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]

[ she's chuffed. she's utterly chuffed. it shows in how her smile persists and (especially) in the way her curls become suddenly weightless. long (longer than she wore them in wartime), they now float almost as though they were underwater. she watches him watching the view.

and -- with a therapeutic stretch -- she drops her duffel bag onto the ground. ] I'll admit. It's more picturesque than I expected.

[uprightness]

[ and to think, back at home he thought a man walking on the moon was extraordinary. it all looked so alien and odd. this planet, aside of the locals, is almost familiar. Steve has never traveled for the sake of travel but he imagines some parts of earth look quite like this, beautiful and quiet and filled with a silent sort of grandeur.

it's a rare sort of peace, the kind that seeps just beneath the skin and chases away any tension in its path. ]

This was a good idea.

[ it's a compliment that's likely to be repeated during the day. ]

[mucked]

I know.

[ by some stretch, she manages to sound both cocky and coy in the same breath. peggy hadn't spent too long planning the trip -- rather, inspiration had struck her rather quickly and with force. and so she's left a little in awe of her own idea, especially now that they're up here and witnessing the planet's ring as it stretches and curves before them.

slow and easy, she takes a step ahead of him. but only so she can grab for his arm and pull herself closer. ] Happy 14th of Whenever.

[ there are no februarys in space. ]

[uprightness]

[ beautiful as the planet is, steve gladly shifts his attention away from the view when she moves closer. instinctively, he wraps one arm around her waist, raising the other one to touch her cheek; her proximity is both warm and comforting. ]

Happy 14th, Peggy.

[ he watches her for a moment before relenting, ]

of Whenever.

[ multiple months, years, who even pays attention anymore, really. ]

[mucked]

[ it feels as though they're alone together. further from the audience: a fraction of a way up a mountain, distant to the fleet itself, and surrounded by wilderness. that superficial sense of isolation makes it all the easier to lean on him. to relax. ]

I was thinking maybe I would raise the tent while you found us some firewood. [ though she's clearly in no hurry to break apart. ] While we still have daylight.

[uprightness]

Sounds like a good idea.

[ delegating duties and chores. Teamwork - efficient and natural. They work well together, he and her, always have.

He's rather fascinated, however, by the way tension seems to lifts itself from her when she leans closer. ]

Should be easy enough to find.

[mucked]

There's a small hand-axe. [ she nods back towards their 'luggage' without actually turning around. ] Nothing heavy duty, but I suspect it'll serve.

[ whatever else might be evident, it's clear that she's been looking forward to this opportunity. fortune's favoured them with fine weather and a lovely system. and her augment's dysfunction isn't that much of an obstacle, in the end. ]

We'll only need enough for cooking and for light. The night itself shouldn't be too chilly -- nothing like winter in France.

[uprightness]

[ his sigh is long-suffering, as if breaking this embrace is a terrible, unspeakable toll. Even when he does take a step back, his hands slid down her arms, thumbs resting on her palms as if he is reluctant to break the contact entirely. ]

And some to spare, just in case.

[ there is no helping it, then. ]

I'll be back in a bit.

[mucked]

Remember -- [ she pulls one of his hands up to her mouth, kissing the edge of his thumb. there's a tightly coiled happiness in the centre of her torso. it's bright and bubbly and it makes her feel as though she might just float away. ] I'm only a shout away. God knows what sort of big game stalks these woods.

[uprightness]

Yeah,

[ he watches her for a moment, a quick inhale when her kiss finds its mark and a slower exhale a moment later. ]

You'd rescue me? That would be a feat, never got to see you against those raiders.

[ something he still regrets, evidently. ]

[mucked]

Always -- [ it's a little rawer and more honest than she'd initially intended. always she would rescue him. or make the attempt, at least. as best she could before the odds overcame her. she gives his wrist a firm squeeze. ]

Even so, try not to get into too much trouble. [ her smile is wry. ] I only brought so much in the way of ammunition.

[uprightness]

Not too much.

[ he echoes, nods and leans against her for a moment longer, his thumb slowly mapping a line on the inside of her wrist. ]

I'll be back.

[ the job doesn't take him too long. He does his share of quiet observation of wildlife; nothing dangerous, truly, mostly insects and birds while he searches and collects. ]

No mountain lions.

[ he declares, a while later, returning with another neat pile of wood. ]

[mucked]

[ -- the tent is pitched, with bedrolls spread within. peggy isn't much for domesticity but she's managed to assemble a cozy little living space for the next 24 hours. upon steve's return, however, she's sitting nearer the bluff's edge. overlooking the water.

she sets aside her comms device and twists 'round until she can look at him. ] What about rabid bears? Mister Jarvis was very concerned about rabid bears.

[ exasperation. ]

[uprightness]

You're not serious.

[ it's said right after a bark of laughter. rabid bears, honestly. what a thing to be concerned about on a day like this.

No sign of any bear, rabid or otherwise. Where did that come from?

[mucked]

He'd had a drink or two. [ understatement. ] And subsequently found himself most concerned for your safety out here.

[uprightness]

I see.

[ he'd have to assure the man he's quite alright at some point. ]

And he's worried I'd be mauled by a bear? didn't you tell him you have my back?

[mucked]

I assured him I'd brought my gun. [ peggy beckons him near and holds out a hand -- she doesn't need his help to find her feet again, but she rather likes holding his hand. ] And he worried over whether the rabid alien bears might also have guns. It was an awfully circular conversation -- I worry he's trying too hard to hide his low spirits.

[uprightness]

Holidays are always difficult. I'd give him a call, tell him I have been kept safe from - alien bears with laser guns.

[ that's creative, at the very least.

he makes a neat pile of logs and walks over, taking her hand and easily tugging her upwards. he doesn't let go, however, even when she is already standing. ]

I'm willing to bet there's a movie about those. They make them about anything, really.

[mucked]

[ just as well. peggy isn't so keen to be let go -- instead she grips his hand and feels the flakes of bark and wood still stuck on his skin. ]

Did I mention? [ she lifts her chin so she can watch him calmly while they talk. ] Howard went into the film industry. Directing things adapted from these silly little wild west comics.

[ films! from comic books! it all sounded like a terrible fad to her. ]

[uprightness]

[ it's impressive, really. most topics he would find easy to ignore in favor of focusing on how the lights catches in her hair and her hand in this but then - ]

-- I have to say, I can't see Howard Stark directing westerns.

[ or directing at all. ]

Never knew he was into it.

[mucked]

Hollywood accounting has numerous and generous loopholes. Not to mention his many many production assistants always look a pretty picture in their swimsuits. [ dry, dry, dry. peggy doesn't take howard's directing diversion with much seriousness. ] It was quite a sight to step out of the guest room and see a gaggle of them sunbathing by the pool. Very busy at work, you see.

[uprightness]

Production assistants?

[ oh boy. he knows that howard had a reputation of a lady's man but this is - well. ]

Well, it's nice of him to host them all at his pool.

[ he.........thinks. ]

[mucked]

Yes. [ she pats his chest. ] How terribly nice of him. Not self-serving in the least.

[ peggy pulls him back towards the campsite with a tug on his hand. the afternoon sun is still high enough; they don't need to start setting any fires just yet. ]

You know, he made half-a-dozen attempts to get me in front of his cameras. Persistent bugger.

[uprightness]

Maybe a bit self-serving. But Howard always combined selfish and selfless.

[ a contrast but one that made sense to steve, in a way. tony is not very unlike howard, in that regard or perhaps, the image of the son now paints the image of the father. ]

You know I would have paid a lot of money to see that.

[ his smile is easy and far too indulgent for anyone's own good. is he picturing it? he's picturing it. ]

Maybe not a western, though.

[mucked]

Don't be ridiculous. The silver screen is hardly inconspicuous. [ with a huff. ] I don't even much care for cinema. And don't get me started on the parts he wanted me to play...