Contemplation
“What do you say?”
The words reverberate in Daniel’s chest and he lets them sit there for a handful of seconds. He tries to weigh his options but the presence of both Peggy and Jason clouds his mind.
“Can I have a minute to think?” he asks, not daring to look Peggy in the eyes.
“Sure, yes,” she stammers. “Of course.” She gets up from her chair, smoothing down her skirt more than is needed. “Why don’t we all just think for a few minutes, hm?” she suggests, trying to sound more lighthearted than Daniel thinks would be possible to feel in a situation like this. “Why don’t you go into the kitchen, Daniel, you, Jason, stay here and I’ll go to my room and we will talk again once we’ve all had a moment to ourselves, yes?”
Daniel follows her suggestion without another word, crossing the hallway and letting himself drop onto the one remaining kitchen chair at the small breakfast table.
Finally able to think, he begins weighing his options. Saying no would mean he would remain the only man dating Peggy but if her feelings for Jason were so strong that she risked her relationship with him to bring it up, not giving her the opportunity to at least try out this less than conventional proposition might lead to a strain on the two of them and could even mean the end of their relationship.
Peggy’s happiness should be one of the most important things, Daniel reminds himself. She said she was happy with him but not getting to be with Jason is obviously hurting her.
What about his own happiness, he considers. Sharing Peggy… Sharing Peggy with Jason! Jason, who betrayed them but has, since then, more than made up for doing so. He has seen the two of them together, joking, laughing, looking after and taking care of one another. If he takes the jealousy he felt in those moments out of the equation, he must admit that they would make a cute couple.
Both Daniel and Peggy live a dangerous life, their jobs putting both of them in harm’s way almost on a daily basis. If they were to get hurt at the same time, if Peggy were to get hurt and Daniel not able to help her, if Daniel were to die, leaving a hurt Peggy behind…
He stops his thoughts. There is no need to go in that direction. The important factor is that should, God forbid, any of these scenarios occur, knowing that someone would be there to look after her, more than people like Howard Stark or Mr. Jarvis could as her friends… It is not a bad idea.
There was jealousy whenever he had seen Peggy look at Jason, yes, but that was before he knew for sure that Peggy had feelings for him. She assured him she is happy with him, right? Said she would never want to leave him, right?
Daniel stays in the kitchen for another minute after making his decision, needing the time to reflect on the importance of the moment before he can, with a deep breath in, push himself back up on his crutch and make his way to stand in the hallway to wait.