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sjsmith56 · 1 year

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First Date

Summary: A misdirected mail mishap results in a young woman, recently moved to New York City meeting the Avenger, Bucky Barnes. With Sam’s help Bucky asks her out then spends the week trying to come up with the perfect first date.

Length: 5K

Characters: Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, named OFC (Holly), unnamed OFC (sister).

Warnings: Both sisters are mostly not physically described, they’re single, slightly plus sized, nervous Bucky, some slightly impure thoughts from OFC, otherwise this is a pretty fluffy piece.

Author notes: Alternating first person POV between OFC and Bucky. Right now it’s a one shot but it could become more if I get enough feedback. Takes place in a slightly AU MCU, after the events of Endgame and FATWS (one where Bucky and Sam tackled the Flag Smashers themselves as the other Avengers were dealing with other things). There is a tease for a double date with Steve Rogers and Holly’s sister (Coney Island?) so if you would like to see another instalment please comment.

Second date Third date

📦

Holly

I stepped out of the elevator and stopped as soon as I saw the box leaning on my door. Another package. Great. This made four packages delivered to my address instead of the other address which was printed on the shipping label. Another package I had to physically take to the post office to deliver to the correct address. Another hour out of my day standing in line then having to explain that James Barnes didn’t live at my address, was unknown to me, and that he had an unlisted phone number so I couldn’t phone him to pick up his mail. Looking at my watch I sighed. It was already too late to take the package in if I was going to make it to my evening dance class. That meant I would have to take the package to work with me tomorrow then drop it off on my way home.

“Why don’t you just keep it?” my sister suggested when I mentioned it to her at the dance studio. “Obviously the guy keeps putting something wrong on the shipping information whenever he orders whatever he’s buying.”

“You know I can’t do that,” I replied as I started in first position. “If it was my package being misdirected, I would hope that whoever received it would be honest enough to return it. They don’t come back so they obviously make it to him eventually.”

“Or he cancels his order,” said my sister as she mimicked my actions.

“Ladies, less talk, more focus,” said Madame Elise, the ballet mistress.

We both made a face at her when she turned, then both tried to stifle our giggles after. For being in our early thirties we both had our juvenile moments. After class we dried off the perspiration before pulling our sweats on. We never showered at the studio as the facilities bordered on disgusting plus there was a core group of women there with perfect dancer bodies that made us feel inadequate. I’m not into body shaming and although they never said anything out loud it wasn’t hard to see their opinions about our figures in their eyes. Neither of us needed that kind of judgement especially when we were in between boyfriends. On our way out we stopped and picked up an iced cappuccino at the coffee shop then walked to the subway. Finishing our drinks just before the train arrived, we boarded.

When it came to my sister’s stop, she stood up, did a little pirouette and performed a jeté out the door onto the platform. Grinning at her I waved then settled back into the seat ready to get off at my stop, the next one. Joining the others who were also getting off we walked up the stairs towards the exit. I had to stop at the bodega as I was out of milk so by the time I was walking up the steps of the apartment building, it was already dark. Pressing the button for the elevator I waited and waited but it didn’t come, and I groaned as I really didn’t want to walk up five flights of stairs. It had been working well when I left. One of my neighbours came down the stairs with their garbage bag for the dumpster out back.

“It was working earlier,” I stated, gesturing to the elevator.

“Yeah, it was but someone pressed all the buttons as a joke, and it got stuck on four,” he said. “It’s sitting there with an open door. The super called a repairman, but they won’t be in until tomorrow.” He headed towards the door to the alley. “You have someone waiting for you at your door. A big guy. I think he used to live there before you. Something about his mail still being redirected to your address.”

With a sigh I began the long climb up to the fifth floor. There was a man leaning against the wall outside my door. He must have heard me coming up the stairs as he looked in my direction as I exited the stairwell. Even from that distance I was aware of his size, tall and broad shouldered. His dark hair, just long enough to kiss the collar of his jacket, framed a very handsome face highlighted by a pair of incredible blue eyes.

“Hi,” he said casually, with a slight wave of his hand, before he put his phone back in his jacket pocket. “I’m sorry to bother you but the post office screwed up the redirection of my old mail, most of it anyways. They’ve been sending things with my new address on the shipping label back to here.”

“That explains it I guess.” I smiled at him. “Mr. Barnes, is it? I tried to find a way to call but there was no listing for your name. I would have dropped the packages off, but the other address is so far away, and I don’t have a car.”

“Call me Bucky.” His eyes lit up as he smiled. “Not a problem. I’ll leave you my number so if any more mail shows up here, I can pick it up at your convenience.”

Between the time I unlocked my door, and I went inside to retrieve his package I realized who he was. He was still waiting in the hallway, which struck me as odd, until I recalled that I hadn’t invited him in. Looking towards the open door I could see him waiting there patiently.

“I’m sorry, where are my manners?” I stammered. “Would you like to come in?”

“Sure,” he answered, stepping just inside, looking a little uncomfortable. “I didn’t want to presume anything.”

“Did you get the other packages that I returned?” I asked, holding the most recent package in my hands. “I would have brought them over but it’s quite the train ride from here to Midtown.”

“Yes, they did arrive, not that it fixed things.” His smile was warm. “I wouldn’t have expected you to do the Post Office’s job.” He looked a little more at the small flat. “You fixed it up nice here, much nicer than I had it.”

“You lived here for how long?” I asked. “I’ve been here two months.”

“Almost a year,” he replied. “After I got some legal matters cleared up, I had to live in the New York area. This was affordable and it wasn’t far from where I grew up.”

There was an awkward silence, so I stepped forward at the same time he did, intending to give him his package. In the light of my apartment, he was even more handsome, and I tried desperately to think of something to say to him, but my mind went blank, and I smiled politely instead. He took the package and nodded, then turned around, walking out.

“Wait, your phone number!” I called, running to the doorway.

He was at the top of the stairs and sheepishly came back. I unlocked my phone and offered it to him, to enter his information in. Looking at it I sent him a text, then watched as he took his phone out, seeing my name, Holly, which in my blank state of mind had forgotten to give him earlier.

“That’s a pretty name,” he said, as my attention was focused on those beautiful eyes. “I won’t forget who it belongs to.”

“Thank you, it’s been nice meeting you,” I replied.

He headed back down the stairs, and I closed the door, setting the deadbolt in place. I had just met an Avenger. 🔹

Bucky

Sam was still sitting in the driver’s seat, checking his phone when I stepped out of Holly’s building and up to the truck.

“That took you long enough,” he said.

“She wasn’t home, and I wasn’t leaving without my package,” I replied. “You must have seen her coming in. Tall, dark haired, wearing sweats.”

He shrugged. “Pretty?”

“Yeah,” I sighed. “I got so tongue tied. Said I would leave her my phone number then I almost left without giving it to her.”

“You get her number? Did you ask her out?”

“What, already?” I sighed again. “That’s a bit quick, isn’t it?”

“What would old Bucky have done?” he asked. “Would he have asked her out right away?”

“Yeah, but I’m not him anymore.”

“Give me your phone.”

Sam held his hand out. With a third sigh I handed it to him. He tapped out a message and sent it then handed my phone back so I could read what he sent.

Me: Are you free Friday night? I understand if you have other plans. Just thought we could meet for drinks, or I could pick you up. You don’t have to feel obligated or anything.

I couldn’t believe he did that, and I almost started texting to take it back when I got a reply.

Her: I am free on Friday night. We could meet somewhere, or you could pick me up. I’m good either way. Nothing too fancy. I’m not into that.

Staring at my phone screen I tried to think of what to say, not wanting to sound desperate or needy.

Me: Okay! I’ll pick you up at 7:30. You okay with riding a motorcycle?

Her: Sure, that means jeans and a jacket, right? I don’t have a helmet.

Me: I have a spare. Looking forward to it. See you then.

I had a date, an actual date, with a nice-looking girl … woman. Bad habit. I showed Sam and he grinned.

“See, old Bucky is still there. Where are you going?”

I looked at him and swallowed. Old Bucky would have taken a girl out in style, dinner, then dancing, then whatever came from that. But I had already told her that I was picking her up by motorcycle, which meant casual, which meant something outdoors, or a movie, or sightseeing. He started the truck up to drive back to Avengers Tower, making suggestions along the way.

“Empire State Building.”

“Heights, you know how I am about heights,” I answered.

He nodded. “Yankees are in town. You could take her to a ball game.”

I glared at him. Never, ever would I go see the Yankees play. Mets, maybe, but I had hated the Yankees since I was a boy, and I wasn’t about to change that. Sam didn’t say anything more until we got back to the Tower and up to the common room area where the others were gathered, watching Jeopardy. I held up my package, which brought some half-hearted cheers.

“Someone has a date Friday night,” announced Sam. “He’s picking her up on his motorcycle at 7:30 and needs some suggestions.”

“Empire State Building,” said Tony.

“He doesn’t like heights,” stated Steve. “Ball game?”

“Only the Yankees are in town,” replied Sam. “He nearly bit my head off when I suggested it.”

Steve grinned and shook his head, picturing that. He knew how I felt about the Yankees because he felt the same.

“The museum,” he countered. “There’s a new art exhibit.”

I shook my head. “That’s your thing, not mine. It’s okay. I’ll come up with something before Friday.”

Using my phone, I looked up all sorts of things to do in New York but kept finding something wrong with them. Either they were too formal, which I really didn’t want, or they were too noisy and crowded, which I really didn’t need. Some of them appealed to me but started and ended early, meaning the date could be over by 9 pm which didn’t appeal to the old Bucky in me. By Friday morning I was ready to cancel the date then Tony Stark turned to me in the elevator.

“I sent you an email,” he said. “Two suggestions. Take them or leave them. But the first part might be interesting for both of you and the second might be a bit nostalgic for you. The best part is that they’re not far apart and you might be able to do both, if it’s going well.” The elevator doors opened on the lab floor, and he stopped in the elevator doorway, seemingly choosing his words carefully. “I hope you have a good time no matter what you end up doing. You deserve that much.”

When I read the email, I smiled. This might not be so bad. 🔹

Holly

After Bucky left, I called my sister to tell her I had a date with the Avenger, Bucky Barnes, and that he was the one whose packages were being redirected back to his old address, now my apartment. She said something about me having all the luck as she thought Steve Rogers was absolutely dreamy. I didn’t rub it in. The next day she sent me a text.

Her: Empire State Building. He’s taking you to the top, to view all of New York. It’s right out of Sleepless in Seattle.

Me: I’ve read he’s not big on heights, due to surviving that big fall in World War II.

A few hours later she sent another text.

Her: Yankees ball game. They’re hosting the Red Sox.

The answer to that was obvious to me.

Me: He’s a Brooklyn Dodgers fan. No self-respecting Dodgers fan would ever cheer for the Yankees.

On Thursday, she texted again.

Her: Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art.

Me: 🫤

That meant I wasn’t into it. On Friday morning, after several days of sending more suggestions she texted another.

Her: Harbour cruise.

That actually wasn’t a bad idea. Wearing jeans and a jacket would keep me warm out on the water. A harbour cruise would start and end at the same pier and a motorcycle would be easier to park in the crowded area. I looked up the cruises then texted my sister back. They all started at 7:00 and he was picking me up at 7:30 so it couldn’t be a cruise. Then Bucky sent me a text.

Him: We’re still on for tonight, right? We’re going to be taking a walking tour in Greenwich Village so wear good shoes. Then we can have a late dinner at a 24-hour diner near the East Village.

Me: Absolutely. That sounds like fun. Hopefully, it doesn’t rain.

Why did I say that about the rain? Now I had introduced the thought that rain could potentially ruin our date. He sent me a reply.

Him: No rain in the forecast. I’ll see you at 7:30.

I smiled. Obviously, he had already thought of the possibility. When I texted my sister with the itinerary, she sent me a thumbs up emoji. It was looking to be a fun date, with no pressure. At 7:25 there was a knock on my door. When I looked through the peephole, I saw that it was Bucky, and opened the door.

“Hi,” I said. “Come on in.”

He brought his hand out from behind his back, producing a bouquet of mixed flowers. “These are for you.” He seemed a little embarrassed. “I always brought flowers on the first date back in the day.”

I was touched as it was a very sweet gesture. “Thank you, I’ll just put them in some water. Make yourself comfortable.”

He wiped his feet on the doormat and stepped in further, sitting down on the sofa. As he stretched his long legs out, I found a vase and filled it with water. Smiling politely, he watched me then stood up and came over to the small kitchen island.

“Everything alright?” I asked.

“I’m nervous,” he admitted. “I had a date a while ago and messed it up when I had a bit of an anxiety attack partway through. She wouldn’t talk to me after that. Can’t say I blame her.” He breathed out noticeably.

“You feeling nervous now?”

“A little.” He fixed those gorgeous eyes on me. “I’m 106 years old, haven’t really dated since the 1940s and some days I feel so old and out of place. I used to be quite the ladies' man before the war.” He breathed out again. “My friend Sam sent the original text as I didn’t think a nice-looking girl like you would go out with me.”

“I haven’t had a date in a few months,” I told him. “Before then I had a boyfriend who told me that I would be prettier if I lost 20 pounds or so. He wasn’t my boyfriend after that. I know I’m not perfect, but I like who I am. Do you want to go out with me still?” He nodded, then smiled and said yes. “Then we’ll go out. I think you’re a gentleman first, and I liked that you brought me flowers, and I liked hearing you call me a nice-looking girl.”

When I brought my jacket out, he helped me on with it, then waited patiently as I locked the door. Down at the sidewalk was his motorcycle, one of those classic ones that usually cost an arm and a leg. He unlocked the security compartment, bringing out a helmet for me. Making sure it fit properly he put his on, zipped up his leather jacket, and straddled the seat, gesturing for me to get on behind him.

“Hold on tight,” he said. “If it’s too much for you, pat my front two times and I’ll pull over. I’m a safe driver and I won’t let you fall. I promise.”

Placing my purse crossways over my body I got on behind him and wrapped my arms around his middle. Even through his jacket I could feel how firm his abdomen was. For a brief moment I pictured him shirtless (yes, it was nice) and giggled then put the thought out of my head as I leaned against his back. The rumble of the motorcycle was loud, even inside my helmet but as soon as he put it into gear it lessened slightly. The motorcycle proved to be the perfect vehicle as he could easily get out of any traffic snarl quickly and just over 20 minutes later, we arrived at Washington Square Park. After locking our helmets back inside the security compartment, he held his right hand out to me and guided me to where a small group of people were waiting. We checked in and waited for the rest of the people to arrive.

🔹

Bucky

Even though I was recognized by the tour guide I kept my attention on Holly, making sure that she didn’t feel ignored. She took my hand again as we waited for the rest of the people. When they arrived, our tour began with a history of Washington Square Park, including the fact that it was a native burial ground as well as a cemetery used to bury the dead of the American Revolution. Apparently, they still occasionally found human remains whenever an excavation had to be done on repairing utilities. We also went to what was called the Pirate’s Den, connected to a notorious woman, named Vivian Gordon, murdered in late February 1931.

“I was 12, almost 13 years old,” I blurted out. “I think I remember that. Wasn’t the mayor of New York implicated in that murder?”

The tour guide looked at me, smiling. “I can safely say that this is the first time I’ve had a participant who was around for one of the older historical events in this tour.”

It got everyone laughing and Holly squeezed my hand, smiling at me. From there we were shown where Mark Twain lived, and where his ghost apparently made appearances. The tour guide had a device that supposedly could show the presence of a ghost electronically, but it didn’t show anything there, although it did on other places that we stopped at, specifically the Brown Building, where the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire occurred, killing over 140 women. After an hour of walking and stopping at various landmarks the tour ended back at Washington Square Park. I slipped the tour guide an extra $20 and mentally thanked Tony Stark for suggesting the activity. It had been interesting, and I think Holly liked it as well. She looked over my arm as I checked the address of the diner.

“It’s close enough to walk, about twenty minutes,” I said. “Would you mind if we left the motorcycle here, so I don’t have to find another parking spot?”

“Not at all,” she responded, taking my hand again.

Making sure I was walking between Holly and the street we strolled along without speaking, not that we needed to fill the silence with anything. Instead, we just enjoyed each other's presence. We did have to dodge a guy on a skateboard that zipped towards us, but Holly just casually turned towards me as he passed.

“Sorry,” she said, as her other hand reached for my chest, and I put my other arm around her. “He came out of nowhere.”

“It was worth it,” I said, without thinking.

It was something old Bucky would say. Her face lit up as she smiled at my reply. Patting my chest with her hand, she looked up in a way that brought back memories of previous dates. I almost kissed her then she dropped her hand and returned to walking beside me, her hand firmly in mine. When we arrived at the diner Holly’s face seemed pleased.

“I didn’t know about this place!”

“Tony Stark suggested it,” I replied, holding the door open for her.

It was bright inside, considered retro for the 21st century with its checkerboard flooring, booths with padded seats, and the older lighting fixtures. In the 1940s it would have been seen as futuristic with its many curved lines in the finishings. We were seated in a booth where our knees touched. I was about to ask to be moved but she just smiled and said it didn’t bother her. It reminded me of when Sam and I first started working together during the Flag Smashers, and we had the impromptu therapy session inside the Baltimore police station. Before I could tell Holly about it, the waitress arrived to take our drink orders. Not wanting to give her the wrong impression I ordered a coffee. She ordered a chocolate milkshake and asked for a starter of mozzarella sticks. Quietly, we looked at the menu, although I tried to look at her some more. When our drinks arrived Holly ordered a chicken wrap and salad. I ordered the meatloaf special, and a bacon cheddar burger with fries on the side. Before I could explain she looked at me with some amusement.

“So, it’s true?” she asked, her eyes bright. “Super soldiers have to eat a lot of food to keep their energy up. I envy you. I wish I could eat like that.”

“It’s true but it’s not always enjoyable,” I replied. “After really heavy missions that take a lot out of us, I barely have enough energy to eat at all, but I have to force myself. Bruce … Bruce Banner, invented a supplement for me and Steve to boost our calorie intake and give us instant energy, but it’s not the best tasting and the texture is kind of awful.”

“I guess that would be a downside,” she offered. “My sister has a crush on him, on Steve.” She clarified. “She’s my best friend and we would have lived together but she got here a year before I did, found a place to share and co-signed the lease. When I decided to move here, I had to find my own place because she was locked into the lease with her roommate. We’re only one stop away from each other and we see each other a lot.”

“Does she have a boyfriend?”

I was asking because I knew Holly would appeal to Steve and if her sister was like her, perhaps she would be good to double date with. That would be something, a double date with Steve that might actually work in his favour as he was still as hopeless now with the ladies as he was in the 1940s.

“She’s between boyfriends right now.” A smile crossed Holly’s face that lit her up from inside. “You thinking of fixing her up with Steve Rogers?”

I shrugged. “Wouldn’t be the first time I tried. Even though he is more handsome now he’s still the same shy guy he was when we were younger. Takes him weeks just to get up the courage to say hi to a girl.”

She was leaning towards me with her chin resting on her hand. “I like how you call me a girl. It’s supposed to be a put down in these times, but I guess to someone of your age, someone my age is a girl. I’m not offended by it, although I guess some are.”

Just like that Holly put me even more at ease. Our mozzarella sticks arrived, and she took the first one dipping it into the sauce. Tentatively I bit into one, then smiled as the cheese stretched out from my mouth to the stick. Holly giggled a little as we grappled with the strings of cheese. Our main food arrived just as we finished the last of the appetizer. Holly stole some of my fries which didn’t bother me at all. For dessert I had apple pie à la mode, while she had chocolate cake.

Tony had good instincts referring me to this place. It was informal enough that neither one of us tried to impress the other. We talked more about all sorts of things, my love of books, her love of dancing, our shared interest in science and technology. After I paid the bill, I opened the door to the outside and we stepped out into the night, which had cooled down a little since our tour. We headed back towards the park where my motorcycle was parked. As we got closer, we could hear the sounds of music and applause.

“Street performers!” exclaimed Holly. “Please, can we watch?”

How could I say no?

🔹

Holly

Watching the street performers with Bucky was something else. He had never seen buskers like this before. Jugglers with fire sticks, catchy music and clever repartee were just the beginning. There were some aerial gymnasts doing all sorts of tricks that displayed their acrobatic abilities. A pair of guys with tap shoes danced to hip hop in ways that successfully melded the two forms of entertainment. Another guy with a bmx bicycle did all sorts of twists, turns and jumps including some on an obviously home-made ramp that defied gravity. It was an explosion of sight, sound, and colour that intrigued him, making him so much fun to be with, not to mention even more gorgeous. I gave some money to the hats that were passed around, explaining this was probably how many of the buskers made a living. He added some of his own. When we finally pulled away and began the walk to his motorcycle Bucky couldn’t stop talking about how entertaining it all was.

“Does this happen all the time here?” he asked. “Tony never said anything about it but if it does, then I owe him. That was amazing, just amazing.”

We were holding hands and he stopped at the motorcycle, pulling me closer. It was like we were in a movie as he looked so softly at me, making me feel all sorts of things, both good and kind of scary because I had never been this close to someone like him. Most of my dates were of the nerdy kind, nice but slightly socially inept. This was Bucky Barnes, handsome, notorious, and an absolute dreamboat. When our lips met, I swear there was music. Of course, we were only a block away from the park where the entertainment was still going on, but the sounds from there just seemed to add to the romance in our little moment of kissing. He could really kiss … I guess that’s something a guy doesn’t forget, no matter what kind of hell he’s been through.

“I should have asked first,” he murmured when we stopped. “I suppose I got caught up in the moment.”

“Why don’t you ask then?” I replied, looking up at him.

“Can I kiss you?”

“Yes, please.”

The second kiss was even better as it was accompanied by his arms wrapping themselves around me and mine wrapping themselves around him, bringing thoughts of him shirtless and more, to my mind again. This kiss also lasted a lot longer before we stopped, and he looked at me.

“I should get you home,” he said, not sounding completely convinced by his own words.

We got back onto the motorcycle, pulling up in front of my building a short time later. After dismounting I took my helmet off then handed it to him.

“I had a really good time,” I said. “Would you like to come up?”

Even in the dim light I could tell he was blushing. “If this was the 1940s, I would have said yes, but I’m not that Bucky anymore. I kind of played the field then and I want something more than that now.”

He really was something else and I looked at him with my heart racing a little. “So, you want a second date?”

“Yes, do you?” I replied yes and we kissed again, a really nice and sweet kiss. “Then I’ll call you soon. I promise.”

I went inside the door of the building and up the now working elevator. When I got inside the small flat, I looked out the window and smiled to see that Bucky was still waiting beside his motorcycle, apparently watching for me to appear. He waved to me, then put his helmet on and started up the motorcycle before pulling away. It might have been just a first date, but it was one of the best dates I had ever been on, and I hope Bucky felt the same.

If you read this one shot and enjoyed it please like, comment and reblog.

#buckybarnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #buckybarnes original female character #sam wilson #steve rogers #tony stark #first date #dating in New York #nervous bucky #what is there to do in nyc on a Friday night?

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16woodsequ · 8 months

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Sunday Steve - Day Thirteen

Things that would be new or unfamiliar to Steve in the 21st century, either due to the time period he grew up in, or his social-economic status and other such factors.

Day Thirteen: Tenement Building

Alright, so Steve grew up in a tenement building. What does that mean? Tenement buildings are buildings shared by multiple dwellings with a shared entrance. Basically apartment buildings. But what were the conditions like for Steve? I think it's common knowledge that tenement buildings were not considered the best housing. But that doesn't mean Steve lived in a Dickensian slum.

The History

In the late 1800s, tenement living conditions were really becoming a problem, and people started to call for reform. Tenements built in this period are known as "Pre-Law".

In 1879, due to these pushes for reform there was a law passed known as the "Old Law". This mandated certain things like airshafts for tenement buildings, leading to "dumbbell" shaped buildings. This allowed more light and air into tenement buildings but also became places for garbage to pile up.

First photo: tenement floorplans as per various regulations (Link)

Second photo: Airshaft of a 'dumbbell' tenement building, circa 1900. (Link)

In 1901 a law knows as the "New Law" was passed. This law was much stricter and more enforced. Major things it implemented were running water, water-closets and a window in every room. Airshafts were done away with, instead tenements were designed around courtyards where garbage could properly be disposed of.

Pre-Law and Old Law tenements still existed but some things had to updated to comply with the new rules. This link goes into really good detail the kinds of changes landlords were required to make under the New Law.

Steve and Sarah's life in tenement buildings would be different depending on if they were living in an 'Old Law' (I'm just going to always use Old law now and not Pre-law for simplicity) or 'New Law' tenement.

The New Law effectively banned new dumbbell style tenements from being built, due to its new space and airshaft requirements. Old Law tenements were typically built on 25 foot wide lots while New Law tenements "resulted in much larger tenements designed around one or more interior light courts. they typically occupied lots 35 feet wide or greater, and were often six or seven stories tall, sometimes above a raised basement" (Link).

So New Law tenement lots were bigger due to the courtyard, often with more floors than Old Law tenements. An Old Law tenement was typically no more than five floors.

If Steve lived in an Old Law tenement it would be a different size and design than New Law builds, but would have been required to update some things like plumbing and toilets to comply with the New Law.

In 1929 New York passed it's Multiple Dwelling Law, which is still what it uses today. I don't cover it much because Steve likely still lived in pre-1929 tenements and from my skimming of the law it looks as though pre-1929 tenements were mostly exempt from a lot of the specific new regulations. (Article 7 if you're interested.)

In the 30s, Old Law tenement buildings began to be condemned as the city focused on 'slum-clearing' and tenants were forced to find other lodgings. This was also the case for tenements where landlords did not want to renovate to make the necessary New Law changes. If Steve and Sarah lived in an Old Law tenement around this time they could have been evicted (Link). (I think in the comics Sarah dies in 1937-ish, so this would have also added a lot of stress to that difficult time.)

By 1936, New York introduced its first public housing program. But it was in Manhattan, so it's probably safe to say Steve didn't experience that. He likely continued to live in the cheapest tenements or cold water flats he could find. Which would no doubt mean Old Law flats, likely with a roommate of some kind to share the cost. Although one-bedroom dwellings did also exist.

Tenement Amenities

Water plumbing: Old law tenements often has a water tap in the yard or hall instead of running water in the flat, and privies in the yard instead of indoor toilets. But by 1904 “landlords were required to install toilets in buildings” (Link). For renovated Old Law tenements, this would usually just be a toilet in a little room, not a shower and bath.

While the New Law required indoor plumbing Steve probably didn’t have regular hot water. Steam and hot water flats definitely did exits, but they were more expensive. In a cold water flat he would need to boil any wash water, including bathing water. We will get into the many different ways to bathe, including standing in small tubs over the sink, or going to bathhouses. (Link)

Some apartments had water heaters that were connected to a coin operated gas line, which we will get into. So it is possible for Steve to have had limited hot water, but equally possible for him to have lived at times in a cold water flat.

As Josephine remembers it, their apartment at 97 Orchard Street was dimly lit, barely furnished, and terribly cold. The cold must have been memorable. Rosaria [her mother] demanded they take cold-water sponge baths each morning, and their weekly tepid baths (small amounts of hot water came from a heater attached to the stove) took place in the kitchen sink. Rosaria also insisted on enemas, which she administered in the chill hall toilet. (Link)

Central heating: Steve wouldn't have had central heating. His heat probably would have come via the stove or a kerosene heater. In the winters families would close up rooms further from the stove and sleep near the heat source. Tenements could get so cold tenants could see their breath in the air.

Air conditioning: Steve wouldn't have had air conditioning, but apparently modern air conditioning was invented in 1902 (Link). This means there were probably some buildings like cinemas or libraries with air conditioning he could go to. Tenements got very hot in the summer. But he could've used electric fans to combat the heat if he had electricity and could afford to buy one.

Stove: There were three types of stoves: wood/coal/oil, gas, and electric. Electric ovens were the most expensive of the bunch, so I doubt Steve used those.

If he used an oil, coal, or wood burning stove he would need to buy fuel for it. Things like oil or coal could be bought at a store or delivered. Same with ice for ice boxes/refrigerators.

My mother put a card in the front window if she wanted oil or ice that day. As I remember, the oil and ice were delivered by the same truck. Usually we bought a twenty-five-cent piece of ice that the iceman would chop off with an ice pick. (Link)

Steve also could've had a gas stove. Apparently it was common for these to be coin operated. I had no idea what this would even look like before I looked it up, so here's a gif I made from the 1921 Charlie Chaplin movie The Kid showing it being used.

(I think the kid might be stealing the quarter back again at the end of the gif, but I'm no sure. People definitely did try to come up with ways to outsmart the meters though!)

These machines could also be connected to gas lights that would turn off when the money ran out. It could also be connected to a water heater as we discussed. (Link) It would depend on the building Steve lived in and his landlord whether he has things like gas stoves, a small water heater and gas versus electric lights.

Laundry: We covered laundry more in depth on a previous post. But just to recap, Steve very likely didn't have a laundry machine in his home. Although it was possible (it would take a lot of saving.) Laundry could be done by hand (most likely boiling water on the stove) or sent out to be done by someone else.

Dirty clothes would be sent to the wet wash, which would be picked up by a truck and returned wet. The clothes would be hung on a line from the kitchen window to the electrical pole to dry. (Link)

In the 30s and 40s self-serve laundromats began to become more common as well.

Lighting: The New Law did not require electrification, so it would depend on the landlord and where Steve was living if/when he would have electric or gas lights. (Basically headcanon what you what for you fics). In the case of the Tenement Museum, the Old Law building was electrified in 1924, so it's very possible Steve could remember getting electricity.

The New Law did require lighting in stairways as well as a ventilating skylight.

Toilets and Baths: Under the New Law, sewer connected toilets instead of backyard privies were required. New Law tenements were required to have one toilet for each apartment.

In the case of the Tenement Museum Old Law tenement though, they got one toilet for every two families. These were very small, cramped rooms with just a toilet inside, cut into space that used to be rentable space. These toilets also had to have windows.

So Steve would have had indoor plumbing, but depending on where he lived he could have had to share the toilet with another resident family.

Pages from the Tenement House Committee of the Charity Organization Society of New York book “For You,” published in 1910, intent on educating tenement dwellers. (Link)

As you can see from the above pictures the toilet spaces were very small and an after-thought for Old Law tenements. However, it looks like some tenements did also have bathtubs. It would probably depend on where Steve lived for whether he had a tub.

This tumblr post and this tumblr post show concept art for Steve’s pre-war apartment. It shows a tub in the kitchen that is also used as a table. This is a common design of older tenements. The apartment in the art is an Old Law tenement and the second link also gets into the history and layout of tenements. Steve probably moved multiple times so he could have lived in many different looking tenements, including one like that.

The New Law required bathing facilities but like most of the regulations, it was brought in slowly to the older buildings. The Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side didn't have tubs in the apartments. Instead residents would stand in small basins in front of the sink while they bathed. A small amount of hot water was available through a (coin operated) gas water heater connect to the stove.

Another options was public baths! This article and this article go into the history of public baths and has some pictures of the interior of some, so I won't go into too much detail. But at least some of these public baths were free. Public baths had showers and pools that used continually filtered water, which were a great way to cool off in the summer! This seems to be the main draw as use fell to only 4% in the winter.

Bath houses began to be obsolete by the 40s since most people had indoor plumbing by then.

Sign advertising free public baths. Circa 1935. (Link with more public bath photos.)

Getting back to toilets. I don't know how toilet paper worked in shared bathrooms. I have not seen anything about landlords providing toilet paper, to most likely tenants bought it themselves. If they shared a toilet then maybe they brought it with them to the toilet to keep anyone else from using it?

Basic maintenance and cleaning was often done by someone in the building in exchange for much cheaper rent. (Link showing janitor rent for $6 in 1930). So communal spaces like the stairs, halls and (probably) shared toilets would be maintained. (Did you know there used to be a female word for janitor? The word janitress is used in many ads.)

Rent

So what was rent like for Steve? This link gets into the complications of trying to determine historical rent so I can't say 100% what rent would have been.

From what I can find, rent cost was based off of how many rooms you had. It was also influenced by what floor you lived on. For example for one tenement in 1900 "a three-room apartment on the first floor of a tenement rented for $12-$13/month (about $4/room), while the same apartment on the 4th floor rented for $9.50-$10/month (about $3/room). (Link)

In later years "tenement households paid on average about $6.60 per room per month in 1928 and again in 1932."

Rent was usually about 1/3 of the household income but this is complicated for Steve considering how Sarah was a single mother. People in tenements often moved around a lot, finding better or cheaper places to live when able or needed.

Some rent number examples:

Discussion of $7.50-8 per room per month being too high in 1922 New York (Link)

$16 a month for 4 rooms in 1926 New York (Link)

$4-5 a week for 3-4 rooms, $8.75 a week for 5 rooms, in New Law electric tenement in 1926 New York (Link)

$5-7 a room a month in New York in 1934 (Link).

$7.20 a week for 5 rooms in 1937 New York (Link complains how it's cheaper to buy a whole house than rent continually...sounds familiar.)

Discussion of how New Law tenants are able to pay $12 dollars per room but Old Law tenants "unable to pay over $5 per room". Once again concern over $8 dollar a room rent, in 1937 New York (Link)

$17 a month for 4 rooms in 1940s Boston (Link)

$15-22 for 3-4 rooms for cold water flats in 1942 New York (Link)

$15 a month for 4 rooms in 1945 Boston (Link)

Basically I think it's safe to say Sarah and Steve would have done their best to have $15-25 rent a month. From what I can tell, this price range is considered low rent and Steve's rent would vary depending on where he lived. The more rooms the higher the rent.

One thing to think about with rent is the expensive side effect of cheaper living.

[O]verall the cold water flats were not cheap to live in because of the health hazards they created. First there was the problem of maintaining adequate heat during the winter. Second, the fumes from a coal burning stove contributed to respiratory problems. Third, the fumes from kerosene heaters compound the potential for the occupants to develop lung problems. And fourth, the popularity of asbestos heaters during the 1940s increased the risk for all kinds of health problems as we now know. (Link)

Steve and Sarah may not have had a choice where they lived because of their income, but it's likely Steve's living conditions impacted his health a great deal.

But What Did Tenements Look Like Inside?

I've found it somewhat difficult to pick images of tenement interiors because often the pictures being taken were done by Progressive advocates or city inspectors specifically to show poor, illegal living conditions. But this doesn't mean that's what Steve always/ever lived like.

But I've gathered a collection of photos I think show a good range of environments. These apartments had people who cared about them and tried to make the best of their situation. It was common for residents to paint or wallpaper their apartments after moving in to help make it feel like their own. The Tenement Museum floors had layers and layers of patterned linoleum floors from past residents. While the rooms were often cramped, dim, or cold, they were also often colourful, decorated, and kept tidy.

This section got very long so I'm going to make a second post next week with tenement pictures to show you! I will also link it at the end of this post.

The Streetside

Tenements often had storefronts on the first and/or basement levels of the building. The family running the business would often live in the back rooms behind the store.

These stores ranged from grocers, to barbers, to meat markets, to dress shops and everything in between. I will cover these stores and grocery stores more in depth in a later post, but I wanted to mention how likely it would be for shops to be on the street-level floor of a tenement.

Image of tenements with storefronts at street level, 1936. (Link)

In Conclusion

Steve lived a very different life than the other Avengers growing up in a tenement building. His experience would vary depending on the building and the landlord, but he likely had to aim for the cheapest housing available. Still, these places were full of life and cared for by many residents.

Tenement pictures coming Feb 11th ^_^

Bonus facts: Moving Day

Sunday Steve Masterpost

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cutedisneygirl · 3 months

Text

My name is Seraphina Rogers Blackwood and I am married to Steve Rogers (aka Captain America) and we have lived in New York for about 3 years since we got married. This is our house and what it looks like

Our living room

There is a small fireplace on the side I don’t have a picture of it.

Our kitchen

Our bedroom

Our bathroom

And then there is a shower on the other side of the tub that looks like this

We love our NY apartment.

@cevansbaby-dove @nicoline1998enilocin @lizette50

#steve rogers #Steve #new york #captain america

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cryptocollectibles · 5 months

Text

Marvel Team-Up #128 Spider-Man and Captain America (April 1983) by Marvel Comics

Written by J.M. DeMatteis, drawn by Kerry Gammill and Mike Esposito, photo cover by Eliot R. Brown.

#Marvel Team-Up #Spider-Man #Captain America #1983 #Marvel Comics #Etsy #Vintage Comics #Comic Books #Comics #Peter Parker #Steve Rogers #JM DeMatteis #Kerry Gammill #Mike Esposito #Eliot R Brown #Cosplay #Bernie Rosenthal #New York City #Vermin

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abbatoirablaze · 6 months

Text

Deal With The Devil, Chapter 5

Word Count: 2.4k

Warnings: mentions of strip clubs, oral (M receiving), ball play, cheating, mentions of war/injury.

“AND TO MY BESST MAN FOR PREPARING THE BEST BACHELOR PARTY EVER!” Steve yelled over the roar of the club’s music, “THE BACHELOR PARTY TO END ALL BACHELOR PARTIES!”

“AND HERE’S TO THE LUCKY GROOM!” Sam yelled, adding his own toast in, “MAY HE MARRY AND STILL CONTINUE TO GET ALL THE PUSSY HE WANTS ON THE SIDE WHILE HE RULES BROOKLYN WITH AN IRON FIST!”

Steve’s men cheered along to the best man’s toast, as they lifted their shots and downed their drinks.

A few women giggled as they mingled with the party, their bodies writhing along with the music.

“Ladies, I’m about to be ar-a married man!” Steve slurred as another woman slid against him and started grinding against him. The blonde turned and pulled Steve in by the back of his neck, kissing him fast and hard.

Steve tossed the bottle of whiskey down on the ground. The glass broke and the liquid sprayed out around them as he gripped the mostly nude woman by the hips and kissed her back, allowing himself to get swept up in her body glitter and the smell of overly ripe cherries.

He broke the kiss only when a hand reached for the zipper on his pants.

He was surprised to see another woman and he lifted his brow.

“Let us take care of you, bachelor boy!” the woman who was kissing him smiled, “gotta make sure we give you a night for that spank bank when your new little wife holds out…gotta remind you of the good old days of not being tide down before it happens.”

“You wanna go somewhere more private?” the girl with the hand on his zipper asked.

He smiled and shook his head and the two girls grinned. The first one unzipped his pants, and the second girl pushed him back onto one of the chairs.

A few of Steve’s men began to cheer when they saw the women both getting on their knees.

“GET IT, BOSS!”

“HELL YA!”

“SOMEONE GET ME ANOTHER BOTTLE!” Steve yelled over the roar of the strip club.

He watched as the woman’s mouths sandwiched his hardened length, each of their tongues lapping up every bit of precum and running along his cock.

“That’s right!” Steve growled happily. He spread his thighs a little more to allow the girls a little more room, and one of them reached up and cupped his balls, “you. Suck em while she blows me.”

The girls looked at each other and giggled before following his instructions.

“You didn’t have to stay here with me you know,” she sighed as she gave Bucky yet another guilty look. He continued to ignore her pathetic attempt at an apology, “James…”

“I’m not a partier!” he said simply with a shrug, “there’s too much booze and not enough level-headed people. And anyways, someone had to stay behind and make sure you were safe. You’re Steve’s fiancé.”

“It-it wasn’t my choice…” she frowned, “to keep you here, I mean…I-I know what it must look like, with the bookstore and you being the only one that couldn’t go out with his men, but I’m not that kind of person. I-“

Bucky looked across the kitchen island at her and frowned, “we probably shouldn’t talk about that, Inez…”

“We-we’re going to have to eventually, don’t you think?” she asked softly. He looked back away from her, and she made her way around the island. She reached out and touched his flesh hand, “I-I mean…I met you at the bookstore first…and you know that I’m attracted to you. That wasn’t a secret. I left you my number in the cover of that book for a reason.”

“And now you’re about to be Steve’s wife, Inez…”

She frowned, and took a step back, creating some distance between the two of them. Her hand slipped off of his, “I don’t care about Steve. I know that you can see that. It’s just a business arrangement that I had no choice in. Whatever Tony and Steve-”

He looked back up and his eyes met hers, “Inez…stop”

“I’m sorry…you-you’re right…you’re one of Steve’s men…I-I Just-“

She was cut off in an instant. She felt the cool metal from Bucky’s prosthetic on one side of her face, and the warmth of his flesh hand on the other side.

His lips were unbelievably soft against the smallest bit of stubble that prickled against her face. She whimpered against his lips as fireworks went off in her mind. Instinctively she leaned into him, and he spun the two of them until her back bumped against the counter.

And then a knock at the door made the two of them split apart as though they’d been struck by lightning.

Her throat felt dry as her eyes had snapped towards the direction of the door.

Bucky stepped forward, his own instincts taking over as he innately put himself between her and the door. She noticed him tensing up as one hand reached for the gun she knew was on his hip.

“James…i-it’s probably just Pepper…” she reminded him, “remember?”

She saw him relax as he processed her words. He turned back towards her, and she whimpered again, seeing how puffy his lips already were from the few simple moments of kissing him.

“Y-you can’t make those kinds of sounds with me, doll.”

Another whimper left her throat at the pet name and she felt like she was going to swoon with the huskiness in his voice.

“Then you can’t go kissing me the way that you did and be all super protective because it’s doing things to me, James…” she admitted, “and the way your voice sounds right now…you’re dangerous for me.”

He smirked for a second, before turning his attention to the door once more, when Pepper knocked yet again, “I-I suppose I should get that. You get your snacks and I’ll let in your guest…for your bachelorette party…”

“Is it really a party if there’s only me and her watching a movie while you guard us?” she asked, “and does any of this really count if I don’t want to marry Steve in the first place?”

“Bucky, can you get me and Inez another drink?”

Bucky bit his lip and looked at her. She nodded, “we’ll be fine, James…”

Pepper lifted her brow but said nothing. She watched as Bucky made his way out of the home theater in the basement before she looked back at her sister-in-law, “what was that, Inez?”

“What?” she asked, “James? He’s protecting me…”

“Looks like he’s protecting something,” she teasingly smiled, “I see the way he’s been looking at you all night…he likes you.”

A blush rose to her cheeks, and she shook her head, “Pepper, stop.”

“You know who he is…” she said slowly, “he’s one of the five family’s sons…His father ruled Staten Island before the Allfather took it from him.”

“Pepper…” she sighed, shaking her head, “I-I don’t want to go into it…”

“But that’s Bucky Barnes, Inez.” She said quickly, “his family was the family that came to help mine…that’s why Tony helped him with the prosthetic.”

“What?”

“How much has Tony told you about the last war?” she asked, “the one where my family and the Barnes family fell?”

“Not much,” she shrugged, “only that Tony helped Peter fortify Queens…he tried to keep me away from everything after mom and dad were killed. That was dad’s wish…to keep me away from the business. You know I’ve never met anyone else from the other families before you and Peter.”

“Well, Bucky Barnes is the reason that I’m alive,” she admitted with a frown as she thought about everything that had happened, “Barton and his crew came in and tried to overthrow my father…Bucky’s dad was sick, but he gave all of his people to help…what he didn’t realize was that it was a ploy for the Allfather to overthrow him. While Bucky was getting me to Tony, he left his father defenseless, and they killed him. When he came back, Thor and his father had taken over. They took Bucky’s arm and said they were going to keep his mom and sisters. They dumped him on Tony’s door. Tony made sure that he was patched up and taken care of, and got him the best medical treatment that was available because of his sacrifices…”

“James helped Tony?”

“He helped me,” she said with a simple smile, “Our fathers were close…so close that Bucky was supposed to marry me. But he knew that I was in love with Tony…so when he saw his chance, he told his dad that he was going to protect me, when really, he was just getting me to Tony…Clint would have forced me to marry him as a way of legitimizing himself.”

“And he lost his arm because of it…”

“It was well worth it!” a voice said from the entrance. Inez jumped and Bucky frowned as he made his way in with a few drinks. He passed one to Pepper and sat the other one beside her. Bucky gave Pepper a sad smile, “besides us having no real chemistry because we weren’t in love with each other and you were in love with Tony, you were too old for me anyways, Potts…”

Pepper laughed and sipped on her drink, “looks like you found someone better, Barnes. You know, I think Tony would have liked to have you as a brother-in-law more than Rogers…”

“She’s marrying Steve!” he said solemnly, “her and I have had this discussion and we both know what is happening…despite our obvious attraction to one another.”

“Funny,” Pepper mused as she downed the drink, “your lips say that, but your eyes say something else entirely.”

“And what do my eyes say, Pepper?”

“That it’s far too late for me, and I should get home before Tony starts to worry,” she said smartly, ignoring the question from the cool and collected man. She stood up and hugged Inez, who was quick to her feet, “you be safe, you understand me? Things are about to get really messy in the boroughs when Thor and Clint find out that you’re marrying Steve…and Bucky?”

“Yeah, Pepper?”

“Take care of Inny…” she said softly as she brushed some of the ringlets away from her face, “and don’t lose your other arm in the process of protecting this damsel.”

Bucky nodded, and the pair started back towards the entrance so that they could see her out. The three of them walked in relative silence, but Bucky stopped her when he noticed that none of Tony’s men were with her.

“What’s wrong, Barnes?”

“No Happy?”

She shook her head, “my husband knows where I am…”

“We shouldn’t let you go alone.”

“Don’t worry,” she smiled, pointing to the sky, “Tony’s got satellites everywhere, Barnes. Chances are he’s been watching the house the whole night, and now that he sees the porch light on and me coming out, he’ll have Happy probably meeting me somewhere near-“

But before she could finish her sentence a car was pulling up the drive and beeping to let her know that he was there.

Inez giggled.

“What’s so funny?”

She pointed to Happy pulling around. Bucky’s brow rose, “that was quick.”

“He probably had him lurking somewhere nearby, Barnes.”

“Just when you think the guy doesn’t give a damn….”

Pepper smiled as Happy got out and opened the backseat up for her, “my husband is many things, Bucky, but he cares far too much. Ask Inny…he’s a big teddy bear for the people he loves.”

“Tell Tony I miss him?”

Pepper nodded and kissed her sister-in-law on the cheek, “I will…but call him. He’s going insane from not hearing from you. I think he might think you’re madder at him than you actually are. And while I know that being hard-headed is a trademark Stark characteristic, you’re the more sensible of the two of you.”

She nodded, and Bucky instinctively wrapped his arm around Inez’ waist, pulling her close to his frame, while Pepper joined Happy in the car. The two of them watched him drive back down the long path, before disappearing to the right.

“You know…this feels right!” she admitted softly, looking over her shoulder and into his silvery eyes, “you and me…standing here…waving our guest off for the evening…”

“Inez…”

She bit her lip and nodded, pulling away from the man she had feelings for. She chose to walk back into the house, and towards the grand staircase, “you’ll stay with me until Steve gets home, right?”

He nodded, “I’ll stay as long as you want me to, Inez…”

“What if I don’t want you to leave, James?” she asked, pausing at the bottom of the steps.

He walked up to her, pausing when it was only the railing between the two of them. He reached up and gently stroked her face, “we shouldn’t get any closer, Inez…I know you think you want to play this flirty little game, but it’s not a game to me. I have some real feelings for you that developed in that bookstore. And the path I walk never turns out good for those who try to walk it with me…”

“D-do you feel anything for me?” she asked softly, “I mean, you know that I-“

“I kissed you, Inez,” he recalled, cutting her off with a chuckle and a nod, “I think if anything’s safe to say, it’s that I do have feelings for you too. But you’re supposed to marry Steve…”

“You were supposed to marry Pepper,” she reminded him as she leaned towards his face, “What if I am supposed to end up with you? What if-”

Bucky felt his heart hammering in his chest. He was tempted to give in to her kiss, but at the last second he turned away, “Inez…I-“

The two jumped away from one another as the door was nearly kicked open.

Inez’ eyes went wide when her fiancé was surrounded by a gaggle of five women, all of whom were plastered beyond belief as they stumbled past them without so much as an acknowledgement.

The two of them stood in silence as they heard the party going up the stairs and down the hall, undoubtedly to the master bedroom. Music came blaring from down the hall and Bucky frowned when he heard the over exaggerated moans from women starting up.

“Looks like he wants this marriage as much as I do…” she said thoughtfully, giving him another longing glance, James…I-“

“I’m sorry, Inez…I should go!” he apologized as he quickly made his way out the door, knowing that if he stayed, he was going to take her future vows as seriously as her fiancé upstairs, by fucking her brains out in the entryway.

Chapter 6

Tag List: @teambarnes72, @prokey16, @lohnes16

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