1963-10-24 - Date Night
Summary: Steve brings Jack dinner after their last hangout went poorly.
Related: N/A
Theme Song: None
steve jack 


After the exploits of a few nights ago, Steve knew he probably should try and make it up to Jack should he ever hope to get a second date with the young woman. He'd offered her a night at a greasy spoon, and it ended up being a group thing at a bar. He hoped to get to know her, and instead one of his old friends got shot. Not the best impression, to be sure.

When he gets to the building he inspects the mailboxes to see which one might be hers, uses an old ID card to casually slide open the lock with an easy grace, and climbs the stairs until he finds the door and knocks.

*

The knock at the door is wholly unexpected. Jack and her dog had tucked in for the night, while Liv and Max weren't home. After a busy day at work, she's content to sit with her feet up on the sofa. Still dressed in her work clothes, she looks business ready save for one thing: the green avocado mask on her face. She sits up straight at the knock, and strides quickly tot he door.

"Liv, did you forget your keys again? You really ought to stop doing that — " she slides to the door and opens it mid-thought " — oh!" Her lips twitch into a tight, nearly embarrassed smile, "You're not Liv." She shakes her head and takes a step back, a silent invitation to enter the house. "Hi Steve, come in, please." Oh wait, she just broke all of the rules, which then has her saying, "Unless you're not actually Steve and are a vampire instead." She cringes. "Which, if you are a vampire, I'm guessing, statistically speaking, you're not going to tell me or confess. So. Come in anyways.'
"

*

Steve smiles and shakes his head, "No, I'm not. Liv or a vampire, that is." He holds up a plastic bag that has two packages of greasy burgers and fries inside, each placed in a small box. "I had thought about a garlic burger, but that's really not the best idea, from what I understand."

"I wanted to apologize for how badly our date went and try and make it up to you. Jim's going to be okay," he says as he follows her in. He totally does not respond to the avocado mask in anyway. But you know it's there and you know he notices.

*

But Jack has easily forgotten the layer of green over her face. Especially because she didn't know she was going to have company. She stops at one of the cupboards and pulls out a couple of plates. "It wasn't — " she begins to reassure only to accept defeat and note " — I mean, it didn't end well. But it wasn't bad until the end. I actually really had a good time until, well, until things went horribly awry. I'm so glad Jim is going to be okay. I was worried." Her eyebrows lift and she sets the plates on the table only to catch her green reflection in the white ceramic.

With a faint cringe, she lifts a finger and treads further into the apartment. A few moments later, she returns without the mask. She smoothes her dress and perches on one of the chairs. "Sorry about that…" her cheeks flush.

*

Steve nods as he leans against the counter, "It's really a blessing he's alive. He is lucky. That trick Bobby pulled really worked." When she returns with her face clear, Steve smiles and shakes his head, "Don't worry about it. It wouldn't matter if you had a face full of mud."

"Which you don't."

"I mean, your face. It's great."

*

Jack's face flushes further at the comment. "Thanks, I — " her ears redden " — I wasn't expecting anyone around." Her lips edges upwards with a smile. "That's why," she makes a motion at her face, "it's good for the skin. At least…" her eyes turn upwards "..my mother says that. Pretty regularly, actually."

She motions towards the small kitchen table, "Please. Have a seat. You know, Steve, you have amazing timing. Seriously, I was thinking of ordering some food in. Or cooking." Her grin brightens. "A greasy burger is exactly what I would've ordered too. Americana. All the way."

*

"Well, she must know what she's talking about," Steve says, but then pauses and arches his eyebrows, wondering if he just told Jack that he thought her mom was attractive which he doesn't. I mean she's not bad look….This is the monologue going on in Steve's melon.

"Oh good. You know, I should have remembered drinks, but I forgot. Sorry about that."

*

Jack's eyebrows lift and her fingers press over her lips, but there's no other indications that she's going to push the issue further. "She does. She knows what she's talking about most things, to be honest. But then, I guess she raised four boys and me. I mean, the youngest is still in high school. The woman is grace under fire."

She shoots him a half smile and then shakes her head, "Hey! We always have water. And maybe … juice…" she slides out of her chair and plucks a bottle of orange juice from the fridge that is then set on the table.

*

"Water is great," Steve says. In other shocking news, it is also wet. "Sounds like she's a busy lady. Light at the end of the tunnel, sounds like." He takes the time to get the boxes out of the bag and place them accordingly around the table. "How long does it take you to get to work?"

*

Jack retrieves two glasses and fills them with water before setting them on the table and then sliding back into her chair. "She has been for a long stretch. And the woman can sew anything. Not a quality her daughter inherited, I'm afraid." She quirks a smile, "On a good day forty minutes, on a bad one? An hour or better." She shrugs. "But this is what me and the gals can afford. The distance tow work isn't great, but the place is affordable enough, you know?"

*

"Absolutely. I'm about to be in the market myself. I was able to get my first cartooning gig, but the pay is pretty minimal and I'm going to have to supplement it somehow. It's a good thing I was under ice for 20 years and was able to save some money," Steve says with a chuckle. Sewing was one quality his mother always told him to look for in a woman. He always thought that was over-rated. "I don't know if you're religious, but if you don't mind, I usually say grace."

*

"Hey!" Jack brightens, "Congratulations! That's amazing! You're legitimate now," she offers with a half-smile. Her nose wrinkles and she offers, "You even used the word gig. That makes it even more incredible. So cheers!" Jack goes so far as to lift her glass of water in the air to toast. With water. Hey, celebrate when and where you can. She clasps her hands together, "I grew up Episcopalian. So, I normally say grace too."

*

Steve smiles, "Yeah, it was nice. They told me over the phone that they really liked my work and they wanted to talk compensation. I think when I walked in they were surprised it was me. But it's nice to at least get something coming in." Steve nods and reaches for Jack's hand. "Dear God, thank you for the opportunity for us to come together and have dinner…" And he can't help but chuckle a bit, "Avocado and all. Thank you for keeping us safe. We ask that you bless this meal and our time together. Amen."

*

The mention of the avocado causes Jack's cheeks to hue pale pink, but at the end she agrees, "Amen." Steve's hand is granted a quick squeeze following the prayer's conclusion and Jack asks, "So.." her teeth toy at her bottom lip "…I'm guessing you got to talk to Jim? I'm glad he's going to be okay, but I wondered did he remember anything? Like, did he say anything before…" he was shot.

*

"I didn't. The doctors felt it was touch and go at first, and once he recovered enough they just wanted family. I'm going to see him again tomorrow. Would you want to come with? I could work around your schedule. I mean, I don't really keep hours these days," Steve admits.

*

"I'm so glad that he pulled through. Seriously, his poor family. Even for him to pull through, the stress of that. And the not knowing," Jack's lips twitch and she forces them into a tight nearly-guarded smile. "I would, as long as I wound't be intruding. I mean, I know that he's your friend, but I'd like to bring him so flowers to brighten the room. Wish him well," the curve of her lips eases.

*

"Knowing him he'd probably make about 20 jokes about how he wouldn't have let me in the door if you hadn't come with, so there's that benefit," Steve says with a grin. "Give me a ring when you get off of work and are ready and I'll come by with a taxi or with the motorcycle."

*

"Perfect! I'll make sure to do so. And I'll try to sneak off early." Jack's eyes roll, "It's not like I'm not owed the time. The days have gotten so long with all of the damage incurred by whatever that thing in Central Park is. Property damage is insane."

*

Steve tilts his head, not budging on the ongoing war of who will go for their food first. "Do you happen to know anything about that? The Central Park thing, I mean. Danny asked me to do some work down in Hell's Kitchen. Sounds…I don't know…Demonic."

*

Jack glances at her burger, and instead reaches for a french fry. "I…" her cheeks flush again. "Not really? I mean," her eyes turn upwards, "I know more than nothing, but less than a lot of other people." Her lips twist indecisively to the side, "You see," her nose wrinkles, "I got taken a couple weeks ago by a very charming older gentleman who called himself Vlad. Mostly because he wanted help with insurance and odds ratios. And vampires."

Her eyebrows lift, "I…" her eyes squint indecisively "…got better?" it's more of a question than an answer. "I actually wasn't supposed to invite anyone in after that. Liv made me promise."

*

Steve matches her fry and munches on it as he listens to her. "Wait, what? You were taken? You got better…Did you get bit?" Back in the war he saw some weird stuff, including vampires or rumors of vampires, but he hasn't heard of anyone getting better. "I'm sure I could hold my own against your roommate if she comes after me," he says.

*

"Yeaaaaah," Jack cringes. She plucks another fry, "I was out doing some property assessment in Hell's Kitchen, and Liv — one of my roommates — said she'd come with me. Well, while we were there the vampires came from overhead and," her tongue clucks. "And then Vlad and I hated about the misunderstanding of taking me." The question merits consideration, "He did bite me, but it wasn't… I can't explain it exactly. It's only terrifying in memory, not at the time. You know?" She manages another tight smile, "Liv took me to this friend of ours. He lives in a junkyard, but knows all about plants and healing. Evidently, time is important. After a few days no one can come back from that."

*

"Gosh, I sure am glad you're alright," Steve says and raises an eyebrow. "There's no chance something like that pops back up, is there? I mean, I can ask around and see if I can find someone who could also give you a look over." Not that there's any reason for Steve to question, just that he's worried. "I'm glad you're alright," he reiterates.

*

"That makes two of us," Jack replies with a small sigh. But a cheeky smile replaces the tighter one, "Besides, I would've made a terrible vampire. I can barely handle a rare steak. Like food. Not blood. Food. Real food." She reaches out and issues Steve's hand a reassuring squeeze, "I think I'm okay. Genuinely. Turning like that? It was like coming down with the flu. I felt exhausted, achey, but after Coz did what he did, I was myself again. So. I think it's better."

*

Concern turns to desire to defend, as it would for any red blooded American Male. Altogether, Steve keeps it in alright. "If you need any help with anything like that, you know you can call me. I've seen some pretty intense stuff. It's one thing I'm actually good at." He means punching people. Or throwing things at them. Like shields.

Steve returns the squeeze and rubs her hand with his thumb. "Did you…have to bite anyone?" Steve isn't sure how it goes.

*

"To be honest, I didn't really know I was in trouble. I mean, immediately, yes. But later? I really did believe that Vlad was going to take me home. I'm not sure why, but I did." She shakes her head at the question, "No. No biting. That would be awfully awkward, especially if I had to see them later. If I hadn't gotten to see Coz in time, then, well… I would've, I think. It's just so weirdly cordial. It was weird. Genuinely. One of the weirder things that has ever happened to me." She lifts a finger and shakes her head, "Scratch that. It was the weirdest."

*

"Are you sure you're not a superhero? I mean, I haven't met someone who has run into as many crazy things as you have. You're a magnet for this sort of thing, it seems." Steve chuckles, guessing that if she can make a joke of it, so can he.

*

Jack laughs. "Nope," she lifts her finger sin the Scout salute, "scout's honour. Not super in any way." Pause. "Unless numeracy counts. I'm really really good at math. My dad always said we should embrace who we are. And numbers I understand like nobody's business. And patterns. But it's not a superpower, just a really awesome thing I can do." Her grin brightens. "Also, it keeps me employed."

*

"Well, you're pretty super to me. I've got to make sure I find out what other stuff you like to do so the next time we go out we can do less with the gunshots and more with the real fun," Steve says. "Your dad, he's not around?"

*

Jack's smile turns bittersweet, and she shakes her head. "No. He died ten years ago in the Korean War. I… " her cheeks flush slightly "…was always Daddy's girl. He was actually Jack Pace. I'm technically Jacqueline." She swallows hard, "Mom raised us alone after that. All five of us. We were lucky to have two sets of grandparents in town — one of which had no problem shovelling us all into their home."

*

Steve nods sadly, "I'm really sorry." He pauses and raises an eyebrow, changing the topic slightly. "He was in the military then? That's amazing, your mom I mean. To do that. I can't imagine."

*

"Yeah, he was. Motivated by my grandfather, I suspect. Before that? He was briefly in the police service. But that was incredibly short-lived. It just wasn't the service he felt called to." Jack manages another flicker of a smile. "And mom continues to be an incredible human being. Not something many could've managed, I don't think." Her lips twist to the side, "So. I'm not entirely sure… you disappeared for awhile, right? I mean. The whole vanishing act — I'm sketchy on the details to be honest."

*

"Well," Steve says. "My partner and I were still fighting, even as the war was ending. Nazis were giving up all over the place. Bucky and I were trying to take out a madman known as Baron Zemo." His voice sounds a bit weary as he recounts the story. "Some experimental plane was flown out over the arctic. The plane went down and that's the last I remember. Don't know what happened to Zemo. Don't know what happened to Bucky." He takes a drink from the water, "Next thing I remember is waking up almost 20 years later."

*

Jack reaches across the table to squeeze Steve's hand again. "I'm so sorry. That must be so weird." She cringes. "I can't imagine what the world must be like for you," her eyebrows draw together sharply. "Like no time has passed for you and everything has changed. No more Nazis. Growing tensions with the Russians. The world suddenly is flooded with heroes. And something weird opened up in Central Park." She shoots him a small smile. "Sorry. I'm sorry. I shouldn't assume I get it at all. I don't." She draws her hand back to her side. "Just seems like the kind of thing people would be all, 'Oh enjoy your second chance at life,' when a person wasn't done with their first."

*

"You're exactly right," Steve says. "Whether you think you get it or not. I don't really know how to react to any of it. All of my friends are old with families and so far past where we were back then. And everyone my own "age" doesn't understand anything about me because I'm too old fashioned." Steve chuckles, "I'm sort of caught in between."

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