（ ＶＩＤＥＯ ）

[uprightness]

Who: peggy carter, steve rogers and all of you guys

Broadcast:  amazingly, yes

Action: on the starstruck, if you're so inclined
When: current.

[ New Year’s Eve has come and gone without anything exploding or going awfully wrong and so today is just safe enough for something else. Steve Rogers doesn’t address the network for no reason, after all. Only today he keeps looking back and eventually, calls: ]

Are you really going to stay there throughout the whole thing?

[ There’s a flicker to Steve’s left: dark curls and a flash of a silk blouse as Peggy leans into view. ] Perhaps. After all, of the two of us, you’re the one with experience in addressing the public.

[ But! Fine! Here she is, framed beside him onscreen, and refraining from making any more jokes about the old USO show. ]

Very funny.

[ but he is smiling, small but amused. For all of his experience, he seems as if he’s been practicing his lines for this one broadcast. ]

I know some of you will say this is long overdue, but after months of asking, mostly on her part, I’ve said yes and we’ve decided to get married.

[ -- and that’s when Peggy slaps the back of her hand against Steve’s shoulder, hissing something (something for him alone) about twisting the truth and tarnishing her well-earned cred. ]

I mean, after a careful observation of mutual interests, we’ve decided to get married. What this is really about is a simple matter of proving me right. I’d like you all to tell her three weeks is a perfectly reasonable duration for a honeymoon.

[ She reaches for the device, tugging its focus onto herself. ] -- For God’s sake, don’t encourage him. We’ve only just got engaged; it’s far far too early to start discussing the rest. [ Aside, to Steve: ] I warned you when I agreed to this ridiculous message. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

[ But she’s laughing. ]

It's not getting too ahead of ourselves. Call it careful consideration of facts.

[ he'll reach out and close the device for the sake of this banter. ]

Comments

[mucked]

"Practically" only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

[ that's not how the saying goes, but she doesn't much care. max scolds her, yes, and she answers by rolling her eyes. and yet she still sinks down onto the sofa beside him -- briefly laying a finger on his robotic leg with a cluck of approval before settling with her arms crossed over her chest. ]

-- What are you doing?

[ ie, can we talk about ANYTHING other than the engagement? ]

[theroadwarrior]

Writing my getaway plan for any weddings.

[So stoic, so dryly spoken, but there's a world of teasing in the delivery regardless. Don't worry, Peggy, that's the last jab he'll give. He turns toward her slightly, glancing up sparingly with his usual offer of 'blink and you'll miss it' eye contact.]

... Nothing important.

[He seems to be angling it specifically not to let Peggy read any of it, either.]

You?

[mucked]

Getaway plan!

[ she doesn't answer him. why should she? he doesn't need to hear about her butterflies or her frustrations or the way she nearly lost it at a perfectly innocent young woman because peggy carter can't stomach being told her wedding might be a nice distraction for the rest of the fleet.

she hasn't been handling every congratulations with grace, i'm afraid. ]

And here I was hoping your brand new leg might enable you to walk me down the aisle.

[ she's...joking. peggy won't need to be walked down any aisle. but she certainly wants to see the man squirm. ]

[theroadwarrior]

Yeah, right. You'd throw me like a bowling ball before that.

[He scoffs, though it's good-natured.

As much as Max enjoys blanketing a situation with stifled Debbie Downerisms, he can't really help but feel pretty alright lately, all things considered. Furiosa's back from her short stay away — albeit long enough to make him contemplate just how much her being gone gnaws at him — and despite how obvious it is that Peggy's a mixture of things right about now (not all of them great, but that's not how real life works), the circumstances are... good.

Hmmm. He taps his pen on the pad, feigning thoughtfulness.]

... Could always bowl the butler down the walkway...

[mucked]

Our dear Mister Jarvis is far too tall. Far too lanky.

[ -- but peggy smiles because the visual is too sweet not to hold in her mind. ]

I'd never manage to get him curled into a tight enough ball, I'm afraid. You might have to do.

[theroadwarrior]

[Don't remind him of how short he is compared to all these weird tall people. Why are there so many tall people concentrated here, anyway? Unfair to Mr. 5'9", who is a very normal and respectable height!! But also, he can imagine Peggy rolling him down an alley...

Wait, but he looks confused anyway.]

You don't want me there.

[He's not saying she doesn't want him there, of course — he's recommending she not want him there.]

[mucked]

Max. [ she says his name with all the flush of sweet normalcy. it's become an acceptable, comfortable thing. naming him. each instance feels like a gift behind her teeth. ]

Of course I want you there. What you're trying to say, I think, is that you don't want you there. [ a beat. ] Which I would respect, of course.

[ but she'd be sad, too. ]

There no chance in hell it's going to be a wedding-wedding. If that's what's stopping you.

[theroadwarrior]

[He feels a sharp pang of panic at even the thought of watching a wedding, but the reasoning behind it is stupid and he knows it. It's not even about the crowds, though there's always so much going on to process in a situation like that, wedding-wedding or not... It's the idea behind it that gets him uncomfortable. It brings... things. To the surface. Faces. A face. Swathed in sticky red and brown locks, smiling at him before uttering accusing things.

It's been twenty years, but he imagines Peggy will someday understand, if she doesn't already... that time doesn't heal as much as the movies push in your face. Regardless. It's stupid. All so idiotic, in the grand scheme, that he can't ignore the ghosts to provide some sense of support. Even if he feels it's inadequate compared to what everyone else surely offers.

Unsure of how to verbalize any of the tar stickied to his skull, it comes out like a punch that startles him, syllable by syllable.]

Didn't have a wedding-wedding, either.

[mucked]

[ -- so this is the sticky wicket. it must be, peggy supposes, for him to leap so quickly and sharply to a description of his own nuptials. and if that's the reason why he doesn't want to come? well, fine by her. peggy (for her part) wouldn't mind simply eloping.

it's enough to know (to suspect) that he'd attend if he could. if he felt capable of it. ]

Just as well. [ she doesn't push too deep, dig too far. not yet. ] They're likely overrated. Too much tulle.

[theroadwarrior]

[He breathes out, nearly a laugh. Part of him feels... almost guilty, that it's not easier to tell Peggy about this sort of thing. She's seen a lot of sides of him, heard the most about his family. But it sticks to the roof of his mouth so often, won't get out. He relents a little, today.]

Actually, didn't have the money for it.

... Economy.

[Of a pre-apocalyptic world. Ha. Imagine.]

[mucked]

All sorts of newlyweds have had to make do. Rationing is never kind on luxuries, however little.

[ peggy hems and haws some. he's trying to talk about himself, and she knows that's difficult for him, so she offers up a very basic trade. something she's never told him because it's never much mattered. ]

I was engaged once before. Suppose I feel a bit guilty, now, when I think about the deposits given and cheques written. My parents spent a whole wack of money for a whole lot of nothing.

[theroadwarrior]

... Mm. Shit happens.

[There you go, the most ridiculous commentary — but without judgement.

So in a way, it's just right. But aaaah, his curiosity isn't entirely crippled.]

... Wasn't a good pick? This guy?

[mucked]

He was a decent sort. Still is, likely. [ she never kept up with him -- afterwards, after she left him and her family and her old life behind. ] But he had this thing he was fond of saying: a boring life is a privilege.

[ peggy's smile is rueful. her shrug is fake-indifferent. ]

He had me believing things about myself that simply weren't true. In the end.

[theroadwarrior]

What, you didn't want to be bored out of your skull?

[As much as he can understand preferring a boring life over one of the lives lead in the desert, he also knows that it's not exactly comparable to general boredom that comes with a safe, quiet lifestyle. But... regardless, he can't imagine Peggy being in said lifestyle.]

[mucked]

Shocking, I know.

[ she talks about it with decent spirits. mood intact. or maybe it's merely that nothing can bring her down after a day like this one. fred wells is such an old chapter in her life and one with which she's made an odd peace. ]

I got a job offer -- to go into the field, to make a big difference for the war effort. He didn't want me to take it. So I didn't. [ ... ] Not the first time around, at least.

[theroadwarrior]

[He cocks his head to the side, gray-blue eyes sharp and interested.]

Didn't think you could be convinced.

... What made you change your mind?

[mucked]

My brother.

[ she's not here to spin a sad story -- not when max knows enough details to spin it for himself. so she fudges the truth just that little bit. it is, after all, too good of a day to tarnish it. ]

I learned after the fact that he was the one who put my name forward for the position. And he didn't much like my husband-to-be for having talked me out of my life of adventure.

[theroadwarrior]

[Certainly, he's got an idea of things, spins the details himself.]

Ever regret taking that life?

[He regrets a lot, himself.

But it's easy to regret becoming a cop when the cost was so horrifically high.]

[mucked]

Never.

[ the answer is quick. certain. whole-hearted. ]

If I hadn't, I would never have met Steve. [ just a prickle of sentiment. peggy clears her throat; it's almost painful. ] Hell. If I hadn't? Steve would never have made it as far as basic training.

[theroadwarrior]

Ahh. All makes sense now.

[After all, she met the love of her life. Though... it does make him consider his own life.

Too closely. His voice lowers, just a little.]

Wish I could say the same.

[He wishes it, sometimes.

That Jessie had never met him. That she'd caught the eye of any other stupid rowdy teenager.

How long would she have lived, if she hadn't been associated with him?]

... But I guess that's how regret works.

[mucked]

There's little worse than regret, I think. [ it's a candid kind of day. she's open -- she's honest. ] It's why I find myself suddenly so on-board with marriage. If he left...

God, if I missed my chance again. [ a half-shrug. ] I would never forgive myself.

[theroadwarrior]

[At least Steve's going back to the living from here, yeah? It's a small comfort. But it doesn't change that Peggy's gonna go on without him, unless they can figure out a way to keep memories. Probably has something to do with losing the augments, maybe... He nods, slight.]

... Peggy Rogers, though. [He holds up a hand, teetering it back and forth. A lukewarm motion, his nose wrinkled.] Not as cool-sounding.

[He is well aware he has no room to criticize with a name like Rockatansky.

But he's gonna anyway.]

[mucked]

Oh, heavens no. [ she smiles. ] I won't be changing my name. One little step at a time, Max, and that's rather too wide a leap for me.

[ she'll stay peggy carter. ]

[theroadwarrior]

Good. The ring's fine enough.

[Max doesn't have his ring anymore, but it was a big deal when he was sane.

So... It's good that it's got that going for it. Doesn't change that Peggy's anxious, huh?

He thinks on it a moment, hands on his knees, notepad deposited to the table.]

... Maybe... you should treat it as one of your missions. Make you confident and less worried about it — just another day showing off how you can take someone out in heels. Give it an operation title.

[mucked]

What, like Operation Landed Eagle?

[ she gives him a sly glance, and tries very hard not to go snooping after that notepad. her fingers twitch once in her lap and that's all. she finds her restraint for all kinds of reasons. respect for him, yes, but also because he's trying his darnedest to be supportive just now. ]