[ Her nostalgia is kind to him. He remembers that. ]
You could say I'm a man of the world now. Sophisticated'n all. [ still smiling, he brings up her left as they walk down the corridor. ] Thanks for coming.
Anything to get off the Starstruck for a little while. At first, I didn't take the warnings about dullness and of limited space seriously enough. All it takes is sitting in the wake of a few huge planets to begin to look a little less favourably upon our close quarters.
[ even the griffith (before she was kicked out) had afforded her more space than the starstruck does. and although she doesn't require a great deal of it, she could do with a bit more solitude in the face of shared everything. ]
We've got this cranky survivalist type on board, now. He sleeps in the docked shuttles. I'm starting to think there might be some method to his madness.
[ There were plenty who got lost out there in the cold. A few they found in the jungles in the Philippines, who didn't know World War Two was long over. ]
He said he wasn't. But -- [ peggy lets the thought trail into shrug. she's seen soldiers, and she's seen shell shock. this fellow puts her in mind of both those words. but the world he describes is one beyond mere soldiers. every human being clawing at a chance to stay alive is soldier-like. ] He's shaken. Doesn't like to talk about himself, which is -- of course -- no sin on him.
[ they can both empathize with that sort of walled existence. ]
Australian. He hasn't given his name, yet. And so I haven't put him in an awkward position by asking for it. But he talks about a world wrecked by nuclear fallout, Jim.
[ and that's a subject she's always felt vaguely guilty when broaching with the survivalist. ]
Might be. He claims there isn't much history left to study or read. It's all sand. Sand and desperation. He's half-feral, some days.
[ some days, max makes the winter soldier look downright socialized. but peggy must admit that's because she's walked into winter's life at a much later point. ]
He'd never seen snow before. Or a lake, let alone a frozen one. He fell through on Arslae and has been the worst sort of patient ever since. [ ... ] And he steals my tea.
[ but for all her complaints, she's developing a soft spot. he needs patience and attention that doesn't smother him, and peggy is willing to provide both. ]
[ His mouth twists unhappily. The man has a taste for tea, at least, and it will give Peggy something to do in the face of that crushing boredom. Jim knows — he has the Soldier to look after. ]
Pilot. A position he's quite pleased with -- but which I fear might get him into trouble. Barely out of the ice-cold water [ hmm ] and he was already trying to hop back into a shuttle.
[ her initial agreement comes as a short hum. mhm. peggy glances at doorways as they pass and -- in her mind -- she tries to map the ship's layout from what she's experienced. she can hear the engines...but where are they? ]
I don't suppose we've ever been lucky enough to lay hands on blueprints for this vessel? [ she doesn't sound too hopeful. ] I imagine there are loads of vital systems we'd not want to risk damaging.
No, never. When I was first aboard my augment helped with identifying the consoles we could tinker with, but aside from that — [ he hums, thoughtfully ] not much. This is the first ship we've managed to tug along with us.
Well. If it can be done once -- [ then it can be repeated. and what other bits of space junk might prove useful? peggy isn't anywhere near an expert on space. but it bears consideration. ]
How did the fleet manage to stumble across this one?
We found it being attacked by some kinda fungus. All the original inhabitants were either dead or possessed. There was nothing to salvage except the ship.
[ He delivers it in the tone of a report. No point crying over people they never knew and who were long dead, anyway. ]
There was a way to preserve the ship, so we took it.
[ her steps take her a bit further -- a handful more of doors, but all on the wrong side of the hallway. at least, she assumes those on the right side (nearer the ship's edge) prove too much of a threat. hull breach, or whatever her augment wants her to call it. ]
Not so good about the fungus, of course but -- good that the ship could be kept. Our standard issue vessels leave a lot to be desired when in comes their roominess. Or lack thereof.
I'm not bored. [ she counters -- perhaps a little more archly than his teasing requires. peggy takes the time to fix jim with a particularly galled look. ] There's always something else to learn about the chasm between my now and you're -- then. And I've made friends.
[ she defends herself with an overblown sense of indignation. best to play into a false debate than let concern fester. her smile hides behind her eyes and not her mouth. ] So long as the tea doesn't run out, I'll be perfectly fine.
[ it doesn't hurt (of course) that things with steve are bewilderingly pleasant. not too quick and not too slow and just the right amount of careful joy. ]
[ dammit, man. she wonders if he does it on purpose -- knowing, perhaps, that in one line she's oversold her own social circle and now must scramble to justify its existence beyond the immediate war-buddies present in the fleet.
thankfully, there are a few souls she rather likes. ] I stand by my initial impression of Rogue. Wonderful young woman. Captain Solo has been pleasant enough. And -- others.
[ if she hasn't been getting close to other people then it's because she's built to keep her distance. it's why friendship with either barnes comes easier: they already know who she is. ]
[ He allows the fondness to colour his voice. Captain Solo he can look for. ]
What about Steve?
[ if Peggy thinks he sounds like a boy on a playground about to tease her on something — well that's absolutely right. Jim's tone just lacks the sing-song inflection. ]
[ indeed. what about steve? it's the question of not only the hour, but the whole damned new year. peggy betrays a measure of uncertainty when she draws fingertips across the side of her neck -- like scratching an itch instead of tracing the sweet space where he'd tapped out his message in morse.
like petty revenge, she answers him with the most willful ignorance she can muster: ] Friendly, of course. But you asked about friends made here, Jim. And he's -- well, Steve isn't one of those.
[ steve is an older itch. and as happy as she is with what's transpired, she doesn't know how to articulate it. besides! wouldn't rogers have already--
peggy's attention narrows. ] Why -- what has he told you?
[ He chortles, like he utterly expected to brushed off — indeed it's none of his business how his two friends are doing. Just, he selfishly wants them to be happy. It's why there's a paper with the Valkyrie's coordinates safe with Peggy now. ]
Oh, nothing, nothing.
[ What he and Steve talk about are all the things left unsaid between them — this isn't one of those. ]
[ But he punctuates that with a bright, mischievous grin. Keeping her guessing. ]
Very well. [ she watches his smirk and opts to counter it with a ludicrous claim that is (in the end) absolutely true. ] If you must know, we -- we talk about baseball. Cookie bloody Lavagetto. [ or whoever the devil that is. ]
So you can go ahead and stop grinning like an idiot. [ ... ] Please.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
action.
You could say I'm a man of the world now. Sophisticated'n all. [ still smiling, he brings up her left as they walk down the corridor. ] Thanks for coming.
action.
[ even the griffith (before she was kicked out) had afforded her more space than the starstruck does. and although she doesn't require a great deal of it, she could do with a bit more solitude in the face of shared everything. ]
We've got this cranky survivalist type on board, now. He sleeps in the docked shuttles. I'm starting to think there might be some method to his madness.
action.
Think he might be a soldier?
[ There were plenty who got lost out there in the cold. A few they found in the jungles in the Philippines, who didn't know World War Two was long over. ]
action.
[ they can both empathize with that sort of walled existence. ]
Australian. He hasn't given his name, yet. And so I haven't put him in an awkward position by asking for it. But he talks about a world wrecked by nuclear fallout, Jim.
[ and that's a subject she's always felt vaguely guilty when broaching with the survivalist. ]
action.
You think it might be ours? Or — somethin' close to it?
action.
[ some days, max makes the winter soldier look downright socialized. but peggy must admit that's because she's walked into winter's life at a much later point. ]
He'd never seen snow before. Or a lake, let alone a frozen one. He fell through on Arslae and has been the worst sort of patient ever since. [ ... ] And he steals my tea.
[ but for all her complaints, she's developing a soft spot. he needs patience and attention that doesn't smother him, and peggy is willing to provide both. ]
action.
[ His mouth twists unhappily. The man has a taste for tea, at least, and it will give Peggy something to do in the face of that crushing boredom. Jim knows — he has the Soldier to look after. ]
What augment did they give him, do you know?
action.
action.
action.
action.
[ They've largely passed the occupied rooms on the ship, and now come to a corridor where Jim can hear the low hum of the engine. ]
Somewhere a little farther from the engine, don't you think? No windows, either.
action.
I don't suppose we've ever been lucky enough to lay hands on blueprints for this vessel? [ she doesn't sound too hopeful. ] I imagine there are loads of vital systems we'd not want to risk damaging.
action.
action.
How did the fleet manage to stumble across this one?
action.
[ He delivers it in the tone of a report. No point crying over people they never knew and who were long dead, anyway. ]
There was a way to preserve the ship, so we took it.
action.
[ her steps take her a bit further -- a handful more of doors, but all on the wrong side of the hallway. at least, she assumes those on the right side (nearer the ship's edge) prove too much of a threat. hull breach, or whatever her augment wants her to call it. ]
Not so good about the fungus, of course but -- good that the ship could be kept. Our standard issue vessels leave a lot to be desired when in comes their roominess. Or lack thereof.
action.
[ It's quietly amused, in that sympathetic, understanding way. These grate him too, but he's a patient man, and always good at compartmentalising. ]
action.
[ she defends herself with an overblown sense of indignation. best to play into a false debate than let concern fester. her smile hides behind her eyes and not her mouth. ] So long as the tea doesn't run out, I'll be perfectly fine.
[ it doesn't hurt (of course) that things with steve are bewilderingly pleasant. not too quick and not too slow and just the right amount of careful joy. ]
action.
[ it's normal, his tone suggests. you're okay. ]
Oh? Tell me about your friends.
action.
thankfully, there are a few souls she rather likes. ] I stand by my initial impression of Rogue. Wonderful young woman. Captain Solo has been pleasant enough. And -- others.
[ if she hasn't been getting close to other people then it's because she's built to keep her distance. it's why friendship with either barnes comes easier: they already know who she is. ]
action.
[ He allows the fondness to colour his voice. Captain Solo he can look for. ]
What about Steve?
[ if Peggy thinks he sounds like a boy on a playground about to tease her on something — well that's absolutely right. Jim's tone just lacks the sing-song inflection. ]
action.
like petty revenge, she answers him with the most willful ignorance she can muster: ] Friendly, of course. But you asked about friends made here, Jim. And he's -- well, Steve isn't one of those.
[ steve is an older itch. and as happy as she is with what's transpired, she doesn't know how to articulate it. besides! wouldn't rogers have already--
peggy's attention narrows. ] Why -- what has he told you?
action.
Oh, nothing, nothing.
[ What he and Steve talk about are all the things left unsaid between them — this isn't one of those. ]
[ But he punctuates that with a bright, mischievous grin. Keeping her guessing. ]
action.
So you can go ahead and stop grinning like an idiot. [ ... ] Please.
action.
All right, all right, know you're gettin' off easy.
[ This corridor is narrower, but there's a room he has a good feeling about, and opens the door for her. ]
action.
action.
action.
action.
action.