ship mingle: february is for starstruckers.

[mucked]

Who: Crew of the Starstruck
Broadcast: N/A
Action: Y, aboard the ship
When: All month

[ welcome to february. y'all know the drill. ]

Comments

[mucked]

[ AHEM. she puts a sharp fold back into the map and holds it tight between two fingers. ]

We're not going to lose it. [ i'm not going to lose it.

don't you even dare, steve rogers. ]

[uprightness]

Hey, it could have been worse.

[ he reasons, biting back a grin. ]

Could have been both of us. We'd get nothing done, then.

[ at the very least now with only one of them making things float, things are relatively stable and well, down to earth ]

[mucked]

Don't be so smug. [ she snaps -- and it's entirely possible that the shuttle takes an almost imperceptible dip. as though the fickle nature of her mood suddenly affects the gravity of their very vehicle. ] You might be the next one glitched. Just wait.

[uprightness]

I don't mind. I'm not that good at hiding my moods anyway.

[ he's mostly stable and calm these days. Entirely too happy, when it comes to the time he spends with her. ]

It's all kinda obvious with me.

[mucked]

Steve. It's got nothing to do with my mood -- [ she lies, even as the shuttle dips again. as lies go, it's rather poor. but she'd rather maintain the illusion that her poker face is intact. ]

[uprightness]

Any more of that and we'll land here.

[ it's a joke and he looks at her, trying his best not to smile and annoy her farther. ]

Are you sure it has nothing to do with that?

[mucked]

[ she rubs the back of her neck with a scowl. ]

It's only a glitch. We can't be certain about its rhyme or reason.

[uprightness]

[ he seems to finally figure out that today isn't a day to be trying her temper. at least this way he can tell for certain what balances the annoyance and what doesn't. ]

No, we can't

[ he concedes and decides not to argue this point further. at least not until they have solid ground beneath their feet. ]

You're feeling ok, right? I mean other than the - floating.

[mucked]

Yes, Steve, I'm feeling alright. [ she tries to appreciate his concern. truly, she does. it's a considerable feat; he ought to be proud of her. ] You? No strange symptoms to report? Should I be thinking twice before isolating myself with you for twenty-four hours?

[uprightness]

Nothing out of the ordinary.

[ that he noticed, anyway. ]

I think maybe the serum was the biggest glitch I could go through, maybe that's why.

[mucked]

-- You may be immune to a great many things, my darling, but I doubt you're immune to the Atroma's whims. [ dark, maybe. but she's confident it's true. ] Even if you're spared this time around.

[ although she's doubting this is directly the atroma's fault, for once. indeed, this might be her doing -- after all, these problems started after the scrambler was reinstalled. ]

[uprightness]

Well,

[ he glances at her, grinning all the while. ]

If things do start floating around me, I'm guessing you'd be the first to know.

[ he's still sticking with his theory about this. ]

[mucked]

Just don't float me. [ she counters -- only a little bit petulant. ] I prefer keeping my feet on the ground. So to speak.

[ -- present circumstances excepted. ]

[uprightness]

Right back at you.

[ don't float me, that is. ]

Glitch or no glitch, I'm going to try and land this thing.

[ mind that temper. ]

[mucked]

[ where's howard when you need him, hm? peggy at least does steve the courtesy of not (visibly) bracing herself for the landing. ]

You could at least try and sound a little more confident -- you've got our lives and safety in your hands.

[ very helpful. super romantic. ]

[uprightness]

Peg.

[ he uses his captain America voice for this one - deep, sure and only slightly flirty. ]

You're very safe in my hands.

[mucked]

[ -- oh be still her heart. that voice shouldn't still have the power to make it flutter, but it does. honestly, it ought to irk her. hearing it from anyone else, she'd be irked. bothered, even.

but steve is steve, even under all of those smooth certain captain america vocals. and it's valentine's day. or their best guess at it, at least. ]

Very safe, hm? Certain you're not overselling yourself?

[uprightness]

Pretty sure, yeah.

[ and he's still smiling when he lowers the shuttle down. it's a rather smooth landing - the shuttles are rather easy when compared to the quinjets. ]

see? very much safe.

[ there is a comfort, however, in knowing that they'll cover the rest of the way on foot. solid earth and fresh air are things that are never taken for granted after a week in space. ]

[mucked]

[ she ducks her head as she steps outside the shuttle -- shouldering one duffel and leaving the second for steve to carry. standing upright in the sunlight, it's evident now that she's armed. knife on one hip. gun on the other.

just in case. ]

Now for the hard part. [ but her smile suggests she's looking forward to the hike. ]

[uprightness]

You mean the fun part.

[ he hurries out after her, taking a second to soak in the sun before making his way to her side. ]

You lead the way, Agent Carter.

[ his fingers come to rest at the small of her back

[mucked]

[ -- playful-like, she swats at his hand. but as swats go, it's borderline affectionate. her fingers linger a moment on his wrist. ]

Save it for the tent, Rogers. [ she smiles. her duffel bag feels lighter on her shoulder. ]

[uprightness]

Save what?

[ he turns his hand, fingers ghosting against hers. ]


You know I've never asked you.

[mucked]

[ she bites back a smile. glancing over her shoulder, she plays the innocent.]

Never asked me what, exactly?

[uprightness]

To be my Valentine.

[ the words are easy and smooth. It would all have been a nervous jumble some months ago. Now, it's mostly a fond, comfortable flirt. ]

It's how it works, right?

[mucked]

[ -- oh, for god's sake. peggy is torn between exasperation and admiration. he truly has come forward by leaps and bounds, and there's something awfully becoming in his easy flirtation. all the more becoming because she recognizes what part she herself has had in cultivating it. ]

I'm amazed you feel you might need to ask. [ she hefts the bag on her shoulder a little higher. ] The answer seems rather obvious.