Playing Pretend
By TheAuthor44
After bidding a fond farewell to Dr. Samberly, Peggy and Daniel made their way out into the hall. Now that she had the device all that was left was to get in disguise but just as Peggy was about to make her way to the department she suddenly wondered if Daniel wouldn't mind joining her for that as well. Peggy felt slightly guilty thinking this, after all he was engaged now, which meant that soon he would be spending all of his time with his new bride but Peggy would have to return to New York eventually so she figured what was wrong with spending time with an "old friend" while she still had the chance.
"Alright then, now shall we make our way to the disguise department?" Peggy said turning to face Daniel.
"We? You want me to go with you?" Daniel asked seeming surprised at her request which she knew he would be, always the gentleman.
"Well I would certainly appreciate the help. Unless of course your needed elsewhere?"
"No, of course. Departments right down here." Daniel said as he motioned for Peggy to follow him. He led her a couple of doors down from the lab to a small room filled with racks of clothes and shoes.
"We haven't hired anyone to work in here yet but Rose comes up here as a favor to me every once in a while to straighten up." Daniel explained as he cleared a pair of pants off a plush chair in the corner. Peggy smiled; she couldn't help but feel like he was showing her his apartment rather than a room full of hyperbolized Halloween costumes.
This man could not be any more adorable. Peggy caught herself thinking, instantly scolding herself, having him come here with her was one thing but getting caught up in silly nonsensical thoughts would serve no purpose.
"Alright, the changing area is over there behind the curtain. The place is all yours." Daniel said as he sat down in the chair he had just cleared as Peggy made her way through the racks.
"Personally I like it better this way." Peggy said looking at Daniel over one of the racks.
"Oh really? Why is that?"
"This way I get to decide how revealing my ensemble is. You should've seen the neck line on that dress I wore at Spider Raymond's club. It would've made Rita Hayworth blush."
"I know." Daniel said earning a look from Peggy. "I mean I can imagine, not that I ever have. I just… I saw the pictures… but I didn't see anything. I am going to stop talking now." Daniel said clasping his hands and placing them in his lap as Peggy began to blush.
"Did you ever do any undercover work?" She asked changing the subject.
"No, during the war I was just a solider and after, well missions like that never really call for a crutch. It worked out in my favor though; I've never been a big fan of costumes."
"Oh not me, I've loved dressing up ever since I was a little girl. I'd put them on and run around my backyard."
"What were you? A princess?"
"The knight rescuing the princess actually; slaying dragons and such."
"That doesn't surprise me one bit." Daniel replied as they both let out a hearty laugh. It had always been like this between them and her mood quickly became somber when she realized that it probably wouldn't be that way much longer.
"Alright I think I have enough here to get started." Peggy said as she made her way towards the changing area. "Be out in a flash." She said as she closed the curtains.
Peggy came out a few minutes later in a quarter sleeve blue dress. It wasn't anything special, just a plain dress with a belt of the same color on the waist. She walked to the center of the room and stopped in between Daniel and the full length mirror to his right.
"What do you think?"
"I don't know." Daniel said leaning forward in the chair.
"Could you be a little more specific?"
"I think the color is a little too bright, you don't want to stand out too much."
Peggy looked at herself once over in the mirror before nodding in agreement.
"You're absolutely right, I look like a blueberry. Onto the next one then." She said as she made her way back in.
After a couple more tries Peggy's patience was beginning to grow thin. She had tried on at least five different outfits and they were too tight, too short, or too hideous. Just because she was going undercover didn't mean she couldn't have taste. Finally on outfit number six Peggy could tell they were making some headway when she came out and noticed an initial reaction from Daniel.
"What? That bad?" she said suddenly feeling very self-conscious, which was an odd thing to ask because the way Daniel was looking at her was giving her the opposite impression.
"No Peg, you look … I mean it looks fine. Good … definitely good."
It was a white blouse with a long bow in the front and a deep red skirt that fell below her knee.
"Yes, lovely. And these slits will certainly come in handy if I find myself in a situation where I need to crawl and hide. You would not believe how often that's an issue." Daniel didn't answer but simply nodded before saying, "Ready to move on to wigs?"
He rose from his seat and disappeared behind a wall only to come out with a cart that held twelve different wigs on mannequin heads. Peggy couldn't stifle the laugh that came out of her at the sight.
"Peggy meet the girls, girls Peggy." Daniel said gesturing between the wigs and her.
"This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Next you'll be telling me that they all have names." Peggy meant it as a joke but based on the blush rising in his cheeks Daniel was telling her quite a different story.
"Daniel!" Peggy exclaimed in mock-shock.
"It was Rose's idea not mine." He said causing Peggy to break out in an uproarious laughter with Daniel chuckling along before he continued.
"Okay we've got a wide variety here; did you want anything in particular?"
"Blonde perhaps? This one looks decent." She said pointing to a beautiful blonde wig that was medium length with two victory rolls at the top, but Peggy suddenly changed her mind when she noticed that it looked exactly like Violet's hair and in that moment she was thankful that Daniel hadn't looked up.
"Nah, I was thinking something else. Here, try this one on." He said lifting a wig off of the mannequin. It was medium length with bangs and it was a deep auburn red. Peggy pulled her hair back but just as she was about to reach out to take the wig from Daniel, he stepped right in front of her and placed it gently on her head himself. He let his fingers linger a moment before stepping back out of Peggy's personal space as she let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. As she tried to regain her composure Peggy noticed without her usual heels on Daniel was a good three inches taller than her, something she had never noticed because in her eyes they always stood eye to eye, but if she was being honest it was nice. Feeling small and feminine which around anyone else would've been a bad thing but Peggy knew heels or no heels Daniel would never look down on her.
"You're all set." Daniel said breaking the silence.
"Right. Thank you Daniel, for everything." She said as he adjusted the wig one last time, pulling down the sides until it was even.
"Anytime." He replied before making his way slowly towards the door.
Peggy grabbed a pair of shoes off the rack and put them on before looking at herself one last time in the mirror. But she didn't see herself or the persona she was trying to put on, all she saw was her and Daniel together. And as she silently mourned what would never be Daniel stopped in the doorway looked back at her doing the same.