open » action

[mucked]

Who: Peggy + you
Broadcast: N/A
Action: Starstruck, Iskaulit
When: All day.

[ as compelling an attraction as the asteroids can be, peggy wakes up on what could have been april 21st and promptly decides that a captain's work is never done. despite a short holiday on one of the less glitzy asteroids, she storms her way back onto the starstruck around midday. she'd have preferred to be back earlier, of course, but a certain stubborn steve rogers had delayed her more than usual this morning.

because, you see, today is peggy carter's birthday. and up until recently, she'd thought this particular piece of sensitive intel might have remained under wraps. certainly, she's never announced it to the fleet (not had it announced for her) but over the last year there'd been an influx of individuals who might otherwise be privy to that sacred knowledge.

and so surviving the day becomes a little trickier. her first precaution is to not even address the network -- indeed, she hasn't got her device with her at all. so if some friend or ally does try and contact peggy, they may be forced to seek her out in person instead. after all, it's rare that she should persist with so much radio silence. visitors and crew on the starstruck will find her in her quarters trying very hard to dodge the likes of both steve rogers and edwin jarvis. and trying to busy herself with 'paperwork', though closer inspections might prove she's doing little more than working on a few hobby ciphers. and let's not forget the copious trips to the kitchen for tea, of course.

for visitors and crew: it seems steve's left the odd 'hint' and trinket around the ship. flowers here, candles there, and there's at least one cake chilling in the kitchen. perhaps more. when asked about it, the captain feigns innocence.

later, when that diversion fails, she heads to the iskaulit. first to the firing range, where she squeezes off just enough shots to counterbalance the creeping sensation of domesticity. and that done, she stops by the space bar for a drink of whatever-the-devil most resembles whiskey. ]

Comments

[outstandingbalance]

[It's not uncommon for Natasha to spot Peggy at the firing range. They might chat, but as often as not it's a quiet nod, shooting separately, wordless acknowledgement of whoever had come out ahead that day, and moving on.

Today is a little different. If Natasha knows why, she plays it close to the vest, but she does not pretend not to notice.]

Did the target offend you today, Carter? Or just feeling particularly assertive.

[mucked]

Both, perhaps.

[ a snap of her palm against the grip's flat bottom, possibly reloading. or possibly just moving out of habit. but her stance eases and she turns towards natasha, the gun pointed the ground. finger far from the trigger.

part of her suspects natasha knows. at the very least, it's better to assume knowledge than hope for ignorance. ]

[outstandingbalance]

Sounds like bad timing, then. Think he's learned his lesson?

[It's always safest to assume Natasha knows. But that doesn't mean she'll bring it up if Peggy doesn't.]

[mucked]

[ a glance. as though she almost -- almost -- dares to clarify exactly what lesson 'he' has had to learn. but in the end, she falls back easily on the target-shaped scapegoat instead. ]

If he did, I'm afraid he's too bullet-ridden now to recite it. [ she smirks. ]

[pulcher]

[ the clear instruction was no fuss and officially, steve kept his word to the letter. if there were a few small bouquets of flowers laying about or a few pretty hair pins and some cake, well!

those were left with no note and if no one has claimed responsibility for them then it must be one of those fleet mysteries. no harm, no foul.

truth is, by now, steve knows who he's dealing with and he knows where this all leads. when it becomes clear that she has left the starstruck, he finally retrieves her birthday present, and simply places the different items on the table as if they were there to begin with, a few good soaps from the the hand-holding planet, a few more from the luxury hotel's spa and a small bottle of perfume from one of the high-end shops.

if he happens to be in the space bar, at one of the side tables then that is surely a coincidence. not the most regular of patrons, seeing he's focused on a book. a close inspection would tell it's The Wind in the Willows.

he'll have nothing but the most innocent acts for her. ]

Hi - good round?

[ she carries the scent of gunpowder in, it's an easy guess. ]

[mucked]

[ he's inescapable, it seems. after she'd left the asteroid behind, peggy thought (naively) that she might have dodged his fuss and pomp. but then the starstruck itself had proved a minefield of celebratory overtures. after doing what she could to fine, acquire, and secure every last petal, peggy'd come to the iskaulit. and after the firing range, she'd come here.

and here he is -- nose in a book as though his presence is merely innocent. all the same, she takes her drink and settles in the seat across from him. peggy reaches and snags the book from his hands, turning it around so she can read the title page with a shake of her head. ]

Are you following me? [ rather than looking at him, she flips through the book's front half. ] You knew I'd come here.

[ his question goes unanswered. ]

[pulcher]

Hey - there's no bookmark there.

[ it's on the table. a small piece of paper with a little doodle of a toad, fittingly enough. trying to rescue his book is futile, however and he shrugs. ]

I don't know what you mean, just came to see what's new in the library.

[ it's such a good excuse. he looks rather proud of himself. ]

[mucked]

[ she slides the rectangle of paper off the table's edge, flipping it twice between her fingers before inserting it neatly into the book -- approximate to his position as she remembers it before she started flipping through the pages. peggy sets the wind in the willows aside, making it clear that now is not the time for reading. ]

You've got three or four books on the go already. [ she huffs. ] I should know; your current reading material has started to spread to my desk. Getting in the way.

[ ergo, his excuse is not working for her. ]

a-one

[collegedropout]

Happy birthday, agent.

[Sam arrives quite mysteriously at her bedroom door...or rather casually, anyway, but he shows up regardless with a small knock on the doorframe and an immediate offer of a newspaper-wrapped present -- wrapped of course in a careful and neat way, with a bit of red twine wrapped and tied in a neat little bow on top. Enjoy your present, ma'am.

He gives a playful smile.]

The butler might've mentioned a thing or two.

[mucked]

Crumbs.

[ she rises from her desk chair with an impatient shake of her head. sam's a darling, certainly, but she could have done without him being this darling. even so, she knows better than to be thoroughly rude. the gesture's nice -- although she betrays some hesitation when she takes the wrapped package. ]

You'd think a butler, of all professions, would understand that discretion is the better part of valour.

[ she doesn't thank him. not yet. ]

[collegedropout]

[He's good with or without a thanks. His brother is a surly one sometimes, after all.]

He wants you to have a great day. It's nice.

[Don't be mean to the poor butler guy. He smiles, though.]

I could give you a handwritten coupon for free drinks at the bar, if this isn't up to snuff.

[mucked]

Careful. [ she plays along while beginning to carefully unwrap his hard work. ] Or I might pretend it's rubbish just to get the drinks as well.

[ -- a joke, of course. because when she finally reveals the red leather journal? her expression softens. peggy's mouth quirks into a smile. ]

It's -- quite lovely, Sam.

[ a little clumsy. she clears her throat. ]

a-two

[theroadwarrior]

[Max shoves a small cardboard box under her nose practically, as she enters the Starstruck kitchen. It's not really wrapped or anything, and there's nothing written on it, but it's taped shut to at least give some concept of it being a gift. See, it's in a box, it's good enough. He tries not to look terrible at giving things to people; he was gonna just leave it somewhere she could find it. But. Then she walked in while he was trying to decide what he was gonna do. The gift on the inside is a bit creative, but certainly useful to Peggy.

Take the damn box, okay. He looks at her with a surly little brow furrow.]

For you. Not an artist at all, but... hn... other people who take money are.

Uhmm.

....

Butler told me.

a-two

[mucked]

[ max is something of a paradoxical figure in her life. there are things that max does that would be forgiven in others, but she instead takes him for task. and then there are moments like this one: where she might have railed and cussed at someone else, but his decision to show this kindness makes her kind in turn.

she does, indeed, take the damn box. ]

Don't I look like a fool, now. [ she hums. ] I didn't get you anything on yours.

[theroadwarrior]

[He's the Fool, no worries, Peggy. He's entirely avoiding eye contact, and he shifts on his feet absently to keep occupied, but he doesn't look like he's going to up and bolt.]

I'm not exactly fun to shop for.

Besides, I got this.

[He wags his wrist at her, where the gift she gave him is.]

... And foam darts.

[mucked]

[ she raises a finger in warning. ]

Don't you dare mention the darts again. [ and so evaporated all her good will, it seems. although she has the gift tucker under an arm -- and that, at least, helps her to stay soft(er). ]

a-three

[throwsdown]

[Takeshi holds a box wrapped in white paper that's been colored by markers above his head, inexplicably arriving and intruding on Peggy's attempt to hide away from the public after Max and Sam scoped her out. His smile is bright and his cheeks are red with satisfaction over someone else having a birthday. If you thought you were going to be able to sneak around the cargo bay, you're sorely mistaken.]

Congratulations, congratulations! It's your birthday!

I got you something good! Someone told me you really like presents.

[The inside is FULL of colored packing peanuts (he didn't have that crinkly stuff you put in presents) and somewhere at the very bottom (you'll have to dig sorry) is a little handmade necklace.

Guess who the informant was.]

[mucked]

[ good lord, now there's a small child intruding upon the blessed lack of festivities. all smiles and energy and a present. she beseeches some higher power to grant her strength as she fixes a polite smile in place.

she pauses in the cargo bay -- glancing around to see if anyone's accompanies the small adventurer to her ship. ]

News travels fast. [ dry dry dry. ] Who let the cat out of the bag, hm?

[throwsdown]

It was the guy with the nice ties.

[He motions to his neck, as if adjusting an imaginary one there.]

Birthdays are important, you know! It's important to be happy someone was born.

and a-four and a-last

[edwinjarvis]

[Somehow while Peggy has been evading aboard the Iskaulit, someone has planted something in her room.



Upon closer inspection, and because they are woefully out of actual real flowers... they are paper.

He is a man of many talents, Miss Carter.



says the little card, in expressive, joyous cursive.]

text »

[mucked]

[ she might have mistaken the bouquet for one of steve's, were it not for the sheer drama of it all. there is an exuberance and fuss involved in the preparation that betrays its maker. that, and she's suffered a brace of visitors thanks to his loose lips. ]

Is nothing sacred?

[ translation: thank you, maybe. ]

text »

[edwinjarvis]

Miss Carter!!

♪ღ♪*•.¸¸¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪ღ♪¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪ღ♪•*
♪░H░A░P░P░Y░ B░I░R░T░H░D░A░Y░░♪
*•♪ღ♪*•.¸¸¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪¸.•*¨¨*•.¸¸¸.•*•♪ღ♪•«

[Sorry were you about to complain.]

Iskaulit

[all7seas]

[Well guess who's drinking in the space bar? And who might be unhappy about the quality of the rum?]

[mucked]

Whiskey, please. Or the closest you can get to it.

[ this, she asks of the bartender -- a familiar face, but she doesn't stop to chat. instead, she turns her attention on him.

while she waits for her drink, she chides: ] Captain Sparrow. You owe me one day's hard work.

[all7seas]

And you owe me a quiet snog in the corner.

[No, she doesn't.]