9060/The Ladies who Brunch

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The Ladies who Brunch
Date of Scene: 13 December 2021
Location: The Well
Synopsis: Janet and Peggy catch up after too long apart. Janet gets the good news of Peggy being in a family way and goes absolutely bonkers. Peggy reassures her that Steve is a good guy and their relationship is strong.
Cast of Characters: Janet van Dyne, Peggy Carter




Janet van Dyne has posed:
It's been a while since Janet van Dyne and Peggy Carter had some time to actually catch up. Between the Avengers, GIRL, SHIELD and personal lives, there just aren't enough hours in the day to get the two women together.

There are a few stumbling blocks; Peggy's actual years of maturity and her literal chronological age exceed Janet's. By the same token, the young van Dyne has done more before 30 than many people aspire to accomplish in the whole of their life.

More importantly though is a friendship built off a common ground. As flighty and impulsive as she can be, Janet believes in loyalty, and she's one of the few people who can work with Peggy's unique time-displaced situation without letting it overshadow all other concerns.

Janet shows up a little late, which means Peggy is probably waiting a little longer than she ought to. At least the table's on a private reservation under Janet's name, which means there is an entire cadre of staff literally waiting on Peggy's beck and call.

"I'm late-- I know-- I got held up with work." Janet's got a hand in the air with a waving apology, projecting her voice through the place like she owns it. "I'm here. Did you get some apps? I'm dying of starvation." Her ensemble is all about power accents today, black-dyed skinny jeans tucked into cavalry style boots with a heel verging on impractical. A black leather jacket is worn over a teal blouse and a lovely, fluffy scarf in a riot of colors is bundled under her chin with the tails hanging to her beltline.

She maneuvers her designer sunglasses to sit atop her brow and beams a smile at Peggy. "I knew you'd beat me here. You're worse than Steve," she accuses the woman. Rather than making Peggy stand she comes around to a shared table corner and gives her a hug and a sociable cheek-kiss, then sits herself down and scoots closer to the table. "Did you find the place okay?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
The older woman -- who somehow doesn't look older AT ALL nowadays -- is used to Janet being a little late. She doesn't mind. But after their little catch up at the party, and now dressed slightly down compared to that, Peggy still looks remarkably fresh faced and younger than she even used to. It's like Peggy is 29 again, even the little wrinkles that were at the edges of her eyes and lips are ENTIRELY gone. There is the weight of age behind her eyes, but not on her skin. She's also looking a little softer around the edges than she used to. SHIELD's being back in the good graces of the world has done very good things for her.

She looks up from the tablet on which she was, of course, working as she hears Janet's voice. And earnest smile stretches across her ever-matte-red lips and she shuts off the screen so she can stand and return that hug, that cheek kiss, and a squeeze of Janet's hand before she settles back down. "Ah, it was a good excuse to get out of the office, and I'm starving. I ordered us their goat cheese dip already. I figured you wouldn't mind. And I DO know there are these fascinating things called phones, nowadays, which do more than call people, you know? They...tell you directions and everything! It's literally IMPOSSIBLE to get lost nowadays! I can teach you if you like?" Peggy teases with a grin.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"I didn't say I got /lost/," Janet says with an acid tone that's undercut with a petulant raspberry. She grins in delight at Peggy's teasing. "I said I got held up. You would not believe how much the city inspector likes to drone on about fire safety systems. I miss the guy they used to have. He'd come in, get coffee, I'd give him season tickets for the Knicks and he'd be gone before lunch. This new kid is terrible. I don't even know what to bribe him with."

Janet says all this with the total lack of concern that many of the business elite of New York share. It's a dog-eat-dog world at the top of the food chain.

"The dip is perfect. Good call." She promptly scoops up a corn chip of the dip and takes a hungry few noshes. The head server bustles over with a deferential posture, hands clasped. "Miss van Dyne, thank you so much for joining us. Can I get something for you?"

Janet glances at the menu for a few moments, leaving the man stuck in place while she does. "Yeah, let's do a round of mains," she tells him. "Um.... ceviche, the persimmon salad, the cocoa pappardelle, and the apple tart. And whatever Peggy wants. Oh, and the Maison Stephan 2017, let's get that decanting."

She slides side-eyes to Peggy. "Or are we still doing ginger ale?" she inquires with a lofted brow.

Peggy Carter has posed:
That little petulant raspberry is met with just as teasing a glare, Peggy grinning the whole while. Janet deserves a *little* teasing for leaving the Chief of SHIELD waiting for her brunch. Though her nose screws up a bit as she realizes why the woman was delayed. "If...he's actually concerned about fire safety measures, Janet, maybe don't worry about bribing him and just... Make the changes? Goodness knows you have the money to do it." Peggy is, as ever, on the side of morally good when it counts. She's a rule breaker, but only for stupid rules.

Then the waiter is there and she's looking over the menu, "Ah... Honestly? Everything she just ordered but the ceviche. I'll take the rosemary chicken instead as my main." And then her dark eyes look back to Janet at the wine question. "Ahh... yes. Still on ginger ale. Though a pot of ginger tea would be lovely if you have it? If not...mint perhaps? But don't let my refraining stop you, please, get some wine for yourself"

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet pauses and gives Peggy a nonplussed look. "Uh, yeah," she says, stating the obvious. "I'm not -that- good of a friend." She grins cheekily and settles a napkin across one thigh, getting herself settled in at the table more comfortably after the waiter steps off.

"Okay, so, dish," she tells Peggy, in a lower voice. Elbows rest on the table and she tilts her head with a conspiratorial posture. "No seafood, no booze, no smoking... and you're looking a little... glow-y," she informs Peggy. "And not just in the 'yeah I just got a little work done down in the labs' sort of way," she appends. "Are we being super cautious, or do you have doctor's orders?" Her brows rise at Peggy with a point on the end of that query.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"In my defense, I truly haven't smoked since '45, so *that's* nothing new..." Peggy states pointedly, a mock innocent look on her features. And then she occupies her mouth with another good bite of the sweet and savory cranberry and goat cheese dip. She has to drawn out the anticipation just a bit longer, considering she was left waiting for her lunch!

Once she's done with that bite, though, she cannot keep her smile suppressed any longer. "Ah, there are doctor's orders about the matter. Still fairly early on but things seem to be going... Well. After the genetic repair work that Jemma and Bobbi did, well... Ah..." Peggy's cheeks actually color just a little bit, "Daniel and I didn't quite anticipate just *all* of what would be... Repaired. But happy accidents are still happy." Yes, Peggy's just confessed to making the same mistake as horny teenagers have been for ages.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet's response is a fairly self-contained amount of squealing that is mostly sub-vocal, along with her boots drumming an excited double-step under the table. "Oh my God, I'm /so/ happy for you!" she whispers at Peggy. "That is-- god, I think you're the only friend I've got who's in the family way," she admits. "Holy shit. I can't even wrap my brain around it."

"I mean, I can, because Nadia," she amends, a few seconds later. "But I got the easy part of that. She was sixteen when she showed up. Adopting her was a no-brainer. I get to be a young hot mom *and* I'm not having to deal with diapers and stuff."

"Okay okay okay," she says, barely hesitating between flitting thoughts. "Names. I need to know names. How far along are you? Did you tell Steve yet? He's going to -freak-, I want to be there when you tell him. -Are- you going to tell him?" She peers closely at Peggy, scrutinizing her response.

Peggy Carter has posed:
This wasn't exactly the reaction Peggy was aniticipating, but it's a lovely one never the less. The smile on Peggy's features only warms and widens, as does that blush deepen a little bit. She opens her lips to respond, but then Janet is rambling on even more in excitement. Peggy gives her a soft laugh, "Goodness, Janet, breathe. It's... a baby, not world peace. But yes, Dr. Simmons confirmed about two weeks ago. I suppose..." This might be the first time Peggy has sat down to really, properly do the math on it. Life has been moving so fast. "Goodness. I suppose about... two months now, probably. Almost. One more month and maybe I'll stop being ill at half the scents in the world. I hadn't missed *this* part of things." It's, apparently, not the first child Peggy's had. But the first in a long while.

She then shakes her head at the question of Steve, but once Janet manages to let her get some words in, she clarifies, "No, no, I haven't told him yet. I mean, we really have barely told ANYONE yet. Jemma's keeping it quite as well until we know things are... for certain going to... Stick. The first few months are always a risk and we don't want anyone getting... hopes up. Well, no one more than already has. Once things are a bit further along, I'll start telling more people. So you HAVE to keep your lips sealed, especially if I promise you can be there when the time comes. And... no names yet. We're just rather taking things... Slow." She's nervous, that much is clear. Very little makes Peggy Carter nervous, but this does. Her hopes are already up too high and she knows how easily things could change.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Nope, I refuse to subscribe to any of that," Janet informs Peggy. "I am a firm believer in 100% optimism at all times when it comes to kids. Other people having kids," she clarifies. "I am very happy with the current number and/or state of the kids I have."

"I mean-- Peg. C'mon." She makes a you-and-me gesture. "You wouldn't have told me unless you wanted me to know, and if you wanted me to know, then you *knew* I'd be all-in on this."

"So-- no no, I won't tell anyone," she soothes Peggy, and grasps Peggy's fingers with both her hands before an alarm can be raised. "But you gotta let me help. I bought an entire freaking wing at Mercy General, so you can use my suite there for any visits. I mean, unless I need it, but I only need it if I get shot or something," she allows. "You need the best OB/GYN in the country. I'll buy a pediatrics wing if that's what they need."

She's definitely off on a full head of steam at this point. "We should talk to Stephen Strange. I mean he's a neurologist, I know, but I'm pretty sure they made him study reproduction at some point. Right? They'd have to. You can't be a doctor otherwise," she observes. "And we can talk to Wanda, I bet she has all kinds of witchy talismans and magic stuff she can do that'll help keep the baby safe."

Janet pauses, looks at Peggy. "What, is that not okay? Are you guys like, religious or whatever?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Shhh, shh...Janet! Goodness, take a breath. It's alright. I've got excellent medical care whom I trust implicility. Jemma Simmons saved my life twice already and I know I, and the baby, are in excellent hands. We simply don't quite know the effects of having one's entire genetic code reset the way mine was but, so far? Things seem perfectly normal. Healthy and normal. I'm just... well, better safe that sorry. Practicing caution never hurt anyone. But I have this in hand. I'm just happy to... to have someone else to celebrate with." She squeezes the woman's hand reassuringly once more, her thumb rubbing up and down the outside of Janet's palm, lacquered red nail glimmering in the low light of the room,

"And I *did* want to tell you. Hell, I want to shout things to the mountains. I just don't want to... jinx things, I suppose. My husband is back, alive, healthy and in this century for *good*. We're expecting and he might finally get the chance to be a father that he missed before. SHIELD is no longer on the run. HYDRA's mostly drive entirely under ground again. Life is... good. It's like I keep holding my breath waiting for something to go wrong. That it can't be true that things are simply this... Good." Peggy is clearly, genuinely excited. Madly in love with her husband, pleased by their happy accident. She's the happiest Janet's ever seen her, in truth.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet clasps Peggy's fingers in return. The jittering excitement is contagious and hard to hold back, but there's a sense there too that Janet can and will do anything she can to help Peggy, Dan, and the bundle of joy along. So she tempers the excitement enough to offer her completely unqualified, rock-solid support.

"Okay, okay, I'm-- I'm okay," she promises. "I won't tell anyone. For real. I won't jinx it. But if there's anything you need, anything at all, just say the word. SHIELD's health insurance isn't exactly Cadillac coverage," she points out. "Anything you need-- doulas, doctors, nurses, care team, you just say the word," she says. "I mean it."

"Oh, and I am calling dibs on throwing the shower," she tells Peggy. "When you're ready. It'll be a blast. I mean, how often does this sort of thing -happen- in our line of work?" she philosophizes.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Not... not too often. Deal. You can throw the shower, but I get to look over the guest list, and no celebrities... that I don't already know. I suppose you and Steve are celebrities. You can come." Peggy winks at her. She then squeezes her friend's hand one last time before letting go and sitting back to let the waiter set out their drinks and the first course of the meal. She was starving and the tea was desperately needed. Excitement can only hold off first trimester exhaustion quite so much.

"BUT. That's enough about me. How are YOU? How's Nadia?...things with Steve are going well enough? Come on, you now know all my good news, your turn to catch me up! Lay it on me." And that gives Peggy time to actually eat her first dish instead of trying to calm Janet down from the excitement of her own news. She digs in without shame or reservation. The nausea is mostly gone today and she's taking advantage of it!

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"What, you think I'm gonna invite a bunch of people you don't know?" Janet challenges. "I'm a little self-centered, Peg, but I'm not an idiot. This will be /your/ friends. People in the community," she promises her. "I'm not THAT egotistical."

Objections lodged, she sits back while the food is trucked over. Janet ensures it's portioned out so Peggy can help herself to whatever she likes; there's certainly enough food there to feed more than three.

"Nadia's doing great," Janet assures Peggy. "You probably got wind about the trip to the, um, planet. Rann," she says. "I guess she invented some crazy new kind of teleporter using the Pym Particles. I have no idea how it works," she admits with a cheerful expression. "But that's fine by me. That's how we got Pym Labs off the ground. Hank would come up with crazy ideas and I'd get stuck marketing them."

"Steve's fine, too," she adds between bites. "I mean, it's all kind of..." Her brow furrows. "I don't know how to say it. It's not boring, but it's not like... exciting? We've been together like three years and he's still weird about leaving a toothbrush at my place. I have -no- metric for whether he thinks we're moving at the right speed or not." Shoulders wiggle with minor exasperation. "But it's not like we're moving apart from each other, so that's... good. Right?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
That news about Steve draws a rather more concerned, thoughtful look from Peggy's eyes. "What? I thought you two were certainly *living* together by now. Not even a *tooth brush*?" Peggy makes a small, displeased sound in the back of her throat. Something horribly British and rather like a disappointed school teacher. She takes another bite of food, thinking around it quietly before swallowing and offering to Janet, "Let me talk to him. If... if you're willing, that is? I won't intrude if you tell me know, but I have known him a very long time and he... He's probably just scared. And horribly old fashioned. Sometimes he just needs a kick in the butt and I'm more than willing to be one to give it." She watches Janet's reactions far closer about this matter, trying to pick up every little subtle hint. She won't do this without her friend's approval, but she is worried.

"And... that's... Good for Nadia? But worrisome? How worried should SHIELD be about this?" Peggy asks with a half smile, somewhat teasing but not entirely.

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Nadia? Nadia's fine. She's at least as smart as her dad, and she's got me riding herd on her to make sure she doesn't starve to death in the labs." Janet's face flickers. "She's... there's some stuff that she's dealing with. Hank had some problems with, erm, bipolar disorder. We're seeing a counselor. It helps," she reassures Peggy. "But she's doing -so- good. The GIRL team worships her. She's got such a gift for leading people. And she's just fearless when it comes to her friends."

"Steve..." Janet stares at her salad, taking a steadying breath between bites. "I don't know. Like I said. He's..." Her lips purse and she glances up at Peggy. "I don't know. He's sweet. It's not like we fight. I mean, he puts up with /me/, and we all know I'm a catty bitch," she points out with no shame. "But that last step, it just seems to freak him out. So I don't know if that's some larger issue with commitment, or if he's just, um... not feeling it."

Janet's eyes drop down to her ceviche and go flatly disconsolate. Her fork rests on the bowl's edge as if she's suddenly lost her appetite.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Janet. Look at me." Peggy puts down her own fork and reaches her hand across the table to scoop up Janet's palm again, especially as the woman seems to have abandoned her own food. While Peggy looks incredibly young nowadays, the gaze behind her eyes is far older. Far more motherly. Especially in moments such as this. She's practically all of SHIELD's mom, and then some. Janet falls under that umbrella too. "I *know* Steve. Committment... it terrifies him in a lot of ways. Especially since the ice. He's... He doesn't want to leave people behind again. He knows what he does day in and day out. He knows how dangerous it is. He knows how..." Her lips press tight a moment, against emotions she hasn't thought about in a long time.

"...I was... not alright for a long time after he went into the ice. I was the last person on the radio with him. I... I thought I listened to him die. It took years to... to even let myself feel again. I think he's scared of doing that to someone else. But I also know Steve is NOT a liar. He doesn't do things falsely. If he wasn't feeling it, he'd *tell you*. You KNOW he's not the kind of man to string someone along. He's better than that. Don't do him the injustice of thinking his care for you isn't real."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
"Yeah, I know, I know," Janet exhales, and grips Peggy's hands with hers. She forces her green eyes to lift at Peggy's insistence, but there's something a little dull and worried in her normally effusive gaze. "I don't think Steve's stringing me along or anything. I know he's not like that. I just..." Her lips purse. "I think that he's really comfortable with a certain routine, and we're... routine. I know he loves me. I love him too. But there's nothing really pushing him to, um, y'know, move the needle. I'm not saying I'm in a rush to get hitched again. I rushed into a relationship with Hank. I'd just like to know if... y'know, if he sees things moving /forward/ at all. I don't want to be his 'comfort routine' forever. Y'know?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
"I'll talk to him. I don't think...think you're just 'comfort routine'. He's more than that. I'd put good money on the fact he's scared and... change is scary. But I also know him damned well and if anyone can find you answers, it'd be me." Peggy smiles reassuringly to the other woman, especially as she sees that dullness and worry behind her eyes. Peg squeezes her hand momentarily tighter, the pad of her thumb gently brushing across knuckles. "But it's okay to want more, Janet. Once I found the right man... well, that's a lie, it took Daniel and I years to finally admit things to each other. But then we got married fairly quick after we got over ourselves and stopped moving across the country to avoid each other." She half laughs at the memory. "ANd now I'd move time and the world for him." And she sort of did. "But it took *time* to get there... A lot of time."

Janet van Dyne has posed:
Janet makes a whining noise in the back of her throat, and lolls her head back like a disconsolate teen. "Aww, man, I don't wanna wait that long," she whines. "You and Dan waited like, /years/ and years. That's ridiculous." An alarmed look crosses her face and she squeezes Peggy's hand apologetically. "Okay I mean, um, ridiculous, compared to how things are -now-," she amends with a careful backwalk. "Hank and I got married after just a few months of dating. I thought it was a great idea at the time. That kinda backfired," she concedes. "I don't want that to happen again."

Peggy Carter has posed:
There's a deeper laugh in Peggy's throat as Janet comments on how long they waited. "Yes, well... I think there's a good place somewhere between Daniel and I... and you and Hank. So, you just need to find that place. And you will. I'll talk to Steve, feel things out, and go from there. But now, we have all this wonderful food and you haven't even *touched* your wine. Let's eat and relax while I still have an appetite because it's hit or miss these days and this food smells amazing." Peggy gives her hand one last squeeze before pulling back to grab her fork and diving back into the food. The rest of the brunch is spent in lighter chit chat, catching up, talk about the news, nursery colors, and the general comfort of friends who have been apart too long.