Dance lessons - Marvel character ficlet
Wrote a ficlet for shanachie_quill as part of her wishlist. Thought I'd put it here, too. It's nothing, not even 500 words, but it was fun to write.
title: Dance Lessons
author: thl
universe: Marvel - Captain America
rating: G
disclaimer: do not own any characters and have posted for personal amusement only
Steve’s cheeks burned as he exited the tent. A midnight breeze soon cooled his frustrations, and he stood in the moonlight contemplating irony.
Bucky approached him a few minutes later.
“What’s up, sad sack?”
Steve shrugged. “Nothing. Just enjoying the night.” He breathed deeply. “We’d better turn in and rest up. I’ll need an account of our supplies in the morning so we can restock when we reach headquarters. Make sure everyone gives you their numbers.”
“Yes, sir!”
Bucky’s mock salute brought a wry snort from Steve, especially since it was delivered with an impish grin.
“Seriously, what’s wrong? In two days’ time we’ll be eating right and in the presence of dames again.”
Steve jerked his head toward the tent. “You heard them. They have a great time at these USO dances.”
“And you don’t?”
“I don’t.”
Bucky rubbed his jaw with absent fingers. “Is this about your lady friend?”
“The one who won’t talk to me anymore? Yes.”
“She might be there.”
“Maybe, but I wouldn’t know what to do with her even if she was.”
Bucky chuckled. “Start with dancing.”
Steve shot a glance at the tent before confessing to his friend. “I don’t know how.”
That brought on a shocked expression. “What about all those performances?”
“I was a trained monkey on a stage. Dancing with a partner is,” he paused, “different. I’ve never had the pleasure.” He eyed Bucky. “No girl ever wanted to dance with me before, remember?”
“That’s right! You were a runt.” Bucky waived a hand at Steve. “Hey, I’m sorry. You’ve been Captain America for months now and I’ve gotten used to you as a force to be reckoned with. I keep forgetting only the outside has changed. You’re still a wallflower. I get it.” He held out his hands. “Okay, Steve. Time for lessons.”
Steve frowned. “What? Now?”
“No time like the present. We’ll start simple, with a waltz. I’ll be the dame.”
Wordlessly, Steve faced his friend and awkwardly put his hands where he thought they should go.
Bucky laughed and adjusted them. “Guys, a little music please.”
Soft singing wafted from the formerly silent tent, bringing another blush to Steve’s cheeks.
“That’s perfect.” Bucky smiled. “Look at my feet, buddy. Count one, two, three, one, two, three. That’s it. Keep going. Remember, you’re leading. You go forward and I go backward.”
They maneuvered around the dirt in circles. Hesitant at first, Steve slowly got the gist of it. Pretty soon he tried a turn.
“Nice.” Bucky laughed. “Okay, now look me in the eyes and tell me how pretty I am.”
Muffled snickers erupted from the tent and the singing faltered slightly.
“Hey,” Bucky admonished over his shoulder, “if we have to teach him to dance, we might as well teach him how to do it properly.”
“Thanks, guys,” Steve muttered. He eyed Bucky and grinned sheepishly. “And you all look pretty darned good to me.”
title: Dance Lessons
author: thl
universe: Marvel - Captain America
rating: G
disclaimer: do not own any characters and have posted for personal amusement only
Steve’s cheeks burned as he exited the tent. A midnight breeze soon cooled his frustrations, and he stood in the moonlight contemplating irony.
Bucky approached him a few minutes later.
“What’s up, sad sack?”
Steve shrugged. “Nothing. Just enjoying the night.” He breathed deeply. “We’d better turn in and rest up. I’ll need an account of our supplies in the morning so we can restock when we reach headquarters. Make sure everyone gives you their numbers.”
“Yes, sir!”
Bucky’s mock salute brought a wry snort from Steve, especially since it was delivered with an impish grin.
“Seriously, what’s wrong? In two days’ time we’ll be eating right and in the presence of dames again.”
Steve jerked his head toward the tent. “You heard them. They have a great time at these USO dances.”
“And you don’t?”
“I don’t.”
Bucky rubbed his jaw with absent fingers. “Is this about your lady friend?”
“The one who won’t talk to me anymore? Yes.”
“She might be there.”
“Maybe, but I wouldn’t know what to do with her even if she was.”
Bucky chuckled. “Start with dancing.”
Steve shot a glance at the tent before confessing to his friend. “I don’t know how.”
That brought on a shocked expression. “What about all those performances?”
“I was a trained monkey on a stage. Dancing with a partner is,” he paused, “different. I’ve never had the pleasure.” He eyed Bucky. “No girl ever wanted to dance with me before, remember?”
“That’s right! You were a runt.” Bucky waived a hand at Steve. “Hey, I’m sorry. You’ve been Captain America for months now and I’ve gotten used to you as a force to be reckoned with. I keep forgetting only the outside has changed. You’re still a wallflower. I get it.” He held out his hands. “Okay, Steve. Time for lessons.”
Steve frowned. “What? Now?”
“No time like the present. We’ll start simple, with a waltz. I’ll be the dame.”
Wordlessly, Steve faced his friend and awkwardly put his hands where he thought they should go.
Bucky laughed and adjusted them. “Guys, a little music please.”
Soft singing wafted from the formerly silent tent, bringing another blush to Steve’s cheeks.
“That’s perfect.” Bucky smiled. “Look at my feet, buddy. Count one, two, three, one, two, three. That’s it. Keep going. Remember, you’re leading. You go forward and I go backward.”
They maneuvered around the dirt in circles. Hesitant at first, Steve slowly got the gist of it. Pretty soon he tried a turn.
“Nice.” Bucky laughed. “Okay, now look me in the eyes and tell me how pretty I am.”
Muffled snickers erupted from the tent and the singing faltered slightly.
“Hey,” Bucky admonished over his shoulder, “if we have to teach him to dance, we might as well teach him how to do it properly.”
“Thanks, guys,” Steve muttered. He eyed Bucky and grinned sheepishly. “And you all look pretty darned good to me.”