Roswell worries her hands as she stars into her wardrobe, dates, she's never been on a real date before, how is she supposed to know what to wear? Something simple, and still her. She nods a little and then reaches into the wardrobe.
.............
Steve worries the sleeve button on his shirt, his finger fumbling a little, why is he so nervous? He's been on dates before, he knows how to do this. Bucky slaps at his hands and takes over smirking away.
"I don't know why I'm so nervous" Steve admits as Bucky does up the buttons.
"Because you actually like this one" Bucky offers. "Because it's Roswell" Steve nods. "What's the plan?" Bucky asks.
"The Conservatory Garden" Steve answers. "And then a picnic lunch by the Untermyer Fountain" Bucky nods.
"Well she loves plants" Bucky states. "Sounds good" Steve goes to adjust his sleeves again, Bucky stops him. "You'll be fine" Bucky assures him. "For what it's worth, I think she likes you too" Bucky tells Steve.
"You think so?" Steve asks, Bucky nods, ignoring the jealousy coursing through him, Steve got there first, and Bucky is a good enough friend to step aside.
.............
Steve sets the picnic foods, the salad, the fruit, the bottle of sparkling water, the chips all into the cooler bag on the bench. He then checks his watch, again, for the fourth time in the last ten minutes, he checks the bag, makes sure everything is there, again, takes them all out to double check and repacks the bag. He's being ridiculous. Roswell obviously must already like him to agree to this date to begin with.
"It's worrying if you're nervous" Roswell states behind him, Steve turns to her and opens his mouth to respond but has to stop upon seeing her. She's wearing a thigh length, fitted grey black dress, with a brown leather jacket over the top, matched with some heeled sandals and a shoulder bag. She raises an eyebrow at him. "Steve?" she asks softly, he clears his throat as he starts to blush, his hand raising up to rub the back of his neck.
"Sorry" he answers. " I didn't mean to stare" she chuckles a little and moves closer setting her bag on the side.
"I don't mind" she admits. "It means I did something right with my outfit" he smiles.
"You look....well you look beautiful" he admits, she smiles wider and climbs onto the stool.
"Thank you" she steals a strawberry from the punnet in front of her.
"No" Steve scolds before she can eat it. "That's for lunch" he takes it back from her.
"You made a picnic?" she asks beaming at him, she didn't think men did this any more. She didn't think men still wanted to go all out for dates. Given that her brother's aren't exactly the best role models when it came to dating.
"I thought you'd like it" Steve answers. "You don't like it?" he starts to look utterly dejected by the thought and she takes his hand and smiles.
"It's perfect" she assures him, he smiles back and leans over the counter.
"May I?" he asks quietly, she leans up slightly and smiles.
"May you what?" she asks back, he smirks a little.
"May I kiss you?" he counter asks her.
"At the beginning of the date?" she asks teasingly, pretending to think about. "Okay, but only because I like you" she answers, he smiles and kisses her, soft, so very soft, Captain America has soft lips, and warm, he's warm, she's not sure if that's his nerves or if he is always warm, he reaches across and gently cups her neck as he continues to kiss her. She honestly thought it was going to be a quick cheeky kiss, and to be fair, this is soft, light, but still intimate. He pulls back and smiles at her. She is flush and smiling back.
"Are you ready to go?" he asks her, she nods a little. He pulls all the way back and closes the cooler bag.
....................
The Conservatory Garden is actually more beautiful then Steve had anticipated with the summer sun and the colourful flowers and Rowell's company, her bright smile and her hair. It's just something almost magical. His hand held in hers as she bounces around telling him about the plants she knows and reading about the ones she doesn't. She's so fresh. She wants to learn and she wants to talk about what she loves and to be honest he could listen to her talk about whatever she wants for as long as she wants just so he can bask in that accent. Seemingly stronger when she gets excited. Roswell glances to Steve.
"What?" she asks noting Steve watching her, he tugs her closer and smiles.
"Just how excited you get" he admits and kisses her cheek softly.
"Well..for my brothers and my father this isn't their cup of tea" she admits. "I used to go myself" she whispers slightly. "When I was left alone in a motel room, I'd steal just enough money from my Dad or Dean and I'd get on a bus and go to the nearest place, museum or gardens or art instillation"
"Your childhood sounds lonely" he brushes her hair back and he ghost his thumb over her cheek.
"Not really" she whispers. "I had my books, my languages, my powers" she holds out her hand as the green field wraps around her fingers. "And my brothers...."
"But you make it sound like they were never there" he points out.
"Sammy went off to Stanford in 2003, pre-law, then Dad and Dean delved into the family business more.....and yeah, I got left in motel's a lot but..." she looks away and towards a purple flower thinking. "I just...I never felt lonely, not till after my dad died" she looks to Steve. "Things changed between me and my brothers, we kind of grew apart, emotionally, they both threw themselves into work and I...threw myself deeper into my books"
"When did your dad die?" he asks.
"2006" she answers. "So...a while now"
"5 years....you were only 16? That's....you were still a child, your brothers should have been there to support you, to guide you through it" she shakes her head.
"It's okay, Steve.." she touches his arm. "I dealt with his death and I moved on" he looks to her softly. "Thank you though, for thinking of me"
..........
Roswell grabs a strawberry and smiles as Steve talks, he's telling her about a trip to Coney Island that had Bucky throwing up, he seems so proud, given that he was the smaller of the two at the time, the one in the background. He even looks carefree talking about it, cute. It's very cute on him. Nostalgic. She bites into the strawberry as he moves on to his art. She had no idea he could draw. They're both sat on a picnic blanket facing the fountain, the sun beaming down on them. He seems younger and normal in the sun, like he isn't Captain America, that he is just Steve. He snorts as he laughs at himself. She laughs with him. Steve's cell phone rings and he sighs glancing to it, the others knows he's out with Roswell, they wouldn't call unless they had to, unless it was important, he turns back to her to ignore it, she shoots him a look.
"Take it" Roswell tells him.
"But..." he starts.
"Steve, it could be important" she pushes slightly, she knows this, she knows who he is. Steve stands and moves away to answer the phone. Roswell helps herself to more strawberries as Steve talks on the phone, even from where she sits she can see he's in Captain America mode, all stern and upright, his jaw ticking in slightly annoyance of being interrupted. It's kinda hot on him. All that's missing is the suit and she's seen Steve in that suit, it's hot, but seeing Captain America in that suit, she's not sure she'd manage to keep control of herself. Steve hangs up and walks back towards Roswell as she reaches for her 6th strawberry.
"I'm so sorry, Roswell" he starts, she shakes her head and stands.
"It's okay, Steve" she assures him.
"I'll make it up to you" he promises and then tilts her face up slightly to kiss her softly, he pulls back as the Avenger jet bursts across the sky. "Bucky's gonna pick you up, 'kay?" he asks her, she nods. "Stay finish the lunch. I will make this up to you" he strokes her cheek.
"Be careful" she begs of him, he nods and kisses her cheek before leaving, she sighs softly and looks around, they've had cameras on them all day given who she was on a date with but now, Captain America leaving his date alone in a park, people have their cell phones out and taking photos and videos.
....................
Bucky had gotten the jet into the city, and would take Steve's car back for him. So it doesn't take him very long to reach Roswell who is back sitting on the picnic blanket reading, but he can see she's not really into it. He sighs sadly, he's warned them to not draw Steve away from his date, and for the most part they tried, until they realised that they couldn't make up a functioning plan without him. Bucky heads towards Roswell as she presses a grape between her lips.
"Hey" he greets, she waves and then folds the page of her book down before closing it. "Steve's really sorry"
"I know" she tells him softly looking up at him. "It's okay, really. I know who he is, expecting things like this not to happen is ridiculous" she pats the blanket and he joins her taking a strawberry from the punnet.
"How were the gardens?" he asks, she beams at him.
"They are beautiful" she answers and touches the edges of her book. Bucky watches her before standing and holding out his hand to her. "What?" she asks looking up at him.
"I'm taking you for cotton candy" he tells her with a smile. "And maybe...if you're really lucky, I'll stretch to a candy apple" she chuckles a little and takes his hand, he pulls her up and then starts packing up the lunch.
"Thank you" she tells him quietly. He smiles and nods picking up the cooler and pulling it over his shoulder.
............
When Steve returned from where ever they had ended up going he headed off to find Roswell straight away, three days they ended up being gone for, and he's covered in dust and dirt and he is sure there is blood somewhere on his suit, but he just has to make sure she's not upset about what happened, he knows deep down that she won't be, it's not who she is, and maybe it's more about him just having a crappy mission and all he wants to do is see her. Her apartment door is open so he just walks in, to find her watering the numerous plants around her living room, she turns to him and smiles.
"Hey" she greets, and he almost melts at that smile.
"Hey" he whispers back and the two of them are just stood there. Neither sure of the protocol, does he go and kiss her? Does she move to him and hug him? Something else? They've had one barely date but it still feels like something has changed in their relationship. He wants to go over there and kiss her and hold her and just reassure himself that she is there. So he does. He moves to her and clasps her face in his hand, her eyes watching him. "You're not upset?" he asks softly. "About..." she shakes her head.
"No, of course not" she assures him. "I know what you do, Steve, I know that you have to go and save the world at the drop of a hat" he smiles and then kisses her softly. "Urm...no offence" she pulls back. "But...you're filthy and you kinda stink" he laughs a little and nods.
"I know...It..." he sighs. "It didn't go to plan" he admits. She touches his arms and smiles softly.
"Why don't you shower and I'll make you something to eat" she offers, he nods and presses his forehead to hers,
"That sounds amazing actually" he whispers and pulls back from her. "I'll be quick"
"No" she warns. "Cause if you go quick you'll miss stuff...." she teases, he chuckles as he backs away. "And you really stink" she teases, he smirks as he leaves, she smiles and shakes her head moving to her little kitchen.
.................
Steve runs his fingers through his wet hair as he walks back into Roswell's apartment. Roswell is stood at the over stirring something on the top. She points to the table behind her.
"There's a beer on the table" she tells him glancing back at him.
"Thank you" he offers picking it up.
"Are you hurt?" she asks, he frowns at her. "There was blood" she starts.
"It wasn't mine" he quickly assures her taking a seat. "I'm fine" she nods a little and he sees her shoulders relax, he sips from the beer and watches her cook, she turns and grabs two bowls from the side and starts to serve. "Bucky seemed kind of down" he tells her, she hums and nods.
"Yeah, he wanted to watch some documentary on the tv but it got cancelled for the news...." Roswell informs him. "Then he wanted to eat some left over of that pasta Wanda made the other day" Steve nods. "Gone" she adds. "Then...he stubbed his toe on the kitchen counter" she smirks turning to him with the two bowls. "I mean I never even thought about Bucky swearing until that moment, and I honestly thought someone was killing him" Steve laughs a little.
"Bucky's toes have always been a little sensitive" he tells her. She reaches the table and smirks.
"This seriously sounded like it had fallen off" she teases. "I found him curled up in the fetal position clutching his foot, and I laughed" she admits. "I really laughed. I think that's why he's upset" she offers. Steve nods.
"Probably" he agrees.
"I'm not a great cook" she admits setting a bowl of mac 'n' cheese down in front of Steve. "Motel rooms don't really offer much in the way of culinary equipment" she sets her own bowl down and sits with him.
"I've spent three days in the field eating high protein mush" he teases slightly. "This will, without a doubt, be the best meal I'll ever eat" Roswell smirks and looks down, a blush marking her cheeks.
"It's not that good" she pokes at her own food.
"Bucky used to try and make soup when we were younger" Steve admits. "I mean he really tried" he smirks remembering. "I got sick this one time, and there Bucky was standing at the front door with 'soup'" Roswell watches him with a smile. "I open it up and there are burnt pieces floating in it"
"In soup?" she asks, he nods.
"But I know he tried really hard so I had to eat it....it tasted like...charcoal and water" he laughs. "It was the worst thing I ever ate" he shrugs. "After that he reheated store bought soup" she chuckles.
"My brother, Dean, he used to make me mac 'n' cheese, like he did for Sammy when they were younger....only he put..marshmallows in it"
"In mac 'n' cheese?" Steve asks.
"Yeah, marshmallows, hot dogs, jelly beans.....anything we could get our hands on"
"How old were they when you....joined them?" Steve asks.
"Oh urm..." Roswell frowns thinking. "18 and 14? I think....."
"So not kids any more"
"Not like me, no" she agrees. "John he just....took me in and never looked back" she admits warmly.
"Do you mind if I ask what happened to your...birth family?" he asks. She touches her scarred arm.
"Bucky already knows so...I don't see why you can't" she answers. "The animal attack that scarred me....it broke into our house" Steve looks to her sadly. "My sister was 2" she whispers. Steve takes her hand and pulls it closer to him.
"Hey" he coos. "It's okay, I know something bad happened, but you are still here" he smiles at her. "You're intelligent, talented, gifted...beautiful" she lifts her eyes to his. "You're really intelligent" he corrects, she smiles. "I'm sure they'd be proud of you. I am sure they are proud of you" he kisses the back of her hand.
"Have you always been like this?" she asks him. He shrugs.
"Bucky says so" he answers. "Erskine said the serum...enhances personality too, so it could be part of that"
"I can't even begin to imagine what you went through" she whispers slightly. "It just seems so....sci-fi, like something you'd find in a comic book" he nods agreeing.
"Same can be said for mutants with powers" he offers, she nods and leans back.
"Touché, Rogers" he squeezes her hand and starts to eat. Roswell cringes around her first bite and then groans.
"Oh God that's disgusting" Roswell complains spitting out the food into the napkin in her hand. Steve makes a face trying to not be mean about this, but she really can't cook. "I'm really sorry"
"It's okay" he sets the fork into the bowl and stands pulling his cell phone out of his pocket.
"What are you doing?" she asks.
"Ordering take out" he answers with a smirk. She laughs and looks down embarrassed.