4839/1950: The Aftermath of Melinda May

1950: The Aftermath of Melinda May
Date of Scene:	23 January 2021
Location:	Motel on the edge of the Mojave desert.
Synopsis:	Daniel and Peggy spend a first pleasant morning together and dare to let themselves be vulnerable with each other.
Cast of Characters:	Matthew Murdock, Peggy Carter

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Matthew Murdock has posed:
The Mojave Desert Hotel's curtains really should be some protection from the Californian sun, seeing as it had Desert right in the name, but apparently that was not the case, the thin curtains barely slowed the early morning sun let alone stopped it as it spilled into the room at an ungodly hour, or well, an ungodly hour for two people who'd just fought Hydra and come to a new high in the emotional roller coaster they called a relationship all in one day.

Blinking against the light Sousa looks up at the window, murmuring, "Well guess that's why the east facing rooms were cheaper," though he'd already been awake, for hours laying quietly with his thoughts mulling over an idea, one he'd come to a decision on, but for now though he simply peers over to see if Peggy was awake.

Peggy Carter has posed:
If anything is a great show of trust on Peggy Carter's part, it's the fact that she was able to fall asleep with him in the room. Not just in the room, but in his arms. She must have really needed the sleep, but then she's been commanding this issue since the day they lost May and probably has been in weeks of sleep debt over it. So, while he woke earlier, she remained dead asleep against him. Not directly in his arms, but with one of her arms stretched across his waist and her nose resting against the outside of his shoulder, her breath coming slow and even against his collarbone.

The sun is annoyingly bright, especially on her skin which is definitely a bit sunburnt. Freckles have come up all across the top of her chest and shoulders which are about as faintly pink as her cheeks and nose. She was not a woman built for the sun. She's been trying to sleep through it, but the sound of his voice is definitely enough to get a little groan from her. She turns her head, burying her eyes into his shoulder with a sound of protest. She does not want to be awake. She is awake.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Daniel recognized the trust for what it was, which made the whole night a good deal more meaningful, not that he'd been awake too long to enjoy it the night before, grabbing a shower to wash off the sweat and grit of the desert the collapsing into the bed for a well deserved rest. This morning though he'd recognized it, one more thing that occupied his thoughts while he lay sleepless this morning. "So, not a morning person," Daniel says softly pressing a kiss to Peggy's forehead, trying to avoid any of the place had burned her. Sousa was grateful his slightly darker complexion and years in LA had spared him the worst of that. "Good to know," he remarks fondly. "You must have loved basic back in the day."

Peggy Carter has posed:
While she's giving a protesting little groan to the morning, the press of that kiss against her forehead is enough to make her smile. Peggy drags in a deep, slow breath of his scent and turns her head enough to press a kiss against his collarbone. Now vaguely awake, she shifts so she can curl up under his arm instead of against it, letting herself dwell in the hazy morning drowsiness for once. The phone isn't ringing. The team didn't need them. They could sleep a bit longer.

"Mmm... never really went through basic. Not in the way you think of it, at least. Training with the SOE was... truncated. The war was already there. They needed us in the field. Then you're out at war and, well...you know how that goes. Sleep where ever you can, whenever you can. But no... nowadays...Not all that fond of mornings."

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Daniel shifts to let Peggy snuggle in closer, gently dragging his fingers along an uburned section of her shoulders, his own smile forming as she presses that kiss to his collarbone. It all made this feel more real than it had just laying there in the pre-dawn hours. "Hmm, you're lucky," he says. "My drill sergeant felt a day that didn't start before sunrise was a mortal sin," he says. It had stuck with him since the war too, the bastard. He yawns, "You want me to leave you be and let you sleep?" he asks. "I can keep myself entertained."

Peggy Carter has posed:
Drowsy dark eyes force themselves to flutter open and Peggy tilts her head up just enough she can somewhat look at him. She's still somewhat half asleep, but clearly doesn't plan on returning there. Her arm that was draped bonelessly across his waist now tightens a bit, savoring the new permission they have given themselves to let this be real. "No, no... we should go back to cleaning up the site soon, then get out of this wasteland of a desert. But if we're going to dare steal a little bit longer to ourselves, I'd rather be awake to enjoy it than sleeping though the good parts. Besides, you sound like you've been awake for hours..."

Matthew Murdock has posed:
"Yeah," Daniel says of being awake, "Old habits are hard to break," he says though with enough distraction in his tone to make it clear it wasn't the only reason. Though whatever those thoughts are they don't make him pull away, indeed he snuggles in closer too enjoying the moment. "Right, the site," he says. "Wonder what Melinda's doing now that she's back," he says. "I was going to say I wish we could tell her about her part in all of this," he gestures vaguely at the two of them. "But I guess she'd already know." What with Future Peggy and her being friends. He chuckles "It would take time travel to finally get our heads out of our asses about all of this."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"But...something else on your mind? I know that tone... you've been stuck in your own head all morning." Peggy really does know him that well, even after being apart all this time. She picks her head up just enough that she can look down to him, her messy, dark hair framing her face now as she didn't have the energy to put it up in its usual pins last night. She looks the most tossled probably anyone in the world has ever seen her before, but doesn't mind him seeing it. Just another show of trust. "...and I suspect she knows. I certainly wouldn't keep quiet about it." She states with a tired smile.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Sousa's eyes flick to Peggy's before moving to her hair in his current disheveled state. He can't help but reach up and touch it recognizing it for what it was. He smiles, "Good," he says about Melinda knowing. "And I was just worried about you. You know, in the future. I don't like thinking about her, well you, all alone." His expression shifts, to one that Peggy has seen before, that look of furrowed brow concern he wore when he came to check on her in New York and several times on their cases before that. "I hate to think of you hurting and being helpless to do something about it."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Oh, Daniel..." Peggy does know that look, quite well, though she's chided him for it before. She's always a woman who can well take care of herself and isn't really accustomed to someone else being concerned. Now, she tries to swallow back her initial instinct to just dismiss the matter. He worries out of care, not looking down on her as some woman who can't care for herself. She leans up and over, pressing a proper kiss to his mouth for a moment before she shifts to settle back against him. "I'm sure she's... managing. If I somehow survived that long, I'm certain I adapted. I'd rather not spend what little time we have now, together, worrying about a future that is...incredibly far away. She has May, at least? Probably other friends?" Hopefully.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Daniel was expecting their old song and dance that came about when he let slip how much he worried about her, so he's surprised by the kiss. He returns it, letting his hand slip through her unpinned hair, and when he pulls away there's a moment of a smile, as he lets himself enjoy the moment instead of worrying about the future. Though that worry returns in his eyes, even if it isn't reflected by his words. "Guess she's not going to take no for an answer," he says of May's help in the future. "And you better have other friends, Peg," he says with a shake of his head. "Though you're you, people will like you no matter what."

Still there's that familiar look in his eyes, the one that usually came just before he went and did something impulsive and chivalrous. "Anyhow, you're right," he says, stealing another kiss. "We finally figured things out, so I guess we'd be idiots if we didn't take a little time to enjoy that," he says a smile returning to his lips.

Peggy Carter has posed:
When she sees that impulsive look, he gets a curious glance from her. Peggy knows he's planning something. She really does know him that damn well. "Mm... and what are you thinking in that head of yours? Planning...something. Do I get to know about it?" Peggy asks with a bit wider a smile. Her fingertips idly trace lines up and down the side of his ribs, with just enough pressure that it's not ticklish but almost massaging. While they've moved rather fast, Peggy seems entirely comfortable with their being together. Like they woke up in bed every morning, not that they were doing something illict and that most of society would frown upon.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Sousa blinks, those years in LA had made him lax when it came to keeping things hidden, Rose could read him pretty well but she didn't know him like Peggy did, he was out of practice. Peggy's smile gets one of his own, "Not right now," he says about her getting to know about it. The touch makes that smile grow a little wider, as his eyes slip closed, just enjoying the fact they could be like this without all the baggage that had weighed down their relationship these past three years. "Hmm, still hasn't hit me yet that this is real," he admits fondly, changing tacks. "Still half convinced I'm going to wake up any minute now."

Peggy Carter has posed:
While Peggy is absolutely certain he's up to something, she also trusts him. Even the expert spy can enjoy a surprise or two on occasion. "Mm...you're going to give me gray hair at this rate, Daniel Sousa." She teases him gently, no actual complaint in her voice. It might even be called flirting. She then sinks down a bit deeper into him, so she can tuck her head into the crook of his neck and bury herself in his warmth for a few minutes. The ragged old air conditioner built into the motel is loud but powerful, keeping the room cool and comfortable despite the desert sun.

"I'd say we should have...maybe taken matters slower, but I feel like we've been taking it slower for years. Why bother dancing around the things we want when we've got so little time to steal together? We should take advantage of it while we can. Besides... I suspect you know me better than anyone, Howard included. Why be...shy about it now?" The fact that Peggy is saying so many things to justify it means she's probably far more nervous than she's trying to let on.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
"I promise it's nothing stupid or that will get me shot," he says, since so many of his past moments like that could easily fit under those two categories. "And sounds like grey hairs isn't something you're going to have to worry about for awhile," he says, a fond whisper as she buries herself against him.

She's right about him knowing her, his dark eyes seek her own, his expression calm and resolute. "Peggy," he says. "It's going to be okay. This is going to be okay, no matter what happens."

Peggy Carter has posed:
As he says her name that way, with his firm, calm tone, Peggy looks back up to him silently. He is one of the few people that can get her to stop rambling through her own head that way. She listens to him, no matter how many times he's frustrated her before and even the times they've fought, she does listen. She swallows her heart back down her throat for a moment, fluttering smile crossing her un-made up face. It's probably been ages since he's seen her without make up, even. She's always so put together for everyone else, no matter what. Here, he gets to see the rough edges.

"...I know it is. I know *we* are...even if half the world would damn us for sharing a bed before wedding rings, or dating in the office, or... all the things which they say are proper. Propriety has never been much my style and this... this risk is worth it. You are worth it."

Matthew Murdock has posed:
The probably the last time he'd seen this many of Peg's rough edges was the time he walked in on her and saw that scar on her shoulder for the first time. Back then he'd not really been looking in fact he'd been pointedly not after that first glance. Quite a bit different from this current moment. He brushes his fingers gently along the side of her cheek smiling as he looks at her.

Daniel smiles with that usual self-effacing charm of his, "You're worth it too Peg," he says. "Even if propriety was sort of my style until a few years ago," when he started getting involved with Peggy and her cases.

Peggy Carter has posed:
A husky bit of a laugh escapes her lips as he remarks on that few years. "Yes, well, I'm certain there are many notes in your file about what a horrid influence I am on you and now I'll be poaching you from the SSR once we get SHIELD started and completely ruining your life according to whomever makes all the careful and proper plans." Peggy is mostly teasing about that, though every joke has a kernel of truth in it. There may just be a big part of her worried she is going to ruin his life somehow, by taking this leap.

And while he saw her changing before, probably the most ragged he'd ever seen her was the night with the rebar. That's still one of the nastiest scars she has, where she fell a story and it poked up clean through her hip. She's in far better condition tonight compared to that mess, but he has seen her at her worst.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
There's a smile from Sousa. "I stopped worrying about what the guys who make the proper plans think around the time one of those guys helped Frost get those uranium rods," he says. And tried to have them all killed. "I am good with where my life's gone these past few years," he says glancing at where they were. "It's really hard to complain."

Ah yes, the rebar, Daniel usually did his best to block it from his mind, from a mixture of hating to remember how close he'd came to losing Peggy and shame at how it had led to letting Violet know how he felt about Peggy in the worst possible way. The other time, accidentally walking in on her that was an easier memory to hold on to.

He pushes the thought of the rebar out of his mind after a gentle tracing of the scar, before his eyes flick to her shoulder."How is it?" he asks.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Mmph... I've been trying not to move too much and forget it's there because when I do... well. Getting shot never gets easier. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, especially something this small... hurts like hell and I'd rather not pull stitches again." Another thing Peggy has quite a talent for doing. But that probably explains why she's not really moved from where she woke up curled against him, her injured shoulder resting slightly on top of his chest where she doesn't have to move arm other than the idle tracing of her fingertips.

"...but we should get up. They...expect us back on site, don't they? The end of everything was... a little bit of a blur." Peggy admits, probably betraying just how exhausted she was after it all, and the faint shock of bloodloss combined with the heat.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
"Unfortunately from what I've heard it's not something you can build resistance to," Daniel smiles, "Not fun, every time. But I tend to get out of the way of bullets" he teases. But then when you start with a shell from a Nazi 88, you tend to learn that lesson pretty quick. "You need anything for it?" he asks. "Got aspirin and that med kit."

Though he nods about being needed at the site. "Yeah, lots of clean up, prisoners to square away, if you want to clean up first, I'll be a bit getting my leg on, messed up the straps pretty bad in the desert," he'd shown hr his own rough edges too. Taking off the fake leg, letting his injury be out in the open like it was. "We passed a diner on the way here, maybe if we move quick enough we can grab some breakfast before we get back to work."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Sounds like we both could use some asprin. And a proper vacation." Concern trickles through her eyes as he mentions that he messed up the straps. No surprise, it was a mess out there, but she could tell how much he was hurting last night too. "Take your time with it. They can wait on us a little longer... And if you need help. I'm here." Peggy knows pride is a funny thing, for both of them especially. That's the first time she's really ever offered to help with his disability specifically. In general, she treats him just like everyone else and trusts him to know his limits. But now it's just them in the bed, all their rough edges and unfinished selves showing.

She abruptly leans up to kiss him one more time, some fierce feeling rising in her chest that is too much love and relief at being able to see his unfinished self. To be here, alone with him. "...we both have to get better at taking each other's help, don't we?" She asks, a moment after breaking the kiss.

Matthew Murdock has posed:
Daniel nods emphatically. "Definitely. Somewhere warm that's not a desert would be nice,"he says of the vacation with a chuckle. Even if there wasn't time for a real vacation. "Guess we'll just have to settle on babysitting the Brick back to New York," he says.

There's a moment where his eyes cut away at the offer of help, their usual roles suddenly reversed she offering help from a place of concern and love and him struggling against habit to turn it away. The kiss helps banish that, and Daniel returns it with same fierce catharsis that Peggy puts into it. He didn't have to hide, or worry about what she thought about these things, he already knew.

"We do," he says about the help as he kisses her once more before sitting up, "Come around here, I'll show you how it works," he asks her, before reaching for her hand. "I love you Peggy," he tells her seeking her eyes again, full of earnest feeling.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"I... I love you too. Every part of you." Peggy confirms quietly, especially as he's offering to show her how it works. She knows what a big step that is, but also how much it means to her. "...thank you for showing me." Those words are basically 'Thank you for trusting me', but it's so much more. That's a trust and a vulnerability that they don't have with anyone else in the world. She presses one last kiss to the corner of his lips, something more tender about it.

Then she achingly forces herself to actually sit up and start moving from the bed. A slight hiss escapes her lips as she remembers what a second day bullet wound feels like in the worst way. She keeps her arm braced mostly against her chest, shifting over so she can watch him work with the piece.