Peggy had called off work the moment she got back upstairs, not giving a damn about Dooley's complaints or Thompson's insults. The only hesitation she had was when Sousa asked her where she was going. She liked him well enough, but Steve's sudden return shouldn't be relegated to office gossip, so she merely demurred and made up an excuse about a sick aunt. From there, it was straight home, because while she didn't want to reuse a dress, she also didn't want to waste any time.
She wore the gold dress that she'd worn undercover, aware that it would sparkle in the lights. The bad memories that went with it could be washed away, she hoped, but then, so many things she could wear had ill shadows cast on them. Peggy couldn't really relegate any of them to the past so easily.
She'd come to the Stork Club only the once before. It had been the date they'd been supposed to meet. She'd sat at the bar, drinking, and didn't dance the once. Tonight, she knows will be different. She puts her hair in an updo, curls falling over the nape of her neck, walking inside and feeling terribly nervous about all of this.
What if he's not here? What if something's happened to him?
It doesn't take long for her to place Howard in the fracas and with him...Steve. Frozen at the door, she clutches her purse a little tighter, beginning to let the crowd drift her towards him, feeling unsteady as she approaches, her heart beating hard in her chest.
When she reaches him, she stops two feet shy, looking up (despite her three inch gold heels), a hungry look on her face he ought to recognize. "It seems I'm late, this time."
He spots her in the doorway and the sight of her takes his breath away. Steve slowly gets up from his seat as she makes her way through the crowd, looking like some kind of golden angel.
He steps away from the bar, the world around them seeming to melt away as she stops before him. Film had always been an easy escape for him and maybe he's seen too many over the years, but as he smiles back at her with the knowledge that the night is theirs, he can't help but feel a little like the leads in one of the black and whites he used to watch.
"It doesn't seem fair to hold it against you," he says, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He holds out his hand, gathering up his courage. "Do you want to dance?"
She's glad that he hadn't come to meet her halfway, because she doesn't want to cause a scene. She wants this moment to be theirs and theirs only, which is why she's so happy when she gets to peer up at him from where she stands, remembering when it was the opposite way (and knowing she'd love him no matter what height he stands at).
"I have been waiting a very long time for the right partner," she agrees, her eyes fixed on him, holding out her hand. "I won't even mind if he steps on my toes."
"So have I," he says, taking her hand and giving her a small smile. He leads her out to the dance floor, feeling a bit awkward as he tentatively puts one hand on her waist. There hadn't been many opportunities to dance when he'd been coming up in Brooklyn.
He'd never wanted anyone to do it out of pity, or as a favor to Bucky. He'd also never bothered learning how to do the steps properly, though he had plenty of experience watching others dance. He knows he's no Astaire, but he thinks maybe he can avoid stepping on Peggy's feet if he's very careful.
"I'll do my best to make sure you don't leave with any broken toes," he says as he takes a few tentative steps.
Peggy feels like everyone is watching, but she shuts them completely out of her mind as she takes Steve's hand in hers, feeling the warmth and still not believing that he's real. It's all so suspicious, honestly, like a dream that she's had a dozen times before. Being pulled in, she can't help but laugh as she begins to follow, peering to their toes below.
"You're not even going to let me lead?" she teases, but she only presses closer as she stares up at him with such fond adoration in her eyes, utterly transfixed and caught up in the dance. "Darling, you could break my ankle and I'd still think this the best date of my life."
He smiles, knowing that Peggy is more than capable of leading and knowing that he would happily follow. That look in her eyes makes his chest tighten and he has to wonder how this can possibly be real when compared to those final moments in the plane so many months ago.
"Don't jinx me," he says, his voice low and eyes bright as he smiles back at her. Still, her words give him a boost of confidence. Even if he isn't the best dancer, it doesn't matter as long as he has Peggy in his arms.
"I didn't have time to run out and get a new dress," she admits, glancing down at the gold sparkles. "I'm afraid this one has some bad memories attached to it, that I was hoping we might erase," she says, wanting to start this off honest with Steve, no matter how many bad stories that means she may have to share.
After all, they get a new chance, now. She wouldn't dare start it off on the wrong foot. Moving with him, she ends up just an inch closer. "I had to make sure I put the effort in. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. You were, before Erskine's serum."
He can't help but wonder what kind of bad memories. He's missed so much since he's been gone. The world has kept on turning without him for a full year. Peggy, Howard and the Howling Commandos have all gone on to have adventures, good and bad, without him. He's eager to know what he's missed, even as he's content for basking in what he's missed the most at the moment.
Her words bring a flood of warmth into his face. If he is supposed to be sweet talking her, she is outdoing him by leaps and bounds. He makes his first misstep, though he hopes he catches it before he applies too much pressure to her feet. "Sorry," he says, glancing between them and then back at her.
He waits a moment, trying to regain his step. "Not as beautiful as that right hook that took out Hodge the first time I saw you."
She presses her lips together, amused and unafraid to show it, loving how he's trying so hard to make sure this dance is absolutely perfect. She squeezes her hand to assure him, not minding it at all. "Don't worry. I'll step on your toe later with my heel, that's far worse," she jokes, blushing when he reminds her of that day.
"Well, he was being an arse," she says defiantly, not regretting it in the least. "Besides, it put the others in their place. None of them questioned my orders after that. I should have paid the other recruits to mouth off to me so I could get everyone in line that quickly."
She lifts her fingers to brush his hair back from his forehead, smiling warmly at him. "How have you been adjusting? Has Howard been keeping you busy?"
He grins at her quick reply. "Fair is fair," he says with a small nod, beaming down at her.
"I don't think any of them thought about talking back after that," he says, fondly, remembering how quickly they'd all fallen in line after that. He certainly hadn't, but he had felt his pulse quicken a little every time that Peggy had made an appearance.
It's still hard to believe that he's really holding her in his arms, having his first dance with the woman of his dreams. Or that the warm smile looking up at him is just for him. "I haven't, really," he admits as they sway. "Everything has been a bit of a blur. Howard's been helping me get settled and he's held off on announcing that they found me." Something that he's infinitely grateful for, or else this wouldn't be possible. While he had signed on to be Captain America, he had never anticipated or wanted the fame that had come with it.
"I've been trying to catch up on the last year." But his first priority had been to find her. "A lot has changed."
"I don't know that you were ever so unwise as to talk back to me," she admits, with an amused look at him, though he certainly had broken and bent the rules outside of her. Sometimes, she wishes that either of them had been more daring with each other when it came to breaking the rules.
As it stands, she's just relieved she's going to get another chance. "Do you think you're going to want to come back and work for the SSR again?" she asks, heart pounding, seeing as she's unsure what she actually wants his answer to be. After all, it would be incredible to be able to work with him, but to share him? That's terrifying.
Besides that, there's something more to discuss.
"I don't think so much has changed that you can't get yourself back into it swiftly enough. I'm more than willing to help and we both know Howard is, too."
"Oh, I knew better." He says with a small huff, relaxing for a moment instead of mentally trying to watch his steps.
Her question catches him off guard. He's thought about it, of course, but he's not sure if he has an answer just yet. He's still a soldier, through and through, but he's not sure how he fits into things without a war. Still, it seems as if Peggy's made a place for herself, and she's more of a soldier than half the men he trained with. Then, there's the Howling Commandos. Still running operations as far as Howard knows. But they're led by Dugan now. He'd never try to take his place.
"I'm not sure," he admits, looking down at her. He's not entirely sure if she's asking for herself or for the organization. "Do you think they're in need of a serum enhanced soldier?"
He tightens his hand on hers. "With the two of you, I don't think it's possible for me to fail." It still hurt, waking up and realizing that Bucky was gone. But the relief that had come from seeing Howard's face again. At seeing Peggy... it had reminded him of just how lucky he was to be getting a second chance.
"You could have the pick of anything you wanted," Peggy admits, because as much as she doesn't want to say it out loud, she knows that to be true. If Steve wanted, he could go and run a whole division in the army, they'd be so happy to see him, and she wouldn't blame anyone involved if that's what they wanted.
She'd make sure that she found a way to be with him, to see him, even if a part of her is still so scared of losing him.
"Mostly, helping Howard, if you can believe it," she notes wryly. "His work doesn't exactly lend him to being the government's best friend, so I've been working to clear his name. There's talk of a California office, and I was deliberating whether I should go out there, but I'm not sure anymore."
"I think that's the problem," he admits, tilting his head slightly to the side. "I'm not sure what I want." Except that's not entirely true. Standing here with her in his arms, the only thing he wants is her.
"I can believe it," he says, with a small smile. Howard needs all the help he can get, especially from someone like Peggy. Though his smile fades slightly at the thought of her being so far away.
"California," he repeats, trying to swallow the idea. He's never thought much of it, except for what he's seen in movies. "I always wondered what it'd be like to see it."
He hopes his willingness to follow her doesn't come across as being too forward, but the truth is, he'd follow her anywhere if he was allowed.
"Actually, I was beginning to think that maybe New York could be a home," she says, trying not to sound nervous. Though Jack is currently her boss, she thinks that she can work with that. Ever since the mission to Russia, something has shifted, though they still fight about methods and Jack's tendency to put his own skills before hers.
Yet, she's also been in the field and he trusts her to be an operative.
"I might need someone to show me the sights, though," she admits, staring at Steve with a flirtatious look in her eyes. "I've heard a great deal about Brooklyn, but no one has ever offered to show me around, apart from this once, where I got a tour of some of the best alleys to fight in," she teases.
She wants to say more, but she's also worried that she's pushing too much. Peggy wants Steve with her more than she can say, but he's newly back and he might have different plans. "California could always be a nice vacation," she adds. "I'm sure Howard could fly us out there when he gets lonely and tired of his parade of women."
Steve licks his lips with cautious hope, his eyebrows rising slightly at the fact that Peggy might actually consider this home. Not just a stop on her career, but a place to settle.
He feels a slight tingling in his fingers and arms as she says those words while holding his gaze. He smiles, letting out a small breath of amusement. "Brooklyn's got plenty of other things to see. Now that we've got the time."
He swallows thickly, still trying to believe that this is all real. He nods at her idea. "I don't know, there's a lot of women in New York. It might take a month or more for him to get tired of all of them."
He grins at her as the music stops and the band leader says they're taking a quick break. Suddenly the spell is broken and couples begin moving off the dance floor. Steve stills, reluctantly.
It all feels so odd to imagine that they have something as precious as time. Peggy had counted on it, but then his plane had gone down. Now that he's back again, she doesn't want to waste any more of it, because who knows what could happen that would take him away from her all over again.
She starts a little when it seems that the music has stopped, because she doesn't want this night to end. In point of fact, she wants to ensure that they have the night and the morning.
Perhaps it's time to start laying those seeds. "I'd love one," she agrees. "Do you want to have it here, or perhaps we might find somewhere quieter? Adjacent to yours?"
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2018-12-13 02:23 am (UTC)She wore the gold dress that she'd worn undercover, aware that it would sparkle in the lights. The bad memories that went with it could be washed away, she hoped, but then, so many things she could wear had ill shadows cast on them. Peggy couldn't really relegate any of them to the past so easily.
She'd come to the Stork Club only the once before. It had been the date they'd been supposed to meet. She'd sat at the bar, drinking, and didn't dance the once. Tonight, she knows will be different. She puts her hair in an updo, curls falling over the nape of her neck, walking inside and feeling terribly nervous about all of this.
What if he's not here? What if something's happened to him?
It doesn't take long for her to place Howard in the fracas and with him...Steve. Frozen at the door, she clutches her purse a little tighter, beginning to let the crowd drift her towards him, feeling unsteady as she approaches, her heart beating hard in her chest.
When she reaches him, she stops two feet shy, looking up (despite her three inch gold heels), a hungry look on her face he ought to recognize. "It seems I'm late, this time."
no subject
Date: 2018-12-18 05:19 am (UTC)He steps away from the bar, the world around them seeming to melt away as she stops before him. Film had always been an easy escape for him and maybe he's seen too many over the years, but as he smiles back at her with the knowledge that the night is theirs, he can't help but feel a little like the leads in one of the black and whites he used to watch.
"It doesn't seem fair to hold it against you," he says, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He holds out his hand, gathering up his courage. "Do you want to dance?"
no subject
Date: 2018-12-19 09:11 pm (UTC)"I have been waiting a very long time for the right partner," she agrees, her eyes fixed on him, holding out her hand. "I won't even mind if he steps on my toes."
no subject
Date: 2018-12-27 05:40 am (UTC)He'd never wanted anyone to do it out of pity, or as a favor to Bucky. He'd also never bothered learning how to do the steps properly, though he had plenty of experience watching others dance. He knows he's no Astaire, but he thinks maybe he can avoid stepping on Peggy's feet if he's very careful.
"I'll do my best to make sure you don't leave with any broken toes," he says as he takes a few tentative steps.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-27 08:27 pm (UTC)"You're not even going to let me lead?" she teases, but she only presses closer as she stares up at him with such fond adoration in her eyes, utterly transfixed and caught up in the dance. "Darling, you could break my ankle and I'd still think this the best date of my life."
no subject
Date: 2019-01-11 07:02 am (UTC)"Don't jinx me," he says, his voice low and eyes bright as he smiles back at her. Still, her words give him a boost of confidence. Even if he isn't the best dancer, it doesn't matter as long as he has Peggy in his arms.
He swallows. "You look beautiful."
no subject
Date: 2019-01-12 02:42 pm (UTC)After all, they get a new chance, now. She wouldn't dare start it off on the wrong foot. Moving with him, she ends up just an inch closer. "I had to make sure I put the effort in. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. You were, before Erskine's serum."
no subject
Date: 2019-01-13 02:53 am (UTC)Her words bring a flood of warmth into his face. If he is supposed to be sweet talking her, she is outdoing him by leaps and bounds. He makes his first misstep, though he hopes he catches it before he applies too much pressure to her feet. "Sorry," he says, glancing between them and then back at her.
He waits a moment, trying to regain his step. "Not as beautiful as that right hook that took out Hodge the first time I saw you."
no subject
Date: 2019-01-13 03:17 am (UTC)"Well, he was being an arse," she says defiantly, not regretting it in the least. "Besides, it put the others in their place. None of them questioned my orders after that. I should have paid the other recruits to mouth off to me so I could get everyone in line that quickly."
She lifts her fingers to brush his hair back from his forehead, smiling warmly at him. "How have you been adjusting? Has Howard been keeping you busy?"
no subject
Date: 2019-01-18 12:12 am (UTC)"I don't think any of them thought about talking back after that," he says, fondly, remembering how quickly they'd all fallen in line after that. He certainly hadn't, but he had felt his pulse quicken a little every time that Peggy had made an appearance.
It's still hard to believe that he's really holding her in his arms, having his first dance with the woman of his dreams. Or that the warm smile looking up at him is just for him. "I haven't, really," he admits as they sway. "Everything has been a bit of a blur. Howard's been helping me get settled and he's held off on announcing that they found me." Something that he's infinitely grateful for, or else this wouldn't be possible. While he had signed on to be Captain America, he had never anticipated or wanted the fame that had come with it.
"I've been trying to catch up on the last year." But his first priority had been to find her. "A lot has changed."
no subject
Date: 2019-01-20 12:47 am (UTC)As it stands, she's just relieved she's going to get another chance. "Do you think you're going to want to come back and work for the SSR again?" she asks, heart pounding, seeing as she's unsure what she actually wants his answer to be. After all, it would be incredible to be able to work with him, but to share him? That's terrifying.
Besides that, there's something more to discuss.
"I don't think so much has changed that you can't get yourself back into it swiftly enough. I'm more than willing to help and we both know Howard is, too."
no subject
Date: 2019-01-30 04:27 am (UTC)Her question catches him off guard. He's thought about it, of course, but he's not sure if he has an answer just yet. He's still a soldier, through and through, but he's not sure how he fits into things without a war. Still, it seems as if Peggy's made a place for herself, and she's more of a soldier than half the men he trained with. Then, there's the Howling Commandos. Still running operations as far as Howard knows. But they're led by Dugan now. He'd never try to take his place.
"I'm not sure," he admits, looking down at her. He's not entirely sure if she's asking for herself or for the organization. "Do you think they're in need of a serum enhanced soldier?"
He tightens his hand on hers. "With the two of you, I don't think it's possible for me to fail." It still hurt, waking up and realizing that Bucky was gone. But the relief that had come from seeing Howard's face again. At seeing Peggy... it had reminded him of just how lucky he was to be getting a second chance.
"What work have you been doing for the SSR?"
no subject
Date: 2019-02-01 01:57 am (UTC)She'd make sure that she found a way to be with him, to see him, even if a part of her is still so scared of losing him.
"Mostly, helping Howard, if you can believe it," she notes wryly. "His work doesn't exactly lend him to being the government's best friend, so I've been working to clear his name. There's talk of a California office, and I was deliberating whether I should go out there, but I'm not sure anymore."
After all, things have changed since then.
Steve is here, alive, and well.
no subject
Date: 2019-02-09 09:46 pm (UTC)"I can believe it," he says, with a small smile. Howard needs all the help he can get, especially from someone like Peggy. Though his smile fades slightly at the thought of her being so far away.
"California," he repeats, trying to swallow the idea. He's never thought much of it, except for what he's seen in movies. "I always wondered what it'd be like to see it."
He hopes his willingness to follow her doesn't come across as being too forward, but the truth is, he'd follow her anywhere if he was allowed.
no subject
Date: 2019-02-10 02:13 pm (UTC)Yet, she's also been in the field and he trusts her to be an operative.
"I might need someone to show me the sights, though," she admits, staring at Steve with a flirtatious look in her eyes. "I've heard a great deal about Brooklyn, but no one has ever offered to show me around, apart from this once, where I got a tour of some of the best alleys to fight in," she teases.
She wants to say more, but she's also worried that she's pushing too much. Peggy wants Steve with her more than she can say, but he's newly back and he might have different plans. "California could always be a nice vacation," she adds. "I'm sure Howard could fly us out there when he gets lonely and tired of his parade of women."
no subject
Date: 2019-03-01 05:49 am (UTC)He feels a slight tingling in his fingers and arms as she says those words while holding his gaze. He smiles, letting out a small breath of amusement. "Brooklyn's got plenty of other things to see. Now that we've got the time."
He swallows thickly, still trying to believe that this is all real. He nods at her idea. "I don't know, there's a lot of women in New York. It might take a month or more for him to get tired of all of them."
He grins at her as the music stops and the band leader says they're taking a quick break. Suddenly the spell is broken and couples begin moving off the dance floor. Steve stills, reluctantly.
"Can I get you a drink?"
no subject
Date: 2019-03-01 10:01 pm (UTC)She starts a little when it seems that the music has stopped, because she doesn't want this night to end. In point of fact, she wants to ensure that they have the night and the morning.
Perhaps it's time to start laying those seeds. "I'd love one," she agrees. "Do you want to have it here, or perhaps we might find somewhere quieter? Adjacent to yours?"