Reminder that Steve Rogers was born in 1920, and Bucky Barnes was born in 1917, which means that Steve was in his early twenties during the war, and Bucky was in his mid twenties. I know that they’re both portrayed by 30 year old men, but really? They probably looked more like these guys:
Don’t forget that Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes had to grow up way too
fast, not only because of the war, but because they were teenagers in
the Great Depression, they were part of an extremely marginalized group during a time of extreme tension, and the whole dead parents thing. Don’t forget that Steve and Bucky probably never got
to do dumb teenager things because they both had to do whatever work
they could to stay afloat and then a WAR happened.
Think about all that pressure once Steve was “Captain America” and became a propaganda piece. Think about the atrocities of war that they’d have seen. Think about the fact that they both faced death. Think about the fact that Steve’s best friend died. THINK ABOUT HOW THESE KIDSARE NOW SUDDENLY 95+ YEARS OLD. Think about Bucky, waking up and technically being maybe 27 and having to reconcile all the things HYDRA made him do as the Winter Soldier.
Peggy Carter was born in 1919. She is only a year older than Steve. She’s still in her twenties during Agent Carter, y’all. Let that sink in for a moment. She’s still in her twenties.
That flashback scene in The Winter Soldier with the “I’m with ya till the end of the line”? They were teenagers then. TEENAGERS.
REMINDER THAT THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGERS WERE ALL CHILDREN.
THIS IS NOT EVEN IN THE FOOTNOTES ON THE LIST OF THINGS THAT ARE OKAY
Pre-serum Steve was goofy and awkward as hell, he gave Peggy a list of all the places he got beaten up for literally no reason. He just thought that was an okay thing to do.
The press eats it up. Captain America and his beautiful British wife, smiling for the cameras and never giving their real names. “Now our countries can really be allies, huh Cap?” one reporter calls out, and Steve laughs.
*
“Rogers!” Howard calls from the front of the plane, and both Peggy and Steve turn to look at him. “Err…Peggy. Got some enemy fire coming up.”
“Looks like this is my stop, then,” Steve says, smiling at Peggy like some silly uniform and a stolen helmet are going to protect him from anything.
“Hurry back, won’t you?” It’s incredible, really, how her voice doesn’t waver. “Can’t have you missing super.”
Steve gives her a chaste kiss before hurtling himself out of the plane. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, dear!”
*
“Well,” Bucky says, “I guess if you had to get married without my permission, I’m glad it was her.”
*
The Howling Commandos have taken to calling Steve “Captain Carter.” Steve doesn’t mind in the slightest.
*
“Steve,” she says, voice shaky. “Please don’t do this.”
“I have to, Peggy,” he replies, and thinks of the kiss they just shared (their last kiss), how brief it was, compared to all the others. “You know I do.”
“There has to be another way—”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, Steve, but please, please don’t do this.”
“Hey, it’s-it’s okay. We can go dancing tomorrow night? At that club back in London, where our first date was. How ‘bout it, you free?”
“Of course. Steve—”
“What time?”
“Eight o’clock, on the dot. Don’t be late like you were then.” A noise makes its way out of Peggy’s throat, and maybe it’s a laugh or maybe it’s a sob but that doesn’t matter.
Because Steve is saying “Hope I don’t step on your toes—” and then he’s gone. He’s gone.
*
After the war, she goes back to her maiden name. “Agent Carter” sounds better, and doesn’t hurt nearly as much.
*
One of the first things she says after Steve comes back is “Oh heavens, I’m a bigamist.”
Steve laughs, grinning at her like she’s not old and wrinkled and damn tired. “I think the country’ll forgive you, Peggy.”
