City Never Sleeps

[womanofvalue]

It's been some time since the actual engagement, but Peggy's needed it to sink in.

Perhaps it's because it's not her first time being engaged that she's so hesitant to begin plans. The first time with Fred had been such a flood of planning and a hurricane of activity she'd hardly wanted to take place in (she'd wanted to work on the codebreaking), but this time, with Daniel, she knows it's going to be different. It's why she eventually remembers that while she doesn't have to go to the same lengths to plan, she still needs to take some steps.

The first and most important is making sure that she has the critical people at her side when she's standing there saying her vows, witnessed by the people she cares for. It's why she's sent out a few texts and is sitting at her favourite coffeeshop with a magazine filled with dresses, sipping her tea as she makes notes in the margins. While she's not expecting trouble, she still wants to be sure that if there is, she's well-equipped for it, which means any dress she buys is going to be one that at least allows for a thigh holster.

After all, you can't be underprepared for one of the most important days of your life, now can you?

Comments

[womanofvalue]

"That would be lovely," she agrees, thinking of a night out with friends that doesn't end up being a mission to infiltrate Hydra or to investigate a crooked club. It sounds so very dignified and lovely, to the point that Peggy can't imagine anything better.

"I don't expect it, though," she wants to make clear. "It's already something to ask you to buy a dress and come stand with me, though I know you'll be wonderful at it." She's not even sure if they're going to have a church ceremony, given that she's not very religious. "I think your main duty is honestly going to be to calm me down."

[red17]

"You're giving me a lot of responsibilities," Dutch says, laughing. "And putting a lot of trust in me. I'm beginning to wonder if you really know who I am."

She doesn't know all of her but Peggy knows a lot. And she seems to trust her despite that so Dutch isn't going to try and change her mind. She wants to do something nice for such a momentous occasion.

"Asking me to buy a dress isn't a hardship," she assures. "And I think alcohol will do great at calming you down."

[womanofvalue]

"I know exactly who you are," Peggy guarantees, with a fierce look of pride on her face, because she trusts Dutch to do absolutely anything she puts her mind to, which is why she's entrusting her to this. "I wouldn't think of anyone else for the job."

"I'll need the whiskey and some scotch," Peggy warns. "This isn't my first engagement, and the last went far more poorly than this one ought to."

[red17]

"Well, alcohol I can handle," she says confidently. "So, you don't need to worry about that. If there's one thing the dinner will have, it'll be alcohol."

She doesn't ask about the previous engagement, thinking it not appropriate for the celebratory mood but maybe later. Maybe she'll ask at another time when a proposal hasn't just happened.

"That's something I can be trusted with."

[womanofvalue]

"In that case, you're the absolutely perfect person to plan this party," Peggy insists with a sharp smile that says that she knows a thing or two about placing people in their areas of strength, and this means that she can enjoy herself because Dutch will be able to make sure nothing goes awry.

"We'll certainly have to do that, then. Maybe at a nice restaurant and it can serve as both engagement party and other celebrations," she says, eyeing a way to do this efficiently.

[red17]

"Thank you for asking me to do this," Dutch says shyly. "I don't think it would have ever happened in Westerley. Marriages, they just aren't really a common thing. If you get too attached, then you put someone else in danger. So, I'm glad I get to see his through."

[womanofvalue]

"For a long time, I didn't think I'd ever be getting married," Peggy admits, which is hard to say out loud, but there it is. "After everything that happened with Fred and then Steve, I thought that I could simply swear off feeling like that for anyone, but it turns out that you can't simply turn it off."

You can go and fall in love with someone incredible, who's been standing right beside you. "Daniel doesn't mind the danger," she shares, with a proud smile. "The same as I don't, either."

[red17]

Dutch had gotten married. She'd gotten married to someone she really and truly loved and watched him die. After that, she's vowed to never let it happen again. But, this isn't her time and she's never said that to anyone here anyway.

Maybe one day.

"You're both very lucky," she says and means it. "I'm so happy for the both of you. I really am."

[womanofvalue]

"Thank you, Dutch," Peggy replies, sincerely and feeling as though she's been lucky to have this, despite not feeling like she really knew how to make the sort of friends that other people did. "Honestly, I'm glad to have you here with me for this."

"I can only hope that I won't drive you completely mad over the next few months. I promise to try and keep texting to a minimum."