Ashes to Ashes | S. Rogers

negative eleven

HER pencil was neatly tucked over her ear, kept properly in place despite the obvious fact that it was going to fall, and she held a notepad tightly in her hands as she gave a charming smile to the two gentlemen in front of her. She knew they were rather new customers – working at the diner for nearly a month got her accustomed to seeing the same faces everyday, not to mention, she'd definitely remember men who looked as fine as they did.

One was blonde and small and looked almost frail – which was odd, to Lilly, since guys didn't really look weak those days. Most were trained, buff men who wanted to defend the country by serving in the army. This man definitely did not look like he did. Nonetheless, she saw how his blue eyes shined with some sort of happiness – or perhaps even passion – as he graced his handsome features with a light smile.

The other had dark hair partly hidden by a hat Lilly knew was provided by the army. He was much bigger than his friend, definitely having the typical qualities of a good soldier. His jaw was strong, clenched as he ground his teeth together as he thought, and his blue eyes, though different from the blues of his friend, scanned the menu.

"Hello lads, my name is Lilly and I'm going to be your server for today. What would the pair of you like?" she asked, her English accent-coated voice sounding incredibly posh to their ears as they weren't particularly used to hearing it. She smoothed out the wrinkles on her frustratingly tight dress as they scanned over the menus they held in their hands.

"I'd like a...cheeseburger with – um – fries on the side. And a date with our beautiful waitress would be fantastic as well, thanks. What about you, Steve?" The man, the one who was obviously not Steve, held an absolutely shameless grin to his face as he asked Lilly out on a date. She bit back an amused smile, and let her eyes travel from his bright blue eyes to his wonderfully defined jawline and to the dog tags that hung around his neck, conveniently exposed.

She leaned down towards him, placing a hand on the table and noticing the way how his eyes trailed from her eyes and down to her lips until they reached her visible collar bones and they snapped back up. A smirk graced her features, savoring the way the shameless man actually showed the tiniest bit of embarrassment by the way he averted his eyes.

"Coming right up – but I do apologize, Mr Barnes – " she paused, emphasizing his name and absolutely adoring how his eyebrows shot up in surprise and his eyes widen. A laugh couldn't help but escape her lips when she saw the way his mouth drop, as though he was amazed at how she was reacting. " – but we do not serve dates. And what would you like, sir?"

She shifted her attention wholly to the blonde man – Steve, she recalled – who was trying, but hilariously failing, to stifle his laughter through pursed lips. He gave a polite smile, possibly the most respectful one she's received as a waitress, before he answered, "I'll have the same as he's having – minus the date – " he stopped suddenly. " – not that I wouldn't like a date with a beautiful dame like you, it's just that – "

She let out bubbly giggle at how Steve's face lit up like a red tomato and looked like he wanted very much for the ground to swallow him at that instant. His friend, Mr Barnes, didn't even bother trying to hide his laughter, instead opting to let out a few chuckles that made Steve mutter, "Jerk."

"Punk," Mr Barnes shot back, a laughable grin on his face.

"Idiots," she echoed, her tainted red lips curled in a smile at Steve and Mr Barnes' expressions. "I'll be bringing you your burgers shortly," She took their menus from their hands and sauntered away, definitely taking notice of how their eyes stayed on her, following the way her hips swayed with every step she took. It was almost hypnotizing – and it left them in a trance-like state before Mr Barnes let out a laugh and jokingly punched Steve.

. . .

They didn't leave after they finished eating. Bucky, as the man told her his name when he called for Lilly once again, ordered the pair of them milkshakes, the tallest ones as he knew it would take the longest to finish. They didn't leave even after they finished their milkshakes and when the sun descended, leaving the moon to illuminate the dark sky. No – they stood up from the table they'd been sitting at for hours when Lilly was about to leave.

Clad in a pretty sundress that hugged her waist before flaring out, she hollered a quick goodbye to the other waitresses and cooks. She put on her coat in a swift motion, exiting out the door and onto the streets of Brooklyn. They were nearly empty, with only a few cars passing by the street lit by various street lamps. The cool wind breezed by her, tickling her bare legs as she started walking back to her home.

Not even a minute away from the diner, she knew she was being followed. The sound of several foot steps echoing as she passed each dark alley reached her ears, and she could feel their eyes on her back as she walked quicker. A hand instinctively reached into her purse, on the pepper spray her mother gave her when she told her she was moving out, and she stretched her neck, making it crack.

She whipped around, her long hair harshly hitting her face, as she brought the pepper spray close to one of them's eyes, ready to press the nozzle. "Bucky, Steve," She let out a relieved sigh as she kept her weapon once again. "Why are you two stalking me?"

Bucky laughed, "Nooo – we aren't stalking you," He bounced on the balls of his feet, his eyes glinting like he found that exact moment funny. "We were protecting you, really."

A confident smirk made its way to her lips and she raised an eyebrow at the two men. "How considerate. Thank you, boys, but I really don't need protection. Oh and – " she leaned in, closer to the space that separated the two boys, so that she could whisper into their ears. " – I really do know of your ploy to get a date out of me, and sorry, but it's still a no." And she walked away.

Bucky was quick to catch up with her, throwing an arm around her shoulder which she looked at with narrowed eyes. Steve was on her other side, keeping silent but watching as his best friend persistently asked the dame out because although he wasn't much of a wingman, he would stick with Bucky until the end of the line.

"You really don't know when to give up, do you?" she asked him and followed by saying, "Like you certainly don't know anything about personal space." She shrugged his arm off, and stopped walking to face the two boys – one that looked so utterly hopeful and one that looked so utterly lost. She sighed, "Come on now, I'll take the two of you out on a date, sounds good?"

"W – wait, miss, I don't think – "

"See, that's just not how we like to roll – "

Lilly laughed, rolling her eyes at how these boys were such idiots in her presence, not that she didn't like to use it to her advantage sometimes, and it would have definitely attracted the attention of plenty had the streets not been deserted. "Listen," She gave them a kind smile, one that let her lips curl up on just one side and her eyes twinkle.

"I'm not insinuating anything greater than a cup of coffee, mister. I mean, if you two don't want to, I won't mind at all. But there's a fantastic café just a couple of blocks from here, and don't worry," she winked, and Steve wondered how someone could be so alluring by just closing one of their eyes. "I'll pay."

With that, she once again sashayed away and Bucky and Steve didn't hesitate to follow her – only, of course, after looking at each other with wide eyes.