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

[mucked]

Invalid! [ oh, no. now it's her turn to whip herself into a righteous indignation on steve's behalf. ] He's nothing of the sort. He's -- shorter. That's all.

[ and frailer, and asthmatic, and partially deaf. but still every inch of him steve rogers. ]

[all7seas]

He could barely stand up, woman! And he offered to fight me!

[Jack is exaggerating, sure, but he couldn't believe the difference in the Steve he'd seen on the asteroid and the Steve from the video. It had been shocking.]

[mucked]

What were you doing?

[ because of course steve put his fists up -- a cluck of her tongue can't quite hide the mild approval she nevertheless feels. running had never been an option for steve, not really. ]

Because he doesn't take a swing at just anyone.

[all7seas]

Top secret mission. Cloak-and-dagger things, milady. And I'm not just anyone! I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!

[In case that was in question.]

You've worn him into rags, really.

[mucked]

You think it's my doing? [ ha, don't make her laugh. or roll her eyes. indeed, it might be best to not make her do anything. ] If anything, the truth is quite the opposite.

[all7seas]

[He gives her a long, hard stare over the top of his bottle.] That man is a saint. A SAINT. And unless he's ingested a particularly aggressive breed of tapeworm, I hardly see how a simple glitch could reduce him to such straits.

I'm going to make him a soup, you know.

[mucked]

[ he's right about one thing, of course: steve rogers is a saint. no one with anything less than saintly patience would have ever recalled her back to his company with bushels of tea in apology for an offense that had been hers to give. peggy ought to have apologized; steve reeled her back in with his sweetness instead. ]

Don't say that. Don't say 'reduce' -- [ offended, maybe. she gives her head a churlish little shake. ] When I first met him, Steve Rogers looked exactly as he did right now.

[all7seas]

Funny thing -- looked like that when I first met him, too. In person, anyway.

[mucked]

[ in an attempt to clarify her point, she explains: ] Precisely. And he looked just the same up until a handful of years ago. This 'glitch' has only returned him to that state.

[all7seas]

Is he back to his large, brawny self now?

[mucked]

Not yet. [ ...hm. ] I'd give it until the end of the week. Maybe next.

[all7seas]

Then why isn't he here, tipping one back with you, General? [Because you can obviously drink most mortal men under the table, Peggy.] Drowning his cares, you might say.

[mucked]

Oh, he'll show. I'd wager money on it.

[ but for now she suspects he's still aboard the starstruck, hiding away last-minute birthday gifts. making too much of a fuss over something that hardly matters any more. ]

[all7seas]

How much money? Or do you just want to barter for more labor from my poor broken shell of a body?

[Such exaggeration. Jack's got the physique of a seasoned sailor. But he's also always up for a wager. Too bad he almost always loses.]

[mucked]

-- Are you certain you want to take this bet? Really?

[ one chance to back out, sparrow, before she has the shirt off your back. ]

[all7seas]

Look, love -- I'll let you back out if you're too frightened and afraid.

[He's just going to be running around the Fleet naked, eventually. And enjoying it immensely.]

[mucked]

Frightened? [ afraid? at least she has the good sense not to laugh. peggy at least plays at doubt -- best not sell her certainty too well, or else he'll never take the gamble. ] Not quite. Name your collateral, then.

[all7seas]

[He doesn't have much, that's for sure.] An old, broken compass?

[mucked]

That's all?

[ -- disappointing. ]

[all7seas]

[Mournfully:] Aye. Or this old, useless sash around my waist?

[He opens his shirt to show her the rather beautiful sash. Yes, he keeps it on under the Fleet jumpsuit.]

[mucked]

And what of your old, battered hat?

[ -- she likes a snazzy hat. ]

[all7seas]

.....................................................................No.

[So does he.]

[mucked]

Valuable, is it?

[ well! this is more interesting than the wager. ] Perhaps you've got some sentimental connection to it.

[all7seas]

If I take it off, my entire head rolls from my shoulders in a fountain of blood and gore.

[Lies.]

[mucked]

Bollocks.