Ceci couldn't seem to help the smile plastered on her face the rest of the afternoon and evening. What was her life that Captain America's phone number was now safely saved in her phone? Her own accomplishments may have led her to meet many people, but she never would have anticipated this turn of events.
And Steve Rogers was just as charming as she could have ever imagined he would be. But she wondered, would he really call her? He'd said he wanted to see her again, which seemed utterly unbelievable, but he also didn't seem like the type of person to say something like that and not mean it–so maybe?
She made it to the end of the day, glancing at her watch to see the time and was about to make herself a cup of coffee before cleaning the machine when her phone rang.
She slipped it out of her back pocket and smiled wide when she saw the name.
Steve Rogers.
*****
Steve's group therapy meeting was just wrapping up and he watched the other participants leaving the room. He sat back down in the chair he'd been in and considered his own words.
You gotta move on.
He sighed and slipped his phone out of his pocket, checking the time- 8:05pm. Ceci had said her shift finished at 8pm.
The world is in our hands. It's left to us, guys. We gotta do something with it.
Steve didn't want to seem desperate, but something about Ceci had captured his attention for the first time in... well in over seventy years. He'd barely been able to stay focused through the meeting, instead thinking about the brunette barista he'd met earlier.
Otherwise, Thanos should have killed all of us.
He took a deep breath and dialed the number.
"Hello? Steve?" He smiled at her warm voice, her familiar greeting a reminder that his name and number were saved in her phone. He wondered if she'd been as excited to see his name as he was to hear her voice. "Yeah, hi Ceci! How was the rest of your shift?" He stood and made his way to the door of the meeting hall.
"Good, I'm just finishing a few things up. Your meeting was good?"
"Yeah, it was. I won't keep you long if you're still finishing up at work. I know this is quick, since we just met and all, but... Are you free tonight? Would you like to get together this evening?" There was a short pause and a seed of doubt grew in Steve. Maybe this was too fast. "If it's too late I understand. I'm sure you're tired after standing on your feet all day, and–"
She stopped his rambling, interrupting him with her answer. "Meet me in front of the coffee shop?"
"Can you give me fifteen minutes? I hate to keep you waiting but it'll take me that long in traffic."
"Fifteen minutes is perfect. I'll see you then, Steve."
Steve smiled, almost bouncing as he walked up to his motorcycle. "See you, Ceci." He shook his head in disbelief as he looked down at his phone before pocketing it. He was really doing this.
*****
True to his word, fifteen minutes later Steve Rogers pulled up in front of the coffee shop on his motorcycle. Ceci was waiting outside the coffee shop, bundled up in a coat, scarf and gloves with two coffee cups in hand.
"I'm so sorry to keep you waiting," he said as he lowered his own scarf from around his face.
"It's no problem at all." She held out one of the cups in her hand. "Here, I made you a coffee, to go."
"Oh, that's great, thank you. I had forgotten it was going to get quite this cold tonight when I brought the motorcycle out. This will warm me right up."
"I had a feeling that caffeine probably didn't affect you this late in the evening the way it might most. Super soldier and all that," she said, waving vaguely over his full height.
"You're right," he grinned, then looked at her own cup. "What's your excuse?"
She laughed. "Oh, I've been living on caffeine so many years, I'm afraid I no longer feel the effects like I used to. It doesn't usually affect my sleep."
He nodded before looking at his coffee cup, then back to with a shy smile. "So, I have to be honest, Ceci. I really didn't really plan this out. I just knew I wanted to see you again. I guess I should have thought through this more before calling and asking to get together."
She smiled sweetly and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "I'm glad you called when you did. I was a little anxious wondering how soon I'd hear from you." She suddenly seemed to grow nervous and chewed at her bottom lip as she looked down to her toes. "I have a bit of an idea, if you're interested."
Steve felt relieved to know he wasn't the only one a little nervous in this situation. "Oh yeah? If it involves spending more time with you, I'm sure I'm interested." he grinned.
"Well," she said slowly as she motioned towards the doorway next to the coffee shop. This space is sort of mine. Well, not sort of... it is mine. My art workshop and apartment are right here next to the coffee shop. I live and work here. I was sort of thinking maybe you'd like to see some of my art pieces? And we could have a stronger drink? Beer? Wine? Sit down and talk more? That is... if you want? If that isn't too forward of me. If it's too private, too personal we could—"
He quickly reached for her free hand and interrupted her nervous ramble. "That would be amazing!"
"Yeah?" The shy smile returned to her own face.
"Yeah." He replied with a nod and smile, releasing her hand to motion towards her door.
"Alright then." She pulled out her keys and began to unlock the door.
He took her coffee from her hand and watched as she maneuvered the keys. "So you've been standing out here in the cold waiting on me this entire time when you could have been in your apartment?"
Inwardly cursing her nerves that had her hands shaking as she worked her key into the lock, she shrugged in response. "It seemed rude to not wait for you outside when I said I'd meet you out here."
"You could have waited inside till a few minutes before."
She shook her head vigorously. "What if you'd gotten here earlier and I wasn't outside? I couldn't bear the thought of crushing the heart of Captain America."
He chuckled, but looked down at her with his deep blue eyes as they stepped inside. "I thought we agreed you would just call me Steve. I like just being Steve with you."
She nodded, a pink tint rising in her cheeks and smiled then glanced up and around. "Well, welcome to my private art studio, Steve."
He finally took in the area around him, his eyes going wide and mouth dropping open. "This—this is—phenomenal. Wait..." Slowly recognition sunk in. "You—you are—I—I recognize your work."
She chuckled, blush rising back to her cheeks in response to his sudden understanding of who she was.
"Ceci," he whispered. "You are not just a barista. Or just an artist. You... you are Quin?"
"Cecilia Quin. Ceci to my friends... Quin to the art world... Cecilia Marigold Rosamund Quin when my mother was particularly annoyed with me."
Steve found himself drawn in by her work immediately and was already walking around the room eyes moving from one painting to the next. Quin's work was on several building size murals all over the city and the world, in galleries and exhibits, and here he was getting the chance to look at her own private collection. Work that possibly no one had ever seen before. He'd seen much of her public work and loved it. She had a phenomenal use of light and shadow and color and managed to grasp human expression in a way he'd never seen before. He was so wrapped up in taking in each piece he saw he had missed her trying to get his attention.
"Steve?" She said gently, and placed a hand on his arm. "Steve?"
It was her touch that drew his attention back away from the art and to her. "Hmm?" He turned towards her. "Sorry, I—I'm just... I'm in awe. This is... this is phenomenal. I can't believe the beautiful barista whose number I got is the Quin."
She blushed at the compliment to her appearance and his obvious impression of her work. "So, you know my work?"
Steve's eyes went wide. "Know it? I love it. I've seen every piece available for public viewing in the city."
She blushed even more. "Wow, I'm honored. I'm so glad you like them." She chewed at her bottom lip again. "I—I wondered if I could show you...um... something special."
His eyes grew even wider. What could be more special than this view into her private art studio? "I'd be honored."
She held out her hand to him and he glanced at it for a moment before smiling and taking it. She pulled him towards the back of the room that was filled almost floor to ceiling with her work. Near the back was a piece covered in a drop cloth.
"I, um, I kind of can't believe this is happening. I can't believe I have the chance to do this."
"What is it?" He said, gently stroking her hand with his thumb, sensing her nerves and feeling a deep sense of irony as his own nerves had been going even more crazy than before at knowing he was now on a date of sorts with Quin, a world renowned artist.
She took a deep breath and began explaining. "I, um, I painted this just a few years after... after everyone was gone. Um... it was such a low point. So much darkness in the world. So much... so much sadness. I—I'd never met you before, Steve, never—" she stared at the covered painting a few moments longer, then looked up at him, her eyes shining with tears.
He looked at her with concern as she swallowed hard before continuing. "I never met you, Steve—but I'd seen you—on TV. I think we've been at some of the same Stark fundraising events, even. I'd seen everything you've done for us—for the world. Seen how you've saved us. You and the rest of the Avengers. All the hope...all the light—and I thought—that...that light...that's what we need...and...and now...here you are in my life Steve and I can't help but think..."
She didn't complete her thought. Instead, she squeezed his hand, leaving the rest unspoken as she reached out and pulled the drop cloth away.
Steve gasped.
There on the canvas was.... him.