Daniel Sousa - Date Night

[womanofvalue]

Ever since the party at Magnus' mansion and her conversation with Peggy, she's been singularly focused on one single thing. Her job search has fallen aside, the self-defense classes have only received a paltry amount of attention, and she's been glad that not much has come up to require her with Reese's project. Her birthday is in a matter of days and there's only one thing that she wants. It's time for her to tell Daniel the important truths about the time in between them.

She's sent him a proper postal invitation to dinner, but has followed it up with text and email just to ensure that he doesn't miss it. She's found herself a perfectly suitable blue dress that's equal parts modern and vintage and the heels match her lipstick perfectly. These are the easy parts, of course. Setting up plans is child's play for a spy like Peggy, but what matters is the part where she has to now execute the plans.

That involves her feelings and being honest about them. She'd struggled with that even back home to the point that she'd let her actions speak for her, but if she wants anything to happen, she needs to do something here. Near eight, she sits herself at the table she's reserved in her dress and her loose hair and a mission in mind.

Now comes her challenge in convincing Daniel that in the time between them, things have changed, and for the better when it comes to the two of them.

Comments

[womanofvalue]

"Specifically, your prosthetic," she continues without blinking, because while this might be a sensitive topic, she also doesn't want to lose Tony's willingness to help, especially not after trading in a favour to be used down the line. "He thinks that he can help to make something for you, something modern, like Howard might have but with the most recent technology."

"He needs to see you, in order to do it," she admits. "I insisted that I will be there for it."

[ssrsousa]

His expression shifted from skepticism to wariness, but this was getting into lots of things he didn't like talking about or having anyone do anything about. He didn't particularly trust Stark and he definitely didn't want Peggy to see his leg without the prosthetic. He'd barely been comfortable showing her a couple of inches of the prosthetic itself. Sitting in his skivvies while he was judged by Stark and maybe pitied by Peggy wasn't on his list of things to do.

A more modern prosthetic would be good, and he knew that, but he was also working on that already.

"I'm working with one of the docs here on that already, like we agreed," he pointed out.

[womanofvalue]

"I know, but Tony can help with a far more adaptive and comfortable item," she says, already aiming to be as persuasive as she can. "Meet with him first and see it, maybe he can convince you. As much as I hate to feed into the Stark ego, Tony is brilliant," she admits, glancing over her shoulder to ensure he's also not sitting right there.

"Who knows what it will feel like," she says, "there's nothing risked by trying, is there?"

[ssrsousa]

There were plenty of things that were risked by trying, namely having a prosthetic that was so fancy it didn't actually do what he needed it to do, which was holding him up and helping him walk somewhat normally. He tried not to be stuck in the past, especially when he was living in the future, but he thought a healthy skepticism about something he was going to be wearing on his body at least twelve hours a day was fair.

"I'll talk to him. And then, if he's got something he can do about it, I'll consider my options," he replied. It wasn't the most resounding agreement, but it was all he could offer.

[womanofvalue]

"So long as you promise me that you'll actually give it an honest try," Peggy insists, since she's already put a lot out there in order to garner this favour and she does truly believe that it will help him out in the long run, even if she has to rein Tony in from the more outlandish ideas that might cross his mind. "I don't want you to force yourself through anything just because we settled when we didn't have to."

Beyond that, she thinks that they should accept some of the modernities around them, if only for their benefit.

[ssrsousa]

"I'll talk to him, and I'll listen to him," Daniel agreed. "I won't settle, but I'm not going to agree to something that's not going to work for me just because Stark thinks it's a good idea. I'm the one who's gotta wear the thing, after all."

As much as he was protective of himself and his leg, he did realize that Peggy had done this to help him. She'd thought of Stark not in terms of what she might want, but what she could do to help Daniel. It meant a lot.

"Thank you for talking to him. I appreciate you doing that, especially if he called in a favor about this."

[womanofvalue]

She reaches across the table and takes his hand in hers, giving him a gracious nod. "I'd appreciate it, especially if I'm going to vouch for Tony at some point." She wants to make sure that she's not lying whenever she does go to bat for him, but she also suspects she won't be put in that position. "I want to make sure that he helps you," she says, searching his face and holding his gaze. "I don't want you to be hurt simply because we're not utilizing all of our resources."

[ssrsousa]

Somehow he wasn't surprised that Tony would need or want someone to back him up as a favor. Howard had needed someone to vouch for him more than once, although all of that went back to the investigation into Howard and then Peggy.

He turned his hand over so they were holding hands again and smiled.

"I'm always gonna be hurt, Peggy," he reminded her. "Whatever he comes up with could light up or play the national anthem and it's not gonna change that."

She knew that, but he wanted to keep her expectations in the realm of the reasonable. Tony Stark couldn't grow him another leg.

[womanofvalue]

"I know that," she chides, mainly because she's not expecting Tony to somehow miraculously cure Daniel (nor would she want him to), but she also thinks that he should be given the chance to actually enjoy life without worrying about the chronic aches and pains a bad prosthetic might cause.

She runs her thumb up the path of his finger, giving him a tender look. "Just try," she insists. "For me?"

[ssrsousa]

"I already said I would," he chuckled, although he was enjoying Peggy being persuasive in this particular way. Usually Peggy's way of being persuasive involved right hooks, not soft voices and gentle touches. He wasn't quite a pushover for that, but he wasn't immune either.

"You don't need to butter me up any more than this night already has."

[womanofvalue]

Well, she has to make proper sure that he's going to do it, doesn't she? Still, she takes his words as a promise even though she cocks a brow upwards, amused. "No? And here I had a strategy planned and all," she informs him, feeling rather confident in herself. "I think you were going to like what came next, if I needed to do more persuading."

[ssrsousa]

"I probably would, as long as it didn't involve some of the ways you, uh, persuaded some of the people we brought in for questioning," he joked. "Not that I'm complaining about the methods you used then. It got the job done, after all. I'm just saying I'd prefer to avoid them now."

He gently pulled his wrist back towards his side of the table, but he wasn't actually sure she was going to let go of his hand. He wasn't actually sure he'd want her to, for that matter.

[womanofvalue]

"I can assure you that I've never used this particular strategy on anyone in our rooms," Peggy clarifies, letting her hand go after him when he withdraws his hand, but she lightens it so that her fingers rest lightly atop him. "Lucky for me, you've already agreed," she says, reaching into her purse to find her lipstick and reapply, seeing as it looks like her other methods won't be necessary.

Using a napkin to blot, she turns her attention to him. "I know it's only our first date, so I won't invite myself over, but can I make sure that I call you a car?"

[ssrsousa]

"That's probably a good thing," he agreed wryly. He knew about her special lipstick, its uses, and its effects thanks to Dottie Underwood using it, and he didn't fault Peggy at all. All of them had to use the skills they had at hand. His were using his crutch in ways people didn't always expect. Hers were a little different.

"Yeah, thanks, I'd appreciate that," he agreed. "You wanna share a cab?"

She could take care of herself, but he was also going to see her home if he could, just to be sure she got there alright.

[womanofvalue]

"That would be lovely," Peggy agrees, feeling the warmth and pleasure of knowing that their date has gone fairly well. She stands and brushes her dress to rid any wrinkles that might be lingering, heart beating a little faster as she tries to calm it, thinking of the one thing left for her birthday that she intends to get.

There's still time for that, however. Pressing a hand fondly to the pin, again, she patiently waits for him to join her at the door as she hails a cab.

[ssrsousa]

One of the minor benefits of almost always moving more slowly than Peggy ever did was getting to watch her walk away from him. Some of the other fellas in the SSR had commented more than once on that. Daniel had never participated in any of those conversations, but there was something nice about knowing that Peggy wouldn't mind him looking. She'd mind most of the other fellas looking, which was why those conversations had always taken place when everyone was sure she was out of the building and preferably out of the borough.

He stepped forward to open the door for Peggy as the cab arrived.

"Ladies first," he invited. He meant for drop-off, too. For all that Peggy could take care of herself, he planned to see her home before he got himself dropped off.

[womanofvalue]

Peggy settles into the cab with as much grace as he can, crossing her legs comfortably as she reaches out to take his arm in hers, settling back against the seat. She leans forward to give her address to the driver, relaxing back and giving him a fond look. "So, will you be awake tomorrow to have coffee, perhaps in the afternoon? I just had a wonderful date and I'd love to tell you all about it," she teases.

[ssrsousa]

Peggy could get into a cab gracefully, and did, but Daniel couldn't. He'd had entire sessions of physical therapy that were about how to get in and out of a car, not to mention driving one. They'd had an actual car inside the hospital in Atlantic City, and he still wasn't sure how they got it in there. But if the Army wanted a car in a hospital, the Army got a car in a hospital, and pity the poor sergeant who had to figure that one out.

Candlewood and Dimera weren't too far away from each other, all things considered, and by making sure the cabbie dropped him off second, he got to pay for the cab ride. He did plan to enjoy the ride, too, especially with Peggy warm and soft against his arm.

"I have another job interview tomorrow. Rain check?" he suggested regretfully.

[womanofvalue]

She doesn't mind that it takes him a little longer to get in the cab, not at all. In fact, she appreciates the extra time with him, which she gets as she keeps him close. "Well, then, perhaps we'll have to make plans later and you can tell me how the interview went," she agrees, not minding a little delay.

"Where are you interviewing? Or will I jinx it?"

[ssrsousa]

"Lawyer's office. They're looking for a entry level clerk and they like the military background," he replied. He would have shrugged, except it would have jostled her, and he didn't want to do that.

"The, uh, human resources manager said they like to hire vets when I talked to him on the phone. I just hope I'm not displacing someone more qualified like before when people hired vets but I can't do much about it either way."

He knew women had worked valuable war jobs and then gotten kicked off the line as soon as the boys came back. It was different now, he hoped, but he wasn't gonna presume it was perfect. Nothing was.

[womanofvalue]

Peggy knows all-too-well how hard it could be for women to find a job when men are up against them; even with the Colonel's recommendation for her, it had been a struggle to maintain a post at the SSR and they hadn't trusted her until she fought to prove herself. "You'll simply have to impress them with your skills," she insists with stubborn determination. "And if you're the right fit for the job, then they'll give it to you."

She keeps herself tucked neatly in with him, disappointed that she knows her building is only a few blocks away. It's been a lovely night and one of her best birthday celebrations ever.

[ssrsousa]

"And if I'm not, I'll keep looking," he agreed. "I've learned a lot about how to apply for a job in the future already. It'll pay off, and till it does, I won't die if I eat beans for dinner."

If they'd been a little farther away from her building, he might have slipped his arm around her, but they weren't, so he'd keep his hands to himself. Plenty of time for anything like that, or at least he hoped so. He was gonna take this slow, if he could, so Peggy didn't feel like he was some kind of wolf.

[womanofvalue]

She admires his persistence a great deal, not letting anything stop him. She likes it because she feels she often needs to bear the same talents, so to have a partner who can push her as much as she pushes him feels good, it feels right. "I assure you, you won't survive on beans," Peggy says, glancing out the window as they arrive.

Turning to him, she gives Daniel a searching look. "Thank you for the lovely dinner," she says, reaching over to cup his cheek, thumb sliding down the curve of his jaw. "I'd like to request one last birthday gift, though," she admits.

[ssrsousa]

It was pretty clear what Peggy was wanting as a birthday gift, with that look and her hand caressing his jawline. He wanted that too, but not in the back of a cab, with the cabbie's dinner mingling with Peggy's perfume. He'd thought more often than he probably should have about the first time he'd kiss Peggy Carter, and none of those times had involved the smell of hamburgers.

"Why don't I walk you up to the door?" he suggested quietly, and then spoke to the cabbie. "I'll be right back."

The cabbie mumbled something about it being Daniel's money, which was as close to an agreement as Daniel thought he was gonna get, so he pushed the door open and got out to hold it for Peggy.

[womanofvalue]

She nods and waits for Daniel to get out, following after and taking his hand to steady herself as she sets her heels on the ground, feeling rather young all over again. She leaves her keys in her purse for the moment, lingering at the door and enjoying the air that's beginning to warm.

She waits as patiently as she could for him to join her, reaching out for his shirt to give him a gentle tug towards her. "I think this is my happiest birthday, yet," she admits.