（ ＶＩＤＥＯ ｜ ＡＣＴＩＯＮ ）

[uprightness]

Who: steve rogers + you.
Broadcast: yep
Action: on the starstruck if you're so inclined
When: current

[ there's no need to address the last few weeks. others have done it, offering drinks and comforting words or just a down to business attitude. steve would have normally gone for the latter but today is an exception.

there are boxes scattered around the starstruck's cargo bay and it seems he is slowly unwrapping them all and unpacking a collection of decorations. they're not strictly christmas decorations but one must make do with what one is given.

and speaking of which - ]

I know the last few weeks have been difficult but I also know we're approaching the holidays. Those can be a little rough around here.

[ but look at him gesturing to those boxes ]

I thought we might start making it a little easier. I got these at the Kayanni system a couple of months ago. If you want to take a box for your ship, you're more than welcome to.

[ lord knows they have too much tinsel. ]

and if there's anything else you need help with - you know where I live.

[ oh look, it's a smile. apparently those do happen, still. ]

Comments

[takingkarabusiness]

[ Kara doesn't reply to the broadcast but immediately shuttles over to the starstruck. she wants a steve hug, pronto ]

You're back!

action.

[mucked]

Ever the humanitarian.

[ and here's peggy, waiting in the wings (so to speak) as steve's broadcast ends. she has herself leaned against the cargo bay wall -- arms folded sedately across her chest. god, they've been through a lot. but steve's capacity to pick himself up and brush himself off and set himself to good work will always, always, always make her heart swell.

they're coming up on another christmas -- and frankly she's humbled to have had any with him, let alone another. ]

Here's hoping the rest of the fleet will take this lot off your hands. [ her smile is sweet, but her meaning is anything but -- you see, she's banking on steve's generous spirit leaving the starstruck with only a modest amount of decorations. just enough to appease its first mate, but not so many that the captain's patience is exhausted. ]

[uprightness]

[ kara is fast. every now and then, steve almost forgets but she does such a good job being human, being average while being so much more than that. but suddenly she's there and they're hugging and well.

he's awkward but in all honesty, he could use a hug. ]

-- Hey there.

[ oh well. look at him petting her back. ]

all back and in one piece. it's good to see you, kara.

[takingkarabusiness]

[ she doesn't keep the hug for long but it's always nice to hug someone she won't crush as easily ]

It's great to see you too. How are you? Well rested? You missed a lot.

action.

[uprightness]

I know that tone.

[ but it's said with a bit of a smile. he hadn't expected anything less. last year he could hardly convince her to stay still without getting himself thrown off a shuttle in this very cargo bay. ]

Those two boxes are staying right here.

[ he'll try to sneak a third, maybe. ]

come on, look at these - they're kinda nice.

[ he offers her a scarlet-colored candle. ]

I think this used to have a scent but it's been a while.

action.

[mucked]

It looks like a fire hazard to me.

[ she teases, hefting the candle from one hand to the other. she considers tossing it playfully at him -- but not yet. peggy bides her time, testing the way the wax gives under her fingernail.

oh, it's been a miserable month. but when she smiles now it's with a kind of desperate exhaustion. a we survived kind of smile. ]

I'm not certain I should allow them on my ship.

action.

[uprightness]

I'll file in a report about them - I'm security. I'll make sure we don't burn the kitchen down. Besides, we only have,

[ he goes through the box, shoving things aside and finally announcing ]

six more of these.

[ and he's unwilling to give any of them away. in all honesty, he's almost tempted to sneak one into their room. ]

And some lights. Those can't hurt.

[uprightness]

So I keep hearing, and nothing good.

[ he places a hand on her shoulder, not quite a hug anymore but still a point of contact. ]

You okay? how have you been?

[ it's a stupid question, maybe but one he still feels inclined to ask. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

I've had more fun in my life. The planet we were marooned on had a red sun, so I wasn't quite as strong as I'd like to be there.

action.

[mucked]

[ only six, says the man who often considers forty-five minutes of morning cuddling inadequate. so, by peggy's calculus, that means they really only need to keep about two candles. ]

Six candles and some fairy lights. [ she fixes him with a look. ] Is that truly all of it?

[video]

[the_tailor]

Wait... Are those Christmas decorations?

[Lance is starting to look very, very excited.]

Video;

[reconstitution]

Could use a little help putting them up.

[ Hey, pal. Long time no see, right? ]

Video

[crowkiller]

Exactly what holiday is approaching?

video

[passingthrough]

[She smiles when this shows up in her feed.] Heard you were taking a nap. Guess you did that waking up thing that's so popular.

How're you feeling?

Video

[searingedgelord]

[Velvet is not always great at responding to broadcasts, but she vaguely recognizes this guy as one of Rokurou's crewmates, and also she's kind of curious.]

What holidays are you talking about?

video.

[rebuildyourruins]

[The comm number that comes in is unfamiliar, but the voice and face probably rings a bell.]

Ah, there you are. I was beginning to think tales of your presence were a myth.

[Hey Steve, what's up?]

[uprightness]

And now?

[ it's odder here without any sun at all. steve can't decide on the lesser of those two evils, no sun at all or a sun dyed red. he puts away one of the boxes and frowns. ]

are you better? is there something I can do?

[ ever the caretaker. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

Kitty fixed the sun machine when we got back into space, since it had been damaged. So I'm a-ok, but thank you for asking.

So, are you going to decorate for Christmas? It certainly seems like you've been stocking up.

action.

[uprightness]

Well.

[ he bites back something that must be a smile, leans back to turn his head up and look at her. it's an awkward angle at best but it allows him to accept the look and fess up. ]

it really wouldn't be a holiday without a little tinsel.

[ a little, he says but keeps it hidden, for now. ]

there's a snowman, too. I have to put it together, though. Figured it could wait until the actual day, the dog may take a bite off of it.

action.

[mucked]

[ oh, he's incorrigible. peggy approaches, now, and leans in to give his hair an innocent ruffle so long as he's still betwixt the boxes on the cargo bay floor. these kinds of affectionate gestures are second nature, now. she doesn't even think twice about expressing them in a common area. ]

What else?

[ because there's always more. that's what she's learned. ]

[video]

[uprightness]

[ finally someone who responds in the way he's been expecting. ]

well, the system where I bought them just called them decorations for winter but I think they could serve the same purpose.

[ it's not necessarily red and green. there's blue and purple and silver and orange but it's glittering and it's in good shape. ]

I figured if we can still make good use of them. If you'd like a box -

[ he gestures to the unopened ones. His plan was always to give them away when the time comes. ]

Video;

[uprightness]

Getting tired in your old age?

[ asked with a grin. it can't be helped, every now and then he has to be a punk about these things, especially with bucky. ]

I'll come over with a box or two. Sam can come help, too.

[ he didn't ask him but he elects him as volunteer, anyway. it's the steve rogers way of getting things done. ]

[the_tailor]

Good enough! I'll make do. This place totally needs holiday cheer.

[Glittering, good shape, good enough.]

I'll grab one of those for the Blameless, then! And I'll help you decorate your ship too if you want!

video.

[uprightness]

[ every now and then, steve nearly goes modern and says something along the lines of holy shit. ]

I think myths are more of your thing.

[ oh, he's happy to see him. okay so maybe having the god of thunder on a spaceship could be a hazard but who cares. ]

It's good to see you. Must have been one hell of a welcome.

Video

[uprightness]

Christmas, Hanukkah?

[ though steve guesses that if those existed in her world, she wouldn't have asked him. it's such an obvious thing to people from earth; well, his earth. he thinks for a moment and then - ]

winter solstice?

[ yes? no? ]