4976/A Working Proposal

A Working Proposal
Date of Scene:	01 February 2021
Location:	1950, Howard Stark's Penthouse
Synopsis:	A working dinner turns into an unexpected proposal. This one, Peggy might actually follow through on!
Cast of Characters:	Daniel Sousa, Peggy Carter

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Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel was glad he'd accepted Peggy's offer to move in with her, because with how things were at the office their time at home was about the only time they saw each other save for the odd mission or staff meeting. Which is how the 'working dinners' got their start. Both of them realized they had more work than could be reasonably completed during conventional working hours (or the unconventional ones the two of them worked) and so it had become their tradition to take what work they could home with them to finish over dinner. Sure, it'd be easier to bring food to the office, but here at Howard's penthouse they could be themselves and freely enjoy each other's company which more than made up for the effort.

The dinners were usually light affairs, good food, good drink, good company with plenty of commentary on this report or another as they delved into their personal mountains of paperwork, but tonight was different, Daniel has been quiet, his food mostly untouched, his eyes still fixed on Dr. Samberly's personnel file despite declaring him a good fit for the Groom Lake facility over fifteen minutes ago, but by the distracted cast to his face, it wasn't the good doctor's future at SHIELD that was on his mind. Indeed, between that look and the occasional glance to where he'd hung his coat it was anywhere but. Not that this was entirely new, after Daniel had gone out west last week to check on some of their new facilities, he'd been living more and more in his head, tonight though was a new high watermark for distraction.

Peggy Carter has posed:
While Peggy had a good eye for people and she knew something was distracting him, she was trying not to push. Living together was unconventional in the first place. Him dating someone who was not only a woman, but his direct superior at work, was even more unconventional. She didn't want him to think she didn't trust him, in the office or at home. So, while she's now a hint distracted from her own file, looking up to him with worried eyes, she's tried to keep her tongue bit. Besides, she had a challenge in front of her. A dozen different files laid out, old war files and some pardons from the government. She was determined to keep fighting against Operation Paperclip, and she had to find reason the pardoned scientists were untrustworthy.

It wasn't going well.

Therefore, after half an hour of his distraction and ignored food, most of their dinner cold by now, Peggy looks back up to him and gives a little huff of breath. "...are you angry with me? Whatever if is, you know...you can just come out with it. You needn't read the same page for the fifteenth time. I promise."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel looks up from Samberly's file with a furrow in his brow. "Angry? No, why would I be angry?" he asks, which was only a little bit of a deflection while he gathered his thoughts and prepared further defenses. Though before he can get too far on that course the words come out on their own. "Peggy, do you want to get married?" the hurried nature of the question leaving some question if he's proposing or asking her thoughts on the institution itself.

Peggy Carter has posed:
As he gives that defensive response, Peggy folds shut the file in front of her and gives a little bit of a hard stare at him. She starts going through the list in her mind, "Well, you've barely touched your dinner, been distracted for nights, haven't even gotten through a single file to-" And then her mind catches up with her words. The other thing he's said. The file that was in her hands drops and she stares at him, a bit of shocked color draining from her face as she stares at him mutely, trying to figure out which he meant.

Finally, when she remembers how to breathe again, she's still not genuinely figured it out. "I...I mean...do you mean... over all, or... us... now...or... What?" She manages out around her heart suddenly flutering rather too hard in her throat.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Well it was out there, there was no pulling it back now, even if he did say he meant in general. Still he doesn't reply, instead he pushes up from the table with the help of his cane and makes his way to the entryway. He fishes a small blue velvet box from his coat pocket, the size and shape of which offering a good clue of what might be inside."I was going to do this big, even got Howard to give us his table at Le Pavillion," he says as he makes his way to Peggy's side of the table. "But I think this is better," he says glancing around at their surroundings, at the place that had become their home surrounded by the work they dedicated their lives to.

Gritting his teeth Danell slowly takes a knee in front of Peggy, and opens the box to display the ring inside. He's not as classless to re-use the one he got for Violet, thank goodness,though like that one this ring is of white gold, though violet's was new this one's edges have been worn smooth with use and care. It was a thing that looked like it had bound two people for one lifetime already.

He looks up at her with the same sort of besotted look she'd given him at their date to Quon's Cafe, "I meant what I said the other night, Peggy, you know, the 'sweet talk', this isn't the life I dreamed about, it's better, because it's one I'm sharing with you, one I want to keep sharing with you to the end of the line, if you'll have me."

(OOC: Ring https://i.imgur.com/ZnmoviE.jpg)

Peggy Carter has posed:
"...Oh." Peggy breathes out quietly, in genuine shock for a few moments, as she stares across the room at him returning with a box. A little velvet box. The sort of box that means something quite specific and answers her question without really needing any words. Her red lips part, stumbling across some sort of response but there simply isn't anything there, which lets him get out the question a little smoother than just blurting it out across paperwork. She doesn't even stop him from going down on one knee, though she knows it hurts. Everything is moving faster than her mind, for once, and she's powerless to stop it.

Not that she would, if she could. A shaking hand reaches forward for his, not grasping the ring yet, just wanting to touch his skin. Her lips still falter on finding any easy words and she drags in a shaking, long breath of air as she searches his eyes. "...You... you're... certain?" The doubt in her expression isn't about him, but her. This life. How many risks he's taking. The bits of fear that no one else gets to see, which she trusts with him. This is utterly terrifying and her knuckles are white as she clutches across his palm.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Any other time Daniel would be thoroughly enjoying the rare sight before him, Peggy Carter speechless, but the feeling of his heart in his throat and the question unanswered in the air between them takes all of his attention. He keeps his eyes steady on hers, unflinching, "Peggy," he says in the same calm, resolute tone he'd said her name that morning at the hotel. "I have no doubts about any of this. I want to spend my life with you, even knowing I'll be sharing you with SHEILD. I don't care, it's part of who you are, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Peggy Carter has posed:
The woman listens quietly for another few heartbeats, dark eyes searching his features almost frantically, searching for any hint of doubt or hesitance. But Peggy doesn't see it. He seems as earnest and resolute as that first morning they spent together. Still unable to figure out words, she just abruptly leans forward, her hands coming up to cup his cheeks and pull him in a surprising, heated kiss. It's not a casual pre-dinner kiss, but the sort that says she might be ripping off his tie any moment.

The kiss lingers for longer than either of them probably planned. Peggy's flushed by the end of it and a little breathless. She pulls back just enough she can meet his eyes, a faint smile on her lips. "..t-that... That's a yes...if that was not clear."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
There's no sign of hesitation, just that stubborn resolve that she's seen from him a million times over, and when she kisses him he kisses her back just as fiercely, cupping her face with his free hand in return,

When they finally part lips he's breathless as well and smiling, "Yeah," he says, with an out breath, "I got that," he says, before his eyes dip down to her left hand, "So can I borrow that for a second?" he asks lightly, the smile on his face growing just a bit wry.

Peggy Carter has posed:
As that question comes, Peggy gives him a slightly sardonic arch of a brow. She's unable to hide the smile from her eyes, though, as she banters back, "I might need you to fill out a requisition form first, at least..." She teases him. Then she's offering her left hand and the grin across her features is undeniable. Practically beaming. There's also a glimmer of glassiness behind her eyes that she'd probably not ever admit to feeling, but her body betrays her. She is joyful enough to cry.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
There's a snort of a laugh from Daniel at the joke "I'll get right on that," he says with a smile before he attends to the task at hand. "Got this from home on my last trip west," which was over a week ago now. "My grandfather gave it to my grandmother before they sailed for America, said if they were taking one adventure together, might as well take another," he glances over at their work on the table a reminder of all they did at SHIELD. "Seemed to be fitting. All things considered." He finally slides the ring onto her finger, then smiles up at her and her tears, finding he has to look away for a second as his own eyes glass over. "Just watch Howard walk in while we're a mess like this," he says to cut the tension and give them both a second to get some composure. "Love you Peggy, glad you said yes," he adds though unable to utterly avoid further sentiment.

Peggy Carter has posed:
The story of the ring is enough to actually get one of those tears free. Peggy never expected a proposal, much less something directly from his family. Peggy stares down at the ring, studying it in the light as she blinks through her tears. "It's...gorgeous. Your... your family doesn't mind? I've never even gotten to meet them. They must think me awful, stealing you back and forth all over the country... Never giving you a day off. I must be the worst boss." Peggy admits with a hiccuped little laugh, not able to fight back those tears. The dam of emotion from the uptight Brit has finally broken and it's going to take a little to patch it back up.

The comment about Howard gets a deeper laugh and a slight shake of her head, "I think he's in Italy, we're safe... And I love you too. God...I do, Daniel." Her right hand remains gently cupping the side of his face, the pad of her thumb brushing against his jaw, "...So damn much..."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"They don't mind, but they did say if I was going to give you that ring I had to drag you to Twin Falls eventually, they all want to get to know you in person instead of one of my letters," he says with a smile. "And oh no, they blame me for not bringing you by already, it's the new chapter in their saga about how I ran off to the big city after the war instead of properly coming home to Idaho," he admits with a smile, adding. "They can be a little dramatic."

The touch to his face draws Daniel's eyes to Peggy as he smiles about Howard, "Good he knows what I was planning glad he hasn't been hanging around the office giving me sly looks and checking your hand for a ring." He says before his smile becomes sweeter and he rises up to kiss her again long and slow before leaning his head against hers. "I'm glad," he says, "And I hope all of this was alright," he gestures to the table indicating the time and place. "Just couldn't sit on it any longer and a fancy restaurant didn't feel like us."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"*Idaho? You're from *Idaho??*" Peggy asks, somehow having known it in the back of her head, she's read his personnel file after all, but she never really processed it. Seeing Daniel back in a tiny, sleepy mid western town just seems to boggle her a little, laugh following those words of disbelief. "Well...Idaho is not getting you back. But, I do suppose a visit would be proper...Sometime soon. Once things with SHIELD are a little more settled in." Which probably meant months, but they were both used to putting their lives off for the work they promised to do.

She then helps him gently up off the ground, so he can come settle on the couch next to her and they sink into a second kiss. Work is now thoroughly abandoned for the night but she doesn't seem to mind. Her eyes keep going from his, down to admiring the antique, white-gold ring on her finger, then back up to him. Like part of her expects it to just disappear. "This was... It was perfect. It was, at least, very much *us*. And I'm just glad you weren't getting ready to move out... I'd created every awful scenario in my head about why you were so distracted."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel smiles at her disbelief, "Yep. Idaho, hard to imagine isn't it? There's probably as many people on this block as there were in my whole home town," he says, "And good, because wasn't planning on letting them get me back, but a visit would be good when we can find the time, my family's good people, they'll love you."

He smiles thanks for the help and settles beside her, his own work forgotten as well, He does catch her looking at the ring, "There's a chain in the box too under the padding, I know the job doesn't always allow for these things to be out in the open," too many enemies to spot the tell tale ring and try to use what it represented, against them.

There's relieved smile from Daniel as he said, "Seemed like "us", I don't think I've been to a fancy restaurant without it being for work," he adds. "This was better, but if we want to celebrate I am sure Howard won't mind if we help ourselves to a bottle of his champagne."

The speculation gets an amused look from Daniel as he brushes a kiss against Peggy's lips. "Sorry to worry you, Peggy, but as you can tell," he glances at the ring. "You're still stuck with me."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Mm... If you say Howard knew already, I wouldn't be surprised if he left something behind for us. That also explains WHY he took off to Italy, because I'd have gotten it out of him in a day flat. That man can't keep a secret to save his life and this one would have been entirely too juicy. He'd have just walked around staring at me half the day. I'm surprised he hasn't called already." Peggy admits with a little bit more of a laugh, able to well picture it in her head what Howard would have been like. "Still. The least he can do is champagne. And maybe we can still get that table at La Pavillion." Peggy grins to him, not entirely opposed to indulging now and then. It's just not something she'd do on the regular.

She's then leaning over to kiss him again, almost directly in response to the being stuck with him comment. "Hush. No...stuck about it. I asked you to come back here, didn't I? Did you honestly think we'd live in sin forever? What would your mother have said? God...what would *my* mother have said..." Peggy mutters, though she's gone a bit more serious at the thought of her family> it's been a very long time since she's bothered to get home. "...I should call her..."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"Good point," Daniel says as he gets to his feet again, heading for the bar, "We can always find out," he says about Le Pavillion with a smile. Though knowing Howard he probably left it booked for them. "And if not we can always see if we can finish a meal at Quon's for a change," he says with a smile back at her as he makes it to the bar. Sure enough there is a bottle of champagne with a bow and a note on it, He holds it up for Peggy to see before looking for some glasses. "True," he admits about them not being able to live in sin forever, before the subject of Peggy's family comes up, he brings the bottle and glasses to her as he asks, "What's she going to think?" he asks, not knowing much about Peggy's family beyond what little she'd mentioned in passing.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Ah..." Peggy slightly wrinkles her nose at the thought, "I suspect the first thing she will ask is if I plan on running off on you too. And why I haven't told her about you yet... or called in...months. Or come home since the war..." Peg drags one hand down her features, exhaling a slow breath as the gravity of just how much this could change hits home. And the memory of the last time she said yes to a ring on her finger.

"...we'll...go out tomorrow. Tonight I think I want to get silly on champagne and then probably drag you to bed..." Partially in celebration, partially to forget the flood of memories and realizations which are heavily settling into her head now.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"Run off on me too?" Daniel asks as he settles back onto the couch beside Peggy, though catching her expression he says, "We don't have to talk about it tonight," he says despite his curiosity. "Because your plan sounds a lot better," he says lightly, setting down the glasses and working on getting the bottle open.

Peggy Carter has posed:
A slight smirk plays across her red lips as he says they don't have to talk about it. Peggy exhales, looking down to the work papers she's now completely abandoned. There's no way her mind was going to focus on that again so she leans forward, flipping the folder shut on the two German faces she was tired of staring over anyway. "No, no... I suppose you really should know what sort of a mess you're getting into. You asked, after all... Might as well know who you're marrying. But drinks are needed. All around."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
"I have a pretty good idea," Daniel says of who he's marrying, "But you're welcome to try and shock me," as for drinks, the cork finally comes loose with a pop, Daniel turning the bottle away from the files to prevent good champagne being wasted on pictures of bad men. "And Howard's got us covered on the drinks as usual," he says pouring Peggy's glass and sliding it towards her before pouring his own.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"...I *hope* so..." Peggy levels a gaze at him, as he insists he has a pretty good idea of who he is marrying. She accepts the glass from him, waiting for his to be filled and then raising her glass to quietly clink against his in celebration. "Get at least one gulp in before I shock you away..." She winks to him, mostly teasing as she says that but there's enough of an undercurrent of worry that yes, there's probably a small part of her concerned this will be the thing that scares him away. She sighs quietly, "...I started out as a code breaker up in Bletchley... actually lied about my age to get in. But met a rather nice, high up officer, high enough to be a bureacrat at that point even though it was still early in the war. He was sweet on me and being a proper girl from a proper family who was properly to get married sooner rather than later, well, I started... going with him. Half the girls were only codebreaking to meet men in the war effort anyway. It was expected..."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel doesn't seem to be shaken by the undercurrent of nerves from Peggy, he clinks glasses with her, smiling at the wink and settles back to listen. There's a slight smile at Peggy lying about her age to serve, that much seemed familiar, even by the look on his face a moment later, he can't quite square the image of Peggy and proper. "Right, heard that was pretty common with the girls that served," he says. So far no big surprises by the look on his face beyond a moment of distaste for the rear echelon sorts ^like the guy Peggy gotten involved with.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"He... proposed marriage about half a year into it all. So, I said yes. All the girls were over the moon excited, the ring was... Impressively... Large." Peggy says those last words with a touch of earnest distaste to the base of her voice. Her thumb brushes against the inside of the new ring on her finger, a subconscious, loving sort of touch in contrast to the memory she's momentarily visiting.

"We were properly engaged a few months... Long enough there was a dress and a wedding date and all. My older brother, Michael...hated him. Utterly hated him. He was the sort that got into bureaucracy so he didn't have to go out onto the field. A boring life is a privilege, he'd say..." Peggy smirks at the memory. "But, I was going to marry him."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Sipping his champagne as he listens, a slight roll of his eyes given at the description of the ring followed by a quick look towards the one now sitting on Peggy's hand, smiling with relief to see that loving touch she gives it. He hides that smile in another sip of champagne. "And you were on board with that? A boring life of privilege?" Daniel asks, showing surprise now for the first time.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"I... don't... know? At the time, I think so? I wasn't even 19. I had this important man offering me...everything a girl could want. It seemed the... proper choice." Peggy, now a decade and change later, wrinkles her nose at the thought. Clearly she cannot quite remember why she thought it was a good idea, but she did. "My brother...hated him. Gave me the same damn look you're giving me now. He'd recommended me for the SOE and I turned them down... never thought I'd be the sort to muck around in the trenches. But...he knew me better than I knew myself, I suppose." Peggy gives a slight shrug and takes another, longer drink of her champange. SHe's going to drain this glass before the story is over.

"But, then he died... in the field. And... it felt... awful. To stay safe, when he gave his life serving..."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
There's a nod of understanding there, "Nineteen, who the hell ever knows what they want in life that young?" he says things making a little more sense. Still it's clear the idea of Peggy caring what the proper choice was making his brain turn somersaults trying to square that with the woman he's known these past four years.

Though at the mention of her brother, and what happened, he reaches out and squeezes Peggy's hand. "I'm sorry," he says, finding the words sounding entirely insufficient to that kind of loss.

With his other hand he lifts the bottle offering a refill to carry her through the rest of the story.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"It's alright... I mean... It's not. I miss him madly. But it's been over ten years and... I think I did rather damn well with my life, in a large part because of him. The offer from the SOE was still there and I... left the ring, left the man... ran off to training and..." Peggy gives a little laugh, squeezing his hand. "Here we are." She is proud of that much, clearly. Even if the strange beginning of her life isn't something she's much ever spoken.

"...I think he would have liked you far better...for what it's worth." Peggy admits with a wry little smile towards him, squeezing his hand again.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
There's a nod and another squeeze of Peggy's hand from Daniel. "Sounds like he was a good brother, nudging you in the right direction even before what happened," he says. "And well, you're not going to get any arguments from me, Director, about how your life turned out," he says with a raise of his glass to Peggy.

"It's worth a lot, actually," Daniel says. "He seems like a helluva guy, and would have made my life absolute hell if he didn't like me."

Peggy Carter has posed:
With work put aside for the night, and a glass of champagne in her before she even finished dinner, Peggy is now flushed and more relaxed than she's looked in ages. Especially with the question of his recent distraction now answered and that worry off the table. She uses her toes to push her high heels off of her feet and kicks her stockinged legs up into his lap, smiling wider. A long sip of her refilled glass is savored, she happily watching him over the rim. "He'd have liked you... quite a bit. Never thought I'd find a man who didn't mind I spend more time in an office than at home... and knows this is going to be our lives. I feel like I've tricked the universe, somehow. Or just broken another set of rules. But that's old hat nowadays."

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel smiles clearly enjoying seeing Peggy so relaxed. He finishes his flute of champagne in one go and sets it aside to rub Peggy's feet when they're set in his lap. He chuckles, "Maybe we did," he says, of tricking the universe. "I never figured on finding a woman I could sip champagne with one night then go kick down the door of a Leviathan safe house the next," he says with a smile. "I mean look at all this," he says gesturing at their working dinner. "We've found a way to make paperwork one of the better parts of our day, if that's not proof we pulled a fast one on the universe I don't know what is."

Peggy Carter has posed:
A lazy look is given over towards the files they are now quiet clearly ignoring. It's the first night in a long while they put away work before work was really finished and there is a momentary flicker of guilt in her eyes. But Peggy swallows it down, taking another deep sip of her champagne as she sinks into his touch at her feet and just genuine lets herself relax. "Mm... I don't know if I'd call it a *better* part of the day but...I have rather enjoyed our dinners. And it lets us get onto better things in the evening, on occasion." The look she's giving him is not even subtle in it's sauciness. Come hither eyes, indeed.

Daniel Sousa has posed:
Daniel pretends to consider things for a moment, "Well when you put it that way, its definitely not the /best/ part of the day ," he says of what usually comes after and what Peggy's look is very much promising now. "Seem to remember you proposing we get silly on champagne and dragging me off to bed," he says as he sets down her feet and meets her gaze. "Not sure how silly I am right now, but I think I can manage that last part all the same."

Peggy Carter has posed:
"...the bottle can come with us." Peggy states with an even wider grin in his direction. Then she's reached forward and grasping his tie to drag him into a kiss that is in no way gentle or subtle about her intentions. Possibly, they won't even make it to the bed. Never the less, the rest of the night is spent celebrating in a way that means they might be a bit late to the office in the morning, but the it's a celebration well deserved.