A/N – I'm playing with the song's timeline here, because the song wasn't written until 1954 and Sinatra didn't record it until 10 years in 1964. I'm using Kaye Ballard's version of this, because it's a much slower and romantic version and it's a woman singing. Just go with it and enjoy, 'kay?
While she wasn't usually much help in the kitchen, Peggy Carter adored watching Angie Martinelli bounce to and fro while cooking their dinner.
It had become somewhat of a routine for them after they'd moved into Howard Stark's mansion. On evenings when Angie got off work before Peggy, she'd come home and set about preparing a nice meal for the both of them. Peggy loved nothing more than to walk through their front door and be greeted by the smells of tomato sauce, garlic and the other various spices Angie favored when cooking.
Tonight, as she leaned back against the counter, Angie was in rare form, weaving back and forth between the stovetop and the pantry, taking the pasta and unceremoniously dumping it into the boiling pot of water, all the while humming a song Peggy couldn't quite recognize.
"Do you need any help?" she asked, knowing full well how Angie would respond.
As expected, Angie shook her head and waved away her question. "Nope, I've got everything under control," she replied.
Peggy glanced down at Angie's stockinged feet and grinned. "I can see that."
"What?" Angie asked, then followed Peggy's gaze and frowned. "You try lugging around trays and coffee pots for eight hours. Tell me how your dogs feel after that!" she said defensively.
Peggy threw up her hands in surrender and laughed. "I wasn't judging."
"Sure you weren't," Angie grumbled, but a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"Well, maybe a little," Peggy teased.
Angie tossed her head triumphantly. "I knew it! Just for that, you have to go turn on the radio."
Peggy placed a hand over heart and groaned in mock dismay. "Not the radio!"
"Oh shut up, English," Angie giggled and turned back to the stovetop to stir the contents of a saucepan.
Peggy chuckled and made her way across the kitchen to the counter where the radio sat. It had been her Christmas gift to Angie after she'd made an offhand remark about how much she missed listening to music while cooking. The radio had cost a pretty penny, but it had been worth it to see Angie's eyes light up with delight when she unwrapped it Christmas morning. The enthusiastic embrace in which she'd wrapped Peggy had been rather nice, as well.
Fiddling with the knob, Peggy scrolled to the right until she found a clear station. The sweeping melody of strings washed over the kitchen and Peggy turned just in time to see Angie slowly sway to the music, the line of her elegant back shifting as she moved side to side.
As she watched, Peggy was overcome with the powerful urge to take Angie in her arms. Without pausing to consider her actions, she padded back to the stove and slid an arm around Angie's waist, turning her around as Kaye Ballard's sultry voice filled the room.
"Fly me to the moon, let me play among the stars let me see what spring is like, on Jupiter and Mars..."
"Peggy! What're ya' doing?" Angie laughed.
Peggy merely smiled and brought her other hand to Angie's and twined their fingers together.
"What's it look like I'm doing?"
"It looks like you're trying to dance with me," Angie grinned, allowing Peggy to lead her across the kitchen floor.
"In other words, hold my hand, in other words, darling, kiss me..."
"Your astute perception never ceases to amaze me, darling," Peggy smiled, and she pulled Angie closer as they swayed from to side.
Angie's answering smile warmed Peggy's heart, and she rested her cheek against Angie's temple, inhaling the sweet scent of the jasmine shampoo Angie favored.
"Fill my heart with song and let me sing forever more, you are all I long for, all I worship and adore…"
"This is nice," Angie murmured.
"Mmm."
"How come we don't do this more often?"
Peggy chuckled, but shook her head. "I have no idea."
"In other words, please be true, In other words, I love you."
"S'nice," Angie repeated, and Peggy was surprised when Angie tentatively untangled their fingers and fluttered her hand down until it danced across Peggy's neck. A moment later, Angie's arms encircled her, and she laid her head against Peggy's shoulder, her mouth barely brushing the skin there.
Peggy instinctively pulled Angie closer, tightening her grip on her waist as Ballard's voice seductively hummed the melody, and when she felt Angie's breath dance across her neck, it took everything she had not to shudder in her arms.
Slowly tilting back, Peggy opened her eyes and was amazed to find Angie staring back at her with incredulous eyes. Reaching up, Peggy captured a curl and twined it around her finger, even as she leaned in closer to the lips that seemed to beckon her.
"Fill my heart with song, let me sing forever more, you are all I long for, all I worship and adore…"
"Peggy?"
The word was whispered in surprise, and Peggy found herself drowning in the emotion she saw swirling in Angie's dark blue eyes.
"In other words, please be true…"
"Angie… I…"
"In other words, I love you…"
"Shut up and kiss me already, English," Angie breathed, pushing forward to close the final distance between them.
Peggy smiled and willingly obliged her, lips sliding over the soft pink ones in the way she'd often entertained. Her hand came up and tangled in Angie's brown curls, pulling her closer.
"In other words, I love you."
