"(Y/N)! I can't believe you just did that! You can't buy a man a drink!"

"Why not?" You waved off your friend as you watched the bartender give the man his glass, laughing to yourself as he looked around to see who had sent the colorful alcohol to him. "He's kinda cute, don't ya think?"

"Hmm," she murmured, a distasteful look on her face, "he's kinda skinny. And he looks so sad all by his lonesome."

"Exactly. Someone needs to send that kid some cheer."

She tried to grab your arm as you stood, but you shook off her attempt, walking casually over to the man who had been sitting alone at the bar for the past hour. "Mind if I join you?"

He jumped a bit as you spoke, coughing slightly on the liquid as it burned his throat. "Yes, ma'am. I mean, no ma'am. I mean...I don't mind at all." His face was turning red from the embarrassment of stumbling over his words, already nervous enough that a woman was approaching him. He stood to pull the chair out for you, waiting until you were comfortable before he moved back to his own seat. "I'm Steve."

"Hi, Steve. I'm (Y/N)." You took his offer of a handshake, but when your hand reached his, he pulled it to his lips for a quick kiss.

"Pleasure."

You could feel your cheeks begin to flush at the attention, impressed by his gentlemanly demeanor. He had held your hand to the point of it almost being too long, so you pulled away with a soft smile. "So, Steve, what brings you here all by yourself?"

"My best friend is a jerk."

"Pardon?"

He pointed to the dance floor, where a tall man in an army uniform was taking charge of the room with several girls, all shamelessly fawning over him. "Buck gets shipped out tomorrow, so he wanted a night out." He turned back to his drink, swirling the glass as he spoke. "This is pretty much what that means for me."

"Is that why you've been looking so sad all night?" You took the final drink from your glass and held it up to the bartender, summoning him for a refill. "It makes sense now."

Steve turned around to look out into the crowd and saw Bucky smiling at him, nodding his head and gesturing towards you as you threw back your next drink. "Excuse me, ma'am,"

"(Y/N). No ma'am here."

"(Y/N), " he said slowly, "I have to ask. Why did you buy me a drink and come over here? Did Bucky put you up to this?"

"Sweetheart, I have no idea who that even is." You laughed as you began to feel the warmth of the alcohol fill your body. "Why is it so hard to believe that a lady can buy a man a drink?"

The music slowed down and the lights dimmed; you grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the dance floor. He didn't protest, but was hesitant at first. "I have to warn you, I haven't danced in ages."

He swung you around him and pulled you in, resting his hand on your back as you leaned against him, swaying to the beat. "I'll take my chances." His stature was smaller than yours, but in the moment you paid it no attention. He was graceful and courteous, taking care to be the perfect gentleman as he held you in his arms. When the music stopped, he gave you a final spin before leading you back to the bar.

"I should be goin with him, ya know? All I want to do is serve, do my part, and I can't because...well, if you've looked at me you can see why."

Maybe it was the alcohol, or the dancing, or maybe just the distraught look on his face that completely melted your heart for him, but you put your hand to his chin, pulling him closer as you kissed him. He didn't pull away until you heard the yells of encouragement coming from his friend across the room.

"Can we maybe," he began breathlessly, "can we take a walk?"

~~~

You had walked with Steve around the city for almost two hours before either of you had realized what time it was. He had told you about his parents, growing up with Bucky, his desire to enlist, and worst of all the bullying and fights he had endured over the years. He didn't play it off for pity though, and you marveled at his tenacity to do what he felt was right.

"Steve, if you can't enlist, there are other ways to serve your country. Ways that don't get you killed."

"I know," he said, taking your hand and pulling it to him so you were arm-in-arm as you walked, "but I got no right to do any less. It's something I need to do."

You sighed, slowly contemplating your next words. "Well, my sister is in the Army, and perhaps she could help. I can talk to her if you would like me to?"

Before he could answer, a pair of hands grabbed him by the back of his jacket and pulled him into the dark alleyway, his hand losing its grip on yours. "Alright, kid. I told you not to come around this neighborhood, now didn't I? You gotta lotta nerve."

"Listen, we don't want any trouble. I'm just walking the lady home."

The assailant looked you up and down, assessing your worthiness of his attention. "Don't worry, doll. Give me a minute, then a real man can walk you home."

Steve put up his fists and took a shot, barely shifting the man off his footing. The man retaliated with a swift hit to Steve's jaw, quickly splitting his lip as it grazed across his teeth. As fascinated as you were by Steve's determination to continue, you couldn't stand by as he got himself hurt. You grabbed the man by the shirt collar, turning him towards you to land a firm punch to his eye, knocking him to the ground as he yelled in pain.

"Come on, love. I think we're done here."

As you pulled him from the scene, Steve's eyes were wide at the realization of what had just happened. "You...that was...wow. Where did you learn to do that?"

"I told you; sister in the Army." You grabbed his arm and stopped him to look at his injury, "hey, you're bleeding! Let's get you home and bandage that up. Which way?"

He looked around, appearing nervous about telling you where he lived. He was worried that his neighbors might get the wrong idea about a young lady leaving his place alone in the morning, because he wasn't about to let you go anywhere on your own at night. "That's not a good idea, (Y/N). I don't want people to get the wrong idea of you."

"I think we're well past that, sweetheart. Point the way."

~~~

Neither of you had slept all night, telling stories of your childhoods, your aspirations for your life, and things you would have done differently before today. Talking with Steve was easy and natural; there were no awkward silences or pressure fill every moment with words. Some of the best part of the conversations were when you sat quietly, appreciating that the other was there. When the time came to leave, you hoped that there would be an opportunity to see him again, but he was determined to find a way to get into the Army, even if he had to lie, despite his innate truthfulness.

Standing on his doorstep, you pulled him into one last hug before leaving. He stepped back and took your face in his hands, pressing his lips softly against yours, taking the time to remember the feeling of you against him and the warmth of your breath with his. He swore to himself that he would always remember this moment.

"Goodbye, Steve. Please, be careful."

All he could do was nod as you walked away, as his voice would surely fail him if he could even find the words to say.

~~~

It was several months later that you had read about Steve's rescue of Bucky's unit behind enemy lines, and you couldn't help but feel pride in the man he had become. After that day, you followed the news carefully to hear anything you could about Captain Rogers. You heard stories from your sister as well, but you hoped that you would one day soon speak to him again. It never came to be, and it broke your heart the day you heard of the plane crash that took his life.

"He saved New York, (Y/N). He was a hero."

"I know. But that's who he was, long before this."

There was silence on the phone, waiting for your sister to say more, but you knew that the topic of Steve was hard for her as well; perhaps harder than for anyone else.

"And now, everyone will finally know that. You and I can help to carry that legacy for him, (Y/N)."

You smiled as you thought back to the night you met that skinny version of Steve, the little man with the huge heart and bravery to match. You knew that you couldn't let him down, even now.

"You're damn right we will, Peg. You're damn right."