I'm alright. I'm perfectly fine, Mister Jarvis. [ she sees the concern on his face and feels compelled to soothe it. even now, there are things she would shelter him from knowing. easy lies she would tell to cover her involvement in the attacks -- the weeks spent on bed rest, mending broken ribs. ] Truth is, the Atroma can manipulate all of us in all sorts of ways. Not just Barnes.
[He doesn't quite look swayed by her attempts to soothe his imagination. But — she's an agent, and he knows things can be terribly dangerous. Strange, he had no choice to appear here or not, but he feels an inkling of guilt at the idea that she had to endure another grim journey without his accompaniment. He wants to ask the damage, but... she's okay now. Upright and without any injury that he can see or sense with his patented Jarvision.
The idea that he can also be glitched to such a state, perhaps, is unnerving.
To say the least.]
I'm... admittedly unsettled by the concept of glitches.
[ it's a sobering conversation if there ever was one. she feels the dizziness subside -- and an old stiffness find its way into her body language. in a fashion, it's almost a comfort. she resists the urge to reach for his hand (things aren't so dire) and instead curls her fingers around her mug. ]
No one likes the thought of being someone else's unwilling entertainment. Nor their weapon. [ ... ] But I promise you -- Mister Jarvis, you will have people around you here who will do whatever they can to help. That's the one silver lining I can sell in earnest: these people are kind. And brave.
[After a long moment, he looks to her, expression softening. She's grown serious, he sees. And very earnest and supportive! The drink's gone to her head. Or perhaps she worries about the unstoppable (stoppable) butler. He'll have none of that worry if it is indeed that, not on his behalf.]
Oh, Miss Carter, I've got you to keep your watchful eye.
That alone comforts me greatly.
[So don't even focus any of that on him, he'll be entirely alright being the watchman for everyone else. Besides, the Atroma really would be silly to use him over someone with more skill anyway.]
I'm afraid there are forces at play within the fleet that I could not overcome if it came to it. [ powers she can't beat. people she can't take down with a convenient stapler or lamp nearby. that's not to say she couldn't hold her own with many present. but -- but she would hate for him to have undue confidence in her ability to safeguard him against everyone. ]
[ peggy tries to chase away the burgeoning sentiment deep in her chest. somewhere beneath her ribs -- like warmth or pride or affection. his faith means so very much to her. even now, she feels like she can count on one hand the amount of people back home who believe in her. maybe two hands, if she counts the commandos individually. and time and time again, jarvis has proven himself to be a staunch ally. stauncher than most. ]
Sod the pan. Even here, I've got a dependable little pistol. [ ... ] Don't mistake me. Should any trouble arise, I hope you'll call on me.
It was never my intention to imply that you're not -- [ only it was. just a little. right up until the moment she realizes she might have bruised his feelings. back home, it simply wouldn't do. but here? here, he might be right.
most months, it was uncommonly calm. ] But when things go pear shaped here, Mister Jarvis, it's quite different from back home.
[Jarvis sighs through his nose, exasperated but not uncaring, not angry. He understands to a degree — new to this place, this strange and utterly new place, fraught with the fear that any moment the calmness will explode into something else. Clearly it's happened before, but...]
I understand you're worried, but I can promise you, I will be cautious.
... If anything, I worry more for you. You tend to skin knees.
[ a snort. but if she looks annoyed, now, it's only because she knows he's right. skinned knees. if only all her troubles could be so superficial. peggy drains her cup of tea and sets it aside. emptied. he might as well be told. ]
Barnes broke a couple ribs. Half my face was black and blue. Took weeks just to get out of bed without swearing a streak of blue. [ so she's struggling with her own helplessness in the face of such power. paranoid that should she so easily be taken down, dear mister jarvis might end up snapped in half. or worse. ]
As sympathetic as his story is, Jarvis will not forget that.]
I'm... sorry. It sounded painful; I didn't mean... to infantilize what's happened. [Skinned knees. He'd been teasing a bit, but that all sounds horribly serious. Horribly grave. There's a streak of guilt passing, knowing he hadn't been available for help. Aloud - ] I was a bit late.
Very little brings me more relief than knowing you weren't here to witness any of it. [ quick; vehement. it's hard enough for barnes to adjust to any sort of life, let alone one lived in the shadow of such events. it had taken peggy ages to mend her bridges with the man. ]
I wasn't. [ she's blunt. honest about it, because this secret isn't one worth keeping. ] For months, we barely spoke to one another. What's happening now is a sort of...work in progress. [ a difficult path, really. she keeps taking those. ]
He wasn't particularly talkative, and he hung up rather abruptly. But he wasn't exactly... impolite or hostile. It seemed more like he - had forgotten social graces and needed to rediscover them.
-- That's fairly typical for him. [ she doesn't coat her answer in anything sweet. it's plain and honest. ] So long as HYDRA's programming isn't in play, he's...alright. Laconic and dealing with a great deal of guilt, yes, but -- he's work befriending, if you feel you have the patience.
[As long as the programming's not, she says. So simple, yet so not.]
... I suppose if I can make friends with a womanizing and arrogant millionaire I could afford to spare some patience for someone in far more need of acquaintances.
Fair enough. [ she concedes the point and makes certain to acknowledge the depth of patience and tolerance in the man sitting across from her. ] It takes a certain kind of person not to clean Howard's clock every quarter hour.
[ she means punch him in the face, though. not...actually clean his actual clocks. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
no subject
The idea that he can also be glitched to such a state, perhaps, is unnerving.
To say the least.]
I'm... admittedly unsettled by the concept of glitches.
I shudder to imagine not being myself.
no subject
No one likes the thought of being someone else's unwilling entertainment. Nor their weapon. [ ... ] But I promise you -- Mister Jarvis, you will have people around you here who will do whatever they can to help. That's the one silver lining I can sell in earnest: these people are kind. And brave.
[ for the most part. ]
no subject
Oh, Miss Carter, I've got you to keep your watchful eye.
That alone comforts me greatly.
[So don't even focus any of that on him, he'll be entirely alright being the watchman for everyone else. Besides, the Atroma really would be silly to use him over someone with more skill anyway.]
no subject
no subject
I'm afraid my confidence in you is not dissuaded, however foolhardy you think it is.
Besides, you're far more dangerous with a pan than a butler.
no subject
Sod the pan. Even here, I've got a dependable little pistol. [ ... ] Don't mistake me. Should any trouble arise, I hope you'll call on me.
[ and (if need be) she'll call on steve. ]
no subject
But I promise you, I'll give a call... As long as you agree to the same.
no subject
Call you? [ wow, try not to take her disbelief to heart dear jarvis. ] If I come across a sock-darning emergency?
[ she's an ass. ]
no subject
I'm wounded, Miss Carter. Surely my services have been more colorful than domestic housework.
Though... I suppose I would come to your aid for the sake of someone's socks.
no subject
[ she wants to protect you, jarvis. ]
no subject
[JUST GONNA SIP MY TEA AT YOU.]
If this is a matter of concern, there's no need; I'm very good at tricky situations.
... It's quite calm here anyway.
no subject
no subject
[He folds his arms, partly offended. Partly.]
Because I'm very capable of handling myself when things are not calm.
no subject
most months, it was uncommonly calm. ] But when things go pear shaped here, Mister Jarvis, it's quite different from back home.
no subject
I understand you're worried, but I can promise you, I will be cautious.
... If anything, I worry more for you. You tend to skin knees.
[He smiles a bit, sneaky and impish.]
no subject
Barnes broke a couple ribs. Half my face was black and blue. Took weeks just to get out of bed without swearing a streak of blue. [ so she's struggling with her own helplessness in the face of such power. paranoid that should she so easily be taken down, dear mister jarvis might end up snapped in half. or worse. ]
no subject
[Barnes is a dangerous man.
As sympathetic as his story is, Jarvis will not forget that.]
I'm... sorry. It sounded painful; I didn't mean... to infantilize what's happened. [Skinned knees. He'd been teasing a bit, but that all sounds horribly serious. Horribly grave. There's a streak of guilt passing, knowing he hadn't been available for help. Aloud - ] I was a bit late.
no subject
no subject
[He considers this whole situation for a moment.]
You're on good standing with Mr. Barnes, still?
[Not that he's... super surprised. But.]
no subject
-- Have you met him yet?
no subject
He wasn't particularly talkative, and he hung up rather abruptly. But he wasn't exactly... impolite or hostile. It seemed more like he - had forgotten social graces and needed to rediscover them.
no subject
no subject
... I suppose if I can make friends with a womanizing and arrogant millionaire I could afford to spare some patience for someone in far more need of acquaintances.
I will aim to do my very best, Miss Carter.
no subject
[ she means punch him in the face, though. not...actually clean his actual clocks. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
1/2
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)