Steve looked furtively around before bending low and starting to snip away at the stems on the tulips.
He hadn’t always stolen the flowers, he used to buy a bouquet at the floral shop, but then money had gotten tighter and the bouquet got smaller until it was just one sad, wilting flower from the bin filled with aging flowers.
And every time he walked past this house on his way he had looked at the beautiful bed of flowers and sighed.
Until one day, he’d had one pathetic rose and had stopped right in front of the prettiest pink tulips he had ever seen.
He had bent down and snatched one up before sprinting away from his crime.
He had arrived huffing and panting before setting the two flowers down on the grass.
And now, going without one of the pretty flowers from that garden just hadn’t seemed right, not when the alternative was showing up with one aging flower from a shop.
It’s not like he visited that often anyways. Hardly ever, if he was honest with himself, which made him guilty in a whole new way. He came on special events, the ones he felt he couldn’t miss. Her birthday, their anniversaries.
Today was a special anniversary and he had to have the pink tulips for it.
He was almost finished, picking the last couple when a voice cried out, “Stop thief!”
Steve was so surprised he toppled right over.
A hand shot out and grabbed at his shoulder, getting the fabric scrunched in it’s fist. “So you’re the dirty flower stealer.”
“I-” Steve looked up into the face of his attacker and stammered. “I-”
“Well,” the man that had grabbed him hauled him to his feet and put his hands on his hips. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“It’s-” Steve turned pinker by the second. “They’re-”
“Spit it out,” the man glared up at him.
It didn’t help Steve’s case that the guy was handsome. Dark hair, a goatee, and gorgeous brown eyes, though those were narrowed in a glare at the moment. Pretty people sometimes made him nervous, though he had gotten some confidence since high school.
“I just-” Steve said. “I’m sorry, but- I just- Peggy-”
“Oho!” the guy’s glare split into a mocking grin. “I see! You were stealing my mother’s flowers for a girl! Well alright mister,” he shoved Steve’s shoulder. “Finish picking your flowers. We’re gonna go see the girl pretty enough to deserve flower theft.”
Steve stared at him. “What?”
“Go on,” the guy made a shooing gesture towards the tulips. “Finish stealing.”
“I-” Steve said. “I don’t understand.”
“You’ve gotta finish getting the rest of your bouquet,” the guy said. “And I’ve gotta make sure this girl is worth it. So, chop chop.”
Steve gave him an incredulous look. “Are you sure?”
The guy raised his eyebrows and waved him towards the flowers.
Steve gave him another look before bending down and picking up his fallen flowers as well as a few new ones.
He stood back up and looked back at the guy.
“Well?” the guy said. “Are you ready?”
“Sure,” Steve said.
“Then let’s go,” the guy grabbed his arm and pulled.
“You know,” Steve said as he was frogmarched forward. “You’re probably not gonna like where I’m going.”
“Oh no, you're not getting out of this one,” the guy said. “I’m going whether you like it or not, buckaroo.”
“Buckaroo?” A small smile pulled at Steve’s lips. “I actually prefer Steve.”
The guy’s eyes flickered to him before returning dead ahead. “Tony.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“Wish I could say the same.”
Steve grinned. “Sorry.”
Tony sighed. “Whatever. So, Steve-o. Tell me about this Peggy.”
Something sunk in Steve’s gut and he gulped. “Well, she’s... a real swell gal. Best person I know.”
Tony remained silent so Steve continued.
“Pretty brown hair, wears it in curls. Wears red lipstick almost always. I like that a lot. It looks real good on her.”
“Get all over you when you kiss?” Tony asked with a smirk.
“Uh yeah,” Steve said awkwardly. “Pretty much. She wears heels too. Walks like a dream in ‘em, like you wouldn’t believe.”
“I like heels,” Tony mused. “Very sexy.”
“Yeah, but they aren’t just that,” Steve said. “They’re powerful too.”
Tony snorted. “You don’t have to tell me. I know a girl who wears heels exclusively too.”
“What’s her name?”
“Pepper. But tell me more about Peggy.”
“Okay, well, she’s really brash. She’ll always tell you what she’s thinking.”
“I’ll be sure not to say anything stupid then.”
“Uh,” Steve said. “Yeah. And she hated when people thought she couldn’t do stuff. Her family was really old fashioned and didn’t think women could do a whole lot.”
“Pigs,” Tony nodded, completely serious.
“Totally,” Steve agreed. “So it was kind of hard for her to let that go and accept that people aren’t always against her because of her gender.”
“Understandably.”
“Definitely. She likes it when I draw her. Not because she’s vain but because I choose a time when the lighting’s real soft and it’s quiet and we just get to be together, you know?”
Tony smiled softly. “That sounds nice.”
“It w-is.” Steve said. “And she was always real supportive of me. Even when I said I wanted to go to art school. She said she’d stay with me anyway and if she had to, she’d be the breadwinner while I raised the kids.”
Tony laughed. “Sounds like Peggy.”
Steve laughed too. “You already know her.”
“I feel like it,” Tony said. “You’ve got real nice things to say about her, Steve. She’s lucky to have such a good boyfriend. Even if he is a flower thief.”
Tony gently bumped his shoulder against Steve.
Steve grinned and bumped back.
***
“Oh,” Tony said. “Oh.”
“Yeah,” Steve said awkwardly.
They were standing in front of the gravestone that read “Margaret Carter” in curvy letters. It was pretty simple as far as gravestones went, no statue at the top or extra decorations. Square and white, pretty in it’s own way.
“Steve, I had no idea,” Tony breathed.
“Yeah,” Steve said again.
They stared down at Peggy’s grave together in silence.
“Well,” Tony said after a while, bumping his shoulder into Steve’s. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
“Oh yeah,” Steve said before clearing his throat. “Um, Peggy? Hi.”
Steve’s gaze flickered to Tony, worrying about him judging him. But Tony just stared seriously at the gravestone, looking like someone would look when actually being introduced to someone important.
“Um,” Steve said. “I missed you. I know it’s been awhile, but I also know you want it to be less. For me to, uh, move on. But you know how important today is and I had to come. And uh,” Steve nudged Tony. “I brought a friend. His name is Tony and he’s the one whose flowers I- steal.”
“Hi Peggy,” Tony said. “Steve told me a lot about you. You sound really awesome. You sound like someone I’d wanna spend time with too. And- for the record- you were definitely worth stealing the flowers for.”
Steve grinned broadly. “Definitely.”
They stood in comfortable silence.
“Um,” Steve said after a while. “I normally update her on what’s going on. Is it okay...”
“Do you want me to go?” Tony asked.
“No,” Steve said quickly. “Not unless you want to.”
Tony grinned. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Steve smiled too before turning back to Peggy.
“I got a job at a comic place.” Steve said. “I draw some of the panels and after a few more months they wanna start hearing some of my ideas for comics. They said I just have to have the seniority first. Bucky’s coming home soon, he’s in London now, should be home next week. Oh,” Steve turned to Tony. “Bucky’s my best friend. He was in the army for awhile but now he just travels around finding himself.”
“But,” Steve continued. “I think he might be home for a long time this time, he says he’s getting homesick. And now for the news I know you really wanna hear.”
He reached behind him and pulled out a rag mag with the Royal Family on the front.
He took a seat on the grass and opened it.
Tony was still standing next to him, smiling down.
Steve looked up and patted the grass next to him.
Tony smiled and lowered himself down. “People? Really?”
“Peggy loves the Royal Family,” Steve said. “And this is the collector’s edition, if you must know. So Peggy, they just had their daughter, they named her Charlotte. Isn’t that pretty? I always really like that name before.”
He cleared his throat and began to read from the article.
***
They had finished the magazine awhile ago and now Tony was just flipping through the pictures.
“Do you mind telling me how she died?” he said quietly.
Steve sighed and looked off into the sky. It was so blue today, just like it was eight years ago on this anniversary. “Car accident.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. They said she didn’t feel any pain, that it was instant.”
“That’s what they said about my parents.”
Steve’s gaze snapped to Tony. “Your...”
“Yeah,” Tony stared steadfastly at the magazine. “Five years ago. Car accident as well.”
Steve watched him but Tony didn’t meet his gaze.
“Those are actually my mom’s flowers,” Tony said and Steve could tell he was trying to be casual. But Steve also knew what it sounded like when tears were welling up and your throat was growing tight.
“Those flowers meant the world to her,” Tony continued. “She could have been a famous gardener, if she hadn’t gotten married and become a debutante, honestly. She was that good. Just had a natural green thumb.”
“She sounds nice.” Steve said softly.
“Her favorites were the pink tulips,” Tony said, closing the magazine.
“Peggy’s too.” Steve said after a moment.
There was a comfortable silence between them.
“Is that why you came here today? Is this...”
“No,” Steve said saving Tony from having to finish that sentence. “This is, uh, a different anniversary.”
“But an important one.”
“Yeah,” Steve blushed. “This is, uh, the anniversary of... our first kiss.”
A slow grin spread across Tony’s face as he looked up at Steve. “Your first kiss?”
“Yes,” Steve was blushing furiously. “It’s an important anniversary. Stop smiling.”
“No, I’m not making fun,” Tony said seriously, though he was still grinning. “That’s just so...”
“So?” Steve prompted him.
“Sweet.” Tony finished.
They looked at each other.
“Thanks,” Steve said.
***
“So,” Steve said as they walked back to Tony’s house. “This Pepper. Is she your girlfriend?”
“Nope,” Tony said, popping the ‘p.’ “You’re looking at a single man.”
“Cool,” Steve said. “I mean, me too.”
Tony smirked. “Cool.”
Steve blushed and stared at the pavement. “So, uh, I was wondering...”
“Yeah?”
“What I mean to say is- what I think-”
“Spit it out,” Tony said and Steve was reminded of just a few hours ago when Tony had definitely not been looking at him like that and hadn’t known Peggy.
“Peggy liked you,” Steve blurted.
Tony didn't look fazed but just smiled. “I liked her too.”
“And uh,” Steve continued, still blushing. “Anyone who has Peggy’s seal of approval is pretty cool.”
“She seems like she’s got a good character judgement.” Tony said seriously.
They stopped in front of Tony’s house, at the little sidewalk leading up to his door.
“And so I was just wondering,” Steve cringed, scratching the back of his head. “If maybe you’d like to go out sometime?”
Tony’s grin grew blinding. “I’d love to.”
“Great,” Steve said. “That’s- great. Can I, uh...?”
“Here, give me your phone.”
Steve handed it over.
“I’m actually free tonight,” Tony said nonchalantly as he plugged his number into Steve’s phone. “If you're up to it.”
“Yeah!” Steve said eagerly, accepting his phone back. “I mean... yeah sure.”
Tony smiled. “Cool. You know SHIELD? That shawarma place down the road?”
“Yeah,” Steve said. “I know the place.”
“Eight sound good?”
“Yeah,” Steve said. “Sounds great.”
“Great,” Tony said. “I’ll see you then.”
“Okay,” Steve said.
They stood there for a moment.
Gathering the courage, Steve leaned down and gently kissed Tony.
Tony was smiling when he pulled away. “See you then.”
“See you,” Steve blushed.
Tony turned and walked up the sidewalk, stopping with his hand on the doorknob. “Oh and Steve?”
“Yeah?” Steve said.
“You can take flowers to Peggy anytime,” Tony smiled. “I think my mom would have liked that.”