Vivacious Cherry
Imagine Steve catching Cougar Peggy looking at hair dye during a trip to the grocery store. - Anonymous
It started as a normal trip to the market, to buy that weeks supply of food.
Ever since Steve had been unfrozen and had started spending more time at Peggy’s place than at his own, Peggy found herself making weekly trips to the store so that her kitchen remained well stocked.
Steve had gone off to grab some cookies for the pantry, leaving Peggy alone to peruse the aisles at her leisure. She hadn’t really been paying attention to where her feet were taking her, but suddenly she was face to face with a shelf full of home hair dye kits.
A box of ‘Vivacious Cherry’ in her hand.
The model on the box smiled up at her, young and care free with her hair dyed the most unnatural shade of red. Looking, Peggy supposed, like a very vivacious cherry.
Perhaps the color wouldn’t be so God awful on her, after all besides the gray streak in her bangs. her hair still had it’s original dark coloring.
Fortunately, at that moment Steve rounded the corner interrupting her train of thought.
“Hey Peg, I grabbed Double Stuff Oreos, and those chocolate chip cookies you like with your tea… what'cha lookin’ at?” Steve asked peering over at the box in her hand.
When he realized that she had a dye kit, his jovial expression faded into one of pity and sadness.
“Oh, Peg…” Peggy felt her cheeks heat and placed the box back on the shelf, before wrapping herself up in a hug.
“Before you crashed, I was twenty-four, I was young and beautiful… Now I’m old.” Peggy said dryly not even meeting Steve’s eye.
“You are not old, Peg.” Steve argued, “you’re only sixty-eight.”
“Steve, I look like your mother!” Peggy replied pinching the bridge of her nose and shaking her head.
There was an tense moment of silence that followed, and then Steve set their basket full of groceries aside and pulled Peggy into his arms.
“Do you know what I thought, when I first saw you sitting next to may hospital bed?” Steve asked tucking Peggy’s head under his chin and rubbing her back to comfort her.
“Who’s this old crone sitting next to me?” Peggy guessed.
“No, I thought to myself, ‘there she is my best girl, looking even more beautiful than the last time I saw her.’” Steve said pressing a kiss into Peggy’s graying curls.
“You did not.”
“Did too, my hand to God. I think you’re beautiful Peg, you could have no hair at all and I would still find you infinitely beautiful.”
Pulling away from him slightly, Peggy looked up at him and smiled when he lovingly pushed her gray bangs from her eyes.
“I love you so much, my darling.”
“I love you too, c’mon let’s go pay for this stuff and get out of here.”