"I told you I didn't need a jacket," Steve groused, tugging at the sleeves of his wool suit jacket.

Bucky rolled his eyes. "It's gonna get colder, and a stiff wind would knock you out. Yer gonna need a jacket."

Steve made a face, but stopped arguing. About that, anyway. "What did you tell her about me?"

"Only the good stuff," came Bucky's usual, flippant reply. For once, Steve wished Bucky would tell the gal - who then relayed it to her friend - only the bad stuff, so he'd have some chance of impressing her right away. Bucky always made him sound like he was ten-feet tall, metaphorically at least, and never explained that he was barely over five feet in reality, and thin as a stick. And then Bucky could never understand how Steve was so talented at driving girls off.

Steve started glancing around as they neared the dance hall, but refused to believe it was from nervousness. No, he was just preparing himself for the inevitable.

"There they are!" Bucky raised an arm and waved to a couple of girls standing near the entrance. His face split into a grin, and he elbowed Steve, who gave a friendly, only partially forced smile to the two dames as they approached.

"Steve, this is Nancy, and this is..."

It was then that Steve realized Bucky didn't even have a clue who he'd be escorting to the dance. Wasn't that just fantastic.

Nancy jumped in with, "Marie! She lives in the house with me."

Translation: I suckered her into it.

Steve held out his hand and smiled at Marie. "Pleasure to meet you." He wasn't expecting much; half the gals wouldn't even shake his hand, and those who did looked like they wished to immediately wash them. He was used to it.

With one last encouraging glance, Bucky and Nancy disappeared into the hall, leaving Marie and Steve to become acquainted before joining them.