"i'm just a bad boy, life is just a bowl of cherries"
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steve knew exactly who he was. the one he bumped into last night, he's never been to this shop before. what must he want? "but" james interrupted, tapping his palm against the ringer bell on the desk. "my friends and squadrons call me bucky" steve nods hesitantly. "but you aren't my friend, so call me james" steve scoffs. "what do you need, barnes" steve's voice was shaky, the boy in front of him was so handsome it made him nervous. the shop was suspiciously quiet at this hour, everyone was off for lunch meals around this time giving the shop a quiet hum of two or three customers. "i told peggy i needed some sunflowers, why? do you need to know? am i allowed to collect flowers from peggy?" his voice was daunting, mocking steve with every word he spoke. steve stumbled over his words. "i, i didn't say you couldn't, i-i was j-just wandering w-why you" he couldn't finish his sentence before james reaches his hand over the desk to ruffle steve's hair. "ain't you cute" slips from james' lips. before steve could blush, peggy finally arrived to the front desk with james' order. "ah, peggy, my rose. thank you so much for keeping them pretty for me" is this the way he speaks to everyone? steve recognised he had an overpowering charm. he made peggy blush, for christ's sake, the strongest, toughest shell to crack or impress. and she's married. and she's blushing? from james barnes' wit and flirtation?
it seemed impossible to steve. how could one person be so intimidating yet so daunting and charming? it gave steve goosebumps. james strolled back up to the front till to pay for his sunflowers. steve packaged them and boxed them without a glance at james, but could feel james' eyes burning a hole through steve, he was staring right at him. steve wanted him to go away. steves stomach hurt from butterflies. he was working rapidly, the bow was messily tied and there were petals hanging from the box. he didn't care how it looked, he wanted james out of his sight.
"easy tiger, these are for my grandma" james places a sturdy hand on steve's shoulder. "and she's very very sick. make them look nice for her, for me? please?" james' voice lowered as he pleaded like a big-eyed puppy, that was the way he looked too. steve didn't say a word, he packed them beater and stamped them for james to take away. "that'll be $15, please" steve says, nearly in a whisper. james rummaged his leather pocket for the money, handing it over to steve through his fingerless gloves that sat on his hands prettily. "thank you, sweetie. i might be back tomorrow" james replied while picking up the flowers from the til. steve doesn't want him back tomorrow. steve doesn't want him back ever.
"goodbye, peggy. thank you again my sweet" he yells to the back room for peggy to hear before finally leaving. steve could finally breathe, he was nervous the whole time james was in the shop. he was flustered. peggy came out from the back to join him at the til, placing a hand on steve's forehead. "you okay, lovey? you seem to be too hot" she giggled, knowing it was likely because of james. "yeah yeah peggy i'm fine, how do you know him?" steve splutters out as he pats his sweaty shirt. "he's a family friend of ours steve, no need to worry. he isn't going to hurt you, he seems to like you anyways. that's just the way he acts, petal. relax" peggy was cupping steves face in her hands, feeling his shaky heartbeat aswell.
"oh my dear, are you feeling any better?" no. steve never felt better. he was always sick, heart murmurs and flus, asthma and eating problems. steve was always sick. he won't let it stop him though, not now or ever. "i'm okay, peggy. just a little queezy today. i can still work. please don't worry" steve insisted as he felt faint. "i'm grabbing you some water and biscuits to keep you alive, sweetheart. please let me know if you need to sit today out, this heat doesn't help at all does it?" steve smiled, peggy was exactly like his mother. it made him feel a lot better. "thank you, peggy. thank you for taking care of me" he says, sipping from his water cup and bubbling lightly on the honey digestive peggy gave to him. "it's nothing, precious. i don't want anything bad to happen to the best flower boy this town has ever seen" steve blushed. he felt better already. his encounter with james nearly forgotten.
after work, peggy and steve finished the shop close at the same time, around 6pm, it was a friday so they tended to close early. "let me take you for some tea, come on. just to the diner across the block steve" peggy whinced, insisting on brightening his mood. "ah, okay. but not for long, my cat is missing me peggy" steve chuckled in reply. he appreciated when peggy took him for food, making sure he was eating. taking care of him, but not too full on. she was looking out for him. as the sauntered to the finer, the sky was filled with a beautiful, orange dusted sunset, clear clouds and purple colours peaking from behind the distant buildings. steve liked when it was like this.
the evening was splendid, he ate a good meal and laughed with his good friend, caught up with her and told her about the cat, about work and art and other life. "when are you gonna get yourself a little sweetheart, steve. i know the girls around town paw over you, you're a cutie. they can't resist" steve blushed. "ah, peggy. they don't want skinny small boys like me, i'm not enough ever. they want the tall ones, the ones with pretty eyes and scruffy half-beards and big hands and military families" steve rolls his eyes while practically describing his encounter from earlier on in the day. "you mean boys like james, don't you" peggy sighs. steve gulps "i suppose i do, but that doesn't mean anything" steve sips from his warm tea after finishing his meal.
steve and peggy pay and leave, peggy walls steve home as its on her own way to hers anyways. "i'll see you tomorrow, but write in or something if you need tomorrow off. please take care of yourself" she wraps her arms around steve before leaving him.
he walks in the house, the cat greeting him at his feet before he undresses to his boxers and lays on the couch. steve liked today. he sighed, falling asleep quickly on his leather sofa.
