[ CLOSED ] he's in the army now, blowin' reveille

[revlon]

Who: Peggy Carter (revlon), Steve Rogers (starspangle), Claire Fraser (nineteenfortyfive)
What: Vintage folks meet their fellow golden oldie roommates.
When: Arrival at Olympia.
Where: House #29.
Warning(s): N/A

[ It's been a long trip. Not as long as some marches she's embarked on during the war, not by half, but it was nearly as treacherous and just as exhausting for simply going in blind. She's a woman who likes to know what she's getting into — she's certainly capable of handling it if she doesn't, but it's a new world and a new life. Not a new country. Now it's a new city.

She's given a patch at the entrance despite her firm refusal.

Hello! My name is
PEGGY CARTER!

I am in House #29!
Are you my housemate?

It's absurd. It lists her hobbies as guns, codebreaking, and crosswords in the most cheerful manner possible and it's not precisely discreet, either. But there's nothing for it. She's whisked off into a tour group before she can find anyone else she knows and deposited at her new home without preamble. It's not what she expected, not after Thesa. But beggars can't be choosers.

She opens the door with some measure of wariness. She doesn't know if her roommates are here before her — she doesn't even know who they might be — but she investigates the place all the same. Is anyone home? ]

Comments

[nineteenfortyfive]

[She doubts anyone would be able to sit and twiddle their thumbs in good conscience. The sentiment is appreciated, though, and Claire smiles before quickly glancing aside. The thought of Jamie never fails to sting. But she's had her bouts of crying already. Out of her system for now.]

He's a good man. It seems... too simple, to say that, but he truly is. A born leader, though he's happiest at home, working in the fields or tending to the horses. He's a stubborn bastard but God knows he's got the kindest heart I've ever encountered. He'd do anything for his family. [He's laid down his life for them, over and over. She shakes her head, looking down at her feet as they walk, the lines in the concrete passing them by.]

His laugh is infectious. If I could get him laughing, that was it.

[She takes a breath.]

It's been so long since I heard him laugh. I'd give anything right now to hear it.

[The war didn't leave much time for jokes.]

[revlon]

[ She listens quietly, careful not to seem as though she's watching too closely, giving the other woman some privacy even as she describes the man she loves. Because of course she loves him; marriage doesn't always mean what people think, but there's a tenderness to how Claire speaks about her husband and it makes her heart ache for her. But it's lovely, too, to hear how she cares for him. ]

He sounds wonderful. [ Peggy pauses, admits with a small smile of her own, ] And he rather reminds me of someone I know.

[ She glances at her, expression softening. ]

He... isn't here, is he. Is he on — [ She interrupts herself, remembering she isn't supposed to mention how they came to be here. ] Is he still asleep?

[nineteenfortyfive]

We're lucky women, then. People like that are rare.

[And how terrible it is to be robbed of them. Claire takes a breath, composing herself. She's done enough crying over this and she knows for a fact Jamie wouldn't want that.]

He is. Sometimes I don't know why it's me instead of him here. He's the leader, the warrior. And then other times I'm bloody glad it's not him instead of me, because this is all mad. Better I be the one questioning reality.

[revlon]

[ Only, Peggy hasn't been robbed of Steve. Not here. Not really. No, they've been reunited in a remarkable way and she still can't quite believe it, after years mourning his loss. She still needs to find where he's staying in this neighbourhood, make sure he's all right.

Not that he can't take care of himself. But. ]

But even better to question it together, I wager. [ It's kindly said. ] And I think he'd agree with me saying you underestimate yourself, Mrs Fraser.

[ There's a moment, then she adds, ]

The man I spoke of — he's here, somewhere. But honestly, until we all woke up where we did, I never thought I'd see him again. As far as I knew, he was dead. [ It doesn't pain her to say it now that they're here, and now that she knows the truth. But it's a bittersweet one. ] It seems this is the right place for us to start believing in the impossible. I'm sure you'll see your husband again soon.

[nineteenfortyfive]

[He would agree with her, and that's the funny thing. Jamie's believed in Claire completely, entirely. Even when he shouldn't believe the woman sobbing about time travel and coming from the future. She's not sure what that says about them, but it certainly says something.]

Is he? Then what the hell are you doing here with me?

[It's said with a wry smile. If Jamie was here, she's not sure if she could leave his side.

... initially, anyway. Once the relief wore off she'd be getting into trouble, and so would he.]

[revlon]

[ She laughs at that, bright and easy. It's a valid question. When they found each other on the ship, it was indescribable. The joy she felt, the confusion, the relief, the uncertainty. She still feels all those things but they've settled under her skin now and she's sure that every time she sees Steve in this city, her heart will still jump. Sometimes it's like seeing a ghost. The grief hits before reason does.

She hopes that will go away eventually. And then... And then what? She isn't sure. ]

We've had our reunion, [ Peggy says instead. ] And we've had time to get reacquainted, a little. It's been rather a lot all at once. [ She takes a breath, exhaling it slowly as she shrugs. ] I don't know. It's been so long and I... [ There's a pause, then her voice softens as she looks away. ] I'm just glad he's alive. Knowing that is more than enough for now.

[ She hasn't said she has a history with him. She doesn't say she's in love. She hadn't said as much to her closest friends in New York. But she didn't have to then and she probably doesn't have to now. For all that she's a spy, for all that she tries to keep people at bay and keep her private life private, her emotions are sometimes remarkably easy to read. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

[You don't meet a man like that and not fall in love. Claire knows. She tried her best not to fall in love with James Fraser, and yet try as she might, she was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. As Claire listens to Peggy speak, talking about this man, she nods. All in due time.]

You'll have to introduce me sometime. Once the two of you have a little more time together, of course.

[No need to rush anything. God knows how long they'll be here.]

[revlon]

[ She smiles at that. ]

I'd be glad to. In fact, maybe you've already met him? Steve Rogers. He was helping at the crash site.

[nineteenfortyfive]

[Claire lifts a brow, stepping around someone not watching where they're going on the path.]

The American?

[Scandalous.]

[revlon]

[ Not just the American. The American. Peggy grins, amused; imagine if Claire found out just how star-spangled Captain America really was. She's aware of how absurd it sounds. ]

Surprised? Or perhaps scandalised is the right word.

[nineteenfortyfive]

[She didn't think laughter would come so easily, especially with Jamie on the forefront of her mind, but there it is.]

I'm married to a Scot. I'm not judging.

[Besides--]

I could tell he's a good man.

[revlon]

He is. And as bullheaded as he is kind.

[ Peas in a pod, they are. She pauses, smile turning wry. ]

I imagine the four of us would all get on like a house on fire.

[nineteenfortyfive]

I was lucky to avoid that. [Though there was some talk of being in the wrong time period. With what Peggy said--thinking he was dead--it paints a rather sad picture. Was Peggy dead, then, in Steve's new time? Not really a thing Claire can ask, so she files it away.]

Jamie's never had trouble making new friends. He and Steve would be thick as thieves in no time at all, I'm sure. Though I'm also sure he'd have about a hundred questions for anyone from my time.

[Maybe it's a good thing he sleeps for a bit longer. Spare Peggy and Steve from Jamie comparing their answers about life in the 40s to hers.]

[revlon]

[ She glances up to read a sign, one with a rather helpful arrow indicating that they're walking towards the right part of town. Just as well. She's getting a little hungry and they'll need things to cook dinner later on. ]

Oh, yes? [ Peggy thinks Steve is the same way about befriending others. They all really do seem like a good set of friends, if only the sleeping Mr Fraser would join them. ] What sort of questions? I'd imagine he's asked you all of them.

[nineteenfortyfive]

He has, but I'm sure he'd want some more confirmation. I'm the only source he has, after all. He'd want to know more about airplanes, and automobiles, and--everything, really. It's all beyond his imagining.

[This place might overwhelm him, to be honest. At least if--when--he wakes, Claire will be here.]

[revlon]

Or people jumping out of airplanes.

[ Which she's done on several occasions. It's an exhilarating feeling: the racket inside a jostling C-47, leaping into the night sky when it's lit up by prop blasts, the jerk as your 'chute deploys, the landing. It's been a year since her last jump but she does miss it, sometimes. ]

[nineteenfortyfive]

Oh, he might think you absolutely mad.

[A beat.]

Or even worse, wish to try something like that himself. The man's never seen an elephant, but you know the first thing he'd want to do is climb up on its back.

[revlon]

Can you blame him?

[ With what she knows of where and when he's from, that sort of curiosity is good. And a little dangerous, but. ]

Well, when he does wake up, just keep him away from the hangar on Thesa. We wouldn't want anyone flying off into space, would we?

[nineteenfortyfive]

Not at all.

[Then again, he believed Claire easily enough. She almost thought him crazy in that moment, too.]

I think he'd sooner break the thing than get it to move, but point made.

[revlon]

He'll be fine here. And so will we.

[ She chuckles, falling back into a comfortably silence as they walk. They're bound to come up on a cafe at some point soon and then it'll be a nice cup of tea before finding something to bring home for dinner. One step at a time. She's glad she's got a few friends on her side to help make sense of all this, at least. ]