14167/After the charity ball

After the charity ball
Date of Scene:	03 March 2022
Location:	Greenwich Village, Manhattan
Synopsis:	Cap finally decides to live in today.
Cast of Characters:	Cammy White, Captain America

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Cammy White has posed:
The party had gone well. The Wounded Warrior Project had gained several thousand dollars for the cause from the wealthy who wanted to be sure they looked good in the press. It wasn't that they necessarily gave a damn about the cause itself. It was just a matter of supporting something that made them look like good people. Image was everything.

Yet in that party had been quite a few people who had benefited from the charity. Men and women who had served only to pay a very high price. Some of them were in attendance with friends or family. Allowing for them to enjoy a party that might have been beyond their means otherwise.

Then there were representatives from various branches of the service who were still active. In addition, there were some of the better known international agencies. Cammy White had been there for MI6 as well as Interpol. She had been quite popular with the rich crowed, but she suspected morseo for her appearance than her career choice.

And of course, there had been Captain America. He was the draw. And the reason more money was made at this event, in comparison to the last one. Hoestly it likely had been the same amount from tonight equalled the last three events. And that was what mattered.

But now that the event had wound down, the patrons all gone their way, all that was left was a few scattered people. The cleaning crew was working around those small gatherings. Cammy came out of the kitchens, still in her green evening gown, but with a bottle of beer in her hand. She took a quick sip then looked for a place to sit down for just a minute or two.

Captain America has posed:
    She might be momentarily distracted when his voice is heard. Steve Rogers had taken some time to stand at the bar with the staff, a small meet and greet as he made sure to shake hands and take selfies with any of the people who worked the event and wanted some time.
    And there he was over there, laughing a little as he tells them. "This wasn't a bad event. I've seen a million worse, and not too many with better food, good job guys." Which had smiles blossoming back and forth.
    One of the waitresses who had gotten a dressing down by Lady Rotherford she was giggling at one point as Steve gave her a half-hug in the photo she took while saluting while wearing those army dress greens. But now that gathering was winding down, she might hear one of the bartenders offering an invitation to the old veteran about joining the after party but he replied, "Thanks, I'll take a raincheck. Next time for sure."
    And chances are if he does work another job with this crew he might very well do it.

Cammy White has posed:
Earlier in the evening, Cammy had befriended the kitchen staff. That is how she had gotten the setup and privacy to allow Captain America a break from the crowds earlier in the party. She was comfortable with them, thus why she had gone in the kitchen to get her own drink instead of asking someone else for it. She'd chatted with them for a bit and had a few beers while still in the kitchen, before she came out a moment ago.

So she might be a tad into her cups at the moment. Thus she was comfortable, at ease, and slightly less inhibited than she might be normally.

She made her way over toward the bar, giving a nod to a couple of the group she knew from earlier then glanced at Cap.

"Now this seems more like it," she said, commenting on the small gathering where everyone was comfortable instead of stiff. She offered the beer to Cap even though she'd already had a few sips of it. Since he had declined earlier, she honestly expected him to again.

Captain America has posed:
    "Thank you, Agent White." Steve says as he smiles to the others around them and tilts the bottle up, making some small show of taking a sip. Which he seems to enjoy with a quirked eyebrow as he looks at the label, "This isn't half-bad."
    Though she knows full well he gets nothing out of booze beyond the taste. But then he's handing it back to her and smiles, giving her a wink as if to share that small lie of omission between them before he's nodding to the others.
    "Alright fellas, ladies. Don't let me keep you if you got anywhere you need to go." He lightly slaps the brim of his hat and brushes it with the edge of his hand before tucking it back under his arm. "I should probably head back myself. Early morning tomorrow." Though for him likely every morning is an early one for him.
    A glance given to Camille, "Are you out front, Miss White?" Just seeing if they're going the same way.

Cammy White has posed:
"I'm heading that way," was her response as she rose to her feet. She still was carrying the beer and likely would finish it off then toss the empty in a trashcan outside the ballroom. That way the crew didn't have yet another thing to clean up. She hopped off her stool and fell into step with the good Captain.

Early morning had her remembering that the man was always up and going far too early every day back when she'd lived across the hall. Since her job was to monitor him, that meant she got up early too. Not that she minded. It was a habit of hers already.

She started walking toward the exit. "Did you drive? Or just hopped a Quinjet over?" she asked, obviously joking. She had done neither. Instead, she'd arrived in an Uber. And fully intended to use one to get home now that everything was over. Not that she'd actually scheduled one yet but NYC tended to have plenty of them at every hour of hte day so she didn't expect to wait long.

Captain America has posed:
    "Oh I flew, big cape flapping in the air," Steve said with a slight side-smile, clearly giving himself the business as he walks along, hands in the jacket pockets of his uniform. He shakes his head though after a moment and smiles. "Well, alright, maybe a limousine. But that's not really my style. Once the guy dropped me off I told him head on home, I'd find a way."
    Which he likely would.
    "I was thinking of walking to the mansion, it's not too far off." He says as they start descending the long long steps that head toward the front lobby of the Ritz hotel. He instinctively steps to the outside to give Cammy the handrail just in case she somehow fails to remember how to walk down stairs.
    A nod is given in the vague direction of the mansion, even though there's still a hotel in the way and a few more buildings. "You? Big plans for the rest of the weekend?"

Cammy White has posed:
"I don't think you would be caught in a cape ever," Cammy says laughing at the very image of it. "It could be taken advantage of in a fight far too easily. And you can tell Thor I said that," she added with a playful wink.

She started down the steps and her balance was just fine, without the use of the handrail. Even when she was wearing heels which made her stand about three inches taller than she normally was. Which still was far shorter than him.

"Uber. Which I will call and get a pickup scheduled. If you like, you can share the ride with me. It's no more expensive and the mansion is on the way to my apartment."

Then she addressed his final question. "No plans this weekend. I actually have it off. We should get together if you have the time. Have dinner and watch a movie?"

Captain America has posed:
    "I don't know, it's nice to walk this time of night." Which easy enough for him to say considering he's Captain America. But there's one thing for sure, he's not good at picking up those subtle vibes that are given off by a young woman when they might be expressing some measure of interest. Like offering to share a cab, that's always been one.
    But when she suggests dinner and a movie. It actually seems to get through to him a little as he descends another step, which puts them just about on eye-level with each other as he turns back and looks at her. "I'll have to check. I don't think I've anything going on but..."
    She can likely see how it is. Likely he will check and he'll have every intention to offer a chance to do something. But chances are something might grab his attention in an official capacity, or something needs to be done that he feels he really should be doing that instead of indulging himself. Since he owes a lot to the people he's outlived...
    Yet it leaves very little room for Steve.
    "Hey, maybe we can get together and compare lasagna recipes..." But it sounds like so many things he's said in the past to other people even as he's about to turn away.

Cammy White has posed:
"Don't tell me you modified my recipe," she said, mock aghast that he might do so. Since she had given him her recipe back when they knew one another previously.

But she realized she was being dismissed. First the ride offer was waved off. Dinner and a movie. Ignored. She had the feeling she was never going to get him to do something for fun. That was part of his problem. She'd learned it when she was pretending to be just a neighbor. They had even discussed it earlier this evening. He was always 'On'. He didn't take time for himself. He didn't allow himself to live his life, even all these years later.

She put her hand on his arm to stop him from turning away. "Steve," she said, the first time she had used that name in a long time. She'd used his rank or his codename but avoided the informality of his name. She looked into his eyes then reached out to grasp his tie, tugging him forward and down though not in a violent way. Just enough that she could lean foward and rise up on her toes a bit (since they were almost even but not quite) to try to kiss him.

It was a soft kiss. Tender. Filled with the feelings she had for him for...a very long time. Feelings she didn't get to express, that she'd been forced to repress when he was fresh out of the ice. He was still recovering from being in a new world and it was too soon and she had accepted that, been his friend. And fallen for him. But didn't everyone? She was certain of that fact. Perhaps it was the alcohol in her system that allowed her to take this one moment to let him know how she felt, how she had felt.

When they parted, she whispered softly. "You've already been a hero. You're allowed to be a person too."

Captain America has posed:
    At the way she seemed so scandalized that he might have altered the recipe, Steve couldn't help but smile. He looked back at her, expression bright as he lifted his free hand to gesture slightly to the side as if he was apologizing. But not really.
    Though she touched his arm and she said his name, those blue eyes meeting her gaze as his smile turned a little sad, perhaps having some sense of what was coming he thought. He hated to disappoint people. But often... better to disappoint them now than later with his life. His trials. An excuse already on his lips...
    But he doesn't get a chance to speak it.
    She steps in, rising up on her toes and finds his lips. Can feel his breath catch as she she eases closer. First his hand rests lightly on her arm as they share that moment there on the steps of the Ritz-Carlton, fallen decorations and flags marking the stairway and the lobby around them.
    At first his touch has been to just lightly hold her. As if staying her. Then slowly his hand falls to rest gentle on her hip as they share the same breath. And then in the next moment...
    He kisses her back.
    They part. Her quiet words are given. And his answer to her?
    Is a small smile, and a just as quiet, "Alright."