driftfleet | April System Mingle

[ it's all so odd. as if this change has taken him back, not only physically, almost like he walked into someone else's life. it's more than a bit absurd and he makes a conscious effort to fight it. ]

Deal. You say the word, we'll go back.

[ deal. she nods -- not requiring that they shake on it, nor say anything else pertaining to a simple agreement. peggy knows he'll keep his word. eventually.

but for now? ] I meant what I said, however. [ she props herself up onto an elbow. ] Time to get up. And this time, you can't stop me.

[ less a challenge, really, and more a friendly acknowledgement of the sudden imbalance. ]

Not today, I can't.

[ if he's going to stay like this for more than a day, which is highly likely, he's going to have to develop a plan of operation for tomorrow morning designed to prevent exactly that.

for now, well, he sighs. ]

Better be sure I'll try, tomorrow.

[ even better.

peggy smiles. it seems (perhaps) that steve's pledge is just about the best thing he could have said. for a moment, she might have worried that a return to his old state might have taken the wind out of his sails so much so that his old determination would deflate, too. ]

Oh, I'm counting on it.

I may be at a disadvantage, gotta mean I'll need to be more creative.

[ but fine. he'll admit defeat for now. Only, rising up, he realizes another problem that's now becoming evident. ]

------- my clothes won't fit.

[ he has all but forgotten about this part. ]

[ -- the calm in her expression cracks under the weight of a sharp, crackling chuckle. peggy curls her knuckles against her lips and bites down as though in an effort to stifle her laughter. he's right, of course. his clothes won't fit -- more so than a mere fashion faux-pas. he'd swim in his usual shirts. ]

That settles it, then. We'll see what our hosts can lend you and then we'll head towards the settlement and see if we can't buy you something to see you through it.

[ she rolls away, stretches until something in her back pops, and tosses the blankets aside. ]

Oh, you think it's funny?

[ he shifts, tosses his pillow at her before she can get up. ]

How are we going to explain this? They'll think you went to sleep with one man and woke up with another. They'll think you're a -

[ he won't even say it, nope. ]

you know.

[ little or no, she's not afraid of biffing the pillow back in his direction. oh how very dare you, steve rogers. ]

I don't care what they'll think. [ and she says it with just enough conviction that it might very well be true. ] Who are they to me? And what's the worse they can do? Kick us out 'cause they don't approve? Bollocks to them if they do.

[ apparently, that's how they're going to conduct this conversation. the pillow hits his shoulder and he just tosses it back. ]

You know, I have nothing to wear to go with you and have this conversation with them.

[ ... ]

You could say I shrunk somehow. Something in the water?

Frankly, I don't see why I need to give them any explanation at all. [ since when did strangers deserve explanations on private, personal matters? but she thinks his desire to re-frame the problem must stem from his own discomfort, so she refuses to acknowledge it. ]

So we're going to go there and just ask for clothes without explaining why we need them?

[ because it's a 'we' now. he's not going to pass on seeing this happening. he frowns, then something clicks. ]

-- a towel. we have towels.

[ so he does have something to wear. ]

[ oh, god no. ]

I can ask. You can't go wandering down into their den with nothing but a towel.

What happened to not caring what they think?

[ he thinks he's being smart, judging by the grin. ]</small.

It's different.

[ but peggy has no other words left to describe that she can care very little what people think about her, but when it comes to him? she's -- well, a little more protective.

at long last she hops out of bed. and while once upon a time she might have cleared her throat at him to prompt his eyes shut, peggy no long makes a fuss about changing in front of him. a setting-appropriate night-dress is exchanged for her more characteristic clothing: today, a pair of smart trousers and a wrap-around blouse. ]

[ he's terrible fond of her right then, at that moment but true to form, she's already out of bed before he can really say - or do - something about it. ]

So, let me see if I get this straight.

[ he sits up, tries not to watch her too openly. ]

You're going to go there, to our alien hosts, and ask them to burrow clothes that are too small for me and too small for you without explaining why?

Don't take that tone with me. [ really. she frees her (mussed) hair from beneath the collar and makes a rough attempt at combing her fingers through. ] At least I'm not intending to steal them.

I have no idea what you mean.

[ ah, there it is - the little faraway smile that has become quite the trademark whenever they're like this. alone. ]

I'm just sorry I can't be there to see it.

[ -- it's damn good to see something so recognizable, still. and she can't help but offer a sparse smile in return. peggy's final touch on her rather hasy outfit is to also pull her necklace free from beneath her blouse. these days, she's more often seen with it than without it. it feels odd, however, to grow attached to a piece of jewellery. ]

Oh? And why's that?

I never really get to see you in action at all. First the pirates and now this.

[ awful fate, terrible. ]

Well, there was Angie, but that was different.

[ he was too busy being fascinated to pay attention. ]

Say it like that, and it sounds like you're hoping I have a hard time of it. [ in-bloody-action indeed. ]

Not at all. I can't imagine you having a hard time with anything like that.

[ she's far too skilled. he never really appreciated the how until he saw her shift between an American bombshell and well, herself. ]

You know, instead of going through all this trouble, we could wait it out.

[ preferably in bed. ]

[ alright, she's curious. peggy catches his meaning rather quickly -- but she decides to play innocent for a question or three while reaching for her shoes. ]

...Wait it out?

Those things last for a few days. Makes sense. Instead of you going over there and then having to go back and buy clothes that I'll never again -

[ smiling oh so much ]

And I'm comfortable.

Steve. [ drawn out to nearly two syllables of indignant disappointment. ] You can't stay cooped up in here -- it could be a week!

It just might, yeah.

[ but from the way he's eyeing her, it's not clear if he's seeing any drawback. ]

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