date to the festival, but when a thought-to-be sleeping Bucky, who crashed on Steve's couch, stirred and heard of the plans, he frowned and put up a fight, arguing that it was their thing, and they'd done it together every year since they were young with Steve's mother.
Thankfully, a compromise was made, and they settled on a double date, Steve and Millie, and Bucky and Dot. That, of course, didn't last long when Millie thought of Sylvia, and how she'd mentioned at nursing school she'd wanted to go but had no one to go with. With the boys' permission, Millie rang Sylvia up, waking her from her 'beauty sleep', as she called it, and invited her out with them. Sylvia reluctantly agreed on one condition– Millie was to find Sylvia a date.
"Oh, Marco!" Millie sang out into the kitchen, hanging her cardigan on the hook.
"Oh, Mildred." Marco groaned back sarcastically, using her full name which was odd to say the least.
"What's the matter with you?" Millie asked.
"Nothing."
"He's been in a sour mood all morning!" Mr Bianchi coughed out. "Something must've crawled up his ass and died."
Marco shot daggers at his uncle who just chuckled and Millie fought to hold back her giggles. "Come on, Marco. You can tell me."
Marco rolled his eyes but Millie watched his shoulders relax. "I was supposed to go out tonight, but the plan fell through. They canceled."
"Oh," Millie frowned. "That's no good, I'm so sorry Marco."
"It doesn't matter anyway." He huffed.
Millie stepped closer, allowing her voice to change into a whisper. "Was this plan a date, by any chance?"
"I'm...not sure."
"Well hey, her loss."
"Yeah," Marco muttered. "Her loss."
"Well look, I got just the thing to cheer you up."
"And what's that?"
"You can come out with me and my friends tonight, I even got a friend who I'm sure would love to meet you! It can be a triple date." Millie smiled.
Marco looked deep in thought, and multiple emotions crossed his face in a matter of moments, but eventually he nodded. "Okay, when?"
"After work!" Millie smiled widely, looking as if she was internally cheering. "We're all meeting at Steve's beforehand, around five?"
"Okay, sounds good." Marco smiled, but it appeared forced. Millie tried to ignore it.
"Let me give you Steve's address."
~
"You invited Marco?" Steve grumbled while Millie straightened his tie.
"Oh don't you start, Steven." Millie chuckled and swatted his chest. "You aren't jealous again, are you?"
"Me? Jealous?" Steve widened his eyes. "Never."
"Mhm, sure Stevie."
"I just don't understand why you invited him."
"I told you, Sylvia didn't want to be left out. Marco is going to be her date for tonight."
Knowing that Marco would be distracted by another woman relaxed Steve tremendously. He'd been trying, and mostly succeeding, at not getting jealous of people as much, especially Marco. It took some time, but eventually the thought of Millie spending time with him on weekends while they worked no longer bothered him. That being said, that didn't mean he wanted him to join them on their date night.
Millie, of course, didn't mean to make Steve jealous. And Steve knew she wasn't flirting, or doing anything to string guys along, it was all them. Steve couldn't shake the feeling that one day, some sort of big hero-type guy would sweep her off her feet, and Steve would be left in the dust. But, he was coming to realise that worrying about something is just forcing yourself to suffer more, so while he couldn't get rid of the feeling completely, he'd put it on the back burner.
"Hello?" Bucky called out into the apartment.
"We're in Steve's room!" Millie responded.
"Are you guys naked?"
"Bucky!" Millie could hear a a female voice scold him, that must be Dot.
Millie hadn't properly met Dot yet, but Steve had and he described her as 'a character.' Whatever that means.
Steve walked and opened his bedroom door and walked out to see Bucky smiling cheekily. "No, Buck. We aren't naked."
"You never know with you two," Bucky chuckled. "I saw a receipt on your table the other day, Steve. Why on earth do you guys need three boxes of condoms? You can't seriously be having that much sex."
Millie blushed and hid her face in her hands, despite not being in view of anyone. If it was just Bucky, she'd probably be joining in on the laughter, but she swore she could hear Dot scoff, and her nerves were through the roof.
Millie had friends, and never usually had problems with confidence, but she'd seen Dot from afar before. She was tall, slender, with foxy face and bright green eyes. Her hair was a fiery red, and Millie truly felt she was one of, if not the most beautiful girl in Brooklyn.
"Millie Mae?" Steve called from the hallway. "Come and meet Dot."
Millie took a deep breath and stepped out of Steve's room, smiling shyly.
"There she is!" Bucky chimed, smirking at Millie. "Steve, your girl is looking beautiful, as always."
Millie knew Bucky did it to get a reaction out of Steve, and it was kind of cute how protective he was of her. "Yes, she is." Steve squinted at Bucky. "And she's mine."
"Ahem," a voice broke in. "I'm right here?"
"Right," Bucky coughed. "Sorry, Dot. We were just joking around."
"Well, it wasn't very funny."
Millie almost felt bad, the three of them joked like this all the time, she'd never stopped to think how it must look to an outsider.
"Hi, Dot." Millie attempted to break the awkward tension. "I'm Mildred, but you can call me Millie, if you'd like. It's nice to meet you."
"Hello, Mildred." Dot spat and turned away.
Millie looked to Steve with a confused expression who was staring at Bucky with a raised eyebrow. Bucky rubbed the back of his neck, looking incredibly guilty.
The four stood in silence until the front door burst open, and a frazzled blonde nearly fell into Steve's apartment.
"Oh, shit!" Sylvia squeaked as she tripped. "I think I broke your door?"
Steve pinched the bridge of his nose at the sight of Sylvia Wells clutching the broken door-knocker in her hand.
"Sylvia, how did you even manage that?"
"To tell you the truth, I'm not sure, hun." Sylvia walked right up to Bucky and handed him the metal knocker, brushing her hands off on her yellow skirt.
"I guess I'll fix this tomorrow?" Bucky said, almost like a question and Steve nodded.
Millie greeted Sylvia with a kiss on the cheek. "You look beautiful, Sylvia."
"Oh, thanks Millie! I hope this date you got me thinks the same.
"I'm sure he will."
"What's his name again?"
"Marco Bianchi, I work with him."
"Wait, Marco Bianchi?" Dot finally spoke again, a disgusted look on her face. "He's not seriously her date, is he?"
"Yes. He is." Millie frowned. "What's wrong with that?"
"Well, Marcos just... a little weird."
"Weird how?" Steve questioned.
"You know... just weird. People talk and sometimes you hear things, and the things I've heard about him...well..."
Just as they spoke, a knock sounded on the door and Millie shot daggers towards Dot. She wanted to like Dot, she really did, but her attitude was less than pleasant. Even Steve, who wasn't the most fond of Marco, seemed irritated at her words.
Millie walked to the front door, opening it quickly. "Marco, you made it!"
"Evening, Mills." Marco stepped in and smiled warmly at Millie, it wasn't until he glanced at everyone else that his demeanour changed. "Hello, everyone."
Sylvia looked at Marco with pure lust, like she could eat him whole and Millie swore she heard Marco swallow harshly.
A chorus of Hi's and Hello's flew into the air. Marco shook the hands of Steve and Bucky, and nodded politely at Dot who just scowled at him.
"You must be Sylvia." Marco took her hand and kissed the top of it, hesitantly. "I've heard so much about you."
"All good things, I hope."
"Of course."
~
Steve handed Millie a handful of ride tickets, causing a big smile to erupt on her face. Of course, Bucky and Marco had bought plenty more for their dates, they could simply afford more, and that made Steve feel embarrassed, but not so embarrassed so as to accept Bucky's offer at buying him and Millie more.
Steve wanted to spoil Millie, and he vowed that one day he would figure out a way to, but until then, six between the two of them would have to do. Millie noticed the look of shame gracing Steve's face and raised a hand to rest it on his cheek, smiling warmly at the petite young man. She was just happy to be out with him, and wouldn't have cared if they didn't have any tickets at all.
"Well," Bucky cleared his throat and took dots hand. "We'll all meet back here in a couple hours?"
"We're not sticking together?" Sylvia questioned.
"We can hang out after, Dot and I have some, uh, business to attend to." Dot started giggling at Bucky's comment and Bucky winked at her.
"Gross, Buck." Steve screwed his face up. "But yeah, okay. We'll meet back here in a couple of hours."
"You guys okay with that?" Millie asked Sylvia and Marco. Sylvia instantly nodded with enthusiasm, Marco with less so. "Alright, see you guys later!"
Steve and Millie headed west, leaning into one another as they walked. The air was cool, but a refreshing change from the frigid temperatures that winter brought.
Neither were blind to the looks they were receiving, mostly from other men, staring at them with questioning looks on their faces, as if trying to work out if they were dating or not.
Millie didn't quite understand it, she'd never gotten attention from guys before, in fact, quite the opposite, she was usually the butt of the joke, or used, or pranked. She couldn't understand why now, with Steve, was she seemingly more sought after.
None of the looks she'd received, nor vulgar comments reeled her in though. A part of her thought she knew why she suddenly got all this attention,thinking it was because while they didn't want her, they didn't want someone like Steve to have her either, and that infuriated her.
Steve, on the other hand, knew the truth, which was that men were finally seeing Millie the way she'd always deserved to be seen. As a beautiful, almost ethereal being, and they couldn't understand why someone like her was with someone like him. But with a loud gulp, Steve took ahold of Millie's hand, lacing his fingers with her and bringing a smile out in her.
"What do you want to ride first?" Steve questioned and Millie giggled. "What?"
Millie looked at Steve and wiggled her eyebrows, making Steve blush a crimson shade. "Sorry, Stevie." Millie laughed.
"You're dirty." Steve huffed and moved one of his hands to hover in front of his groin, just in case.
"You like it."
"That I do, sweetheart. But seriously, what do you want to ride?" Steve glanced at Millie with an almost loving smile. "There's the roller coaster, or the carousel, or we could-"
"Cotton candy!" Millie almost shouted, pointing at the red and white striped cart. "Oh please, Stevie! Can we get some?"
Steve chuckled at the excited girl. "Lead the way, Millie Mae."
Millie dragged Steve towards the cart, staring with big doe eyes at the mass of sugar before her. "Can I get a blue one?" She asked Steve.
"One blue cotton candy, Please." Steve asked the vendor, passing a dime towards him.
Millie watched as the man swirled the cardboard cone around the metal bowl, waiting eagerly for her sweet treat to share with Steve. She hadn't noticed that the entire time that she was watching the vendor, Steve was watching her, holding a strong feeling in his heart that he didn't have the courage to say out loud.
The vendor handed the pastel fluff to Millie who thanked him graciously and Steve was snapped out of his trance when Millie turned to him. "Thank you, Stevie!"
"Anything for you."
Millie pulled a chunk of sugar from the mound and held it up to Steve as they walked around the grounds. "Open wide." Steve obliged and Millie plopped it right on his tongue, watching it instantly dissolve.
"Remind me to brush my teeth really well after this, because I can't afford the dentist." Steve laughed quietly but Millie's steps slowed.
"You know, Steve, I'm sure my dad would be willing to help you out."
Steve had completely forgotten that Millie's father, Frank, was a dentist. Truthfully, it was way past time for a checkup, but he was so used to being turned away, he'd just stopped going, and now that he was on his own, he wasn't sure he could afford it anyway.
"I don't want to do that to him." Steve kicked his feet while he walked.
"Steve," Millie stopped, waiting for him to halt his movements. "How are you doing for money?" Millie questioned shyly.
"I'm fine."
"Are you lying to me?"
"No..."
"Yes you are!" Millie looked straight in his eyes, trying to break down his walls. "Steve if I'd have known you were struggling I could've paid for tonight."
"No, Millie, I'm okay." He urged. "Things are a bit tight, yes. There hasn't been nearly as much crime this year, which should be a good thing, but most of my income is from police sketches. I just need to look for more work." Steve placed his hands on her hips, holding her gently. "And I don't need you to pay for a single thing."
"But I can help-"
"I'm not going to accept it."
"You are the most stubborn man I've ever known." Millie let out a slight laugh, knowing she'd been beat.
"Funny, you just so happen to be the most stubborn girl I've ever met."
Millie scoffed and bonked Steve in the face with her half eaten cotton candy, which Steve opened wide for and took a massive chunk between his teeth.
"So," Steve started with a muffled mouthful. "Thought about what you want to do?"
Millie looked around, noticing that many of the rides had lines longer than her eyes could see. As she spun in a circle, her eyes landed on the ring toss.
"How's your aim, Rogers?"
"Terrible." Steve followed Millie's line of sight. "But I'll try anything once."
Millie and Steve walked hand in hand towards the stall, Millie still nibbling at her cotton candy.
"Two tickets to play!" The carnie called out. "Try your luck at the ring toss, win your dame a prize!"
Steve let out a nervous sigh and the carnie shifted his gaze to him, letting out an almost silent chuckle which Steve unfortunately heard.
"You want a shot?" The carnie chuckled, grabbing a set of rings.
"Yep," Steve passed over two tickets. "How much to win?"
"Three hoops around the milk bottles will get you a small prize." The carnie pointed towards the bottom of the wall, full of small stuffed animals. "And five will get you a big one."
Steve glanced at Millie who was eyeing the smaller toys, not even bothering to look at big ones that hung overhead.
"Come on, Steve." Steve whispered to himself.
He grabbed the rings and readied himself, throwing a ring at on of the bottles lined up and watching it bounce off and fly to the ground.
"Tough luck, big guy." The carnie chuckled at his clearly ironic nickname for Steve.
Steve sighed and threw another ring, successfully landing it around the bottle, earning himself a cheer from Millie.
"Good job, Stevie!"
"Yeah, good job, Stevie." Steve rolled his eyes at the carnie, clearly trying to throw him off, all the while making googly eyes at his girl.
Steve threw another ring, landing it on the bottle, just. Millie clapped and started jumping in her spot and it gave Steve a new type of confidence, which quickly turned to cockiness. He threw the fourth ring far too quickly, and the ring slipped right off the rim of the bottle.
"Shit." Steve said and Millie giggled.
"Language..." Millie whispered to Steve who tried to smile but failed.
He only had one ring left, and he really wanted to win something for Millie. To do something right.
Millie noticed him stressing over the game by the way his brows creased and his fingers gripped the plastic ring tighter. She didn't want Steve to stress, she didn't need anything from this game, but she knew her boyfriend. He wouldn't stop until he'd gotten her something.
Millie stepped up to Steve and leant into his ear, whispering as she spoke. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Stevie." She moved to kiss his cheek, causing Steve to blush and become overwhelmed with a sense of pride as he glanced at the carnie while rolled his eyes at the gesture.
With one final breath, Steve threw the last ring and both he and Millie watched as if it were in slow motion. The ring bounced on the bottle tops before finally landing around the neck of a bottle smack bang in the middle of the group.
"Steve, you did it!" Millie yelled, wrapping her arms around him.
Steve gave a nervous chuckle, shocked he managed to actually do something right, even if it was something as small as a carnival game.
"Small prize." The carnie called out unenthusiastically. "Anything from the bottom shelves."
"What would you like, Mills?"
Millie held on to Steve's arm as she looked over each and every toy. She finally landed on a tan teddy bear, with a cherry-red bow around its neck, topped off with a matching coloured heart sewn onto its chest.
"That one, please." She pointed.
The carnie handed the bear to Steve, who in turn handed it to Millie. "There you go." He hummed, loving how his girls' eyes lit up.
"Thank you so much, Steve." Millie snuggled the bear. "I love it."
"I'm glad. And when I'm not with you, and you miss me, you can cuddle up next to that and think of me."
Millie smiled at the thought, even though her mind wandered to what life would be like without Steve. She didn't want to be apart from him for long periods of time if she could help it. "Well, we need to even things out now."
"Meaning?"
"You need something to make you think of me, something you can keep close." Millie started looking around before a large box in the middle of the grounds caught her eye. "Aha!"
"What is that?"
"A photobooth!" Millie yanked Steve towards the rectangular machine. "It takes tickets too, do you mind if this is how we use them?"
"Millie, I bought the tickets for you, you can use them however you'd like."
"Well I'd like to use them like this, at least two of them."
Steve tried to slow down his heart rate, unsure why the words Millie spoke made him so excited. The fact that she wanted to use her tickets on making a memory with him was so heartwarming to Steve.
Steve handed the tickets to Millie, who ripped off two of them and fed them to the machine. The booth was small, barely big enough for two people, and Steve was considerably smaller. Millie had no idea how two larger people would fit.
Steve sat down first and Millie awkwardly hovered, half over him half on the seat. She still got nervous putting her weight onto Steve, despite their time together. He was so small and Millie often worried that her curvy body would hurt him, no matter how many times he swore she wouldn't.
"Ready, Steve?" Millie asked.
"Nope." Steve said quickly, wrapping an arm around Millie's waist and pulling her down to his lap. "Okay, now I'm ready."
Millie rolled her eyes but didn't move, enjoying the feeling of his warm body against hers. The first photo they took was of them both smiling, or more like laughing at the awkwardness of the situation.
Steve started to tickle Millie's sides and leant in to kiss her cheek for the second picture, which quickly turned to a full on kiss for the third.
Millie was taken aback by Steve's forwardness, especially in public, although they were hidden by a red curtain. Millie had definitely noticed how his confidence had grown since they'd been together, how he held his head a little higher and squeezed her hand a little tighter, like he felt deserving of it.
Millie's heart was pounding in her chest, like it did when they'd first kissed. Something was different about this one, they both could feel it as they pulled away and stared into each other's eyes while the camera flashed for a fourth and final time.
Millie had pushed the feeling aside for quite sometime, afraid of it in a way. It was so soon, so fast, and she wouldn't dare say it out loud.
Moments passed when a loud banging sounded against the wall of the booth, startling the young couple.
Millie blushed, physically shaking her head out of her daze, hoping Steve couldn't read her like a book. She didn't want to scare him off to early. "People must be waiting."
"Right," Steve helped Millie off his lap. "Let's go get our pictures."
"You mean your pictures." Millie giggled as she stepped out the both, having taken them for Steve.
"My pictures." A familiar voice spoke out and Steve and Millie were met with none other than Bucky, holding their reel in his hand, smirking. "These are cute, the third one's kind of saucy."
"Buck, give 'em back." Steve tried to snatch them but Bucky reached high and held them out of his reach while Dot rolled her eyes.
"What'll you give me for them, punk?"
"If you don't give them back, I'll kick your ass." Steve scowled and Bucky laughed.
"Oh, come on Steve."
Millie cleared her throat. "If you don't give them back, I'll kick your ass."
Bucky flicked his eyes from Steve and Millie, his smile dropping. "Okay," he said handing Steve the photos. "That got me."
"Seriously?" Dot said
"What? She's terrifying."
"I am not!" Millie chuckled.
"You were 100% ready to take on 3 guys the day we first met you." Bucky added and Steve nodded.
Millie rolled her eyes at her reckless behaviour, but in all honesty, she'd do it again in a heartbeat to protect Steve, and knew he'd do the same for her. "Whatever." Millie chuckled.
Steve looked over the photos and his shoulders lifted and fell with a content sigh. They were perfect, all four of them, and he couldn't pick a favourite although his eyes lingered on the final one, where they stared in each other's eyes.
Steve had been looking at her with that feeling he was too afraid to say, and wondered if maybe she was doing the same but pushed the thought form his brain.
It's too soon, she wouldn't be.
Millie leant her head on Steve's shoulder, looking over the photos. "There you go, Stevie." She hummed. "Now you have something to remind you of me."
"You guys are so cute, it makes me sick." Bucky faked a gag and Millie swatted at him. "Ouch, don't hurt me, tough girl!"
"You deserve it, Buck." Steve smirked.
"You guys are perfect for each other, you know that? Both of you keep picking fights." Millie rolled her eyes and they all laughed, apart from Dot who just crossed her arms and made intense eye contact with Bucky.
Bucky coughed slightly. "Well, Dot and I were thinking about taking a couple photos and leaving. The carnival just isn't as good this year. You guys wanna come with?"
"We still have two tickets, but you guys go ahead." Millie smiled. "Hey, have you seen Sylvia and Marco?"
"Oh, they left."
"What?"
"Ran into them about ten minutes ago, Marco was going to walk Sylvia home, said they weren't feeling it."
Millie pouted lightly, sad for both of her friends. She was so sure they'd get along, but perhaps she was wrong. Sylvia could be forward, that's for sure, but no more so than Marco.
"Okay, well I guess we will see you later then?" Millie grasped Steve's hand.
"Yeah, I'll see you guys soon." Bucky smiled and Dot tugged at his sleeve, looking irritated and eager to get the conversation over with.
Steve shook his head. "Come on, Mills." Wrapping an arm around her waist as they walked. Hearing smooching noises come from Dot and Bucky as they practically fell into the booth. "What do you want to do with our final tickets?"
"You choose, Stevie." Millie gripped his hand in hers while holding her stuffed bear in the other.
"But I told you they're yours to do whatever you want."
"And I want you to pick." Millie smirked.
"You are so stubborn, do you know that?" Steve rolled his eyes, standing in front of millie and moving to wrap her in his arms.
"Not as stubborn as you, now pick."
Steve chuckled, eyes scanning the Showgrounds and landing on the Ferris wheel. He'd only ever been on it with one other person, his mom. He had always been too afraid to go on it without her, even Bucky couldn't convince him if Sarah wasn't present, but with Millie by his side, he didn't feel so afraid anymore. In fact, he felt braver than ever.
"Ferris wheel?" Steve asked and Millie looked nervously towards it, but nodded quickly.
Steve brushed it off as he and Millie walked hand in hand towards the ride, handing the operator two tickets while they waited in line.
Millie was quiet, more quiet than usual and she clutched his hand just a little tighter. "You okay, Mills?"
Millie bit her lip but nodded nonetheless, still avoiding eye contact with Steve. The vendor opening the gate almost startled them and when the pair finally sat in the swinging red chair, Millie finally looked to Steve just as the operator closed the bar over them.
"Uh, Stevie?"
"Yes, Millie?"
"I'm uh..."
"KEEP ALL LIMBS INSIDE THE CARRIAGE AT ALL TIMES. ENJOY THE RIDE." The operator yelled over them before sending the wheel upwards.
Millie found herself scooting into Steve's side, gripping both his arm and her teddy bear as tights as possible.
"Millie Mae, are you scared of heights?" Steve looked softly at the frightened girl.
Millie gulped and nodded, squeezing her eyes shut. "Positively terrified."
Steve wrapped an arm around her, squeezing her tightly. "Why didn't you say anything?" He rested his head on hers as she trembled. "We didn't have to go on this."
"I know." Her voice shook. "But you wanted to."
Steve chuckled. "Millie, we could've gone on literally anything else." Millie leaned further into Steve, grateful for his comfort more than anything
"What if it breaks? What if I fall out?" She worried into his chest. She hated being vulnerable like this, but heights just got to her and she didn't know why.
"Then I'll catch you." Steve said, lifting her chin up with his thumb. "I'll always catch you."
"You will?" Millie asked and Steve nodded softly. "I'll always catch you too."
Millie lifted her trembling lips to his, kissing him softly as they reached the top of the wheel. She was terrified, but she felt safer immediately, knowing Steve would always be there to catch her.
However, she couldn't help but wonder if he meant that in more ways than one.
—
A/N:
I've realised I write most of this story in Steve's perspective. Are you guys okay with that? I kinda wanna get more into Millie's again.
Also, idk how I feel about this chapter. I like it but idk if y'all do. Let me know please by voting/commenting/giving feedback.
I'm also gonna write some shorter smut/fluff filler chapters 😅💜
-Lonah Lennox