InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "hmm"

peggy carter is no damsel in distress (therightpartner) wrote in colligo_threads,
@ 2012-06-17 22:56:00

Entry tags:

peggy rogers, steve rogers

WHO: Peggy Carter & Steve Rogers
WHAT: Peggy has arrived and is confused. Steve has offered to explain. Also, they get to see each other. It's a benefit.
WHEN: June 17th; Afternoon
WHERE: Colligo Library's Steps
RATING: PG
STATUS: In Progress

Peggy had been thrown out of the library. She'd landed on her rear and felt absolutely no need to stand in the moments that she had been talking to Steve so that was exactly where she could be found, sitting in on the steps of the library, kneels folded up close to her chest, as she quietly studied the device that had been left on the ground next to her. It had been overwhelming enough, ending up somewhere that she wasn't supposed to be. In those few seconds after she had arrived and been expelled from what she was told was a library, a dozen thoughts had run through her mind, but hearing Steve's voice had crushed all of them.

Since the crash, it had been a voice that she hadn't expected to hear anymore. She had hoped, prayed, pled, and bargained that he would be all right, that he'd show up like he had before, wounded but alive, staggering back into camp as though nothing had gone amiss. She'd dressed up for the date that they'd arranged, some last long hope that he'd show even though she had known full well that thinking he would was ridiculous. But she had sat in The Stork Club until well past midnight anyway, watching as the staff swept the floors and cleared away glasses, stacking the chairs up in preparations for closing, and as one of them had quietly, politely, told her that they needed to lock up, she had allowed herself to stop believing, to let go and mourn for the loss of not only one of the greatest soldiers she had ever known but perhaps one of the best men.

And now, now, it seemed as though all of that had been a waste. Wherever she was, whatever was happening now, Steve was safe. He was alive. She had no idea how, but she wasn't about to question it. She was just going to be quietly grateful and sit here until he arrived to explain the rest of this mess. Because, as brilliant as she was, she couldn't for the life of her figure out what in the world this thing she'd been handed was supposed to do, or why all of the buildings in this city seemed to be three times as tall as she was used to and illuminated in ways that she had never seen before.

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thefirstavenger
2012-06-22 08:23 am UTC (link)

Steve laughed. "People keep thinking that," he said with a smile, "and I keep proving them wrong." People really should have known by this point not to bet against Steve - the understandable incident with Fury aside. He just had a habit of defying expectations. Still, Peggy had always had a way of doing the same, so maybe she wouldn't be surprised by all of this. No, he thought, there was just too much for her to take it all in stride. As amazing as she was, she was still human. And he couldn't see anyone just accepting what he was about to say. Not even Peggy. Smiling, he took a moment to compose his thoughts before beginning to explain things in a way he hoped might make some semblance of sense.

"Well," he said, "to start with, it's 2012. I was actually already in 2012 before I got here...apparently the serum is really effective...enough that being frozen in ice for almost seventy years didn't do much. I got recruited by a government organization called S.H.I.E.L.D. to be on a team of other people who are...similarly unique. There's Tony Stark...he's Howard's son and he fights in sort of electronic suit he created himself. Then there's Thor...he's actually a Norse God. Bruce Banner...uh...well...he tried to replicate Erskine's formula but it didn't work out quite the same. He turns into an enormous green monster when he gets angry. Then Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton are regular humans...well, heavily trained assassins...but regular compared to the rest of us. I saw you again, actually...right before you died." He paused a moment, not quite able to just carry on after that.

"Anyway, then I wound up here," he said finally, "and here is...uh...how did they put it...apparently it's a sort of pocket universe or something. Anyway, God's younger brother, because God apparently has one of those, likes to pull people out of time and space like a really strange ant farm...because that's something gods do apparently. I don't know. And now we're all stuck here until Asaph, that's the god in question, gets bored and sends us on our way. So...yeah. That probably wasn't a very good explanation, but I swear it's true."

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therightpartner
2012-06-22 09:00 am UTC (link)

Peggy couldn't help but think that he had to be making at least part of this up just to try and throw her. Staying alive in ice for seventy years? Howard's son? Norse Gods? This was quickly moving from the realm of baffling to utterly implausible. The disbelief was shining rather clear in her eyes until Steve concluded his rundown with the information that he'd seen her again. And Peggy knew well enough that Steve wouldn't have thrown anything like that in there if it wasn't the one hundred percent honest to God truth. He wasn't like Howard, who would toss out things just to impress, or Sergeant Barnes, who would say next to anything to try and provoke a laugh. Steve only pressed issues like this with the most earnest sincerity, and everything that he said after that was taken as it was presented.

As he finished, Peggy just looked up at him, her expression making it obvious that she was still trying to take it all in, before speaking, "I'm afraid I left my wallet back on the base." Because, really, what else was she supposed to say to the knowledge that she was apparently now an amusement for a all-powerful deity?

"I am glad that you found a place," Peggy said softly, after a moment, raising a hand to rest lightly over Steve's heart. "Even if it wasn't with us, I would much rather you be safe and happy somewhere else...than gone for good."

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thefirstavenger
2012-06-25 07:04 am UTC (link)

Honestly, if someone else had told Steve this same story and he hadn't lived it, he probably would have thought it was the biggest load of crazy bullshit he had ever heard. And he'd let himself be pumped full of chemicals and shot up with lasers because a scientist told him it was a good idea and, as Tony might say, it seemed legit. He really felt like his slang was coming along. The point was, he knew he probably sounded absolutely insane, but he just hoped Peggy would trust him. Because he wanted her to feel like she could. He would never lie to her, not if he could help it. He just really wanted her to know that. He was anxious as he spoke, but he relaxed and gave a sigh of relief as she laughed.

"Don't worry about it," he assured her. "I'll spot you this time." He took a dollar out of his pocket and held it out to her so that she could take it. "Anyway, you have a hundred dollars in your account here, to help you get by until you're settled. Sounds like a lot, but prices went up with the times, so don't be too surprised by that."

He smiled when she spoke again, comforted by her touch, but it was sad. "I'm glad too," he said after a moment, "even if I sometimes still feel incredibly lost. But...if I had the choice, I would have picked you all. Every single time. Life just...doesn't always go the way we planned." He paused. "You know...if there'd been any other way..." But there hadn't been, so he let the sentence drop.

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therightpartner
2012-06-26 03:36 am UTC (link)

Taking the dollar with a bit of a grin, she smiled as she leaned forward, slipping her hand into the pocket of his jeans to tuck it right back where it had come from. Stepping back, Peggy tugged playfully at the hem of his shirt. It was odd, seeing him out of uniform and in clothes that, well, to be frank just seemed a little odd to her, but there was an informality to them that suited Steve all the same. "It'll be enough," Peggy said after a moment before her smile softened as he allowed his last words to trail off.

"I know, Steve," She said, her tone gentle as she pushed up on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek. "I know. But there wasn't. And we can't change what has already happened even if this place seems to be able to take us out of it somehow," She said with a smile and a shake of her head before slowly moving to slip her arm around his, casting a brief glance upward. "So, soldier, how'd you like to show a pretty lady around town?" It was playful, silly, but it seemed the most appropriate thing to do after he'd dropped at much information at her feet.

"Maybe you can tell me a little more about these new friends of yours while you do."

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thefirstavenger
2012-07-03 06:08 pm UTC (link)

Steve flushed as she slipped the dollar back into his pocket, barely keeping himself from making a truly embarrassing sound of surprise. While he had definitely gained some confidence with his transformation, and while he definitely knew he and Peggy were heading toward...something, he was probably never going to be very sure of himself around women. He'd spent too long as an awkward, scrawny young man who was constantly looked over and laughed at for that. "If anyone can manage, it'd be you," he said after a moment. "You're just about the most...well...you're a lot of mosts really, but you're definitely the most sensible person I know." He paused. "Of course the other people I know are Howard and Bucky...and me...so I'm not sure that's saying much."

Steve wrapped his arms around her waist as she leaned up to kiss his cheek, wanting to keep her close to him. "I just...I wish we could have had more time," he said regretfully, but then he smiled. "But...I guess we have that time now. So...that's something. Maybe Howard'll even show up. You, me, him and Bucky all here? Can't think of anything else I could possibly want." He paused, suddenly hesitant. "I'd really like that," he said shyly, "but there's something I really wanted to do first. I've sort of wanted to ever since I saw you." He wasn't even sure himself whether he meant on the steps of the library, or that first time he'd seen her at the camp. But he leaned down, pressing his lips to hers, a slower, gentler kiss than the last one they'd had.

"I hope that wasn't too forward of me," he said, after he'd pulled away.

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therightpartner
2012-07-03 09:15 pm UTC (link)

It was a gentle kiss, a soft, lingering action that was utterly and completely representative of Steve, Peggy thought, as he pulled away, a broad smile breaking out over her face at the question that followed, "Just forward enough," Peggy said playfully as she looked up at him, resting a hand lightly against his chest as they lingered in this position for a long moment, Peggy just taking in the closeness before shifting to take his arm and cast another glance up at him.

"You, me, Bucky, and Howard? This place wouldn't stand a chance," Peggy said with a grin before laughing. "God help everyone here should the entire Squad show up." It was a nice thought, really. Even if this place was utterly baffling, it would be nice for Steve from the sound of what he had gone through to have familiar faces around for however long they stayed here. Though, she imagined it would be heartbreaking for him when any of them left, returning to a place where he couldn't follow.

But, with any luck, they wouldn't have to worry about that.

"It would be an interesting mix, you have to admit," Peggy said with a grin. "Maybe show some of these children exactly what us old folks are capable of." Which, really, was an utterly ridiculous statement in Peggy's mind to make when she and Steve both weren't even out of their twenties. But in this reality, she might as well have been her great-grandmother, complaining about how things were so much nicer when everyone used rode horses than bothering with automobiles.

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