driftfleet | [open] august starstruck mingle

[ for a heartbeat -- just a heartbeat -- she thinks he might refuse her. she think she might have pressed him a foot too far: the beard, the ring, the costume. she's ever and always waiting for that moment where she asks for too much and he refuses. heaven knows, it's overdue. but she keeps pushing boundaries and he keeps obliging her.

so she leans back against the corner of his desk and watches him oblige. it's no rare sight; it isn't as though he doesn't get changed for the day or for the night with some frequency within the confines of their shared room. but this time, it's different. this time, she watches without hesitation.

and she wonders just how tricky those clasps might be in fingers that aren't so accustomed to doing and undoing them. her fingers twitch at the thought. ]

Striking. [ indeed, she admires him unabashedly. ] But now I'm trying to picture how it might have looked had you kept the beard.

[ she can't let him down easy, it seems. at least not if her impish smile is anything to go by. ]

Well.

[ he takes a step closer but doesn't do much else. A year ago, steve would have flushed bright pink at the very thought of her eyes on him. These days, he welcomes the notion without much shame. ]

I could simply stop shaving. In a couple of weeks we could try again.

[ he takes her teasing with grace, she thinks. each and every encounter further acclimatizes him to their relationship -- stripping away the bits and pieces that used to make him flounder. even in this, she can see his easy and comfort with the situation.

after all, he approaches. only a by a step -- but he approaches all the same. peggy stays put, although her chin does lift. her eyes find his. ]

I hardly think it's necessary. [ ... ] My imagination is quite capable of filling in those blanks. Thank you very much.

Really?

[ funny, this is the first time he is wearing the suit in its current rendition and it's not to save anyone or anything. Instead, it's almost selfish. Steve's hands rest over her hips but when he tugs her closer it's so very gentle. He doesn't pull her into a passionate exchange as he'd done the night of his return. Instead, he does what he had wanted to do for the better part of an hour. He wraps her in his arms, holds her close in a quiet embrace.

For a moment, he does nothing, nothing at all but feeling her presence and inhaling her perfume. ]

Didn't know you were so imaginative.

[ well. it's been a damn long while since she's been this near to him wearing the uniform -- any uniform, really, barring the one that had cropped up in his calibration space. it's enough to steal away the leading edge of her breath. peggy swallows hard before she returns his hug. her arms slide under his and her fingers knot behind his back. ]

Oh, darling, you have no idea.

So, seeing you have such a keen sense for it, how about helping me painting this wall? Seems like the right time.

[ with furniture moving about and the mood still a little gloomy. it feels like a worthy enough distraction. and perhaps it was his project but she's the one with the very good imagination, after all. ]

I'll need a bit more paint. I bet ya there's something on the planet.

[ -- well! it certainly isn't what she'd meant to imply. but count on steve to subvert implication. she could almost (almost!) smile. ]

Only in bulk. [ she manages his expectations, not least of all because she's not keen to be roped into this activity. ] And the room might be bigger, but I'm not interested in stocking it to the gills with paint cans.

I bet we can find somewhere that will sell us a few cans and not force us to buy forty of them. It's just a matter of asking nicely.

[ what. people seem to agree to just about everything when he goes about asking nicely. ]

come on, it'll be fun.

Are you suggesting that going somewhere and being nice to someone is a proper idea of fun? Because I'm afraid you and I might indeed have very different definitions thereof.

[ she knows they don't, in the end. at least -- not always. but she'll make her digs when she can. ]

Come on.

[ he takes half of a step back, just so he can look at her. ]

think about it. we can buy a few more things for this space while we're out. we'll make a day of it and then we can paint the wall. seems like a good way to celebrate.

[ by doing hard labor. go figure. ]

[ her eyes narrow. ]

Celebrate what exactly?

[ as innocently as you please: ]

the new room, what else?

[ :) ]

[ peggy shakes her head, mock-exasperated. there's no downtime; just when something turns sweet and safe, they manage to turn sharply back into the old comfortable arguments.

it's lovely. peggy loves it. just as she loves him. ]

Oh, please. It's hardly worth a bloody celebration.

I dunno.

[ how surprising it is that he disagrees. ]

We did save up for it. We have more room now. You've two closets. It can do with a bit of celebration.

[ she's got two closets? again, she shakes her head -- but doesn't see fit to correct him. one of those closets is his, although peggy isn't prepared to invite that particular brand of smugness onto his face by reminding him to. ]

Interior decorating isn't really my idea of a celebration.

Really?

[ he arches an eyebrow ]

alright then. now that we've determined that we need one. what is your idea of a celebration?

[ look she just went ahead and agreed to have one. he knows how to seize a chance. ]

[ oi! she's agreed to nothing of the sort. or so suggests her scowl. ]

A drink. [ then, giving ground. ] A nice dinner, perhaps. Not at the bistro; I'll not suffer through Mister Jarvis's hovering.

We could do that. alright, it's a deal.

[ have they been bargaining all this while? he seems to think so. he actually seems quite happy with this supposed agreement. ]

painting the wall shouldn't take too long, then we could go out and have some dinner. we'll make a day of it.

-- Quite convinced I didn't yet agree to painting the wall. Not with you, at least. You'll have to offer something better than dinner for that particular boon.

[ god, yes, they've been bargaining all this while. ]

Will I?

[ so it's not over yet. well then. ]

Alright. What would it take?

[ as it turns out, her helping him with that wall might be worth a lot, indeed. ]

Name your price, I'll do it.

-- You're offering me carte blanche?

[ peggy doesn't trust it. that much is evident from the look in her eyes. ]

Are you sure that's wise?

I'm pretty sure it isn't.

[ he cringes but all the while, he's nodding. no, he's not sure, yes, he's still offering it. it's the infamous captain america boldness. or stupidity. depends on who one asks. ]

better snag it, then.

-- Surely you won't make me name it right now.

[ he gives her the world; she asks for more. ]

You make me sound so unfair.

[ but you know what? His mood is just merry enough that, ]

Take your time. We'll say I owe you one.

[ -- so much triumph ought to be outlawed. it's too uplifting; she nearly forgets to breathe. ]

I like the sound of that. [ taking her time. being owed one. there's something said for the fact that she doesn't demand he put the kibosh on his proposal attempts. no, she's saving her boon for something else. the opportunity will arise; she's certain of it. ] So. I suppose you and I are going paint-shopping.

[open] august starstruck mingle

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