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]

Must it only ever be one of the two? [ she undoes her jacket, tossing it aside. ] Not that I want to insult you, mind.

[outstandingbalance]

Doesn't have to be. And I didn't say it was. [Natasha leans on the bar, arms crossed in front of her.] But it usually is.

[mucked]

[ when their drinks arrive, peggy curls her fingers around the cup. but she waits to drink, cocking her head to the side. ]

I could be wrong, of course. My data-pool is considerably limited. You, Dottie Underwood, and one little girl left behind at a training facility. That's all the intel I'm working from.

[ which is her way of saying (without saying) that what she'd observed in dottie, at least, had been a scouring away of personality: so little left of the authentic person, that she was left to create herself from the images of others. and, indeed, dottie had cribbed peggy carter's identity next. ]

But I suppose that's us going maudlin again. [ she drinks. ] For once, I think I'd much rather talk about Steve.

[outstandingbalance]

So what did Steve do to deserve a dressing down? [Natasha is more than willing to let the topic skim away from identity and the methods used in the Red Room, which Peggy has most likely only scratched the surface.] He didn't tell you people must think he's pathetic being seen in public with you too, did he?

[mucked]

He didn't dare. [ a shake of her head. she can remember all too well the sour note of his self-pity in the back of the ssr car. ] But on the morning we discovered the glitch -- [ there's clearly no need to explain which glitch ] -- he made it clear he wanted little more than to hide out on a backwater asteroid for the duration of it.

[outstandingbalance]

I don't think he understands how insulting that is.

[As though she was shallow, or the only reason he'd be around her was pity. As though being around her for reasons that didn't have anything to do with being physically attractive, in his perception, would be somehow humiliating to him.

But Steve does have a lot to deal with.]

So you were trying to get him out of bed? So to speak.

[mucked]

He's a tricky one to shift out of bed on a good day. [ -- she's not ashamed to say it, really. but it is a vulnerable admission. peggy doesn't like talking about her private behind-doors life with steve, but this much is at least a little important to explaining what had gone so awry. ] Nagging for a ten more minutes, ten more minutes, ad nauseum.

But this was different. It felt like he'd have hidden there all week if permitted. [ ... ] Didn't want anyone to know.

[ so it's no wonder she'd called him cowardly. what a stupid problem to try and run from. ]

[outstandingbalance]

And he didn't take it well.

[Of course he didn't. Why would he?]

[mucked]

-- Not well at all. [ things must have been smoothed over, however, because she's quick to laugh about it. ] Too afraid to leave the bloody guest room, but not too afraid to stand up to me. So I suppose he was only half a coward.

[outstandingbalance]

It does sound like you brought the fight to him. Makes it easier. [And like he did deserve it. Natasha takes a healthy pull on her whiskey, her lips tightening slightly.]

[mucked]

I admit -- the 21st century must be a challenge for him. [ she toys with her cup before taking a long drink. frowning, but pleasantly. ] But he forgets, I think, that unlike nearly every last person in the year 2016? I knew him before the serum.

Truth is, some of my best memories of Steve Rogers are with him exactly as he looks right now. And I won't stand by while he tries to treat that state as something truly lesser.

[outstandingbalance]

Not in the 21st century now, though, is he? We're all... where ever this is. And whenever it is.

[Not that Natasha doesn't understand. She knows better than most people how important Peggy and Bucky are to Steve, precisely because they're the only people alive who knew him before he went in the ice. Before he was a superhero.]

[mucked]

So we had a row. [ a nod of her head. ] Short lived -- he barely made it eight hours before ringing me up.

[ which she explains with more relief in her voice than pride or victory. thank goodness someone had blinked. ]

[outstandingbalance]

That says something about how special you are to him. Steve isn't known for backing down.

[mucked]

Quite the opposite, as we both know. [ another lengthy drink. ]

[outstandingbalance]

So how's he handling it now. I know what he told me, but...

[Steve can't lie to save his life, but that doesn't always mean Natasha knows what's in his head. Peggy has a different angle on him, especially because she did know him before.]

[mucked]

He's making the best of a big change -- just as he did before. [ whether 'upgrading' to the serum or sliding in the opposite direction, peggy's intent on seeing it as just that: a change. not for the better and not for the worst. ]

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha can respect that. She won't disagree.]

What about you? Making the best of it too?

[mucked]

Being able to push him around again without feeling as though I'm trying to shove a brick wall certainly hasn't been unwelcome.

[ she'll let natasha read that however she likes. ]

[outstandingbalance]

[That gets a laugh out of Natasha, the sound a soft huff.]

Enjoy that while you can. I'm sure he'll be back to being the brick wall we've all gotten to know before long.

[mucked]

Believe you me, it's not going to waste. [ when again will she ever get to say she's carried steve bloody rogers? ] Nor am I hearing any complaints.

[outstandingbalance]

[There is a mental image Natasha will cherish.]

I'm glad to hear that. The two of you should take advantage of every second chance.

Even if that chance is throwing Steve Rogers over your shoulder like a sack of flour.

[mucked]

-- Sack of flour is generous, I think. But yes.

[outstandingbalance]

You'll have to tell me what would be a more accurate analogy.

[mucked]

More like a medium-sized hank of rope.