Are you the one who keeps replacing the mistletoe above my door? [ she suspects he didn't bring it onto the ship int he first place -- knows he didn't, actually. but peggy guesses he's been perpetuating the problem. ]
[ there are times -- like this time -- when she wishes he wouldn't smile so easily. peggy likes it too much: his smile, cracking open his face inviting so much sunshine in. her own mouth pinches closed, as though she's actively resisting the instinct to smile back. so far, she's ignoring the wrapped package in his care. ]
[ besides, at least it got her attention. it's a battle of wills at this point and Steve is determined to see this one through and rope her into the spirit of the holiday.
speaking of which, ]
What would you have done if I'd mistaken that gift and thought it was from Wanda or - Kara?
I'd have asked you why on earth you thought either of them were gifting you romantic poetry. [ dry as dry can be. ] And then I would've called you an idiot.
[ nothing about those poems speak to mere friendship -- and perhaps she'd leaned heavily upon his literary pursuits so that he might remember the circumstances of the poet and her husband. ]
[ there's no helping it, he smiles again. honestly, she has a point and a rather valid one, too but there's something in the way he smiles at her that implies that he finds his indignation, much like her annoyance, rather endearing.
I used to think of nothing when I read them. [ at school, of course. where else? middle sixth, before the war broke out, and she was just starting to find her way to being a young woman. but even as she admits it, now, she sounds sullen. like it's over-sharing. ] Now I think of you. Can't bloody well be helped.
[ vexed, as though she blames him for it. peggy clears her throat. ] Wouldn't know what to write on the card; the verses themselves already say it all.
[ he watches her for a long moment, feels the softening even when it's accompanied by something a bit sharper. they say more these days but it's still a bit of a learning experience. it's a terrible sort of fear, the one that nags at the back of his mind, just how happy he'll be allowed to be with her before fate decides to deal them heartbreak again. it's the sort of thought that must be actively fought or else - what? is there a point to being the same here and at home, to know what is missing and not seizing it as long as one is allowed?
he had spent far too many moments wishing he could have one more day, one more conversation, to let these worries get the better of him, them. his hand finds hers, thumb following the familiar line of the inside of her wrist and then he offers her the box. ]
well? won't you open it?
[ it supplied him with precious hours of being occupied, her gift. some things, while very basic and taken for granted at home, are not found in extent on the fleet. it's been some weeks ago when he found a simple yet tired looking china set in the game room. tired-looking or not, he worked to get his hands on it and once he did, well. the upgrading job has been relaxing, hours spent in the artistic center aboard the Iskaulit repainting it white and then sketching four different patterns before finally deciding to paint a simple floral one. now, it's a matching little set of four tea cups that he figured will be put to good use since god knows she refuses to offer guests anything but. ]
[ -- he's too sweet, she decides. too obliging. and when she tears the paper (despite its care and artistry) she does so knowing that whatever's inside this box will be something chosen -- or made -- with just as much care. indeed, she can tell immediately that the flowers are his handiwork.
balancing the box against the flat of her palm, she touches the tips of two fingers to her lips. ] Steve, [ she says his name with feeling. almost as though she's about to scold him for the lengths he's taken. ]
They're beautiful.
[ and this is why she'd wanted to leave her gift and flee. she isn't good at this part -- the part where she's overwhelmed with feelings. ]
[ it's all that much easier when one can shop for presents but steve actually prefers putting work into his, making it into a project of a sort. He watches her expression, the press of fingers to lips. His voice softens, his words are quiet, kept between them. ]
[ almost. except peggy isn't the kind of woman who puts china up on the shelf and refuses to touch it. things exist to be used, not to be treasured into redundancy. she steps past him and sets the box on the foot of her bed so she can pluck one single cup from where it's nestled. ]
I admit, I bought as much food as the fridge could take. Maybe some of it will last after we leave this place - it'll make up for us not having a cook.
[ though his frown indicates that he's nearing the point of saying 'to hell with it' and taking the duty onto himself. ]
[ she sees that look on steve's face. her head tilts -- almost shakes. as though she's prepared to use captain privileges and put her foot down. it doesn't quite occur to to ask whether he'd enjoy that duty. after all, it's not as though tending the starstruck's security is a 24/7 responsibility. ]
No. [ she hesitates. ] I can see your thoughts as plain as day on your face, Steve.
It makes tremendous sense. [ but she still appears unyielding. if only because it's an inefficient assignment. steve's handy enough in the kitchen, but he already has his occupation on the starstruck. and unlike others, he isn't quite so in desperate need of a distraction.
coolly: ] Talk to Wanda. See if she's interested. She could use a diversion.
[ he nods, looks aside for a moment. of everything that's been happening, Wanda worries him the most. ]
We're not really on the same page as we used to be, anymore.
[ or else, they're exactly on the same place as they've been when they took her away from Sokovia. Only, so much time has passed since then. Time which seems to have been entirely forgotten. ]
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action
Date: 2016-12-23 08:00 pm (UTC)-- It gets out of hand, [ she 'suggests' in a tone that's anything but suggestive. ] Gets gaudy.
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Date: 2016-12-23 08:03 pm (UTC)I think it'll be a bit difficult to achieve gaudy around here. Not enough tinsel.
[ no tinsel at all, tragically. ]
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Date: 2016-12-23 08:04 pm (UTC)Are you the one who keeps replacing the mistletoe above my door? [ she suspects he didn't bring it onto the ship int he first place -- knows he didn't, actually. but peggy guesses he's been perpetuating the problem. ]
action
Date: 2016-12-23 08:07 pm (UTC)I'm not sure what you're talking about.
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Date: 2016-12-23 08:09 pm (UTC)You're still a terrible liar.
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Date: 2016-12-23 08:23 pm (UTC)[ besides, at least it got her attention. it's a battle of wills at this point and Steve is determined to see this one through and rope her into the spirit of the holiday.
speaking of which, ]
What would you have done if I'd mistaken that gift and thought it was from Wanda or - Kara?
[ seriously, since when do we not send cards? ]
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Date: 2016-12-23 08:41 pm (UTC)[ nothing about those poems speak to mere friendship -- and perhaps she'd leaned heavily upon his literary pursuits so that he might remember the circumstances of the poet and her husband. ]
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Date: 2016-12-23 08:44 pm (UTC)cute, as he once told her. absolutely cute. ]
Thank you, by the way, it's wonderful.
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Date: 2016-12-23 08:50 pm (UTC)[ vexed, as though she blames him for it. peggy clears her throat. ] Wouldn't know what to write on the card; the verses themselves already say it all.
action
Date: 2016-12-23 09:37 pm (UTC)he had spent far too many moments wishing he could have one more day, one more conversation, to let these worries get the better of him, them. his hand finds hers, thumb following the familiar line of the inside of her wrist and then he offers her the box. ]
well? won't you open it?
[ it supplied him with precious hours of being occupied, her gift. some things, while very basic and taken for granted at home, are not found in extent on the fleet. it's been some weeks ago when he found a simple yet tired looking china set in the game room. tired-looking or not, he worked to get his hands on it and once he did, well. the upgrading job has been relaxing, hours spent in the artistic center aboard the Iskaulit repainting it white and then sketching four different patterns before finally deciding to paint a simple floral one. now, it's a matching little set of four tea cups that he figured will be put to good use since god knows she refuses to offer guests anything but. ]
action
Date: 2016-12-23 10:08 pm (UTC)balancing the box against the flat of her palm, she touches the tips of two fingers to her lips. ] Steve, [ she says his name with feeling. almost as though she's about to scold him for the lengths he's taken. ]
They're beautiful.
[ and this is why she'd wanted to leave her gift and flee. she isn't good at this part -- the part where she's overwhelmed with feelings. ]
action
Date: 2016-12-23 10:51 pm (UTC)Happy Christmas, Peggy.
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Date: 2016-12-24 12:07 am (UTC)[ almost. except peggy isn't the kind of woman who puts china up on the shelf and refuses to touch it. things exist to be used, not to be treasured into redundancy. she steps past him and sets the box on the foot of her bed so she can pluck one single cup from where it's nestled. ]
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Date: 2016-12-24 09:03 pm (UTC)[ he gestures towards the cup that's currently being held between her fingers. ]
Christmas breakfast tea?
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Date: 2016-12-24 10:40 pm (UTC)[ because peggy doesn't cook. ]
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Date: 2016-12-26 10:29 pm (UTC)Well, we got enough stuff from the hotel to make sure it won't be the usual sort.
[ meaning, protein in different shapes and acquired tastes. ]
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Date: 2016-12-27 12:49 am (UTC)action
Date: 2016-12-30 09:44 am (UTC)[ though his frown indicates that he's nearing the point of saying 'to hell with it' and taking the duty onto himself. ]
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Date: 2016-12-30 12:12 pm (UTC)No. [ she hesitates. ] I can see your thoughts as plain as day on your face, Steve.
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Date: 2016-12-30 01:52 pm (UTC)[ evidently, the first strategy is reasoning with her on that front. ]
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Date: 2016-12-30 01:55 pm (UTC)coolly: ] Talk to Wanda. See if she's interested. She could use a diversion.
action
Date: 2016-12-30 01:59 pm (UTC)[ he nods, looks aside for a moment. of everything that's been happening, Wanda worries him the most. ]
We're not really on the same page as we used to be, anymore.
[ or else, they're exactly on the same place as they've been when they took her away from Sokovia. Only, so much time has passed since then. Time which seems to have been entirely forgotten. ]
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Date: 2016-12-30 02:02 pm (UTC)I can speak to her, if you like. I've never been on anyone's same page. [ save for howard during his brief stay. ]
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Date: 2016-12-30 02:03 pm (UTC)[ he moves a hand back, gestures to his augment. ]
I think they might have done something to her memories. It's - she's one been one way and suddenly it's all seems to be -
[ gone. ]
action
Date: 2016-12-30 02:06 pm (UTC)Have they removed some? She doesn't look much younger. [ in her experience, 'younger' has always been the most common adjustment. ]
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