ᴏɴᴇ ɢʟɪᴍᴘsᴇ ᴏғ ʙʀɪɢʜᴛᴇʀ sᴋɪᴇs (sᴇᴍɪ-ᴏᴘᴇɴ)

[uprightness]

Who: avengersmas guests and starstruck crew!
Broadcast: nope
Action: on the starstruck
When: forwardate to christmas eve!



[ to all those who were invited, the crew, plus ones and random guests, you can use this mingle log for dinner stuff and drinking stuff and gifts stuff and passing out stuff.

don't ruin the christmas decorations though, they mean a lot to steve. ]

Comments

[uprightness]

For an hour, yes. you don't have to stay completely still, you know. I know it sounds ironic but the whole idea of it is to be comfortable.

[ said as he finally hoists himself up and walks towards the kitchen to get her that tea he promised her. ]

otherwise the result will look artificial.

[mucked]

[ -- she won't play coy about this. while he stands up, while he makes the tea, peggy pulls the length of her curls out from under her collar and starts to unbutton her blouse. after all, there was never any mistaking his meaning: not back then and certainly not now. this isn't the sort of portrait that requires much modesty. ]

For an hour, then, we'll need more than the one cuppa.

[uprightness]

I'm one step ahead of you.

[ two birds and one stone, as they say. steve doesn't mind the whole ceremony of gift-giving but he learned that with peggy, the more casual the whole thing is might be for the best. the woman hates a fuss, after all. this, here, is a chance to throw in her christmas gift and make it useful all at the same time.

he nearly drops the tea box when he turns around to ask or maybe say something. ]

I'm thinking three of four.

[ thank goodness he can complete his sentences these days. ]

[mucked]

[ -- she lets her eyes linger on him in the half-moments after he turns around. to his credit, she does suffer a flicker of surprise when she sees the box in his hand. had she forgotten already? he'd said something about a gift.

her finger freeze on a button partially down from her neck, somewhere just about her sternum, and she sits up a little straighter. ]

At least.

[ but her expression breaks out into a smile. warm and just for him -- reminiscent of small sly ones given to him a long time ago. ]

[uprightness]

At least.

[ he echoes his agreement. whatever it is he got her, it's hidden away for the moment as he fusses over her tea. it's simple enough as the woman won't try for sugar never mind a cinnamon stick. ]

well, this should last you a while.

[ a little while, at least. this christmas is all about completing sets. take her necklace and her ring, for once or the tea pot that sits in the middle of the tray he carries over to the table. the pattern is identical to the four tea cups left somewhere on the ship. ]

enough for a sketch, anyway.

[mucked]

[ the parallel doesn't escape her notice. these things really are coming in sets, tonight. coming in partners. the thought makes something flutter in her gut and peggy is reassured, once and for all, that this choice is the right choice.

she leans forward -- half unbuttoned -- and greedily pours herself a cup. her fingers linger over the painted china, curling tracing touching the pattern as she smiles. ]

Steve. [ peggy breathes his name. ] It's beautiful.

[uprightness]

I never liked giving you just cups to begin with but it took a while to find one.

[ they're not an exact match. the result of them being hand-painted rather than manufactured. the pattern is similar but not identical, every now and then, one could spot a flaw.

but steve appreciates this form of gift-giving. he would always prefer putting a little effort into things rather than buying her someone else's handiwork. ]

just wait. maybe I'll find coasters before your birthday.

[mucked]

[ peggy was never after perfect; she was always chasing right. and there's so much in this moment, well beyond the gift, that feels exactly that. right. she breathes in the sent of good tea and lays her lips on the cup's edge, savouring the heat before she sips.

for the moment, the portrait is forgotten. ]

I'm looking forward to the full set.

[ with you. ]