therightagent | (no subject)

Actually going out for a date without being mobbed by reporters required waiting until what the those around the Tower affectionately dubbed the Bucky Bonanza had died down a little. SHIELD fielded most of the questions about her, confirming that yes, she was Sergeant Jane Barnes, long-dead member of the Howling Commandos; yes, the circumstances of her revival were similar to those of Steve Rogers', though the details were classified; no, she did not plan to join the Avengers as anything more than, at best, an emergency volunteer; and no, the prosthetic arm she was wearing would not be available to civilians for at least several years, though Stark Industries was working on making it more efficient and cost-effective. Bucky herself got away with only a few brief statements thanks to SHIELD making it clear that she was still recovering from her revival and subsequent culture shock. (It doesn't thrill her to be thought of as the fragile vet who couldn't handle the modern age, but it's still better than being the recovering brainwashed assassin who personally made certain sections of the last century hell for a lot of people.)

It's Pepper Potts, Stark's Girl Friday, who does most of the arranging by finding them a private place they can go and discreet transportation. She's also Bucky's personal savior for helping her find something to wear - her wardrobe up until then consisted mostly of serviceable everyday clothes, not something she could wear on a date (even with Steve. especially with Steve). Apparently she has plenty of money to spend on something frivolous like this since she's been officially changed from KIA to MIA and awarded a portion of the backpay she's apparently set to receive. Pepper directs her to some places she can find dresses in the kind of styles she'd have worn in the 1940s, then arranges for her to have an appointment with someone who does hair and makeup with some kind of magic, apparently, because by the end of things she looks a hell of a lot nicer than she has in about half a century.

Now, all she has to do is wait for her evening's escort to show up.

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Steve? Yeah, Steve is probably as nervous as he could possibly get. Dating was still new to him, which was saying something for someone who was physically 90 years old. He'd never dated back in the 40s, back before everything had happened and he wasn't sure what to do now that he was going on a date with Bucky.

Honestly though? He could kiss Pepper for the help she'd been. She'd made sure he was taken care of too, getting him a suit for the occasion along with making sure all the reservations and transportation was taken care of. Now all that was left was to actually pick up his girl and take her out.

He breathed out, staring at the elevator doors as they carried him up Stark Tower and to her floor. He stepped out, looking back down at the flowers he'd got. Were they too much? God he hoped not. His knuckles rapped on her door and he waited, looking around.

Oh, Steve.

Bucky isn't really fully prepared for the sight of Steve in a suit, let alone with flowers (because of course he did, and she pushes away the thought that this is so much more than she deserves because she promised). There's a hint of a blush in her face when she grins at him. "Hey."

He just stared when the door opened, mouth falling open as he took in the sight of her. God she looked beautiful. "Buck...you..." He blushed brightly, holding the flowers out to her. "You look beautiful. You really do."

A girl could really get spoiled on Steve Rogers, she thinks.

And at some point in her life, Bucky knows she was good at taking and giving compliments, but that seems to be one of the skills that's taking longer to come back. "I'm not sure the appointment Potts set me up with didn't include some kind of deal with the devil, so we should probably get going before someone shows up for my soul."

"I wouldn't let them." He said, smiling before holding his arm out for her to take with a smile. "Come on. I'm starving and apparently we're going to one of the best restaurants in town." He chuckled, leaning in and kissing her temple when he had the chance.

She went out on dates, back before the war. Out dancing and things, mostly. They didn't make her anywhere near as pathetically giddy as this does, and it has nothing to do with their apparent impending culinary orgasm.

"I'll believe it when I see it."

He chuckled, taking her hand and pulling her gently, leading her downstairs and out to the car waiting for them. "I can't get over how beautiful you look. Its like we're back home..." He said softly, biting his lip.

"Didn't have anywhere near the money for a dress like this back then."

She's still trying not to think about the price tag, really - comes from growing up during the Depression. She tosses him a grin instead. "You're not looking so bad yourself, you know."

"You know, before you went off and enlisted on me...I was saving up money. I had a little saved up. I wanted to do something special for you." He smiled lopsidedly, tilting his head. He leaned over, kissing her temple.

Doesn't that tug at her heart in all the wrong ways. Her smile slips a little, almost guilty.

She grabs hold of his hand with her flesh one, tugging it lightly. "Come on, we're gonna be late."