4595/New Years Eve, 1948

New Years Eve, 1948
Date of Scene:	04 January 2021
Location:	One of Howard Stark's Many Houses, N.Y.C 1948
Synopsis:	No description
Cast of Characters:	Peggy Carter, Melinda May, Lucifer

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Peggy Carter has posed:
New Year's Eve. Howard was, for all their issues, still one of Peggy's closest friends. Chances are they were going to be forming an entire new international organization together over the next year, though the talks were quite secretive now. Peggy certainly didn't have any OTHER date for New Year's Eve and, it seems, he got wind of the fact there's another woman staying over in the penthouse of his where Peggy keep's residence. So, two dresses were sent ahead for the evening, an expected invitation for them all to spend it together. Whether he has plans on them going out or staying in and getting sloshed, Peggy's not certain, but she's currently looking over the red velvet thing he's set her while standing in the main room with May.

"Well...I suppose it could be *tighter*... but not by much. I'd put some money on he's sent these over then forgets to even show, distracted by whatever flavor of the week he's found tonight." Peggy's only half teasing with that, still looking like she's distinctly debating putting the dress on or not. "But... that shouldn't stop us from celebrating. You don't have any other phone calls tonight, yes?"

Melinda May has posed:
"No," May says, running her fingers over the fabric of the blue dress she's been sent by a man who's never even met her. "No more calls tonight. Not unless something go sideways." God, she hopes that doesn't happen. It's bad enough she's looking forward to a 70 year nap in a tin can. She'd rather not wake up to a complete pooch screw.

She chuckles dryly at Carter's assessment of the likelihood of Stark showing. "Which movie star *hasn't* he dated?" she asks. Hey, she's seen the gossip rags since she got here. She's had an awful lot of downtime to read and immerse herself in the culture. Well, pop culture, anyway. Some nuances still evade her, but not for lack of trying. Only lack of exposure.

She picks up the dress and holds it up for a better look. "It might fit," she says. "God knows I've worn worse..."

All of which means they need to probably go get changed. And May will need to figure out makeup again. Ah well... It's New Years Eve. And in 2020, her mission partner has finally gotten a long overdue promotion. She'll concentrate on that. It's worth celebrating, even if it is with a far younger version of that agent.

Lucifer has posed:
There's sound from the front foyer; the large doors opening, closing, sounds of umbrellas and coats, in from the drizzle of the outside world. And then the familiar call from Mr. Howard Stark; the man can truly project his voice: either over a gathering, or even just across from a foyer into the adjacent rooms.

"Find everything all right? If not, do let me know if you are not currently decent, as I have no wish to walk in and unsuitably alarm a set of lovely dames," is the verbal announcement, cheeky, from the next room. "Should I walk in, it is best that everything be prepared," adds the man, but there's no actual pressure in the 'threat'. He won't actually walk in on them, just intends to ruffle them lightly, insignificantly. He does, indeed, stay out of their hair for the moment, and is setting his moist coat on the coatrack, and setting his hat there as well, neatly.

Peggy Carter has posed:
The mourning that May has seen in the elder Peggy's features when she talks of Howard, and how much his loss hit her, it has it's roots in this moment. While Peggy looks momentarily exhausted at the grandiose way in which Howard announces himself, the expression is lined with warmth and a genuine crack of happiness across her lips that he actually made it. She's incredibly fond of the man, no matter the headaches. "We're decent. Not in your dresses yet, but decent. Come in, come in!" Peg calls back to the foyer, a warm chuckle just at the edges of her voice.

She sets the red dress down she'd been considering and prepares to make some introductions. The look on her face is both nervous and pleased -- she'd have been quietly hurt if Howard didn't actually show for New Years, but she also was a bit nervous about putting the pair in a room together. Especially since the plan was to NOT let him know that May has been displaced in time. She has no clue how possible that's going to be, but she's going to try.

Melinda May has posed:
May's head cants faintly as she notes Peggy's genuine warmth for the man she knows to be Tony Stark's father. She schools her features, however, into a more neutral, polite expression. Despite Peggy's warmth, Howard Stark is a man she's never met and a bit of a rogue element in her calculations. He could be the key to getting her home without a cold nap. Or he could be nothing more than a distraction along the way.

She's rather hoping for the former, but she's trying not to hope at all. In fact, she's quickly running out of energy to continue to hope. Most of the hope she's shown is a confidence act for her colleagues in the future.

Thus, she lays the blue dress down by the red dress and turns to face the man who built Stark Industries and SHIELD from the ground up. There's no one she knows, aside from Peggy and Captain Rogers who can say they know Howard Stark. Not like this. It may be an adventure.

Lucifer has posed:
"Were they not suitable to your taste?" Howard asks, voice still raised to carry. He sets he umbrella out, and then finally makes his way into the chamber he's deduced they are in. His carriage is relaxed, comfortable, but alert: he isn't suffering from exhaustion or any other ailment; he's having a pleasant (if a bit rainy!) evening, and clearly was looking forward to this gathering, at least by his body language and expression. He likes meeting new women, and known women, and women in any situation.

"Should they not be something that properly shows your feminine mystique, I do have some other options," offers Stark as he arrives in the doorway, smiling, and promptly crosses to greet Peggy in a friendly but still formal, gentlemanly way. His eyes move to May readily enough, though, and his brows move up in slight curiosity at her. He's lightly chilled from outside, his cheeks have a crisp red coloring to them, but he's neatly styled, mustache and hair well-attended with sleeked.

Peggy Carter has posed:
At the sight of him, Peggy smiles a bit wider, "Ms. May and I were just finishing up a bit of other business. Didn't even have time to try them on. But, work is done for the night and I'm certain we'll figure something proper to wear before the new year rolls around." Peggy leans over, returning that warm greeting. A squeeze of fingertips and a brief, platonic kiss to the cheek. "Happy New Year, Howard. I am glad you made it back in time." Those words are honest. The frustration of working with him has been well eclipsed by how close they've gotten. Especially as SHIELD comes near to being.

She then steps back, considering May for a moment and finally thinking through, probably a bit too late, if it's best that the woman doesn't use her full name here. Would it affect the history books? Well, Peggy has already said it. "...Melinda May, my colleague and dear friend, Howard Stark. Howard... Melinda is an old friend... From the SOE." Peggy is pretty good at lying. Not always the best to her best friend, but she tells that one fairly smoothly.

Melinda May has posed:
The SOE, huh? Okay. Fortunately, May has actually read quite a few biographies, in the 21st century, about notable SOE figures aside from Agent Carter. "Mr. Stark," she says, putting a smile on her face and adjusting her accent only slightly. Rather than the contemporary Philly accent touched with her Asian heritage, it drifts closer to a neutral Canadian accent touched with her Asian heritage. It's not really a huge difference, but it makes the lie easier to sell.

And May is good at selling lies when she needs to.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Peggy's told me so much about you." She doesn't make any indication of whether she's heard good or bad stories. But she does continue to smile, body language relaxed and far more open than it was even five minutes before he walked through that door.

Lucifer has posed:
Stark is pretty quick, he's already in the place May may have meant to evade. "She has, indeed? She has a grand habit of stories that are bad in her eyes, but are in fact generally good," smiles Stark, a flick of eyes to Peggy and a lift of brows is all that is on that, though. He's sly, in a warm way, but it doesn't have any harsh edge to it. It's gallant play, when his light verbal is paired with his gallant behavior. Howard feels /polished/, that might be the word. Like he gets away with things, but not anything serious. He stays solidly on that side of the line.

"I'll have to hear some Ms. May stories later, then. Or if you prefer, some Miss Carter ones," Howard says, at first to Peggy, but then giving May the last sentence, with a natural smile. He makes it easy to like him: which might be the trouble with the man. His circle is broad! "Perhaps later, at two different options I have procured - it is important to show at the Governor's party, but I daresay the Silverman's show will be quite the talk of the town, a shame to miss...."

Peggy Carter has posed:
The comment about Miss Carter stories gets a slightly wider look from her eyes, close to a glare, and a faint pinkening of her cheeks. "Now, I don't think any Miss Carter stories are *all* that necessary, tonight. After all, we have parties to get to, don't we? Melinda, you're up for a night on the town, right? Get your mind off things, at least." Peggy states with a smile that is trying to be distracting from the thought of whatever embarrassing stories Howard might have of her.

"I'll let you two get a chance to know each other... Just see if this all fits, won't be but three minutes, I promise." Peggy offers with a lingering smile. She then scoops up the red dress and does duck into the hallway off to the side, so she can go do a quick change and not be subjected to any old stories.

Melinda May has posed:
May actually chuckles softly at Howard's shameless prying. "Ah," she sighs, giving an artful expression of disappointment. "I have countless stories I could share," she admits, her brown eyes gleaming. "Unfortunately, they're all still Classifed. I can't even tell them to Agent Carter, here, and she was there for them." Her smile, bringing out the faint lines around her eyes, invites laughter at what is obviously meant to be a joke. Despite the fact it's actually, maddening true.

Nevertheless, she gives a brief nod to Peggy. "Yes. By all means. I've yet to have a proper tour of New York. And what better time than New Year's Eve?" She turns to retrieve the dresses, handing the red one to Peggy. "Do excuse us, won't you Mr. Stark? We won't be long."

Lucifer has posed:
"Everything Classified? To me, that merely says that work is far too much of your life. You need to obtain a little bit of gossip that does not pertain to work," Howard suggests, warmly, spreading his hands open towards Peggy, as if the gossip might include a pleasant hug in some manner. Still, his dark eyes twinkle a little, and he steps back as May makes it clear the women will be getting dressed, and not entertaining him!

"Of course. Take the time that you need to beautify. I would never rush such a process; I have only awe for the result, and am flattered to be the first to see." With an incline of head and generous, quiet expression that edges into flirtatious but doesn't quite go past it, he steps back to the doors, hands moving to spread to catch each door, and draw them shut in front of him.

Howard will stay out of their hair, and give them time, just as he'd said. He'll busy himself with other matters in the meanwhile!