[ the plan had been simple: get the hell out of that insane bathhouse and promptly reevaluate her close connection with mister hunter. after being forced to accept her 'dark side' or else risk death and serious bodily injury, peggy's not so certain she needs to look that particular associate in the eye. things were said; actions were taken. peggy's not proud of any of it.

what makes the plan markedly less simple, however, is the fact that she obviously miscalculated rip's part in all of it. vainly, maybe, she'd hoped he'd swallow the missed engagement and -- and take it on the chin. what she hadn't planned for was him reaching out to her via the network (an attempt which, with a frown, she ignored.)

the real extra mile is in learning he'd apparently dared to go tapping shoulders. and from the very first words heard when she (thoughtlessly) answers tony's call, peggy realizes it's her turn to endure a headache. ]

Don't say them. It makes it sound like there's a bloody queue.

[ she'd been happy to hear from tony, but much of that drains away into an immediate annoyance. peggy inflicts it on tony when really she feels it for rip -- or, really-really, feels it for herself for so inadequately judging rip's reaction to being ignored. ]

I'm hanging up on you, Tony, unless you give me your word you'll stow away all this 'boyfriend' bollocks. It's not like that. Understood?

[ her tone is firm, tired, just a little upset. none too different from how it had been when they'd met in the bathhouse a few days earlier. ]