Who: Tony, Peggy and Steve What: Chats Where: The Lobby of Stark Tower When: Recently Warnings/Rating: None
Tony was late coming down to the lobby to meet his guests. Security had been considerably strengthened since the addition of the trickster in the basement, and these guys were not the observe-and-report types. They looked at everyone with a cold, polite suspicion that spoke of repurposed military or black ops with new suits. This attitude was no different toward their employer once he appeared, which was, in a way, reassuring. They could offer coffee and cushy chairs while harboring deep lethal misgivings. Tony paid well.
Silver was more concerned about the healing wounds than Tony was; Tony’s concerns tended to run toward vanity (for his damaged hide) and undeserved attention from the very few people he considered his peers, a combination of attitudes that Silver was barely able to comprehend. When the golden elevator doors opened, therefore, Tony was impeccably dressed in one of his loose-fitting dark suits: a look that wasn’t quite complete since he kept getting bashed up and losing weight, but still managed to convey the appropriate amount of money and humor.
“Hey Rogers,” Tony said, exiting the elevator in what he decided was a loose walk, but betrayed a certain amount of stiffness. Silver had put up hell about the alcohol and the pills, and Tony had given in and cut down the intake. That meant the sleep hadn’t been as good as it could have been. “You’ve been making friends without me?” He transferred his gaze to Steve’s companion as they approached, giving her a playful tilt of brows.
In the short walk from Grand Central to Stark Tower, it astounded Peggy how much New York had changed. The streets teemed with people hustling and bustling to where they needed to be, and the skyline was overcrowded with building upon building upon building. It was certainly a different city than in the 1940s, when people were worried about a different war and a different enemy. Steve told her there was a different sort of threat to face, and she believed him, even if she had no idea at all what that meant. In this new world with these new people and new technology, she could not even begin to comprehend what Steve and the other men he teamed up with were facing.
She tried not to look too doe-eyed as they strolled into the lobby of Stark Tower; she had seen stranger, heard of stranger, after all. And Peggy knew from spending time with his father that Stark men had a flair for the ostentatious, for the grandiose. (Who would emblazon their name on the side of a building but a Stark?) Still, she caught herself glancing around in awe a little more than she would usually allow, and she shook her head to empty her mind as they approached the elevator, giving Steve an almost bashful smile before turning straight again. Proper and poised and exuding her usual confidence.
Tony looked so similar to his father, and yet so different that Peggy had to remind herself who he was. “Agent Peggy Carter,” she said, offering her hand for a shake. “I knew your father, Mr. Stark, and Steve tells me that now you’re both working together?”
Steve had grown used to Stark Tower, to the buildings that towered over New York. He didn't like any of it, and he would have given up all the advancements for his old city and his old life. He didn't need phones that fit in his ear, and he didn't need to Google, and he really didn't care what an Angry Bird was. The cars were faster, and so were the women. The skirts were shorter, too, and coffee came with complicated names, but none of that appealed. What did appeal was watching Peggy's reaction to all of it, which he did from the corner of his eye and with the occasional overly-fond smile. She'd always been up-to-date on new gadgets, something he blamed on too much time with Howard, and he figured she'd take to this place much quicker than he did. That didn't mean he liked that awestruck look and that bashful smile, though, and he felt that old jealousy flare up, the one he associated with Stark and no one else.
But just like then, Steve held his tongue, and he just smiled at Tony's greeting. "I made this friend before you," he clarified for Tony, and Peggy got a quirked brow, something like entertainment in the all-American boy expression. "Saying we're working together is going a little far, Ma'am," he added. "Disagreeing on nearly everything is more like it." His smile said maybe things were better than that, but this Avengers team still had too many people who thought they were playing captain, and Steve wasn't sure that was ever going to change.
Tony’s hands were really beat to hell, and always would be. He had healed-over burns and calluses all over his knuckles and fingers, and his father was the one that taught him to shake (match pressure, clean palm, eye contact), so that would no doubt be similar too. He gave General Peggy Carter an observant look that went from her face to her sensible heels and back up again, serious and yet with that amused gleam in his eye. He saw Steve over there with his little jealous smile, and Tony had to quash the urge to go, “awww” right in front of him. He let Peggy’s hand go and did not attempt any ridiculous theatrics or kisses to it before he did so.
“Agent. You’re almost as legendary as Captain America. But you probably don’t know that.” He gave Steve a knowing smile that seemed to imply he saw certain black-and-white films nobody his age should have seen. “What can I do for you?” He was curious why Agent Carter was interested in meeting him.
Peggy returned Tony’s handshake with a firm one of her own and a straight look. Friendliness and warmth in her eyes, but no smile. Maybe the slight curve of her lips, but that was it. She wanted to establish very quickly that she was not the type of woman to be messed with. That it would be a big mistake on Tony’s part to underestimate her. Releasing his hand, she reached up to tuck a curl beneath her ear and shot him a bemused look.
“Well, I always did think I could do everything he could. Just in heels,” Peggy teased, shooting Steve a small smile before turning back to the younger Stark. “I’d like to get caught up on what’s been happening, and Steve tells me you’re the best person for the job. I don’t know how I wound up in modern-day New York, and the last thing I remember is something that happened almost 70 years ago. So, if you have any insight, Mr. Stark, I’d love to hear it.”
“Sounds like a job for Wikipedia,” Tony said, sliding his hands in his pockets in a move that was distinctly Stark. Neither had requested to see the god in the cage, and that was all to the good as far as he was concerned. Interpreting the inevitable blank looks correctly, Tony said, “Wikipedia is an accumulation of knowledge written by volunteers. It’s not on paper, it’s stored electronically and viewed with light projection. You can go through and read what’s there year by year.” Only half his mind was on this explanation. He raised an eyebrow at Steve. but there was nothing to indicate what the movement meant.
Steve's serious expression and neat military stance gave away next to nothing, and that was telling in and of itself. He had no idea what Tony knew about Peggy, but he suspected it came from Howard, whatever it was. Despite his original jealously of Tony's father, Steve had come to like Howard Stark as much as he liked anyone, and that showed in a small smile at the memory. Peggy's no-nonsense handshake made him smile a little more, and it was a smitten smile, one which he was helpless to hide. He'd never gotten that far with dames, to figuring out how not to show what he was feeling all over his features. "Agent Carter's better in heels than I am without them," he said truthfully, and whatever sexism was inherent to their time period didn't factor into this, his respect for her as a soldier.
"She's not a civilian, and we can use whatever help we can get with the Loki problem. I'll vouch for her," was Steve's unflinching, firm response to that raised brow. He didn't trust SHIELD any more than Tony or Bruce did, but Peggy wasn't SHIELD, and they were running pretty low on non-SHIELD allies these days. If there was any concern with bringing her into a dangerous situation, it didn't show. He trusted Peggy to take care of herself, and it never occurred to him to try to put her somewhere safe while he dealt with whatever he had to deal with. That didn't mean he wouldn't pull her out of trouble if it came to that, but he wouldn't keep her out of any war they were fighting, even against Loki.
Peggy didn’t appreciate the raised brow very much and retorted with one of her own. If she did appreciate Steve coming to bat for her, she made no indication of that, instead keeping a steady gaze on the young Stark. “I’m not sure what your father said of me, or what you’ve heard,” she started, voice even with that lilt of British strength that colored so many of her commands during her time with Colonel Phillips, “but I assure you I’m more than capable of dealing with a threat.” She wasn’t sure what a Loki was, but she had faced Nazis and HYDRA and even her own men. She certainly could face whatever these two would show her.
Tony always got a little concerned when people presumed to advise him on anything (with “concerned” meaning here “contrary”) but even he had to admit he was a little out of his depth there. Thor, Bruce, and now Steve were all helpful with their suggestions rather than pissing him off with their stupidity.
(In the back of Tony’s mind, Silver said, That says more about you than them. Tony ignored this.)
On the contrary, Tony had done some research on Captain America, and though his own personal “timeline” did not include personally meeting the man until after Silver made his appearance, there was plenty about the hero’s accomplishments during the war. Tony couldn’t think of any one person his father had spoke of more than any other, except perhaps Obadiah. “Sorry, Agent Carter, my father wasn’t especially free with tales of the glory days.” Tony’s tone made his opinion of his father fairly clear, a sort of wary bitterness seamed with dislike. He rocked back on his heels. “And I’m sure you’re quite capable. I’m wondering what your goal is, here. I’m not selling tickets to a cage match and nobody’s going to be trying any experiments.” Military generals tended to get ideas about who they could order around, and Tony was curious to see what this one was going to try. Was she going to try to kick her way down into the elevator and try to take over, or something?
Peggy controlled expression enough to not quirk her brow again, but the bitterness in the comment confused her a bit. The man Tony painted sounded cold and detached, and she didn’t remember the Howard Stark she knew being that. Then again, who really knew each other in a war? It was all stolen moments and wondering whether you would wake up the next morning. She forced herself, however, to stick to her steady, stern look, pursing her lips at the implication that she was in it for entertainment or some twisted test. “I’m a soldier, Mr. Stark,” she began, while wondering if Steve had used this exact argument before. “I just want to help deal with whatever this threat is.”
Steve, silent until now, cleared his throat. "If you're planning on going up against her, Tony, I know who I'm putting my money on," he said, because he'd heard that tone of voice from Peggy before. And he was pretty sure Tony Stark was a piece of cake compared to Colonel Phillips. "She's one heck of a shot," he added, glancing over at the woman beside him with something that looked very much like pride. "I was thinking she could stay with Pepper, until we get things settled," he said, only realizing he was talking about her like she wasn't in the room a moment later. He stammered, and he really still wasn't very good with women. "Sorry, ma'am," he added, his expression turning sheepish and nothing like the soldier he normally presented to the world.
Tony wondered if they were required to say all the same things in soldier school, or if it was some kind of ongoing joke at his expense. He looked from Peggy back to Steve, and shook his head. Rocking back and forth on his heels again, he took a deep breath, clearly attempting to marshal his thoughts. “Yes, great, I get that you want to help,” he told her. “How exactly, do you plan on doing that?” A sardonic roll of his eyes at Steve. “Other than shoot me, of course.”
Tony didn’t know if giving away Pepper’s apartment was a hot idea. Especially since they were getting along so well right now. “There are some nice apartments upstairs that aren’t in use. Hers is one, but I’m sure we can get you your own place.” A charming smile. “Recently repaired.”
Peggy expected Tony Stark to be difficult. Of course he would be; that was in the Stark DNA, too. She should have expected, however, that he would drag his feet this much. Frowning, she resisted the urge to roll her eyes or look at Steve, instead leveling another look towards Stark. “You clearly aren’t in the best shape,” she said, eyes flickering over his body for a moment before resting on his face again, “but if you’d like see my skills, I’d happily oblige.” Stark was like Andrew, almost, and those difficult boys she faced in the army. She sighed because really, she was quite fed up with having to prove herself. “I’ve been trained as much as Steve, Mr. Stark. More, in fact. I’ve strategized, helped lead infantries, and I’ve dealt with far more difficult men than you.” She counted off each point on her long fingers as if to emphasize her point. “Like I said before, I just want to help with whatever you might need of me.”
She almost rebuked the offer, but she would need a place to stay whenever Andrew decided he could spare time across the door. (Peggy knew she would have to work on convincing the boy to give her more time.) Smiling, she said, “Until I find a place of my own, that would be perfect.”
"I'm sure Tony would love to give us the tour," Steve said, intentionally pointing upstairs and not mentioning the basement, where he knew Loki was locked away. He gave Tony a look that said as much, because it was enough to get Peggy settled somewhere relatively safe, and to let her find her bearings in this new version of New York. "There'll be enough time for trading military training stories later," he suggested easily, giving Peggy that boyish smile again. He knew Tony Stark was impossible, and he was nowhere near as charismatic as his father had been, but that made Steve like him a little more. Howard would have won Peggy over with smiles and compliments; Tony was too darn annoying for that.
Again, Tony felt himself at one end of a lake and these two at the other end. It wasn't just because the two of them could have come out of a black and white photo; it was their values, their manner of speaking. He caught the hostility coming off Agent Carter and was not troubled, just a little bemused that his questions were being taken as some kind of assault on her military womanhood. Being a woman didn't have a damn thing to do with it. He would have asked Fury the same thing if he was standing in front of him. He had known this woman five minutes, but he still didn't see what kind of emergency she planned on assisting with. This wasn't a war. Not yet, anyway. Not unless the god got out.
His brows tilted away toward his temples, an expression of annoying condescension that probable pissed off plenty of people in his time. Tony wasn't bothering with the charm or the compliments, and the only thing that really threw him off his game was Carter's comment about not being at his best. That was undoubtedly true, but Tony had gone to some lengths to keep the Avengers out of his medical business. The condescension disappeared, replaced by assessment, and finally, he shrugged.
"This way," he said, turning with his feet instead of his back and indicating the elevators that led up, not down. Peggy could stay here. She and Pepper could make a fan club.