✮ video.

[uprightness]

Who: Steve Rogers + you.
Broadcast: yep.
Action: on the starstruck, if you're inclined!
When: current.

[ It has been a long time since Steve Rogers has done one of these little network announcements, seven months, if you want to be specific about it. Some things have changed, others haven't. He still looks awkward about addressing a whole lot of people at once for something that isn't an emergency. The uniform is gone, however, replaced by a simple blue t-shirt and jeans and the shield is nowhere in sight.

He seems to have spread many sheets of paper all over the Starstruck's kitchen. Some feature tables of dates - undoubtedly a calendar in the making and others feature, well, drawings; each sheet contains one scenery. They would strike some people as rather familiar, a hand-holding tree, a sandy beach, the market of the tri-fraction system with people wearing clothes in various colors, the woods of the Lagan system, the Nebula lights and lastly, the mountains of Siourew and the Co’kal. ]

I meant to finish a few calendars by New Year's Eve but it seems I'm behind on my deadline.

[ To say the very least. He rubs his chin, there's a beginning of a stubble there. How many days has he devoted to this as of late? it's hard to tell. ]

I'm not going to write years on 'em, since it's different for all of us but I thought it might be a nice way to keep up with dates and holidays.

[ He frowns and confesses, ]

I feel like I've left some things out - and some of you have seen planets I haven't been around to see for myself. I figured I'd ask - if you have the time, you can describe some of them to me and I'll add them to the calendar. It can be anything you liked on any of the planets we've been to.

[ and, okay, fine - ]

I could use a description of where we're currently docked, too.

[ How can a person so big can seem so awkward? ]

Thanks you.

Comments

[uprightness]

Especially if you're a private person.

[ like himself, like Peggy. ]

and if your relationship has somehow been turned into gossip. I don't think she had an easy time with that. Half of the things I used to know in the war, I've learned from her but they - I don't think she ever appreciated being defined by what she meant to me. I don't appreciate it, either.

[ especially since people got it all wrong. ]

But it happened and I think, since then - you know. Maybe we're more private than most people.

[outstandingbalance]

I'm not saying you should kiss for other people, Steve. I get being private. More than most people, probably.

What I'm saying is something more like...

[She pauses, acutely aware of her own hypocrisy. But she wouldn't wish her life on him an Peggy.]

Like I don't want the two of you waiting until later because someone might catch.

You really going to tell me you wouldn't like to steal a kiss on the dance floor?

[uprightness]

There was New Year's Eve but I think half of the people there were too drunk to notice.

[ he smiles and leans against the wall. ]

I guess all it takes is the right moment.

[outstandingbalance]

New Year's Eves don't count.

[Though she's glad to hear about it. That's the kind of memory the two of them should be making.]

I would have kissed you on New Year's Eve.

[uprightness]

And that's why it doesn't count?

[ so amused. ]

[outstandingbalance]

I'd say for both our sakes it better not. At least where Peggy is concerned.

[uprightness]

So what you're saying is that kissing on new year's eve doesn't count since it's tradition? It could have been anyone.

[ even though he'd skip the party if it weren't for Peggy, in all honesty. ]

[outstandingbalance]

Maybe not just anyone, but something like that. If you're dancing with a friend...

[uprightness]

Do you think there's anyone left in the fleet who thinks Peggy is my friend? I've never been good at hiding what she really is.

[outstandingbalance]

Oh no, I don't think anyone's that dense.

[uprightness]

See?

[ he's so pleased. ]

Though I might take the advice and if she asks, I'll tell her who I got it from.

[outstandingbalance]

Go ahead. I doubt she'll be asking.

[uprightness]

It wouldn't be the most intrusive thing you've ever done after Corona.

[ but could it be that he doesn't sound the least bit caring about her stunt? ]

[outstandingbalance]

I didn't intrude in anything. I just facilitated what neither of you would have done for yourselves.

[uprightness]

You've facilitated. That's what it was.

[ the most dry. ]

[outstandingbalance]

That's what I call it. Not my fault the two of you needed an extra push.

[uprightness]

I'd call it a shove. And not a gentle one.

[ but he's in peace with it, it would seem. ]

[outstandingbalance]

You can't blame me if both of you are stubborn.

[uprightness]

I wouldn't say stubborn -

[ he'd absolutely say stubborn. ]

[outstandingbalance]

[Yeah, he better.]

I'll save you the embarrassment of asking what word you would use.

[uprightness]

How about tenacious?

[ that's a good one. see? no embarrassment! ]

[outstandingbalance]

Hm. Tenacious normally means you're pursuing a goal, not that you're digging in your heals.

I'm going to stand by stubborn on this one.

[uprightness]

I'd like to think any two people in a relationship are pursuing a goal -

[ and wait hold on ]

We haven't been digging in our heels. Tenacious.

[ so there it is. black widow and captain america are bickering about the semantics of his love life. ]

[outstandingbalance]

Then for a while there you were tenaciously trying to avoid moving forward in your relationship.

[Because he's wrong. And because it's a nice distraction.]

I'll admit you've been doing better.

[uprightness]

Are you keeping some sort of score?

[ would it even surprise him? probably not. ]

I mean, we've moved up on the Romanoff scale?