（ 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

[selfhelp]

If it bugs you I won't do it again, but I had to at least once.

[and he may squee a little. in private. or at least when you're not watching.]

[mucked]

Did you, though?

[ have to? really? ]

[selfhelp]

I'm not gonna apologize for it, if that's what you're after.

[unsurprisingly hardassed about things. clearly her niece got it from somewhere.]

[mucked]

Goodness. [ -- she can't help laughing. ] Aren't you a strange chestnut.

[ tripping over with praise one minute; difficult the next. peggy doesn't mind it. ]

[selfhelp]

Not gonna deny that one, either.

[YOLO he knows he's weird.]

Anyway, congrats on being awesome, whether you want to hear it or not. And more seriously, congrats on the engagement. Long time coming, yeah?

[mucked]

Rather a long time, yes. [ no matter which way you account for it. ] And yet it's also one of those things that I doubt could ever have happened a moment sooner.

[selfhelp]

I mean, technically it could've, [especially if the "months of asking" bit is true,] But good things to those who wait, and stuff? No point in rushing things, especially in a place like this.

[mucked]

Technically? It could have. I'll cede that. [ but-- ] Some things take a bit of time to do right. No matter how certain you are.

[selfhelp]

Yep, agreed.

So, um, did you have a hand in SHIELD in your universe? Or is it too early for that?

[Testing, testing.]

[mucked]

SHIELD doesn't exist, no. Not yet. [ ... ] But I've heard so much about it.

[selfhelp]

[Is it weird to feel relieved by that?]

Yeah, they... keep busy.

[UGH WHY DID HE HAVE TO ASK]

Sorry, it must be weird to hear about the future like that.

[mucked]

It was. But I suppose I've begun to acclimatize to the knowledge. Having been here long enough -- having met so many people from so far along in the future?

Perhaps it's a risk to say it aloud but I almost think there's nothing left to surprise me about all of it.

[ oh she's so wrong. ]

[selfhelp]

[....hah.... hahaha.... yeah, she's probably wrong.]

I can't answer that without you telling me everything you already know, and that probably goes against your job description.

[mucked]

Telling you my job description goes against my job description.

[ so. yes. ]

[selfhelp]

Well, there we go. Hopefully you can live with the suspense.

[Though he has no doubts of that. She's a very durable sort.]

[mucked]

Oh, doubtless. But there's a very good chance that doing so will nevertheless leave me prematurely grey.

[selfhelp]

Can't have that, then. My lips are zipped.

[Though now he's shoved himself in a bit of a conversational corner. Being from the future suuuuucks.]

So when are you guys gonna get married?

[mucked]

Negotiations haven't quite started, but -- [ yep ] -- I imagine we'll be waiting for a suitable planet or system. Somewhere with some solid ground and a bit of atmosphere. I don't fancy making my vows aboard a spaceship.

[selfhelp]

Yeaah, you might be hard-pressed to get a place with the size or atmosphere that would suit a wedding. The closest you'd probably get is the garden, and it's... I mean, it's okay.

[Just okay.]

If you need help with decorating or anything, fancying a place up... I'm cheap labour.

[mucked]

Don't sell yourself short, Mister Kaplan. [ a beat. ] Or, at the very least, I would suggest calling yourself 'economical' rather than cheap.

[selfhelp]

You say tomato, I say toh-mah-toe. Anyway, I'm saying I'll work for free. It's, uh. Really easy for me, most of the time. I cheat.

[mucked]

[ actually, she's quite certain she's the one saying tohmahtoe. ]

You...cheat.

[ you're going to have to explain that one, lad. ]

[selfhelp]

It's a vague way of saying I can use magic to do stuff.

[it's not like he's subtle about it, so may as well.]

[mucked]

[ fair enough. after all, her eyes do narrow. ]

What sort of stuff?

[selfhelp]

Magic... stuff?

[He wasn't exactly thinking specifics.]

I dunno, I just wish for things to happen. If I can do it, it happens. If I can't, it doesn't. The upper limit's kinda finicky depending on circumstances, sorry.