Summary: As Darcy sorts her records, Steve has another idea in mind.
Pairing: Steve Rogers x Darcy Lewis
Word Count: 953
Notes / Warning: fluff, records, dancing, confessions, sappy mush, Stevie feels, I own nothing; you’ve been warned.
“We may never, never meet again, on that bumpy road to love. Still I’ll always, always keep the memory of...”
Darcy sang to herself as she sorted through her various records that were scattered across the floor. No music played as she shuffled the order of vinyls, lost in a haze of concentration.
“Mmm.” Steve cleared his throat, “Hey Darce.”
“Mm? Oh, heya Stevie.” Darcy said, looking up from her cross-legged position on the floor. “You wanna listen to something?”
“Uh. Well. What’d you got?”
“Vinyls. Lots of vinyls.” Darcy beamed. “Whatever you fancy, I bet I got it. Just reorganizing them all. It’s kinda therapeutic.”
“Hmm.” Steve started to flip through Darcy’s records, smiling at a few.
“See anything you like, mister?”
Darcy stopped her re-ordering and cocked her head to the side. Observing Steve reminisce was almost as delightful as the act of sorting records.
“A few. What’s your favorite?”
“Hmm. Depends on genre.. But..” Darcy smiled up at Steve as she pulled a certain record off the floor, sliding it out of the sleeve. “This one, has been stuck in my head for days. Wanna listen?”
She held up the record so Steve couldn’t see the name or artist.
“Sure.”
“Delightful. I’m pretty sure you’ll like it. Or at least recognize it.”
Steve just smiled back at Darcy as she put the record on, watching her steady, sure movements.
“Steve?”
“Yeah?”
“Come on.” Darcy waved her hand towards herself as the record started to play. “Come dance with me.”
“Darce.” He said, almost sternly.
“No, come on, please? Just this once. I won’t tell anyone, if you want, I promise.”
Steve shifted his weight awkwardly, weighing the options he had before him. Dance with Darcy and risk embarrassment while digging up buried emotions. Or run away from this small, seemingly nonthreatening challenge. And well, he never backed away from a challenge. No matter what it was.
“Um.” He slowly shuffled his feet towards her. “Yeah. But Darce…”
“It’s okay, Steve. Come here. I’ll show you.”
Darcy held out her hands to Steve as they slowly came together in the middle of the room. She took his hands in hers and started to sway to the soft music floating through the speakers. Darcy started to hum along to the music as she moved into Steve’s space, placing one of his hands at her waist while shuffling even closer to him.
Steve’s mouth hung open slightly as he stared down at Darcy. Her eyes closed, small smile spreading across her relaxed face.
Darcy didn’t open her eyes as she asked, “What ya thinking about soldier?”
Steve remained silent.
“I can hear the gears in your head turning from all the way down here. It’s ok. Whatever it is.” Darcy took a chance and took a step further in towards Steve, resting her head on his chest. “It’s ok, I promise.”
“Darce.. I..”
They both fell silent as they slowly moved to the music. Darcy being swept away by the melody and words of old. Steve realizing that there is some weird common ground between who he was and who he is now, that works perfectly and feels right with Darcy in his arms.
“Darce. Um. I..”
“Shh, Steve. I – ”
“No, Darce, sweetheart...”
“Steve?”
“I just, I want you to know how much this means to me.” Steve said, barely above a whisper. His close proximity to Darcy allowed her to hear his confession completely.
Darcy smiled in reply and nuzzled in closer to him, before she began to sing softly with the new song.
“The way you wear your hat,
The way you sip your tea
The memory of all that – ”
Steve continued the sing, in a whisper: “No, no they can’t take that away from me,
The way your smile just beams.”
“The way you sing off key.” Darcy sang with a slight giggle.
“The way you haunt my dreams.” Steve continued for her. “You know you really do, sweetheart.”
“Steve, you don’t have to – ”
“Darce.” He interrupted, “I mean it. You’re wonderful. And I’m so grateful to have you in my life. Even if I had to wait a few centuries for you.”
“Really? I, You don’t have to..”
“Yeah. Really. Can’t you feel this?” He asked, as he moved her hand over his heart. It’s erratic thumping felt through his thin shirt. “I can’t control it when you’re around me.”
Darcy smiled in return, unsure of what to say, while she processed what Steve was saying to her, well, trying to say.
“You make me go crazy. And I can’t help the urge to fight for you. It’s what I want; you. It’s always been you. And I want to fight for you, more than anything I ever have before.”
Darcy’s heart beat quickened as his words trickled into her conscious, and clouded her mind.
“You don’t have to say anything now. Just know that I, that I, I love you. And I don’t want to be separated from you, from this day on. I’ve thought about this a lot, to the point where I can’t sleep. Take your time, tell me what you want when you’re ready.”
Darcy didn’t know what to say. Steve’s words kept echoing through her head, on repeat. It sounded too good to be true. Was she dreaming? The soft swaying of their dancing did little to ground her in reality. A soft, high squeak came from her, without her even realizing the noise came from her.
In response to her squeak, Steve smirked. It grew into a smile as he rested his head on hers. Steve knew it would take Darcy some time to process it all, just as it had for him.
