(If only Howard hadn't been so god damned insistent, but that was both his gift and his curse. It had been raining. And then it had stopped raining, but it hadn't dried. They'd kept driving and gotten to what Howard thought was just a a small puddle. He didn't realise it was a true dip in the road that went nearly a foot deep. They'd gotten through it and a few yards beyond before the car had stopped, and it had been alright first. But then, of course, as luck would have it, as soon as he had popped the hood the sky had opened up again.
Her shirt was see-through, and as distracting as that was, he too was soaked so he couldn't even offer her his jacket. At least she's laughing, even if he wasn't in the best of moods himself. He'd never taken well to embarrassment.)
The engine is flooded. You can't fix a flooded engine when it's pouring the rain. (The words are grumbled, he glowers at her, but then she starts laughing and he can't stop himself from rolling his eyes. How dare she~ etc.
He is glad she takes charge, though, and he follows the waitress to the booth, taking his jacket off and hanging it on the hook at the edge.)
I think you should buy. You're the one who said it looked fine to drive through. And wanted to drive without Jarvis. I haven't actually driven a car in years.
[ His expression is pure irritation and it's making her hysteria slightly worse. Every time she glances his way her breath catches and she has to smother the giggles behind her palm. ]
Oh darling, you clearly haven't been out in London in the middle of April. You call that rain? [ She's just tugging on his proverbial pigtails right now. It's like she can't help herself. ] And besides, Mr. Jarvis thinks crawling along ten miles under the speed limit is a lark. I wanted the wind in my hair, I didn't want to feel my cells literally ageing.
[ The waitress returns with two cups and a steaming silver pot of coffee. Peggy's smile only widens. ] Oh, you're a saint, thank you.
(It should annoy him more that she's laughing so much. And it does, to a point. It feels like she's rubbing his failure in his face. But at the same time, she's smiling. She's happy. It's good to see her doing both so freely, that he can't even be mad at her for that. He's been wanting to see her smile like this for ages. Even at his cost.)
I've been, I've seen, I just thought it was because of the war. It was rain. It is rain. (She is, and it's rude. It makes him keep glaring, so at least there's that.) Mr.Jarvis would have known that it was deeper than it was, and not laughed when we stopped. Unlike you. (GRUMP.) Are you happy now? You're soaked.
(He's soaked, and as soon as the coffee's there he's throwing himself over it.) Yes. Yes you are. Thanks. If you have a blanket, that'd be great, too.
[ Because of the war. Her eyebrows lift up in amusement and she swats him off the coffee pot to pour two cups out. The poor stricken waitress gives Howard a look that almost makes her start laughing again. ] It's a dinner, not a B&B. [ To the girl. ] He'll be fine. But if we could have a couple of menus, thank you.
[ Peggy nudges a cup Howard's way before she wraps her hands around her own. She's dripping wet, she'll probably catch her death with cold. ] It's just a little water. [ She feels as though the discomfort is something familiar enough that it makes her feel better. That's probably a little sad. ]
I'll buy you lunch if you stop your moustache looking so depressed.
They might have had something in the back, Peg. You never know. (Howard let's out a soft huff, but then looks up apologetically at the girl, flashing her a bright smile.) Sorry, I get cranky when I'm wet, that's all.
(Yes. Coffee. Coffee good. It'll warm him up and start to turn the very corners of his lip upwards, if nothing else. They're both going to get sick, really, and Jarvis will berate them while he cares for them. He'd point out that they should have just had him there, and they never would have been in this situation at all. Which Howard would agree to, but really, he didn't want to admit to that. He lets his foot touch hers, and shrugs.) A little.
(He smiles then, genuine and warm, not quite reaching his eyes, but it's a start.)
My moustache is fine. It's just the rest of me that's not.
[ She desperately wants to point out that Howard gets cranky all of the time but she's aware she's already upset him quite enough for the day. Thankfully the prospect of coffee seems to perk him up. ]
I am sorry you know. [ Her voice is soft and sweet even though she still looks a little impish. ] I honestly did think that it was a measly little puddle. Neither of us could have known --.
And I'll pay for all the damages, if it's a problem. I'm sure you can find a good mechanic in New York. Don't they just flock there?
(He does, it's one of his worst traits, but it's good that she's not pointing it out, because that would make him even more cranky, even if she would be able to kiss it better with ease. Or tease him better, both perhaps. He's glad she doesn't, instead focusing on the coffee that was warming both heart and soul.)
Sure you are. Maybe you planned this all along. (He gives her foot a gentle little nudge under the table, but there's a slow smile that starts to curve at the corners of his lips.) Jarvis probably would have.
(And then Howard looks at her, and frowns slightly.) Pay? Gosh, Peg. I can fix it, it's just hard to get it done in the pouring rain. Once it lets up I'll be able to clear it. (He snorts gently) Money. A problem. Peg, please.
[ His foot rubs against hers and she smiles. ] If I'd have planned it I would have aimed us somewhere decidedly more interesting. Perhaps near a hotel. You keep promising me glitz and glamour, Stark, but you never deliver.
[ She's mostly joking. The two of them lead busy lives nowadays. And she knows there's too many things in motion for the two of them to take time off. They probably shouldn't have even spared the hours for a drive but she was feeling cooped up and he had that look about him that said if she didn't distract him soon he'd blow something up. ]
Well then I'll make it up to you in some other way. You can pick. [ That wasn't an innuendo but she seems to realise how it sounds a little too late. ]
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Her shirt was see-through, and as distracting as that was, he too was soaked so he couldn't even offer her his jacket. At least she's laughing, even if he wasn't in the best of moods himself. He'd never taken well to embarrassment.)
The engine is flooded. You can't fix a flooded engine when it's pouring the rain. (The words are grumbled, he glowers at her, but then she starts laughing and he can't stop himself from rolling his eyes. How dare she~ etc.
He is glad she takes charge, though, and he follows the waitress to the booth, taking his jacket off and hanging it on the hook at the edge.)
I think you should buy. You're the one who said it looked fine to drive through. And wanted to drive without Jarvis. I haven't actually driven a car in years.
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Oh darling, you clearly haven't been out in London in the middle of April. You call that rain? [ She's just tugging on his proverbial pigtails right now. It's like she can't help herself. ] And besides, Mr. Jarvis thinks crawling along ten miles under the speed limit is a lark. I wanted the wind in my hair, I didn't want to feel my cells literally ageing.
[ The waitress returns with two cups and a steaming silver pot of coffee. Peggy's smile only widens. ] Oh, you're a saint, thank you.
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I've been, I've seen, I just thought it was because of the war. It was rain. It is rain. (She is, and it's rude. It makes him keep glaring, so at least there's that.) Mr.Jarvis would have known that it was deeper than it was, and not laughed when we stopped. Unlike you. (GRUMP.) Are you happy now? You're soaked.
(He's soaked, and as soon as the coffee's there he's throwing himself over it.) Yes. Yes you are. Thanks. If you have a blanket, that'd be great, too.
(:|)
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[ Peggy nudges a cup Howard's way before she wraps her hands around her own. She's dripping wet, she'll probably catch her death with cold. ] It's just a little water. [ She feels as though the discomfort is something familiar enough that it makes her feel better. That's probably a little sad. ]
I'll buy you lunch if you stop your moustache looking so depressed.
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(Yes. Coffee. Coffee good. It'll warm him up and start to turn the very corners of his lip upwards, if nothing else. They're both going to get sick, really, and Jarvis will berate them while he cares for them. He'd point out that they should have just had him there, and they never would have been in this situation at all. Which Howard would agree to, but really, he didn't want to admit to that. He lets his foot touch hers, and shrugs.) A little.
(He smiles then, genuine and warm, not quite reaching his eyes, but it's a start.)
My moustache is fine. It's just the rest of me that's not.
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I am sorry you know. [ Her voice is soft and sweet even though she still looks a little impish. ] I honestly did think that it was a measly little puddle. Neither of us could have known --.
And I'll pay for all the damages, if it's a problem. I'm sure you can find a good mechanic in New York. Don't they just flock there?
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Sure you are. Maybe you planned this all along. (He gives her foot a gentle little nudge under the table, but there's a slow smile that starts to curve at the corners of his lips.) Jarvis probably would have.
(And then Howard looks at her, and frowns slightly.) Pay? Gosh, Peg. I can fix it, it's just hard to get it done in the pouring rain. Once it lets up I'll be able to clear it. (He snorts gently) Money. A problem. Peg, please.
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[ She's mostly joking. The two of them lead busy lives nowadays. And she knows there's too many things in motion for the two of them to take time off. They probably shouldn't have even spared the hours for a drive but she was feeling cooped up and he had that look about him that said if she didn't distract him soon he'd blow something up. ]
Well then I'll make it up to you in some other way. You can pick. [ That wasn't an innuendo but she seems to realise how it sounds a little too late. ]