Chapter 10: Villainous Season
Kissing someone on the lips has never been new to Peggy, and even back in high school, she and her friends had experimented with the concept of kissing. She even shared a kiss with Maria, seeing if there was a difference in kissing a lesbian. But to her surprise, nothing really made a difference. It was lovely and nice, but there was no extreme sensation that made her lose her breath, metaphorically—even making out with Fred.
But for some reason, kissing Steve was totally different. The moment she leaned her head and kissed him, thinking it would be a brief peck, she felt something she hadn't felt before. It was like her whole body was blazing with tingling sensations, making her yearn and chase the feeling. Then Steve started kissing her back with the same eagerness. Suddenly, it was like her dam of emotions crumbled, and everything spilled out.
Kissing Steve made her feel things she had never felt before. At that moment, she finally had an idea of what a passionate kiss would feel like. And she liked that feeling. It was intense, raw, and vulnerable.
As she kept her eyes closed, trying to calm her racing heart, Peggy couldn't help the growing smile on her lips. She felt giddy, enjoying the elation of kissing someone you have strong feelings for. Slowly, she opens her eyes and immediately meets Steve's mesmerizing blue eyes.
They both rested their foreheads against each other and broke into a broader smile. Peggy thought to herself that she never wanted this feeling to end. She wants it to last for a lifetime. She loves how she could be this close to him, loves how he caresses her body and loves how she is the reason behind his beautiful, dimpled smile.
"Happy New Year, Steve," she whispered meekly.
"Happy New Year, Peggy," Steve utters under a labored breath but still smiles wider at her until it slowly falters.
It didn't go unnoticed by Peggy, but she refused to worry and asked the blonde instead, "What's on your mind?"
Steve swallowed down the lump in his throat before he smiled softly at her, "I just want you to know that I don't regret kissing you," he slowly pulled away from her, making the brunette look at him oddly.
When they stood apart, Peggy confusingly squinted her eyes at the blonde, "What do you mean by that?"
"Peggy, I don't regret kissing you," Steve mutters and shakes his head, "but what are we doing?"
The question sounded foreign to Peggy at first, but when the question finally sank into her, she suddenly remembered something essential in this unusual situation. Fred.
Peggy was immediately hit by the reality of what she had done. She kissed Steve, and Steve kissed her back, allowing her to enjoy it. Then, she realized that she had relished and yearned for it to happen again, more than she had ever felt when kissing Fred, who happens to be her boyfriend.
Steve recognized the realization on Peggy's face and knew how complicated things got now. They knew that this could become messy.
He knows it is wrong to return that kiss. He shouldn't have allowed himself to express that pent-up infatuation to her because it would just cause problems. But what has been done is done, and it can't be taken back. He could say he regretted it, but he refuses to lie.
"Steve…" Peggy starts and slowly steps back away from him. She shook her head in disbelief, "I—this shouldn't have happened,"
"Pegs—"
"We can't," and with that, Peggy rushes to get inside the house, leaving Steve with a crushed spirit.
January 20, 2019Steve's Apartment, Mayfair, London
11:24 PM
"You know, Buck, one of these days, you might find yourself in another fight with Beck. The HR can't help you if you instigate another fistfight with him," Steve reprimands his best friend over the video call.
Bucky rolls his eyes, "Look who's talking,"
Steve does the same, "I'm just saying—"
"Don't worry about James, Rogers," Natasha suddenly leans into the camera and stares hard at him, "I pretty much can help him with the fight,"
"You're not helping, Romanoff. Don't encourage that jerk," Steve then chuckles when Bucky and Natasha grin back at him, "But seriously, just beat Beck with your project proposal. I'm sure your idea would be more sensible and efficient,"
Bucky shrugs his shoulders, "Thanks, punk. I'm just making sure I'm ready to fight for my project, and I won't back out on him if he starts throwing punches,"
"Anyways, Rogers," Natasha suddenly cuts and then takes a bite of her sandwich. The two men stare at her and wait for her to complete her sentence. As Natasha swallowed down her food, she leaned close to the camera and stared at it, "Has Peggy talked to you yet?"
Bucky looks back at the camera and raises a brow at the blonde, "She hasn't replied to you?"
Steve sighs exasperatedly. He shouldn't have told them what he had done last New Year. Ever since telling them, they had been pestering him to call Peggy incessantly, but he knew better than to force something on Peggy. He may not regret the kiss, but he hates the aftermath of what he did.
"Look, guys, I don't want to force Peggy to talk to me. She'll talk to me if she feels comfortable,"
"But she kissed you first!" Bucky bellowed, earning a glare from the blonde, "I'm just saying that you both are probably at fault. Why is it like she's blocking you off?"
"Maybe you should date someone else," Natasha suddenly suggests, making the brunette next to her raise a brow.
"How is that a solution?" Bucky questioned the redhead, "That will just make things worse,"
"Steve needs to date someone else," Natasha shrugs her shoulders and looks at the blonde, "You need to date someone else. It's clear that Peggy is not going to break up with her boyfriend just because you both shared a kiss,"
Steve sighed, "I'm not asking her to break up with Fred just because we kissed—"
"You want to be Peggy's lover?!"
"What?! No!" Steve yelps, glaring at his best friend, "I would never make Peggy do that! And she'd never do that—Buck!"
"What?!"
"Shut up, you two," Natasha interjects, "Steve, seriously. What do you expect Peggy to do?"
Steve opened his mouth to retort but was left speechless.
What did he expect Peggy to do? Break up with Fred and say that she wants to be with him? That would be too unrealistic. She'd never do such a thing. If anything, that kiss probably was a mistake for her. He may not regret kissing her, but that didn't mean Peggy felt the same.
"I don't know…" Steve looks away and starts fumbling with his hands, "I don't expect anything from her. If she wants to bury that memory away, I don't care. I just…want to talk to her again,"
"Then show her that that kiss wasn't a big deal. Steve, look," Natasha waited for the blonde to look back at the camera. Once he did, she continued, "Maybe in that way, you'll get some reaction. It could be good or bad. It doesn't matter. It can open a conversation if she's a confrontational type,"
"Or a misunderstanding," Bucky retorts, looking at the redhead, who rolled her eyes at his comment, "I'm just saying, Steve, remember with Lorraine back in college?"
"I think that's different," Steve shook his head before ducking his head down, "But either way, I don't want to give Peggy the impression that the kiss meant nothing to me because it means a lot to me. I just don't want her to think that I'm expecting anything,"
"Well, that's hard to explain if you are quietly pining over her when you know fully well that she is in a relationship," Natasha replies, and the two boys finally understand her point. "I mean, you can tell her that you don't expect her to do anything about the kiss or explain why you kissed her back. But you also have to show her that you are not secretly waiting for her to give you a chance,"
"Unless you are," Bucky mutters in observation to the blonde. Steve didn't look up and continued to stare down. Bucky then glances at Natasha, who seems unsure of how to proceed.
"Look, bud," Bucky scoots closer to the camera, "I'm no expert in relationships. But if you are waiting for her, then you have to tell her. In that way, she can give you an answer to all this waiting game. Otherwise, you have to let it go, so you both can just brush it off,"
Steve finally looks up at his friends on the screen, "I don't know what to do. I don't want to pressure Peggy about my feelings for her. She probably doesn't feel the same. But I just want us to be friends again,"
"Then tell her that," Natasha answers, "And then find yourself a date. Maybe you should ask someone out on Valentine's Day. That could give her the idea that you're moving past that New Year's kiss,"
Steve sighs deeply and shrugs his shoulders, "I don't know…"
Sitting in the library, comfortably leaning on her chair, Maria took a break from reading research journals. It had been hours since she had done that, and she needed something less essential to distract her tired brain. So, she scrolled through her social media and happened to come across Steve's recent post. Her eyes immediately swipe up to look at her roommate. Peggy was ferociously typing away on her laptop, too busy to pay attention to anything not related to her paper.
Maria sighed to herself before looking down at her phone. It was a picture of Steve and other people. It was like a team photo, and his post indicated a location, the Stark Art Gallery London. She could name one or two people in the photo. Aside from Steve, she sees Howard Stark sitting in the middle of the group, and then there is James Falsworth, the lawyer assigned to the gallery, who happens to be Steve's new friend, too.
She then gave a closer look to Steve. He was standing behind Howard Stark, smiling handsomely. But she couldn't help but notice the blonde woman next to him. She was standing a little too close to Steve for her liking to quote them as just colleagues. She then read the caption, "The Art Department Team of Stark Art Gallery London. We can't wait to let you experience a stark journey of art this coming June."
"It looks like Steve's team is all set," Maria comments before looking up at her friend to check on her reaction.
Peggy slowly tears her attention away from her screen and looks back at her, "Really?"
"Yeah, look," Maria then hands over her phone and watches Peggy gaze at the picture shown on the screen, "Howard Stark is even there. It's cool,"
Maria continues to watch the brunette and slowly sees the longing in her eyes. But the woman quickly clears out the expression as fast as it came. Peggy hands over the phone.
"That's great for them. Now, they can start the actual organizing for the art show," Peggy says before she resumes her work.
Maria really wants to talk about it. She learned about the New Year's kiss incident when Peggy confided to them a few days before heading back to campus. She knew that Peggy had chosen to avoid Steve while she figured out what to think and feel about the incident. She also knows that Peggy hasn't told Fred yet because the woman didn't know how to explain what it meant to her.
All of this was back in January, and it has been a month. Ever since February started, Peggy has been busier, doing school and working for SSR. The English woman travels to Hampstead during the weekends and stays there until Wednesday night while she works at the law firm. Then, she travels back to Cambridge on Thursday morning for their classes until Friday.
Having that hectic schedule kept Peggy busy and an excuse not to deal with the matter. But Maria knew that Peggy was deliberately avoiding confronting the issue because it meant that she had to decide. It's unusual for her to be this indecisive.
When it comes to problems, Peggy prefers to deal with the matter instantly. She'd rather make the decision now and deal with the consequence immediately rather than linger about the what ifs. But apparently, that wasn't applicable when it came to the matter of the heart.
Sighing defeatedly, Maria finally gives in and asks the question, "Have you talked to Steve yet?"
Peggy remained silent as she continued to type on her laptop.
"Don't ignore me, Peggy," Maria comments, sternly waiting for the brunette to slow down in her typing, "You know that you have to deal with this,"
"I'm not avoiding the problem," Peggy muttered back without breaking her attention to work, "I'm just still contemplating everything,"
"Peggy, this is not something you approach like it's just a list of pros and cons. This is a matter of your feelings, and what do you—"
"That is exactly the reason why I am in this position, Hill," Peggy finally looked at her. To Maria's surprise, Peggy had teary eyes and was on the verge of crying, "I let my heart rule over my mind, and now I'm in a complicated situation because I let that happen. If I had kept my distance from Steve, I wouldn't have kissed him and started questioning everything,"
Maria wanted to point out to her friend that even if she and Steve were countries apart, they always had an infatuation for each other. Being in close proximity just made it more apparent that they had feelings for each other. It wasn't a matter of just realizing it now. It was an issue if Peggy would act on her feelings and break off things with Fred after accepting the fact that she hadn't been honest with him the whole time.
Maria would love to reiterate that, but she knew better than to drive her friend away.
"Peggy, I understand that this is not easy for you," Maria reaches out to Peggy's hand and reassuringly squeezes it as she points out, "But the longer that you avoid it, the more it would be painful, not just for you but for Steve and Fred."
Sighing despondently, Peggy couldn't bring herself to respond and just looked away. Maria had a point, but that didn't make her less dejected by the truth of it.
Working in the SSR Law Firm had always been a dream come true for Peggy. Ever since being accepted to be an apprentice, she aimed to make sure that her bosses didn't make the wrong decision to take her. She wants to prove to everybody that she deserves the position and that she is fit to be a permanent employee once her apprenticeship is over.
However, Peggy realized that even if having that motivation, it is still hard to stay on track with your goal when your colleagues make it difficult for you. Obviously, she knew that there would be lawyers in the firm who would not always be the most likable or accommodating person. She knew that she would work with legal assistants who would feel threatened about their job security. And, of course, encounter other apprentices who could be sexist in their subtle way.
Glaring at Jack Thompson had always been a morning routine for Peggy. How could it not be when Jack always makes it a point to reiterate to her that women are too emphatic for this job that requires firm and unemotional judgment?
Letting out a deep exhale as she tries to calm her raging anger toward the blonde man, Peggy stands up, and her chair screeches backward, "Ms. Rose, isn't there a meeting transpiring in half an hour?" she suddenly asks, startling the secretary and making Thompson shut his mouth.
Rose looks down at her task of stacking files in seven piles, then back at the brunette, "Uh, yes. Would you like to assist me and prep the documents that they will need?"
"Sure," Peggy walks over and rolls her eyes at Jack, who then walks off while muttering that the task was too menial for him, "Sometimes, I just really want to punch Thompson's face," Peggy said, gritting her teeth, "A good right jab punch,"
Rose chuckles at her, "I understand what you're saying. But in this line of work, you'll always meet those kinds of people. You'll just get tired of punching them before they will ever learn,"
Peggy sighed, "I know clerical work can be routine tasks, but that doesn't mean you can't learn something from it. Reading a case is not only our job. Learning every angle of this firm is important,"
Rose smiles at her, "I like that mindset of yours. Sometimes, it's the secretarial job that gives you access to details that others don't have. And most of the time, it's the secretary that is overlooked, thinking that they have lesser knowledge about anything,"
Peggy laughs at the idea of some people's simple-mindedness, "It's a perfect disguise for a spy work,"
"Oh, definitely," Rose grinned, and they both chortled. "You never know. SSR is not new to very secretive cases that sometimes require disguising."
"Really?" Peggy's eyes sparkled in amusement, but before she could ask more, Monty suddenly entered and called on Rose.
"Are we ready?" Monty asked, and then noticed Peggy, "Oh, hi, Peggy. Will you be sitting in at the meeting?"
"I would love to if I'm permitted," Peggy shyly smiles at the lawyer.
"Why, of course. We'll be having the Stark Art Gallery coming over,"
"Stark Art Gallery?" Peggy suddenly felt butterflies in her stomach, churning with anticipation and anxiety. She couldn't place exactly what she was feeling.
"Yes, one of the curators is coming over to talk about finalizing a contract with an artist," Monty then grinned, "See you around later. Rose, when you're done, let's set up the presentation,"
Rose nods her head at the man before glancing at the suddenly quiet brunette. She immediately notices the shaking hand of the woman, "Peggy, are you alright?"
Peggy snaps out of her stupor as she looks back at Rose with a startled look, "Sorry, um…I don't think I can attend the meeting,"
"Oh, why not?"
"I just remembered that Mr. Dooley wants this case briefing summary as soon as possible today. I think I have a few more areas to check up on," Peggy swallows down the knot in her throat, "I'll try to join later when time permits,"
"Oh, alright," Rose nods her head, although unconvinced, "I hope you can join us,"
With that, Peggy scarced herself from the meeting area and hid in the employee's lounge as the employees from Stark Art Gallery came in. It has been hours since the meeting started, and it was expected to end in a few minutes.
She slowly returned to the common work area and waited around for the people in the meeting to step out. She may not be ready to face Steve yet, but she wouldn't deny that she had missed him.
The last time Steve texted or messaged her was way back in February. And just like before, she didn't respond to them or even show that she read it. Now, it has been a month since Steve gave her complete silence and distance. She doesn't know what's going on with him nowadays, but she refuses to check his social media. It was the only way, she believed, to make her stop thinking about him and their kiss. It was the only way she thought that would make her stop liking Steve the way she should be feeling only for Fred.
Peggy sighed in defeat when suddenly the doors to the conference room opened. She suddenly stands up and sees Jack coming out, helping Rose with the files. She internally scowls at Jack, knowing he took advantage of the opportunity to sit in while she cowered away and missed out.
Soon enough, employees from Stark Art Gallery step out, making Peggy hold her breath in anticipation for Steve. But he never showed up, and only a blonde woman came out last.
"Thank you, Mr. Falsworth, for accommodating our request," The blonde woman shook hands with Monty, "I know this is urgent, but Steve's really held up in the gallery, checking on those art pieces. He's more of an expert in that area than I am."
"Oh, no worries. I know how busy Steve is," Monty chuckles.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure that he signs these documents as soon as possible and sends them back," the woman smiles back, "After all, I'm the only person who checks up on him on every little bit about life,"
Monty chuckles and shakes his head, "I guess you're always together both in and out of work,"
The woman shrugs her shoulders, "He's a great company. I don't mind spending time with him. I'll make sure he signs them tonight at dinner,"
Monty nods his head, "Alright, thanks Sharon,"
"I'll go ahead, James. See you soon," and with that, the woman walks off.
Peggy stood there very still and baffled at the conversation she heard. There is this growing turmoil inside her chest that she can't explain. It's suddenly apparent, and the longer the woman's words ruminate in her mind, the more pain she feels in her heart.
Why does it bother me that she gets to spend time with Steve and I can't?
April 9, 2019
Carter Residence, Hampstead
Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Peggy! Happy birthday to you!
Everyone at the table starts clapping and shouts their greeting to the birthday girl.
"Make a wish, honey," Fred whispered as he leaned down, showing Peggy her cake.
Peggy smiles at him and then at the candle in the middle of the cake. She closed her eyes and thought about what she wanted for her 21st birthday. Clarity and answer.
She then opens her eyes and blows all 21 candles. As soon as the candles were out, everyone cheered and started hugging the woman.
"Oh, I am so happy for you," Amanda mutters, cupping her daughter's cheeks, "I can only wish that you get what you wished for,"
"Cheers to you, Pegs!" Gemma greets with a raised glass of wine, "I wish for your heart's desire,"
Everyone at the table chortles, with some glancing at Fred. The man grins back at them, "If I'm not mistaken, Gemma, she got her heart's desire, and that would be me,"
Gemma sarcastically laughs and covers up her rolling of the eyes by drinking her wine. She glances at the birthday girl, who only pursed her lips and gave a tight-lipped smile.
"I think you're wrong there, lad. Peggy's heart desire is to be a full-time employee of SSR," Michael then smirked. "Isn't that right, Pegs?"
Peggy nods her head, "Yep, that is what I wish for this year. I really do hope that I get a permanent position at the firm,"
"But Pegs—" Fred started but quickly shut his mouth when Alice cleared her throat, who glared at him and subtly reminded him that it was an inappropriate time to rebut.
"Does that mean you'll stay in Hampstead again?" Dottie questioned.
"I hope so," Peggy then looked at Fred, "And I hope Fred would consider the idea of coming back to Hampstead. But either way, we can work things out,"
"Sure," Maria sarcastically whispered into her wine glass. Nobody heard her except Gemma, who was sitting next to her. They looked at each other for a moment and mentally agreed on something.
"Honey, here is my gift for you," Fred hands over a box to Peggy, which she happily accepts and gives thanks.
As they watched her unwrap Fred's gift, Gemma and Maria kept a silent conversation between them about how Fred fairs compared to Steve in terms of gift giving. Fred may not be an artist, but he sure splurges money to buy expensive gifts.
Amanda and Dottie quickly gasped when they saw Fred's gift.
"Oh, wow, Peggy, that is a beautiful and expensive watch bracelet," Dottie casually bumps the brunette before looking at Fred with mirth in her eyes, "I didn't know you had such luxurious taste,"
"Of course," Fred grinned, "My woman should be showered with beautiful jewels. As Marilyn Monroe said in the movie, 'Diamonds are a girl's best friend,'"
Michael couldn't help but raise a brow, "As if Peggy is like any other girl," he whispered to himself before concealing his face with a can of beer. He then realizes Maria and Gemma staring at him. At that instant, he knew what they were thinking. They were all in the same boat.
… … … … …
"Margaret," Amanda calls, knocking on her door, "Are you still awake?" There was a long silence before she heard a soft mutter behind the door.
"Margaret, I forgot to tell you that a package came in this afternoon. I don't know if you've seen it, but I left it next to your shelf. The one with your trinkets,"
Suddenly, Peggy's door opened and revealed a ruffled bedhead woman, "Thanks, Mum. I'll look for it,"
Amanda raises a brow at the excited look on Peggy's face. It was quite a first after a long time of seeing her less enthusiastic about anything.
"Well, all right. Don't stay up too late. You still have work tomorrow," Amanda says.
"Yes, I will get back to sleep after checking the package,"
And with that, Peggy closes her door and quickly turns to face her small museum. She spots the package her mother had mentioned. It was a rectangular-shaped package wrapped in brown paper, and at that sight, she instantly knew who had given it.
Grabbing the package, she was surprised that it had some weight on it. At first, she thought it might be a painting like Steve makes most of the time. But to her surprise, right after she rips the paper, her eyes grow wide in amazement at the charcoal sketch of her. She doesn't remember having any such picture taken, but she was wearing an off-shoulder sweater with a pleated skirt. It resembled the attire she had during New Year's Eve.
At his sketch, she had twirled around, making her dress expand beautifully, while she half turned to look at the audience. This is how Steve saw her that night.
With this thought in mind, it made her heart clench. She couldn't stop herself from having that blossoming smile on her lips as she thought about how Steve saw her. It gave her butterflies, knowing that Steve did this from scratch and out of his imagination.
She held the frame high up and suddenly felt an envelope behind the frame. Quickly taking it, her anticipation of his handwritten letter made her heart patter even more.
April 9, 2019
Dear Peggy,
Happy birthday! I hope you enjoyed your day with your loved ones. You're probably busy nowadays, given that you are working at the SSR Law Firm now. But I really do hope that you'll do something fun with your family and friends. Make this birthday a memorable one.
I know that things are pretty awkward between us right now. But I didn't want that to be a reason for me not to give you something for your birthday. I hope you'll like my charcoal sketch of you from last New Year's Eve. That night will always be memorable for me, even if that moment didn't happen.
I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable by telling you that I don't regret it. But that is the truth. I don't wish to impose anything on you and expect that you'll do anything about how I feel. I just want you to know that I'll always be here, even just as a friend. We can just pretend that it never happened if you'd prefer. Regardless of what you want to do, I'm willing to follow your lead.
I hope we can go back to the way we were.
Your friend,
Steve
Peggy stares at his letter. Unbeknownst to her, she had wrinkled the letter, gripping it too tight as his words resounded in her mind.
That night will always be memorable for me, even if that moment didn't happen…
I just want you to know that I'll always be here, even just as a friend…
We can just pretend that it never happened…
Did she want that, to just pretend it never happened?
The question in her mind caused a pinch in her chest, and all of a sudden, a sob escaped her lips. Heaving a deep sigh, she looked back at the sketch. She could tell him just to forget it and pretend that they had never kissed. That would be easy to say, but she knew to herself that she could never do that.
How could she? That was the most memorable moment she ever had with someone who made her feel so alive like her body was being lit by fire.
So, she thought to herself that there was no reason for her to make Steve forget that kiss. Because she knew to herself that it wouldn't be possible, all that they could do was move forward from it and figure things out along the way as friends again.
Peggy grabs the large picture frame and places it on her work table. After setting her area a little more presentable, she took a picture of the gift and tagged Steve in her post.
wellpeggy You never fail to make my birthday extra special sgrogersart. So grateful for your gift! Hope to see you soon!
April 12, 2019
Trinity College Cambridge
Sitting in the student lounge, Peggy stared at her book for the longest time without understanding a single word. She had been tapping her pen on her notebook, itching to scribble words on her paper, but nothing related to her research came to her mind. For the past half hour since Fred joined her at her table, she couldn't focus on her present task. Not when his presence nags her to remember the first midnight of the year.
After her birthday, posting that photo and then tagging Steve to thank him made it impossible not to reconnect with him. Being able to talk to him again made things better for her. It felt like her support system had been renewed, and she felt ready to take on any challenge, knowing that Steve would be there for her. Surprisingly, their kiss had never come up in any of their conversation. Just like he had said, they can pretend that it didn't happen. And she's somewhat relieved about that because at least they weren't awkward toward each other.
But that didn't mean she could do the same with Fred. It had been four months since that midnight, and she had deliberately kept that moment a secret from Fred. It was wrong of her, obviously. She would be furious if Fred kept a secret like this from her. So, it has been bothering her for months, too, about lying that nothing extraordinary happened. She needs to tell him now, regardless of what happens to them. She'd have to deal with it later on.
"Fred," Peggy suddenly stopped her tapping but kept her eyes low on her book. She tried to sense if he looked her way, and once he did, she slowly looked up.
"Yes?" he asked.
Peggy gulps down the knot in her throat, "I'm sorry,"
Fred tilts his head in confusion, raising a brow at her sudden forlorn expression, "Whatever for?" his fingers paused from typing on his phone.
Peggy could feel her chest heaving as a thousand thoughts rushed into her mind. She doesn't know where to begin, but she needs to blurt out something to get started.
"I've been keeping a secret from you," she said, clenching her fist under the table, "Something did happen last New Year's Eve,"
She anticipates his confused expression and questioning. But to her surprise, Fred sat up straight and gave an impassive look, sighing as if he got tired of waiting.
"I'm aware," Fred muttered, stilling Peggy at his words, "And now that you are speaking with him again, I have been meaning to talk to you about this. It seems like there is a concern I have to address,"
Peggy's jaw slacks at what he said, catching her off guard, and she didn't know how to respond. So, Fred continued.
"I wasn't going to mind about the kiss because obviously that meant nothing. But now that he's reaching out to you again, I'd prefer you'd avoid him,"
Peggy shakes her head, snapping out of confusion, "Hold on, who told you?"
"That doesn't matter, Peggy," Fred deflects, putting his phone down and staring intently at her, "What matters here is that from now on, you'll avoid Steve. Obviously, that guy is interested in you more than a friend. He doesn't know how to respect boundaries. You'll never be interested in a guy like him. Better yet, why don't you let him know—"
"Stop," Peggy sternly cuts off. They stared at each other for a moment before she shook her head in disbelief, "Are you telling me to avoid Steve because he kissed me?"
"Yes,"
"And you believe that this is his entire fault?"
"Yes,"
"Did it ever occur to you that I might be at fault here and not him?"
"You'll never kiss a guy like that wimp,"
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, come on, Peggy. Are you seriously trying to defend that lad?" Fred scowled, looking away. He sighed exasperatedly before returning his attention to her, "Margaret, that man is trying to break us apart. I don't care if he kissed you because I know that you only see him as a friend. But I would really appreciate it if you do not talk to him anymore so as not to give him the impression that he has a chance to steal you from me."
"Fredrick, I'm not some kind of object that people can just steal. How could you say things like that—"
"Margaret, can't you see what I'm trying to do for us? I'm overlooking what happened between you and Steve. You should be grateful that I am not blaming you for anything—"
"Maybe you should!" Peggy shouted as she stood up, stumbling her chair backward and startling the people around the lounge, "Instead of blaming one person, maybe you should actually let the people at fault take responsibility. And this is what I'm trying to do, Fred. But if you're going to treat me like I owe you for keeping a blind eye to my mistake for the sake of controlling me, then never mind,"
Peggy started packing her things and shoved them forcefully inside her bag. Fred, on the other hand, didn't seem to want to stop her either, as he quietly fumed while watching her. It was apparent that he didn't show any regret about saying those things to her.
"You know what, Fred? I'd rather hear you tell me how hurt and disappointed you are with me about hearing what happened than see you treat me as if you own me and that you have a right to control my life." Peggy wipes the tear on her cheek that she didn't realize had dropped, "I don't even understand why you didn't confront me from the beginning. Were you waiting for a perfect moment to guilt me and then manipulate me into thinking that I owe you for that mistake?"
Fred slumps back to his chair as he stares at Peggy. When she shook her head, he could only sigh in defeat. Soon enough, Peggy turns her back and leaves him alone.
… … … … …
"I told him,"
"Why?!" Peggy bellowed, slamming her palm against the table between her and Dottie, "Who gave you the right to tell him?!"
Dottie raised a brow at the fuming brunette, "I saw you and Steve that midnight. I didn't say a word, not even to Michael. But I waited and watched you for months, seeing if you'd tell Fred. But you didn't—"
"Still!" Peggy thumps her fist on the table again, "You had no right! If you saw me, you should have talked to me. What's your point of telling this to Fred when it's none of your business?!"
Dottie suddenly scoffed, "Why? Did you even plan to tell Fred that you kissed Steve first? Or did you just plan to keep it hush-hush until you and Steve can pretend that nothing happened?" Dottie grinned sarcastically and shook her head, "Oh, come on, Peggy. Don't pretend,"
"I know what I did, and I was thinking every bit of it, thinking how to tell Fred about it," Peggy grits her teeth as she tries to stop herself from wrapping her fingers around Dottie's neck, "You had no right to tell him about my doing. This is my problem to deal with and solve and not yours,"
Dottie kept mum but rolled her eyes in reply. She told Fred because she thought she was doing Peggy a favor. She knew Peggy was the type to confront problems head-on, so she took the initiative to give Peggy the push to deal with it, whether she was ready or not.
"I was doing you a favor—"
"A favor I didn't ask!" Peggy then stands up and grabs her bag, "Stay out of my business. This does not concern you, Dottie Underwood." Then she walks out on the woman.
May 2, 2019
Stark Art Gallery, London
"Can you angle the light three inches to your left?" Steve asks, tilting his head as he watches the light angle move, "A little bit more, Ned…there, perfect!" he then smiles at the electrician, who quickly pulls back at his remark.
"Is that three inches angle really calculated?" Ned questioned him, giving him an amused smile as he stepped down the ladder.
Steve chuckles, "Well, it's the best estimate I've got,"
Ned shakes his head in disbelief, "You're really something, Mr. Rogers—" he suddenly pauses and stands up straight, making the blonde wonder at the sudden stiffness.
Steve turned around in the direction Ned was looking, and to his surprise, he saw Fred standing at the far end of the first floor.
"I'm sorry, sir—" Ned starts, but Steve calls on him and shakes his head.
"I know him. I got it. Thanks, Ned," Steve said with a tight-lipped smile before glancing at the stern-looking man.
"I'll be right at the other side, Mr. Rogers. Just let me know if you need backup," Ned gave a skeptical look at the other blonde man, "He doesn't seem like a friend,"
Steve huffs a tired laugh, "Well, we're technically not chums, but we're civil enough. Hopefully, he is still," he made a glance at the man, who turned around and descended the stairs. He didn't know why Fred would ever come to visit him at the gallery, but he had a rough guess of his intention.
Soon enough, Steve followed and went down to the lobby to see Fred standing by the closest pillar. He had his hands shoved into his pockets and stood rigidly. Fred's back was facing him, but he knew that the man was tense, as if he was preparing himself for a fight.
He hadn't been in a fistfight for a long time, but he wasn't afraid to have one if Fred ever provoked him. But he was sure Peggy wouldn't like it if she knew that he and Fred brawled.
"Wells, what are you doing here?" Steve asked with very little amusement in his tone, "You're too early for the soft launch of our pre-art exhibit,"
Fred turned around at his call and showed his unimpressed look. When Steve walked up to him, he did as well and tried to intimidate him by towering over him. Steve had to look up to him, and Fred almost grinned at the idea of scaring him with just their height difference. But to his annoyance, Steve showed no care about that as he lifted his head to stare back.
Fred scowled, "I'm pretty sure you have an idea why I would ever come here. I'll say this just once, and I want you to get it inside your thick skull that you are no fit for Peggy. Stop your delusion that you will ever have a chance with her because she is mine,"
Steve scoffs at his words, suddenly clinching his fist at the side as he tries to control himself, "You talk as if Peggy is an object that you own. Do you realize how much Peggy hates that?" he looks at the man, sternly as his jaw clenches.
"I don't think it's your business to meddle—"
"Oh, but it is my business," Steve takes a step closer to the man. And even if there was a definite height difference, the way Steve stood firmly and determined made Fred take a step back, "You see, Peggy is a friend of mine, and anyone who demeans her value would have to face me,"
Fred glowers at him, trying to get the upper hand in the argument again, "Who are you to speak for, Peggy?"
"I'm not speaking on her behalf because she can defend herself. But I can't accept hearing anyone belittle her," Steve shook his head, "You're Peggy's boyfriend. The least you should be doing is belittling her value. She's not an object for you to possess and control. I understood her request that we abate our interaction for the sake of not disrespecting you. But talking like this?"
Chuckling all of a sudden made Steve raise a brow at the Englishman, "So, what? Do you want me to thank you for stepping back? Because from my understanding, you failed to comprehend that Peggy is not available for other men to be kissed, and yet, you kissed her,"
"And I apologize for overstepping my boundaries," Steve recalls that night, which made him shake his head. "But I don't regret letting her know how I feel. Maybe I should have said it in words rather than kiss her. But what's done is done,"
"And the best thing you should do is leave her alone," Fred gritted his teeth, stooping down to Steve's height to further intimidate him, "You will never be worth it for Peggy. You are just a lanky, weak, American boy who believes he deserves more than he should,"
"I have respected Peggy's request, and I don't want to turn back on that. But if you are here to badger and intimidate me for your personal reasons…" Steve's fists clench harder, shaking in frustration, "I think you should leave right now before I forget my promise to Peggy,"
Fred laughs at his face, and that was Steve's last straw. He pulls back his fist, ready to land it on Fred's face, when a hand suddenly grasps his tight fist, stopping him in mid-air.
"Sir, you should leave the premises," a woman suddenly stood in front of him, putting distance between him and Fred, "You are obstructing the gallery's operation right now. Please leave,"
Fred grumbles, shaking his head at the woman. He then glanced at Steve, "You heard what I wanted, Rogers. Learn your place." And with that, he turns away, leaving the building.
The woman turns around to Steve, who happens to be Sharon. She looked at him with worry but also questioned what the commotion was all about.
"Peggy's boyfriend," Steve shook his head, "He just wanted to tell me something,"
"Something?" Sharon questioned skeptically, "You were about to punch him,"
"Well, apparently, what he said wasn't nice, and I don't like bullies," Steve shrugs, "He was being one,"
June 4, 2019
The Flask Pub
"Well, this is a first," Gemma comments, handing Peggy's glass of Guinness to her. The brunette immediately chugs down her drink, making the girls scrunch their faces in worry.
"Alright, slow down, Carter," Maria said, trying to pull down Peggy's glass from her lips, "We just got here,"
Peggy nods her head desperately before she puts down her glass, "Exactly," she sluggishly answers, wiping her mouth with her sleeve, "And like you girls said, it's a first,"
She paused, charged, and stared at her half-empty glass. Gemma and the others knew what she was directing too, but they didn't say a word and patiently waited for her.
Peggy sighed despondently, "Did you know that this could have been the first time that I could celebrate Steve's birthday with him since he is here in London? He's just in Mayfair. Not too far from here. And yet here I am, following my boyfriend's reminder that I should not celebrate another guy's birthday that isn't my boyfriend,"
Maria, being fed up with Fred's thinking, couldn't help but roll her eyes in response. Instead of saying something unpleasant, she just grabs her glass and drinks it. Gemma stared astoundingly at her best friend, speechless and unsure what to say.
"Why don't we give a secret toast for him," Alice suggested sheepishly, smiling at the girls as a way to lighten the mood, "I mean, no one would rat Peggy out, like Dottie,"
Peggy sighed deeply, remembering how Dottie meddled and caused more chaos than it should have. She grabbed her glass and raised it. Soon enough, Maria, Gemma, Alice, and Dina raised their glasses as well.
"Happy birthday, Steve," Peggy muttered despondently.
"Happy birthday," the girls chimed back, clacking their glasses against each other before chugging it down.
As Amanda grabs the mail for the week, right after the mailman drops it, she shuffles through it to find anything that requires immediate attention. To her surprise, three beautiful, sealed envelopes were among them, with her name next to Harrison, Michael with Dottie on the other one, and Peggy with Fred on the last one.
Amanda's eyes grew big in excitement, making her sniff the expensive-looking envelopes. It was a beautiful lavender-colored envelope with golden wax seal stamps that had the logo of a particular company. The paper itself smelled like lavender. Amanda hummed in delight before glancing at the envelopes in her hand again. At that instant, she knew that these letters were important and made her rush inside the house to call on her daughter.
"Margaret! Come down here, please! We have letters!" Amanda shouted, settling in the living room, and soon enough, Peggy came down from her room.
"What letters?" she questioned, searching for her mother. She saw her in the living room, excitedly placing lavender envelopes on the coffee table, "Who's it from?"
"Probably from Steven," Amanda bounced her eyebrows in excitement.
"From Steve?" Peggy curiously asked and immediately took a seat next to her mother. At that instant, she saw Steve's familiar cursive writing, writing their names. She grabbed the envelope with her and Fred's name and opened it. It was an invitation to the grand opening of the London Stark Art Gallery, showcasing various European artists.
"It's the gallery's opening," Peggy mumbles, staring at the invitation with a mixed feeling of excitement and sadness.
It was at that moment it dawned on her that six months had passed, and her time with Steve was probably coming to an end. She had spent most of those months avoiding him and then later abating from talking to him upon Fred's insistence. A retching guilt and annoyance filled her.
"You should tell Fred to get his tux ready. It's a formal evening, as it said here," Amanda states, snapping Peggy back to reality, "He's your date for this,"
Peggy bewilderedly looked at her mother, and before she calmly schooled her face, she said, "I was thinking maybe we should go as a family instead?"
"But Steve invited Fred," Amanda pointed at the envelope, "His name is there, so obviously, he is invited," Amanda then raised a brow at her daughter. Her shoulders sagged as she remembered she heard her daughter shouting over the phone last time. "Are you and Fred still in a fight?"
Peggy took a moment before she shook her head, "No, not really. Just some disagreements on something,"
"Well, a date in the art gallery would be a romantic setting to patch things up," Amanda smiles at her daughter and squeezes her hand for comfort, "What do you think?"
Peggy shrugs her shoulders, feeling unsettled about everything. For some reason, the least of her concern was Fred. She was more bothered by the thought that Steve could be leaving London soon.
June 15, 2019
London Stark Art Gallery
6:42 PM
As Michael steps out of his car and hands over his keys to the valet, he immediately walks up to the passenger side and opens the door. There, Peggy steps out in her navy blue off-shoulder sweetheart velvet gown, accentuating her enticing décolletage with her gold necklace with diamonds. She then fixed her navy-blue faux fur shawl on her upper arm before she looked around at the packed gallery. For some reason, she felt nervous.
Michael sighs in disappointment next to her, "I can't believe Fred bailed on you tonight,"
Peggy just chuckled and shrugged, "Well, it's his loss," she then grabbed Michael's arm, "I don't really care if he comes tonight or not. Nowadays, we fight more often than before, and I don't want to ruin this night by fighting with him,"
Michael couldn't help but roll his eyes, "Makes me wonder why you ever settle with him,"
"Michael," Peggy reprimands, glaring at her brother, "Can we not have this kind of conversation?"
"Fine," Michael conceded as he and Peggy entered the gallery.
The last time Peggy visited the gallery, the lobby was already impressively beautiful. But tonight, it was more exceptional. Each corner of the lobby was brightened by tantalizing lights that made the place look magical and mysterious. It made guests awe, looking up at the beautiful chandelier and turning their heads around, gasping at the jaw-dropping ceiling paintings.
Michael just did that, gasping at each turn he did. "Steve all planned this?"
"I think so," Peggy replies, astonishingly looking around as well. Her heart swelled with pride, "He's brilliantly imaginative and creative. I wouldn't wonder if this was his idea,"
A tapping of a microphone suddenly echoes around the lobby, overpowering the sound of the soothing music. Guests break their gaze at the art pieces displayed to look at the person trying to get their attention. At that instant, Peggy recognizes the blonde woman standing on the small stage, smiling at them. She remembers seeing her at the firm, and if she was not mistaken, her name was Sharon.
For some unknown reason, Peggy suddenly felt annoyed by how beautiful she was. Her blonde hair was elegantly curled, framing her face in a way that made her look more stunning. She was slender, and the deep cut of her dress in front made her alluring.
Peggy swallows down the growing irrational jealousy she is having with this woman. And then, to her surprise, Steve stands next to the blonde, welcoming every guest.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," Steve greets, showing off his handsome smile.
Michael quickly nudged her, making her glance at her brother for a second. But Michael kept his eyes on Steve, gleaming with pride for her friend. Peggy chortles quietly to herself before returning her attention to the stage.
"We are pleased and honored to have you tonight as our special guests for this grand opening of our London Stark Art Gallery. It is my pleasure, Steven Rogers, head curator of this gallery, to give you an experience of art that you have never encountered before.
Guests start clapping before they quiet down and attentively listen again.
"Art is more than just those beautiful pieces that make a room exquisite. It's not just a filler for plain white walls or a decoration for an empty table. Any kind of art is more than just a product of an artist's imagination." Steve slowly skims through the crowd, "For me, art is like a love letter that you want to share with the people you love. It's the kind of message that you want to share with others and remind them that there is beauty even in a destructive world,"
Peggy could feel her heart pound as she took in Steve's speech.
"Here, in London Stark Art Gallery, we invite you to experience not only the beauty of our art pieces but also the profound feeling of being loved through the passionate, courageous, and dedicated expressions of our artists. We aim to remind you that while life can be complex and complicated, love triumphs and brings clarity and comfort to our lives."
Everyone applauses loudly, moved by his welcoming remarks. Peggy proudly smiles and claps at Steve as she watches him soar phenomenally. Soon enough, Tony Stark steps up in front after Sharon introduces him as one of the board members of Stark Industries. Peggy couldn't help but chuckle at the familiar gregarious humor of the multi-billionaire, who shared his enthusiasm and renewed passion from Steve's speech.
Steve stood by the side, trying to stop himself from rolling his eyes in amusement. While everyone paid attention to Tony, he took the chance to look around the sea of guests. And there, he caught sight of Peggy. Instantly, they locked gaze with each other and chuckled softly, laughing at their mutual understanding of how Tony could be extra at times.
Later on, Sharon introduces the whole curator team, reintroducing Steve as the head curator of the gallery. New faces, who were designers, conservators, educators, docents, and marketers, then joined him on stage. Peggy cheerfully clapped for them, feeling overwhelmingly proud of their achievements.
Soon enough, the guests were encouraged to look around and explore the gallery until the third floor, with the assistance of their docents. Food and drinks were offered on the fourth floor, which was the last venue for the guests. So, Peggy and Michael explored the gallery in the same way their parents enthusiastically did.
… … … … …
Peggy and Michael kept a relatively quiet admiration for the paintings and sculptures displayed. Most of the time, they agreed on how the arts were eccentric yet mesmerizing to look at. However, there were art pieces that made them have different opinions, which led them to discuss a pinned topic: Peggy's relationship with Fred.
As they climbed up the second floor, the siblings somehow were able to keep their arguments under control and appear like they were just casually bantering. But behind this friendly teasing was a growing friction.
"Alright, Peggy, enough," Michael wrinkles his nose in disfavor, "Are we seriously just going to ignore the fact that Fred had been using the kiss incident as an excuse to control you?" He won't look at his sister, letting his eyes wander around instead, taking note of every guest on the floor.
"If it's the only way to appease him, then so be it," Peggy exasperatedly answered, keeping her gaze on one side.
"So, that's just it?" Michael displeasingly shakes his head, "You'll let him do that for the rest of your life?" he lets out an annoyed grunt.
"Well—"
"Aren't you tired of that kind of relationship?" Michael suddenly stops and stands in front of his sister, "You apologized for it, and yet he treats you like this. You told me yourself that you and Fred fight more days than not. Is this something you'd prefer rather than be with someone who actually makes you smile, laugh, and happy every day?"
Peggy stared at her brother hard, knowing he was making a good point, but she refused to concede. She knows that this kind of relationship could get worse if she let it become a cycle. But why couldn't she just break things off?
"It's easy to say that one should leave, but the fact is, it's not. There are a lot of emotional strings that stop me from doing it," Peggy, having enough of the topic, left Michael's side to be alone. She appreciates that her brother did not stop her or follow.
As Peggy wanders around the floor, she aimlessly glances at the art pieces. She really couldn't see the whole painting, as people were crowding each piece. But she didn't mind, really, as her thoughts were instead elsewhere.
Despite walking out on her brother to escape his nagging about breaking things off with Fred, she did not stop ruminating about why she couldn't do it. She has a reason to leave, and her brother and her friends almost always remind her that her relationship with Fred is no longer healthy. That should have been enough, but she still can't do it because she feels that it is her fault.
Fred wouldn't have been this controlling if she hadn't kissed Steve first. It was her fault that she messed up their relationship because she harbored feelings for someone else. It was her fault that Fred didn't trust her because she wasn't as dedicated as he was. It was her fault that she said yes to Fred, even if she had feelings for Steve.
So, why would she have the right to break things off with Fred when it was her fault from the beginning? She could have said no to him three years ago. But she didn't. So, what gave her the right to end things?
"May I join you?"
Peggy jumps at the sudden touch to her hand, turning around to look at the person. Her eyes went wide, confounded as to where she was, but as soon as she locked her gaze with his calm blue eyes, she was filled with comfort.
"Steve," Peggy breathed, slacking her shoulders in solace.
The man smiled widely at her and gave a warm squeeze to her hand, "Thank you for coming,"
"Of course," Peggy squeezes his hand back before she pulls him for a quick hug, "Congratulations on your grand opening. This is lovely,"
They pulled back from each other, and Peggy quickly glanced around the room. It was full of people, and she was happy that the event was well-received by most.
"You did a great job in arranging this gallery," Peggy playfully bumped his shoulder, "This is quite a gallery, and everything is stunning. Oh, especially that ceiling painting that we could see in the lobby. I'm sure that was your idea and painting,"
Steve's smile brightens even more before he ducks his head, hiding reddening cheeks at the compliment, "Thank you," he muttered, rubbing his neck nervously.
"Maybe next time, it's your paintings that will be displayed?" She sweetly teases as she notices the red hue on his cheeks. She couldn't help but tease the man more as she found it endearing.
"Oh, that's still far off," Steve shook his head, but his bright smile betrayed him.
"Well, I hope it's not too far off," Peggy wrapped an arm around his and encouraged him to walk with her, "I would really love to see your art pieces be shown off and let the world know how great of an artist you are. I loved your speech. It was moving and inspiring,"
"Thank you," Steve mumbles again, looking at her with soft eyes, "Most of that wisdom came from your unwavering support for my love of art,"
Peggy felt her heart pound and quickly looked away. Stop, Margaret. Remember Fred.
"Oh," Peggy pulls her arm back and clasps her hands instead, keeping it to herself, "So, Tony Stark is here. Is Bucky, too?" She asks, abruptly making new topics to talk about.
"Uh, yeah," Steve nodded his head, disregarding the shift of topic, "They are on the fourth floor, jumping right onto the food," they both laughed, knowing how those two men could be supportive of Steve in their own way. "But Natasha is also here, so I'm pretty sure they will look into the paintings later, whether Bucky likes it or not,"
"Oh, the infamous Natasha Romanoff," Peggy bobs her head in agreement. She recalls all the stories she had heard about the stern, redheaded art agent who instantly became Steve's buddy at the art department. "Well, I think I should meet them,"
"You should," Steve agrees in excitement, "They have been asking me to look for you,"
"Is that why you're here?" Peggy questioned teasingly with a witty smile.
"Well, part of it," Steve suddenly offers his hand to her, "But mainly because I want to give you a personal tour as promised,"
Peggy stared at his beautiful hand and let out a nervous laugh. Before she knew it, she placed her hand over his and looked at him in the eyes. Right then and there, she became fully aware of how his hands were cold against hers and yet still relished it. He squeezed her hand soothingly, giving her all those butterflies in her gut that she had never typically experienced with Fred.
She shakes her head swiftly, putting away the thought of comparing Fred with Steve. She then cleared her throat and smiled at him, "Well, I'd love to have that tour," and with that, she let Steve lead the way.
"I can't believe that I am in the same room with Tony Stark," Sharon amusingly states as she watches Tony drink his champagne while he gives her a side glance, "And surprisingly, having drinks with him too," she raises her glass in a toast.
Bucky and Natasha chuckle at the subtle admiration of the blonde, to which they know Tony enjoys the attention. The multi-billionaire shrugged his shoulder as if it was a casual thing for him to hang around everywhere.
"Oh, well, it is indeed a pleasure for you as my presence gives you tons of attention," Tony smirked, making Natasha roll her eyes. The man quickly caught up to the redhead's idea and pointed at her defensively, "Hey, I don't mean it scandalously. It's more like a free advertisement for her, getting her more art enthusiasts to buy art pieces,"
Sharon laughed as she knew what he meant. Being in the same room with Tony Stark would mean having more influential clients around. It would be easier for her as an art dealer to convince them to take a look at expensive art pieces and purchase them for a large sum of money.
"I really do like that," Sharon wittingly smirked at the group before her, "It's part of my job to get collectors to buy them. And you," she points at Tony, "Attract rich and famous people,"
"Indeed, I do," Tony grins back.
Bucky and Natasha couldn't help but roll their eyes at the two. Later then, Sharon left the table as she spotted one of her usual collectors, leaving the group in excitement to close a deal.
Tony, Bucky, and Natasha were then left alone to chat among themselves.
"She's the girl," Natasha suddenly uttered, breaking the previous topic and making Tony and Bucky furrow their brow in confusion. She sighed in a letdown, "Remember, I suggested to Steve to try going out with someone else?"
"Oh…Her?" Bucky questioned accusingly as he pointed with his thumb in the direction Sharon went. He didn't give a glance and just gave a baffled look at the redhead, "You told Steve to go on a date with her?"
Natasha groans at the man's tone, "Well, not Steve. But I did tell Sharon that she should ask Steve out,"
"Okay, why?" Tony, puzzling, looked at the art agent, "Why are we telling Steve to date someone else? What happened to Carter?"
"Frederick Wells happened, remember?" Bucky jadedly muttered.
"Yeah, I know. But I thought Carter kissed Rogers—" Tony quickly tightened his lips when the two widened their eyes at him to shut up. He raised his hands in defeat, "Sorry, right, it's a secret…but my point is, didn't they pick up where they left off?"
"No," Natasha blandly answered before she took a sip of her drink, "Apparently, Carter is still with that Wells,"
"But to her defense," Bucky counters, earning a scoff from the woman, "Steve didn't tell her about Fred barging here. If she knew, she would probably have done something about it,"
"Nevertheless," Natasha reiterates with a raised brow, "She's still unavailable, and Steve should stop pining over her,"
"You might want to hold that thought," Tony whispered as he leaned forward. His eyes were on the crowd, making the two look in the same direction, and see Steve and Peggy walking close together, "Maybe there is a chance tonight,"
"Or not," Natasha counters again, softly, before she raises a hand and calls on Steve.
"Well, that was fun," Peggy covers her lips with her purse in her hand, stifling her laughter, "I didn't realize putting Bucky and Tony in the same room would make you this flustered,"
Steve playfully groans, tilting his head back, "Oh, those two are a menace," they both then laughed when he looked back at her, "I apologize if they ever took it too far,"
Peggy jibbed playfully, brushing it off with a wave of her hand, "Don't worry about it. I seem to be familiar with their humor, and trust me. I enjoyed it,"
Sighing in relief, Steve bobs his head before he keeps it down. He shoved his hands into his pockets, keeping his hands to himself. He feared that he'd do something he couldn't take back.
"I really appreciate you coming tonight," Steve shyly turns to look at Peggy, "I was afraid you'd not come,"
Peggy bafflingly stared at him, feeling hurt that he'd ever think like that, "Why'd you ever think I wouldn't come?"
He immediately looked away and kept his eyes around the crowd as he accompanied her out of the gallery, "Because of Fred," he muttered softly after a long pause.
Peggy bit her lower lips as she understood what he meant. She couldn't fault him for thinking like that after asking him if they could lessen their exchange of messaging and calling. She barely even talked to him a month ago. They had no conversation or updates about each other, to the point that she missed out on the pre-exhibit show. Natasha looked at her accusingly for not being aware of it.
"To be honest, I knew he was not interested in coming here, and it worried me that he'd tell me not to go," Peggy clenches her grip on her purse, "But I wasn't going to let him dictate what I would do," she shook her head sternly, "I guess I thought, I'd rather argue with him rather than miss you on your big day,"
"Pegs—"
"No, Steve," Peggy cuts off, firmly looking at the blonde, "I never plan to miss this day. No matter what. Fred has his reasons to act a little controlling…" She notices the subtle mock of amusement in Steve's face, "But I wasn't going to let him tell me I couldn't come,"
They both stayed silent for a moment as they rode the elevator down and when the doors opened, Steve released a deep sigh, "Well, I don't take pleasure in causing trouble for you. But I have to admit, I really do appreciate seeing you here tonight,"
Peggy smiled softly at him, and without a second thought, she looped her arm to his and squeezed his forearm comfortingly, "I missed you, Steve, and I'd regret it if I let this slip,"
Soon enough, Peggy and Steve step into the revolving door and come out into the street. Michael was at the other end of the street, waiting for her. He gave her a serious look before he curtly nodded at her and turned away to get inside the car.
Peggy understood that and knew it was beyond telling her that they had to leave now.
"Steve," she called as she turned to look at him. Steve curiously looked back at her, anticipating that she would continue. "Can we ignore what I asked for?"
After saying all those things to Steve, she finally realized that she needed to be honest with herself. She'd never let anyone dictate what she could only do. She wouldn't let anyone tell her how she should feel and what to feel.
Right now, she feels intense affection for Steve, making her want to do something about it. After all of the avoiding she did and the radio silence from Steve upon her request, she missed him immensely for so long. Remembering how she had missed out on his birthday while he was just within reach was like her last straw before snapping.
"I know I asked that we lessen our talking because it offends Fred. I understand that what we did was something that was not fair to him, and I apologize to him for that. But, I have done enough thinking and realized that I have been allowing myself into a cycle that isn't healthy,"
"Peggy—"
"Steve, let me finish," She took a step closer, grabbing his wrist. He nodded his head and kept his lips sealed, "Whatever I do in the next coming days has nothing to do with you. I am merely doing it for myself because I have been allowing myself to be blinded by guilt, enabling someone to take advantage of it. I allowed it because I have perceived myself as the villain. And…maybe I am. But I'd rather embrace that rather than see myself regret being dishonest to him and to myself."
Steve quietly observed Peggy, and he saw the decidedness in her eyes. Somehow, seeing that look on Peggy's face personally made his heart thump in elation.
He twists his wrist until he is able to grasp her hand and give her an encouraging clasp. It readily elicited a smile from her, "I know that sometimes we do things we aren't proud of, like hurting the people we care about because of our choices. We may think we are protecting them from pain, but often, we end up causing even more hurt. Not everyone will agree with our decisions, and some choices are irreversible. But, if making those choices brings us peace of mind, I believe we should take that risk."
Left speechless and overwhelmed by her emotions, Peggy suddenly embraces Steve, entwining her arms around his shoulder, and buries her head into the crook of his neck. She inhaled his scent, and he immediately gave her warm comfort. Soon enough, to her surprise, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to his chest.
When they broke apart, their faces were extremely close. Suddenly, they were reminded of that midnight. And as soon as that came into their minds, they swiftly took a big step back.
"I have to go," Peggy muttered dazedly, slowly taking another step backward.
Steve nods his head, shoving his hands into his pockets for the nth time, "Get home safe,"
"We will, thank you," she gave a tight-lipped smile.
"Good night, Peggy,"
"Good night, Steve,"
They were silent for a moment, just staring at each other before they subtly nodded their head.
"Bye," they whispered to each other in chorus before Peggy abruptly turned away to dash towards Michael's car.
To be continued…